The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-21 00:00:00

JULY 21, 1847.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
HOME ClRCUl7'.—Le2ves, July 20,
(Before Mr. Baron PARKE.)
Maria Renshaw, 20, was indicted for having unlaw-
fully abandoned a certain child of which she was the
mother, with the intent that it should die, and thereby
intended to kill and murder it ; and in other counts
she was charged with the intent to cast the burden of
maintaining the child upon the inhabitants of the parish
of Bexhill, where she had so abandoned it.
Mr. Attree prosecuted, and Mr. Johnson appeared for
the defence.
When the prisoner was arraigned, she at first pleaded
Guilty to the indictment.
Mr. Baron PARKE told her that the charge made
against her was a very serious one, and as the indict.
ment imputed several intents to her, each of which would
require a different degree of punishment, he advised
her to retract her plea of Guilty and to have the facts
stated, so that the jury might express an opinion as to
what her real intention was -when she abandoned her
infant.
The prisoner then pleaded Not Guilty.
It appeared from the testimony of the witnesses that
the prisoner had been in service at Hastings, and that
she was in the familyway and near the period of her
confinement at the beginning of June. On the 14th
of that month she left Hastings and proceeded by
the train to Brighton, where she took up her
abode at a lodging house kept by a person named
13owley, and on the 16th she was delivered of
the infant in question, which appeared to be a fine,
healthy child. On the 26th of June, ten days after her
delivery, the prisoner said she had received a letter:from
her father informing her that her mother was dying, and
that she must go home directly, and her landlady accom-
panied her to the railway station at Brighton, whence
she started with her infant by the half-past twelve
o'clock train. At this time the child was dressed in a
new night-gown and shirt, and the other usual articles of
dress for an infant, and the prisoner, although weak
from her recent confinement, appeared otherwise in good
health. When the train arrived at the l3exhill station,
the prisoner got out with her child, and her conduct ex-
cited the attention of the clerk at the station, and it in-
duced him to believe that she was not in her right
senses. She asked a number of incoherent questions,
and was seen wandering about the station apparently in
great distress of mind for a considerable time, when she
again came to the station, and her conduct was still very
wild and extraordinary, and she at length left by the
half-past five o'clock train for Hastings ; but at this
time she had no child with her. On the
same evening, a person living at Bexhill had
occasion to go into a field in that neighbour-
hood to fetch a sheep home to be killed, and while he
was so engaged he heard the moaning of a child, and
proceeding in the direction whence the voice ap-
peared to come he was led to a ditch, where ho found
an infant lying among some high nettles, and quite con-
cealed by them from the sight of any casual passer-by,
and but for the cries of the poor infant it appeared very
probable that it must have lain there and perished.
The child turned out to be the prisoners ' - but it ap-
peared that the shirt and night-gown had been taken
off it, and it had nothing on its body but a napkin and a
cap. The prisoner was afterwards taken into custody,
when it appeared that she admitted having deserted the
child, and the present indictment was then preferred
against her.

Mir. JOHNSON made a most fueling address to the
jury on behalf of the prisoner, and urged that she had
been driven almost to madness by the shame of her po-
sition, and that when she deserted her unhappy offspring
she was not in a state of mind to render her accountable
for her actions, and that therefore the jury ought not to
find her guilty of having any of the wicked intentions im-
puted to her by this indictment.
The jury, atter deliberating a few minutes, returned a
verdict of Not Guilty.

