The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-01 00:00:00

SICILY.

The Piedmontese Gazette quotes letters from Pa-
lermo of the 12th ult., stating that preparations for war
are in active progress ; and that Paixhans guns and a
largo quantity of muskets have arr.ved.

CRIMINAL COURT.—(THIS DAY.)
OLD COURT.
(Before the LORD CHIEF BARON and Mr. Justice
CRESSWELL.)
CUTTING AND WOUNDIA:G.—John Andrews, aged 26, a
German, having the appearance of a mechanic, was in-
dicted for feloniously wounding William Frederick Sech-
ler with intent to do him some grievous bodily harm.
Mr. Robinson prosecuted; the prisoner was not de-
fended by counsel.;
The circumstances were these:—The prosecutor and
the prisoner were drinking in a public-house in White-
chapel, on the night of the 11th of December last. The
prosecutor was sitting in a lower room of the house, and
there was a raffle going on in a room up stairs, on the
first floor. The prosecutor went up to the upper room
where the raffle was proceeding, and where he found
about 20 men and women assembled, among whom was
the prisoner. Shortly after the prosecutor weat up
stairs the prisoner began to sing a song in a
foreign language, which elicited a great deal of laugh-
ter, especially among the women ; and this greatly
irritated 'the prisoner, who used some exceedingly offen-
sive expressions to the females. The prosecutor got up
and remonstrated with the prisoner for his conduct, and
endeavoured to persuade him to sit down. The prisoner
thereupon took out of his pocket a round ball with a
string attached to it, called a lite-preserver, and struck
the prosecutor several blows with it upon the head,
which rendered him insensible, and he was taken to the
hospital, where he was confined for several weeks from
the injuries he had received. The sight of one of his
eyes was entirely destroyed by, the blows. When the
policeman took the prisoner into custody, the latter said
it was a bad job, that he had had the life-preserver in his
possession for about two hours only, and that it was
given to him by a girl.
The prisoner addressed the jury in his defence in
broken English, imputing to one William Brown, who
was one of the raffle party, the charge of striking the
prosecutor.
The LoRD CHIEF BARON summed up, telling the
jury that the probability was, whether the circumstances
were true or not, that there was no intention to kill the
prosecutor, and therefore they would probably acquit the
prisoner on the capital charge. But they would have to
consider whether the prosecutor received a wound on
that night which was of a grievous character, and whe-
ther the prisoner was the person who struck the blow.
The jury returned a verdict of Guilty of cutting and
wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and
The LORD CHIEF BARON sentenced the prisoner to be
imprisoned for twelve calendar months and to be kept to
hard labour.
CHARGING A CLERGYMAN WITH AN INFAMOUS CRIME.
—Samuel Cooper, aged 39, a private soldier in the
Guards, was indicted for feloniously accusing the Rev.
Charles Henry Sellers of having offered and made a
solicitation to commit a nameless offence with him, the
prisoner, with intent to extort money, on the 9th of
January last.
Mr. BODKIN stated the circumstances of the case
aeainst th. eat.ener on the part of the prosecutor. These
circumstances, whicn nappenen so recently, win oe rreah
in the recollection of our readers, and will be found de-
tailed in the evidence given below.
Mr. BALLANTINa defended the prisoner.
William Grant was called, and said—l am a ser-
geant of the A division. On the night of the 9th of
January I was on duty at the station-house in
King-street, St. James's, when the prosecutor
was brought there. The prisoner made a charge against
the prosecutor. It was put down in writing, but not
then. The prisoner charged the prosecutor with hav-
ing indecently assaulted him. I asked him which way
he assaulted him ? He said he was on duty at the
Duchess of Kent's residence, and said the gentleman
passed him and went down as tar as the park-gate,
leading into St. James's Park. He then turned back
into the Duke of Sutherland's-walk, and he then came
and stood under the portico of the Duchess of Kent's
house : he said it was a wet night. The soldier said
"It war." He then said the gentleman asked him
who he was keeping guard over, and he said the
Duchess of Kent. The gentleman then substituted an
indecent word for the name of the Duchess of Kent. He
then said he got hold of him and took him to the guard-
house.—(Witness here described what the soldier said as
