The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-18 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD CIRCUIT—WORCESTER, DEC. 17.
: (Before Mr. Justice Erle.)
THE CHARGE OF MURDER.

The trial of Harriet Webster, her daughters, Har-
riet and Emma Loverock, and Edward Oliver, for
the murder of John Webster, the husband of the
first named prisoner, in August last, occupied until
the rising of the Court last night.
The defence set up was mainly that there was no
proof that death had arisen from the blows inflicted
by the prisoners on the deceased, and that it might
be attributed to his dissipated habits.
Thetrial ended in the acquittal of the prisoners.
TJais_morning Michael Francis Fletcher Wood,
described in the calendar as an engineer, was
charged with obtaining a quantity of coals from
Messrs. Williams, coal merchants, of Worcester,
with intent to defraud them of the same. Two months
ago the prisoner came to Worcester,and took a ware-
house and offices on the quay, which he had fitted
up in a business-like manner, giving orders to the
tradesmen liberally for that purpose. He repre-
sented that he was agent for the firm of Galloway
and Company, contractors of Manchester, who had
the execution of some large railway works at Wor-
cester, and in their name he ordered goods of a
great number of tradesmen of Worcester—sta-
tioners, brewers, tailors, haberdashers, furniture
brokers, and others. Suddenly the warehouse was
closed about three weeks ago, and then the trades-
men bethought themselves to write to Messrs. Gal.
loway, who promptly replied that they knew
nothing whatever of the adventurer. He was
traced to Birmingham, and a good deal of the goods
were reeovered. He had sold the coal which he
had ordered to a publican. When apprehended,
he said he said he was " hard up," and was bound
to do something for a living, and that after all it
was only a debt.
He was found guilty, and sentenced to four years'
penal servitude.
The buiness of the assize was finished this evening.

MIDLAND CIRCUIT.—WARWICK, DEC. 17.
(Before Mr. Justice Wightman.)

THE PROOF-HOUSE FORGERIES AT BIRMINGHAM.

Chas. Cresser, 54, formerly clerk and cashier in
the employ of the guardians of the Birmingham
Proof-house, was arraigned on an indictment con-
taining five counts, three for forging receipts, with
intent to defraud, and two for stealing a number
of cheques, the
.property of the Proof-house guar-
dians. The prisoner's offen ces extended over a
period from the 25th of June, 1857, to the 26th of
August, 1858. The prisoner had been for many
years employed in a very responsible situation at
the Proof-house. He was implicitly trusted, and
up to the time of the discovery of his dishonesty,
he was considered to be a trustworthy man. About
18 months ago, he appeared to have made the ac-
quaintance of a young woman, by whose blandish-
ments he was induced to abandon his wife, family,
and home, and take up his abode with her at a honse
in Deritend, Birmingham. At that place he esta-
blished the young woman in business as a confectioner
purchased expensive dresses for her, and also set up a
horse and gig. All went on well until Cresser was
asked one day at the Proof-house to produce a cer-
tain document. He pretended to leave the room in
search of it, but did not return. An investigation
of course took place, which led to the discovery of
delinquencies to a serious amount. Every means
were adopted to trace the fugitive, and in a few
days he was captured at a farm house near Broms-
grove, by Inspector Edmonds. Upon being placed
in the dock Cresser did not betray the slightest
emotion, but pleaded guilty in a clear tone to each
indictment. ' -1 ,
Mr. Spooner, who represented the prisoner, called

