The Sun.
London, England, 1833-04-08 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 8, 1833.

LENT ASSIZES.

I.'ESTERN CIRCUIT.-TAUNTON, APRIL 4.

Mark Green, James Burge, and Joseph Ham-
mond, were indicted for having broken into the dwell-
ing-house of James Rich, and stolen therein 35 sous.
and other moneys.
James Rich—l am a farmer, living in Stoke-lane,
and am acquainted with the prisoners. I had a
servant called Richard Stevens. On Sunday the
14th of October I had a box is my bed-room, con-
taining 35 sovereigns, a 20/. promissory-note of the
Glastonbury Bank, 4/. in crowns and half-crowns,
and 2s. in copper, which I saw about half an hour
before I went to chapel with my wife, leaving
Stevens in the house. On our return home I found
the box had been forced open, and the money taken
away.
George Fussell—l recollect the 14th of October.
I know Stevens, and saw him at his master's house
that afternoon. I was at Burge's house with Green
on the 7th of October. Green went up stairs and
brought down a bar of iron, which I should know
again. He said it was for the purpose of breaking
open doors and locks Burge had a small dark
lantern, which he brought down stairs. He said he
could make it light or dark, for the purpose of car-
rying into houses. We all three went to Oak-hill,
and took the bar with us. We went to several other
places, and then to farmer Rich's house. They got
upon the ledge of the window, and said if they had
an opportunity they could get in, and they would
come again on the following Sunday. On Sunday,
the 14th, Mark Green came to my father's, between
2 and 3 o'clock, and said he and some others were
going to try to get into farmer Rich's house. He
asked me to get Stevens out while they robbed
the house. I went and saw Stevens between 4 and
5 o'clock. He was milking the cows, and then
drove them about 150 yards up the road into a
field. I then left him. I saw him at 6 o'clock at
his master's. We then went to R;chard Rich's beer-
shop, and remained there three quarters of an hour.
Several other witnesses stated facts which impli-
cated Burge and Hammond.
The LEARNED JUDGE summed up, and the Jury
acquitted Mark Green, and found .Tames Burge and
Joseph Hammond guilty of stealing in a dwelling-
house to the amount of 5/.

Sentenced to be transported for life.
SATURDAY", APRIL 6.

John Ca e was indicted for having assaulted
Hannah Richards on the King's highway, and robbed
her of a pelisse, and 9s. sd,
The Jury in a few minutes found the prisoner
Not Guilty.

GL 0 UCES TER, APRIL 5.
ROBBERY AT THE DURSLEY BANK.

TILE KING V. G. 0. PARSONS, THOS. NICIIOLLS, AND

SARAII PARSONS.

The two male prisoners were indicted for robbing
Henry Eade Stephens of notes and cash to the
amount of 8,0001., and the female for harbouring and
concealing Parsons after the felony.
Henry Eade Stephens was the clerk to Messrs.
Bloxsome's bank at Dursley. The bank opens
into an entry which runs from a street called Long-
street into the church-yard. At the back of the
bank, near the end of the entry, there are some
pillars, and a tomb, called Trotman's tomb. He
was accustomed to carry the cash and securities of
the bank in the evening from the bank to the house
of Mr. Player, where there were better safes. On
the 13th of February last he packed up in a bag
cash and notes to the amount of 8,0001., and sealed
it. He took the bag and had closed the door with his
right hand, when some one passed him in the entry,
seized the bag, and rushed on to the church-yard.
Witness kept hold of the bag, and was dragged on.
When he reached the pillar he was suddenly struck
on the head with somethiog, either iron or
wood, which broke in his hat and brought him
to the ground. His head was cut, and bled
profusely. He cried " Murder," but still held the
bag. He then received another blow upon his
hand, so severe as to disable him from the use
of his finger. He let go the bag, and the man ran
away with it. He was on the ground, and, attempt-
ing to rise, he was struck again by the man
behind the pillar on his eye. He was again brought
to the ground. He arose, and alarmed the batik.
His hat hail been knocked off, and another was
offered to him which was not his own. This hat
was afterwards identified to have belonged to
Parsons.

