The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-09 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE,.
COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Dec. 7.
RING V. 8/RSON.

Mr. Justice MLLE summed up very tolnutely. He
said that the plaintiff was entitled to a verdict in what
damages they might think sufficient, for 'the arrest after
he had been put out of the defendant's house, as he had
done nothing to justify that course. But as to what
had taken place within the house, they must con-
sider whether the conduct of the plaintiff in th• par-
lour had been, as was alleged, so disorderly as to
warrant the landlord in removing him. For that was
the defendant's plea, and not that the plaintiff was
ejected in consequence of the offence for which he had
suffered imprisonment. The Learned Judge agreed with
Mr. Sergeant Talfourd, that it would be hard if a man,
having atoned for his fault according to the laws of his
country, should be infamous for life,and be prevented from
returning to an honest course of life. But that question
did not arise, as the defendant had pleaded in justifica-
tion only the disorderly conduct of the plaintiff in the
house, and not his previous character, although the latter
had been referred to by counsel on both sides.
The jury retired to consider their verdict, and after
deliberating about three hours, found for the plaintiff—
Damages, 205., on all counts.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
ROME ClRCUlT.—Chelmsford, Dec. 7.
(Before Mr. Justice Wimaasus.)
Sarah Jobsen, 14, was indicted for maliciously an
feloniously setting fire to a stack of straw, value 401.,
the property of William Bacon, at the parish of
Hempstead.
Mr. Ryland conducted the prosecution, and Mr.
C. Grey appeared for the prisoner.
The prosecutor deposed that he was a farmer, and
resided at Hempstead, in this county. The prisoner
was in his service as nursery-maid on the 16th of
August, and had lived with him for more than six
months in that capacity. About ten or eleven o'clock
in the morning of the day in question, he was out in
the field harvesting, when he observed some smoke in
the direction of his stack-yard, and, upon going there,
he found a stack of straw on fire, and it was com-
pletely consumed. The value of the stack was 401.
On the morning of the fire he had reprimanded the
prisoner for not paying proper attention to the chil-
dren. She did not make him any answer when he
spoke to her.
Harriet Stock, a servant in the employ of the pro-
secutor, proved that on the morning of the fire, and
just before it broke out, she saw the prisoner come in
a direction from the stack-yard, with her master's
baby in her arms. There had been a fire at the
neighbouring village of Blagden about a fortnight
before, and on the day it happened the prisoner
said she liked to see a good fire, and she should like
to see her master's place on fire, adding, that if the
straw was fired it would be sure to light the buildings.
On the day of the fire at the prosecutor's she told the
prisoner that the police had been there making
inquiries, and had asked some questions about her,
and on her saying this the prisoner appeared very
confased and walked away.
Catherine Rumball, another of the prosecutor's
servants, also proved that she saw the prisoner come
out of the stack-yard a very few minutes before the
stack burst into flames.

Thomas Moore, a police constable, deposed that he
apprehended the prisoner on the day of the fire, and
she took him to the place where the stack had stood,
and pointed out in the ashes where she first saw the
fire. The prisoner was taken before a magistrate the
next morning. Her mother was standing by her, and
she told her she was sure to go to prison, as she was
taken on suspicion of having caused the fire. The
prisoner replied, "Nobody saw me do it, although I
was in the stack-yard."
David Smith, an inspector of police, deposed that
the prisoner was placed in his charge after she had
been taken into custody, and he heard her say to a
woman named Rumball, who was sitting up with her,
" If I said I had lighted the fire, people would believe
me, but I am not so soft ; no one saw me do it, and
a they cannot hurt me." When the prisoner was be-
-35 fore the magistrate, she said she knew nothing about
42
the fire.
iblVi This was the case against the prisoner.

Mr. GNAT briefly addressed the jury, but the evi-
dence was too clear against the prisoner to give him
the least chance of doing so successfully.
Mr. Justice WILLIAMS summed up, and the jury,
after a short deliberation, returned a verdict of Guilty,
but at the same time strongly recommended the pri-
soner to mercy on account of her youth.
The Learned JUDGE ordered the prisoner to be
called up for judgment, and, after remarking that the
conduct of the prisoner evinced great malignity, said
he felt it his duty to sentence her to be transported for
fifteen years. He added that the recommendation of
the jury should be forwarded to the Secretary of
State, who might, if he pleased, direct the infliction
of a milder sentence.

