The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-11 00:00:00

EDINBURGH HIGH COURT OF

JUSTICIARY.

- Thursday the Court met for the trial of a number of
cases, among which was one which attracted an unusually
genteel auditory.
James Bower Barn, John Topp, Richard Blennerhasset,
and Thomas °tater, students of medicine, were charged
with a breach of the peace, by fighting a duel last sum-
mer ; as also assault by means of loaded fire-arms,
whereby Mr. Topp was wounded in the left thigh by Mr.
Burn, the other two gentlemen aiding and abetting, by
. acting as seconds. These charges were laid first as at
common law, and the act of Shooting with intent to kill
or do some grievous bodily harm, was also charged under
the statute. - •

1 The prisoners pleaded guilty of the assault, to which
the Lord Advocate restricted the charge. An eloquent
appeal was made on behalf of the prisoners by Mr. P.
Robertson, their counsel, who stated the high respecta-
bility of the young gentlemen, of which he held ample
documents. He also urged the extreme rareness of the
offence, in order to show that a severe punishment was
unnecessary for its 'prevention in future, no similar case
having come before the Court during the last fourteen years.
Their Lordships, in consideration of all the circum-
stances, considered themselves justified in awarding a
sentence of two months' imprisonment in the Jail of Edin
burgh; and to find caution to keep the peace for two
years, under a penalty of 501. each.
FRIDAY.—The only trial of interest which came before
the Court, this day, was that of James Boyd, engineman
on the Dundee and Arbroath Railway, charged with cul-
pable homicide, in so far as in the month of October last
where the railway passes through the village of West-
haven,
he caused the death of an old woman, 82 years of
age, and who was quite deaf. She was driven off the
rails by the engine, which the panel was driving, and
was so much injured that she died. The Jury returned
a verdict of Not Guilty. The trial lasted for about seven
hours. ,

IRISH MILESTONES.—A stranger riding along
the road, observed that all the milestones were turned in
a particular way, not facing the road, but rather averted
from it. Ile called to a countryman, and inquired the
reason. " Oh, bless you, sir," replied the man, " the wind
is so strong sometimes in these parts, that if we weren't
to turn the backs of the milestones to it, the figures would
be blown off them, clear and clean."

NIELANCHOLY ACCIDENT--Whilst the wife
of Charles Devonport, moulder, of Cyfarthfa Iron Works,
went to the shop on Monday morning last, she left two chil-
dren in bed; when on her return, without being absent very
long, the first spectacle she beheld was a fine, intelligent
boy of five years of age, almost burnt to a cinder. It is
easier to conjecture than to describe her feelings at such
a sight. An inquest was held on the body before Wm.
Davies, Esq., Coroner, when a verdict was returned ac-
cordingly. Here is another warning to parents. We
would strongly recommend families where there are chil-
dren, to have guards to prevent them from going too near
the consuming element.—Silarian.
CHANDOS TESTIMONIAL—DREAD OF RE-
VELATIONS.—Owin,, to unavoidable and unforeseen cir-
cumstances i , t has been found necessary to postpone the
dinner intended to have been given to his Grace the
Duke of Buclifingham anti Chandos, on the 11th of Feb-
ruary, on the occasion of the presentation of the testi-
monial from the Agricultural interest, and it is supposed
that the presentation will be made in Whitsun week,
when a dinner on an extensive scale Will take place.—
Buck Herald.