Star.
London, England, 1830-07-30 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD ClRCUlT..—WoectsvEa, JULY 28.
CROWN SIDE.
(Before Mr. Justice Paste.)
Thomas Turner, labourer, aged 17, was indicted for a rape on
Louisa Blissett, a child under the age of ten years.
Mr. Lee stated the case for the prosecution, u afterwards detailed
by the following witnesses :
Louisa Blissett, a pretty-looking young girl, deposed u follows:
1 went to Kidderminster market on the 14th of June ; I returned
home about fire o'clock ; my father lives at New-wood, about three
miles off; on try return home I met the prisoner; I had seen him
several times before, but did not know his name. When I met the
prisoner I dropped my comb ; when I picked it up he said it was
his comb ; I said it was rot his, but mine, and I had just dropped'
it. After some conversation of a nature unfit to publish, the little
girl detailed, with great perspicuity, the prisoner a cor.duct towards
her, which was of the n:ost revolting and disgusting description,
and could leave no doubt of the capital offence having been coin.
rained.
By the Junes.—l never had a quarrel with the prisoner be-
fore this
,transaction, caliber had my father or mother. I men-
tioned the primoner's conduct to my mother as soon as I got home.
41 the prisoner's being asked if he had any questions to put to
the little girl, he answered in a sullen mood," I never knocked her
down ; 1 never touched her."
Swath Blissett, the mother of the child, said—bly husband is a
farmer; my daughter was nine years old bat September; on the
14th of June 1 sent her to Kidderminster; she returned about six
o'clock ; she was then crying ; her father opened the door, and
asked her if she ,was wet, as it had been raining? she said not very.
He then marked her what was the matter, and what made her cry ?
she made so answer, but cried sadly. I went to her, and took off

1,, r wl, and told her not to cry at a little rain ; ohe said, lam not
crying for the rain, mother; a man stopped me on the road;
said, Never mind ; don't cry, he hasn't hurt you. She replied, Ile
has hurt me very bad, mother. In consequence of what my child
afterwards told me, I examined her person. [The witness here be-
came very much distressed, and it was with great difficulty that she'
could dmribe the appearances.] I afterwards took her to a sur-
geon's at Kidderminster ; the road from my house to Kidderminster
is not much frequented.
John Blissett examined—This witness confirmed the evidence of
his wife. He had never heard the prisoner's name until after this
transaction.

Alr. George Custance examined—l am surgeon to the kidder.
minster Dibpensary. On the 14th June last the prosecutrix was
brought to my residence. I examined the child in the pretence of
her mother She complained of • great pain in the chest. I also
observed a bruise upon the shoulder-blade, as if occasioned by a
fall. The witness here described other appearances, which he said,
in his opinion, left no doubt but that the child had been abused by
some man.

Sarah Blissett recalled- -I washed my child before I took her to
the surgeon's.
This was the case for the prosecution.
The priboner, upon being called on for his defence, merely said,
" I did not knock the girl down."
Mr. Wilson was then called—The prisoner has been in my ser-
vice more than a yea* he used to attend the cows. There was
some dispute between him and a girl, but I do not know the par-
ticulars ; he was always considered honest.
Mr. Justice PARK summed up the case very minutely. His
Lordship explained to the Jury, that an Act passed in the reign of
Queen Elizabeth, rendered an assault, like the one charged against
the prisoner, on a child under ten years of age, a capital offence,
whether it was with the consent of the child or not.

The Jury, after a few minutes' consultation, returned a verdict
of Guilty.
The Learned Judge then put on his black cap.—[The prisoner,
who had, up to this time, maintained considerable composure, be.
came much agitated, and begged for mercy.}—His Lotaship then,
in a moat impressive manner, proceeded to pass the awful sentence
of the law. He told the prisoner that he had been convicted un the
most satisfactory evidence that could be produced in a Court of
Justice. No doubt could exist that he had been guilty of a
crime of the deepest dye—one, perhaps, if not the greatest, one of
the greatest known to the laws. It is impossible, therefore
(raid his Lordship,) young as you are, to hold out the slightest
hope of mercy. It will he my painful duty to order the law to be
carried into full execution, not for the purpose of punishing you,
but as an example and warning to others, and to show to those who
give loose to their wicked passions, that the Magistrate does not hold
the sword of justice in vain." His Lordship, after exhorting the
prisoner to spend the few remaining days allotted to him in this
world in prayer and supplication to the throne of mercy for forgive.
ness, concluded by passing sentence of death in the usual form.
The prisoner was then removed from the bar.
Sarah Higley, aged 24, was charged with the wilful murder of
her female bastard child.

