The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-24 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
OXFORD ClRCUlT.—Stafford, July 22.

CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice ERLE.)
Mathew Rhodes, John Morris, and Thomas Cooper,
were indicted, the two first for stealing two and a half
gross of cabinet keys, the property of Thomas Turner,
at Wolverhampton, on the Ist of July last; and the
last with receiving them, knowing them to have been
stolen.

Mr. Woolrych appeared for the prosecution, Mr. Kettle
defended Rhodes and Morris, and Mr. Sergeant Allen
defended the receiver,

The prosecutor was a lock and key manufacturer at
Wolverhampton. Rhodes, a lad of 14, was in his ser-
vice as warehouse boy at the time of the robbery, and
had been so for three years previously. Morris also
had been in his service, but was dismissed for miscon-
duct, about three months before the robbery. Cooper
was a lock and key maker, also at Wolverhampton. It
appeared that Morris, on the evening of the Ist July,
went with the keys in question to Cooper's, and sold
them to him at Is. 6d. a gross, the ordinary price being
2s. 9d. Cooper the next evening produced some of the
keys and showed them to his men, and said they should
work better, as he had bought those at the rate of Is. 6d.
the gross. The men said this was a very low price, and
that it would be better for him to throw them away.
They had seen Morris go away from Cooper's the
preceding evening, and knowing that he had been
in Turner's employment inquiry was set on foot. It
was discovered that he had been seen of late frequently
in company with Rhodes, and on the constable going to
Cooper's he first denied having lately bought any keys,
and afterwards said he had bought five or six as samples,
and produced a few, and then, on being pressed, pro-
duced two gross, and subsequently produced a half-gross
more, which he refused to give up and handed to his
daughter, who endeavoured to run off with them, but
was overtaken and seized by the constable, and notwith-
standing her and her father's resistance was obliged to
give them up. Cooper then said that he had bought
them of a man who gave his name as Rowley. Morris,
on being arrested and confronted with Cooper, denied
that he had given his name as Rowley, and Cooper did
not contradict. Morris said he had got the keys from
Rhodes, and the latter denied that he had given them.
They were identified as Turner's, and it was proved that
Rhodes had opportunities of knowing in what part of
the warehouse they bad been deposited.
Mr. KETTLE and Mr. Sergeant ALLEN having ad-
dressed the jury on behalf of their respective clients,
and several respectable persons having given Cooper an
excellent character,

His LORDSHIP summed up.
The jury, utter a short consultation, returned a ver-
dict of Guilty against Morris, and of Not Guilty against
Rhodes and Cooper.
Morris was thereupon sentenced to two years' impri-
sonment and hard labour.

Mr. Sergeant Allen assisted to-day in trying pri-
soners.

NORTHERN CIRCUI I.—York, July 22.
THE MURDERS AT MIRFIELD.

At the opening of the Crown Court this morning, Mr.
Mass renewed his application to Mr. Justice Wightman,
of which mention was made in our report of yesterday.
The Learned Counsel said, that Mr. Sergeant Wilkins
having read, according to his Lordship's wish, the affi-
dav;t to postpone the trials of the other indictments
against Reid, for the murders of Ann Wraith and Caro-
line Ellis, he now begged to move, upon the ground set
forth in that affidavit, that the postponement be allowed.
Mr. Sergeant Wimuss said, that he must resist this
moion, which was of a most unusual kind in the criminal
history of this country. Although in point of form it
was proposed to try Reid for two different offences, he
had, in fact, already been tried for them in the case
already disposed of. There had been no les; than four
examinations before the coroner of the witness M'Cabe,
and, if it had been expedient to obtain other information
from him towards a future proceeding, there was no
reason why that might not have been had previous to
the trial on Monday last. The deficiency in the evidence
was now, in fact, sought to be supplied by the man whom
they, for the defence, and all who had heard him in the
witness box, must suppose to have been one of those im-
plicated in the crime. The affidavit, although made by
Mr. Led) ard, the attorney for the prosecution, stated
the name of no fresh witness whom it was thought pro-
per to call, and nothing of the particulars of the eviderce
which the prosecution expected to be able to adduce.

His LORDSHIP observed that it was a matter of so
much importance, both to the public and the prisoner,
that he should take time to consider of it belore he
would decide upon the course to be pursued.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN.)
George Bradley and James Bradley, who were yester-
day tried for the murder of Mr. John Riley, at Sheffield,
were again tried to-day on the charge of robbing the
deceased, and taking from his person a silver watch and
I Is. in silver.

After a long trial the prisoners were both convicted.

Sentence—to be sever-ally transported for 15 years.

John Lawton (on bail) was indijted for having, at the
township of Quick, in the West Riding, on the 18th of
March last feloniously committed the crime of arson, in
setting fire to some heath.
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins appeared to prosecute, and Mr.
Granger to defend the prisoner.
Mr. Sergeant WILKINS opened this case for an ac-
quittal, stating, that it was supposed that the prisoner
had fired the heath under a mistaken notion that he had
a right to the land, although that was negatived by the
award of the commissioners for enclosures under the
statute.

An acquittal was therefore taken, no evidence being
(.ffered.

On application being made for costs, his LORDSHIP
declined allowing them any further than to those who
appeard for the prosecution upon recognizance or
subpoena.

