The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-29 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT--This Day.

OLD COURT.
(Before Mr. Baron Martin.)
THE FATAL FIGHT NEAR ST. MARTINS LANE.

William Perkins, aged 20, was indicted on the Coroner's
inquisition, of the manslaughter of Thomas Prindevill, a
potman at the Hand and Bracket, Whitcombo-street, St.
Martin's-lane. He pleaded nut guilty.
It will be recollected that deceased and the prisoner
quarrelled, and left the house to fight it out in the street,
accompanied by a number of persons who were in the
house at the time. After they had fought three or four
rounds, both being the worse for liquor, the deceased was
knocked down twice, and was ultimately taken away by
" Young Broome," as not fit to fight, The deceased after-
wards went to bed, and the following morning was found
lying in bed ilead. On a post martens examination, it was
found that death had been caused by an effusion of
blood on the brain either from the effects of a blow or a fall.

Mr. Baron Martin told the jury the only question was
whether the blow accelerated or caused death.

The jury found the prisoner guilty.

The learned Judge, in passing sentence, said prisoners in
this country were only punished when they had committed
a crime. The prisoner had been found guilty of man-
slaughter, which was an offence, but no one could doubt that
the death was an accident, although both were acting ille-
gally at the time; he thought it quite sufficient to inflict a
nominal sentence of one day's imprisonment.
Two young men, named John Nicholson and James God-
win, were indicted for forging and uttering a cheque for
£1.5, with intent to defraud the National Bank.
It appearei that a gentleman named Yatham, left his
office for a short time, during which a desk was broken open
and a blank cheque was torn from his book. On the 30th
September, Godwin employed one of the parties at Doctors'
Commons, named Hockham, to go to the National Bank
and get cash for it, and return to the Commons. The porter
went, but on presenting the cheque, it was pronounced a for-
gery; and in order to detect the person who gave the cheque,
a bag of coppers was made up, given to Hockham, and in
Great Knight Ryder-street the prisoner Godwin came
up to get the money. Packraan, a detective, came up, and
on telling him he was .a police-officer, he said a person named
Cox had given it to him, and afterwards he said Nicholson
was the real person who had arranged for the presentation
of the cheque. The evidence was very deficient
as regarded Nicholson, who, it was believed, had
used Godwin in some measure as a tool, and the Judge
directed a verdict of not guilty to be returned against him.
Mr. Orridge made a very powerful address for the pri-
soner, and

The learned Judge said the question for the jury was,
if the prisoner, when he employed the porter to present
the cheque, was aware that it was a forgery.
The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

NEW COURT.
(Before the Common Serjeant.)
George Turner, deseribed as an agent, was indicted for
obtaining £3OO upon false pretences from the Rev. John
Cos.

It appeared that the prisoner inserted an advertise-
ment, stating that he had a living to sell, and Mr.
Cox having atlam ere(' it a long correspondence took
place. Ultimately Mr. Cox went with the prisoner to view
the living, which turned out to be that of Hard wake, near
Wellingborough. The prisoner said the vendor for whom
he acted was a Mr. James Wilson, of Clapham, and upon
that Mr. Cox, after consulting his solicitor, paid £3OO by
way of deposit.

Evidtnce was then given to show that Mr. Daniel, Q.C.,
Mr. Cradock, and other persons were trustees of the living of
Hardwick, and that no Mr. Wilson had anything to do
with it, and also that the prisoner had no authority to sell.
The defence set up is that fraud was intended.
The case will occupy the court the whole day.