Mr. Godson stated the case for the:prosecution, and called the
following witnesses
Mr. Pierrepoint--1 am a surgeon in this city ; on the 31st of
May I examined a female child at an inquest held at Ombersly ; in
my opinion it was a full grown child; the head was very dark, as
compared with the other parts of the body; the vessels appeared
loaded with blood ; the lips and face wete swelled, and of a livid
hue ; there was a circular mark round the neck ; on the right side
the skin was torn ; I could not form an opinion what caused that
laceration ; there were no other external marks; I then opened the
head, and found the vessels under the head ruptured ; the brain had
no unusual appearance; the membranes of the brain were loaded
with blood; many circumstances might have produced such ap-
pearances. The hand would not have produced the circular mark
round the child's neck. The prisoner was very anxious to tell me
all the circumstances attending the delivery of the child. but I told
her not to do so, as I only was here to ascertain if she had been de-
livered or not; she said she had, but that she did not destroy it ;
she then called out to her mother, who was in the kitchen, to bring
up a box, which she did ; it contained baby-clothes of a miserable
description. She said, " You see, Sir, I never intended to destroy
my child, or I would not have prepared these little things."
Mr. Godson—Can you form any opinion of the cause of the
child's death ?

Witness.—l am of opinion the child was born alive' and that
the mark round the neck was sufficient to cause death ; but I can
form no opinion what caused that mink.
Cross-examined by Mr. Carrington.--The prisoner told me she
had no professional assistance at the time the child was born. A
surgeon had been sent for, but did not arrive until some hours after
her delivery.
Mr. Lingham.—l am a surgeon; I saw the body of the child,
but did not examine it.

The Counsel for the prosecution said he had no further evidence
to produce respecting the cause of the child's death.
Mr. Justice Panic here said it was necessary, in order to support
the indictment, that the child's death should have been produced by
strangulation • the Jury had heard the evidence of a highly respect.
able professional man ; and before the case was further proceeded
with, he wished to have their opinion whether they thought that
death did ensue from such a cause. If they thought it did, he
would then go on, but if they were not satisfied on that point, it
would be impossible to find the prisoner guilty.
The Jury, after a few minutes' deliberation, said they were not
satisfied as to the cause of death. They then, under his Lordship's
, direction returned a verdict of Not Guilty, the prisoner was
removed from the bar.

The prisoner, who was dreadfully agitated, was cautioned by Mr.
Justice Park as to her future conduct.

WESTERN CIRCUIT.--fiamenuaY, JULY 28.
(Before Mr. Baron V•vesuaix.)
Hannah Willis was indicted for the wilful murder of her female
child, at Trowbridge, on the 28th of March last.
From the evidence it appeared that the prisoner was an inoi.
vidual of most exemplary character up to the time of that which
gave rise to the present investigation. On the day mentioned in
the indkuneat she was delivered of • female child, which she con-
cealed in a box, none of her friends suspecting that she was I. the
family way. In the evening of that day she informed her friends of
what had occurred, and subsequently a coroner's inquest was held,
and they brought in a verdict of wilful murder. On the child being
anatomised, there were found behind the left ear an extensive bruise,
and the parts considerably swollen and discoloured; there was also
an indentation which the surgeon said could never have been
duced by natural causes ; but another being of opinion that it mittltt
have occurred accidentally, the Jury acquitted her of the cap tal
offence, but found her guilty of concealing the birth, and she was
sentenced to one year's imprisonment and hard labour.
Richard Chipp was indicted for the wilful murder of Robert
Coles, of St. Thomas, in this city, on the 23d of June.
Mr. Itlisaing, with whom was Mr. Manning, stated the case
to the Jury.
Ruben Curtis examined.—l am a shoemaker, living in this city.
I was at the Rose public-house on the 22d of June last; the de•
ceased was there ; he came in after me, Tura came in after. Chin),
was then there. Turner offered a net for sale to Coles. Some beer
i was ordered and paid for by Cole, and Turner and Chippe partook of
'it. A d spute atter took place between Chipp and ColaChipp
said he had broken Coles' nose at the Bell, and d—n his eyes If he
would'nt break it again. Cole said he never took a challenge be-
' fore and would not take that, and got up and stripped to his skin.
Chipp pulled off every thing but his flannel shirt. Coles said pull
off your flannel shirt. Chipp said he would not. Colts then said
he would not fight unless he took off his flannel shirt. Chipp mid
he wouldn't. Coles said it is no battle, patients% I shan't fight.
Chipp got up before him, and said, I've a good mind to give you
one • both then had their shirts. Chipp then took him by the
neei, ran into him, and threw him over his left shoulder. Coles
fell to the ground. Chipp's knees pitched on Coles' bowels He
then took bold of the hair of his head, and beat it on the ground.
Coles was struggling to get up, but he would not let him. The de.
ceased was taken up ; he was not able to stand, and put into the
stable, and from thence taken to his home, and then to the In-
firmary.
Mr. Miles.--I am a surgeon, and atterded the deceased on the
22d of June, between four and five. He was then in the stable,
lying on his back groaning. He told me his name was Coles, and
I advised his being removed home. He complained of great
pain in the lower part of his abdomen. I wished him to be re.
moved to the Infirmary. Called on him again at ten. He had
passed about half a pint of pure blood from his bladder. He was
afterwards removed to the Infirmary.
Mr. Sampson, surgeon, attended the deceased at the Ink.
wary, where he died on the Friday following. I found the
bladder had been ruptured, and I attribute his death to the rupture
of the bladder. . . _

