The Sun.
London, England, 1840-03-09 00:00:00

NEW COURT.

(Before tlao COMMON SERGEANT and Ald. J. JOHNSON.)
ATTEMPT AT ASSASS'NATION.--./arks Dodds, a tailor,
aged •)7, was indicted for feloniously assaulting George
Martin, and striking, cutting, and wounding him en the
wad, arms, &c., with intent to kill and murder him ; the
second count stated the intent to be to do some grievous
bodily harm.
The evidence differed in some respects from that taken
at the office. _ _

George Martin deposed as follows-_I am a coffeehouse-
keeper, and live at No. 187, Church-street, Shoreditch.
The prisoner had lodged with me for 14 months down to
the 26th of February. I got his tea on the evening of the
25th, and he went to bed at nine o'clock. I went at eleven,
and my wife soon afterwards. About three o'clock
my bedroom door opened, and I saw the prisoner enter
tvith a lighted candle. Before I could speak to him,
he struck me a violent blow with a hammer on the left
:ide of my head. I put up my hand to ward off the
twit blow, and he struck me violently over my left arm,
when the iron head of the hammer flew off, and a scuffle
ensued, in which be gained the mastery, and beat me with
the handle. He then went to the bed, and pulled the
clothes off, and our child out of bed. He then beat my
wife with great violence. I went up, and struck the pri-
soner on his nose. My wife said, " What villain is this
who is going to murder us ?" I said, " It's Dodds." As
soon as he found I knew him, he left the room and ran
lown stairs. I always leave my door unlocked tor my son
.o come in early in the morning. I saw the prisoner
•inctly when he entered. I never had an angry word with
-inn, nor did I ever know that he was subject to aberration
of mind. I have clubs at my house, and the prisoner knew
:hat I kept their money as well as my own in my bedroom,
and that I had sold a clock on the previous day for 31.
Maria Martin confirmed her husband's statement in every
material particular. The prisoner struck her several
:imes, and almost dragged her off the bed ; she held up her
hands to shield the blows from her head. As soon as the
prisoner absconded she went down stairs and opened the
door, and gave an alarm ; she had previously screamed
murder and alarmed the inmates.

Thomas Martin, the son of the above-nanwd, deposed
that on the previous evening he saw the prisoner take some
matches out of the lucifer-box just before he went to bed.
When he went down stairs he found his father bleeding
profusely.
he prisoner said there was nothing remarkable in his
taking up some matches.
The COMMON SERGEANT said it was material to show he
had the power to procure a light. The point against him
was striking and wounding.
Robert Foster, H 182, deposed that he found the pri-
soner halt a mile from the prosecutor's house, without his
hat, shoes, and stockings; witness took him to the station-
house, and found two skeleton-keys on him.
The prisoner, when called upon for his defence, said
that he had no recollection of striking Mr. Martin and his
wife.

The Jury, after two minutes' consultation, returned the
following verdict :—" We find the prisoner guilty of the
intent to murder.

The COMNIoN SERGEANT said this was a most grievous
case, and he should take time to consider his judgment.
It is expected that sentence of death will be recorded.
There were two ether indictments against the prisoner
—ono ter attempting to murder Maria Martin, the other
for a burglary in the dwelling. house of George Martin.
The prisoner will be brought up for judgment this dab.,
APPLICATION OF MR. STOCKDALE.—EarIy in the after-
noon the Governor of IN ewgate presented a paper to the
Common Sergeant and Alderman Copeland, which the
Learned Judge having perused, said he did not under-
stand, but it might be read by the officer of the Court. I
suppose (addressing Mr. Cope), Sir, this person was com-
mitted to your custody by some warrant ?
Yes, my Lord,

Mr. Mosley, the Clerk of the Court, then read the do-
cument presented, of which the following is a verbatim
copy :
" To the Hon. Judges of the Central Criminal Court, &c.
" May it please your Lordships—l have long been il-
legally detained in her Majesty's gaol of Newgate under
an order contrary to the law of the realm—that the keeper
of the gaol should safely keep my body during certain
pleasure—and feel it my duty to apprise your Lordships
of the fact, and to represent that were such monstrous
commitments against law, and transfer from one gaol to
snother, to be tolerated, the most innocent, nay, praise-
worthy, and useful individual may, by the exercise of a
despotic and irresponsible usurpation, be, for sinister
purposes, by committals and transfers from one prison
to another, conveyed to the uttermost confines of the
world, and be finally lost and destroyed beyond the
power of human recovery. I therefore pray your
Lordships, ere you adjourn the present gaol delivery of her
Majesty's prison of Newgate, to inquire into my case, and
allow me to be heard in person before your Honourable
Court. Applying the words of Jesus Christ to the most
humble and unworthy, and persecuted but faithful of his
followers—" If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the
evil; but if well, why smitest thou me ?" Should your
Lordships not order my discharge on this application, I beg
uermission to receive my wife and family on Sundays at
seasonable hours, not interfering with the Divine Service
performed here on that day.-1 have the honour to be, &c.
" JOHN JOSEPH STOCKDALE.
"March, 7, 1840."