Ann Mercer swore to having seen Parsons and
Nicholls about the bank premises the night before
the robbery. On the next night she saw Parsons
near the entry, and another person in it. She was
in the street not far off when she saw Parsons run
out of the entry down the street without a hat, and
with a bag, followed by another man.
On her cross-examination she admitted herself to
be a street-walker, and behaved with great flippancy
and impertinence.
John Smith had also seen the prisoners about the
premises on the previous night. On the night of
the robbery he saw them there again, and went and
concealed himself behind the tomb. He swore to
having seen Nicholls at one of the pillars, and that
he struck the prosecutor. The two men ran down
the street.
On his cross-examination he stated that he had
been in prison on suspicion of stealing 100/. from a
Mr. Shepherd.
James Jackson and Charles Cogswell went to
the house of the prisoner Sarah Parsons on the night
of the robbery,and there they found Parsons, partly
undressed, concealed in the roof. They said to him
they had come for that parcel which he brought
from Dursley. He said, "If you look pretty sharp
you'll find it in the house; but I don't think you
will by that light." They found 170/, in notes that
evening in a piece of flannel concealed in the roof,
and afterwards 1931 sovereigns on another search.
Parsons was then apprehended. Nicholls was not
apprehended for some time.
The jury acquitted Nicholls, and found Parsons
Guilty. Upon him his Lordship passed sentence of
death.

INQUEST AT LUCAN.-SINGULAR VER-
DICT.—Ou Saturday last there was an inquest held before
Mr. PAsrEic, sen., coroner for the county of Dublin, and
continued by adjournment to Monday, on view of the body
of WILLIAM STOKES, lying dead at Lucan. Verdict—
" That the deceased came by his death from dropsy, occa-
sioned primarily by disease of the heart, which disease,
from the doctor's evidence, would have eventually caused
his death ; but said jurors firmly believe that the harsh
and unnatural treatment of his wife MARY and his
daughter HONORA, the want of food and clothing, care, at-
tention, and medical aid, which medical aid was refused by
them, may have tended in a great measure to Lave
shortened his life."—Dublin Times.

LIVERPOOL CORN EXCHANGE.-THURS-
DAY, Aram 4.—The accounts from London have mat, rial'y
contributed to continue the dulness in the trade noticed
on Tuesday, and our mai ket being held a day out of course,
in consequence of to-morrow being Good Friday, we had
nota single country buyer down at this morning's market,
which, in the absence of all speculative purchases, caused
an extremely dull sale for wheats, the few transactions
resulting from which barely supported the currency of
Tuesday last. Prime English malting barley has found
buyers at 30s. to 325, per quarter, and several parcels of
stained have been taken by distillers at 3s. 9d. to 4s. per
601 b. In malt, beans, and peas, very little has been
done. For oats and oatmeal the demand was very li
m ted, and prices may be considered almost nominally
the name as before. Flour was in slow request at 385. to
395., and in some instances, for very favourite marks,
401. per sack.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT.

WARWICK, MARCH 29.

The Court Was opened this morning, agreeably to
adjournment, precisely at ten o'clock. The first peti-
tioner called up was Samuel Morris, the younger,
formerly of Birmingham, and late of Edgbaston, writ-
ing clerk. He was opposed by Mr. DowsE, on the
part of several of his creditors.
The insolvent, in his examination, stated that his
father was a wine-merchant in Birmingham; he
formerly lived and boarded with his father, as a
clerk, and travelled occasionally, and had then a
salary of .50/. a year. About two years ago he left
his father's house, and from that time he received a
salary of 1001. a year. He was riot entitled to any
property, nor did he receive any commission what-
ever. He had been married lately, and rented a
house at 401. a year. His wife furnished the house
before they were married, with her own money ; she
had about 2501. in one of the Birmingham banks,
Taylor and Lloyd's, but all of it, or very nearly all,
had been expended in furnishing. His wife's mo-
ther-in-law, previous to their marriage, had given
2001. to his wife, and 501. more had been given to
her by her brother. This was what he called the
furnishing-money, and his wife had bought goods
with it ; she had laid it out herself, as the property
had been secured to her before marriage, and with-
out her consent he could have had no control
over it.

This part of the investigation having terminated,
the insolvent was examined as to the nature and
amount of his respective debts, as they appeared in
his schedule and balance sheet. He had bought
china and glass of Messrs. Rollason and Sons, of
Birmingham, to the amount of 301.; he had paid

them 161. out of that sum. Some wine was sent in
part of payment of the debt owed to them by the
insolvent, and he did not know that his father had
claitrhed the debt again. The insolvent had a dia-
mond ring from Mrs. Field, of Birmingham, about
eighteen months ago, and had some other little
things done, which made up the amount of her
debt. He had solicited, for his father, an order for
wine from Mrs. Field, which order, he believed, was
under 10/., but he did not recollect exactly the
amount; he did not know that she knew at the time
that he was his father's clerk; he never told Mrs.
Field that the wine was in part payment for the
ring. When Mrs. Field settled with the insolvent for
the wine, she expressed her surprise that her own bill
for the ring was not to be paid at the same time,
and he then promised to pay for the ring in a short
_ _

