The Sun.
London, England, 1823-04-07 00:00:00

SPRING ASSIZES.

GLOUCESTER. NISI PRIUS COURT, APRIL 6.
BEI:MC/NG ARTIFICERS TO LEAVE THE KINGDOM.
THE KING V. MANDY.

The defendant, a gentleman largely concerned in the Iron
Works of Staffordshire, stood- charged, on two indictments,
with enticing artisans in that branch of trade to leave the king-
dom-for France, These indictments were removed by certio-
rari into the 'Court of King's Bench, and, by order of that
Court, were sent down for trial in this county, on a suggestion
that impartial trials. could not be had in Staffordshire, where
the causes of complatnt were said to have arisen.
The first indictment being called on for trial, a full Special
Jury appeared, and was sworn.
Mr. \Vizi-lEn stated the substance of the charge.
Mr. JERVIS then addressed the Jury. This was a prOsecu-
tion, in his judgment, of the highestimportance to a commer-
cial country, whose manufactures contributed largely to its
riches. It was
.brow ht forward at the instance of Illessrs.
Samuel Walker and William Yates, who were iron-masters in
Staffordshire, against the defendant, Mr. Aaron Manby, who
was also engaged in thb iron trade of that county. It was framed
on 24 Geo. 111. cd 67, which enacted " that if any person shall
contract with, entice, persuade, or endeavour to seduce, or en-
courage, any artificer or workman employed, or who shall have
been employed, in the iron or steel manufactures of this
Kingdom, or in making or preparing any tools, or utensils
for such manufactures, to go out of Great Britain, to parts
beyond the seas (except Ireland), he shall be liable to the
penalties therein provided, which are five hundred pounds, and
a year's imprisonment for the first offence, and increased punish-
ment for subsequent offences." The design of the Legislature,
who passed this statute, was to preventindividuals from trans-
planting our inventions, and the ingenuity of our workmen to
foreign nations, who might compete with us in the market, and
who, if they became our enemies, might employ the products
of our own skill to our immediate injury. The individual whom
Mr. Manby was charged with enticing to go to France, and
there exercise his skill, was named Francis Raine. He had been
engaged in forming models for castings in iron, a very import-
ant branch of the irade, and requiring particular skill. But on
this occasion there would be no necessity for entering into the
case, because the defendant was sensible of the serious nature of
th; charge which would be proved against him, and had there-
fore instructed bis_Counsel to. consent that a verdict of guilty

should be recorded'.
Mr. CAMpuErd, said, that Mr: Manby, for whorl.): he had
the honour to appear, was an individual of great merit and of
high character. Pew, perhaps, had done more to improve the
manufactures of Iris country, or to afford employment to its in-
dustrious poor. It would not be proper to follow Mr. Jervis in
the maxims if political economy oh which his observations as.
to the wisdom of this law Were ftninded ;; but this, at least,
Might be said, that Mr. Manby had done no disservice to the
county of StaffoilL which' had the honour to' claim the learned
leader of the prohecution for a native, hut that he had added
to its, wealth, anti extended' the sphere of its industry.—,
lie had, in ignoraneef broken the' law; and whatever might
be hit opinion of its policy, he felt sorrow for having inadver-
tently violated any of those provisioni which he was bound to
obey ;, and therefore thought that, by at once allowing the ver-
dict to pass against him, he should show his regret for the in-
voluntary error into which he had fallen.
Mr. Justice BEST said, that no question could arise on the
policy of the statute at the present trial. As the defendant
kaibmitted to a verdict, it was merely the duty of the Jury to
find it.

A verdict of' guilty was then taken and recorded.
A similar verdict was taken on the issue upon the other
charge.
It was, we believe, understood that the defendant would, not
lie brought up for judgment.

SURREY ASSIZES--KINOSTON.
THE tING ON THE PIIOSECUTION OF Sin THOS. 5. CHAMP-
NETS, V. EDW. AI`GRATii, JUN., AND

OTHERS.

Mr. BausrEwra.t opened the indictment in this case,
which charged the defendants. with conspiring to defratid the
prosecutor of certain acceptances or bills of exchange to the
amount of 50001.
Mr. Watmoun stated the circumstances under which the
prosecution had been instituted, and which have, in fact, al.
ready appeared before the public, on various former occasions ;
it is therefore unnecessary for us to state them. The defend-
ants were all acquitted.
MAN 111. AU GIVT E R.—Samuel Moore and Samuel Stroud stood
indicted for having, at Newington, in this county, feloniously
assaulted and killed John Briggs, on the 211 of March last.
This was the case of the butcher who wee 'killed in a fight,
the circumstances of which were fully stated in this raper
when the affair took place.
'The prisoners were found guilty of manslaughter, and the
JUDGE sentenced Moore to be imprisoned for one match, and
to pay a fine of us. ; and Stroud to be imprisoned three months,
And pay a line of 208.
Edward Hale, a youth 19 years of age, was capitally indict-
ed for an atrocious assault on an Infant named Ann Vernon,
the child of humble parents, only eight years of age.-,-Gkilty,
Death ; but recommended by the Jury to mercy.
As the prisoner quitted the bar he exhibited a hardened in.
ffs eprreon anti inveighed in coarse language against
prosecutors; adding, that his life had been sworn away,
The Learned Judge immediately ordered him to be called.
back, and,' after commenting on the enormity and increasing
extent of the crime of which he had been
,found guilty, his
Lordship passed upon him the dreadful sentence of death, and
at the same titne:recommended him to,employ the little rem.
nant of life which was left to him to make his peace with that,
God whom he bad offended, anti in whose presence he would
shortly appear.

;Milian; lifitArd, aged 26, was indicted for an assault with
intent to commit the crime so fully proved against the last pri-
soner, on the person of Ann Cook,: a child only nine years of
age. He was acquitted of the capital charge at the last Assizes.
On the present occasion he was found Guilty, and sentenced to
imprisonment and hard labour for twelve months, and once
during his confinement to be privately whipped.