The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-11 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—YORK, March 9.
Mr. Baron Martin and Mr. Justice Keating arrived at
this city from Durham on Saturday, and opened the com-
mission.

Their Lordships yesterday attended Divine service at the
cathedral. This morning Mr, Baron Martin, after break-
fasting with the Lord Mayor, tried the city prisoners at the
Guildhall. At 12 o'clock their Lordships took their seats in
their respective courts at the Castle, Mr. Justice Keating
charging the Grand Jury and sitting on the Crown side.
The West Riding cause list contains an entry of 36 causes.
The East and North Riding list is not yet published. The
list is considered an exceedingly small one, the causes
mostly being of a trivial character.

The calendar contains the names of 106 pri.oners and 2
for the city, and is very heavy. Two are charged with
murder, 12 with manslaughter, b with burglary, 3 with
rape, 5 with forgery, 13 with perjury, and the rest with
various offences.

Mr. Baron Martin, in the Civil Court, disposed of several
undefended causes, and then tried prisoners.
His Lordship announced that, to suit the general con-
venience, the Court would not sit to •morrow, which will be
kept in this city as a day of rejoicing.

CROWN COURT.
(More Mr. Justic3 Keating.)
Thomas Hibbard, aged 34, was indicted for uttering a
forg d acceptance of a bill of exchange for £23 2s. Gd., with
intent to defraud one John Wicks, of Sheffield, on the 16th.
of September last.

Mr. Maule prosecuted, and Mr. C. Foster defended the
prisoner.

It appeared that the prisoner was a bone and ivory carver
carrying on business in Sheffield, and that for some years he
had had various business transactions with one Geo. Croft,
manufacturer, of Eyre-street, Sheffield. On the 16th of
September last he presented a bill to be discounted to Mr.
John Wicks, purporting to be drawn on and accepted by
Mr. George Croft, of Eyre-street, Sheffield, for £23 2s. 6d.,
at four months, which Mr. Wicks discounted at the usual
rate. There had been business transactions between the
prisoner and Mr. George Croft for some years, Croft owing
him money, and paying by bill at four months, which was
continually renewed, and at this moment a bill of his ac-
ceptance was running on which he owed £4B to the prisoner.
He denied that the acceptance in question was his, or that
he had autborised it There were plenty of George Crofta
in Sheffield, and the acceptance, he said, was not at all like/
his handwriting.

For the defence it was urged that, for anything that ap-
peared, the acceptance was no forgery, as it was not shown
that no other George Croft, of Sheffield, of whom it was in
evidence that there were several, had not accepted the bill.
It was also contended that the witness Croft's evidence was
not altogether satisfactory, and that it was not conclusively
established that he had not given authority for the accept-
ance.

His Lordship having summed up the evidence,
The jury, after some consultation, acquitted the prisoner.
He was immediately again put on his trial on a charge of
uttering a forged acceptance of Mr. John Harvey, of Lead
Mills, Sheffield, for £49 ls. 6d., with intent to defraud
Charles Fisher, on the 10th of September last.

Mr. Maule again prosecuted, and Mr. Campbell Foeter
defended the prisoner.
In this case, as in the last, the prisoner had gone to Mr.
Fisher, and had get the bill discounted, and while there on
a subsequent day Mr. Harvey called, and there was a dis-
cussion about the bill. On being asked by Mr. ITar4iey
whether he had ever accepted the bill, the prisoner answered,
" No, he had not ; it is a forgery." Mr. Harvey took no
further steps in the matter. Subsequently the prisoner was
apprehended on this charge, and told the policeman that it
was no use denying it; he was guilty of the whole lot, and
supposed he should get three years for it,

It was attempted to be urged as a defence thatlir.Harvey's
conduct in the matter amounted to a ratification of the
prisoner's aceeptance, as he had done nothing after he be-
came aware of it, and had taken no step against him.
His Lordship having summed up the evidence,
The jury found the prisoner Guilty.
Sentence was deferred.
His Lordship said, as it appeared to be the general wish,
the Court would be adjourned over to-morrow to Wednes-
day morning.

MIDLAND CIRCUIT.—NOTTINGHAII, March 9.
CROWN COURT.
(Before the Chief Baron.)

indicted for unlawfully taking Susannah Moore, a girt
under the age of 16 years, out of the possession of her
m
ar
onseuacryt
mtshzron, and Mr
Job Reddish, Elizabeth Nicklin, and John Haye were
prisoner Reddish was undefended.
and Nicklin. The
B uolt
appeareduncdfekndeyt
re
oam p,
ph
the
on
erpetredhivseiof:2oesrentr
evidence
ehuof the witnesses that the
eof January.
Pprisoner Reddish had gone with the girl to a neighbouring
village, taking her clothes with her, and had there passed
the night with her, leaving her the next morning to return
home. The prosecutrix, a girl of 15, but apparently much
older, swore that the prisoner Reddish had proposed to her
to go away with him, and she had immediately consented
to do so. Be had never spoken to her before on the sub-
ject, and there had been no previous courtship between
them. She went on to depose that Nicklin had consented
to receive her clothes, and keep them till the time fixed for
the flight, and that Haye had helped her to carry the clothes
for some distance in her flight, until he was relieved by
I Reddish,

Mr. Bustard, for the defence, contended that the girl's
statement was extremely improbable, and:that the defers..
dpts were only assisting her, as they supposed, in flyiug
from her mother, with whom she had frequent quatrels,
and obtaining a situation at a distance.
The jury found all the prisoners guilty, and sentence was
deferred.

Several other cases were disposed of; but they were all
of a trivial and uuinteresting character.

NISI PRIUS COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice Willes.)
The Court was occupied in the morning, in trying three
undefended causes.

The Weather—Sun Office, March 11, 1863.