The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-13 00:00:00

No. 16,790• LON DON, MON DAY KE Nr rPL..
M•G

CONFLAGRATION at ST. JOHN'S, NEW-
FOUNDLAND.
The Committee for Promoting a General Subscription in AID of
the SUFFERERS by this AWFUL CALAMITY, which caused the
loss of a million of property, and rendered houseless and destitute
more than ten thousand inhabitants, hereby give notice, that
PUBLIC MEETING will be held at the London Tavern. Bishops-
gate-street, on 'WEDNESDAY NEXT, the 15th instant, at Elevcat for
Twelve o'clock precisely.
The Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR hi the Chair.
Dated Committee room, 1 ~Leadenhall-strect, July 9, 1846.

p LEASURE EXCURSION' to ROTTERDAM
via YARMOUTH.
A Special Train will leave the Shoreditch Station of the EASTERN
COUNTIES RAILWAY, on THURSDAY MORNING, the 16th instant,
at Five o'clock precisely, and will call at Cambridge. As soon as It
reaches Yarmouth, the new and rapid steamer Norfolk will start for
ROTTERDAM, reaching that port about Five P.M. She will return on
FRIDAY EVENING, the 17th instant, and upon her arrival at 'Yar-
mouth the passengers will be immediately forwarded to London.
Tickets (which may be had at Shoreditch Station, or at the Offices
of the Norfolk Railway Company, 19, Guildhall-buildings), for the
journey and back, trom either London or
bedCambrige, including First
Class by RallWAy, 30s. As the number will very limited, early
application must be made. '
For the accommodation of such 'persons as may be desirous of
spending-a-week in Holland, the tickets will be available to return on
Tut:rust/ay, the 23d Instant. It is the intention of the Norfolk Steam
*Navigation Company to run their vessels weekly to Rotterdam in
connexion with the Railway, particulars of which will be duly an-
nounced,
Offices, Shoreditch Station, July 8,1816.

ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION,
A New and Interesting LECTURE, by Dr. Ryan, on the
PHENOMENA and EEFECTS of HEAT and COLD, at Half-past
Three :ally, and on the Evenings of Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays, at Nine o'c'ock. Professor Bachhoffner's LECTURES on
NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, with brilliant experiments, daily.
MACINTOSH'S REVOLVING ENGINE, COLEMAN'S PATENT
LOCOMOTIVE ENGINE for ascending and descending Inclined
Planes, FARRELL'S ARCHINIEDIAN RAILWAY. the ATMOS-
PHERIC RAILWAY,' all in action. PORTRAITS of Distill
guished Men in the GOVERNMENT and ARMY of LAHORE,
magnified by the OPAQUE MICROSCOPE. The OXY-HYDROGEN
MICROSCOPE= exhibiting a fine Collection of. Living Objects. A
beautiful Picture of the CHAPEL in the CONVENT of St. CA-
THERINE'S, Jerusalon, by Mr. Charles Smith, is one of the Series
of DISSOLVING VIEWS just introduced.
Admission. Is. ; Schools, Half-price.

TO ADVERTISERS AND PARTIES REQUIRING AGENTS FOR
THE CHANNEL ISLANDS.
T"E "GUERNSEY SUN," published Weekly,
contains the latest English and Local News. Terms—Single
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advance.
The large circulation of this journal in England, in addition
to the local sale, and advertisements being free from duty, renders it
a very adantageous and cheap medium for advertising. Agencies of
all kinds for the Channel Islands undertaken. Post-office orders
payable to Chapman and Co., Sun-oftle, Guernsey, where all com-
munications addressed to the Editor may be made.
This paper may be sent through the post to any part of the United
Kingdom free of charge

