The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-09 00:00:00

WESTERN CIRCUIT. —SALISB 0 RY, March 8.

Lord Chief Justice Cockburn and Mr. Justice
Williams arrived here on Saturday afternoon from
Winchester. Their Lordships were met at the
South-Western Railway station by the High Sheriff
(Alfred Morrison, Esq., of M o LI-Will) and the usual
officials, and at once proceeded to the Assize
Courts, wheie the commission was opened in due
fo'rm.

In the evening the learned judges dined with the
Lord Bishop at the diocesan palace. There were
about 40 other guests.
On Sunday morning their lordships, accompanied
by the mayor and corporation, attended divine ser-
vice at the cathedral, where the assize sermon was
preached by time Rev. Mr. Glossop, sheriff's chap-
lain, from the 7th veras of the 18th chapter of St.
Matthew.

The recent winter assize bas tended very much
to diminish the business to be transaated at these
ass; zes. The calendar contains the names of only
about 30 prisoners, and the cause list betokens
still less employmmt for the gentlemen of the bar.
there being only one or two entries.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT—Dimuwi, March 6.
CROWN COllRT.—(Before Mr. Baron Martin.)
Mr. Baron Martin took his seat this morning at
9 o'clock, when a case of child murder, in which
the unfortunate perpetrator of the crime was an
idiot, was proceeded with.
Ellen Kent, 18, single woman, whose idiotic ap-
pearance created much commiseration in a crowded
ourt, was indicted upon a coroner's inquisition for
the wilful murderof her male infant, Edward Kent,
at. Sacriston, in the month of Dec., 1856.
The learn-d judge, on the prisoner being placed
in the dock, directed that the ju'yshould be sworn
to decide whether or not she was sufficiently sane
to be 'accountable far her acts, and the gaol surgeon,
Mr. Shaw, having been examined as to this mat-
ter, and having deposed that the prisoner was quite
insane, the jury decided to that effect. Baron Mar-
tin then directed that the prisoner should be re-
tained in the prison awaiting directions for her dis-
posal from the Secretary of State for the Home
Department.
C. Hemsley, 44, single woman, was indicted on a
coroner's inquisition for having on the 11th Feb.,
wilfully murdered her female child, Jane Hemsley.
Mr. Davison and Mr. Fowler stated the case for
the prosecution. The prisoner was undefended.
It appeared from the evidence that the prisoner
was delivered of a female child on the 11th of Jan ,
and on the day named in the indictment she left
the house of her soa with the infant at the breast,
for the purpose of proceeding to her daughter's, at
Hounsgill. However, when she arrived at the lat-
ter place she was alone. The child was subse-
quently found naked in a stream near Hoimsgill,
its clothes being buried in a spoil-heap about 1,200
yards from the Hounsgill station. The surgeon
deposed that the child died from exposure. When
apprehended by police-constable Newsham the
daughter put her arms round the prisoner's neck,
crying, "Oh, canny mother, did you do it ?—did
you do it ?" The prisoner answered, "Yes, I did
it. I did it myself."
Baron Martin interrupted the policeman at this
point by saying, sharply, " The next time a daugh-
ter goes to see a mother under such circumstances.
I pray you not to listen." _

The Prisoner, in defence, denied the truth of the
charge.

Baron Martin, in summing up, said there would
not have been a case had it not been for the evi-
dence of Newsham, which was not on the deposi-
tions. The prisoner had Mated to the magistrates
that she had left the child at its father's, and it was
for the jury to say whether they really believed
she voluuttrily stripped the child and left it to
perish ; or whether, as she stated, she left it in the
hope and expectAtion that some one might take it
up and take care of it.
After a short deliberation the jury returned a
verdict of not guilty.
Thomas WilliamA, 27, sailor, Thomas Fisher, 24,
sailor, and Patrick O'Connor, '25, sailor, charged
with a garotte robbery at St. Andrew's, Auckland,
in November last, were severally sentenced to
twenty years' transportation.
This concluded the criminal business of the
assize.

Names of
Companies.

Price.'

GIA
430

Dividend Amount
per I

Annum.

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