The Sun.
London, England, 1837-03-20 00:00:00

A

been there detained, no evidence given was
him, and a verdict passed in his favour, In rk
keeper, who was made a co-defendant, tic nut hA
a justification, a verdict was taken fur the plainti
issue—Damages One Farthing.

NORFOLK ClRCUl7'.—Huxrizb-cno,v, .111.41:cli 16.

LUCAS V. GODWIN

This was an action brought by the plaintiff, a buildei,
against the defendant, to recover the amount of his bill fur
work done and materials supplied. Th e defendant's son, a
carpenter, commenced building some houses on his father's
ground near Peterborough, in this county, and engaged the
plaintiff, among other workmen, to do the necessary works f,r
him. It seems, however, that while they acre in progress,
and after the plaintiff hail entered into a written contract with
the son for his portion of the works, there arose some doubt as
to the wisdom of continuing on the terms on which they acre
commenced, and some demur ensued as to the solvency of the
son. About this time, the works being at a stand, there a:,-
pearcd in the county paper an advertisement, purporting to
come from the administrator of one Godwin, lately deceased,
in Philadelphia, who was therein stated to have bequeathed
property in America and a sum of money to the defendant and
his son, which latter notice was thereby given that the admi-
nistrator would hand over if they would meet him at an inn in
Peterborough. Under these circumstances the works were
re-commenced and finished. A difficulty, however, arose as
to the payment of the contractors' accounts, and, after re-
peated demands, the defendant said that his son was going to
America, to take possession of their " Philadelphia estates,"
and that that they would furnish the requisite funds. His in-
tention, however, was not put into effect, in consequence of
Mr. Godwin, jun., being put into Prison, on a charge of at-
tempting- to commit arson, for which be was afterwards tried
and convicted at the Sessions, and sentenced to twelve month,'
imprisonment. After tins the defendant resisted the claim of
the plaintiff, denying his liability. Mr. Lucas brought this
action against the father as principal. The Jury gave a ver-
dict for the plaintiff with damages to the amount of his claim
in respect of the premises in question.
The case did not terminate till six o'clock, having lasted all
the day.
CROWN COURT.—nomas Hitchcock was charged with an
atrocious assault and robbery on the highway, committed on
the person of a centeel youth, of twelve years of age only,
named William Middleton.

The boy was going to school at St. Ives, in this county,
whither he had ly...cn accompanied a part of his way by his
mother. However, after he lost her protection he was ac-
costed by the prisoner, who interrogated him as to the object
of his walk, and then passed on. Suddenly, however, the
prisoner returned and struck him a terrific blow on the back of
his head. When on the ground the boy was rifled, the priso-
ner swearing that he would have all his goods. While per-
forming this operation, he was disturbed by the sound of a
gig coming towards him, whereupon he seized the luckless
boy, and flung him into a wet ditch by the road side, where
he remained for some time shivering with cold, and suffering
severely from the repeated blows which his brutal assailant
had inflicted. At length he contrived to crawl on the road,
and perceiving that his enemy was not in sight, be made the
bust of his way to his brother's house, where he arrived in a
most weak and exhausted state.

Another boy deposed to having seen the prisoner on the road
at the same time. A search was directly it,stituted, but he
was not discovered for a day or two, when he was arrested in
the fields near the spot where the robbery was committed.
The prisoner was found guilty, and sentence of death was
ordered to be recorded against him by the Learned Judge, who
descanted most warmly on the dastardly conduct pursued by
such a ruffian, who could select, and so behave himself, to-
wards so weak and helpless a victim as the prosecutor.

4.64,
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