The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-10 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCB.

OXFORD CIRCUIT, WORCESTER, March 6.
(Before Mr. Justice Crompton.)
Charles Pugh, 24, tailor, was charged with cut-
ting and wounding Diana Mason with intent to
murder her, and also with intent to do her some
grievous bodily harm, on the 25th May, 1861, at
Worcester.
Mr. S. Best prosecuted, and Mr. J. S. Powell de-
fended the prisoner.
It appeared that the prisoner and the prosecu-
trix had formerly lived together as man and wife,
but the prosecutrix had recently broken off the
connexion, and on the day in question was
living in a room at a house situate in a low part of
this city, named Dolday. At about 12 o'clock on
the 25th of May last the prisoner went to her in her
room, and asked her to make it up and say no more
about it. The prosecutrix said she would not, and
prisoner asked her whether she had not served him
a nasty trick. She said she didn't know. The pri-
soner then accused her of walking with another
man before him, and the prosecutrix answered,
" No, I must see to those who will treat me better
than what you have." The prisoner had beaten her
several times, and at this moment the prosecutrix
sent a woman who was in her room at the time to
fetch the landlady, and also told her to fetch a police-
man, for she would not have the prisoner there to
beat and ill usa her, as he had done before. When
the young woman had left the room the prisoner
went and stood with his back against the door, and
took a razor out of his pocket. The prosecutrix
stood with her arms folded before him, but said
nothing. The prisoner said nothing, but prevented
her from going out, and then caught hold of her by
the hair of her head and pushed her back across the
bedstead, and cut her with the razor on the throat,
breast, and both sides of the face. The prosecutrix
cried out, and, the door being opened by a person
outside, she made her escape, and was taken to the
Worcester Infirmary. She was there examined, and
it fortunately turned out that her wounds were only
superficial, and were cured in three weeks.
The prosecutrix, on cross-examination, stated that
the prisoner was drunk when he assaulted her ; that
be was fond of her and kind, except when he was
in these fits, and then he did not know what he was
about ; and that he never had these fits except when
he had been drinking. It appeared the prisoner
had been taken to the infirmary on the same night
as the prosecutrix, and was suffering from a dan-
gerous wound in his throat, nearly two inches in
depth, which he had inflicted upon himself, and for
which he was confined several months in the infir-
mary.
Mr. Powell addressed the jury for the prisoner,
and contended that, from the highly excited state
in which he was, he could not be convicted of either
of the intents charged in the indictment, and urged
the jury to convict him of unlawfully wounding only.
Mr. Justice Crompton summed up the evidence
to the jury, and cautioned them against too readily
giving way to the suggestion that the prisoner did
not intend the consequence of his acts. It would be
for the jury to say upon the evidence whether either
of the intents laid was proved ; but if not they must
find the prisoner guilty of unlawfully wounding.
The jury found the prisoner guilty of wounding
with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
Mr. Justice Crompton, in passing sentence, said
he feared the prisoner had taken the razor with him
for the express purpose of using it as he had done,
and then sentenced him to 15 years' penal servitude.

NORFOLK CIRCUIT—AYLESBURY, March 7.
The commission for this county was opened yes-
terday by the Lord Chief Baron. There is an entry
of five causes, two of which are marked for special
juries. The calendar contains 40 charges, includ-
ing three of manslaughter, one of administering
poison with intent to murder, one ofrapuen,uosnuealloyf
assault with intent to commit rape, one of abduction,
and several minor offence. This is an
)fo having
_r
heavy calendar for these assizes.
K
(Beforeakyt,haegLedo4rd3,Cwhaisefß Baron,)
indictedr o n .
Abrahamfeloniously administered to his wife, Mary limey, a
quantity of corrosive sublimate, with intent to mur-
der her.

Mr. Newton appeared for the prosecution.
It appeared that the prisoner was a labourer
living at Wooburn, near High Wycombe, in this
county. His wife was a person of about the same
age as himself, and stated that she and her husband
had lived uncomfortably together on account of
some jealousy with reference to her alleged miscon-
duct with some other men. The wife denied that
there was any foundation for this suspicion, and
said that on Jan. 14 last she and her husband went
to a publ:chouse in Wooburn, called the Mother
Redcap. They had a pint of beer together, and
the prisoner then ordered a second pint, part of
which they also drank, when the prisoner went
out, saying he was going to give a drink to a friend
on tside. When he came back he said to his wife
Here's:a drop of beer in the pot, sup it up, and I'll
light my pipe and go home." . She accordingly took
the pot and proceeded to drink the beer that was
left. The moment however she tasted it, she dis-
covered that there waa emething wrong ant the
beer, and said to her husband "What's in the beer?"
He said them was nothing in it that he was aware
of, And ordered 4 third pint to he brought to oec if

