The Sun.
London, England, 1832-01-07 00:00:00

' of perpetration, and very difficult to detect.
The persons who commit it have not evert
the common excuse that criminals make to theM-
selves, that they are led into the commission of the
offence to relieve their necessities, but these are ac-
tuated by a deliberate and malignant feeling, for no
other purpose but to gratify their private malice or
revenge, and to do an injury to others for the mere
sake of mischief and distinction, or to excite terror
and alarm. Some years ago these private burnings
of agricultural produce were of rare occurrence, but
they have lately increased to a most alarming extent,
and if they should still increase, the consequences
may become most awful, and considering the mys-
y and obscurity in which these acts of incer•
diarism are involved, it is of the utmost importance
to use the most active endeavours to detect the per-
petrators, and to prevent the recurrence of these
destructive outrages. The law as applicable to
those cases is in the 17th sec. of the 7th and Bth of
Geo. IV., c. 30, by which it is enacted, that " if
any person shall unlawfully and maliciously set tire
to any stack of corn, grain, pulse, straw, hay, or
wood, every such offender should be guilty of felony,
and being convicted thereof shall suffer death as a
felon ; and if any person shall unlawfully and mali-
ciously set fire to any crop of corn, grain, or pulse,
whether standing or cut down, or to any part of a
wood, coppice, or plantation of trees, or to any
heath, gorse, furze, or fern, wheresoever the same
may be going, every such offender shall be guilty of
felony, and on being convicted thereof shall be
liable, at the discretion of the Court, to be trans-
ported beyond the seas for the term of seven years,
or to be imprisoned for any term not exceeding two
years, and if a male to be once, twice, or thrice
publicly whipped (if the Court should so think fir)
in addition to such imprisonment." The charge against
each of these prisoners is for the capital offence.
The Learned Judge then proceeded to direct the
attention of the Grand Jury to the other cases in the
calendar, particularly those of rape on two children,
and another offence, on which he stated what the
law was. It is unnecessary to state why we do not
go farther into detail on this part of the charge.
As soon as the Learned Judge had concluded
the Grand Jury retired to their room, and the Court,
after calling over the common Jury list, adjourned to
half-past three o'clock.

Grand
Juryafter the
sentd
re-assemblingow n
truebills
against
o ft eGeorge
Court, the
Beck, aged 20; George Hcarson, 22; Adam Wag-
staffe, 25; Henry Lindley, 19; Henry King, 17;
John Forman, 23; John Armstrong, 26; William
Kitchen, 26; David Thurman, 26 ; Thomas Shel-
ton, 38; William Hitchcock, 33; and Thomas
Grundy* (age not stated), for setting fire to the silk-
mill at Beeston, the property of Mr. Lowe.
Another bill was returned against the same par-
ties, for demolishing the same mill.
Also a third bill, for demolishing the machinery
in the same mill.
The Court then adjourned to to-morrow morning
at half-past eight, when the prisoners above named
will be given in charge on the first indictment. It
is expected this case Will last the whole of the day,
and to a late hour in the evening.
The case for the Crown will be conducted by Mr.
Gurney and Mr. Clarke. Mr. Tallents is acting as
Crown Solicitor, in the absence of Mr. Maule, who
is engaged at the Commission at Bristol.

* The case of Grundy was somewhat singular. He was
brought in here yesterday from Derby, charged with being en-
gaged in the riots, but the evidence against him not being satis-
factory he was discharged out of custody. In the interim two
witnesses came forward, who swore positively that he was one of
the parties actively engaged in the destruction of the mill at
Bveston. Officers were again despatched after him, and at five
o'clock this morning he was once more taken into custody and
lodged in gaol, where he now is, with three bills of indictment,
for distinct capital felonies, foundi against him.