The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-25 00:00:00

FELONIOUS ASSAULT.

Henry Hamilton, a well dressed man, who described
himself as a surgeon, but whose name is not discover-
able in the " Medical Directory," surrendered to take
his trial for an assault upon Elizabeth Brown.
This case it will be recollected was postponed from
the last session. Upon that occasion an indictment for
felony was preferred against the defendant upon the
same facts, but it was ignored by the grand jury, who
only returned a true bill for a common assault. The
defendant, who is an advertisinc, doctor, under the title
of Surgeon Hamilton, practised in King William-street,
Strand, and the pi osecutrix, a young woman 22 years
of age, went to consult him ; and, according to her evi-
dence, he told her she was in the family way, and then
made some overtures to her of a most disgusting cha-
racter, and eventually proceeded to commit acts of gross
indecency. The greater portion of the evidence was of
a character to render it totaily unfit for publication.
The prosecutrix and a young man who, she stated, was
the father of her child, and whom it appeared she had
married since the occurrence, were subjected to a very
severe cross-examination, and they admitted they had
both given false names and addresses, and that they had
made other incorrect statements in reference to the
transaction.

Mr. Ballantine made an earnest address to the jury on
behalf of the defendant, and said he was instructed by
him to declare most emphatically that there was not the
slightest ground for the charge, and that it had been
trumped up by the prosecutrix and the man for the pur-
pose of extortion.

The Recorder having summed up, the jury, after a
short deliberation, returned a verdict of guilty.
Sentence was deferred.
CHARGE OF PERJURY.
__

Thomas Massey surrendered to take his trial for wilful
and corrupt perjury.
This was one of those cases where an indictment was
preferred before the grand jury behind the back of the
accused party, and without any previous inquiry being
had before a magistrate. When the trial was called on,
the person who appeared as prosecutor handed in an affi-
davit, and asked to have the trial postponed.
Mr. Parry, on behalf of the defendant, successfully re-
sisted the application.
. _

It appeared that the perjury was alleged to have been
committed at the Guildhall Police-court, in the course of
some proceedings taken under the Small Tenements Act
by Mr. Massey to eject the prosecutor, and Mr. T. Wood,
the chief clerk, was called to prove what took place,
when, to the astonishment of the court, he stated that
he did not believe the defendant was sworn, or that any-
thing said by him was upon oath.
The Recorder asked Mr. Wood if he stated this fact
when he was examined in support of the bill before the
grand jury ?_

Mr.-Wood said he stated to them most distinctly his
belief that the defendant was not sworn.
Mr. Parry—And yet they actually returned a true
bill for perjury.
The Recorder said there was an end of the case. The
charge had entirely failed on the proof.
A verdict of not guilty was then given.

NEW COURT.
(Before the Common Serjeant.)
CHARGE OF HORSE STEALING.
James Allen Phipps, 23, groom, was indicted for
stealing a pony, valued at 91., the property of William
Watson.

It appeared that in May last the prisoner was taken
in custody.near Ilford, riding the pony in question,
which had strayed from the premises of prosecutor, who
lives in that district. When questioned, he said he had
given 71. for the pony. After his committal, it turned
out that he had escaped from gaol, where he had been
confined upon a similar charge, but it did not appear
that he had attempted to feloniously appropriate the
horses, and he was thought to be a lunatic. When
arraigned in this court for ;the present offence, he was
found to be in a state unfit to plead, and was therefore
remanded back to Springfield gaol, and there treated as
a lunatic, but having recovered, was sent for trial.
The Common Sergeant told the jury that if they
thought the prisoner only took the horse for the purpose
of helping him on his journey, that would not be a
felony.
He was acquitted.