Star.
London, England, 1815-03-30 00:00:00

SURREY ASSIZES.

KINGSTON, MARCH U.
PETTIT V. JONES.
This was an action against the Marshal of the
King's Bench Prison, for suffering the escape of a
Major in the army, who was in execution for ,e3(O.
Mr. Gummy, who was Counsel for the prosecu-
tion, expatiated on the mischievous consequences of
the defendants in the custody of die Marshal of the
King's Bench, and who were allowed the Rules,
going at large. The Major, in the present case, he
said, resided near the house late the Dog and Duck,
but he :lever confined himself within the limits of
the Rules; on the contrary, he was constantly seen
at large, hut before any writ could be sued out he
was within the Rules. At length, however, the
plaintiff being informed that. lie was in the habit of
vi,iting a lady at Kennington Common, with whom
he usually made a long visit, employed the appren-
tice of a neighbouring butcher to watch his advances,
and to give immediate notice of his being out of th:-!
Rules. -Accordingly, on the 20th of October last.
he received intimation that he was on his usual visit;
he immediately dilatched his nephew to keep guard
over the hoose, to watch the Major's return, while
he sent another messenger to his attorney, to sue out
a writ directly, that the Marshal might not be abl::
to plead a reception before.action brought. hits ne-
phew and the botchei's lad kept guard at the lady's
door until they had intimation that the action was
brought, and then the plaintiff went to Mrs. Smith's
house, and inquired tor the Major. She delayed'
them for some tune, but after a certain while she
told them they might search the house, for the gen-
tleman was not there. They said no, there had been
sufficient time for him to escape by the back door,
and therefore it was useless to search.
In order to prove his case the plaintiff first pro-
duced the record of the judgmvnt of ties debt re-
covered against the Major. l'his recnrd appeared
to be a judgment of Hilary Term; but the declara.
tion having averred it of Michaelmas Term, the
plaintiff was non-suited.
CROWN SIDE—LORD COCHRANE.
Nothing material occurred on the Crown Sides ex-
cept that the Grand Jury returned a true bill against
Lord Cochrane, (or escaping from prison.—The
punishment for this offence, provided the person
charged be found guilty of a misdemeneur, is trans-
portation for seven years, subject to the discretion of
the Court.

WESIMINSIER SESSIONS.

Yesterday these Sessions commenced ; when Mr,
Mainwariug, who was in the Chair, ad.:ress:d Vie
Grand Jury on the recent riots which had disgraced
that part of the metroplis. The Act of I Geo. I.
c.. 5. he observed, after premising the mischief which
had taken place in consequence of riots and tumults,
enacted, that if 12 or more persons assembled together
to the disturbance o 1 the public peace, being required
or commanded, by Proci:.mation, to depart, should
still remain, they should bv aJjudged guilty of felony
and punished with Death ; that persons who should
continue to assemble after such Proclamation should
be seized ; and if, in the attempt to disperse or seize
the riotous assembly, any should be killed or wound-
ed, the individuals so killing or wouiding should be
discharged and indemnified ; that if the persons so
assent-Act' demolished or pulled down any building,
such offence should he di erne,' felony, and punished
with Death, &c. Such had been the law for inure
than 100 years. Severe as it might appear, it had
saved the lives of many of Ins Majesty's subjects, and
'subdued the most threatening tumults. When the
barriers of the laws were broken down, and genet al
disorder took place, who could say where the Ink-
chief would end? Whether any proceedings relative
to the unfortunate violation of the laws which they
had lately beheld..were intended to be brought before
the Court and Jury, he knew not. If they were, he
presumed they would be in the shape of in,lictn,ents.
They would then be laid. before vie Grind Jut y for
consideration, when he doubted nist they would coolly
and dispassionately hear the evidence, and determine
whether the facts charged ere established. He felt
convinced, that in such case, they would keep their
minds tree tram impressions of popular clamour,
which ever way it might go ; and lemeniber, that it
was not the province of a Jury or of a Court to legis-
late, or to fancy the la w would be better if it were
different from what they found it. It was their duty,
as well as that of the Court, to Cal ry the law, as they
found it, into execution. 11 it were not so, every
Court of Justice would have its own law, and endless
confusion would be the result.
The Grand Jury then bowed and retired ; and the
Court proceeded with the cases, which consisted
chiefly of indictments for assaults.
TUE XING v. UNDERWOOD.
This was an indictment against W. Underwood, an
ostler, for an assault on J. Bird, a publican, in the
neighbourhood of Grosvenor-square.—Tile parties,
while playing at dominoes, got to words, and then to
something like blows, in consequence of Bird de.
nouncing Underwood as a cheat ; and in the scuffle'
which took place, Underwood seized Bird by the
nose with his teeth, and literally bit off the end of it !
The case being proved, the Jury found a verdict of
Guilty.—The Court sentenced Underwood to six
months imprisonment.
THE KING v. FAG% DARWOOD, AND KINGSBURY.
This was a prosecution for an assault against the
Defendants, on the prosecution of Richard Schreder,
one of the band of • the Third Regiment of Guards,
for breaking into his lodging at Westminster, on
the 15th instant, and taking him out of his bed, un-
der the pretended charge of his being a deserter,
and taking from him his violin, to secure his at-
tendance next morning at the suitling-house, White-
hall. 'fire violin was pawned, but soon after return-
ed, and the prisecutor was, on being arrested, hand-
cuffed by Figo, who represented himself as Cooke,
Police Officer Of Bow-street, till taken into custody
by one of the patrole of that office, who knew that
there was no officer of that name in the office, anc
who had a warrant against the impostor since Sep-
tember last.
The facts were fully established, and the defen-
dant, Fago, offered no defence, but the other two.
obtained a good character in different degrees, and
all the three were instantly found guilty. -
Fago was sentenced to one year's imprisonment,
Durwood to As months, and Kingsbury to one.