The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-29 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN ClRCUlT.—Liverpool, March 27.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice COLTMAN.)
Charles Bulterwoi th was indicted for bigamy.

Mr. Greene conducted the case for the prosecution..

The prisoner, who was, it appeared, an old soldier,
had been married in the year 1810. He sub;Equently
entered the army, and was in service for a number of
years. Afterwards he returned to Middleton, and then,
in 1839, was married to a person of the name of Betty
Creer.

It was proved that at the time he was aware of his
former wife being alive, and residing with her father.
To one of her relativiis he stated, that though he would
not again live with her, he would not allow her to live
quietly where she then was.
Betty Creer, the second wife, in her examination,
stated that she was aware that the prisoner was a mar-
ried man, but that he had told her' his servitude being
so long, and his wife not sending, would clear him."
When called on for his defence he said. " My Ltird, I
beg fur mercy; twenty •five years in the army, all but a
month or two, is the occasion of it." _ _ _ • _

His LORDSHIP, in summing up, said that the prisoner
had been under a misapprehension in point of law.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty, recommending
him to mercy, on the ground of the second wife being
aware of the former marrriage.
Sentence—to be imprisoned for one month.
Thomas rills was indicted for having, at Manchester,
committed a rape on Mary Ann Wade, his step-daughter,
an interesting young female, only a little above 15 years
of age.
Mr. Brandt appeared for the prosecution ; and. Mr.
Wilkins defended the prisoner.
The details of this case are not fit for publication.
Mr. WILKINS addressed the jury for the prisoner in
an energetic speech. He relied strongly on the circum-
stance that there were no signs manifest of the girl having
suff2red violence, and that this case presented none of
those evidences of force having been used, without which
it would be unjust to convict the prisoner. He made no
doubt that the girl had, in fact, complained to her mother
only because she was aware of her brother being awake,
and expected that he would tell her mother of what had
taken place.
The prisoner was found Guilty, and sentenced to be
transported for life.

WESTERN CIRCUIT.—Bodmin, Mardi 27.

Owing to the press of business :at Exeter, Mr. Justice
Erle did not arrive here till Tuesday evening, and Mr.
Justice Coleridge did not come into the town till Wed-
nesday evening. The Commission was opened by Mr.
Jostice Erle, who charged the grand jury, and sat in the
Criminal Court on Wednesday.
There is very little to be done in the Crown Court,
there being only 25 prisoners for trial. This is accounted
for from the fact that the magi.trates held their quar-
ter sessions in this place but a very short time since.

There are nine causes to be tried, of which one is a
special jury. Mr. Justice Coleridge presides in the
Crown Court, and Mr. Justice Erie on the Civil side.

NORFOLK ClRGUlT.—Cambridge, March 25.
(Before Mr. Justice PATTESON.)
John Harris, aged 13. was indicted for feloniously
killing William Clarke Manchet, at Upwell.
Mr. Couch prosecuted, and Mr. Tozer defended the
prisoner.
It appeared from the evidence of a little girl of seven
years of age, who gave her testimony with singular clear-
ness, that she, the prisoner, and the deceased, a boy of
nine years of age, were riding in a cart ; that the pri-
soner coaxed the deceased to the edge of a brook, and
then pushed him in, but that they had not been quar-
relling. There was some evidence that the boys were
playing together, and that the falling into the water was
accidental.

Mr. Tom' submitted that the deceased, who was an
illegitimate child, whose father's name was Clarke, and
whose mother's name was Manche', was improperly de-
scribed as William Clarke Manchet, the evidence show-
int, that he was sometimes called Clarke, and sometimes
Manchet.

his LORDSHIP, however, intimated that there was a scin-
tilla of evidence, that the name in the indictment- had
been acquired by reputation, and requested the jury
to say on what ground they acquitted, if they should
acquit.
The jury acquitted-on the merits.
March 26.

ARSON.—Laac Arnold, aged 18, and Frederick Banech,
aged 18, were charged with having set tire to a stack of
straw, the property ef Mr. Bland, of Fordham.
Mr. Prendergast prosecuted ; Mr. Gurdun defended
the prisoners.
The stack had appafently been set on fire by means of
lighted turf carried to it in an old coffee-pot. The chief
evidence against the prisoner Bantiek consisted of
statements he had made at various times respecting the
fire ; but, strauge to say, that although he had nearly
admitted hi 3 guilt to several persons, they did not make
known what he had said until a month or two had
elapsed, when he was in custody. The evidence against
Bantick was much weaker than against the other pri-
soner.

It appeared in evidence that Bantick had been seen in
company with Arnold and some young women at
.a
public-house on the night of the fire, and that the pia-
soncrs went away together. They were subsfquently
seen together by a Mrs. Banyard near her house, which
house had been attempted to be fired, and also by
another person; and before the constable had told Ban-
tick what the charge was against him, he had said to
him, "Ithink I can guess what for ; that man Arnold
wilt hang half the town." He had also said to the con-
stable, while they were going to the magistrates, "Ar-
nold, he understood, had been saying that the fire was
in consequence of some spite he (Bantick) had against
Bland." Against Arnold the evidence was his saying,
on the evening of the fire, "Ile would have a good flare
up, and make all Fordham smoke before morning."
Arnold had also said, a fortnight before his arrest, that
he was " unsettled;" and on being asked what for,