The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-24 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE,

NORTHERN CIRCUIT, LinurooL, Dee. 23.
CROWN COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice Willes.)
A LANCASHIRE MAGISTRATE SENTENCED TO IMPRISON-
MENT.
William Standish Carr Standish, of Duaberry Hall, near
Preston, who had been out on bail, was indicted for un-
lawfully and maliciously wounding John llesketh and Jas.
Burke, on the highway near Ormskirk, on the Bth of Sep-
tember. A second count charged
,him with an assault
causing grievous bodily harm ; and a third with a common

assault.
Mr. Holkar, for the prosecution, offered no evidence on
the first charge ; and the prisoner pleaded guilty to the
other two charges ; and after some discussion he was placed
in the dock for sentence.
Mr. Attorney-General james,•Q.C., for the defence, said
that in both cases the injuries sustained by Hesketb. and
Burke were of a trifling character, and whatever might be
the judgment of the Court, Mr. Standish was prepared to
compensate them to the fullest extent. Mr. Standish had
for several years past suffered from congestion of the liver,
a complaint always aggravated by residence in warm cli-
mates, yet in spite of this he
,served with his regiment in
India and was present at the siege of Lucknow. There he
became so ill that the Commander-in-Ohief, at the request of
his colonel, Sir W, Russell, gave him permission to return
to England. While at Calcutta, en route for home, he had
a sun stroke, which shattered his nervous system dread-
fully. On his return home he continued very ill, and his
liver complaint caused him such agony that he could not
sleep,-and he smoked often to excess to try and lull his pain.
It was after an unusually painful attack that Mr. Standish
committed the offences to which he had that day pleaded
guilty. He (Mr. James) would therefore express a hope
that taking all the circumstances of the case into considera-
tion, the ends of justice would be answered by Mr. Standish
giving security to such an extent, and for such a period, as
would protect the public from a repetition of similar acts.
Mr. Standish and his friends were also willing that he should
be placed under whatever medical restraint and treatment
should be thought advisable.
The learned Judge, in passing sentence, said—William
n ct
ofnt
Standish Carr Standish, you have pleaded guilty to an in-
dictment e
Tit
eo
sr k
eatnb assaultenlalso f
committed
amni tted
assaultuponagainst
a
persono f t hole
m
the name of James Burke. Your learned counsel has urged
upon the Court various reasons why they should pass a
lenient sentence upon you, and you may depend upon it,
notwithstanding the course which the Court feels itself com-
pelled to take in this case, that all which has been urged on
it has been favourably received, and that the contents of the
affidavits containing the substance of what the A.lorneys
General has just stated have been fully and anxiously
considered. You are here to answer for two assaults
us
, and there is also a count for
m
bodilygainshartymou
in
each
indictment.. There
can be no doubt that you did on the Bth Sept. last mount
your horse, attired in the uniform of a distinguished yeo-
manry corps in this county, and that you did proceed to
the country in a way which caused alarm to great numbers
of her Majesty's subjects, and that you did in the course of
your career fire off a pistol, and that you did also draw your
sword and flourish it about, one man receiving a trifling in-
jury—an injury trifling in itself, as has been truly stated
by your counsel, but an injury serious from the character
of the weapon with which it was inflicted, and above all (as
you yourself mustenost deeply feel) from the uniform which
was worn by the person who committed the act. These are
circumstances which, unless some substantial ground is
submitted to the Court for the purpose of inducing it to ab-
stain from doing so, would call for the most serious sen-
tence, and none the less because you are a person occupying
a high position in the county, representing as it seems an
ancient family, and you yours elf being a person whom the
Court cannot doubt from the affidavits has been received
with favour and affectian amongst the most distinguished
people of this country. The Court, however, while it must