NATIONAL LOAN FUND LIFE ASSUR-
, ANTE SOCIETY,
26, CORNIIILL LONDON.
. Capital £.500,000.
Empowered by Act of Parliament.
This Institution embraces important and substantial advantages
with respect to Life Assurances and Deferred Annuities. The assured
has, on all occasions, the power to borrow, without expense or for-
feiture of the Policy, two-thirds of the premiums paid (see Table) ;
also the option of seleding benefits, and the conversion of his in-
terests to meet other conveniences or necessity.
Assurances 'for terms a years are granted on the lowest possible
rates

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE

NOR7'HEIN CU-1-71—York Cagle, July 9.
The York Summer Assises commenced to-day, immedi-
ately on the arrival of Sir William. WightmanfJustice of the
Queen's I.3Encn, at seven o'clock in the evening. The high
sheriff of the county, James Walker, Esq., was itywaiting at
the terminus, and conducted him in his state carriage, pre-
ceded by the civic functionaries, a guard of 'javelin men in
the sheriff's liveries, and three trumpeters, to the castle,
where' the rOyal commission was read, and the assizes
opened with all the imposing ceremonies peculiar to this
ancient city. • _

Friday, July 10.
To-day, Sir Cresswell Cresswell, Justice of the Common
Pleas, having also arrived, both the Learned Judges proceded
from their lodgings in the high sheriff's carriage, and, ac-
companied by a guard and trumpeters, reached the 'castle at
twelve o'clock, when Justice Wightman, in. the Nisi
Prius Court, proceeded to try the city prisoners.
The Criminal Court was opened by Justice Cresswell.
The list of magistrates for the west, north, and east riding
was called over.
The first twenty-three who answered to their names were
then sworn in as the grand jury, Sir Digby Ledger, being the
foreman.
Her Majesty's proclamation against vice and immorality
was read by Mr. Pritchard, clerk of arraigns.
Silence then being proclaimed by the crier, his Lordship
addressed the grand jury.
Gentlemen of the grand jury,--I am happy again to have
the pleasure and honour of addressing you, although I must
confess there is nothing in the nature of the calendar before
me upon which I have to offer you any congratulation. In
the table just published by the authorities of the Home
Office upon the state of crime throughout the country it is
stated that there has been a decrease in the number of crimes
committed generally, and that in the last year there has been
a great decrease in the number of commitments within the
county of York. lam sorry to observe it is not so on this
occasion, for the number is greater than it was at the as-
sizes at this period last year. Neither is there anything very
encouraging in the character of the offences with which the
prisoners are to-day charged. Certainly last Summer Assizes
there were many cases of charges of stabbing; this assizes
there are but five, nor are they of quite so atrocious a de-
scription ; yet it is to be regretted that there are nine of man-
slaughter this assize, in a brutal, savage manner, too often
resorted to in this and the adjoining western county, by
means of fighting up and down, and kicking a man, when
down on the ground and helpless, with heavy or armed
shoes, a cruel and unmanly practice, only to be exceeded by
an attack with a deadly instrument. There are but too
many cases of violent attempts against young unprotected
women. In one case four men are charged with the offence,
in which it must be obvious that it is quite impossible and
hopeless that a young female, by anything she could do, should
be able to offer any effectual resistance to the completion of
the offence, when assailed by a combined attack of tour men.
There appears to be nothing complicated in these cases, only
