The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-22 00:00:00

MIDLAND CIRCUIT.--Lincoln, July 19.

CROWN COURT.—(Betore Mr. Baron ROLFE.)
Mr. Baron Rolle took his seat upon the bench at
' eleven o'clock this morning, and shortly afterwards pro-
ceeded to charge the grand jury, of which Sir John
Tro'lope is foreman. His Lordship congratulated the
jury upon the small number of prisoners for trial. He
directed their attention, however, specially to the case
of a woman charged with no fewer than three murders
by the administration of poison. In the course of the
day the grand jury returned three bills against the ac-
cused, and her trial is appointed to take place to morrow.
Reuben Thacker stood indicted for stealing, at Bar-
rowby, in this county, on the 12th of April lust, six ewes
and twelve calves, the property of John Ewinson. There
was another charge against the prisoner for stealing
articles of apparel. He pleaded Guilty to the latter
indictment.

Mr. Mellor prosecuted. The prisoner was undefended.

From the statements of the witnesses it appeared that
on the night of the 12th of April last the sheep were safe
in a field belonging to the prosecutor. The following
morning they were missing. tin the Monday evening
Th., prisoner cslled upon a farm, r laving at Gonerby,
with whom he was acquainted, stating that he had come
for the purpose of meeting a quantity of sheep belonging
to his master, Mr R char of Coston Bas ett. This
statement, in ), sequence of the prisoner having been
formerly in the employ of Mr. Riciiards, was readily
believed, and the p i •otier was accordingly accommo-
dated with lodgings for the night, and on his bringing
the sheep they were also, according to a practice which
prevailed amongst the farmers of the neighbourhood,
supplied with pasturage. The next day the sheep, under
the direction of the prisoner, proceeded in the direction
of Ewei by, and were on that evening put up at the
Plough Inn, Wilsford. In the mean time the robbery
became known in the neighbourhood; the sheep were
traced to Wilford, and identified by the prosecutor, and
on Wednesday the prisoner was apprehended.
The prisoner in his defence admitted driving the sheep
(they having been delivered into his care for convey-
ance), but denied the robbery.
The jury found him Guilty, and
The Learned JUDGE sentenced him to four months'
imprisonment and hard labour for the robbery of the
apparel, and seven years' transportation for stealing the
sheep.
Martin Dale and Joseph Wright (two stout-looking
fellows) were placed at the bar charged with burglari-
ously entering the house of Mr. Festus Dunham, of Six
Hills, in this county, on the morning of the 2d of April
last, and stealing certain moneys, &c., the property)of the
prosecutor and his daughter. Another prisoner, named
Fidlin, was charged with being implicated in the com-
mission of the offence, but it was stated that he was too
ill to be placed upon his trial.

Mr. FLOWER stated the case to the jury.
Mr. W. H. Adams appeared for the prisoner Dale;
Wright was undefended.

The case, which was one of great aggravation, will
be best understood by a condensed report of the evi-
dence.