time. There was a balance of 81. due CO Mr. John
Gillings for hats, had in 1830: and another of 3/.
due to Mr. Thornley for hats, had in 1832. He
owed a balance of 281. to Mr. Thomas Mansell for
boots and shoes, The insolvent said he was mar-
ried in 1832, and he was about 2001 in debt at that
time. There was a balance due to Mary Collis for
dresses ; and he believed his wife ordered a dress
from her to present to her sister. He owed Mr.
Chambers 20/. and upwards; and Mr. Brookes,
tailor, a balance of 10/. for clothes ; and he owed a
debt to two persons of 161. or 171. for segars. To
Mr. Robinson, hair-dresser, he owed a balance of
11/. for perfumery ; the articles were used by him
and his wife. He owed a balance of account to two
persons for hiring of cars, which were hired both
for the use of him and his wife. He had travelled
a great deal, and destroyed a great many hats and
clothes, and boots and shoes; he generally wore out
a hat in two months. In travelling he had expended
more money than he ought to have done, in order
to keep up appearances; he was obliged to dress as
a gentleman, as people did not like to do business
with those who did not make a respectable appear-
ance. His brother came of age in May last, and he
then expected to become a partner with his father
in the trade, which would have enabled him to
pay his debts. He further stated he had a watch be-
fore he was married, which he had given to his
wife ; he sold a gold watch, soon after he was mar-
ried, to Mr. Collis, of Stourbridge, a retired gen-
tleman, for 20/., and the money was paid to his
wife, and she spent the money in housekeeping.
He had not several rings; some time back, three
or four yrars ago, he used to wear rings. He owed
a balance to Mr. Stockton, a balance for jewellery,
and work done. The insolvent was afterwards ex-
amined as to some silver spoons, which had been
marked with an M, and other initials; and he said
they were presents made to his wife by her rela-
tives, in contemplation of her marriage. The in-
solvent, at the conclusion of his examination, said
he had been living at an expense of more than twice
the amount of his income, in order to keep up the
appearance of a gentleman.
Mr. JONES, the insolvent's counsel, asked him a
few questions in explanation of his evidence, and
some of them, which we have not noticed, were re-
petitions merely of what he had before stated; he
travelled about eleven months in the year, and
then he was allowed sufficient expenses in addi-
tion to his salary. When his brother came of age,
he expected that his father would retire and give up
the business to them, and, in that case, he should
have been able to have paid his debts. His father
had offered to pay 10s. in the pound to his creditors.
John Harris, clerk to Mr. Barlow, solicitor, of
Birmingham, produced the copy of a letter, which
had been written to the insolvent's creditors. The
letters were put into the post-office about the 24th
or 25th of January last; about sixteen letters were
sent, and four or five out of that number returned

answers, and offered to agree to the proposition.
He did not know that all the creditors were written to.
The COMMISSIONER, on examining the circular,
observed, it appeared that only 16 out of about 70
creditors had been written to, and the father offered
to pay the insolvent's creditors 10s. in the pound, if
all the creditors would accept that offer.
Mr. DOWSE observed, that the insolvent, on an
income of 1001. a-year, had thought proper to live
at the rate of twice the amount of that sum. There
was no doubt, as his father was a respectable man,
that the insolvent had gained credit where he other-
wise would not have done, as from that circumstance
the creditors expected to be paid. Most, or all of
the debts, had been contracted for clothes, shoes,
and boots, which had been ordered in great profu-
sion ; anti it was a great aggravation of the insol-
vent'. conduct, that, according to his own statement,
it must be clearly seen that many of his debts had
been contracted unnecessarily.
Mr. JONES, for the insolvent, said he was sorry
that so many creditors of this young man should
come forward to oppose his discharge, without
making any particular objection to him. That he
had been improvident, was true; but it was neces-
sary for them to show that he had been guilty or
some acts of misrepresentation to his creditors, to
induce them to trust him. He had only launched
out a little too far in his way of busines,, to push
his trade, as people did not like to deal with a
stranger, unless they thought him to be a person
of respectability. His debts, in the whole, did not
amount to much more than 3001. Besides, he had
been just married, and at that juncture it was
thought necessary to make a dash. This young
man, when he contracted the debts, had every
probability of becoming a partner in the trade, and
then he would soon have been able to discharge them.
He trusted the Court would not destroy the future
hopes of this young man by visiting him with any
further imprisonment, and would consider the con-
finement he had already undergone a sufficient pu-
nishment for all his improprieties.
The COMMISSIONER, some time afterwards, called
the insolvent before him, and observed he considered
his case to be one
-of wilful extravagance. In many