The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-10 00:00:00

York, Dec. 8.

Mr. Justice Erie and Mr. Barvi Platt, the judges ap-
pointed to try the prisoners at these assizes, came into the
city of York on Saturday. The calender of prisoners is un-
usually heavy, considering the short interval of time
since the summer assizes.

There are eighty-one persons in all to take their trials;
three of these on the charge of murder; five, man-
aseven, horse or
scattlelustte era one,n
stealing
seven,
eve utteringnshe
stealingsheep
pas three, rape ; two, coin
attempting rape ; five, burglary; seven, stabbing or
wounding ; five, unnatural offense ; sixteen, stealing
from the person ; five, robbery with violence ; one,
offence against the bankrupt laws ; one, receiving stolen
goods ; one, forgery ; four, stealing from a dwelling-
house ; one, false pretences ; two, night poaching ; one,
the same, with violence ; one, feloniously killing a
horse ; one. perjury ; -one, arson.
(Before Mr. Baron PLATT.)
CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER—The first case taken,
the only one arising in the city of York, was that of
Edward Lunn, age fifty-two, who stood charged with
the offence of manslaughter, in having, in the month of
October last, at the parish of St. Crux, occasioned the
death of Ann Downes, by administering a phial of lau-
danum in place of a mixture prescribed for a cough.
Mr. Matthews and Mr. Blanchard appeared for the
prosecution - the prisoner was undefended.
It appeared from the statement of Mr. Matthews, that
the deceased, an old lady. 81 years of age, had resided
in the Merchants' Hall, York, along with her daughter
and a servant-maid, named Clark, and was subject to a
cough, for which she was in the habit of procuring a
mixture, supplied by the prisoner. The prisoner was
considered a respectable chemist and druggist. The fe-
male servant was sent, on the 18th of October, for the
usual mixture, when, by some accident, the bottle con-
taining that medicine in the shop had been removed, and
another containing the laudanum put in its place. The
consequence was, that a large quantity of laudanum was
delivered to the servant by mistake, a sufficient quantity
to cause death : it was shortly after given to the de-
ceased, who, although attended by the prisoner, and, at
his instance, by a medical man also, expired on the 21st.
There was no doubt that the death had been caused by
the poison thus administered. But Mr. Matthews, who
now prosecuted upon the coroner's inquisition, said, that
the grand jury had ignored the bill of indictment pre-
ferred upon the same facts. The Learned Counsel did
not consider the case one in which the pri oner could be
rightly convicted of the crime of manslaughter. But it
was right, nevertheless, foi the security of the public,
that the ground for an acquittal should be understood.
Here, it must be admit:Rd, the unfortunate occurrence
had arisen from a mere accident, and not from any ap
parent neglect of the party accused. Had the death
been occasioned by such neglect, the result would have
justified a conviction upon this serious charge.
The Learned JUDGE said that he quite agreed with
the remarks addressed to them by Mr. Matthews, and
directed the jury that the prisoner should be acqr.itted.
(Before Mr. Jt.stice ERLE.)
William Hodgson, aged nineteen, was indicted for
having, on the 9th October, at Bidlington, in the East
Riding, stolen three gimmer sheep, the property of
Henry Frost.
Mr. Raines and Mr. Liddell conducted the .prosecu-
tion, and Mr. Dearsley defended the prisoner.
It appeared from the evidence that the prosecutor,
who is a butcher, had put a small flock of sheep into a
field near his residence, and, on going to count them
missed three, one of which was afterwards discovered
alive upon the premises of a neighbour. That sheep the
prisoner admitted he had found and placed there. But
at the house of the prisoner there were found the car-
casses of two others ; and the prisoner had taken two
skins, which were identified, to a feltmonger. He had
confessed his guilt to the police-officers upon his appre-
hension.
Convicted.—Sentence deferred.

Mr. Joseph Hume, M.P., and a deputation, had an
interview yesterday with Sir Rhea Poel, :in Downing-
au( et.