Festus Dunham—l am a farmer, living at Six Hills,
in this county. On the morning of the 21 of April I
was awoke by a great clattering at the door of my house.
I put my head out of the window and asked wbatwralt;
the matter. I saw a man outside, who replied, ~
blow your b— old brains out." I believe it
know him
tin Dale who used the expression.
Id d
before. It was a very moonlight night,
men come up and
and there was
was Mar-
snow on the ground. I saw two other
e the window out,
and at the window. They knocked
.
I said to my daughter,
and all three men then went
for the purpose of
with assistance.
.
d l.
mobtainingade m y w ay
assistance.out
I returned with assistance. The
shhaolalsaell be murdered," and
I left a dog in the house, and
men were then gone.
prisoner Wright was formerly
I:nfWtahbeeout half an hour
when I came backeel found
Te it had been stabbed, and was
bleeding at the no .
eh el d flit," and place
in my employ. He had e pe us to "
the furniture in the house.
.
Frances Dunham, wife of the last witness, confirmed
the main points of his evidence. After her husband left
the house she and her daughter attempted to prevent the
men entering her daughter's room. They placed a chest
against the door. The men outside, when they found
their entrance there opposed, said, " You need not place
the chest there, for we mean to come in." Two men
then forced themselves into the room. The prisoner
Martin Dale was one of them. He had a lighted candle
in one hand and a hayfork in the other. Witness asked
him what his business was, when Dale replied, " We
want your money," and rushed through her daughter's
room into witness's room. He placed the candle upon
the dressing-table, and took up 3d. in copper, which he
put in his pocket. They next ransacked a drawer, but
witness believed they did not take anything. Dale,, then
presented his fork at witness's breast, and said.
p 12
you, where's your money ?" He then ransacked
herack dd
drawer, and found a purse belonging to
half-crowns, two
It contained a half-sovereign,
.silg another
h te r.
fouress told the men that
shillings, and two sixpences.
heard
that he was gone up the_yeilxatge.
morning they missed from
what money they had was in
l hWerisAhnussebea,n)nd
husband's
as they pocket,h
that they went away. B
tea.chest, and ann
ch: apron. l'4 i r. ADAMS —Fad not known
the house a new hat, a rosewood workbox, a mahogany
Cross-exg.mi e
Dknew
him immediately she saw h;ni
got into the house her daughter
jumped
Window and ran away. She (witness)
never saw again,al e before,
out
Whenor e,
of the
battt h
h ee
Wright ; he was not the other man in the
ro.m.
Margaret Dunham, the daughter, deposed that when
she jumped out of the window a man outside told her to
go back. It was the prisoner Wright. She had known
him from a child. She afterwards saw him in the house
standing near her bedroom door.
Joseph Rawson, being sworn, stated that he is a la-
bourer, and on the morning of the 2d of April was
called up by the prosecutor. He immediately went to
the front of the house, but the men were then gone. He
wi a shortly afterwards joined by other men. There had
been a good deal of fresh snow during the night. Upon
examining the ground they were able to track the feet
t of-three men from the house of the prosecutor to Lud-
ford Town End. The marks went up to fhe house of
' Earn (the prisoner not now upon his trial). He (wit-

ess) afterwards returned to Six-hill,, and cut out the
" feetings," and some of these were traced to the door of
Wright's house. The marks corresponded with the
size and nails of Wright's boots.
Tobias Kirman, constable of Market Rasen, corrobo-
rated the last witness with respect to the impression of
foot• marks.

Mr. Baron ROLFE summed up the case with great care
and impartiality.
The jury found both the prisoners Guilty, and
The Learned JUDGE, after an impressive address,
sentenced them to transportation for twenty years.
The prisoner Dale, addressing the Judge, said, " I am
as innocent as you are."
Woodhill Squires was capitally indicted for violating the
person of Mary White, in the neighbourhood of East
Barkwith, on the night of the 17th of June.
Mr. Dennison conducted the prosecution, and Mr. W.
H. Adams defended the prisoner.
The prosecutrix, who appeared to be a respectable
woman in the middle class of life, deposed that as she was
walking in the public road, about half a mile from Bark-
with, at a quarter past nine o'clock on the night in
question, the prisoner, whom previously she had not
known, accosted her, and after taking her round the
waist, threw her down upon the side of the road, and ac-
complished the capital offence with which he now stood
charged. As a matter of course, the prosecutrix was
much alarmed and distressed, and upon her return
home, a distance of about two miles, she fainted. Her
husband was not at home, and she never communicated
to any person what had occurred, until his return home
the following Friday night. Measures were adopted
for the apprehension of the offender, and in the first in-
stance, in consequence of the prosecutrix's description, a
wrong man was taken up in mistake. This was, how-
ever, soon rectified, and the prisoner delivered into the
custody of the pol ce, and subsequently committed by
the magistrates for trial.
For the defence several witnesses were called, who
swore most positively that they were with the prisoner
from half-past 8 until 10 o'clock on the night the assault
was said to have been committed; that he was never
within half a mile of the spot; and that he wore a dress
different to that described by the prosecutrix. It was not
contended that her story in any other respect than with
regard to the identity of the prisoner was untrue; and it
was shown that a young man more nearly answering the
deseription she gave of her assailant was seen lurking in
the neighbourhood about the time the offence was said
to have been committed.
Mr. Baron RoLvE, in summing up, observed upon
the possibility of the prosecutrix, under the circum-
stances, being mistaken as to the prisoner's identity;
and

The jury, with little hesitation, Acquitted him.
CIVIL SlDE.—(Before Lord Chief Justice DENMAN.)
Business in this court commenced at 10 o'clock, and
the cause list, when published, presented 11 cases for
trial, four of which are to be submitted to special
juries. Ono is an issue directed by Vice-Chancellor
Bruce, with regard to the validity of a will, and another
an indictment against the Rev. Principal of the Grant-
ham Free Grammar School, for the ill-usage of one of
his pupils. The cases tried to-day were of little interest.

