The Sun.
London, England, 1834-08-04 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—NEwcAm,s, JULY 31.

The commission was opened here last night, and this
morning, after attending divine service, the Judges pro-
ceeded to the Courts. Lord LYNDHURST to the City, and
Mr. Baron GURNEY to the County, and charged the re-
spective Grand Juries. _ _

The calendar is light, there being but five cases for trial
in the County, and seven in the City. A late case of the
murder of a sailor, for which a pitman stands charged, is for
trial in the latter.

(Before Mr. Baron GURNEY.

William Henderson was indicted for bigamy. The pro-
secutrix, Jane Atkinson, a pretty young woman, said that
she was twenty years of age, and that the prisoner, who re-
presented himself as being the captain of a ship, was in-
troduced to her in April last. After four days' courtship,
he proposed to marry her. Her father and mother ex-
pressed their surprise at his being so hasty, but he perse-
vered in his proposal, and the marriage took place, the
pri-
soner borrowing his father's coat to appear in during the
ceremony. It was subsequently ascertained that he had
been married 12 or 14 years previously, and that his first
wife was still living.
The certificates of the first and second marriages were
put in.

- Verdict—Guilty. To be kept in solitary confinement
for six months, and hard labour.
Charles May was indicted for stealing 179 books and
prints out of a public library in this town, called Doctor
Tornlinsen's library.
Mr. INGHAM conducted the prosecution ; Mr. DUNDAS
for the defence.

The prisoner was a very respectable-looking young man,
and was in the employment of Mr. Gibson, solicitor, as
clerk. The facts of the case are these. The prisoner was
in the habit of frequenting the library, out of which a great
number of books were missed. The woman who was em-
ployed by the Rev. Mr. Taylor, the librarian, mentioned
the circumstance to the prisoner, who said it was impossi-
ble that such a number could be gone. She gave him per-
mission, she said, to take any books out of the library.
The prisoner was called upon by the sergeant at mace, and
told he was suspected. The sergeant accompanied him to
his lodgings, where 14 books and a Dumber of prints were
found. One of the latter was a print of Bishop Rainbow,
who was Bishop of Carlisle in 1688, and which fitted a
book in the library containing his life. After the prisoner
had been committed to prison he told the other sergeant at
mace that he had a mania for reading, and that there was
a large number of books yet in his lodgings. Search was
accordingly made, and 165 volumes belonging to the library
were founsi.

The confession of the prisoner was read, in which he
stated that be took the books for the purpose of reading
them merely, and not with the intention of committing any
felony, and that he intended to restore them as soon as the
course of the study he was then engaged in was finished. In
his defence, which was contained in a letter addressed to
his Lordship, the prisoner reiterated his statement that the
books were not taken by him with any intention of stealing
them. He also stated that he was educated for the church,
but being disappointed of ordination he -went as private
tutor into several families ; that not finding employment in
that way in Newcastle, he took an engagement in at-
torney's office till he could obtain a better situation, and
that while in such capacity he had been intrusted with
large sums of money, not one penny of which he had ever
applied improperly. He then went on to state that be was
much attached to literature, and that the hours he could
devote to study were those at which the library was closed.
Besides, he submitted that if he had had an intention of
stealing, the books he had ample time afforded him to have
disposed of them. He besought his Lordship's mercy on
account of his beloved wife, who was entirely dependent
upon him, and that without his support she would be thrown
destitute on the world.
The reading of his defence affected many in Court.
Several witnesses gave the prisoner an excellent charac-
ter ; and Mr. Gibson, in whose office he had been em-
ployed two years, said that he had often intrusted him with
large sums of money, with which he might have absconded
bad he pleased. Verdict—Guilty.
Before judgment was pronounced the prisoner said that
he wished to explain that the reason he had so many
books was for reference ; that they were seldom, if ever.
asked for in the library ; and that he thought it no great
harm to take them till he had finished his studies.
The Learned JUDGE, after an address of some length,
sentenced the prisoner to be transported for seven years.

