The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-19 00:00:00

(Before Vice•. Chancellor BaucE.)
Law's V. LEATHAM.
This cause was ordered to stand over until Tuesday
in order to allow time for an exhibit in the cause, alleged on
one side, and denied on the other, to be in the handwritin,g of
the defendant, to be examined by him at Liverpool.
His HONOUR said, that unless the statement upon that sub-
ject was far more satisfactory, he would probably feel it his
duty to direct an issue.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
OXFORD ClRClll7:—Stafford, March 16.
CeowN-Countr.—(Before Mr. Justice CeesswELs..)*
Joseph Wilkes, James Wilkes, Thomas Boswell, and George
Giles, were indicted for the wilful murder of :Matthew .Adams,
on the let of December, 1841, at the parish of Wednesibury.
The deceased, who was upwards of 70 years of age,, was an
old man, who resided at Delves Bank, in a cottage cot-staining
two rooms and a pantry, and was a person possisssed of
considerable property for his station in life. Hi a grand-
daughter was to have been married two or three eiays after
the event took place which formed the subject of
the present inquiry, and he was reported to nave ex-
pressed his intention of giving her 1001. as a mar-
riage portion. The cottage of the deceased was the last
of a row of four, all built in the same style, and oss the morn-
ing of the let of December a woman who lived next door,
hearing a groaning noise in the home of the deceased,
gave an alarm, and having awoke her bust and, they
went together to Adams's house, where they found the
old man covered with blood, which had flowed from several
severe wounds in the head. Ha died the same evening in
great agony, Ivitheut being able to give any information re-
specting his assailants, and as the parties were disturbed
before they expected, no property had been taken sway, and
it was feared that no clue would be discovered vil ,ich might
lead to their detection. A pistol, however, was font scl the next
day by the son of the deceased in the pantry, t hrough the
roof of which the robbers had effected an entrant e, and this
weapon, which was loaded to the muzzle with powder and
ball, was satisfactorily shown to have been in ti to possession
of Boswell a fortnight before the burglary w as affected.
Boswell was soon apprehended, and he made states nents which
led to the capture of his fellow-prisoners, and from their admis-
sions it appeared that they had broken into the he use through
the roof ut the pantry, and that Joseph Wilkes struck the old
man two or three times with the sharp end of a hat emu- on the
head, he alleging, as a sort of excuse tor the deed, hat Adams
jobbed (threat) at him with a pikel. The hammer • was found
in a field, where Wilkes had thrown it in his flight, and when
picked up the iron end was covered with grey hair.
The Jury found Joseph Wilkes Guilty, and A ciuuitted tke
other prisoners.
111 r. Justice CRESWELL ordered the other prisons 3rs to be re-
moved from the bar, and then passed upon Joseph Wilkes the
last awful sentence of the law. The wretched young man
whose career of crime is thus suddenly terminates i is only 17
years of age.

N T 11. ERN CIR CUI T.—lork, March 16.
(Before Mr. Baron limo:E.)
SEDUCTION.-HUTCHINSON V. witcrtmots:•
In this case the plaintiff brought his action to recover corn
pensation for the seduction of his daughter by the defendant.
Mr. Dundas and Mr. Bliss appealed for the p laintiff, Mr.
Knowles aid Mr. Foot for the detente.

111 r. Dundas stated the case. The plaintiff is a farmer, and
resides on his property in the north riuing of this c ounty, near
Richmond. lie had brought up a large family in respectabi-
lity and with honour ; and until the occurrence toi place into
which they were now to inquire, there had bees nothing in
that family but happiness and domestic peace. The plaintiff had
a family of nine children. Two of the sons were gr own up, and
had left their father's house. The one was stewai-d to Lord
Bronlow, and the other his assistant. The other sons were at