attention to his previous good character, and called.
Mr. Landy, of the firm of Hartley and Landy, ac-
countants, Birmingham, who said that he had
known the prisoner from May, 1837. They we's
both in the employ of Mr. M‘Michael, accountant,
who died in 1851, and prisoner remained with wit-
ness and his partner two years afterwards. During
the time witness had known him prisoner's charac-
ter for honesty and integrity had been unimpeach-
able. After leaving them, prisoner went into busi-
ness, and afterwards into the employment of the
guardians of the Proof-house.
The judge sentenced the prisoner to be kept in
penal servitude for four years.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT—LIVERPOOL, Dec. 17.
(Before Mr. Justice Hill.)
CHARGE OF OBSTRUCTING A RAILWAY.
John Owen, a farmer at Rainhill, near Liverpool,
was charged with obstructing the London and North
Western Railway, near the Rainhill Station, on the
12th ult.
The defendant in this case was a farmer of consi-
derable respectability, whose land lies close to the
line of railway between Liverpool and Manchester.
Through one part of Mr. Oven's land there is a
road leading over the line by a level crossing: there
is a gate on each side of the line, and on the occa-
sion referred to one of the gates, that on defendant's
side of the line, was a little open. Mr. Owen find-
ing that there were on his premises some sheep
trespassing, and wishing to drive them out, the pro-
secution alleged that he sent them over a wall upon
the line, and allowed them to remain there. This
was between 10 and 15 minutes to 9 o'clock, about
the time that the express train was expected, and
which passed about a minute after the sheep were
got off the line by Mr. J. C. Poore, who happened
to be near the station at the time. Several wit•
nesses were called to prove that the defendant drove
the sheep on to the line, and that while they were
on the line Mr. Owen closed the gate on his side,
in the doing of which he must have seen them; and
that as he lived so near to the line, defendant must
have known the times of the trains passing.
Mr. Aspinall in this case appeared for the prose-
cution, and Mr. Segar, Q.C., assisted by Mr.
Wheeler, conducted the defence.
""he learned judge, after. reading -Cue 'ct of Par-
this matter, told the jury that
pm Lou by any m- • r-'lefl such acts as in
obstruct a rpo- no guilty of a mis..,
meanour .J accident really took place.
The defeit,e set up was that the defendant was try-
ing to drive a colt which was in a field, and that his
efforts to get the colt away frightened the sheep,
which escaped without the act of Mr. Owen, further
than his running after the colt, and that the prose-
cution had failed to prove that any motive existed
in the defendant sufficient to account for the act
charged upon him.
Whilst Mr. Segar was addressing the jury the
learned judge interposed by saying that the act must
have been wilfully perfcr.ned by Owen to prove
the case for the prosecution.
Mr. Aspinall, in replying on the whole case, said
that the prosecution imputed nothing worse to the
defendant then reckless conduct, under the influ-
ence of momentary excitement, occasioned by the
sheep trespassing upon his land. The learned
counsel, however, contended that the act of Mr.
Owen was one which was fraught with danger,
and it became the jury to discourage all negligence
of that kind.
The jury acquitted Mr. Owen, and his lordship
at once discharged him.
At the conclusion of this case the learned judge
informed the jury that the business of the assizes
was terminated ; and after thanking them for their
persevering attention, he discharged them.

FROM THE GAZETTE OF YESTERDAY.

ST. JAMES'S PALACE, DEC. 16.
The Queen has been pleased to appoint the Hon. Wel-
lington-Patrick-Manvers-Chetwynd Talbot, Lieut.-Colonel
of the Ist King's Own Regiment of Staffordshire Militia, to
be Sergeant-at-Arms in Ordinary to her Majesty, to attend
the Right Hon. the Lord Chancellor, Lord Keeper, or Lord
Commissioners of the Great Seal of Great Britain for the
time being, in the room of Lieut.-Colonel Alexander Per-
ceval, deceased.
WHITEHALL, DEC. 8.
The Lord Chancellor has appointed the following gentle-
men to be Commissioners to administer oaths in the High
Court of Chancery in England, under the Act of Parlia-
ment passed for the relief of her Majesty's subjects pro-
fessing the Jewish religion :
Frank James, Esq., of Merthyr Tydfil.
Joseph Foster, Esq., of Thorne, Yorkshire.
Richard Reeder Crosse, Esq., of Collumpton, Devon-
shire.

