The Sun.
London, England, 1826-07-31 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

. _ .
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, Juvr 29.
(RECEIVED THIS mai:4nm)
William Little was put to the bar, eipitallY
indicted for
that he, unlawfully, did obtain, seeu4 and siabezzle, and
secrete a certain proMissory notei of the value of
37/. 13s. 4d. with intent to cheat and defraud his eredi-
tors, being at the time a bankrupt, and well knowing the
same to be their property.—He pleaded Not Guilty.
Mr. Archbold opened the case, and •
Mr. Scarlett stated the facts to the Jury, and said that
the prisoner at the bar had been one of a firm which had
carried on the business of drapers in Newcastle and York-
shire. That firm was under the names of Cato, Little,
and Leverne, and had existed in repute until of late, when
their establishment became affected, and a decline of their
credit led to a bankruptcy. The several partners of that
establishment had carried on branch establishments from
it, one of which was conducted by the prisoner ; and it
would be proved, that after he had committed an act of
bankruptcy, he had obtained this promissory note, and
applied the proceeds to his own use. (The prisoner at
this moment sunk to the ground in a swoon). The Judge
'ordered restoratives, but their application having no
effect, he was taken from the Court in the arms of the
turnkeys, and being attended by a medical man, was in a
quarter of an hour so sufficiently recovered, as to be ena-
bled to enter the Court : he was indulged with a chair,
but lie seemed very unwell, and much shocked at his si-
tuation.

The Counsel for the prosecution then called Mr. Wil-
son, the attorney for the creditors, and he produced the
various notices, records, and proceedings upon the suing
out, opening, and the proceedings of the commission of
bankruptcy. Upon these tioeumtnts an immensity of
legal objections were aken.by Mr. Jones and Mr. Alder-
son. However, the Learned Judge over-ruled all the ob-
jections, and directed the production of the copy of the
minutes of the Commissioners, upon which this charge
was grounded.
This document, after half an hour's search, could not
be found.

Mr. Justice Park, after making some very strong re-
marks upon the negligence of the attorney, and as the case
could not go on without this document, was just directing
the jury to acquit the prisoner, when •
Mr. Archbold exclaimed—" Here it is, my Lord,"
Mr. Justice Park—Oh, have you found it ?
Mr: Archbold.—Yes, my Lord, in the very last place
I should expect to meet it.
Mr. Justice Park.—Very likely. Had the finding of it
been a minute later, it would have availed you nothing,
as the prisoner would have been acquitted and discharged
from that bar.

The case then went on, until at length it was stopped
before the documentary evidence had concluded, by the
persevering ability of Mr. Jones, who discovered that an
adjourned meeting of the commissioners and assignees was
improperly stated in the indictment; the adjournment
being described as from one day to another, whereas in
point of fact, it was only from one part of the day to the
other.

Mr. Scarlett, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Archbold, con-
tended that this objection could not be considered avail-
able by any means.
The Learned Judge, however,' declared his opinion,
that this objection was certainly fatal, and directed Mr.
Little's acquittal.