The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-15 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—YORK, JULY 13.
Jacob Ashbury, aged 34, was charged with having, at
Sculcoates, in the East Riding, on the 2d of June last,
married Jane Wheldale, a young woman of respectable
connections, his former wife, Eliza, being still alive.
The jury returned a very of guilty.
His lordship felt it his duty to pass such a sentence as
would mark the gravity of the crime, and he would,
therefore, be transported for seven years.
William Johnson and Mary Cartwright were indicted
for unlawfully abducting Judith Kay, a girl under the
age of 16 years, from the possession of her father.
Mr. Darnborough appeared for the prosecution, and
Mr. Shepherd defended the prisoners.
It appeared that the male prisoner had been a
" navvy' on the Thirsk and Malton Railway, and the
female prisoner was the wife of another " navvy," and
they all resided at the village of Thommanby, in the
North Riding ; the prisoner Johnson lodging at the
house of a grocer named Kay. Kay had a daughter,
who was described by her mother to be only 14 years of
age, though in appearance she might have been taken
to be 17 or 18. Between her and Johnson an inti-
macy had sprung up, which the parents had observed,
and objected to on account of the girl's youth. But
Johnson offered to marry her, and several times proposed
to her to leave her father's house, which she refused to
do for some time, till the female prisoner called upon
her and persuaded her to go off with Johnson, saying
that if she was in her place she would do it. Partly
from this persuasion, and partly from her own inclina-
tion, the girl agreed on Saturday, the 16th of April,
with the female prisoner (who said that Johnson and all
of them were going away the next day) that she would
join them after church on the Sunday, at a little dis-
tance out of the village, and would put her clothes out
of the window that night, so that Johnson could take
them away ; and accordingly the next night the girl
went off with Johnson to Gainsborough, where she
spent the night with him, the female prisoner and her
husband lodging in the same house. On the girl being
missed the police were put in motion, and they were
traced to Gainsborough, where the girl was taken from
Johnson's bed.

Mr. Shepherd submitted to his lordship that there
was no " taking away " of the girl within the meaning
of the statute.

His Lordship, however, referred to the case of the
"Queen v. Mantelow," reported in 22 Law Journal,
M.C., p. 115, in which it was held that the girl was in
possession of her father, though voluntarily meeting her
lover, till she went off with him, and that was a suffi-
cient taking within the statute. His Lordship having
summed up,
The jury found both prisoners guilty.
His Lordship, in passing sentence, severely animad-
verted on the conduct of the female prisoner Cartwright,
owing to whose persuasion the girl consented to leave
her father's house, and it was to her conduct that the
girl's ruin might be attributed. The male prisoner's
offence was less, for he offered to marry the girl ; the
female prisoner would, therefore, be imprisoned and kept
to hard labour for two years, and the male prisoner for
six calendar months.

James Hanson, aged 32, was charged with having, on
the 14th of March last, at Bradford, feloniously wounded
Sarah Firth, with intent to murder.
__.

, .
The jury returned a verdict of guilty.
The sentence of the court was that he be transported
for life.

Mr. Justice Wightman was occupied in disposing of a
road indictment, and other cases of no interest.

IMPORTANT TO VISITORS TO CHOB-
HAM AND VIRGINIA WATER.

CHERTSEY SESSIONS.-JULY 13.

Thomas Stallwood and his wife appeared to an infor-
mation laid under the Turnpike Act by Mr. James Wil-
ling, for having, at the Virginia Toll-bar, exacted a
return fare of is. 4d. on the afternoon of the 9th of
June, for a carriage and four horses, a similar toll
having been paid for the same vehicle on its first passing
through the bar.
Mr. Horne, Clerk to the Trust, defended and raised
a preliminary objection to the complainant giving evi-
dence. _

-111 r. J. Willing stated that was his fourth appearance
in reference to the case, because technical objections
had been previously raised ; but he was determined to
have the question decided; being of public importance,
and the defendant having obtained a very large sum of
money from the public illegally. As to Mr. Horne's
present objection, he would not trouble the magistrates
to go into it, as there were witnesses now present to
state all that was necessary to give jurisdiction. He
therefore called
Mr. Philip Willing and Mr. Bradfield, who were in
the carriage on the day named, stated that on the
vehicle first passing through the toll-bar, a toll of
is. 4d. was demanded and paid. On the return of the
party, a second toll was asked. Mr. James Willing
produced the first ticket, and demanded to pass ; he was
refused, and paid the second toll on compulsion. De-
fendant—Thomas Stallwood's name only was up at the
bar as collector, but his wife received the money, and
acted under the orders of Mr. Jackson, the toll in-
spector, who was present.

On cross-examination by Mr. Horne, it was deposed
that both carriage and horses belonged to members of
the party accompanying the witnesses, and that there
was no plying for hire.
Mr. Horne then objected that the case had failed, for
that an office copy of the tolls, exhibited at the bar, had
not been given in evidence, and because the wife had
received the second toll when her husband was the col-
lector, and the husband, therefore, was not responsible.
The magistrates having inspected the tickets, and re-
ferred to the act of Parliament,
The Chairman said they were unanimous that a clear
case had been made out under the act ; the public hadl
to thank Mr. Willing for the trouble he had taken, and
they should fine the defendant 20s. for taking the toll
illegally, 20s. 6d. the expenses of the summons, and
ordr the expenses of the witnesses attending from
London also to be paid.

GENERAL COMMITTEE OF CONTROVERTED ELECTIONS.
—Mr. Baines, Mr. Walpole, and Mr. Patten have been
appointed members of this committee in lieu of of Sir
J. Trollop°, Sir F. Baring, and,2lr, Sotherton, who had
remised,