The Sun.
London, England, 1833-12-06 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

WINTER CIRCUIT.—CHELmsroav, Dire. S.
(Before Mr. Justice GASELEE.)
Thomas Cooper, of pugilistic notoriety, was
charged with robbing Edward Hawkes of a sove-
reign and other money at last Chelmsford races.
The prosecutor had been at the races in July last,
and had just left a booth, where he had been seeing
a friend, when he was surrounded by five or six
men, knocked down, and held on the ground. The
prisoner, who was one of the party, kept his hand
over the prosecutor's mouth. By struggling he
managed to get the hand from over his mouth, and
screamed " Murder I" While on the ground the
property mentioned in the indictment was taken
from him.

The Jury found a verdict of Guilty. Sentence
of death recorded.

OLD BAILEY SESSIONS, DEC. 5.

NEW COURT.

Eleanor Noland, aged 17, pleaded Guilty to a
charge of stealing a quantity cf wearing apparel.
There were two other indictments of a similar nature
against her. _ _

—Mr. PHILLIPS reminded the Court that the pri.
soner had been already convicted; she was a re-
spectable young lady, having been educated at a
boarding•school, but was seduced from her home by
the artifices of an infamous old woman. In case of
a slight imprisonment, her friends would send her
to her native place in Ireland.
The Court presented an extraordinary scene after
the disposal of this case; the Jury were sitting idle
and murmuring at their detention; the Learned
Judges left the bench; the officers of the Court and
the strangers present were formed into cluster:,
conversing on the cause of the delay, while in the
dock there were nine prisoners, the bills against
whom had been ignored, anxiously waiting to be
discharged.

After a long pause, a messenger was despatched
to the Sessions-house, Clerkenwell, to ascertain
what progress the Grand Jury had made. The
reply was, that they were still sitting, and were not
likely to finish their labours in less than two hours.
The COMMON SERGEANT, having communicated
this intelligence to the Jurors in waiting, expressed
his regret that he was still unable to discharge them,
but hoped their detention would not exceed two
hours.

Mr. DOANE-It may be two weeks tinder the
present system. You see, Gentlemen of the Jury,
there is no consideration for you. You may be
detained a; long as it is thought fit at Clerkenwell,
without anything to do.
The Jury felt much annoyed at this state of
things. They were men of business, and though
they readily made some sacrifice to perform a public
duty, they did not know why their time should be
wasted. They consulted together and agreed to
present a remonstrance to the Secretary of State,
which having been sealed and directed, was handed
up to Mr. Sheriff Wilson, with a request that he
would forthwith convey the same to the Secretary
of State.

The COMMON. SERGEANT observed very emphati-
cally that the Jury did right to complain. The
Court was at a stand-still, and lie had no hesitation
in saying that he joined in the complaint.
Mr. DOANE—There is another great evil which
has not been mentioned. Several prisoners against
whom the Grand Jury have not returned true bills
are not yet discharged, uor are they likely to be
discharged while that body pursues their present
course. This is an additional injustice, and ought
to be laid before the Secretary of State as well as
other complaints. Those prisoners may be as in-
nocent as any gentleman here. It is most scandalous.

Mr. Under-Sheriff SANDALL—Those persons
would have been discharged last Tuesday, if the
regular mode of business had been adhered to.

'Mr. Sheriff WILSON would instantly proceed to
:he Secretary of State's office.

•
The COMMON-SERQEANT said the Recorder felt
with him that it would be unnecessary to detain
three juries, and he should therefore discharge that
which had been most engaged, with the thanks of
the Court for their attention.
Shortly after twelve o'clock the RECORDER took
his seat, and understood there were two juries still
detained. The grand jury at Clerkenwell were still
engaged in finding bills, and as they did not, as
heretofore, take the bills for the Old Bailey in pre-
ference, it would not be safe to discharge them all,
lest some bill should be returned at the latest mo-
ment.

One set of jurymen was then discharged.
Mr. Sheriff Wilson entered the Court, and re-
ported that Loid Melbourne was out of town, but
the papers would be laid before him as soon as he
returned. The Under Secretary of State had been
made acquainted with the nature of the communica-
tions, and had remarked that in the present state of
the law nothing could be done.
Mr. Clark (clerk of the arraigns) informed the
Court that the grand jury had left the Sessions-
house, Clerkenwell, and had gone to see the inte-
rior of the House of Correction, and would not be
discharged until their return.