school. Of the daughters, one is the wife of a medics 1 gentleman
at Darlington ; the others, up to the time of this unforttnate
occurrence, being at home. Of these Jane Ann , the young
lady who had been the victim of the defendant's c anduct, was
the eldest. The defendant was a farmer and a g !rifleman, se
to speak, residing on his farm near Richmond, not far from the
residence of the plaintiff. He had been for years, indeed from
his childhood, acquainted with the plaintiff's famf ly, and was
connected with them by relationship, the first w sfe of Mr.
Whitelock, his father, having been sister to Mr. Hutchinson.
There was naturally a close intimacy between 'the families,
and in 1837. the defendant became so much attar led to Miss
Whitelock, that he made her an offer of marriloe. He was
then very young, anti Miss Whitelock deck ned receiv-
ing his addresses. She was now twenty-seven, and he was
two or three years younger. He resumed his attentions at a
later period ; their early acquaintance ripened in to a mutual
affection, and, finally, in 1540, on a repetition of a is offer, she
consented to become his wife. He became her ac knowledged
lover, was received in the family as such, and thus o btained the
opportunity of debauching the daughter of his friend , the young
lady to whom he was betrothed—he debauched, be; aayed, and
deserted her. Previous to this the marriage ..had always,
on some pretence or other, been deferred. ,His house
was not ready, or some other reason was alleged
for not immediately fulfilling his engagement. He con-
tinued to visit the house of the plaintiff, however, on the
honourable terms of an accepted lover, and though. no day was
appointed for the marriage, it was looked forwartd to by all
the parties interested as a matter which was to take place
at no distant day. He came to visit the young Ir.dy several
times a week, occasionally he remained all night at the
plaintiff's house; and the young people, on these occasions,
as might have been expected from the relation in wit ich they
stood to each other, were much together. In March,
18-11, the defendant succeeded in rendering himsel f master
of her person—she became pregnant. The defendant did
not desert her all at once. Ile called once or tw ice, but
she soon saw, with a woman's sensitiveness and a woman's
keenness of perception, that she had lost his affections ;
and, stung by some marked neglect, she wrote him a letter,
in which she upbraided him with his conduct, cc ,mplained
that he had deserted her, and with a woman's spirit gave hint
up, and released him from his engagement. In reply to this
a letter was received, referring to the return of some presents
shish to had made her. Shortly after, she discov. /red her
situation, and wrote to the defendant once more, tel ling hint
her condition, calling on him to do her justice while it was in
his power, and claiming the fulfilment of the contract i: ato which
he had entered, by which he was to become her hut hand and
she his wife. To this appeal there was no answer. rime wore
on, and in a short time her family discovered her situation.
Her lather could not allow her to remain in his bout, e with het
sisters, and he took a small place for her near D. arlington,
whither she removed, and has since become thi e mother
of a child. The defendant had offered nos atten-
tion, no consolation, no help to her whom he had
ruined—to her, an engagement to whom, as her
betrothed husband, was once his highest pi ide. The
Learned Counsel proceeded to read several letters in which
the defendant spoke of his delight at being engag ed to her,
and his hope of their having together many, in any years
of domestic happiness, until removed to another at lie, where
alone true bliss is to be found. These were the ft ,cts of the
case. It would be for them to say what amount c f compen-
sation they would think just. hoe his part he c Juld hardly
imagine a grosser case. Mr. Hutchinson had bron: ;ht the de-
fendant into that Court as the man who had ruine d the peace
of his family, and begun a bad example in an he nest man's
house, and having so done it was for the jury to show Mr.
Whitelock at what cost lie must commit such an o utrage, and
make him feel in his purse, if his feeling were calileus to any
other infliction.
Jane anti Hutchinson, the daughter of the plaintiff., a
young lady of a small, slight figure, and very considers ble
personal attractions, detailed the facts as stared by the
Learned Counsel. She seemed highly affected by the 'posi-
tion in which she was placed. It appeared that the defen-
dant made her an offer of marriage in 1837. For two years
after she was with her brother, who was steward 4..0 Lord
Brownlow, and ott her return defendant repeater I his offer.
tier father did not know of it until nearly a in onth after.
While he was visiting at the plaintiffs, as her lover, tbmy
were frequently left up together alone in the 'dining-co ont
after the others had gone to bed. It was on one of th ese
eccasicns that the defendant obtained possession of her ,er-
ton. 'lbis never occurred but once. He very shortly a iler
told her he did not intend marrying for two years, and, ten a
subsequent interview, said his sister did not wish him to •risit
there any more. She admitted that, at the interview be fore
the eceurrence took place which led to this inquiry, thN e de-
fendant had said something to her of which she disapproved,
notwithstanding which she sat up alone with him.
Evidence was then given of the amount of the deferedrtnt's
property. It appeared his father left him landed property wltic.h
was valued at 6,0001. ; he had two and a half shares in a m ice,
which were valued at 1,250/., and a half of the residue of his
father's personal estate, which was sworn under 9,0001. 'The
amount of the debts, however, did not appear.
Mr. KNOW LEs addressed the Jury for the defence.
His Loansiitr having summed up, the Jury retired for a
short time, and returned a verdict for plaintiff—Damages, 6001.

