The Sun.
London, England, 1840-07-29 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIRCUIT.—MArDsrobrs, JULY 27.
CROWN COURT.
(Before Mr. Baron GURNEY. )
John James Bell, aged 21, was indicted for the murder
of Wm. Mann, by stabbing him with a knife.
The prisoner was a chimney-sweeper, and the deceased
was a labourer, and they both lived in the neighbourhood
of Smarden, in this county. In May, the prisoner and the
deceased were in a public-house, and a dispute arose be-
tween them, and a fight ensued. The quarrel was quelled,
the parties appeared friendly, but in a short time the pri-
soner went out of the house and endeavoured to purchase
a knife at two shops, and he ultimately purchased a small
penknife for sixpence, and he then returned to the house
where the deceased was, and sat down, and in a short time
the quarrel was renewed, and the deceased got up and ap-
proached the prisoner as was supposed for the purpose of
striking him, but the moment he got near him theprisoner
drew the knife and stabbed the deceased in the heart, and
he dropped down instantly dead. When the prisoner be-
came aware of the effect of the act he had committed he
was dreadfully distressed, and surrendered himself into the
hands of the constable.

The Jury found the prisoner guilty of Manslaughter.
Mr. Baron GURNEY then sentenced the prisoner to be
transported for the term of his natural life.
A young man, named John Miles, was indicted for fe-
loniously forging an acceptance to a bill of exchange for
401., with intent to defraud Charles Gilbert and another,
executors of John Miles, the father of the prisoner.
This case has created a great deal of interest in the
county from the peculiar circumstances connected with it.
A person named Snode, an opulent farmer, was implicated,
and he was held in recognizances by the magistrates to the
amount of LOON. to appear and take his trial, which was
to have come on at the Spring Assizes, but, upon an ap-
plication made by his counsel, it was postponed until the
present Assizes. Snode was called upon his recognizances
to appear and take his trial, but he did not do so, and the
recognizances were consequently declared to be forfeited.

r. Dowling and Mr. Si.' Chambers conducted the pro-
secution, and Mr. C. Jones defended the prisoner.
It appeared from the statement of counsel, and the evi-
dence that was adduced, that the father of the prisoner
died in the month of August 1838, and the latter subse-
quently made a claim upon his estate for wheat and other
things, alleged by him to have been sold to his father. On
the 30th of January Snode brought the bill in question,
which purported to be drawn by the prisoner upon his fa-
ther, to the office of Mr. Selby, a solicitor, at Mailing,
who had managed the affairs of the estate, and made some
application to him respecting it, when, in consequence of
something that appeared upon the face of the document, a
suspicion was entertained that it was not genuine, and the
bill was detained. Subsequently inquiries were made
which led to the present charge being made against the
prisoner.

Several witnesses were called who expressed their belief
that the acceptance, purporting to be that of John Miles,
senior, was written by the prisoner, and others were called
who swore that it was not the writing of the deceased.
Some of the witnesses, in their cross-examination, said
that they did not think the prisoner could do more than
write his name, and their belief that the forged acceptance
was his writing, was founded upon comparison with other
signatures he had made.
When the case had gone on to some length, Mr.
Baron GURNEY observed that there appeared to him to be
two difficulties in the case ; the first was, that no connec-
tion had been traced between the prisoner and the bill of
exchange in question. The other difficulty was, that in
his opinion the handwriting of the prisoner had not been
swoßi to with sufficient distinctness to warrant the jury in
finding him guilty of so serious a charge. He should
therefore not call upon the prisoner for any defence, but
directed the jury to acquit him. _ _

The Jury accordingly returned a verdict of Not Guilty,
This case terminated the business of these Assizes.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
THE CASE OF LORD WALDEGRAVE AND CAPTAIN
DOFF.--=The Earl of Waldegrave and Captain Duff at-
tended at this office yesterday to put in bail to answer the
indictment found against them by the grand jury of the
county of Middlesex, for assaulting a police constable in
the execution of his duty.
Mr. HEM{Y, the Magistrate, observed, that he knew no-
thing judicially of the facts of the case, with reference to
which the defendants were brought before him; but it ap-
peared from the affidavits that a true bill had been found
against them for assaulting a police officer, and it appeared
also, that they moved in a high station of society. The
bail, therefore, required from them would be large.
Mr. Hobler, who is conducting the prosecution against
the defendants, said he had no objection to offer to the
bail proposed by the defendants. He bad however to
suggest that the bail should be larger than was required
when the defendants were called upon to answer the charge
before the Magistrates.
The Magistrates then ordered each of the defendants
to find bail, himself in ;001., and two sureties in 1501. each.
Mr. Morgan, a tailor, of Albemarle-street, and Mr.
Smith, a jeweller, of Maddox-street, presented themselves,
and were bound over in due form. The defendants having
also severally entered into recognizances, left the office.