Joseph Tunbridge, 20, John Hammond, 18, and
John Brown, 18, were indicted for a highway rob-
bery with violence, upon William Sorrell.
Mr. Ryland defended Brown and Hammond, and
Mr. Marsh appeared for Tunbridge.
From the evidence of the prosecutor and other
witnesses, it appeared that the prisoner resided at
Great Waltham, and on the evening of the 23d of
October he was at a public-house called the Six
Bells, n a neighbouring village. While he was
there he changed a sovereign, and the prisoners, who
were with him, saw the operation. He left to go
home at an early hour, and when he was about to
cross a stile leading to a place called Langley's Park,
-he was assailed by three men, who threw him down,
placed a handkerchief on his mouth, and then rifled
his pockets of all the money they contained. The
prosecutor swore positively to the identity of the
three prisoners as the men who so acted, but upon
cross-examination he admitted that he had accused
another person of committing the robbery, although
he was afterwards satisfied that he was mistaken.
His evidence was, hoirever, corroborated to a con-
siderable extent so far as it related to the prisoners
Tunbridge and Brown.
The jury found these prisoners 'guilty, and they
were sentenced to two years' imprisonment and hard
lalymr. Hammond was acquitted.
The prisoners Taylor and Hurrell, who were con-
victed on Thursday of sending a threatening letter to
a farmer named Miles, were brought up for judgment,
and sentenced to be transported for seven years ; and
thus concluded the business of the assize.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—York, Dec. 6.
(Before Mr. Justice COLERIDGE )
John 111‘Cann was to-day put upon his trial, charged
with the wilful murder of Benjamin Gott. Another
count in the indictment charged him with manslaughter.
This case must be even yet fresh in the recollection
of our readers, as it created at the time of its occurrence
considerable excitement.
Five other persons, named Rogan, O'Brien, Donovan,
Quin, and Power, who had been concerned in the
matter, were triad at the last assizes, and were convicted
of manslaughter ; but in consequence of some legal ob-
jections being raised to the form of the indictment,
judgment was_respited, and these persons are still in
custody. M‘Cann at that period was not apprehended.
Mr. Bliss and Mr. Overend were for the prosecution,
and the prisoner was defended by Mr. Wilkins.
The facts of the case were briefly narrated by Mr.
Bliss, and were as follows :—On Whit-Monday last,
the 27th of May, there had been a procession of Orange
lodges. On that occasion two bands were engaged, one
of which was called the Idle and Calverley band, and of
that band Gott (the deceased) was a musician. As they
I% ere passing through the town of Bradford, the band
playing certain tunes, and amongst others " the Boyne
Water," which gave great dissatisfaction to the Irish
population of the neighbourhood, who fancied also that
a still more offensive tune, called "Croppies, lie down,"
had been played. When the procession was over, and
the musicians were returning home in a straggling
manner, a number of Irishmen were seen coming behind
them, having sticks and other weapons in their hands,
and making use of threatening language. The Irishmen
commenced as attack, and the first thing they did was
to knock down the man who who was playing the drum.
They then fell on Gott, and from the violence that was
employed his death resulted. On a past mortem examin-
ation the deceased's skull was found to have been most
severely fractured, and death was attributed to that
cause. Amongst the people in the crowd was the pri-
soner, and he took an active part in the proceedings.
Thomas Thornton, the first witness, was undergoing
examination, when
Mr. WiLictsis said, he thought it would be idle for him
tfait
oon,
rfaaote attempthe
Justice
rhnttg hoiaese crmo,
oom bat the minor charge against the pri-
soner. He had read the depositions over twenty times,
ofc
momor.
LdfaetsnahtßnshilispeaD
gefxpihrreeteresbumirrms.iitesisfisnt
aiygennic,te.ws
sh Het
owpolue ladd,
guilty there-
addressed
alluded theto n jury,the
commencement of this report, and recommending them
to find the prisoner guilty of manslaughter.
The jury, without hesitation, pronounced the prisoner
Guilty of Manslaughter, and sentence was deferred till
the opinion of the fifteen judges could be had upon the
legal objections before referred to.
John Critchlow and William Bolton were next placed
at the bar, charged with having on the 25th of August
last., at Sheffield, feloniously and unlawfully attempted
to destroy a certain steam-engine, by the explosion of a
large quantity of gunpowder, the property of John
Wilson, Thomas Dunn, William Jeffcock, and George
Hounsfield.
This case would have been tried yesterday, but Mr.
whole
hebehalf
jury.
o Af the
fresh
jury
watshn oje
this bin eecrtedn n
gt oetmh e.
pannelled for the trial of the prisoners.
Mr. Wilkins, Mr. Overend, and Mr. Smith were for
the prosecution; and Mr. Grainger was for the defence.
The prosecutors in this case were some of the largest
coal-pit owners in the neighbourhood of Sheffield. In
the month of May last there was a general " turn out "
of the colliers in that part of England, and the prose-
cutors' pits had been unworked from May until the date ,
of this occurrence, in August. Towards the end of
August there were symptoms of returning good sense on
the part of the men, and on the 26th it was determined
that some of them at least should return to their work.
At the mouth of the pit there was, as is frequently the
case, a steam-engine, worked for the purpose of hauling '
up the coal, as well as of letting persons in and out of w
the pit as occasion might require. WWI; as the engine I