...- -----
The prisoner called witnesses in his defence ; but all who were
present at the time gave a similar version of the affair as the wit-
nesses for the prosecution.
11,1 r. Baron VAUGHAN summed up. He was of opinion that there
was not sufficient evidence to constitute the crime of murder.
The Jury found a verdict of Guilty of the Manslaughter. He
was sentenced to one year's imprisonment, and hard labour.
George Hcod, Samuel Hood, and John Hood, a father and two
sons, and very respectable-looking men, were indicted, the former
for maliciously stabbing one John Staples, while aiding and assist-
ing Edward Dowdey in the execution of his office of tythingman,
and the other two for aiding and abetting him. After a tedious
trial, the jury having consulted for some time, returned the follow-
ing verdict :
Samuel Hood—Not Guilty. George Hood—Guilty. John
Hood—Not Guilty.
The Jury recommended the prisoner George Hood to mercy.
Judgment of Death was recorded against him.

NORFOLK CIRCUIT.—CAMBRIDGE, JULY 27.
George Bright was placed at the bar, charged with having, on the
241 day of July last, unlawfully stabbed Thomas Sell, of the parish
of St. Peter, in this men, with Intent to do hint some bodily harm,
and with intent to resist and prevent the lawful apprehension of him,
the said George Bright.
Mr. Hunt appeared for the prosecution; Mr. Smith for the
prisoner.
From the evidence of the prosecutor, and other witnesses, it ap-
peared that the prisoner went, at half-past ten in the evening of the
day laid in the indictment, to the house of a Mrs. Bagger, a laun-
dress, with whom lived a girl be courted, and was about to be mar-
ried to. He demanded to bee the girl, and declared he would not
quit the house till she came to him, and went away with him.
Mrs. Bagger sent for a constable named Rolfe, and before Rolfe
came the prisoner had retired into the garden, and the house door
was shut. From the evidence of Sell it appeared that he was
with prisoner in the garden for some time before the constable ar-
rived ; that after he came, the prisoner was taken into custody, and
with assistance bound hand and foot, and carried off to the spinning
house. That, on the way thither, the prisoner, being opposite his
father's house, called for help. That -help came ; and somebody,
probably his brother's wife, handed to him a knife, to cut the cord.
That whilst he had the knife he cut the fingers of one man, wounded
another, and at last stabbed the witness, Sell. The prisoner was
in liquor at the time ; and it appeared, when sober, was very
inoffensive,
The constable (Rolfe) swore that he took the prisoner into cus.
tody ; but all the reason he had for so doing was, hearing the pri.
soner say, as he stood near the house, " If they show a light at the
windows, I'll break them all." Upon the prisoner saying these
words, the constable tuok him into custody, bound him, and had
him conveyed to the spinning-house.
Mr. Justice JAMBI Pattiz here stopped the case. The arrest
was clearly an illegal one. At the time of taking the prisoner into
custody there was no breach of the peace. The prisoner had said
he would break the windows if a light appeared. He did not break
the windows, neither did he:do any other act amounting to a breach
of the peace. If death had ensued from the resistance made by the
prisoner, after such an arrest as had been proved, it would not have
amounted to murder, but to manslaughter only.
Upon the prosecution of Mr. Hunt, Edward Warren, James
Townsend, and James Green, were indicted for breaking and en-
tering the dwelling.house of the prosecutor, and stealing therefrom
several sovereigns, and various goods. The case was one of a very
aggravated nature, the prosecutor and his wife being very old. They
were threatened by the prisoners in bed, but no violence offered.
The prisoners were all of most determined appearance; and, in
the questions they put (they had no Counsel) more than once identi.
fled themselves with the transaction.
They were found Guilty, and the sentence was deferred.