The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-14 00:00:00

CRIMINAL COURT—(This day).

The December session of the Central Criminal
Court was opened at the Old Bailey this morning.
The first edition of the calendar contains the
names of 79 prisoners, and the offences are thus
classified :—Burglary, 9 ; feloniously uttering coun-
terfeit coin, 18 ; embezzlement, 1; forgery, 7 ; horse
stealing, 1 ; larceny, 14 ; larceny from the person,
3 ; murder, 1; feloniously attempting to murder,
3 ; misdemeanour, 5 ; rape, 4 ; feloniously receiv-
ing stolen goods, 1; robbery with violence, 9; ware-
house breaking, 1; and feloniously wounding, 1.
The Recorder, in charging the grand jury,
stated that there were fewer cases than usual to be
disposed of, in consequence of the short time' that
had elapsed since last session. There was a charge
against a mother of having murdered her child,
aged three weeks. There was also a charge of
forging a will against a person named John
Spong, and the circumstances were of a very pecu-
liar character• The genuine will, which was at-
tempted to be set aside, was executed in 1814. The
Recorder then referred to some other cases, and the
jury thereafter retired to their room.

MARICE 7 S-2 Ills DAY.

TAE GREAT CHRISTMAS CATTLE MARKET.

The past season has been most unfavourable for
the production of live stock of all kinds. The pro-
tracted drought of great severity, such as has not
been experienced for many years, has been most
prejudicial to the interests of our breeders and
graziers, and led during the summer mouths to an
immense slaughter of half fat stock.
In point of numbers the fal ing off in the cattle
was very perceptible, amounting to some 2,000
head as compared with last year. The collection
was, however, tolerably even, and comprised a fair
proportion of very prime qualities of beef in every
way suitable to the requirements of the period.
The trade was not say brisk, but there was a
fair current inquiry, and the prices realised were
generally about 2d per stone above those of the
grand day last year. The following are the num-
bers of cattle at market, with the current rates on
the grand days for the past six years :

Year. Beasts. Price.
1868 ... 6,300 3s 6d to 5s 8d
1867 ... 8,110 as 4d to 5s Gd
186 G ... 7,340 ... 3s 8d to 5s 6d
1565 ... 7,530 3s 4d to 5s 4d
1864 7,130 . 3s 8d to 53 8d
1863 10370 as 6d to 5s 2d

The number of sheep on show was smaller even
for au ordinary market, but there was that selection
of prime qualities that gave it the wonted Christ -
mas character. There was a good though not a
large selection of Downs, and among them some of
very superior condition and quality. There was
an improved demand compared with last week,
and generally prices were fairly supported. 5s 4d
and 5s 6d were the current top figures, with
5s 5d in some few instances. The following were
the numbers of sheep and current rates at the
Grand Markets for thre years : _ _

Years. Sheep. Prices.
1868 19,100 3s 6d to 5s 8d
1867 '20,840 ... 4s Od to 6s 4d
1866 ... 19,120 4s Od to 6s Od

Paid. Closing Business
hare Railways. Prise. den&
st Bristol and Exeter ...... 100 76 78
at Caledonian ... 100 731 74
st Cambrian. ...... 100 20 30
20 Cornwall .. .. all 31 31
at Dublin & Belfast Juno... 100 77 78
at Dan,Xerth, & Ab.Junc... 100 71 72
2 East London all 7 9
20 Do 15
27 Do 10
at Glasgow &S. Western lOO 91 02
st Great Eastern .. ,00 411 421 411
et Do. E. Angl. No. 2 lOO 7 8 71
et Great North of Scotland lOO 15 6
st Great Northern lOO 106 107
' at Do. A stock lOO 1071 10r1
st Do. B stook lOO 124 126
at GtS, and W. of Ireland lOO 00 97
a. Gt. Weatern -Original lOO 481 4.1 481
,t Do. South Wales lOO 55 58
s Do. W. Mid.—Uatorc lOO '.45 z 8
at Do. Newport lOO 26 11
et Laneusliirea lorkahtra lOO 128 i2tf 127$
at Lon., Brigli.,Zt S. Coast lOO 4b iBl
10, Do Scrip all
et I on., Chat., anti Dove, Lou 17;
Do. Aletrop. Ex. A lOO -
A Lon. tit A unit Wit:raw , lOO 112 .12i
et Lou. south Wester,— Lou b 7 all
et Man., Bhef., Lincoln ltai 173 48
at Metropolitan ...
at Do Extensi.in 10) 1,8 1 a 98} 781
10 vu. New r 10 1, 1
st Mei,ropolitan District. all
10 Metrop. at. Joan's oo 1 6 -
at M anti
at Do, tiirmiu. Dat U: lOO 75 51
at N aitli British . ...... 100 12 13
at Do. Ed., I'th., & Duo leo
01
2a
.t) oIr).0a.: s. t
Ne
puerrotiv,i,ieb 160.103.1 1/_:, 10_
at Do Leeds
st Du York
at Do Carlii
at Do Slue t. Ztik 10 117 1149
at North Lon ton
10 Do New 18f8 . 2 2 p
at North Staffordshire.... 100 14 81
at North and S.-W. Junction too 103 105
10 Do New £lO shares 7 ...
at Rhymney
st Shropshire Union 1"0 61 b 5
at Solna Devon
at South Eastern lOO 74 80
2U Staines, Wok'ham, di Wok all 14 13
81 tau s ale lt.) 185 15e
0 Do. G
st Waterford & Kilkenny lou
10 Waterloo At Whiteha.l 6