John Devereux Pugh, Esq., of Wrexham.
WAR-OFFICE, PALL-MALL, DEC. 17.
2d Regiment of Dragoons—John Wallace Hozier, Gent., to
be Cornet, by purchase, vice Ross, promoted.
4th Light Dragoons—Capt. Thomas White Goodrich, from
the Cape Mounted Riflemen, to be Captain, paying the
difference between Infantry and Cavalry, vice George
W. Hunt, who exchanges, receiving the same ; Capt.
Archibald Philip Douglas, from the 16th Foot, to be
Captain, paying the difference between Infantry and
Cavalry, vice Benjamin A. Brawn, who exchanges, re •
ceiving the same.
10th Light Dragoons—Lieut. James John Wynniatt has
been permitte to retire from the Service by the sale of

his Commission.
17th Light Dragoons—Cornet Francis James King to be
Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Seymour, promoted.
Military Train—Ensign William Townley to be Lieutenant,
by purchase, vice Dowling, who retires.
sth Regiment of Foot—Brevet Lieut.-Colonel William.
Chester Master to be Lieutenant-Colonel, without pur-
chase, vice Kennedy, retired upon full-pay ; Capt. John
Swaine Hogge to be Major, without purchase, vice
Master; Lieut. John Robson Carlisle to be Captain,
without purchase, vice Hogge.
7th Foot—Ensign H. M. Harding has been permitted to
retire from the Service by the sale of his Commission.
14th Foot—The second Christian name of Lieutenant
Frizell is Bruckfield, and not Brackfield, as stated in the

Gazette of the 10th inst.
16th Foot—Captain Benjamin A. Branfill, from the 4th
Light Dragoons, to be Captain, vice A. P. Douglas, who

exchanges.
22d Foot—Lieutenant George Ralph Hassan, from the
84th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Francis E. E. Wilson,
who exchanges • George Waller Vesey, Captain, Tyrone
Militia, to be Paymaster, vice Young, appointed to the

23d FoOt.
31st Foot—Ensign David Matthew La Touche, from
' King's Own Light Infantry Militia, to be Ensign, with-
out purchase, vice Gardiner, promoted.
34th Foot—Lieutenant Richard Newton, from the 58th

Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Shiffner, who exchanges.
35th Foot—Ensign Henry Edmund Fryer to be Lieute-
nant, by purchase, vise Ross, whose promotion, by pur-
dhase, on the 7th September, 1858, has been cancelled.
58th Foot—Lieutceant Bertie Shiffner, from the 34th Foot,
to be Lieutenant, vice Newton, who exchanges.
59th Foot—Paymaster F. L. Bennett, from half-pay Depot
Battalion, to be Paymaster _vice Addison, who resigns.
84th Foot—Lieut. F. E. E. Wilson, from the 22d Foot, to
be Lieutenant, vice Hassan, who exchanges.
98th Foot—Lieut. Wm. Blacked to be Captain, by pur-
chase, vice Knight, who retires.
Rifle Brigade—Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel Lord A. G.
Russell to be Lieutenant-Colonel, by purchase, vice
Brevet-Colonel E. A. Somerset, who retires upon half-
pay Unattached; Captain E. M. Buller to be Major, by
purchase, vice Lord A. G. Russell ; Lieut. John Clerk
to be Captain, by purchase, vice Buller ; Ensign T. R.
Parr to be Lieutenant by purchase, vice Clerk.
Cape Mounted Rifles—Captain G. W. Hunt from the 4th
I
Light Dragoons, to be Captain, vice T. V. Goodrich,

who exchanges.
Gold Coast Artillery Corps—Ensign and Adjutant Francis
John Bolton to have the rank of Lieutenant ; Ensign
Thomas G. Danger to be Lieutenant, without, purchase,
vice J. H. Thompson, deceased ; Ensign Edwin Hewett
to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Danger, whose
promotion on the 26th November, 1858, has been can-
celled ; Edward Westropp Smyth, Gent., to be Ensign,
without purchase, vice Hewett.
Garrisons—The Rev. David Arthur to be Chaplain to the

