The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-05 00:00:00

1 ce that the keepers of
It appeared by the evidence
ell House, sere out watching
Colonel Tynte, of Hosw
of December last. At about
on the night of the Ist
the prisoner was undefended.
twelve o'clock at night they heard a gun fired in the
copse of Colonel Tynte, in which game was
wardpre-
served ; they made to
• 8 the copse, when they ob-
served three men come out of it and go towards
another wood where there were pheasants. The
keepers made towards the copse in two parties, when
they observed one of the men fire at a pheasant in a
tree, it being a fine moonlight night. They made
towards the poachers, when a scuffle ensued, and the
prisoner struck Tropnell, one of the keepers, several
times over the head with a large stick, drawing blood
from three wounds. lle was, however, overpowered
and secured, with another of the poachers.
The prisoner was found Guilty of a common as-
sault. Sentence deferred, a true bill having been
found against him and the others for night poaching.
NISI PRIUS COURT.
The civil business was all concluded last night,
having occupied only two days. Only nine causes
were named fir trial ; of these five were undefended,
one was withdrawn, one was an action of slander, in
which a verdict was consented to, and an apo!ogy
made; and the other two were cases of Rot the
slightest public interest. Never was known such on
assiz in Sornersetshire. In olden time 40 or 50
causes were the smallest number entered ; and within
the last seven years we have never known less than
20. Either the county courts, or some other unex,
plained cause, must have created this state of things.
(Before Mr. Justice TALFOURD.)
James Sutton, John Poole, John Home, and James
Davis,th a riot and an assault upon
aconstable
charged
execution of his duty.
l‘
counsel for the prosecution ; Mr.
T. Saunders
The facts of the case were, that on the 'Bth of
Eibruary, whilst the prisoners, who were apparently
vsvito e reen i n
les
e thended
the prisoner.
very respectable young men, were drinking at a
public-house at Luxborough, in this eounty, a dis-
pute arose between oue of them and another person,
whereupon they commenced fighting, and upon a
constable being called in they not only did not desist,
but the constable himself was several times knocked
down in the row. 'll4 fighting was afterwards con-
tinued outsHe the house, and many of the windows
of the inn were broken.
Mr. T. W. SAUNDERS, on the part of the prisoners,
expressed their sJrrow for the violence they had used,
and his own regret that some more rational means of
enjoyment were not afforded to young men in coun-
try places than those which presented themselves in
public houses, wherein, from the habits of drunken-
ness they were tempted to acquire, the worst evils fre-
quently followed.
The jury having returned a verdict of Guilty,
Mr. Justice TaLrotan, after expressing
his grief
at seeing four respectable young men placed in such
a situation, and hoping that they would be more pru-
dent for the future, sentenced Sutton to be impri-
soned for six weeks, and each of the others to one
month each, and to enter into their own recognizances
to keep the peace fora twelvemonth.

NORFOLK ClßCUlT.—Norwich, April 3. •
The commissions for this city and the county of
Norfolk were opened yesterdayfrom by the Learned
Judges, who arrived by train
Bury direct
on the newly-opened portion of the Eastern Union
Railway.
The county cause list contains 20 causes, 9 of
which are " certioraried" indictments, and one
special jury cause.
The city boasts an entry of two causes only.
The calender for the county contains 60 prisoners,
including 1 serious case of night-poaching, involving
8 prisoners, 7 cases of arson, 1 of forgery, 2 of per-
jury, 1 of Manslaughter
opium, 7 cases cf burglary, 1 of attempt to murder,
1 of embezzlement, 5 charges of rape, and a variety
CROWN by the negligent sale of
of minor offences.
COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice
WIG EITAIAN.)
John Rowland, aged 18, was charged with felo-
niously setting fire to a stack of straw at Worsted,
the property of John Fusee.
Mr. Palmer appeared on behalf of the prosecution ;
Mr. 11, Miles defended the prisoner.
It appeared from the evidence of the various wit-
nesses that the prisoner and one Woodhouse had been
drinking in a public-house at North Walsham, a
place about four miles from Worsted. They left to-
gether at about eleven o'clock, and went along the
road, which passes about thirty yards from the stack.
Woodhouse outwalked the prisoner, and when the
former passed the stack was safe, but in about a
quarter of an hour afterwards the alarm of fire Was
given. Woodhouse went to the fire. After the fire
was over Woodhouse was again with the prisoner
near the prisoner's house, when in answer to a ques-
tion put by Woodhouse, as to who could have lit the
fire, the prisoner anawered, "I did it." Woodhoule
took no notice of this conversation at the tine, but
reported it to the prosecutor the next morning, and
the prisoner was apprehen led on the charge, and
when in custody he said that after he had parted
company the previous evening with Woodhouse, he
had gone into the stockyard and set fire to the stack
with a match.

