The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-17 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORFOLK CIRCUIT.—CAMBRIDGE, March 15. 1
ller Majesty's judges of assize came here from '
Huntingdon yesterday, and the commission was
opened in due course. There is not a cause for trial,
and the calendar contains the names of 16 prisoners.
Mr. Baron Martin sat in the Crown Court this i
morning.
From the opening of the court this morning it was
densely crowded in all parts by members of the
university, &c., to hear the trial of
James Francis Frrington Barnes, aged 22, de-
scribed in the calendar as a gentleman, who was
charged with obtaining by false pretences a gold
ring from Mr. Peters, the well-known silversmith,
of Cambridge.
Mr. Markby prosecuted; Mr. Orridge defended
the prisoner.
The prisoner at the time the offence was com-
mitted, was an undergraduate of Peter-house
College, and it appeared from the opening state-
ment of the counsel for the prosecution that in the
year 1858 he was first entered at that college. Sub-
sequently he took his name off and went to prepare
for the civil service examination. In November of
last year he again changed his plans and returned
to his old college, bringing with him the highest
testimonials, &c., from the tutors with whom he had
been reading. During his first residence he had pur-
chased about £l2 worth of articles of jewellery at
Peters's, which had never been paid for, and it was
distinctly understood that no further credit was to
be given him. Shortly after his return in November
last he went in his cap and gown to the shop of Mr.
Peters, and selected a ring of the value of £4 10s.,
and the shopman, who had no knowledge of him
personally, asked him, as he did not then pay for
the article, for his name and college. Upon this he
wrote on a piece of paper handed to him for the pur-
pose, "J. Barnes, Pembroke." The shopman
referred to his superior, and he was allowed to take
the ring, it being then fully believed that he was
Mr. Berne, of Pembroke College. Mr Peters and
his shopman were called and said, under no circum-
stances would he have been allowed to have the
.
ring on credit had they known he weaysidßeaureneest,haotf
Peterhouse. It also appeared in
within a few hours of obtaining the ring he sold it
to a man of the name of Tarrant, who in his turn
parted with it, and after passing through several
hands it was taken in January last by an intending
purchaser to Peters' shop to have its value ascertained.
Then it was immediately recognised, and inquiries
were made which led to the apprehension of the
prisoner. It should be mentioned that within a few
days of the iing being obtained Barnes was sent
away from college, but, as the tutor explained, for
matters quite unconnected with this affair.
Mr. Orridge, in his address to the jury, whilst
admitting that the ring had been obtained fraudu-
lently, said there were good grounds for the belief
that the prisoner never intended to defraud the
Prosecutor. The fact that men purchased goods on
credit and disposed of them soon after. to Tarrant
for ready money was well known, and although
they were obtained on credit, there was every pro-
spect of the tradesman being paid. In this case Mr.
Barnes intended to give in this debt to his father
with others he had incurred, and Mr. Peters would
have been paid.
Mr. Baron Martin summed up, and told the jury
if they believed the prisoner bad obtained the ring
upon the faith of his being Berne, of Pembroke,
even supposing there might bo a notion in his own
mind
that he would one day pay for it, there was
an obtaining as was intended by the act of parlia
ment, and they must convict the prisoner,
The jury almost immediately returned a verdict
of Guilty, and the learned judge in feeling
terms spoke of the misery the prisoner's OD'