The Sun.
London, England, 1840-11-27 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

OLD COURT.
James Wheeler, a sailor, aged 36, was indicted for felo-
niously stabbing and w,,unding William Adams, upon the
high seas, and within the jurisdiction of the Admiralty of
England, with intent to maim and disable or to do him
some grievious bodily harm.
Mr. CHAMBERS defended the prisoner.
It appeared from the evidence that the transaction in
question took place on the lith of September The pro-
secutor (who could not attend to give evic! •ccc) was the
mate of a barque called the Duke of Wellington, and on
the day in question the vessel was sailing off Newfound-
land, when a squabble took place between the prosecutor
and the prisoner on account of the latter refusing to do
something that he was ordered, and as the prosecutor was
descending from the rigging, with a marling spike in his
hand, the prisoner said, " If )ou have got a marling spike,
I have got a knife," and at the same moment he drew a
sharp-pointed knife from a sheath hanging by his side, and he
stuck it into the prosecutor's belly. It appeared the Captain
called upon the prisoner to surrender himself, but be refused,
and upon.the Captain presenting a pistol at him, he drew his
knife again, and told him that if he missed with the pistol,
he (prisoner) would not miss him. The prisoner, how-
ever, was ultimately secured, and placed in restraint. The
prosecutor, it appeared, although severely wounded, speed-
ily recovered from the injury he received, and had left
the vessel, and it was not known where he had gone to.
Mr. CHAMBERS, in his address to the jury, commented
upon the Asence of the prosecutor, and submitted that as
he had not thought fit to come forward, the prisoner ought
not to be convicted.
The RECORDER summed up the evidence, and the jury
after a long deliberation, found the prisoner guilty of the
assault with intent do the prosecutor some grievous bodily
harm.
The RECORDER sentenced the prisoner to be transported
for fifteen years.
POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
A DRUNKEN WATCHNIAN.-Jarnes Clarke, a private
watchman, was placed at the bar, before Mr. Long, the
presiding Magistrate, charged with being drunk and dis-
orderly. Police constable No. 43, C division, stated that
between 2 and 3 o'clock this morning, while proceeding on
his duty along Leicester-square, he met the defendant,
whom he knew to be a private watchman there, evidently
very far gone in liquor and staggering along crying " half
past JO." On telling him of the mistake he was making
as to the hour, he persisted he was right, and went
on. In about half an hour afterwards, witness
again met him calling " half-past five, " and in a
quarter of an hour afterwards, witness found him extended,
snoring, on the footway-pavement, opposite to Saville-
house, resting on his lantern, in which the candle was still
burning, by way of pillow. Witness aroused him, but
finding he was quite incapable of taking care of himself,
took him to the station-house.
Mr. LoNe asked the defendant whether he thought him-
self a fit person to be entrusted as a watchman.
The defendant said he was quite ashamed of himself, but
the fact was, that he had been drinking with a friend,
which he had not seen for twenty years, and had not kept
so strict a watch upon himself as he ought.
Mr. LONG said he should discharge the defendant as
most probably he would lose his situation through his folly.