The Sun.
London, England, 1839-03-07 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, MA.rwir 6.
BAIL CASES.—No less than fifteen applications Were e
by insolvents to be admitted to bail until the hearing. Several
were refused, two on the ground that the proposed sureties had
been bankrupt and insolvent.
Air. Thomas Halls, the late Magistrate of Bow-street,
case was reported a few days ago, came up for adjudication.
The case had been adjourned to perfect the service of a not :ce
on a creditor. A consent had been obtained, and Mr. Halls
came up to be discharged. He appeared very infirm.
The Court declared Mr. Halls entitled to the benefit of the
Act, and ordered his immediate discharge. He was accord.
ingly discharged.

CRIMINAL CO URT-YEST ERDA Y.

OLD COURT.
William Berry, 19, and Matthew Sutton, 19, labourers, were
dieted for a criminal assault on Jane Gale.

Berry was indicted as the principal, and Sutton for aiding ;Ina
abetting. Three indictments were preferred.

Mr. PRENDERGAST defended

The prosecutrix, a young woman, arrived in London from
Trowbridge, in Wiltshire, in January last, in search of a si-
tuation. On the very first day she was so unfortunate as to
be lodged in a questionable house, in which, as she stated,
ate was feloniously assaulted, and subjected to disease. On
the 23d of January she went, in company with another girl, to
Kensal-greeen to procure a situation, but was unsuezessful. About
two o'clock in the day she was indubed by her companion to go on
board a boat on the canal, and there the capital offence was com-
mitted. Th • case was gone Into at great length, but many of the
details are unfit tor publication.
On her cross-examination by Mr. PRENDERGAST, the prose-
cutrix admitted that after the outrage she went with a Captain
Jaques to the 13, nk of England public-house, at Paddington,
and was treated by him with beer. Captain Jaques had supplied
her with food for a fortnight, but she positively swore that she
had no improper intimacy with him. She did not tell the li.nd-
lady at the public house, but told the landlady of the " Tons and
Jerry shop" where she lodged, and where beds weae let, indiseri.
minately to Loth sexes, at 4d. and Gd per night. The pro: ecu trix
however, adhered to her statement in chief. She stated her age t.;)
be 19 years.

In answer to a question from the Court, the prosecutrix swore
she was positive the prisoners were the men.

Mr. PRENDERGAST, in a lengthened speech, contended that the
jury could not-give credence to the testimony of the prosecutrix.
Several witnesses gave Berry an excellent character for honesty,
sibriety, and general good conduct.
Sutton protested his innocence, stating that he could not call
friends on his behalf, as they were all in Staflordshire. Ile be.
lieved the young woman would swear to any person pointed out
to her.

Mr, Jnstce 'VAUGHAN summed up, observing it was a very
ccrious case. requiring the most grave consideration of the
Jury. In the course of the trial it had been complained of that
exaggerated statements had been made public in the News-
papers which had prejudiced the prisoners. Of such reports
ha knew nothing, and sure he was toe Jury would not be in-
fluenced by them ; they would be unfit to sit as Jurors if they at-
tended to, or were guided by, such exaggerated statements.

The Jury, after being locked up one hour returned, pronouncing
the prisoner Guilty, with a recommendation to mercy.
_ _

Their Lordships ordered the convicts to be removed, deferring
judgment.

NEW COURT.

James Cox, a Life Guardsman, was indicted for stealing six
lialf-
crown pieces and two shillings, the property of Benjamin Hawkins
and Eliza Hester Ann Hawkins.
After the evidence against the prisoner had been given, all the
details of which have already appeared,
col. Hall, of the first regiment of Life Guards, stated that he had
known the prisoner six years come next May. I consider him an
exemplary man in every respect, and quite incapable of committing
the act with which he stands charged.
Corporal Croft, and several peisons belonging to the same troop,
gave the prisoner as high a character as ever man received at the
criminal bar—he was a sober, honest, and orderly man.

The Jury, without hesitation, acquitted the prisoner, to the ap,
parent satisfaction of a crowded Court.

ROBBERY ON THE HIGH SEAS.—John Ford, a re>pectable.looking
man, and mate of a vessel, 23 years of age, was indicted for stealing
93 pieces of coin, called dollars, on the :23d of Noveintaer last, on the
high seas, and within the jurisdiction of the Admiralty of England,
being this property of Thomas Lawrence, Esq.

