The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-15 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORFOLK ClRCUlT.—Buckingham, Jul+j 11.
CROWN COURT.—( Before Mr. Baron ALtigesow.)
srosiah Brooks, aged 19, was indicted for assaulting William
Blackwell on the Queen's highway, and robbing him of a
bundle, containing a variety of articles, on the night of the
10th May last.
Mr. Sanders appeared for the prosecution ; the prisoner was
not represented by counsel.
The prosecutor resides near Great Marlow, and on the night
in question fell in with his friend the prisoner at a " public" in
that town. Having drank their " absent friends" till near
eleven o'clock, they set forth and parted outside the public-
house. The prosecutor, however, had not got very far on his
way home, when he was overtaken by Brooks, who, as he now
swore, knocked him down, knelt on his head, and tried to rile
his pockets of his purse, which bad been produced at the inn.
He failed in this, but seining hold of the prosecutor's bundle,
made off with it. As soon as the prosecutor recovered himself
he proceeded on his journey, but in about half an hour after
the prisoner came up again to him, and again knocked him
down. On this occasion, being assisted by a companion, he
succeeded in obtaining possession of the purse, with which both
the thieves decamped in the direction of Marlow.
In answer to this charge the prisoner called a girl and a
man, who swore that he came home to his mother's house at
ten mintes past eleven, and remained indoors all that night.
Mr. Baron A LDERSON, in summing up the case to the jury,
observed that he had been long enough acquainted with cri-
minal trials to be ♦ery shy of mere evidence of personal identity.
When unaccompanied by confirmatory facts it was very frail
evidence. and its adoption in such a case required great caution
on the part of the jury. Here there was nothing but the oath
of the prosecutor to the prisoner's identity, while on the part of
the prisoner an alibi had been set up. Now it was a common
thing to abuse such a defence, but he (111 r. Baron Alderson)
did not go along with that practice, for it was like " giving a
dog a bad name and then beating him for it." An selibi, if
true, was the best possible defence, and indeed the only one a
really honest and innocent min could resort to very often. The
case, however, was for the jury, and with these remarks for
their guidance they would say whether they thought it was sub-
stantiated.

The jury, after a short deliberation, Acquitted the prigoner.
Robert Price, aged 27, and John Martin, aged 27, were
indicted for cutting and wounding Francis Saunders with in-
tent to do him some grievous bodily harm, and to prevent their
lawful apprehension.
Mr. Birch prosecuted, and Mr. Power defended the pri-
soners.

The prosecutor i 3 the bailiff of Mr. Dashwood, a gentleman
residing at West Wycombe, in this county • and was going
his usual round in the farm-yard at eleven o'clock at night on
the 12th of May last, when his attention was roused by the pre-
sence of a " small sandy terrier dog," which ran towards the
hen-house. On approaching that building the prosecuter
became aware that some strangers were in it, and at-
tempted to open the door. While so engaged he received
from some one a revere blow on the head with a stick, but
nothing daunted, he persisted in his efforts, seising hold of
the half open door with his right hand. Upon this he
received a cut across the wrist with a knife, which com-
pelled him to let go, whereupon two men rushed out anti
made their escape, together with their dog. On examining
the hen-house several dead ducks were found, all ready for
removal. In order to bring this charge home to the pri-
soners, the prosecutor now described the dress and personal
appearance of the men he had seen on the night in question,
and it was shown that the prisoners, on the same night, were
drinking at a neighbouring public-house, which they
left just before eleven o'clock, with a small sandy terrier
sort of a dog.; besides %visit+, one of there, when arrested
on this charge, exclaimed with an oath that " they were done
at last."

Mr. POWER having addressed the jury on behalf of the pri-
soner Price,

His LORDSHIP left it to them to say whether they were
satisfied with the proof of identity in this case, which had re-
ceived a material confirmation from the landlord of the public-
house.

