The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-18 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.--Dec. 16.

MIDLAND CIRCUIT—LEEns, Dec. 16.
(Before Mr. Justice Slice.)
John Cuddy was charged with violently assault-
ing William Eley and stealing from his person a
watch.

The peculiarity of this case was that the prisoner
was almost blind. The prosecutor stated that on.
the 7th of last October, while on his way to Brad-
ford, he met the prisoner, and inquired of him the
way. The prisoner said he would show him a
shorter way, and actually led him across some fields.
After going some distance the prosecutor stated
that the prisoner knocked him down, put his knee
on his breast, and snatched his watch from him.
The same day the prisoner pledged the watch, and
when he was apprehended the pawn ticket was
found on him. He did not deny being with the pro-
secutor on the day in question, but stated that the
prosecutor had sold the watch to him for 2s. 6d.

- The prisoner called Mr. Davison, house surgeon
to the Bradford Infirmary, who stated that in
August last he had examined the prisoner's eyes,
and found that he was suffering from catarrh in
both of them, in consequence of which he was
almost blind.

The jury found the prisoner guilty.
His Lordship sentenced him to 12 months' impri-
sonment with hard labour.

John Craven was charged with forging and utter-
ing a certain acceptance on a bill of exchange for
£B5 75., knowing it to have been forged, with intent
to defraud.

Mr. Wheelhouse prosecuted ; Mr. Campbell
Foster defended the prisoner.
The prosecutor, a Mr. William Sowden, was an
innkeeper at Stanningley. The prisoner carried on
business at Thornhill, with his father and brother,
under the style of Abraham Craven and Sons,
builders and contractors. At the latter end of
September the prisoner brought to Mr. Sowd en the
following bill to be discounted :--

" £Bs7s. " Leeds, Aug. 24, 1865.
" Three months after date pay to our order the
sum of £B5 75., value received.

" ABRAHAM CRAVEN AND SONS.
" Mr. Joseph Child, stonedealer,
Calverley, Leeds."
And across the bill was written "Accepted. Pay-
able at Smith, Payne, and Smith's, bankers, Lon-
don. Joseph Child."
_ _ _ _

Mr. Snowden asked the prisoner "if it was the
acceptance of Joseph Child." The prisoner said
"it was." It appeared that before this Mr. Snow-
den had discounted a bill accepted by Child for the
prisoner. This bill had been returned. Mr. Snow-
den therefore requested the prisoner to make inqui-
ries, and told him that he would not discount it un-
less the prisoner promised to see Child before the bill
became due. The prisoner promised he would.
Upon which Mr. Sowden discounted the bill, giving
the prisoner the full value of the bill less 30s. dis-
count. During the currency of the bill Mr. Sowden,
on Oct. 19, wrote to Mr. Child about his acceptance.
Mr. Child on the 21st replied that he knew nothing
about the bill and that it was not his. Mr. Child
was called, and stated that it was not his acceptance,
and that he had given no authority to any one to
sign his name. The prisoner when he was appre-
hended in answer to the charge stated "It is
nothing more than I expected. If my brother-in-
law goes against me I shall be done."
The defence set up, and which was supported by
whatwas admitted on cross-examination,was shortly
this :—Abraham Craven, the father of the prisoner,
was the collector of rates to the parish, and Child,
who was the brother-in-law to the prisoner, was
his surety. Abraham was in difficulties, and some
time before the 19th of October became bankrupt,
and Child when he wrote the letter of the 21st
knew that be was. Child appeared to have con-
sulted with the father about this bill, and had told
him that " he feared the Bankruptcy Court would
take all that there was to meet the bill." It was
attempted to prove that the proceeds of the bill went
in payment of the rates. If the rates had not been
paid by the father the parish would have come upon
Child for the amount. It was contended .
that the
money therefore was paid in direct relief of. Child's
liability ; that the prisoner accepted the bill the
name of Child, believing that he had Child's autho-
rity, a prior bill having been accepted by Child for
the purpose of enabling the father to meet his lia-
bilities on the audit day. It was contended that
the prisoner had no intention to defraud.
The jury retired, and after an absence of half an
hour returned a verdict of guilty.
His Lordship sentenced the prisoner tols months'
imprisonment.

Matthew Mounsey and Geo. Poole were charged
with arson. Mounsey pleaded guilty.
Mr. Whitaker prosecuted ; the prisoners were
not defended.
It appears that the prisoners, who are two little
boys of seven and eight years ld, were seen on the
11th of last November going down a lane in the
direction of a haystack belonging to the prosecutor.
Each of them carried a wisp of straw, and one of
them told a witness that they were going to set
something on fire. Shortly afterwards the stack was
found to be on fire, and the prisoners were seen
running away. When they were apprehended the
prisoner Poole said that " Mounsey set the stack on
fire, while he (Poole) protected the match from the
wind with his coat."
The jury found the prisoner Poole guilty, but
recommended him to mercy on account of his youth.
His Lordship sentenced both prisoners to a week's
imprisonment, remarking that as he was informed
that their parents were highly respectable persons
he trusted that it would be better for them to be
restored to their parents than to be placed in a
reformatory.
Mr. Campbell Foster sat as Commissioner to-day
to assist his lordship in trying prisoners.

JIOME CIRCUIT.—MAIDSTONE, Dec. 16.
Mr. Justice Mellor arrived in this town on Satur-
day afternoon, and immediately proceeded to open
the commission for the Winter Assize. The calen-
dar is exceedingly heavy, there being no less than
36 prisoners for trial. The offences also with
which they are charged are of a very heinous
nature. There are cases of murder—one that of
Stephen Forwood, alias Ernest Walter Southey,
who is charged with the wilful murder of Mary
Ann Jemima Forwood, and also with that of
Emily Sarah Frances Forwood,
on the 10th of
August last ; the other is that of Sarah Eliza Drew,
who is committed to take her trial for the murder
of her infant child at Gillingham on the Bth of last
September. The remaining offences are not only
numerous, but also of a very. heinous character.
Altogether the present calendar is one of the heaviest
known for some years past, and in all probability
the business will extend over a considerable portion
of the week. The Court will sit this morning
(Monday) at 10 o'clock,