take what I may properly call a professional view of the case
—it is its bounden duty to do so ; while it must, in passing
sentence, look to the security of the people, and take care
that no person who is answerable for his actions—and I have
.no doubt, upon the affidavits, and everybody must rejoice to
hear it, that you are now th2swerable for your actions, should
escape an adequate punishment; the Court, while it must
take care that the public is secured by a substantial sen-
tence upon persons who so seriously interfere with the
public peace of the county, must not forget what it is that
has brought you into the state in which you committed this,
which I may permit myself to call, extraordinary and
singular escapade. The Court must also consider the pro•
bability and improbability of similar acts being done either
by you or by any person who would be in a position to do
them. With respect to the latter, I repeat the act is of an
extraordinary description unlikely to recur, and in that
respect, though the Court must pass upon you a sentence
most serious to you, they would not feel bound to pass upon
you a sentence of a more serious kind. With respect to the
former, there can be no doubt that the frenzy—as it has
been properly designated by the Attorney-General on your
behalf —in which these acts were committed, although
in part it must have been occasioned by something which
you had taken, is also in almeasure to be attributed to your
having suffered from serious illness in the East in the ser-
vice of the Queen, and that is the feature of the case to
which the Court looks with the greatest satisfaction and
with a desire to allow it all due weight in passing sentence
upon you. It is also true that upon looking at the deposi-
tions the evidence makes it clear that the pistol which you
fired was not loaded with a bullet. The eTher pistol which
was found you appears to have had no bullet in it. Whether
there was anything else in the pistol is not so clear. One
may suspect and speculate upon it—but it is clear to my
mind that the pistol' was not loaded with ball, and that the
person who was hit with that pistol was not even wounded.
It appears to have been fired close and the contents to have
reddened his shoulder. I must say here that I commend
the course taken by the able and discreet counsel who con-
ducts the prosecution, in not proceeding with the graver
charge upon that indictment, for it appears to me clear upon
the evidence that you could not have been convicted of the
graver charge. With respect to the injury inflicted upon
the other man, it was fortunately also of a slight character,
and upon that also I think a proper course has been taken,
looking at all the circumstances of the case. I have now re-
viewed all the facts, and it remains for the Court to say
what sentence shall be pronounced upon you. The Court
in this case has a discretiori'vested in it to 'sentence you to
fine or to imprisonment,or to require security for your future
condtict. I am bound to say that I do not think the office at
the Court would be judiciously exercised in requiring secu-
rity for your future conduct, for you are a person of fortune
and friends,and no doubt yourself a person of education and
of discretion, such as the experience of your life must have
given, and the Court has a complete assurance from these
circumstances, much more than from any security for your
good conduct, in saying that such a security would in this
case be nugatory. Then comes the question whether yon
are to be fined, or imprisoned, or both—and I very much
lament to say, that having given this case my most
anxious consideration. although the Court thinks that to a
certain extent a fine may be substituted for imprisonment,
it is of opinion that looking' to this having taken place on a
. public highway, and it being impossible to treat you as a
• person not responsible for your actions, it is necessary to
pass some sentence of imprisonment upon you, even looking
at it from the point of view which must be taken with re-
ference to the mere police treatment of the subject. The
Court, however, has determined with reference to that cir-
cumstance, which has been already adverted to, 'and sufff-
ciently dwelt upon—the fact of your having suffered in the
I East, an illness brought on by'that having had to mach to