ft should not be overlooked by you, that when several per-
sons arc in confinement, charged with being engaged in the
same offence, what one may say to criminate the other will
alone .he no evidence of the guilt of his comrade. There
are two cases of murder on the calendar, the first by a father
of his child. It did happen that on the inquiry before the
coroner the evidence of the prisoner's wife was admitted
against him. Such evidence is, by our law, inadmissible, and
you, gentlemen, will not suffer it to weigh with you when
the bill of indictment is submitted to you, and will see that
the charge is supported by other evidence before you find a
bill under such cireumstances. In the other case, Robert
Knowisou is charged with the wilful murder of his father,
in which there is but too much reason to believe, from his
previous conduct, that the prisoner laboured under insanity.
If there are circumstances which manifest that the prisoner
was so insane, of course you will do well to find no bill. If
you doubt the evidence on that point, you will best consult
the inte,rests of justice by presenting the bill to the petty
jury, and if the prisoner be found not guilty on the ground
of insanity, then the law will find means to protect
society from danger by providing for the continued
imprisonment of the prisoner as an insane person. The case
of Collins is happily the only one of incendiarism or arson
in the calendar. There is, I believe, no evidence of his
guilt except that which is supplied by his own testimony,
and you will do well to see if that sort of evidence is corro-
borated by other credible evidence before you find a bill.
The case of Mary Chapman is singular. She is charged with
manslaughter. I may not perhaps have all the depositions
taken before the magistrates in this case; but if I have I
must confess I am surprised to find her here on such a charge
as manslaughter. She appears to have been called in at a
labour. The woman she attended was very ill, and the case
one of difficulty. The woman was delivered with some as-
sistance, but subsequently she died. It does not appear
there was any gross rashness or gross negligence in the pri-
soner's treatment of the deceased; and as to the question
whether the prisoner was a licensed practitioner or not that
will not affect her upon a charge of manslaughter, whatever
its effect may be as to subjecting an unlicensed person to
penalties. I confess, without gross rashness or negligence
being clearly proved, I think this case must fall to the
ground. The case of Martha Dulk is that of a woman
charged with exposing her infant child in the open air, with
intent to murder it. The child, it appears, was left out in a
hedge. However, it is now living, and in health, which will
dispose of the charge of felony, though not perhaps of the
misdemeanour. With the aid of these few observations I
have no doubt you will be enabled to find your way very
clearly through' the cases that will be submitted to you in the
discharge of y.our important duty.
The grand jury then retired to their room, and soon after
appeared with bills they had found.
The calendar contains the names of 104 persons charged
with offences, of whom 76 are in custody; tare accused of
murder, 9 of manslaughter, 12 of rape, 1 of incendiarism, 8 of
burglary, 12 of cutting and wounding, or wounding with a
gun, 3of bigamy. The rest are charged with street robbery,
forgery, riot, felonies, and misdemeanours.
The trial of Julius Marcus Herman, admitted to bail last
assizes, on three indictments for forgery, but postponed, was
again postponed upon his application, through Mr. Sergeant
Wilkins, until to-morrow.
His Lordship proceeded to try some forgery cases of little
or no interest.

