The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-19 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIRCUIT:—LuwEs, JULY 13.
The Commission for the county of Sussex was opened
here on Saturday, and this morning business was pro-
ceeded with in both Courts at twelve o'closk ; the Lord
Chief Baron presiding on the Crown side, and Mr.
Justice Cresswell on the Civil side. The business of
the assize is very heavy for this place, especially at the
summer circuit, the gaol calendar containing no less than
three very serious charges of murder, two of arson, one
of manslaughter, one of burglary, rape, &c. On the
Civil side ten causes are entered, seven of which are
special jury cases.
The Lord Chief Baron, in his charge to the grand
jury called their attention to the incovenienee that was
created by the committal of persons for the crime of
arson, where the evidence against them, at most,
amounted to suspicion. He said that it would appear
that from the nature of the crime, and the difficulty,
and, indeed, almost impossibility of obtaining direct
evidence, there was opinion that less evidence was
sufficient to justify a committal than was required in an
ordinary case of felony. This, he said, was a most erro-
neous opinion, and one which was calculated most mate-
rially to affect the interests of justice, for in proportion
to the serious character of an offence, care ought to be
taken not to commit a prisoner to take his trial for it,
unless the evidence was such as would justify any reason-
able mind in coming to the conclusion that there was a pro-
bality of a conviction. He was happy to say that mischie-
vous offences of this description had latterly very much de-
creased, but every one must feel the mischief that was
created when a person against whom a strong suspicion of
guilt prevailed was acquitted through being committed for
trial upon insufficient evidence, and in all such cases it was
much better to wait untilreasonably conclusive evidence
was obtained to fix the guilt upon a particular indivi-
dual than to commit upon mere suspicion, when the re-
sult must inevitably be an acquittal, and the party ac-
cused would thus altogether escape. Ile said he was
induced to mention this from what had occurred during
the present assizes in a neighbouring county, and he
merely threw out the suggestion, being fully aware that
with gentlemen of their experience it would be properly
acted upon in future.

John Broome the pugilist, was called upon to sur-
render to take his trial for misdeamour, in having un-
lawfully obtained a large sum of money from William
Hamp, by means of fraud and cheating at cards.
The defendant did not appear.
Mr. Parry said he was instructed on behalf of the
defendant, and his solicitor informed him that he was ill
in the early part of the morning, but that it was his
intention to surrender in the course of the day and take
his trial.

Mr. Creasy reminded his lordship that two persons
had already been convicted of being concerned in the
act imputed to the defendant, and that he had ab-
sconded. He surrendered at the last assizes, and the
Court postponed the trial to these assizes, with the
understanding that it should then positively come on.
Under these circumstances he thought the recognizances
of the defendant should be entreated.

Mr. Johnson, who was with Mr. Creasy for the pro-
secution, said, in point of fact, he was not prepared to
go on that moment as the prosecutor was not. present.
He was under a recognizance of 5001. to appear at these
assizes, but he was informed that be was not present,
and he would not go on in his absence.
The Lord Chief Baron said that, under these circum-
stances, as neither of the parties were ready, the case
must of course stand over for the present.

How TO MARE A DEBTOR OF A CREDITOR.—A Gascon
meeting an acquaintance, asked him to lend him fifteen
francs. "Fifteen ! I have only ten in my pocket !"
«O 1), very well; give me the ten, and you can pay me
the five at your convenience."