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

SUMMER ASSIZES.

OXFORD CIRCUIT.—GLOUCESTER, Aug. 15.
John Davis, aged 50, was indicted for an assault on
the person of Ann Carpenter, a little girl, eight years of
age, with intent to commit a rape.
From the evidence of the prosecntrix, who was a pretty
but delicate-looking little girl, it appeared she was sent
by her father, a travelling wirewotker, from Ewing to
Cirencester, in charge of the prisoner, and that on the road
he committed the crime with which he was charged.
The mother of the little girl stated, that, from the ap-
pearance of the child some short time after the occurrence
took place, she was induced to take her to a surgeon, to
inquire into the state of her health, and that the little girl
then for the first time told what happened to her, and it
was discovered that she had contracted a dreadful disease
from the prisoner.
The Learned JUDGE, in addressing the Jury, told them
that there was a vulgar prejudice in the minds of persons
in the prisoner's state of disease, which too often induced
them to commit the crime with which he was charged.
The prisoner was found Guilty, and sentenced to one
year's imprisonment and hard I ibour.
PARKeS V. MOORE.
This was an action brought by the plaintiff, who is a
tailor, to recover compensation for the illegal distraining
his goose by the defendant.
Mr. Serjeant LUDLOW said that the plaintiff was a
tailor, carrying on a prosperous business at Blackney, in
th s county, but who had the misfortune to be the tenant
of the defendant, who, when his rent was only due five
days, in the most heard-hearted manner seized one of the
most important implements of his trade—his goose.—
(Laughter.)
Mr. Justice BOSANQULT supposed that it was for
seizing the goose that the present action was brought.
Mr. Serjeant LUDLOW said that it was. When the
distress was put in, it would be shown that the defendant
actually seized the goose at the very time the plaintiff was
operating with it. There were ample goods on the pre.
rnises to satisfy the distress. This the defendant had no
right to do, and the plaintiff therefore sought compensa-
tion for the serious inconvenience he had been put to by
the loss of his goose.
James Boyce stated that he had been employed by the
defendant to make a distress on the goods of the plaintiff.
This was on the 29th of December last. The defendant
gave a written authority to distrain the plaintiff's goods:
the authority was lost. The demand was 121. 10s. The
plaintiff was a tailor. He went to his house, and began
making an inventory of the goods. While another man
was taking them, the women were throwing them out of
the window, and carrying them away in their aprons.
Among the things which he took was a tailor's goose out
of the garret. The plaintiff was in the kitchen when
he saw him, but he did not think he was in the house
when he seized the goose. The goose was not in use
above stairs ; the shopboard was below. The value of the
goose was about 2s.
Mr. TALFOURD, for the defendant, said, that from the•
manner in which the case had been opened by his Learned
Friend, who introduced it with all "the pride and pomp
of circumstance," he thought that the plaintiff had been
one of the Commissioners for the regulation of the forest
of Dean, where this cause had taken its rise, for in this
case he magnified tailors into men, and their geese into
most important personages ; he submitted to the Jury
whether the Learned Serjeant had made out any case for
his client.
Verdict for the defendant.
The cholera is on the decrease here, there being only
three new cases these two days, and one death.