It appeared from the evidence that the prisoner had been suspected
by the Captain of purloining a quantity of dollars belonging to a
Lieutenant Halliday, an invalid on board the vessel, and who died
before it reached the Downs. The Captain examined the prisoner's
cabin, when they came near England, and found there 93 dol.
tars. When off Deal he gave notice to the Police; and on the vessel
arriving in the river he was arrested. The dollars found in the trunk
of the deceased, and in the cabin of the prisoner, were produced to
the Jury, and appeared to be of the same coinage.
The Jury consulted for a considerable time, retired
from the Court two hours, and ultimately returned a
verdict of Guilty (the trial having occupied several hours).
The Jury accompanied their verdict with an earnest recommenda.
lion to mercy, on account of its being his first offence, and the ex.
cellent character he had received.

Mr. PRENDEIWAST intimated that the prosecutor wished to join
in the recommendation.
Mr. Serjeant A RABIN (who received the verdict) said the matter
had better be named to the Common Scrjeaut to morrow (this)
morning.

The prisoner appeared very much affected as he left the bar,
____,

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HODIE F
CuLRECRUAITTA.
TiiE FouCyrliNfsLsill GS.
was indicted for the wilful murder of
shooting her with a gun.
Mr. Knox appeared for the
Crown, and having briefly stated
the facts of the case, called the following
witnesses
John Playle deposed that he was -a
labourer residing in
Mountnessing, and son of the deceased, who kept the Plough
beer-shop at that place. The prisoner also resided there. Wit-
ness's father died about thirteen months ago, but during his life
time the prisoner fr•quently came to the house. After his fa-
ther's death the prisoner acted as one of the family, and used to
draw the beer. In the month of November the deceased re-
quested him to stay in her house as she had been threatened b 3
the prisoner. On the 27th of that month the prisonCr came to.
the house and had some words with the deceased, a:,tlhe heard
the prisoner ask the deceasedwhether her touters would do her anv
good, and deceased said they would do her no harm, and addttl
that she would not maintain the prisoner any longer, as be had
threatened her life a great many times. Nothing more occurred,
at that time, but the next day, about bur o'clock, lie wiis in the
bakehouse sitting near the oven, when he observed the prisont-x
come up the front garden to the bakehouse door, with a gt,
under his arm, and he went by the door of the bakehouse. lie
then saw the prisoner rush in at the door, and before witness
could speak or prevent
fired at the deceased, and she fell dead at witness's feet. ilc
did not bear her speak a word after she was shot. When the
prisoner left the evening
deceased's house in the of the 27th
the deceased told him never to sliow'ti? e
he replied, "
you don't hme me, yln shall have
no other ne deceased replied, I will, I will be
marries before this ~day month." After the prisoner
shet the
deceased, witness rushecl.upon him, and wrenched the gun fro_
him, and knocked the prisoner down with it. The pri,ern7
in
resisted violently, but witness called for assistance, arid a '
a
named Miller came up, and they secured the prisoner.
Cross-examined by Mr. Dowling.—Witness is a labuurei
lie had formerly preached the' Gospel. Was not paid ant .
r salary for it, but sometimes a collection was made for m
Had not heard that his mother and the prisoner were to ha.
been married. Witness was the eldest son. Did not knowve
whether his father left* will, but witness had never received
anything under one.
Charles Miller, a shopkeeper, and two daughters of the de-
ceased, confirmed this testimony.
Mr. Richard Lewis, surgeon, of Ingalestone, was called in
to sec the deceased, and he found a large wound on the left
side, evidently inflicted by a gun shot wound. Death must
have taken p'aee instantaneously.
Mrs. Crow proved that she heard the prisoner fire off his
gun several times-on the day the occurrence took place,
s
though he was trying whether it was likely to miss fire or not".
This was the case for the prosecution.
Mr. DowLING addressed the Jury for the prisoner.
Lord ABINGER summed up the evidence ; and the July,
after deliberating about ten minutes, returned a verdict

Guilty.
The Learned JUDGE then passed sentence of death upon the
murderan had
isakl in so doing, that a more savage and brutal
'a never before come :o his knowledge.
prisoner,sT Ohefprisoner heard the verdict and sentence with the utmost
indifference ; and when Lord Abinger concluded by saying,
"and may the Almighty have mercy upon your soul," he ei-
the bar
claimed, " Well, I hope he will," and walked firmly
away from.