do with the act which you committed, the Court has deter-
mined to sentence you to a short imprisonment, and to
substitute a fine for the remainder of the sentence which it
is proper to impose upon you, Of course, the fine must be
of a substantial character, rather with reference to your
position as an estated man than with reference exclusively
to the consideration of the offence for which you have been
properly advised to plead guilty. Under all the circum-
stances of the case the judgment of the Court upon you is,
that you be imprisoned in the common gaol of this county
for one calendar month, and that you pay to our lady the
Queen a fine of £3OO, and be further imprisoned until that
fine be paid.
The prisoner was then taken below.

SOUTI-17WALES CIR,(3UIT.—CARDIFF, Dec. 21.
(Before Mr. Justice Crompton.)
Sarah Lancastell was indicted for the wilful murder of
her child at Llandaff.
Mr. Thomas Allen appeared for the prosecution; the pri-
soner was undefended.
There was no doubt from the depositions that this unfor-
tunate woman was not in a sound state of mind at the time
of the murder, and in consequence of what Mr. Payne, the
surgeon of the gaol, said, a jury was =paunched to try
whether she was in a fit state of mind.
In answer to the questions put to him by the Court, Mr.
Payne said that she was, in his opinion, in such a state as
to render her unable to give an answer to any questions put
to her, and that ho was afraid it was not a temporary but a
lasting case of insanity.
The unfortunate woman, it appears, met with some great
domestic sfflietion about a year ago, and when the child
whose death was the subject of the present charge was born
she had a very bad confinement, and in a fit of insanity, de-
scribed by the doctor as puerperal mania, she forced her
hand down the child's throat—labouring under the impres-
sion, as sbe said, that there was a fire inside it—causing al-
most immediate death. The jury at once found that the pri-
soner was not in a fit state to plead, his Lordship remark-
ing that the effect would he that she would be peaced in an
asylum, and that the circumstances of this sad case were
such that in the event of her recovery he would give a cer-
tificate, if applied to, to render it necessary that she should
undergo the formality of a trial.
William Williams was charged with maliciously setting
fire to a stack of hay, the property of Lewis Lewis, of Lan..
vaboll.
Mr. T. Allen appeared for the prosecution.
The prisoner was seen in the neighbourhood just before
the fire, and soon after he went to the police-station and
gave himself up, saying at the time that he was induced to
do because he could not get work and was " hard up."
The jury having found him guilty, he was sentenced to
six years' penal servitude, his Lordship remarking at the
time upon the enormity of the offence and the necessity of
passing a severe sentence, as it was a crime much on the
increase, he having sentenced no less than 11 persons for
the same offence last week at Welshpool, is Montgomery-
shire.

Thomas Phillips was charged on the coroner's warrant
with feloniously and slaying one Griffith Phillips.
Mr. Bowen appeared for the prosecution ; the prisoner,
who was very much affected, was not defended.
The circumstances of this case were very sad, and were
shortly these :—The prisoner, who was a hardworking, in-
dustrious man, and bore the bait possible character as an
affectionate husband and father, went home to his dinner
ono day, when, unfortunately, a somewhat angry discussion
took place between him and his wife about the children not
having sufficient meat for dinner, upon which she left the
room, the prisoner taking up a small piece of iron and
throwing it over his shoulder after her. The deceased, who
was one of their children, aged nino years, was unfortunately
behind him, and the piece of iron struck him on the fore-
head. A witness who called at prisoner's house soon after
saw both him and his wife treating the child with the greatest
care. A doctor was subsequently called in, and found a
small wound on the forehead, and attended the child until
hie death, which took place in about a week, A post
2nor ton examination being made, a fracture of the skull was
Lund immediately underneath the wound, causing inflana,
mation of the brain, which was the cause of death.
llis Lordship; in summing up, impressed upon the jury
the necessity of finding the prisoner guilty if the death was
caused by any illegal act of the prisoner, whether directed
against the deceased or another, or by any wilful and cul-
pable negligence ; but that if they thought it was possibly
the effect of an accident they would be warranted in acquit-

ting him.
Thu jury immediately found a verdict of not guilty.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