BERTIE V. PIGGIN.

This was an action to determine a right of way in the
parish of Gedney, in this county. Mr. Humfrey,
Q.C., and Mr. Waddington were counsel for the plain-
tiff, and Mr. Whitehurst, Q.C., and Mr. Macauley for
the defendant.
An action between the same parties, and relating to
the same right, was tried at the last assizes; but on that
occasion the present plaintiff was defendant, and the de-
fendant plaintiff. At the firt trial Mr. Piggin contended
that he had an immemorial right to the road in question,
but it was shown by documents that the right was only
enjoyed upon sufferance. Mr. Whitehurst, therefore,
on this proof, allowed his client to be nonsuited. Since
the last trial the defendant had proceeded to commit a
trespass by destroying a fence, and the present action
was brought to determine his right to do so, and by this
means again bring to issue the relative rights of the
parties. _ _ _

The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages
405., thus confirming the verdict passed at the last
assizes.

WEBBER AND WIFE V. RIIDDLESTON, GENT., ONE, Szc.
This was an action for slander, which created some
interest among the citizens of Lincoln.
Mr. Llumfrey, Q.C., and Mr. Waddington, appeared
as counsel for the plaintiff's; and Mr. Whitehurst, Q.C.,
Mr. Miller, and Mr. Adams, for the defendant.
The circumstances of the case may be shortly stated.
The male plaintiff is a tailor, carrying on business in
Lincoln, and the defendant an attorney, practising in
the same city. It so happened that on the 7th of April
last there was a masonic ball, at which a daughter of
the plaintiffs picked up a gold chain, to which a
pencil-case was attached, and carried it to her
mother, who put it in her pocket, for the
purpose of giving it to the master of the cere-
monies at the conclusion of the dance. The chain, it
appeared, belonged to a Miss Wakefield, who formed one
of a party whim accompanied Mr. Huddleston, the de-
fendant, to the ball. The loss soon became known in
the room, and Mr. Huddleston asked Mrs. Webber if
she had found a gold chain, to which she replied she had,
and wished him to describe it. This he could not do.
Miss Wakefield subsequently came up, and upon her
stating that the gold chain had a pencil-case and a
brooch attached to it, Mrs. Webber gave it up, saying,
that she knew nothing of the brooch—that it was not
attached. Mr. Huddleston said, `• Don't tell me. It
is a scandalous and dishonest proceeding to put the
brooch into your pocket." Subsequently, in speaking
to a Mr. Adcock, he said, " Mrs. Webber would have
looked very queer if I called in a policeman." Mr.
Adcock replied, "Nonsense, Mr. Huddleston;" when
Mr. Huddleston rejoined, "I know the law," and
whereupon Mr. Adcock walked away. It was also
proved that when Mrs. Webber gave up the chain to
Miss Wakeleld, and denied a knowledge of the brooch,
the defendant persisted in calling the affair a dishonest
proceeding, and by law declared he could prove that
putting the chain into her pocket WdS a felony. An at-
tempt had been made to settle the case out of court, but
the defendant, it appeared, was averse to making a public
apology.
The Jury found a verdict—Damages, one farthing.

WESTERN ClRCUlT.—Dorchester, July 19.
Something novel has attended the opening of these
assizes. The business at Winchester was very heavy in
point of length, although in truth but little business was
transacted; the consequence was, that the Judges were
detained in court there, one till six o'clock and the other
till ten o'clock on Saturday night. As soon as Mr.
Justice Williams left the court he started for Dorches-
ter, but did not arrive till half-past three o'clock on
Sunday naorning— of course it was then too late to open
the commission; however, by a recent statute power was
given to the Judges to postpone opening the commission
for one day. The Learned Judge accompanied the High
Sheriff in due state to church on Sunday, and on Monday
morning his Lordship opened the commission, and then
proceeded with the usual business of the assizes.
The civil side was very slight, there being but four
causes entered. The calendar contained the names of
22 prisoners, six of whom were charged with burglary,
two with rape, two for maliciously stabbing, and one fur
stealing a post-office letter containing sovereigns.
The Lord Chief Justice Wilde sat at Nisi Prius about
twelve o'clock, and disposed of all the causes before five
o'clock.