HOME ClRCUlT.—Maidstone, March 19.
TilE Hoo UNlON.—James Miles, the late master of the
Hoo Union workhouse, was summoned to take his trial upon
two indictments charging him with assaulting two of the
female inmates of the workhouse, during the period if hist told-
ing the above office.
The indictments were returned at the last Summer Act .szes,
but the defendant claimed his right of traverse, and they ac-
cordingly stood over to these assizes.
The principal charge against the defendant was, that het had
flogged girls of an advanced age upon their naked per sons.
Both him and his wife had been dismissed in conseqte ence.
The defendants pleaded guilty. BARON G VICNEY orderod him
into custody and said he would take time to consider what
sentence should be passed.
CIVIL Sine.
(Before Mr. Baron ALDEasoN and a Special Jury.)
BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAOIL—NRAME V. JELLIS,
This was an action brought to recover compensation from the de.
fendant for a breach of promise of marriage.
Mr. Thesiger, and another Learned Gentleman, appeared. for
the plaintiff, and Mr. Platt and Mr. Chambers for the defendant.
The damages were laid at 5,000/.
Mr. TurstuEa said the plaintiff in this action was a young tidy,
twenty-six years old. She was the daughter of a gentleman,. liv-
ing on his property, near Margate, and was one of eight chirdt on ;
and at the time of the first intimacy with the defendant, the IQ ain.
tiff anti her sister were on a visit to their brother, in Loudon,
where they were introduced to the defendant, who was the son. of a
gentleman of fortune, living at Greenhithe, and who at this slime
was employed In the house of a merchant in London. This; was
in June, 11540, and after a short acquaintance, the defendant
wrote to the plaintiff, and made her an offer of marriage„ and
he was received as an accepted suitor by the family, and continued
to correspond with the plaintiff until the month of August in the
following year, when he addressed a letter to the plaintiff,: in
which he declared it to be impossible that he should
fulfil his promise, and he assigned as a reason for it, that his
father was entirely opposed to the match, and that he could not
disobey him. The Learned Counsel said be should show that this
was a mere pretence on the part of the defendant. 'The Jury
would see that it was only a false and hypocritical pretense.
and that the defendant desired to break off the engagement
with Miss Neame, for no other reason, than because he thought
lie had an opportunity of making a more advantageous union with
another lady named Watkins, who, about this time was a v.isitor
at his father's house, and who was possessed of some propenty in
her own right.
Witnesses were then called to prove those statements, 'when
the Jury, after deliberating for a quarter of an hour, returned a
verdict for the plaintiff—Damages, CA/.
Le

FIRE IN HOLLAND-STREET, BLACKFRIARS.— -Last
night, about ten o'clock, a fire broke out on the premises of
Alessrs. Wilson and Co., hat-manufacturers, of Holland- street,
Blackfriats-road. The premises of Messrs. Wilson occ. spy an
immense space at the rear of Holland-street, and besides I saving
a large frontage in that street, their manufactory adjoins that
of 111essrs. Shaw, the ironmongers, at the corner of the feet;
and abutted close on the mar of the adjoining housestesi r
asßlackfriars-road. As soon as a plentiful supply
not be
the
obtained, the flames were quickly subdued, but bel ,e
entire of Messrs. Wilson's manufactory and stack at I 0,0001•
pletely destroyed. The loss of property is estimated I
at least. os-UNDER-EDG/1
CHARTIST MEETING AT WOoTT
MA RCit 15.—A Correspondenitacewroltots to inform us of en
p.he i Tuesday, the Mayer
immense meeting held at this Hall, for the purpose a
having refused to grant
hteh them pt
he
Chartist Convention. Mews.
appoint ing delegates
erwith Air. Henry Vincent, adpeodrespslecle
wthetee
Philp and Roberts
conjunction‘4. toe
teleeted the delegates; the former a
whom, in
k principles and purposes of the Chatter.
meeting
Many manottilfaCtuerers, and a large body of workin.
t no prouggvas lag 11 tg Clbattipas
prowl •
. fd, flii ;tt•riif en o' i •
~ ,cr 4'