The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-01 00:00:00

CURIOUS CASE OF HORSE-SFEALING.

Thomas Brown, aged 21, was indicted for stealing a
gelding, a saddle, and a bridle, the property of the Rcv.
Samuel Holland, the rector of Pointing.
The prisoner, who is a miserable-looking object, held
down his head %%hen placed at the bar, and did not appear
to take the least interest in the proceedings.
Mr. ALTREE conducted the prosecution.

Sarah Fuge, the cook to the prosecutor, deposed that
on the 17th of May she found the prisoner standing in one
of the rooms of the Rectory House, and upon her asking
him what he wanted, he replied bread, and looked very
wild. She gave no Alarm, and the prisoner left the house,
and very shortly afterwards a horse and saddle and bridle
were missed from the stable.

Charles Head deposed that he lived at Landfield in
Surrey, and on the evening of the day en which the
horse
was stolen, he was sent for to the house of a person
named Dines, and on going into his stable, he saw a horse
and the prisoner was lying under the manger, apparently
very ill. Upon his being qnestioned, be said that he had
brought the horse four or five miles, and that he was
going to take it two or three miles further. In conse-
quence of his suspicions he detained the prisoner and
the horse, and the latter was subsequently claimed by the
prosecutor.
Mr. Sanders, the governor of the gaol, here intimated
to his Lordship, that it was his opinion and that of the
surgeon of the
gaol, that the prisoner was not in his right
mind, and that he was incapable of distinguishing between
right and wrong.
Lord ABIN GER said that before the Jury could act upon
any such intimation, it was necessary that evidence should
be adduced in support of it, and he directed the governor
to be sworn.
Mr. Sanders then deposed that since the prisoner had
been in the gaol, he had exhibited all the appearance of a
person of weak intellect. He did not appear to know
what offence ho was charged with, and he was sometimes
very sullen and reserved, and at others extremely flighty.
lie would also frequently go two or three days without
eating or thinking anything, and his conduct altogether
was of such a character as to induce him to believe that
he was not in his right mind.
Mr. Butler, the surgeon of the gaol, was then sent for,
and in answer to questions from the Court, he stated that
he had attentively examined the prisoner since he had
been in the gaol, and he had not the least doubt that his
mind was deranged, and in such a state as not to make
him responsible for his actions, and that he was not capa-
ble of distinguishing between right and wrong.
Lord Anit4cßt then made a few observations to the Jury
in reference to this evidence, and the Jury acquitted the
prisoner on the ground of insanity.
The Court gave directions that the prisoner should be
kept in strict custody until her Majesty's pleasure should
be known respecting him.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT---Dußir.43r, JuLY 29.
CHARTIST TiciAns.—James Williams and George Binns,
were indicted for unlawfully
assembling with numerous
other persons on the Town Moor, Sunderland, on the 15th
July, 1839.

This case arose out of the Chartist proceedings last
• year The defendants traversed at the last Summer As_
sizes. At the Spring Assizes the business was too heavy
to allow their case to be taken, and they entered into re

cognizances to appear and take their trial at the present
assizes.

The defee,:ants are booksellers at Bishopwearmouth,
and young in who had been Chartist leaders. For some
time previou,.y to the 15th of July placards had been posted
that a meeting would be held on the Town Moor on that
day. Accordingly on the morning numbers of the working
classes met, and forming in procession proceeded to the
Town Moor. The assembly amounted to three thousand
persons. Mr. Garnsby acted as Chairman. The de-
fendants were present, and from a cart addressed the
assemblage. Mr. Hetherington, a reporter on the Sun-
derland Herald, attended for the purpose of report-
ing the proceedings, and took notes of their speeches.
The defendant Binns said that myriads of down-trodden
slaves were springing up to hurl a tyrannical faction to the
dust. The object they were contending for was a prin-
ciple older than musty parchments or the proclamation of
the Queen—namely, that all men are equal, and being so
they should have the rights of men. The people were
fulfilling the laws of God by abolishing a system of legis-
lation which had no other foundation but robbery and fraud;
that so long as an honest beggar that tramped about the
streets was looked upon as a reptile, so long they had a
right to be dissatisfied and rebel. All property was in
bones and sinews in a poor man's home and country,
and when they were infringed upon to aggrandize a pro-
fligate oligarchy, laws made for the protection of property
we-c laws but to preserve the peace of the church-
yard. All property emanated from industry, and if the
loom were shut up and the labourer were to leave the
harvest for a sacred month, and demand the charter be-
fore he cut it,—if all industry were stopped of its sources,
how would the middle men shrink into the bitter-
ness of their uature, when they saw all their wealth was a
humbug, and they were indebted to the mighty people for
all they enjoyed. Lord John Russell, contemptible as he
was, had a mighty power on his side, which would require
all their united energies to grapple with, and the great ob-
ject in view was to band together in tens, fifties, thousands,
tens of thousands, and millions, in the brotherhood of
liberty, so that no traitor should be admitted into the camp,
for realizing their object. Universal suffrage should be the
law of the land—it was the right of the people, established
for the people, and they would wage an eternal war of hos-
tility against the sanguinary tyrant to obtain it. How was
it to be obtained ? " Peaceably, if we can—forcibly, if we
must." It was to be obtained by union and the perfect
organization of all classes and all trades. There were
persons on the platform to organize them if driven to the
dreadful alternative of force—men who would sit upon
the whirlwind and direct the storm: They were to struggle
for the charter. There would be little security for the
shopkeeper or his property if 6,000,000 people were driven
to the dreadful alternative of force.

