The Sun.
London, England, 1832-08-17 00:00:00

SOMERSET Arra. 15.

The Judges dined on Monday at Kingweston, the seat
of William Dickinson, Esq., and arrived at Wells about
eight o'clock the same evening, accompanied by the High
Sheriff, Sir Henry Strachey, Bart., when the Commis-
sion was opened.

On Tuesday morning both Courts were opened for the
despatch of business, Mr. Justice Patteson presiding in
the Crown, and Mr. Justice Taukton in the Nisi Prius
Court.

James Duch and John Dancer stood charged with
stealing a heifer, the property of Mr. Shepherd, of Kings.
bury Episcopi.

Mr. Shepherd examined—Am a farmer living at Kings-
bury ; my cattle were at the time of the robbery kept in a
ground called West Moor, consisting of six yearlings, two
heifer., and one two-year-old steer; did not see the stock
for a week previous to the time, as they were left to the
care of the man, Thomas Elliott.
Thomas Elliott—Had the care of the stock, which I
took from the farm to the moor ; cannot remember the
day of the month the heifer was stolen, but it was on a
Wednesday; saw the stock, and missed the one in question
on the Thursday; they had been in the moor two months;
saw the skin of the heifer last Wednesday at Mr. Lyde's
tan-yard, West Lynbrook ; knew it by particular marks,
namely, T. S. on each rump • it had also T. S. on the near
horn Is lien in the moor. 2
John Lyde—Am a tanner, residing at West Lambrook ;
remembers Robert Denman, a butcher, bringing a skin
Into the yard on the 27th of July ; took it from him and
put it into the water pool, as is generally done.
Robert Denman—Am a butcher living at South Pather-
ton ; remember passing Joseph Harris's slaughter-house at
Over Stratton, and seeing parts of a heifer hanging up;
the prisoners at the bar were there; they said they had
been killing a bullock ; Duck offered to sell a part; we
agreed at 225. 6d. for a quarter, and half the hide.
Dancer said he had the bullock from Pitney, near Lang-
port, and had got Duck to help him ; took the hide to Mr.
Lyde's yard the same day, at the usual price of 3d.
per lb.

James Marsh and Robert Rya!ling deposed as to the
prisoner being at the slaughter-house of Harris, and
uffering the meat for sale.

John Tolbut here produced the hide to the Jury, which
was indentified by the prosecutor.
The prosecution having been closed, the prisoners, in
their defence, said they bad purchased the bullock, and
gave six pounds for it.

The JUDGE having summed up, a verdict of Guilty was
returned, and, under the new law, they were sentenced to
transportation for life.

NISI PRIUS.
(Before Mr. Justice PATTESON. )
MARSHALL V. PITMAN.

Mr. ERLE opened the pleadings, and Mr. Serjeant
WILDE stated the case to the Jury, which, he said, was
an action of replevin, in which the plaintiff, an apothe-
cary residing at Shepton Mallet, complained that his goods
had been seized for poor-rates, which he was unquestiona-
bly bound to pay. There were four rates of assessment :
the first was dated 28th September, 1831, in which the
plaintiff was assessed for house and garden 1/. 16s. and
for profits on his stock in trade 13s. The other three
rates were precisely the same. He paid the I/. 165., but
refused to pay the 13s. Marshall admitted that he sold
drugs and dispensed medicines; and that he made a con-
siderable profit on those medicines he (the Learned
Serjeant) thought there could be no doubt; it was, in
fact, so well known that the profit was great on pills and
such agreeable mixtures. He charges, too, occasionally
for attendances. A remarkable fact in this case was, that
when the plaintiff was in partnership with a Mr. Mines,
an apothecary of Shepton Mallet, their stock in trade was
rated and regularly paid ; but in 1830 Mines died, and
Marshall had since refused payment. If the plaintiff bad
thought himself not'liable to the rate, he should have ap-