The Sun.
London, England, 1822-09-05 00:00:00

SURREY SESSIONS, SEPT. 4.

Maurice Newman was indicted for assaulting Sarah Stuart,
a young girl about 14 years of age, with intent to commit a
rape upon her.
The facts of the case were proved by'five witnesses, one of
them being the wife of the prisoner at the bar. On the even-
ing of the 18th August the prisoner assaulted the girl, and in
the attempt tore her clothes, and lacerated her hands with his
nails. The prisoner had previously been sitting with his wife
in a public-house, and had left her to follow the girl upon
whom he afterwards committed the assault. The wife, think-
ing her husband's absence rather strange, went in search of
him, and found him in the back-parlour of her house with the
girl. Mrs. Newman seized hold of her husband by the collar,
and then shook the girl violently by the shoulders, and turned
her out of doors.

Sarah Stuart underwent a long examination, and cross-exa-
mination, in which she related the whole particulars, after a
good deal of difficulty and hesitation.
Sarah Bloxam, and two other neighbours, heard the screams
of the girl, and received an account from her of the whole
transaction. This the witness recapitulated to the Court.
The Counsel who was employed on behalf of the prisoner
addressed the Jury, but no witnesses were called for the de-
fence, either to fact or character.
The Jury after a short consideration found a verdict—Guilty.
The CiliuumAN, accompanied with a suitable admonition,
passed the sentence of the Court upon the prisoner—that he be
imprisoned twelve calendar months in Brixton House of Cor-
rection.
Samuel Davis vies indicted for assaulting Phoebe Bell, a very
young girl, with intent to commit a rape.
The case, as proved against the prisoner, was of a more ag-
gravated nature than the last. From motives of delicacy we for-
bear to enter into the particulars.
The Jury, without hesitation found a verdict—Guilty ; and
The CHAIR3IAX sentenced the prisoner to 13 months' im-
prisonment in the House of Correction at Brixton.
Joseph Haynes was indicted for receiving a quantity of har-
ness, knowing it to have been stolen by some person or persons
not yet in custody.
It was proved that a considerable time before the harness was
traced to the possession of the prisoner, it had been stolen from'
a coach-house and stables at Bexley-heath, in the county of
Kent. The harness had been sold by the prisoner to a person
for les., and had been again sold by that individual to an-
other. The officer, Read, who apprehended the prisoner (a
dealer in marine stores) at his own house in Suffolk-street,
Blac :friars-road, stated, that he asked the prisoner where he
had bought the harness. Haynes answered that he had bought
it of a man in' a green coat whom he frequently saw, and
thought he should see again. He had given 13s. for it.
The Jury found a verdict—Nut Guilty.
The prisoner was not, however, discharged, because he was
unable to pay the fees either of the Jury -or of the Court. He
had a wife and seven young children, and had no means of pay-
ing the fees.
The last case which occupied tke attention cf the Court for
this Session, was a dispute between two Irish women. Mrs.
Sullivan accused Mrs. Leigh of beating her while standing at
her stall in Blackfriars-road, and produced a witness to prove
the fact. The witness stated that she saw Mrs. Leigh knock
Mrs. Sullivan down, and break 12 panes of glass in Mrs. Sul.
divan's window.
The prisoner, in her defence, vociferated most loudly-that she
had not hurt the woman, and could not have done it, because
she had a baby only seven months' old in her arms at the time.
She confessed she was rather angry with Mrs. Sullivan for keep-
ing her dear husband from her.
The Jury found the prisoner Guilty, and the Court sentenced
her to 14 days' imprisonment.

JURY TRIALS.—It is, perhaps,_ not generally
known, that by the Act authorising Jury Trials
in Scotland, it is provided, if the Jury cannot
agree in the verdict in twelve hours after they.
are inclostA, they must separate, and a new Jury
be chosen to try the case. This, we think, is an
excellent regulation ; and •were the time limited.
to six hours, instead of twelve, it would be an
improvement.—(Glasgow'Courier.)
This day the prisoners who stand committed
on charges of felony were removed from the
several gaols in the City of London and County
of Middlesex, to Newgate, preparatory to their
taking their trials at the ensuing Old Bailey
Sessions, which will commence on Wednesday
next.—The Sessions of the Peace for the County
of Middlesex will begin at• the Sessions-House,
ClerkenWell-Green, on Monday next, when. the
trials of traversers and others; out on bail, on
matters of assault, nuisance, and misdemeanour,-
will be proceeded on.
DESTRUCTIVE FlRE.—About six o'clock ow
Tuesday evening, a fire broke out in the exten-,
sive premises of Messrs. Luntley and Milner,,
wholesale droggists, 3, Bread-street-hill.—
The circumstances under which it originated
were. these :—One of the warehousemen had der
scended into the cellar Nxith a portable lamp, a
spark from whiCh. lodging upon a Mass of camphor
of the finest quality, and consequently of, a
highly inflammable nature, it immediately burst
into a tremendous blaze, and communicated to a
quantity ()roils that were 'a short distance from
the camphor. The man called loudly for a sup-
ply of water, and remained in the cellar for a
considerable time, endeavouring to smother the
flames, and prevent their ascent to the Ware,
house and labm'atory. The fire, however, spread
in a few minutes to the factory and counting-
house. By this time upwards of a dozen engines
had arrived, and, by the exertions of the firemen
and neighbours, many of the/ papers in the
counting-house were saved ; but a considerable
quantity of valuable documents Were consumed.
Of the extensive stock in trade but a very small
proportion was saved. This part Of the property
was insured to a large amount in the Union Fire-
office'; but we are sorry to learn that the: insur-
ance, does not cover the loss. The laboratory
was fortunately saved. The house and premises
'
are insured in the Sun .FireLoffice., Great alarm
'was 'excited in the neighbourhood inconsequence
of a report that a quantity of gunpowder was on
the premises, and for a moment the energies of
the firemen were paralysed -; but- the -ready con-
tradiction of the partiesthernselves restored con-
Adence".