Resolutions were then read, stating that it was the in-
tention of the men of Sunderland to obtain the charter by
peaceable means.
The defendant Williams addressed the meeting, and
blamed, in strong language, the magistrate who had issued
a warrant for his apprehension. He said the men of
Sunderland were willing to shed their best blood on
their native soil, and, come weal come woe, they were
determined to be free. They had laid the foundation of
liberty and knowledge. The harvest was now ready, and
it was only necessary for the people, in their might and
majesty, to come and partake of it. They were superior
in numbers to their opponents, and this migbt prove a
recommendation to arm. _

The witnesses proved that on the occasion of the meet-
ing great fears ware entertained by the inhabitants that a
riot would ensue.

_
The defendants severally addressed the Jury, and con-
tended that the fears which the inhabitants felt had been
induced by the statement in the Sunderland Herald, and
not by any real cause of alarm ; and that the report of the
speeches was incorrect in every respect.
His LORDSHIP having summed up, the Jury found the
defendants Guilty.
The Court did not break up until half-past three in the
morning.

THURSDAY.
William Byrne was indicted for having made a seditious
speech at Stockton, on the 18th of July, 1830.
It appeared that on the 18th of July a large assemblage
of persons took place at Stockton. The defendant ad-
dressed the meeting, and told the people to buy arms, and
have them in readiness, and in case the authorities should
send to search for them to secrete them so that not even
their bosom friends should know where they were, but
where they could lay bands upon them when required.
They had a right to have arms in their houses, and they
should secrete them, in case the tyrants should seek for
them, that they might be in readiness for the great day.
They should also have swords, and bide them so that they
could not be found, as the soldiers might come while they
were at work and take them away ; and those who had not
swords were to sell their coats and buy them.
The defendant having addressed the Jury,
The Learned Junna summed up, and the Jury returned
a verdict of Guilty.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HO USE.

James Se!wood was brought before Sir Peter Laurie,
who sat for the Lord Mayor, for final examination, charged
with having plundered his employer, Mr. Tarsey, of Lad-
lane, warehouseman, of a great deal of property.
Mr. Tarsey having received information that one of his
servants was robbing bim, watched the movements of the
prisoner, and detected him. It was subsequently ascer-
tained that a great quantity of goods which belonged to
the prosecutor had been pawned by the prisoner at the
shops of the pawnbrokers, ten of whom appeared and
produced the various articles on which they had lent him
money. The prosecutor stated to Sir Peter Laurie that
he had received the most courteous facilities from tho
pawnbrokers.
Sir P. LAURIE—There is a vast deal of plunder of this
kind going on here. Pray what do you calculate that you
lost by the prisoner ? Mr. Tarsey said that he had already
ascertained the loss, within the last year, of 203 yards of
broad cloth, and 207 yards of cassimere, and of the value
of 175/. There were also some articles, as appeared from
duplicates in the prisoner's possession, which appeared to
have been stolen upwards of twelve months ago.
Sir P. LAURIE—Had you a good opinion of him al-
ways ? Mr. Tarsey—Always until this discovery.
Sir P. LAURIE—What have you to say, prisoner ? Mr.
Wolff (who attended from Mr. Flower's office, far the pri-
soncr)-1-lo does not wish to say anything in this stage of
the proceedisigs.
Sir P. LAURIE (to the prisoner)-oh, you don't wish
to say anything ? You don't deny your guilt, then ?
The prisoner made no reply.
Sir P. LAURIE—If you don't speak, you admit the cor-
rectness of the charge.
The officer produced a very long list of the goods found.
Sir P. LAURIE—He confesses his guilt, although it is
quite unnecessary. The case is a very bad one. Let him
be committed.