The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-23 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE,

OXFORD CIRCUIT—STAFFORD, March 20.
(Before Mr. Baron Channel].)
Mary Ann Barlow (on bail), was charged with
feloniously by letter threatening to accuse the Rev.
John Tyson, on the 29th December, 1862, at Wol-
stanton, of an attempt to commit a rape on her
person, with a view to extort money.
The indictment contained eight counts, of which
the first three were framed upon section 46 of
the recent Criminal Law Consolidation Act.
The first charged the prisoner with sending
a letter to the prosecutor, accusing him of having
attempted and endeavoured to commit a rape upon
her, with the intent thereby to extort money,
setting out the letter as hereinafter appearing. The
second count was in like form, but setting out part
of the letter containing the accusation. The third
count was in similar terms, but omitting to set out
the letter or any part thereof. The next set of
counts were framed upon section 44 of the Act. The
fourth count was for sending a letter demanding
money from the prosecutor by menaces and without
any reasonable or probable cause, and setting out
the letter. The fifth and sixth were the last, the
one setting out part of the letter, and the other
omitting it altogether. The seventh and eighth
counts proved to be immaterial.
Mr. Huddleston, Q C., Mr. Kenealy, and Mr.
Holroyd appeared for the prosecution ; the prisoner
was defended by Mr. Matthews.
The nature of the case will be best gathered from
the following evidence;—
Betsy Miller, the wife of the sexton of Woistan-
ton, proved that on Monday, December 29, the pri
soner came to her (witness's) house, and asked for
her husband, who was from home. She then gave
witness a letter, and requested that it might be
given to witness's husband to take to Mr. Tyson,
which was accordingly done.
William Miller, sexton of Wolstanton, proved the
delivery of the letter to Mr. Tyson, and that he
waited in the kitchen until the letter was delivered.

Mr. Tyson gave witness a letter to take back to
Mrs. Barlow, which witness did. Prisoner asked
witnk ss bud t-,2;:n Mr. Tyson, to which he replied
in the affirmative.

Cross-examined by Mr. MAtt hews—Mr. Bentley
(Mr. Tyson's nephew), asked witness if he knew
what Mrs. Barlow meant by sending such a letter.
Witness said be was not. aware that the letter was
objectionable, and Mr. Bentley then read it to wit-
ness. The letter was put into an envelope imme-
diately after it was read, and delivered to witness to
take bock to prisoner. Witness could not repeat
the letter.

Rc-examined—Mr. Bentley read the letter to
witness once. Remembered that part of the letter
where prisoner said she would have written before,
but feared it would stop Mr. Tyson's visit to her
mother. Recollects she said she must be paid, and
that Mr. Tyson's conduct was very base.
Robert Bentley—l am nephew of the Rev. John
Tyson, and am an undergraduate of Cambridge. I
was present when Miller brought, the letter to the
Vicfrrage. It was brought into the room by the cook
and handed it, to Mr. Teson, who opened and read it.
He then handed it to his wife, who was present. I
went with the letter to Miller, and called him into
another room and read it aloud to him, in Mr. Ty-
son's presence. I took it back to the dining-loom,
and Mr. Tyson enclosed it in an envelope and sent
it back. The letter was in these terms,—" Rev.
Sir,—The secret sin must come out. I should have
written to you after the second offence, but did not
wish to prevent your visits to mother. Your in-
gratitude to me has been base after my putting up
with it so long. Oh ! the happy days when I could
receive the sacrament with an inward and spiritual
grace. I must be paid and receive compensation for
the loss of my peace of mind." The letter was signed
" Mary Ann Barlow." Those were, in substance,
the words used. Mrs. Barlow came to the Vicarage
afterwards, and I was present when she came. I
went with Mr. Tyson to his solicitor, Mr. Lichfield.
She came to the Vicarage on the Friday following,
about 8 o'clock iu the morning. Mr, Lichfield and
myself were in the drs wing-room, and she was shown
in to us. Mr. Tyson herd then left the room by Mr.
Lichfield's direction. She said she wished to see Mr.
Tyson. I said she would see no one in the house but
Mr. Lichfield and myself. Mr. Lichfield asked her
whether it was not an unfounded charge she had
made against Mr. Tyson. She said she did not wish
to hurt Mr. Tyson's feelings. The question was
repeated, and she then asked whether, if she an-
swered it, would the matter be settled that night ?
Mr. Lichfield said he should hold out no hopes of
such a thing. She said if she could see Mr. Tyson
she would confess all. The servant ~ad been sent for
three times to show her out ; prisoner showed great
hesitation in leaving, but left on the third occasion.
Cross-examined—She showed a strong desire to
see Mr. Tyson. I have stated the words of the letter
to the best of my ability and recollection. I read
the letter before I left the room, when Mr. Tyson
received it, ano afterwards again. The words were
" I should have written to you." The words " secret
sin must come out" were part, I think, only of a
sentence, but I cannot supply the remainder. There
were some words between this part of the letter and
the part which appears next, as I recollect it, but I
cannot furnish them. I cannot pledge myself as to
the accuracy of the order of the words and sentences
I have given. Perhaps I may at one time have trans-
posed portions of the letter. I don't remembez any-
thing in it about " consolation," nor the word "repaid."
I don't think they were in the letter " what does she
mean ?" This was when he handed the sitter to Mrs.
Tyson. There was nothing in the letter which was
obscure or unintelligible, and no allusions to any-
thing which had passed between the writer and
Mr. Tyson further than what appeared in the letter
itself. I asked Miller if he knew what were the con-
tents of the letter, to which he answered " No." I
then read it to him that he might know the con-
tents. I read it because I thought it right he should
know them. I made a note of the words of the letter
the next morning, which I left in a writing-case,
and have not seen it since. The writing-case is one
which is placed on the table for genera, use. The
note I made is not here. (The witness here, at the
request of counsel, again repeated the letter, trans-
posing those passages commencing' Oh ! the happy
days," and " I must be paid.") I was before the
magistrates the Saturday after. I don't think the
words about ingratitude were " your ingrati-
tude after putting up with it has been base"
(omitting the words "so long" after "it"), but will
not pledge my oath those were not the words ; nor
will speak positively as to the precise arrangement
and co location of the words of the letter in general.
Mr. Tyson first read the letter; then Mrs. Tyson,
who read it out ; and I read the whole of it to Mil-
ler afterwards.