MIDDLESEX COURT of REQUESTS.

HAPPY JERRY AND THE " HEDGE" BONE OF BEEF.
Happy Jerry (for so his better half called him, ac-
cording to his own confession), a running butcher, was
summoned by John Bewdley, for the value of an aitch-
hone of beef, which Jerry had bought of him. Jerry
was one of that class of casuists who argue amiss=
quod ncscitur non ainittitur, which, familiarly para-
phrased, means—
" He that is robb'd, net knowing what is stol'n,
Let him not know it, and he's not robbed at all;"
or, to descend to the vulgar tongue, may be explained
in the language of the Jew to his graceless son :
" Ma tear poy, rop any potty ; but, per villin, tont
rop ter peepclsh."
" What have you to say to this demand upon you ?"
inquired Mr. Commissioner DUBOIS.
" Don't owe it," answered Happy Jerry.
Mr. Commissioner Duaots—Did you have the beef?
" earn% deny but what I did," replied Jerry.
" Then, you must pay the money," observed the wor-
thy commissioner.
" Not so be if there's any honour in this here court,"
said Happy Jerry, rather sharpy.

" Ho;IOUr said the Com Missioner, smiling ; " why
what has that to do with the matter, Mr. Jeremiah ?''
" A goodish deal," replied Jerry, giving his head a
knowing shake, and looking at the plaintiff, " as Mr.
Bewdley knows."
Mr. Commisssioner DUBOIS—You ought to have re-
turned the meat if you had any objection to it.
Happy Jerry—l had a wery heavy objection to it,
but there vos a pertikler circumstance as perwented
me taking the hedge bone back. The case, yer wor-
ship, was as this :—Vun Saturday afternoon I vos on
the look-out for a hedge-bone as vos bespoke on me,
and as I vos a passing Mister Bewdley's shop, 'twcen
the lights, I see vun as I thought as 'ud suit me ; but
sen I comes to handle it, I ses, ses I, Mister Bewdley,
I werry much 'spects as this here aint hox beef, and
with that, ses he, " honour bright," ses he, '' better
never vos ;" and so I agrees to give him 3s. Bd. a stun
for it. Vell, yer vorship, I hadn't got no money with
me, but as Mr. Bewdley knowed as I vos a tradesman
of hintcgrity, vy, ses he, " gi' yer short credit for
it." " Thank 'ee," ses I ; and yer vorship, I claps it in
the basket along wi' some other joints as I'd got, and
gets away home ; btst directly I pulls it out of the bas-
ket, and claps it on the block. my old ooman, ses she
to me, ses she, " Happy Jerry's done for vonst."
•• Viteh vay ?" says I. " Vy," ses she, " that ere
hedge bone is reglar bull beef ;" and I'm glowed, yer
vorship, if the old Oman voshn't'zakly right.
All this may be quite true, said Mr. Commissioner
Dußois, but why did you not take the meat back to
the plaintiff?
" Vy," said Happy Jerry, scratching his head, " that
ere's the werry pertikler cercuinstance as I vos aspeak-
ing to yer vorship about. Yer soe as this, I'd ker-
tracted (contracted) with the landlord as keeps the
Vite Hoss for a hedge bone as I sass to let him have at
.ix o'clock, ens the werry hidentical bit of meat vos
vonted for supper agin nine o'clock."
Mr. Commissioner Dußoss—And you were obliged
to let the landlord have it?
" In course," said Happy Jerry.
Mr. Commissioner Dußois--And he paid you for it?
Hat'ns-,nv
Jerry—ln course, 45.8 d. a stun.
Mr. Commissioner DUBOIS—A shilling more per
stone than you bought it for ?
" Zakly the case, yer vorship," said Jerry.
Mr. Commissioner Dußois—Then what is your
ob-
jection, Mister Jeremiah, for really I cannot perceive it r
Happy Jerry—Vy, the kertract (contract) as I made
rith the landlud of the Vite Hoas aint nuthen to do
vith Mister Bewdley's a putting bull beef off on me for
box bsef. That's agin all reglation in the trade.
" Oh," said Mr. Commissioner Dußois, ‘. I perfectly
understand you now. You mean that however you im-
posed upon the landlord of the White Horse, Bewdiey
was bound not to impose upon you.
Happy JerrY—V, that's your vay a putting on it,
but I means to say as this—butchers knows vot meat
is, but. our customers don't know nuthen about it. Now,
then, yer vorship, its a worry hobwious consekvence as
ve's a right to mske rot re can out ut our customers as
don't know nuthen, but ve aint got no right to cheat
vun another, as does know all about it.
" Argued like a philosopher," said Mr. Commissioner
DUBOIS.

