The Sun.
London, England, 1827-06-06 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.---Juss 6.

John Thompson., James Cooke, and 'Joseph Win-
ton, were indicted for conspiring to enter the dwell-
ing-house of Robert Gibson, Esq., with intent to
commit a felony, having at the time house-breaking
implements and pistols on their persons, and the
prisoners, Thompson and Winton, being disguised
as females. the prisoners appeared in Court in
their ordinary attire, it being considered unnecessary
to compel them to wear the female habiliments in
which they had appeared before the Magistrates.
Several witnesses were examined, who proved
apprehending the three prisoners a short distance
from Mr. Gibson's house. When Thompson was
taken, he dropped a large horse pistol into the area
of No. 2, Torrington-square ; and Cooke, on being
pursued, dropped two turnscrews and other house-
breaking implements.

Thompson addressed the Court in a long and
rather ingenious speech, in which he ridiculed the
idea of conspiring to rob Mr. Gibson's house, for
had that been their intention, they would not have
left the house without effecting their object. He
merely went to the house for a frolic to frighten the
servant, whom he had met in the square about ten
days previously. '
Winton, on being called on for his defence, merely
confirmed Thompson's statement.

The CHAIRMAN having summed up, the Jury
found all the prisoners—Guilty.
The CHAIRMAN, in passing sentence, said he re-
gretted to perceive Thompson (who appeared to
possess talents which he might employ to better
purposes) the leader of such a desperate gang, and
he also appeared the conductor of their deence.
The prisoners had been guilty of a most heinous of-
fence, and the Court sentenced them to two years'
imprisonment and hard labour.

Cooke requested the Court to send him to the
New Prison, Cletkenwell, instead of the House of
Correction, as he was in a bad state of health.
The CHAIRMAN—I cannot comply with your re-
quest. The New Prison is for persons who have
not been convicted ; besides, there is no tread-mill
there.

Thompson applied for the restoration of his Leg-
horn bonnet and other articles which were in cus-
tody of the officer, and on going out of the Court he
said he did not care a snap of his finger for his
sentence.

A case of suicide occurred at Ashby-de-la-
Zouch on Wednesday last, which has excited
aeneral surprise and the deepest horror. The
unhappy victim of desperation, Mr. Thomas
Noon, a respectable clock and watch-maker, at
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, was discovered between five
and six o'clock in the afternoon, lying in a field
a short distance from the town (a secluded spot
near the Holywell) ; with his throat severed, and
stabbed in several places. The wounds, which
were inflicted by a penknife, not having reached
the windpipe, nor divided any of the great arte-
ries, life was not extinct, though the act is sup-
posed to have been committed about ten o'clock
in the morning. Immediately after he was
found, he was conveyed home attended by a
great concourse of people, and on the application
of restoratives, he revived so that the medical
gentlemen in attendance, Mr. 11. Ingle and Mr.
'l'. Kirkland, entertained the most sanguine
hopes of his recovery ; but, to the consternation
of all, he expired between three and four o'clock
on the morning of Thursday. From an opinion
that neither the wounds nor the effusion of blood
were sufficient to cause his death, a suspicion is
entertained that the deceased (so determined was
his resolve to (lie) had taken poison. It appears
he had been for a long time in a desponding
way, and various causes were assigned for the
perturbed state of his mind. A widow and two
young girls are left to deplore his dreadful fate.
An inquest was held on the body yesterday.—
, Leicester Chronicle.