to the way in which the prosecutor had assaulted him.)
The soldier here said he collared the gentleman and took
him to the guard-house. When the soldier finished his
statement, the prosecutor denied having assaulted him,
and of having made use of the indecent expression. The
gentleman then asked if he was obliged to give his name;
when I told him he would have to give it when he went
before a magistrate. I then searched the prosecutor,
when two 51. notes, and some other money and a watch
was found upon him. He was then detained at the
station-house.
Cross-examined—This was about half-past eleven
o'clock at night. It was raining. Mr. Sellers had not
an umbrella, but he had a great coat. He had a white
neckcloth on.
Mr. Burnaby, chief clerk at Bow-street—I remember
the prisoner being brought before the magistrate. There
was no name on the police-sheet at first, and I asked.
the prosecutor his name. He said lam a clergyman ;
am I obliged to give my name? The magistrate said
you are obliged to give it. He then gave his name the
Rev. Henry Charles Sellers, and said he was a clergy-
man at Send, near Guildford.—(The statement which
the prisoner made at Bow-street against the prosecutor,
which was taken down in writing by witness, was then
read to the Court.) Mr. Sellers was called on to find
bail to answer the charge at the Sessions.
Cross-examined by Mr.BALLANTINE—Mr. Sellers made
a statement, which I took down in writing. (The state-
ment, as it was taken down in writing, was read by wit-
ness.) The general purport of it was that he denied
the charge made against him by the prisoner.
By the JUDGE—The charge entered on the police
sheet was, " with indecently assaulting the complain-
ant while on duty at the Stable-yard, parish of St.
James's."
Mr. Joseph Gilsby, from the Clerk of the Peace's
office, produced two bills of indictment preferred
at the Middlesex Sessions against Mr. Sellers. (The
indictments were here read.)
Cros-examined by Mr. BALLA.NTINE—I did not pre-
pare the indictments.
The Rev. Henry Charles Sellers examined—l reside at
Send, near Guildford, in Surrey. lam curate of that.
parish. I have been nearly nine months curate there.
I was formerly a curate at Sibble Heddingham, near
Chelmsford, for three years. I was educated at Cam-
bridge. I have been married about a year and
a half. Oa the 9th of January last I came
to La-don from Send. Mrs. Sellers was then
staying with her sister, at Sibble, Heddingham. She was
ill at that time. I arrived in London by the half-past
six train, at the Waterloo station. The train was rather
late, and on my arrival I proceeded to the Bell and:
Crown, in Holborn, and engaged a bed-room
for the night. I left my luggage there,-
and they walked to a shop in Oxford-street. I did not
make any other calls. I then proceeded to a tavern in
Rupert-street to get some dinner. I finished my dinner
between nine and ten, but lam not sure. I then went
down to the Treasury. I had a friend residing
in Upper Eaton-square, a Mr. Middleton. It was my
intention to visit him, and my way lay through the
park. I know the house in which the Duchess of Kent
resides. I went along Pall-mall, through St. James's.
There is a footpath passes under the portico of the
Duchess of Kent's house. I saw a soldier under the portico.
After I passed through the portico, I went through the
iron gate ; I then returned, because I fancied the rain in-
creased. I came back to the same portico, and remained
under it. A soldier was there. I am not positive
whether or not I said first it was a wet night ; but I, be-
fore stated I said to him it was a wet night. The seedier
said it was a wet night, or words to that
effect. I then asked him whom he was keeping guard
over. He said the Duchess of Kent, and I repeated the
words after him, " Oh, the Duchess of Kent." On the
oath I have taken I swear I did not substitute any word
for the name of the Duchess of Kent. lie
then seized me by the collar and used words which.
I don't recollect. On my oath I did not touch him. _
then took me to the guard-house. On our way thither
I believed we pasted another sentry at his post. When
I got into the, guard-house I found a lot of soldiers. The
prisoner asked for the sergeant, and he came. The pri-
soner then said," I charge this man with indecently as-
saulting me." I denied it, and asked to see the suseerarraoar.
officer. I was told it was a police case. A poi
was then sent for, arid I was given into his custody.
did not hear the prisoner charge me in the guard-hours
with having made use of any indecent expresion