The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-01 00:00:00

that Miss Burdett Coutts was indebted to him in the
turn of 100,0001 e, he had, according to his °Wil
account, held it in his poisession since December
1844. So that according to . the defendant's own state
went he had remained in prison for fourteen or fifteen
months for a debt of 80/, which he did not owe, when
he had in his possession a power to immediately,ralier
himself of all pecuniary obligations. Then, again, tn.
the face of all that had passed, when Miss Model'
Coutts had actually sworn articles of peace against hitt.
in order to relieve -herself from the persecution toalsini!
she was exposed. Ur. Dunn alleged, that acting al
fe,lings of compunction she had sent him this order. Wes
this at all likely, and still further, was it pruble that.anya
lady of position and character should send _
message as that .in the doggerel which had. het':
thproduced in Court to day. Sir Frederick then wol'
e ugh the evidence adduced by the defendants sh'•
the inconsistencies which it presented, and rernarkit
ilia; Miss Burdett Coutts had never written a letter
0
him in her life. It welt evident from the mode of direct.
ing and ri•ceiving the letters, that the whole was sell:
pt. to plan to extort money from Miss. Burdett. CPut
Then there was considerable ingenuity also in thee'
which the affidavit had been framed by the defendaneee't:
still it did nut waive the actual swearing. The defen_idanst
ha't said that his object was not to make Miss Baru',
Coutts a bankrupt, but to obtain an equitable considlh;
tion of his claim. But this *as evidently a pad of I
scheme, fur he made the affidavit that she was indebtn.
to him after be had been told by four differt
individuals that the supposed authority 'was n•
it
in Miss CoSts's hand-wri.ing. Still further,d..o
was evident that the attempt to drag Alial,l3l,„rli
Coutts before the Court of Bankruptcy arose ir°i—
same motive, from the terms of the writ of .certioratio,
which the case had been moved into this Coad. ,
Learned Counsel then investigated the assertions ea
Dann respecting the conduct of Mr. Majoribanks
wards him, showing their utter futility, and Pr ftlat
that every information had been given to him. an' do
he had bad a formal assurance at the bank that
authority was net in Miss Coutts's handwritingf,.„nlw"
wi lb
ll•tnore, in reply to a letter addressed by Mr. ',
to Miss Coutts, her attorney had written to him on I
20th of March, also formally: denying that she (4°l,
did owe, or ever had• owed, him anything; and Yet°
eleven days afterwards, be deliberately goes 'g
the Court of Bankruptcy and makes an affidslii
that she is indebted to him in the sum of 1001:
After again going through the circumstances, Sir n
Thesiger put it to the Jury to say whether Mr. Duun;
had made this affidavit with the belief that there was Id
truth in the allegation which it contained. If they.c°llt
come to such a conclusion, they would, of course, seq 3;,..
the defendant, but if not, they would discharge tne
cluiy by finding him guilty.
The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE sumed up at enflame.-
ble
length, and the jury returned a verdict of guilty. •
,ti,
Sir. F. TIIESIGER mu‘ed for judgment on the
countoind the Lord Chief Justice, in passing sea_ Aterjr,;
expressed his opinion, that the papers were fabricater,l
the defendant. He then sentenced him to aigb'of
months imprisonment, and to find security, at the anidris
that time, to keep the peace for two years, kin3s°.
1001, and two s:curites of 561. ekoh.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Feb.27..nd •
(Sittings at Guildhall, before the LORD CHIEF JUSTICE
Special Jury.)
111°
WESTROPP V. SOLOMONS..—THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE AND
01r4.)m) AND BLETCHLET JUNCTION RAILWAIr•
This was an action brought to recover the sum of 13,0
on a scrip transaction in the share, of the Buckinghstil3
and the Oxford and Bletchley Junction Railway'. dot
It appeared that in the course oft last year the defend 500
advanced money to the plaintiff, a broker, to purchal! no.
shares in the above railway c.,mpany. The plainti vos
cured the shares and sold them to the defendant, but p't ed
subsequently discovered that the shares so sold were form
scrip; the result was, the plaintiff to complete his engs
meat, had to purchase for the defendant 500 good 81,41,204
.an increased price. The defendant refused to make boo
the difference, and the present action was in conseclu,4
brought. 4781. had been paid- into commit by the defena*"
us a satisfaction of the claim.
Atter the case had been shortly gone into, at the 5114
lion of the Learned Judge- the matter was agreed t°
made a special case.

Ordered to be made a special case accordingly.

SPRING ASSIZES.
' NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, FRIDAY NlGlit'rn.
BRUTAL MURDER AT A CHRISTENING.—ThiS Pl,(7ifet
ing James Welch was arraigned before Mr. Baron Ibo;vg
in the Crown Court, of the Northumberland 511' •
Assize, for the wilful murder of Thomas Pr"."ti.
groom in the service of a gentleman liiing in.the outgot-
Mr. Grainger and. Mr; Potter prosecuted, .lair•
thews defended.. Est
By the evidence of several witnesses it appearslotif
the prisoner was a quarryman, employed at 02.40
Stones, somewhere near the. Newcastle • and %iron
Railway. On Sunday, the 7th inst., the deceaseui,.. his
lived at the village of Allerwash, invited seversigarea. . •
neighbours to the christening of one of leis clitoossi
After their return from church they had tea at bis "ig the •
and he then invited them to a public-house
.to drin_A tha
child's health. They did "so, and there encounter and •
prisoner. On leaving, • Welch . followed them' with
solicited several females who were walking They
fiiends (men) to leave them and join him. ma
declined, and he at length caught hold of Mal, od
'towers, who was walking with the deceasea, of
endeavoured to separate them. Towers begs."
being* further insulted, Proud tilted,
heat to deiist, and.
fered, and desired Welch not to molest her. fig" wad,
here ensuvd, and a scuffle followed,
wcich Proud fell upon his antagoniA, and, it is "'lt
kicked him. The deceased then made- all hasteiwnit," ,-;
with the female, but had not got far ere the prison
in the course . •
was seen running after them with no coat on•
coming up with them, he struck the deceased two
the. head with. a stick, and eventually plunged a .--s
bladed knife into the .unfortunate man's neck' its
instantly dropped on the ground, and in a few pit"
expired. The prisoner made his escape, bet ,_.
shortly captured. The knife was found near the .
and it was sworn to having, been seen in the PrleMw'
possession.
Mr. Matthews made a powerful4eal in behalf of
accused.

The jury found the prisoner Guilty.
Mr. Baron Rolfe concurred in the verdict, And id
very• fee ling and impressive manner sentenced the P
a.,ner to death.
fhe law will be carried into effect at Morpeth go6l.