FRIDAY,

(Before Mr. BARON GURNEY.)
John Curtis was indicted for assaulting William Graham,
and stealing from his person two sovereigns and some silver,
on the 17th of July.
The prosecutor said that the prisoner and another person
accompanied him on the day named into a glass manufactory
to get their clothes dried, and that, after leaving it, the pri-
soner seized him and took out his purse containing the mo-
ney. Verdict—Guilty. To be transported for life.
Thomasin Sloan and Sarah Smith, two unfortunate girls,
were indicted for stealing from the person of Robert Wil-
kinson, in a house of ill fame, a half-sovereign and ten shil-
lings in silver.
The prosecutor proved the robbery. Verdict—Guilty.
His LORDSHIP sentenced them to be transported for
life. The poor women were greatly affected on sentence
being pronounced, and shrieked violently on being taken
from the bar. One of them had an infant in her arms.
Eliza Davidson and Margaret Hebburn were indicted
for stealing a silver watch from the person of Thomas
Walton, on the 12th of July last.
The prisoners in this case were also unfortunate women.
It appeared that the prosecutor who was a married man, was
in the habit of calling frequently on Mrs. Davidson, who
kept the house in which the robbery took place. The latter
had asked to search his pockets for money to drink, but in-
stead of doing so he took the watch out of his fob, and re-
fused to give it back. The other prisoner pledged it. The
prosecutor had given them a shilling to drink before the
alleged robbery, and another shilling for a similar purpose
after it.

The prisoners, in their defence, denied the robbery, and
said that the prosecutor had given them the watch to pledge
for ten shillings.
Verdict—Guilty.
Davidson to be transported for life, and Hebburn for 14
years. The latter was greatly distressed on sentence being
pronounced.

Frederick Thomas, a young lad, was indicted for having
obtained a hat from Mr. Robert Kent, hatter of this town,
with a forged order, purporting to be from Mr. Hoyle,
solicitor.

The facts were fully proved. Verdict—Guilty. To be
transported for life.

Catherine Buchannan was indicted for receiving several
articles the property of Mr. Matthew Wheatley, knowing
them to be stolen.

It was proved that the articles were stolen from Mr.
'Wheatley, and that the prisoner offered to pawn them at a
pawnbroker's. She refused to tell where she lodged, but
was followed and taken with the articles.

The prisoner, a poor simple-looking girl, said she had
been sent with the articles to pawn, and did not know at
the time they had been spolen.
Verdict--Guilty. To be transported . for 14 years.
_ _

A prisoner named Johnson was yesterday found Guilty
of the robbery in the above case, and was sentenced to only
seven years' transportation.
The severity of the sentences upon Catherine Buchannan
and the other four previously tried, excited a good deal of
surprise in Court.

A case of quo warranto of no public interest has occu-
pied Lord LYNDHURST in the Nisi Prius Court almost the
whole of the day.
_ _

His Lordship is to try the case of murder in the City to-
morrow, which it is expected will occupy a considerable time.

WESTERN CIRCUIT.—EXETER, Atrousr 1.
(Before Mr. Justice PATTESON.)
Penelope Bickle, aged 54, was charged with the wilful
murder of her husband, by administering to him poison,
John Browning, shopman of Mr. Ching, druggist, in
Launceston—l recollect the prisoner asking me for a
pennyworth of arsenic on Saturday, the 14th of June last.
She said she wanted to poison rats and mice. I said, "we
never serve less than twopennyviorth." She said she must
have it, and I gave her twopennyworth, and put a printed
label, " arsenic—poison," on it. She put it into her pocket.
Cross-examined—l knew her before. There were others
in the shop at the same time who knew her. About six
weeks before she bought nux vomica for the same purpose,
as she alleged. She said on this occasion that it did S not
succeed. I was at the Coroner's inquest, and was shown a
vial which had a little balsam of capivi in it. I did not
not know the deceased.
Richard Bickle, son of the prisoner and of the deceased—
lam 17 years of age. My father had been unwell for
some time before this, but was much better a week previous
to his death. When we returned home from church on
Sunday, the 15th of June, we sat down to dinner, which
consisted of mashed potatoes, with meat on it, and goose-
berry-pie. There was no crust over the meat. Father,'
mother, two sisters, and I eat of the mashed potatoes and
the pie. Father helped himself, and so did each of us.
There was enough for us all. After dinner I went to
meeting, and did not return until half-past ten, when father
was in bed very unwell. My mother asked me to go for a
doctor, but it was too late, and I refused to go. Father
and inothpfv o quarrel betimes. I don't know what
about. _No-5 e attended my father during his illness,
used -tog Mr. Whittaker's, in Launceston.
Crogs-exammed y father did not appear worse that
night than he
, go some weeks before. We all par-
took of the nlasho atoes and the pie. All the pie was
C•

not then be eaten. I eat what was left at, my tea. The
meat was generally kept hung up in a basket in the kitchen
to protect it from the rats and mice, of which there were a
great many in the house.
This witness was crying, evidently much affected during
his examination.