OXFORD ClRCUlT.—Abingdon, July 11.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Sergeant GASELEE.)
David Stroud, a saddler and harness maker, carrying on
business at Aldermaster, in this county, was indicted for
having administered in September last noxious drugs to one
Maria Nash, who was occasionally in his service, with in-
tent to procure abortion.. It ,appeared on the investigation
of the case, that the defendant had written a prescription
which be gave to a fellow-servant of the prosecutrix, a man
named Harris, who sent it to a druggist at Reading; that
the prosecutrix took a few of the pills which the druggist
sent back; that the medicines mentioned in the prescription
were merely strong aperients, which, unless taken in large
quantities, could not produce abortion ; that she did not take
them in large quantities; and that a healthy child was born
in due time, and was now living. For the defendant it was
attempted to be made out that Harris, not the defendant, was
the fattier of the child, and that Harris and the prosecutrix
induced the defendant to write the prescription in order to
effect their own objects against him.
The jury, after a quarter of an hour's consultation, Acquit-
ted the prisoner.
He had been prosecuted by Mr. V. Lee, and defended by
Mr. Carrington and Mr. Pigott.
MURDER.—Sarah Wickens, aged 23, was indicted for the
wilful murder, on the 16th of March last, of a male child,
four months old, which in some counts of the indictment was
laid as her own child, and in others not. She was also charged
on a coroner's inquisition with the same offence.
On the case being called on, and it being discovered that
the prisoner had no counsel, the Learned Judge requested
Mr. P. Mahon to defend her. The prosecution was con-
ducted by Mr. Carrington.
The facts of the case were these :—On Saturday, the 14th
of March, the prisoner was seen sitting on the side of the
road leading from Reading to Aldermaster by a Mr. Packer,
a music-master, of Reading, who was driving by in his car-
riage; but, on noting ber condition, alighted. She had a
child in her lap, and a bundle by her side. She was crying,
and appeared very misei able, and told him that she had
no suck for the child, and no money or victuals; and that
she was going to Crookhana-common to get something from
the father of the child. The latter was extremely emaciated,
and was wrapped up in a flannel dress, or something of that
sort, by which its head was partially covered. He did not
give the woman anything, as he feared she might be a
tramp; but he desired her to go to a lady's in the neighbour-
hood and use his name. He was talking to her at the ut-
most about a quarter of an hour. On the night of the same
day, about eleven, a man named Hoare found the pri-
soner lying near a hayrick inside the road, with a baby and
a bundle. She seemed very weak, and the child in a most
emaciated condition. He took her to his house, and kept
her there till eleven the next day. She was very kind to
the infant, and did all for it that a fond mother could.
When she went away she left a bundle behind, as she was
unable to carry the child and the bundle. A man named
Goddard saw her on Sunday. She asked leave to come into
his house and warm the baby. The ehild seemed cast away
for want, and kept fretting all the time the prisoner re-
mained in the house, which was about an hour. She was
very attentive and kind to the child. At a little after five
o'clock—about a quarter after five—on Monday, the 16th,
Mrs. Goddard saw a woman with a child in Brompton-lane
and at half-past five the, prisoner came to Hoare's house,
which is between a mile and a mile and a half from Bromp-
ton-lane, and asked for her bundle; and on getting it went
off. She had not the child when she came then, and, in
answer to an inquiry of his, said she had left it at the house
of one Hazel, an uncle of hers, who lived about four miles
11Tlahriechh,
hole
twohad
from Brompton•lane. It was at that time raining heavily.
hOanrdthgrea2:elthonoef.
Between seven and eight o'clock that evening she called at
Hazel's, but never. left a child there. Hazel did not know
sweeps named Rawlins were going along Brompton-lane, a
edAotartehfenlblyotitnomthaetf
that she had had a child
dog of theirs pulled ouaetesatnhde ovad.yiaofaarcenhtillyd largefarormesoartfor
thheomle,
the n topitd fo inf
eti the
heandedlogoeh.
formed by the excavation of the earth from under the roots
obttihfel
and the child was so placethat a person going along
eee anlh
at
merode
lane would
dege
tr
bho ywe rnhogaa
vdo
rabbits,enw
direction. They took away the body. An inquest was held
upon it the next day. Hoare came and looked at the body
of the child, but could not say that it was the child he had
seen with the prisoner. It did not appear that Goddard saw
the corpse. Mr. Packer saw it after the inquest, and swore
positively to its identity with that. of the child he had seen
e knew it by its emaciated with the prisoner: h state and high
cheek bones. A Mr. Cox, a surgeon, proved that the death
of the child must have been caused by its head being struck
against a hard substance, or a hard substance being struck
against the head. He added, that generally the cheek bones
were not more •
prominent after than before death. Nis '
eVi -
dence was given as to the conduct or i: a„. Precee4ing the Pri''
‘oner since the 16th of Aaron,
Mr, I', WAWA:4 havit4 1401%8804 the jury on behalf of
the prisoner,
His LORMIIIIP, read over the evidence, and summed it up
with great care and attention,
The jury, after a few minutes' deliberation, returned a ver-
dict of Not Guilty.
Oxford, July 11.
Mr. Justice MAtmE, after disposing of the cases at his
Court at Abingdon, came over here and opened the com-
mission with the usual formalities. His Lordship and Mr.
Sergeant Gaselee will attend Church to-morrow. There are
nine causes in the list, of which three are for special juries.
There are in the catendav one ease of murder, one of rape,
one of burglary, two of arson, one of housebreaking, one of
poaching, ono of horse-stealing' several larcenies, and one
assault and the names of nineteen prisoners altogether.