The Sun.
London, England, 1837-08-17 00:00:00

Vii_;E-CIiANCERY.-(THIS DAY.)

The VICE-CHANCELLOR sit in his Court in Lincoln's
Inn to-day, for the purpose of giving judgment in the only
two cases left undecided by his Honour.

DYER V. WEBB.

His HONOUR gave judgment in this case, which came
before the Court for the purpose of having a settlemcnt,
executed upon the marriage of the plaintiff with a Miss
Ingram, rectified. His Honour, after going at considerable
length into the facts of the case, decided that he could not
rectify the settlement.

PEARSON V. TORRINGTON AND OTHERS.

His HONOUR also gave judgment in this case, refusing
to appoint a receiver of the property of the partnership
of the defendants, who are wool-porters and warehouse-
men in Seething and Elbow-lanes.

This is the last day of his Honour's sitting, previous
to Michaelmas Term.

CRIMINAL COURT-(THIS DAY.)

OLD COURT.

Lanky Darby was capitally indicted for a rape, alleged
to hare been committed upon the person of Margaret Lar-
man, at Dance's Hill, near Barnet, upon the 25th of June
last.

Mr. BODKIN having stated the case to the Jury, called
The prosecutrix, who deposed that she, with her uncle,
and a man named Fisher, with whom she cohabited, came
up to assist in the harvest. They were employed by a Mr.
White, at Dance's End. On the 25th of June, the parties
had their supper at the Augel public-house, and stopped
there till near one o'clock in the morning. They and
the prisoner and another Irishman left the house
together. The prisoner was not one of their party.
After they had gone on a little way they found a foreman
on a neighbouring farm, laying on the bank, drunk. They
stopped and were going to pick hiw up. While her uncle
and Fisher were so employed, the prisoner took hold of
her gown sleeve and wanted her to go with him. On
Fisher interfering, the prisoner knocked him down. He
did the same by the uncle. He then took her by the
shoulders and drove her down the bill before him. (The re-
mainder of the evidence was unfit for publication. If
true, the capital offence was completed.) After she got
away from him she returned to the Angel, and saw the
landlord, who told her that her friends had gone
towards Barnet. She went on that road and
met her uncle and Fisher along with two policemen,
to one of whom she told what had taken place.
She informed Fisher of the whole affair next morning. She
had no doubt of the identity of the prisoner.
Cross-examined by Mr. PHILLIPS.--Her uncle had
gone to Bedfordshire in a few days after the transaction.
She still lived with Fisher, and had gone down to Hert-
fordshire with him. She did not tell the policeman all ;
he asked her if the prisoner had committed the capital of-
fence, and she said " No," because he was a stranger.
George Fisher deposed to having been at the Angel on
the 25th of June. He, Margaret Larman, and W. Norman,
left there about half past twelve. The prisoner left about
the same time. After they had gone on some two
hundred yards, they waited to assist Mrs. Goodman's fore-
man, when he saw the prisoner pulling at Margaret
Larman, and when he asked what he had to do with
her, the prisoner knocked him down. He was insensible,
and when he got up he was alone with the drunken man.
He went for policemen, and was returning with them when
he met his other friends. The prosecutrix told him what
had taken place next morning.
George Wardle, of the foot patrol, was on duty on the
morning of the 25th June, when Fisher and another came
up and complained of ill-usage, and wanted him to go and
look for a female. He went, and on the road met the pro-
secutrix, whose gown was all over dust and much torn. She
complained of ill-usage. The prisoner was taken into cus-
tody on the 11th July. When the prisoner was taken he
asked if the prosecutrix had sworn against him, for if she
did he would either be hung or transported.
Matthew Jennings, the landlord of the Angel, remem-
bered the parties being at his house on the night in ques-
tion. The prisoner went out. with Norman and Larman ;
Fisher went out in three or four minutes after. Soon after
they went out he heard the cry of " Murder!" but did not
leave the house, for in about a minute after Norman and
Fisher came up, and he told them where to find the police.
They went off in that direction, and soon after the prisoner
came up, and said they had been meddling with Mrs.
Goodman's foreman. He said something about a bundle,
but he could not now recollect what. He went away, and
soon after the woman came up, and he directed her to the
road he had sent Fisher and Norman.

Thomas Austin, in his cross-examination, said, when he
asked the prosecutrix if she had been violated, she said
" No, he only wanted to do it."
The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE complained of the absence of
the uncle, Norman. lie was the most important witness,
and in his absence it would not be safe for any Jury to con-
vict in such an extraordinary case as the present. He did
not wish to say one word with respect to the evidence which
had been given ; but in the absence of Norman he would
recommend the Jury to acquit the prisoner.
A verdict of acquittal was then immediately returned.