The jury having found the prisoners Guilty, they were forth-
with transported for 15 years.
SATURDAY.—Both the Courts sat to-day, and disposed of
the remaining causes at an early hour.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—York, Jolt, 11.
The assizes for this county commenced here this !naming,
their Lordships having opened the commission Ye,lr.:rday even-
ing. The calendar is light in point of number ,4 there being
but forty-eight cases for trial, implicating fit-'.y-nine prisoners.
There are two cases of manslaughter, four of rape, twelve of
'
robbery with violence, three of cutt aig and wounding, and
eight of burglary. On the Civil ‘..,ioe there are twenty-one
causes entered for trial in the li ';c for the North and East Rid-
ings, and sixty-eight causr:, in that for the West Riding,
making a total of eii-r:„y
-nine causes, several of which are
likely to occupy a (—,asiderable time.
CIVIL '.SIDE.—( Before Mr. Baron Rotrz.)
RICHARDSON V. RICHARDSON.
This 'was an action in which the plaintiff sought to recover
c"'":..pensation in damages for the seduction of her niece, who
resided with her, and assisted her in the management of her
household.
Mr. Dundas and Mr. Pashley appeared for the plaintiff;
Mr. Baines and Mr. Dearsley for the defendant.
It appeared from the case on behalf of the plaintiff that she
is a widow, 60 years of age, residing at Poppleton. Her maiden
name was Eshelby, and her sister, the mother of the young
person who was the unfortunate cause of the present action, was
married to a person of the name of Stead. Stead—many years
ago—deserted his family, and his not since been heard of.
Mrs. Stead died shortly after, and the children were distributed
among the surviving relatives, Hannah Stead and her brother
coming to live with the plaintiff, who had no children of her
own. The defendant, Thomas Richardson, is the nephew of
the late husband of the plaintiff, and resides with his mother in
the same neighbourhood. He was in the habit of visiting at
the plaintiff's house, and was understood to be paying his
addresses to Hannah Stead. In the latter part of the year
1833 he succeeded in obtaining possession of her person, and
the result was the birth of a child in June, 1844. The re-
latives of the parties sought to induce him to remedy--so
far as was in his power—the injury he had done the girl,
by marrying her, but he refused ; and, as he declined to
do anything for the maintenance of the child, an affiliation
order was applied for, and the defendant directed to pay
2s. 6d. per week. The reason alleged by the defendant for
declining to marry the mother was, as he alleged, that she had
been guilty of improper conduct with other individuals The
present action was brought to recover compensation by the
plaintiff for the loss of the young woman's services. Hannah
Stead is now about 24 years of age. The defendant is about
three years younger.
Mr. BAINES, for the defence, contended that, even on the
showing of the case set up by the plaintiff, it was one of the
lightest kind. There was no premeditated seduction. The
age of the plaintiff at the time that this occurred, the riper
years of the young woman, the facility with which, even on the
plaintiff's own showing, she had yielded to the defendant's
wishes, negatived any such supposition. He would show also,
by the testimony of a person who lived next door to the plain-
tiff, that Hannah Stead had been guilty of such conduct with
other parties as could leave no doubt on the minds of the jury
that intercourse of an improper kind had taken place between
them.
Several witnesses were called on the part of the defendant,
one of whom, Rebecca Hopwood, deposed to having seen
Hannah Stead in the neighbourhood of her aunt's house in the
company of one William Richardson and of another party,
under circumstances which, if the jury believed the evidence,
were inconsistent with any other supposition than her previous
unchastity.
Mr. DUNDAS, in reply, called
William Richardson, who, so far as he was concerned, ex-
pressly contradicted the evidence so adduced.
Mr. DUNDAS, after some observations by Mr. Baines on
this evidence, replied on the whole case, and
Hi: Lonnswir having summed up,
The jury, after a few minutes' consultation, returned a ver-
dict for the plaintiff—Damages 60/.
Saturday, July 12.
(Before Mr. Justice Cnisswzm..)