there was any difference in it. A tiara pint was
accordingly brought, which the woman tasted, and
which she pronounced to he different. She subse-
quently became very sick, and suffered severe pain
in her stomach. She went home in company with
her husband. The second pot was put on one side,
and was produced in court with a considerable
quantity (said to be about a drachm) of a brownish
powder adhering to the bottom and side. Mr. Rees,
a medical gentleman residing at Beaconsfield, said
that he had tested a portion of this powder, and
found that it was corrosive sublimate, a compound
frequently used by farmers for agricultural purposes.
He also said that he had attended Mrs. Kaley, and
found her suffering from such symptoms as would
be produced by taking that poison. Another wit-
ness also stated that tho prisoner, speaking of his
wife, had threatened " to lay her stiff," and also
that " he would give her a pill that would do for
her."

The prisoner, who was undefended, informed the
Court during the progress of the trial that he had
been twice in a lunatic asylum, once at the instance
of his wife and once at that of the parish officers.
In his defence he stated that he had seen a man
with his arm round his wife's neck.

His Lordship, in addressing the jury, commented
upon the strange conduct of the prisoner at the
publichouse on the occasion in question. He said
that the law allowed them to acquit the prisoner of
the felony charged in the indictment, and to find
him guilty of administering poison to his wife with
intent to grieve, injure, or annoy her, if theyshould
think the expressions attributed to the prisoner
were not serious expressions of an intent to take her
life.

The jury took this view of the matter, and found
him guilty of the minor offence.
The prisoner was then sentenced to 15 months'
imprisonment, with hard labour.

A TRUST DEED UNDER THE BANK-
RUPTCY ACT.

On the 27th of February, an application was made by
Mr. Orford, to Mr. Commissioner Jemmett, at Manchester
Bankruptcy Court, under the 192 d section of the Bank-
ruptcy Act, 1861, to dismiss a petition for adjudication on.
the ground that the debtor (Henry outham) had exe-
cuted and registered a deed of assignment in pursuance of
that act, according to the provisions of section 194. His
Honour deferred judgment.—Mr. Orford renewed his
application on Friday, and produced the deed, signed
by the debtor and the trustees; also the registrar's certifi-
cate, according to the 198th section of the Act,—Mr. Robin-
son, for the petitioning creditor, argued that the application
had not been sufficiently supported. Under the 192 d sec-

tion, registration was one of essentials by which a deed
was prevented from being an act of bankruptcy. The certi-
ficate that had been produced was only evidence that the
deed had been registered. His Honour ought to be satis-
fied that all the requirements of the Act had been com-
plied with. The fact of registration would not therefore
be enough. Mr. Commissioner Jemmett said that the
question arose simply upon the construction of the seve'
ral sections of the Act of Parliament. It seemed to
him that under the 192 d section, every deed between
debtor and his creditors would be effectual and binding,
provided certain requirements were accomplished, to
mentioned in the rules under that section. It was per•
fectly clear that, as far as that deed was concerned, pro-
vided the requirements of the rules were satisfied, the cer•
ficate of the registrar was quite available for all purposes,
and was binding on all creditors. There was another sec-

tion (the 199th) which affected the present motion. The
facts were that a petition had been filed, and the deed had
been duly registered ; therefore the question was, what wail
to be real effect of the words in the section he had named
" that the petition shall be dismissed." The question before
him was simply what the Court of Bankruptcy required for
the purpose of dismissing a petition. It seemed to him that
he could not enter into a discussion as to whether the chief
registrar had duly performed his duties. His (the Com-
missioner's) was simply a ministerial act, and he was bound
to dismiss the petition upon the production of that deed,
and the certificate of the registrar. At the same time, h°
thought there ought to have been some affidavit of identity
respecting the person executing the deed.—The petitioa
was dismissed.

COUNIBI MARKL 2S.

~.. v'

NORWICH-MAR= 8.

Wheat to-day was in short supply, and the prices of 18.1_1t
m
week were supported. The quantity of barley was W'
moderate and late prices were fully maintained. Flour Won
steady at former rates.
White wheat 61s to 63s [ Red wheat 57s to 603
Malting barley....3Bs to 39s Chevalier barley 378 to 3811
New d 0.......... 37e to 39s Oats. ' --s to —4
Flour, 42a Od to —a Od per sack from the miller.

NOTTINGIIAM—MAncII 8.

There was rather a scarce show of wheat to-day, and
the trade ruled quiet—prices being for all descriptions at
last week's rates—white, from 47s to 63s ; red, 42s to 610.
Barley in good demand—malting, 34s to 39s ; grinding, 290
to 31s. Oats were slow, at 26s to 355. Beans were soh'
at 380 to 50s per qr. Flour, 38s to 445.