The Sun.
London, England, 1848-07-19 00:00:00

NORFOLK ClRCUlT.—Bedford, July 18.

CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice MAULS.)
Robert Fenn was indicted for having, on the Ist of
April last, set fire to two stacks of straw, the property
of George Thompson, at Sundor.
Mr. Prendergast conducted the case for the prosecu-
tion; the prisoner was undefended.
From the evidence it appeared that about two o'clock
in the morning of the Ist of April, two ricks in the pro-
secutor's strawy and were discovered to be on fire. The
prisoner, who was in the prosecutor's service, was
found at the spot without his hat by some of
the persons who went to the fire, and after-
wards went away. A witness whom he met as he went
home, observed that he looked very dejected; and to
another person with whoit be had some conversation
respecting the fire, ho made some observations which
were construed to signify that he was glad that some
sheep had been destroyed by the flames. The words
used by the prisoner, however, would more naturally
bear the construction that he wished those who had
caused the fire had been burr.t instead of the sheep.
A police constable further stated that the prisoner
admitted having caused the fire.
The jury found the prisoner guilty.
It was then shown that the prisoner had been con-
victed two years ago of stealing wheat, the property of
the prosecutor, in whose service he then was, and by
whom he had since been taken back.

The Learned JUDGE then sentenced the prisoner to
be transported for ten years.
The business of the assizes was brought to a close in
the course of the day.

NORTHERN CIRCO.' V.—York, July 17.
The cause lists are not yet published. The list for
the North and East Ridings, however, is said to be com-
pleted, and to contain about twenty causes which is
considered small as compared with the generality of for-
mer lists. It is probable, therefore, that there will be a
small total of causes for trial, as there has been at the
last two preceding assizes for the county of York.
The crown calendar is, on the contrary, heavy, and,
including all cases of offence, perhaps there has never
before been a calendar exhibiting so large an amount of
crime. There are 170 persons named, 160 of these
being in custody, two charged with manslaughter, six
rape, twenty-three burglary, two sacrilege, eight felo-
niously cutting or wounding, one arson, three horse
stealing, two shooting with intent to murder or maim,
one robbery, one oattle stealing, two forgery, seven coin-
ing, twenty-six 'stealing from the person, three embezzle-
ments, two sheep stealing, one perjury, four stealing in
a dwelling house, four bigamy, three concealments of the
birth of children, one sedition, and fifty-five riot, or riot
accompanied by military training.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice Max.)
William Wrigglesworth, aged 36, was indicted for the
offence of wilful and corrupt perjury, in having, upon
his oath, falsely informed against John Foster and John
Hawkins, and accused them, in his examination before
justices, of the orime of larceny.
Mr. Hall and Mr. Pickering appeared for the prose-
cution. The prisoner, a man of very decent appearance,
was undefended.
It appeared that Mr. Holmes, the prosecutor, who is a
farmer near Sherbourne, having, on the 25th of Octo-
ber last, lost two balks, or chains, and two plough-
scathes, which had been left in one of his fields, he took
the precaution to advertise those articles, and some
handbills were printed and posted up, offering a reward
of Si. to the person who might discover the offender.
The prisoner was present when one of these bills was
posted in a public-house., and he was heard to say that
he knew who had committed the theft. On being told
that he would receive 51. for the information, and that
he ought to tell if he knew, he said he would, and pro-
ceeded to state, that it was the two men before named,
and who, on the 27th, were accordingly brought before
the magistrates. He let drop the expression, that "he
had a malice against Foster; that he now had an op-
portunity, and would do him." On being asked the
ground for his malice against the man, he said it was
about a load of teazles that he (prisoner) had bought of
Foster.
The T statement made before the justices by the pri-
soner, and put into writing, was read. It contained a
circumstantial account of having seen Foster and Haw-
kins in a field in possession of the lost property, and of
Hawkins having asked him not to mention what he had
thus observed.

Several witnesses were called to prove the utter false-
hood of the prisoner's statement. The accused them-
selves (Foster and Hawkins) denied that they had been
near the field at the time in question. They said, on
the contrary, that they were at that moment about five
miles off, attending a Methodist meeting; and they were
corroborated by a Mrs. Bunting, the housekeeper of
Foster, by Mr. Matthew Banks, Methodist minister, and
several other persons. The prisoner had said that he