John Butler was indicted for maliciously cutting and
wounding William Corbyn, with intent to do him bodily
harm.

Mr. Fitzherbert was Counsel for the prosecution.
It appeared that Corbyn was ostler at the White
Horse inn at Maiden Newton. On the 30th of May he
was giving some hay to a gentleman's horse. The pri-
soner came from the George opposite. He asked his
master for some beer, who refused to let him have any.
as it was past ten o'clock at night. The prisoner went
away, but returned in a few minutes, and said he would
have some, and tried to get in at a gateway. Witness
pushed him back, and he again went away and returned
in about five minutes. Witness wished him " good
night." The prisoner threw a stone at him, which struck
him on the right cheek. He then ran in and stabbed
him on the cheek and then on the arm with a knife.
He then ran away for ten yards, and stopped and said.
" I've marked you once and I'll meet you again another
night." A surgeon was sent for, who dressed the
wounds, and the prosecutor was confined to his bed for
a week.
Another witness heard the prisoner say that he would
be the death of Corbyn. The prisoner was what is called
a " railway navigator.'
The prisoner told a fellow-labourer that he had been
in a row, and seven or eight men had fallen upon him,
and he had stuck a knife in one of their necks. He was
very tipsy.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty, and he was sen-
tenced to be imprisoned for one year.
James
Hayward, aged 10 years, was indicted for
cutting and wounding George Elkins with intent to do
him grievous bodily harm.
Mr. C. S tunders prosecuted.
The prisoner was at the Chops at Blandford on the
24th of June with the prosecutor, another little boy.
Hayward They had had some drink.
strucki Elkins with
a laurel bough. Elkins then
prisoner
struckrd
m with a stick ;
this was repeated, when thetook out a knife
and opened it, and said," I'll stick this into you," and
instantly stabbed him on the left side under the arm.
These two little fellows were seen
,2: quarrellin and
using the most shocking language. After Elkins-
was
stabbed, he was taken home, and a surgeon was senta
for, and he found a small wound on the left aide, be
tween the fifth and sixth ribs, which had been caused d
anuasned by
a penknife. It was in a very dangerous place,
attack of pleurisy was brought on by it. He was in
great danger for a week.
This little prisoner was asked by the Judge whether he
would put any questions. to the witnesses, and whether
he would address the, uryin his defence ? A_ s might
be suppose!, he answered in the negative, and did not
cross-examine the witnesses or make a speech to the
jury.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty of a common
assault.
The JUDGE said, he rea!ly did not know what to do
with him, and he would defer the sentence.
VOR"

- Ty ERN CIRCUI L— York, July 19.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice WILLIAms.)
THE MURDERS AT MIRFIELD.
His Lordship having taken his seat at nine o'clock this
morning, the first of these charges of murder was called
on. The prisoner, Patrick Reid, is indicted for the three
several murders of Mr. James Wraith, his wife, Ann
Wraith, and their female servant, Caroline Ellis. But
the case for the prosecution is scarcely more than half
heard, if so much as half, to-day, and the trial will iu
all likelihood take up all to-morrow. The prisoner
m.csb?, who, as saptcted, was to hay, been indicted
„; Tield, arp9Ated at `t, witat.:4:--; for the
ir,

OXFORD ClRCUlT.—Stafford, July 19.
• )71inna6lon w orened here this morning ut

quarter past ten o'clock by Mr. Justice Erle. His Lord-
shit!, after attending Divine service, returned to court at
one o'clock, to commence tie criminal business; but,
in
consequence of the absence of the parties or the wit-
nesses in each of several cases that were called on, his
Lordship was obliged to adjourn the court to nine
o'clock to-morrow mOrning. At that hour the business
will begin in both courts. The calendar contains the
names of 45 prisoners, of whom five are charged with
manslaughter, three with cutting and wounding, six
with assaults on women, four with burglary, two with
arson, two with forgery, one with bigamy, one with
poaching, three with coining, one with maiming a horse,
and the rest with larcenies that might have been dis
posed of at sessions. Of the 45 prisoners, fourteen are
marked. as unab!e to Lead or write, five as able to read
a! d write well, and one as able to read and write in a
superior manner. The cause list will not be made till
to-morrow morning. At present there are only a very
few cases entered. It is anticipated that it will be a very
poor assize.

NORFOLK GlRCUlT.—Cumbridge, July 20.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice PATTEsoN.)