The Sun.
London, England, 1841-08-04 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

CHESTER AND NORTH WALES CIRCUIT.
Chester, July 31.

MURDER OF A GAMEREEPER.—The following case ex-
cited considerable interest, in consequence of its being
looked on as a double murder, and the atrocious cruelty
with which the crime had been perpetrated. The widow
of the murdered man has, within the last few weeks, died
of a broken heart, leaving seven young children totally
unprovided for.
The prisoner's name is Thomas Brooks, and he was in-
dicted for the wilful murder of Thomas Henshall, at
Moxley, in this county, on the night of Sept. 10 last.
The Attorney-General, Mr. Trafford, and Mr. Towns-
end, were Counsel for the prosecution ; and Mr. Jervis
and Mr. Welsby defended the prisoner.
The facts of the case were briefly these :—The de-
ceased, Thomas Henshall, was in the employ of Mr. Gar-
stang, of Chester, as watcher of game in the township of
Huxley. On the 10th September, 1840, he attended that
gentleman and a friend of his in Stapleford on a shooting
excursion. In the evening the deceased was paid by his
master 2/. Bs., at Tarvin, after which he took his de-
parture towards home. He was seen by a person with
whom he was acquainted on the road leading towards
his own residence, and within about a mile and a half
from it, perfectly sober. Next morning his body was
found in a field near his house, quite dead and cold, and
the money taken from his pocket. He had been shot at
by some one, and the charge had perforated his heart,
and lodged in the pericardium. About nine o'clock the
same evening the report of a gun was heard in the neigh-
bourhood of the place, which was supposed to be the
fatal shot. The evidence affecting the prisoner was
purely circumstantial. It appeared the prisoner left his
home on the evening of the murder with a gun in his
possession, and shortly before nine o'clock a person was
seen by a female who was milking, crossing a field near
the place. This person was in appearance like the
prisoner, but she would not swear that it was him.
The next evening prisoner was taken into custody,
when he said that he had not heard of the deceased's
death. It was:: proved that he had been told
of Henshall being shot. In the prisoner's house two guns
were found, ono of which he said belonged to a neigh-
bour. These guns were loaded with mixed shot of six
different numbers, and the shot extracted from the body
were also of the same numbers ; but in a gun said to
belong to prisoner's neighbour, the quantities more nearly
corresponded. It was also proved that the prisoner had
said, previous to the murder, that Henshall was a spite-
ful man ; he should not be surprised if he was shot.
There were a variety of other circumstances, but they
did not bear directly against the prisoner.
Mr. JERVIS delivered a most able address to ,the Jury
in his behalf, which occupied about two hours in the de- I
livery.

Tile Learned JUDGE summed up, and the Jury, after
retiring for a quarter of an hour, found a verdict of not
guilty. The trial lasted eleven hours.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.
A young man, named WilliaNAike2;tkedies Tom Piiest,
-was-hf Ought up, ehauffed.with 'll-e.ZA broken into, and
robbed, the auction-rooms of Mr. .Julinson, who is exten-
sively engaged in the disposal of unredeemed articles, in
Gracechurch-street, of an immense quantity of plate,
watches, diamond rings, &c.
One of the City police, in goinfi his rounds in Grace-
church-street, observed somethingrup a court in that vi-
cinity which excited his suspicion he went to the spot,
when, upon looking about, he saw .o bags near a truck,
which stood against the wall, and- the prisoner curled
up in a corner, evidently for the purpose of concealing
himself. Witness asked him whether he knew any thing
of the bags ? to which he replied in the negative ; and
witness then proceeded to search him, and was surprised
at finding that his pockets were stuffed with silver spoons,
watches, and other valuable property. Upon being con-
veyed to the station-house, the prisoner stated that this
property belonged to the sale-rooms.
Cope, porter to. Mr. Johnson, the proprietor of the
auction-rooms, stated that he resided on the premises,
and that, upon going to bed, he left all right in the
house. At a quarter to four o'clock he wvs rung up by
the policeman, and informed that the premises had been
robbed. Upon looking at the property found upon the
prisoner, and in the two bags, he perceived the tickets to
each lot to be those which he had himself written and
attached. They were pawnbrokers' pledges which were
advertised to be sold that day. He supposed the goods
taken might be worth 7001.
The LORD MAYOR asked how the thief, or thieves,
could have got into the premises ? The witness said
that the thieves, for he believed there were more than
one, must have got up Barnes's-court, and got over a wall
by means of the truck which stood against it, and then
walked upon a ledge, and entered by the skylight, which
the inmates did not think of fastening, as its heighta3emed
to give it such security. In the wareroom from which
the property was taken, were found a dark lantern, two
small crowbars, and a rope.
Mr. Johnson stated that the property now missing was
unimportant.
The LORD MAYOR---Doe 3 the prisoner wish to say
any thing ? Prisoner--Why, no, my Lord, I've nothing
to say.
The LORD MAYOR—Your name in my list is William
Smith. I suppose that is not your own name ? Pri-
soner—No, my Lord, it would only be deceiving you to
say it was. My name is Thomas Priest.
The turnkey of the Compter said that the prisoner
was well known as a thief, and had been but a short
time ago tried at the Old Bailey.
The prisoner was committed for trial