The plaintiff denied that the " hedge" bone was bull
beef, and eventually happy Jerry had a verdict given
against him.

1 " Veil," said Jerry, in a very desponding tone, " this
I kervite stuns me, it does. If so be there aint to be no

honour among the butchers. Newgit Market 'ell soon I
look precious kerveer." And nodding his bead, Happy
Jerry left the Court.

BOROUGH couRT of REQUESTS

POTTER V. LOGAN.

A WAY TO GET MARRIED.—The plaictiff, Mrs.
Katharine Potts, was a lady, fat, red-nosed, and forty,
as she described herself, a " widder without incum-
brance ;" and the defendant, Mr. Logan, a strapping
Irish.-nan, and her " single young man lodger."
It appeared from the plaintiff's story that she had
been a " lone widow" for the last two years, her first
husband having killed himself by falling from a scaffold ;
since which she had obtained a livelihood by taking in
washing and letting her house out in lodgings. Ahaut
six months ago, the defendant, an Irish corn-porter,
bargained with her for a " first floor down the chimney,"
at 48. per week, which he honourably and regularly
paid every week until within the last fortnight he occu-
pied the apartments in her house ; when he went away,
he left Bs. in her debt, which she now sought to recover
through the medium of this court.

COMMISSIONER (to the plaintiff—Did he ascribe any
reason for going away in your debt ?
Mrs Potts—None whatever, Sir ; but he's done some-
thing worse nor that a good deal.
COMMISSIONER—Indeed, what is that ?
Mrs. Potts—He promised me marriage, the deceit-
ful wretch !

COMMISSIONER-Oh, now I begin to see through it.
Pray which are you the most anxious for, the recovery
of this Bs., or that he will keep to his bargain ?
Mrs. Potts east a sheep's eye at the Irishman, but
refused answering the question.

COMMISSIONER—WeII, Paddy, it appears you have
been making a fool of this poor woman ?

Defendant—Fait, yer wurtchup, not a bit iv it.
COMMISSIONER—How came you to promise her mar-
riage and afterwards run away in her debt ?
Defendant—Would yer wurtchup have rason ?
COMMISSIONER—Oh. yes, as much as you like.
Defendant—Yer wurtchup must ondherstand that I
tuk lodgings in Mishtress Potts's house. Well, I
hadn't bin there a wake before she kim into me room
and ses to me, ses she " Its very cowid this morning,
Mishter Logan." "By me sowl it is," ses I ; wid that,
yer wurtchup, she tuk a bottle iv gin from her pocket
and axed me to drink. So we had a dhrop iv the cra-
thur wid aitch other, and talked over ould times.

COMMISSIONER-W ell, cut the story as short as you
can.

Defendant—l'll do that, yer wurtchup. Afther the
gin we got talking about our friends. " I've bin a widdy
two year kim the time, Misther Logan," ses Misthress
Potts. " Faith, I've bin widdy longer than that," set
I. " Its a very lone uncomfortable life," ses she." That's
true agin," ses I, be rason iv which she thinks I'm in
love wid her, yer wurtchup.
COMMISSIONER—Is that all you have to say to it?
Defendant—By no means at all ; atther that she kims
into me room agin, and tells me I was welcome to some
hot wather for me breakfast out of her tay kettle. Well,
I agrees to that ; but she axes me the next day to take
me breakfast wid her, and then one tay pot would do.
Well, your wurtchup, I did that same, and Mishtress
Potts fell over head and ears in love wid me at once.

COMMISSIONER—You are a lucky fellow. Pray
what occurred after this?

Defendant—By my sowl I got no pace iv me life,
She made love to me so onrasonably.—(Laughter.)
COMMISSIONER—So I suppose you ran away to escape
her importunities?
Defendant—The ounly rason, belave me.
COMMISSIONER-But you should have paid her what
you owed first.

Defendant—She agreed to thrust to me honour, but
I fancy she winted to see me once more, so she sum-
moned me.

COMMISSIONER—That appears to be the case. In
my opinion, you two would make a very good match.
Defendant—Faith, your wurtcbup, I begin to think
so meeself.

COMMISSIONER—Mrs. Potts, have you any desire to
press this case?

- Mrs. Potts (eagerly)—None whatever, sir.
The summons was accordingly dismissed, and the
" lone widow," Mrs. Katharine Potts, left the Court,
resting on the arm of the tall Irishman.

COURT OF RbQUESTS—TOWER