The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-23 00:00:00

SPRING ASSIZES.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—APPLEBY, FEB. 21.
The learned judges of this circuit took their seats
on the bench at the Court-house at 10 o'clock this
morning, the commission having been opened by
Mr. Justice Byles on Saturday afternoon. Mr.
Justice Willes did not arrive from Lancaster until
late last night.
There was one cause in the list, and the calendar
contained the names of six prisoners—an unusual
assize for Appleby.

CROWN COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice Byles.).
George Parkin, aged 26, was indicted for the
manslaughter of George Copstick, at Knock, on
the 26th September last.
The Hon. A. Liddell and Mr. Brett appeared for
the prosecution ; Mr. Scott defended the prisoner.
The prisoner, it appeared, is a cripple, having a
withered leg, and carrying a crutch, and is a tailor
by trade. The deceased was a labourer, and a young
man of 20 years of age, living at Long Marston.
It appeared that the prisoner and several other
young men had been drinking at a publiclouse,
where a quarrel arose between him and a young
man named Mason, when the prisoner used his
crutch to Mason and Mason gave in. The deceased
then went up to the prisoner and asked him for a
subscription towards some country games. The
prisoner said he had not a sixpence, and the de-
ceased made use of.somo coarse. observation, which
was retorted by the prisoner. After leaving the
public-house Mason reported to the deceased some-
thing the prisoner had said about him, and the
deceased then walked up to where the prisoner was
sitting on a wall, and asked him what he meant, at
the same time seizing him by the collar. The pri-
soner again used provoking expressions to the de-
ceased, who said, " If thou was not a cripple I would
th rash thee." The prisoner answered by saying,
If thou does not leave off I will fell thee." The
deceased then caught hold of the prisoner's leg, and
the prisoner raised. his crutch; which was shod with
iron, and dealt the deceased a blow with it on the
head, which knocked him down. When the de-
ceased got up he staggered against a wall and offered
to fight the prisoner, but staggered about and walked
away with some other young men. On the 7th of
October he complained of his head, and feeling
giddy and sick, Mr. Armstrong, a surgeon, was
called in to attend him, but, he became worse, had
convulsions, and died on the 31st Oct. There was
a cut on his left temple, under which the bone was
dead, and after death, on remouing the scalp, an
abscess was found ,in the brain under the injury,
which had been the cause of death.
For the defence it was contended that the injury
had been received when the deceased staggered
against the wall; and further that the prisoner had
not used more violence than was necessary to rid
himself from the attacks of the deceased.
His Lordship, having summed up, left it to the
jury to say whether it was necessary for the pri-
soner to strike the deceased on the head with this
formidable ironshod-weapon to rid himself of the
deceased. If it was not, they ought to find the
prisoner guilty. As to the first point raised, it was
contrary to the evidence.
The jury found the prisoner guilty.
His Lordship sentenced him to two months' im-
prisonment without hard labour.