AQUATICS.
THAMES REGATTA.

The committee of management met on Thursday at
Searle's, and sel'cted the following waterrnen to contend
in the oars and scullers races, at this first aquatic
meeting:—
Pair Oars—Shelton and Meckiff—J. Deubledee and
H. Piner—C. Campbell and Barrow—R. Newel and G.
White—H. Green and G. Saunders—W. Pocock and J.
Hubert—R. Coombes (the champion) and C. Perry—J.
Phelps and W. Williams—F. Lett and Deal—Collier
and Kelly—Prince and Watts—G. Campbell and Braith-
waite.

Scullers—Doyle, M'Kenney, Short, Goodrum, Leach,
H. Tarrant, H. Campbell, T. Ceombes, J. Wilson,
Church, T. Cook, Messam.

HERNE CLUB.

On Wednesday evening last the annual four oared
scratch match for silver cups took place from Putney to
the end of Chiswick-eyot, between the members of this
club, when the undermentioned crews contested and
came in in the following order, viz.:--1. Black and
White: 1 Dale, 2 Whittenham, 3 Shekel], 4 Hoffman;
Taylor coxswain. 2. Pink: 1 Whitehouse, 2 Rowland,
3 Freeman, 4 Ddukes; Cross cexswain. 3. Blue: 1

Underwood, 2 Hallett, 3 Hay, 4 Dowling; Combe cox-
swain. A lair start was made, Black and White being
rather astern of the other, when the word was given. Off
the Duke's Head the boats were even, from this point to
Finch's the contest for the lead was severe, but Black
and White gradually drew ahead, and although hard
pressed several times by Pink, increased their distance at
every stroke, and eventually won by about a dozen
lengths, Pink being second.

HEARTRENDING CATASTROPHE.—THREE CHIL-
DREN DROWNED.—A mo.t mournful occurrence, result-
ieg in the death of three children, took place near
Carsethorn, on Friday last. From what we have been
able to learn, the dreadful catastrophe occurred under
the following circumstances:—Peter Hair, an Irishman,
who gains his living by travelling the country and
vending broom bosoms, after lodging all night with
his children, two boys and a girl, at Lochise,
near New Abbey, took the road with them
in the morning in the direction of Carsethorn.
The party took a near cut across the sands, the
father allowing his children to amuse themselves
at the water's edge, while he, it is supposed, was
busy with his occupation. While the heedle,s trio were
engrossed gathering shells on the sand-banks, the tide
was creeping up stealthily and cutting them off from the
main-land. At last the children were roused by the noise
of the rushing waters, and quite bewildered and ignorant
of the locality, they ran from the still uncovered ground
which they occupied into the tide. The distracted father
soon joined them, and did his best to save his precious
household, now in deadly peril. He caught hold of the
two youngest, and made a desperate attempt to bring
them on shore, but, from sheer exhaustion, he had to
let go. The eldest boy, who could swim a little,
managed to keep his head above water for a while,
but his strength was insufficient to strive against
the tide. A boat, manned by Captain Blair,
reached the place too late to save the children, but
in time to take in the old man, who but for it must also
have shortly perished. He was conveyed to the Carse;
and, on being brought to consciousness, his agony must
have been extreme. After the tide had ebbed the bodies
were discovered ; the two youngest lay locked in each
other's arms, at a little distance from the scene of their
death ; while the body of the eldest child was found at
a distance of about half a mile below. The funeral of
the children, thus cut off by a stroke in the morning of
life, was to take place on the evening after the mournful
tragedy occurred.—Dumfries Standard.
GENERAL COURT-MARTIAL AT CHATHAM.--The
proceedings of a general court-martial holden at this
garrison on the 31st of December, 1846, for the trial of
private Abraham Goods, No. 2,475, of the reserve batta-
lion of the both Regiment, having been laid before the
Queen by Field Marshal the Commander-in-Chief, was
promulgated on Saturday,the 17th inst., in the presence of
the prisoner and the troops. The
prisoner was tried upon
the following charge :—" For having in the lock-up room
at Brompton Barracks, Chatham, on or about the 18th of
December, 1846, offered violence to Sergeant-Major
Samuel Grix, his superior officer, when in the execu-
tion of his duty, by striking the said Samuel Grix with
the butt of a firelock. Upon which charge the Court
found the prisoner guilty, which being in breach of the
articles of war, and taking into consideration his former
convictions and general bad character, does in virtue
thereof sentence him the said prisoner to be (from the
expiration of his former sentence by District Court-
martial) transported as a felon for the term of fourteen
years. Her Majesty was pleased to approve and con-
firm the finding and sentence of the Court, and to com-
mand that the prisoner be transported accordingly be-
yond the seas to such place as her Majesty, by the ad-
vice of the Privy Council shall think fit to direct and
appoint. The sentence of this court-martial, together
with her Majesty's pleasure thereupon, will be duly
notified to the Lord Chief Justice of her Majesty's Court
of Queen's Bench or Common Pleas, as directed by the
18th clause of the Mutiny Act. (Signed) John Mac-
donald, Adjutant-General." The prisoner was removed
to the prison of the main guard to await an order for
his remevel. The 56th Regiment is et Gibraltar.