MIDLAND CIRCUIT.—Lincoln, July 19.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron ROLFE.)
Mr. Baron Rolfe 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
Trollope 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 last, 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. On the Monday evening
the prisoner called upon a farmer Lying at Gonerby,
with whom he was acquainted, stating that he bad come
for the purpose of meeting a quantity of sheep belonging
to his master, Mr. Richards, of Coston Bassett. This
statement, in consequence of the prisoner having been
formerly in the employ of Mr. Richards, was readily
believed, and the prisoner was accordingly accomin9
dated with lodgings nor the night, and on his bringin4
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 Ewerby, 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 2cl of April
last, and stealing certain moneys, &c., the property jof 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----I am a farmer, living at Six 11111 s,
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 hQad out of the window and asked what was
the matter. I saw a man outside, who replied, " 111
blow your b-- old brains out." I believe it was Mar-
tin Dale who used the expression. I did not know him-
before. It was a very moonlight night, and there was
snow on the ground. I saw two other men come up and
strike at the window. They knocked the window out,
and all three men then went in. I said to my daughter,
" We shall ull be murdered," and I made my way out
of the house for the purpose of obtaining assistance.
In about half an hour I returned with assistance. The
men were then gone. I left a dog in the house, and
when I came back I found it had been stabbed, and was
bleeding at the nose. The prisoner Wright was formerly
in my employ. He had helped us to " flit," and place
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 nut place
the chest there, for we mean to coma 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, " D
you, where's your money?" lie then ransacked another
drawer, and found a purse belonging to her daughter.
It contained a half-sovereign, four half-crowns, two
shillings, and two sixpences. Witness told the men that
what money they had was in her husband'if pocket, and
that he was gone up the village. As soon as they heard
that they went away. Next morning they missed from
the house a new hat, a rosewood workbox, a mahogany
tea-chest, and an apron.
Cross-examined by Mr. ADAMS—Had not known
Dale before, but knew him immediately she saw him
again. When the men got into the house her daughter
jumped out of the window and ran away. She (witness)
never saw Wright ; he was not the other man in the
room.
Margaret Dunham, the daughter, deposed that when
she jumped out of the window n 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
was 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
of three men from the house of the prosecutor to Lud.
ford Town End. The marks went up to fhe house of
Fidlin (the prisoner not now upon his trial). He (wit-
ness) afterwards returned to Six-hills, 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 Risen, corrobo-
rated the last witness with respect to the impression of
foot-marks.

ranlietyd.
and
'f hien I 'a tai
L
Mr. Baron noLrE summed up the case with great care
JUDGE, after an impressive address,
The jury found both the prisoners Guilty, and
sentenced thorn to transportation for twenty ears
The prisoner Dale, addressing
the Judge, said, 't I am
as innocent as you are."
Woodhill Squires was capitally indicted for violating the
person of Mary White, in the neighbourh
ood of East
Bark with, 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
description she gave of her assailant was seen lurking in
the neighbourhood about the time the offence was said
to have been committed.

Mr. Baron ROLFE, 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. One 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-
tif, and Mr. IVhitehurst, 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. HITDDLESTON, GENT., ONE, &C.
This was an action for slander, which created some
interest among the citizens of Lincoln.

Mr. Ilumfrey, 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 which 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 Wakefield, 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 was a felony. An at-
tempt had bee❑ 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 morning—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 for
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 hia
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. lie 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. Saunders prosecuted.
The prisoner was at the Chops at Blandford on the
24th of June with the prosecutor, another little boy.
They had had some drink. Hayward struck Elkins with
wh e n
„tt hhl eel
llpesrfittsi
csokindeterh
under
this into
out
a laurel bough. Elkins then struck him
iwnrittothhyeaoaur,st:ti.eakined,
fellows were seen quarrelling and
this was repeated,
aiden,
instantly
openedant
ly st it,
using the most shocking language.
ill himeietdndde
After Elkins ‘s as
These two
stabbed, he was taken home, and a
for, and he found a small wound surgeon was sent
tween the fifth and sixth ribs, whichon the left side, be•
a penknife. It was in a very dhad been caused by
attack of pleurisy was brought angerous place, and an
great danger for a week. on by it. Ile was in
This little prisoner was asked by the Judge whether he
would put any questions to the
he would address the jury in witnesses, and whether
be supposed, heanswered
his defence ? As might
in the negative, and did not
cross-examine the wit
jury, i nesses or make a speech to the

The jury returned a verdict of Guilty of a common
assault.

The JUDGE said, he really did not know what to do
with him, and he would defer the sentence.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—York, July 19.
CROWN COURT.—(Beforo 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 Eli's. But
the case for the prosecution is scarcely more than half