The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-09 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.— Liverpool, Dec. 8.
Mr. Baron Parke and Mr. Justice Erle, the Learned
Judges appointed to deliver the gaols of the county
palatine of Lancaster, arrived in this town on Satur-
day, and proceeded to St. George's Hall to open the
commission this morning, attended by the high sheriff
and mayor of Liverpool. They proceeded to the
court at half-past ten o'clock, when Mr. Baron Parke
charged the grand jury in the Crown Court. Although
the courts are completed sufficiently to enable the
business of the county to be dispatched in them, yet
the noble structure, St. George's Hall, in which they
are situated, is not yet finished. The courts are very
handsome, hut whether they will be well adapted for
hearing, and will be otherwise convenient for all
classes who have to transact business in them cannot
be known until a fair trial of them has been allowed.
Mr. Baron Parke took his seat in the Crown Court ;
Mr. Justice Erle in that which is intended for Nisi
Prius business.
The calendar contains the names of 74 prisoners,
of whom 3 are charged with murder, 9 with man-
slaughter, 23 with robbery, G with stabbing, cutting,
and wounding, 5 with burglary, 3 with rape, 2 with
forgery, 4 with riot, 1 with bigamy, 1 with night
poaching, 2 with cattle stealing, 1 with embezzlement,
and 4 with larceny.
NISI PRIUS COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice ERLE.)
WilliarnWagden, aged 20,was charged with having,
at New Aecrington , on the 15th of September last,
feloniously cut George William Summers, with in-
tent to kill and murder him, or to maim and to do him
some grievous bodily harm.
Mr. Whigham appeared for the prosecution; the
prisoner was undefended.
It appeared that the prosecutor, who is a police-
officer, was on duty in the turnpike road at Accring-
ton on the night of the 15th of September last, and
meeting the prisoner, who was carrying a carpenter's
basket on his shoulder, an adze being through the
handle of the basket, he stopped him and asked him
what he had got, and where he was going. The pri-
soner said he was going to Blackburn, upon which
the prosecutor said, you are going to Whalley. The
prosecutor then accompanied the prisoner back to
.Accrington, and knocked at a house, which the pri-
soner pointed out, to make inquiries, and while he
was knocking at the door the prisoner raised the adze
with both hands, and struck the prosecutor such a
violent blow with it that it penetrated his hat, which
was bound, as the
policemen's hats are, with iron,
and wounded him severely on the head. This
blow felled the prosecutor to the ground, but being a
man of courage and great bodily strength, as soon as
he recovered his senses he followed the prisoner and
succeeded in capturing him, with the assistance of a
witness who came to his rescue. The blow was so
violent that the head of the hatchet flew off, and the
handle only remained in the prisoner's hands. The
prosecutor was subsequently attended by a medical
man, and it was found that he had received most
dangerous wounds not only on the head, but also on
the leg. The wounds on the head tended to erysipe-
las; and the wound on the leg nearly severed an
artery, which, if it had, would have been attended
with the most dangerous consequences. The prisoner
had pleaded guilty to an indictment which charged
him with stealing the tools he was carrying in the
basket.
iiiS LORDSHIP having summed up, the jury returned
a verdict Of Guilty, with intent to do grievous bodily
berm.
His LORDSHIP, in passing sentence, said that, in
addition to the effence of stealing, he had been found
guilty of using a deadly weapon against an officer of
justice who was in the execution of his duty, and,
under all the circumstances of the case, public justice
demanded that he should be transported beyond the
seas for the term of fifteen years.
his Loansnie said that he had mentioned to the
proper quarter that he thought some reward should be
given to the police officer, for the courage which he
had displayed.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron PARKE )
Thomas Phillips, aged 41, was charged with having
feloniously assaulted Richard Worley, witlejntent to
rob him.
Mr. Sowler conducted the prosecution ; the priso-
ner was undefended.

It appeared that on tho night of the, 22d of

August last, ab,,ut eleven o'clock, the prosecutor was ►
passing along Dark lane, Manchester, when 80,130
one came uo beniod him anti gave hiiu I vi.)!Hnt blow
on hr shie of his hea,l, thr,w his nrins round the
prosecutor's neck, and put hip right hand on the pro-
secutor's throat, who struggled and cried out " mur-
der," uprn which some one came up, and the prisoner
ran away. The prosecutor was unable to swear to
the prisoner, but a private watchman, who bad seen
the struggle, stated that he knew the prisoner was the
man, as be bad been acquainted with him previously.
' Two other men had been seen about the spot where
the struggle took place, but they could not be
identified.

His LORDSHIP having summed up, the jury re-
turned a verdict of Not Guilty.
John Charles Keith, aged 27, was charged with
having feloniously stabbed and wounded one William
Pennington, with intent to do him some grievous
bodily harm.
Mr. Monk conducted the prosecution; the prisoner
was undefended.
It appeared that on the night of the 28th of August
the prosecutor was at the Royal Oak, at Preston,
being accompanied by his wife and a friend. At
about half-past eleven they were warned to leave the
house, and on going out they found the prisoner
scuffling with the landlord in the lobby, which ended
in the prisoner being put out. The prosecutor had
previously to this made some remark that it was time
to go ; and on going out the prisoner, who was
waiting outside, got hold of him and threw him down,
and as he was getting up be found a wound on his
right hip, from which a stream of blood flowed.
The prosecutor's wife, who saw the struggle, said
that she saw a knife in the prisoner's hand, and that
the prisoner threatened to use her in the same way if
she interfered.
The prisoner, who was a soldier and an Irishman,
defended himself with the greatest ingenuity ; but his
Lordship having summed up, the jury returned a
verdict of guilty of unlawfully cutting and woun-
ding, acquitting of the felony.—Sentence deferred.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, Dec.B.
(Before Mr. Commissioner FONBLANQUE.)
IN RE PEPPER.

The bankrupt, Edward Pepper, had kept the
Albion Tavern and dining•rooms in Threadneedle-
street. This was.the meeting for the last examination.
His balance-sheet, prepared by Mr. Pettis, of Basing-
hall• street, extended over twelve months prior to May
last, and showed about 1,8001. due to creditors (of
which 1,4001. was claimed by the mother of the bank •
rupt) ; to mortgage and other creditors, 250/. ; liabi-
lities, 1751. Assets in property, 5641. ; in doubtful
debts, 331. The accounts began with a deficiency of
462/. The profits had been 1501 ; losses, 309/. ; trade
expenses, 3921. ; discount, interest, &c., 261/. ; do-
mestic expenses, 2051.
Mr. LINE-LATER opposed for the assignees, on the
ground that there was no proof of the mother's debt.
The bankrupt had undertaken to produce a deed which
he said had been executed in her favour, but had not
done so. The assignees therefore asked for an ad-
journment sine die.
Mr. DUNCAN, in support of the bankrupt, admitted
that the deed, being informal, was of no value. The
mother had advanced the bankrupt 1,4001. on his en-
tering on the concern in Threadneedle-street, which
was a most unfortunate one, having ruined every body
hitherto connected with it, and the bankrupt had at
first treated the advance as a gift, but the mother
claimed to have it considered as a debt. Excluding
the mother's debt the assets were sufficient to pay
225. in the pound.
His HONOUR said he should allow the bankrupt to
pass, giving the mother a few days in which either to
prove her debt or make a claim ; and if she did not
do so there was an end of it.