Eliza Bickle, sister to the last witness, gave evidence to
the same effect, and further deposed that her father went to
bed on that Sunday immediately after dinner, as he was
accustomed to do. He did not complain of illness until
about ten o'clock. From that time he grew gradually
worse until he died. Father and mother used to quarrel,
like the rest of the neighbours. The cause of their quar-
rels was, he would not give money to mother. They did
not sleep together for twelve months previously. When
he got very ill that night, mother wanted me to go for as-
sistance to some of the neighbouring cottages, but I was
afraid to go alone at that hour of the night. My mother
told me on the Saturday that she bought some poison in
Launceston for the rats, and that she last it. We had been
much troubled with rats.

Cross-examined—l helped mother to get dinner ready.
We all partook of the dinner. I saw father take pills that
morning. I heard mother ask him that night if she should
send for a doctor. He said it was of no use to him. He"
was subject to cold shivers. At day-break, I went for a

nurse. .
William Goodman—Was in prisoner's house in the morn-
ing of Sunday. The deceased cut up the meat to be dressed
for dinner, and the prisoner asked if salt was to be put in it.
He said no, but desired a potatoe to be put in the pie. I
did not see any mashed potatoes. The deceased appeared
then to be very well. I was there again from five to six,
and did not see the deceased, or hear any thing of him.
John Baily—Was in the house between seven and eight
on that evening. Asked where the deceased was. The
prisoner replied that he was in bed, dying of a certain
disease. That he had taken as much medicine as would
kill a horse, and had salivated himself, and had holes in his
cheeks large enough to put her finger in.
James Dean—Saw the deceased on that Sunday morn-
ing, who said he was much better in his health, and had
worked the week before. About a fortnight previously I
saw the prisoner, and asked her how her.husband was.
She said he was neither better nor worse, and she would
give 1,0001. to see him dead, rather than he should con-
tinue to live in that state.
Mr. Whittaker, a surgeon—Saw the deceased some time
before his death, and was satisfied that he was labouring
under no such disease as was represented by the prisoner.
John Cork, a farmer—Saw the prisoner on the day of
the burial of the deceased. She was then in custody on
this charge. I asked her how came she to do this ? " Oh!"
said she, " bad company—bad company, and the devil's
works !"

Henry Pethick, a surgeon—Examined the body of the
deceased on the 18th of June. Found all the internal
parts very healthy. The internal coat of the stomach was
covered over with red spots. I carried home the contents
of the stomach, and analyzed them. I tried the three
usual tests, and the result was such as afforded a very
strong presumption of the existence of arsenic.
Cross-examined—These tests are not infallible. The
symptoms are extremely various where death arises from
arsenic. I have heard some physicians say that the appear-
ances after death by the cholera are the same as by arsenic.
There was no arsenic visible on the coat of the stomach. If
arsenic was administered in a state of dissolution, no particle
of it would appear on the coat of the stomach ; or if the sto-
mach was full when administered, and much vomiting fol
lowed, no particle of it might remain. To make the tests
infallible, the precipitate should again be reduced into oxide,
which I did not do in this instance.
On behalf of the prisoner, Mr. Tucker, a surgeon in
Exeter, deposed that the tests above alluded to were ex-
tremely fallacious.
Mr. Godsworthy Gurney, a chemist, deposed that the
appearance and tests, stated by Mr. Pethick, affording no
evidence of the existence of arsenic. The various secre-
tions of the stomach might, by the same process, produce
the same result.
Mr. Justice PATTESON, under these circumstances, left
it to the Jury to say whether the death was caused by poi-
son, for by the evidence of the last witnesses, that fact was
extremely doubtful ; and if the Jury should be of opinion
that the deceased did not die through poison, it would be
unnecessary to go into the other parts of the case, as under
such circumstances the prisoner should be acquitted ; but if
the Jury thought that the death was caused by poison, he
should then read all the evidence for them.
The Jury having deliberated for a short time, found that
the death was not caused by poison, upon which the pri-
soner was Acquitted.

HOME CIRCUIT.-GUILDFORD, AUGUST 2.

The Commission was opened on Thursday, and business
began yesterday. There are fifty prisoners in the calendar,
most of them for stealing ; one for violation. There are
forty-eight causes, seven of which are special juries. Lord
Chief Justice TINDAL presides at _Nisi Prius, and Mr.
Justice LITTLEDALE in the Crown Court.