The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-06 00:00:00

COURT OF EXCISE,

(Before. Captain PERCY, J. F. STEPEENEION, Esq., and
T. HARRISON,•Esq.)
ADULTERATION Or BEER.—Richard Knock, of the
White Hart public-house, White Hart-yard, Drury-lane,
was charged upon information with adulterating his beer.
John Austin, supervisor of Excise, stated that on the
10th of August last he went, in company with Mr.
Butler, another officer, to the house of defendant, and
requested to examine his stock of spirits. He went into
the cellar, and on the top of one of the ale casks he found
a tap-tub containing liquor. He tasted it and found that
it was sweet, with a little undissolved sugar in it. He
called Mrs. Knock, who said that the ale being hard she
had put 3lbs. of coarse sugar into it. He collected the
contents of the tub in a bottle (produced), which is very
sweet, and took samples of the beer.
Mrs. Knock remarked that although she had told the
officer she had sweetened the beer, such was not the case,
as she was so nervous she scarcely knew what she said.
She then called a servant girl to prove that she never put
.anything but finings into the beer, and that the tub found
.by the officers was used in the making of elder wine.
The.CorruT considered the case proved, and fined the
defendant in the mitigated penalty of 101.
SUNDAY MORNING DRAM-SELLERS.—Josiah Campbell
Pegg, owner of a small garden near the Bee Hire,
Newington, was charged with retailing spirituous li-
quors, beer, and tobacco, without license.
Two officers of Excise proved being served at a cottage
in defendant's garden with beer, spirits, and tobacco.
Other persons were present smoking and &inking. They
were charged at the same rate as in the houses of licensed
victuallers.
A solicitor addressed the Court for the defendant, but
iri his address admitted all and even more than had been
proved by the officers, and was told by the Court that he
had seriously damaged the case of his client.
The Court inflicted a penalty of 201.-71. for beer, 104
for spirits, and 31. for tobacco.
IMPORTANT DECISION.—Thomas Brady, keeper of the
tap of the Black Lion, Water-lane, Fleet-street, was
charged with selling liquors, &c, without license.
The defendant pleaded that he sold under the license
of the keeper of the Black Lion Hotel, which the Court
declared to be altogether illegal, and fined him in the pe-
nalty of 25/.

.ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
ROME ClRCUlT.—Chelmsford, Dec. 5.
(Before Mr. Justice WILLIAM.)
William Suckamore, aged 18, was indicted for a
felonious assault' upon Eliza Juniper.
Mr. J. D. Chambers conducted the prosecution, and
Mr. Marsh defended the prisoner.
The circumstances under which the charge was
brought against the prisoner were of a most aggra-
vated character. It appeared that the prosecutrix,
who is between forty and fifty years of age, and the
wife of a Jebourer at Great Stambridge, in this county,
was going home from church, accompanied by her
son, a lad ten years old, in the middle of the day, in
August last, when she was met by the prisoner, who
accosted 'her, and asked what o'clock it was ? She
replied that it was half-past one ; to which he an-
swered, " There is time, I will," and immediately
thrust the prosecutrix into a ditch, and there, with
great violence, and in the presence of her son, com-
mitted the offence imputed to hint.
The jury-. fOund the prisoner. Guilty.
Mr. Justice W.u.ulats, in passing sentence, ob-
styed, that he did not recollect ever having heard
ora tnore aggravated-case than the present ; and
but a short time ago, tie prisoner's' life would un-
doubtedly haVe been forfeited: The Legislature had
abolished the penalty of death in such cases, but it
gave the Court no discretion to pass any other sen-
tence than the one he was about to pronounce, which
was, that the prisoner be transported for the term of
his natural life.. •

Just as the Court was about to rise, Mr, RODWELL
resumed his application on behalf of Miss Richardson
for a postponement of the trial until the next Assizes,
and he put in the affidavits of two medical gentlemen,
to the. ,effect that she was suffering under severe ill-
ness, and was not in a condition to attend the present
Assizes' on that account.
Mr. RYLAND, on the part of the prosecution, said
that the affidavits. appeared to refer to some former
illness, which information must have been derived
from the statement of other. persons. If; however,
the Court thought they were sufficient, he, of course,
would not oppose the postponement. He would merely
suggest, that as there was a probability that one of the
parties to the recognisances might proceed to India,
the amount of the bail ought to be increased.
Mr. RODWELL said the first question to be dis-
posed of was, whether the: trial should be postponed
or not.
Mr: Justice WILLIAAIS consented to the postpone-
ment of the trial until the Spring Assizes, and the
subject then dropped.

SOUTH WALES CIRCUIT.--Chester, Dec. 4.
(Before Mr. Baron GuRNEY.)
Baron, who appears to be labouring un-
dertake take his seat this morning
until T
ih nead Learned
ifsosmiLlp ,did n
no u tesbef
00
tr e
ten ;
and at four in the after-
noon his Lordship suddenly adjourned, to the surprise
of the Bar, although, in order to deliver the gaol pre-
vious to the time fixed for the sitting at Liverpool (Mon-
day next), it is quite evident much longer sitting care
required. The grand jury did not separate until nearly
six o'clock, haying, we understand, completed their busi-
ness ;- but the bills laid befOre them iu the halter part of
the day not having been brought into Court, of course it
cannot be known whether they are true bills or not, and
very considerable anxiety prevails on the subject, as it
was understood the case of Winterbottom would be
called on the first to-morrow. A great number of wit-
nesses, gentlemen of the legal profession, have arrived in
town, including Mr. Bush, of London, who is solicitor
for the prosecution.
William Williams, an elderly looking respectable man,
pleaded guilty to an indictment, charging him with in-
termarrying with Maria Furness during the lifetime of
his former wife. The prisoner stated in mitigation, that
shortly after his first marriage he enlisted into the army,
and was out of the country for many years. On being
discharged lie came home, and found his wife married to
another man, with whom she had cohabited for a period
of thirteen years. Being ignorant of the law, and wish-
ing for a home, he thought there was no harm in again
marrying.
The Learned JUDGE told him the misconduct of his
wife was no excuse for his crime, and sentenced him to
four months' imprisonment and hard labour.

MIDLAND ClRCUlT.—Leicester, Dec. 5.
The Commissions for the county and borough of Lei-
cester were opened this day at an early hour, after which
his Lordship proceeded to church to hear Divine service.
The calendar for the county contains some serious
cases, such as two cases of manslaughter, one for bigamy,
one for sacrilege, one for highway robbery, several bur-
glaries, and two cases forcutting and maiming. In the
borough there are seven indictments. -
A man, named Chafer,
,was convicted of assaulting and
wounding Edward Turner; and sentenced to six months'
imprisonment' and bard labour.