Star.
London, England, 1823-12-20 00:00:00

KENT IVINTER ASSIZES.

MAIDSTONE, DEC. 18.

ift/RDNR OF MR. sMiTlf, OF LEWIM4I4
James Waster Was indicted for the wilful murder of
Mr. James Smith, of Lewisham, on the 22d of De-
cember, by shooting him with a loaded gnn.

The particulars of this case were rieri;ly similar to
those of JOhn Coleman, who was executed last Spring
for the same murder. The prisoner was clearly proved
to be one of the parties to the transaction. Two accom-
plices were examined to make nut the case. After a
laborious and anxious trial, which did not, finids till
eight o'clock, the Jury found the prisoner Guilty, ant'
be was ordered for execution oa Monday next.
MURDER AT DEAL.
Joseph Bell, a youth of 19, was indicted for murder-
ing his father, at Deal, on the 16th of April last, by
shooting him, with a loaded gun. This case stood over
from last Assizes, on account of the apparent imbecility_
of the prisoner. He was now put on his trial again.
The evidence adduced on the former occasion was re-1
peated. It was proved that, although the pris-oner was a
person of weak intellects, yet that he was perfectly ,
sane, and knew right from wrong.
Mr.i Justice PARK summej up the evidence for the
Jury, who found the prisoner Guilty ; and he was or-
dered for execution on Monday next.
Amy Word was indicted under Lord Ellenborough's
Act for wilfully and maliciously cutting &with, the
wife of John Worger, at Ashford, on the sth of Oc-
toher, with a hand-bill, w ith intent to murder or do her
some grievous bodily harm. •
Strap Worger-stateJ that she vra; the sister of 'the
prisoner. Her husband kept agt ocer's shop at Ashford.
On the sth of October she was at home alone, her hus-
band and children having gone to church'. About 11
o'clock the prisoner came in, and accused her of having
spoke ill of her. Witness denied this, and begged she
would not interrupt her then, as she was busy. She
then went up stairs, followed by the prisoner, who
knocked her down-on the bed, and aimed a blow at her
head- with a woodman's bill-hook. Fottunatery she put
up her arms, and received the blows on her hands, both
of which were dreadfully cut. She crsntrived to escape
without further violence. Her screams .alarmed some
neighbours, two of whom entered and secured the pri-
soner, who was found endeavouring to hide a trampler
and re bawd-bill (the latter of which was bloody), under
her handkerchief. On being asked how she could be
guilty of so desperate an act? she said that the prosecu•
trix end her husband were always speaking ill of her.
Dr. Scudamore, the father, the prosecutrix, and other
members of the •prisoner's family, deposed, that ever
since she had had the brain fever she had been low
And melapcholy ; she had never been confined ; they
did not consider her of sane mind.

• Mr. Justice PARK recapitulated the evidence to the
Jury, and left it to them to determine, whether the pri-
soner was of sane mind at the.time the dreadful act was
committed. If not they ought to acquit on that ground.
The Jury- found the prisoner Not Guilty, on the
ground of insanity, and she was ordered to be taken'
care of, 'pursuant to the Statute.
John Meek was indicted for embezzling the • sum of
V. 16s. 2J. at Chatham, the property of his Majesty.
The prisoner had been a clerk in the Invalid Pay-
office at Chatham. Lieutenant-Colonel Cuyler was
Paymaster •of Invalids at Chatham, an,3 had paid 200/.
to the prisoner, for the purpose of distributing the
money in portions tb different invalids for their travelling
expenses. The prisoner rendered an account of his dis-
bursements to the Colonel. In this account he charged
two sums, amounting to 1/. 16s. 9.1 as being paid to
two invalids who had families. Suspicion afterwards
fell on the prisoner; his conduct' Was investigated, and
it turned out that the invalids mentioned had not re-
ceived the money which the prisoner had charged as
having been disbursed to them. Under these &Mb
stances the prosecution was instituted.
The case went to the Jury on the faits.piched, and
the prisoner was found Guilty, and sentenced ,to one
year imprisonment.
• Ames Crouch was indicted for breaking and entering
the ehetreh-yard of the parish of Beckenham, and steal,
itrg the dead body of John Dickenson, uho had
beeninterred therein.

The rase for the prosecution was conducted by Mr.'
BOLL Alii—The-prisoner had no Counsel.
It .appeared in evidence, that the deceased had been a
gardener at Beckenham, and was a marl of considerable'
terpdlence. He was buried in the church-yard on the
Seth of November, 1822. Next day his son, passing
through the church-yard, observed that the grave had
been 'disturbed, and that the earth had sunk about six
*aches: Alarmed at the appearances, he caused the
grave to be opened, when, to his hOrror, he di-'covered
his father's coffin had been forced open, and the body
gone. Amongst the earth was found a piece of broken
rope.. In consequence of irformation he, received, he
went to St. Thomas's Hospital, where 'he •found his
father's body, partly dissected, and that it had been sold
to the surgeons for 12 guineas. The principal evidence
against theprisoner, %vas-that of two persons in his own'
vocatioe, who, not having shared in the proceeds of the
body, now came forward in support of the indictment.
The prisoner said nothing in his defence, and threw
himself on the metcy of 'the Court: he hoped that the
Learned Jude would take into consideration his wife
and four fatherless children.
The.dury found the prisoner Guilty, and he was sen-
tenced to 12 months' imprisonment in the county jail.

A numerous caravan of German Colonists passed re-
cently thtough Frankfort, on their way to Hamburgh,
*het4vessels are ready to carry them to Brazil.
• 'Arm. ACCIDENT.—EarIy on Monday morning, Dec.
isto_t'Gintleman was found by some shepherds, lying
bt4ttflifeless, a short way from the high tcrad leading
to Newton-Stewart, on the-farm of Gate, in the pariah
rif Kells. He was recognised to be Mr. Thomas Newall,
We'd Stranfasket, who, on the preceding evening, had
been -returning from Machet more, to visit his aged mo-
ther, at. St. John's, I)alry. He was immediately re-
moved • to:the•farth-house of Gate, about a quarter of '
a mile,distant;,but life was estinct.before he reached it,
so that every effort to rekindle the vital spark proved in-
effectual. It is supposed that his hat, which was after-
terwaidsfound at some distance, having been blown off
In. the krce of the wind, the night
_being very stotmy
as well as dark, he had alighted to seek it, and his horse
inifiregalloped off, ine• had become fatigued, and be-
initOefe'd in walking through the deep moss in which he
was.tiuld, bad fallen asleep, and thus met his death
from the severity of the weather. Besides his afilictf;cl
mother, he has left an amiable wife and family to la-
ment his untimely -fate.
•