Re-examined—l have not looked at the note I
made of it because I did not think it necessary.
There was nothing to qualify or alter the sense of
the words as I have given it ; had there been such
I should have remembered it There were some
words which followed the words " the secret sin
must come cut," but nothing which altered the
sense. I understood by the letter that it accused
Mr. Tyson of having attempted improper inter-
course with the prisoner, and that she intended to
divulge it. I understood by the words "I must be
paid," that she wanted and demanded money.
Mr. Matthews having addressed the jury for the
prisoner,

His Lordship carefully summed up, explaining to
the jury the technical difficulties which rendered
the two sets of counts necessary, and pointing out
that before they could enter upon the questions
arising upon the two branches of the case they must
first be satisfied that the letter was really one of a
threatening nature. They would, therefore, have
first to say whether, in the absence of the letter
itself, which had been imprudently parted with by
the prosecutor, they were of opinion they could
rely with safety on the recollection of the witnesses
under whose observation it had come as to the ex-
pressions it contained and the object of the writer.
The jury, after a brief consultation, acquitted the
prisoner, the foreman observing that in the absence
of the letter itself they were of opinion that they
could not safely convict.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

---...

YORK— SATURDAY.
A small supply of wheat to-day, and the weather having
been mare wintry during Ihe week there was an improve-
ment in the condition of the bulk of the samples. A healthy
trade, and prices is higher. Barley and beans scarce, at
late rates.
Wheat, red 4os to 44s 1 Oats.... ........ 20s to 24-
42855 s
toto
35508 s i
iß,eeaasn
..
.................
White do
Barley.._4oB- ((;.) 4-2ss
Malt, 62s to 64s per qr. ; rye, 345 per qr.; flour, 34.,
to 36s per sack.

LE ICE ST ER—SATURDAY.
Old white wheat, 56s to 60s ; new, 47s to 50s per 36
stone. Old red, 48s to 58eper 36 stone. Barley, malting,
new, 35s to 39s per qr.; grinding, 28s to 30s ; old oats,
27s to 325; new oats, 22s to 26s per 24 stone. Beans,
new, 33s to 378; old, 42s to 44s per 38 stone.

NORTHAMPTON—SATURDAY.
New wheat, 46s to ,52s ; old, 42s to 528. Barley, 27s
to 39s per qr. New oats quoted at 208 to 24. ; old, 28s
to 32s per 24 stone. Beans, old, 36s to 38s; new, 34s to
365. Peas, 36s to 44s per qr.

NORWICII—SATURDAY.
There was a more liberal supply of wheat to-day, but the
millers not being disposed to follow any advance, prices
were no higher than last week. For barley former prices
were fully supported. Little passing in other grain.
White wheat. 45s to 46- I Red wheat ........ 41s to 45s
Malting barley ... 38s to 40s I Chevalier barley...B6s to 37s
Distilling d 0..... 33s to 35s I Oats.. ............ 24s to 28s
Flour, 34s Od to —s Od per sack from the miller.

NOTTINGHAM—SATURDAY.
There was barely an average supply of wheat to-day at
market, but the demand was steady, at rather higher rates.
Barley in limited show, at previous prices. Other articles
were held for late currencies.
White wheat, from 43s to 55s ; red wheat, 428 to 495.
Barley—malting, 33s to 43s ; grinding, 27s to 295. Oats
old, at 25s to 31s Od ; new, 22s to 275. Beans sold at 32s
to 45s per qr. Flour, 31s to 40s.

Births.
GALE.—On the 23th inst., at Sheffield-gardens, the wife of
Edward Morant Gale, Rig , of a daughter.
GOVETT.—On the 19th inst., at Richmond, Mrs. Chas, A.
Govett, of a son,
ROYDS.—On the 20th inst., at Ousecliffe, near York, the
wife of the Rev. Charles Twemlow Royds, of a son.
ROYSTON.—On the 19th inst., Mrs. William IL Royston,
Chelsea, of a son.

Marriages.
BIANCHI—VERBEEMEN.—On the 20th inst., E. Bianchi,
Esq., Sebeto House, Vincent .street, Ovington-square,
Brompton, to Mary Sophia, youngest daughter of the
late Francis Verbeemen, Esq.
MASSY—BUTLER,—On the 19th inst., at Mount Juliet,
the Hon. John T. W. Massy, second son of Hugh, 4th
Baron Massy, to the Lady Lur.y Maria Butler, daughter
of Somerset Richards 3d Earl ot Carrick.