The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-15 00:00:00

CROWN SIDE.

On Tuesday and Wednesday a second Criminal Court
was formed, presided over by Mr. Sergeant Dowling,
who disposed of a great many of the less serious cases,
and yesterday Mr. Gurney also tried prisoners in a third
court.

OXFORD ClRCW7:—Stabrord, March 13.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron PLATT.)
William Parker was indicted for uttering a forged 51.
note, at Lichfield, on the 13th of January, with intent to
defraud John Wakefield and the Governor and Company
of the Bank of England.
The prisoner, it appeared, called at an inn kept by
Mr. Wakefield, and had some conversation with him
about a horse he had to sell. The prisoner represented
himself as a maltater at Tamworth, and wished to take
the horse in exchange for some malt. Mr. Wake-
field, however, refused, preferring money to malt. This
was on the 29th of December. On the day named in
the indictment he again paid a visit to Mr. Wake-
field's. He stayed there nearly an hour, and obtained
change for a five pound note. He left the house
hastily, not paying for some liquor he had partaken
of; which, coupled with other circumstances excited
the suspicion of Mrs. Wakefield, who went to the
bank with the note, and Mr. Grimes, the clerk,
at once declared it to be a forgery. Pursuit was made
after the prisoner, who was found entering the Robin
Hood with another man. The police officer told him
the charge against him, and that he must search him,
on which he became very violent, fighting, kicking, and
resisting in every way he could. Ho was, however,
overpowered, when five sovereigns, 3s. 6d. in silver, and
a 101. Bank of England note were found on him, which
was also a spurious one.

Mr. Baron PLATT sentenced him to be transported
for 15 years, and ordered the five sovereigns to be given
to Mr. Wakefield.

Joseph Spellman, 19, was indicted for a similar offence,
at Walsall, on the 30th of January.
There were other charges against the prisoner, wbo
was convicted and sentenced to be transported for 15
years.

The grand jury this afternoon ignored the bill pre-
ferred against Maria Lightfoot, for the murder of her
husband, William Lightfoot, by poison, at Kingswin-
ford, on the 15th of July last, contrary to the general
expectation that her trial would end in a condemnation

WESTERN CIRCUIT.—Dorchester, March 13.
Mr. Justice Williams arrived here this afternoon, and
immediately opened the commission. The calendar is
not only numerically heavy—the size of the county and
a recent intermediate sessions considered—but the of-
fences are many of them of a grave character. They in-
clude—murder, 2; night poaching and beating keepers,
4; manslaughter, 3;vvounding with intent to do grievous
bodily harm, 2; arson, 1; wounding a horse by forcing a
stick down its throat, 1; &c. The nisi prius business
promises to afford a few cases of interest. Sir Fitzroy
Kelly appears as defendant in an action for the bill of
costs incurred in the Lyme Regis election. Mr. Abdy,
the sitting member, is also sued by his agent. There is
a case of ejectment, respecting some property at Portsea,
in which the property in dispute is said to be valued :at
200,0001., and 560 ejectment notices have been served.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT—York, March 13.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr.„,Justice COLERIDGE.)
WilliamWhitchead and John Trotter were indicted for
cutting and stabbing James Greenroyd.
The prosecutor, who is a farmer and tanner, residing
at Bracken Bed, in Ovenden, about a mile from Halifax,
in passing through Back-street, at about one o'clock on
the morning of the 7th inst., was tripped up by a man
who was in company with two others. He was then
struck on the side of the head, and his hat knocked off.
The prosecutor, to defend himself; drew out his knife
and ran away in the direction of Cow-green. He was
pursued by two men, and when he got within the iron
railings of Cow-green, he received a cut on the head,
and a moment afterwards was stabbed in the back. He
turned round and saw the prisoners.
The jury, after considerable deliberation, found both
the prisoners Guilty of a common assault only.
Sentence deferred.
CIVIL COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron ALDERsoN.)
TiErDsoN v. MARSHALLs:
The parties in this case were both highly-respectable
persons, the defendants being the great flax-spinners, at
Leeds. The plaintiff is the owner of an ancient mill on
the bank of the Aire, near Leeds, granted by charter in
the reign of Edward 1., to the party through whom he
claims. The defendants have three large mills at some
distance from the river, and to which they have laid two
culverts, the one to supply water from the river to the
steam-engine on the works, of between 400 and 500-
horse power, and the other to take back the heated water
to the river. This, for the plaintiff, was contended to be
au interruption of the flow of the river, and an infringe-
ment of his ancient right. For the defendant it was
contended that they returned more water to the ricer
than they took, and the plaintiff was not injured. After
the case had lasted many hours, it was compromised by
the defendants undertaking to return, and to be subject
to inspection, as much water as they took from the river.
John Hurst, captain of the steamer Lion, trading
between Hull and Hamburgh, was inclicted under the Bth
with a cargo
and 9th Victoria, c. 86, s. 7, for assaultingulting Mr. Samuel
Keys, a Customhouse officer, while in the discharge of
his duty.
By the statute in question ships are required to report
their cargoes within 24 hours after their arrival in port.
The Lion returned to Hull on May 9,1848,
of oxen and various goods. In the cabin were two rose-
wood tables, which the captain omitted to report, whether
through negligence or intentionally did not sufficiently
appear. By law this omission subjected the goods to
seizure, and the Custom-house officer, Mr. Keys, being