TIMES.—It is now nearly 20 years since the Go-
vernment of New Zealand was engaged in its first
great war with the natives. The contest was long,
and, for a colonial war, bloody. Hostilities began in
1841, and the islands were not wholly tranquillised
till 1848. In that time the British troops inflicted on
the Maories many severe .defeats, but it is doubt-
ful whether they did not leave them more skillet
warriors and resolute enemies than they were at the
beginning. The native fortification of the "pah"
yielded everywhere sooner or later to the courage of
our troops, but the Maories have never been con-
vinced that it is impossible for them to hold the
country except by alliance with the English. They
have never even been persuaded that it is out of
their power to ruin the c&opial settlements and re-
cover the lands of the white man for themselves,
For years past the settlers time found themselves
in presence of a race which cherishes a belief in
its superiority and future good fortune. Tnere
are Maories who are hostile, and others who are
friendly ; but, whether hostile or friendly, they have
been encouraged by events, and pei haps by the
action of our Home Government, to consider them-
selves a powerful and independent race, able to deal
on at least equal terms with the English who are
their neighbours. There is every reason to suppose
that the outbreak which has lately occurred is the
result of a long prevalent feeling. Naturally
clever and learning something year after year of
the qualities and weaknesses of the settlers, the
Maori has fancied that he has come to be a match
for them and the handful of regular troops which
ordinarily cccupiesNewZealand. He has his gun and
his ammunition, sometimes his horse and cart; he
has learnt by contact with civilization the art of
combining with secrecy and forming able schemes.
The war which has broken out in the neigh-
bourhood of Auckland would probably have been
the most formidable in which toe Government has
been engaged, if it had not been for the promptitude
of the colonial authorities, the courage of the settlers,
and the generous help that had been received from
the Australian mainlands The deadly nature of the
strife may be uaderstood from the despatch of Gen.
Cameron, just published in the Gazette, The mur-
der of Mr. Armitage, who has lived several years
among the natives, shows the determination of the
enemy, and their power to bring ruin on isolated
settlements. This gentleman was appointed super-
intendent of a small depot of stores at a place called
Camerontown, and friendly natives inhabited a pah
near the spot. The pah was suddenly attacked by
a large body of the enemy, the friendly natives
were driven out, Mr. Armitage was killed, and the
stores were destroyed. A more conspicuous in-
stance, however, of the courage and strength of
ho enemy is the attack on Captain Swift's party.
This officer, on hearing the fate of Mr. Armitage,
went out with 50 men to scour the bush, and was
mortally wounded in the fight with the natives which
ensued. These events appear to have thoroughly
roused the authorities, and, though they will not
imitate the cruelty of the enemy, there is little doubt
that the latter will receive a lesson which will put
an end for ever to designs of massacre and plunder.
The fault has been so st holly with them this time,
the atrocity of their conduct has been so undeniable,
the danger to the white population has been so
threatening, that even the ordinary spokesmen and
defenders of the native have been unable to say a
word for him. The clergy, who have ever stood
between the Maories and the white man, are now
ready to admit that the Government and the colo-
nista must lose no time in putting down the revolt
and punishing its instigators. A letter we pub-
lished some days since gave a, description of the
scene of war, and a narrative of events up to the last
days of October. The ratives have betaken them-
selves to massacre, and do not scruple to shoot down
unsuspecting settlers, and even young boys. But
these crimes have aroused the spirit of all clasees.
The slow operations of former wars are likely to be
abandoned for more summary tactics. Auckland,
which the natives thought to surprise, or at any rate
o besiege, is so effectually garrisoned that General
Cameron, even with an insufficient force, has been
able to disregard the swarms of natives on his flank
and rear, and keep the field on the banks of the
'Waikato. To meet the Maories in their own mode
of. warfare must be the tactics of the British Com-
mander. It is said that the troops have become skil-
fat in bush fighting, and that flying columns will be
organised to scour the bush and destroy detached
and marauding parties of the enemy. More
attempts to bring such bands of plunderers to a
general action must generally end in failure. Gen.
Cameron, for instance, has been encamped for some
time opposite Mere-mere, a native stronghold or.
the 'Waikato. This place is supposed to be defended
by a great number of Maories, and is probably well
worth the trouble of taking. But the general fear
seems to be that the en: my will steal away, and
make the eepture comparatively useless, inasmuch
as the Maori is forranlab:e, not only from the posi-
tions he may occupy, but from his activity, cunning,
and marauding propensities. Hence, if the natives
evecuate the place, and, forming themselves into
straggling ptrties, carry on the war, little evils
have been gained by theilexpulsion from asingesposition. The military authorities seem o
more
alive to the necessity of adopting
enter-
prising kind of warfare. " A contivatiledtitohno,.'t'irsaoyusr
our correspondent, "is gaining gsrotbey
troops are to subdue the natives they
to meet theta in the bush in thet
ed to this kind of
troops are becoming accastom