Levi Gledhill was indicted fora highway robbery.
Mr. Hall and Mr. Boothbv conducted the prosecution ; the
prisoner was defended by Mr. Blanshard.
It appeared from the statement of the prosecutor, William
Cookson, an elderly person, affected by spasms in all his limbs,
which gave him the appearance of a person in an advanced
stage of intoxication, that on the 11th of March last he had
been at Huddersfield, transacting business in his trade as a
clothworker. In the evening he set out on his return home to
Stainland, and had arrived within a few hundred yards of his
own home, when he stopped at a public-house kept by a person
of the name of Calverley. The prisoner, Levi Gledhill, was
there when he entered. The prosecutor sat at Calverley's for
a considerable time, and had three several twopennywortha of
gin. This, however, was, with the exception of a glass of
beer, all he had had during the day, and he was perfectly
sober. The prisoner, in the course of the evening, asked
the prosecutor to let him have hi. to pay for a glass of beer,
as he had drunk all his money. The prosecutor did so; and,
having had occasion to go to the door shortly after, the
prisoner aced the landlady of the house how It was the
prosecutor's son had not accompanied him from Huddersfield,
to which she replied that she supposed he had, but had
left him on his getting so near home. The prisoner left
the house a little before ten o'clock, and the prosecutor set
out to go horse abort ten minutes after. He had gone but a
short way when he heard some one coming after him, and drew
aside to let him pass. The person tripped him up, and thrust
his hand into the prosecutor's pocket, and took away a sum of
silver which was there, amounting to from Bs. to 10s. He
could see it was the same person whom he had met at Calver-
ley's.
The
entphon home and
son, Thewentto
pro-
secutor
a public-house kept by a person of the name of Sykes, at a short
wroism,ranthdetnhe maden, in company
off over
with the whails l.
distance from Calverley's. He there found the prisoner, and
accessed him of robbing him. It appeared that the prisoner
had arrived at Sykes's a few minutes after ten—about the
time the proiecutorj was robbed, and that before the pro-
secutor's arrival he had spent about 2s. in refreshments of
various kinds. On his person were found upwards of 7s. in
silver and some halfpence.
Mr. 131.ANSWARO addressed the jury for the defence.
His LORDSHIP summed up, and the jury found the pri-
soner guilty.
Sentence, twelve months' imprisonment.
George Green and John Halsworth were indicted for a
highway robbery.
Mr. l'ashley and Mr. Overend conducted the prosecution ;
the prisoners were defended by Mr. Bliss.
The prosecutor, it appeared from his statement, is a shop-
keeper at Rawcliffe, and on the 17th of April last he had
occasion to go to Howden on business. He left his horse at
Booth's ferry, and walked on to Howden. He set out on his
return home about nine o'clock, and was accompanied a short
distance by a friend. Shortly after his friend leaving him,
two persons, whom he recognised as the prisoners, came up,
and they walked on together. 'they had some conversation
on indifferent subjects, and then the prisoner Green stopped
for a moment to do something to his shoe. He then said to
the other, " I'll go back and see for Johnson." Halsworth
replied, Nay, come on." On which Green immediately
sprang up from his stooping position,
this
hnis
is lookingdseisedthseerious,
prose-
cutor by the throat, while Halsworth pinioned his arms
behind. The prosecutor said, "Well,
and struggled with his assailants, when all came to the
ground. Green then said, " D—n you, we'll give it you
now," and Halsworth put his hand over the proseentor's
face, while Green knelt on bis belly. The prosecutor then
yielded, saying, " For God's sake, spar* my life, and take my
money." They then rifted his pockets, and Green calling out
to Halsworth, " Have you got bit turnip ?" they both ran

C. 4 Z7l f• op.
t 01 CJ, 0.
tsP Pi. CA PA. .

We will merely make one remark upon this table in support
of our opinion of the want of fairness in the apprnaching trial.
it will be perceived that the Albion, two decker, of 90 guns, is
of 3,099 tons burden, but her displacement is 4,152 tons, and
she carries 432 tons of water, her weight of provisions being
less than that of the St. Vincent, 120, three decker, by 168
days' consumption for 135 men ; the St. Vincent also carries
98 tons more water, and her displacement is 4,484 tons; con-
sequently the St. Vincent has a far greater burden to carry
through the water than the Albion, yet has 4,840 feet of can-
vass less in her sails to enable her to do it ! The Surveyor's
80 gun two.deckers are each of the same tonnage, yet the Van.
guard can stow 109 tons more water than her "sister" ( the
Superb)! We could give numerous other instances in support
of our opinion as above expressed, did our space permit, but
we leave the above tabular document to speak for itself.
Contracts were taken at the. Royal Clarence victualling-
establishment, Gosport, on Thursday, for 1,650 quarters of
wheat, weighing not less than 601 b. a bushel, at 495. 6d. and
51s. 6d. per quarter, being an increase of ss. on the contract
taken six weeks ago. _

The Rolla, 10, Commander Simpson, arrived at Sierra Leone
from Chatham, on the 24th of May.
The Resistance, 42, troop-ship, Commander Patey, arrived
at Cork, from this port on Monday, and embarked the 66th
Regiment for conveyance to Gibraltar.