Garrison at Fort George.
Hospital Staff—To be Assistant-Surgeons to the Forces--
Patrick Barrett Kearney, Gent., vice Boyd, appointed
to the 56th Foot ; George Smith, Gent., vice Gordon,
deceased ; Robert Austen Allen, M.D., vice Schofield,

deceased
MEMORANDUM.—Major-General Edward Studd, Lieu..
tenant-Colonel on half-pay Unattached, has been per-
mitted to retire from the Service by the sale of an Unat-
tached Lieutenant-Colonelcy.
WAR-OFFICE, PALL-MALL, DEC. 17.
MEMO RANDUM.—Lieutenant Christopher J. Lloyd, of
the Ist West York Militia, having obtained a First Class
Certificate at the School of Musketry at Hythe, has been
appointed by the General Commanding-in-Chief, with the
concurrence of the Secretary of State for War, to Act as in-
structor of Musketry to the Ist West York Regiment of
Militia.
COMMISSIONS BY LORDS-LIEUTENANT.
East Kent Regiment of Militia—John Arthur Capel
Branfill to be Ensign, vice Barry, resigned.
sth Regiment of West "York Militia—Horace Kaye,
Gent., to be Ensign; Edward Whitacre Davies, Gent., to
be Ensign. •
Oxfordshire Regiment of Militia—Herbert Buchanan,
Gent., to be Lieutenant, vice Aston, promoted.
3d Regiment of King's Own Staffordshire Militia—Domi-
nick Herbert Trant, Gent., to be Ensign.
2d Royal Lanarkshire Militia—Henry Dunlop, Gent., to
be Lieutenant, vice Mariette, resigned ; Oliver William
Simpson Hoare, Gent., to be Ensign, vice Townley, re-
signed.
NORTH Yonx. RIFLES.—Her Majesty has been pleased
to direct that Lieut. Henry James Story of the North
York Militia, who absented himself from the recent train-
ing of the Regiment, and disobeyed the orders of the Com-
manding Officer, should be removed from the strength of
the corps from the 27th Oct., 1858.
MEMORANDUM.-ISt Royal Lanarkshire Militia—The
Christian names of Ensign Gossling, gazetted 3d Sept.
last, are " George Johnson," not " George Johnston."

BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED.
William Weller, stone mason, Woolwich.
BANKRUPTS.
_

George Rogers, stockbroker, Abchurch-lane, City, Dec.
24, at two, and Jan. 28, at one, at at the Court of Bank-
ruptcy.
Frederick Edward Bear, tobacconist, Crown-row, Mile-
end; Dec. 28, at twelve, and Jan. 27, at two, at the Court
of Bankruptcy.
George Henry Venables, paper maker, Clapton's Mills,
near Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, Dec. 28, at half-past
twelve, and Feb. 3 at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy.
Samuel Unwin,graper, Nottingham, Dec. 30 and Jan. 20,
at half-past ten, at the Birmingham. District Court.
William Jackson, elder, soap manufacturer, Kingston-
upon-Hull, Jan. 12 and Feb. 9, at twelve, in the Town-
hall of KingstOn-upon-Hull.
Thomas Hastings and Samuel Ileron, drapers, Kingston •

upon-Hull, Jan. 12 and Feb. 9, at twelve, at the Townhall,
Kingston-upon-Hull.
SCOTCH BANKRUPTS.

Andrew Gillespie, merchant, Edinburgh.
J. Smith and Co., coal agents, Helensburgth, Dumbarton-
shire.
Alexander Wallace, Wright and builder, asgow.
William Miller, jun., oil merchant, Springfield, Glasgow.
John Campbell, seed merchant, Queen-stra et, Glasgow.
William M‘Larty, grocer, Invercloy, neat • Brodick, in
the Island of Arran.
Elizabeth Cuthbertson, Edinburgh.
Robert Ross, shipowner, Willowbank, near -Wick, Caith-
ness-shire.