Mr AIILES addressed the jury on behalf of the
prisoner, and called wituesbei to the prisoner's dm-

racier.

MS LORDSHIP having su►nmed up,
Tne jury, ufter some consideration, returned a
verdict of Guilty, but rL coinmenr!ed the prisoner to

mercy.
Mr. Justice WicwrmaN—Oo what ground, gen-
tlemen ?

The foreman, much puzzled, replied, "On the
grounds that we think the evidence not sufficient."
Mr. Mir.rs submitted that this was in effect an ac-
quittal, but
His Lortnsnie again addressed them, and saying
that if it was their unanimous opinion that the evi-
dence was not sufficient they must acquit the prisoner
and say not guilty, desired them to consider ther ver-
dict again.

and the worse than useless, and this exhibition would
serve to show who the parties were that composed
these three classes. He was an utilitarian,
and valued that man, rnost who was the
most useful, and the exhibition would enable him to
distinguish between the useless and the useful. Some
men were •in the habit of writing letlers after th it
names, such as F.R.S., which an Irishman inter-
preted as a fellow remarkably stupid.— (A
laugh.) He hoped this exhibition would give rise to
a new order who should be entitled to write U. M. S.
after their names as representing the useful
members of society.—(A laugh.) Some of
the speakers who had gone before him had
talked about conciliating the working classes to-
wards this movement ; but for his part he thought it
was the higher orders of society who would have to
be conciliated, for the workman would comprehend
and understand the exhibition, while the aristocrat
would experience some difficulty in understanding it.
—(A laugh.) However, it was his belief that it
would benefit all from the prince to the peasant, and
it should, therefore, have his best support.
The resolution was supported by other speakers and
carried unanimously.
A resolution was passed, directing the committee
to convene an evening meeting of the inhabitants,
and thanks having been voted to the Chairman, the
proceedings terminated.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
WESTERN CIRCUIT.— aunton, April 3.
CROWN couRT.--(Before Mr. Justice EItLE.)
Francis Kirk was indicted for fel )niously cutting
and wounding Luke Collins, at West Hatch, on the
20th of March.
Mr. Lopes was counsel for the prosecution.
It appeared by the evidence that the prisoner was a
labourer in the employ of the prosecutor. On the
20th of March the prosecutor met the prisoner in one
of his fields, carrying a winnowing machine. He
spoke to him, and asked him why he had not cleaned
out the barn, as he had told him. The prisoner re-
plied that he had commenced doing it, but French,
another labourer in the prosecutor's employ, had
called him away to do something else. The prose-
cutor answered, " that if he did not do what he told
him he had better go home." The prisoner replied,
" D— your eyes!—you make nothing of telling a
person to go home." He then dropped the machine
he was carrying, and took a pick. He then said,
" I'll go home with you." He then made a blow at
the prosecutor's head with the pick, which struck him
on the arm. He then made a second blow at him,
which broke his arm ; a fourth blow struck him on
the head, cut it open, and felled him to the ground,
and rendered him senseless. When the prosecutor
came to himself he found the prisoner still striking
him, and swearing that he would kill him. The pro-
secutor managed to get up and run away. The
prisoner followed him and continued to strike him
with the pick; but at last some men came to the pro-
secutor's assistance, and the prisoner was taken into
surgeon was called, who proved the extent of
cuAstod.
the injuries which the prosecutor had received. His
life was endangered for some days. He appeared in
court with his head and arm bandaged up, and seemed
to be in a very weak state.
The prisoner was found Guilty.
Mr. Justice ERLF, in sentencing him, said that
many cases had been before him on this circuit, but
none had been marked by such malignant violence as
that exhibited by the prisoner in the present case. He
had not only struck the prosecutor with such violence
as to break his arm and cut open his head, but when
he was endeavouring to make his escape, he had fol-
lowed him and repeated his violence. He ordered
him to be transported for ten years.
John Lewis was indicted for cutting and wounding
George Tropnell, with intent to do him seine grievous
bodily harm.
Mr. H. T. Cole was counsel for the prosecution ;