Star.
London, England, 1824-04-17 00:00:00

LENT ASSIZES.

CHESTER, APRII,I4.
Tlromas Clarke, aged 2'7, from Macclesfield, was in-
dicted on the Coronet's Inquest, for killing and slaying
David Brindley.
It appeared that the parties had been quarrelling,.
near to a place where there was a precipitous descent
of 10 or 11 feet. Brindley, who was an old man, came
suddenly up to the prisoner, and struck him violently
over the head with an iron poker ; he was preparing to
follow up the blow, when the deadly weapon fell from
his hand. A scuffle then ensued, and deceased was
pushed against a low wall, not more than two feet
high, which protected the dangerous place betore no-
ticed.
In this situation, Clatke seized him by the leg
and threw him over, and his neck was broken. He
died in a very few ininntes. It should be stated, tha:
the blow given by the deceased was extremely violent,
the prisoner's face and clothes being suffused with blood
from a wound on the temple.
The Jury found the prisoner Guilty; and
Judge WARREN, considering the aggravation which
the prsuier had received, and his imprisonment since
October last, sentenced him to pay a fine of 51. and
then be discharged.
George Woolley. aged 20, and Thomas Bates, aged
19, both old offenders, were indicted for a burglary
in the dweiling-house of William Sothern, a dealer in
coal and lime, residing in a lonely house on the banks
of the river Weaver.

About one o'clock in the morning of the 6th arcember
last, the prosecutor,who is a deformed man, was alarmed
by two men knocking, and demanding admission. He
got up, and asked them what the) wanted? They said
they wished to come into the house and lie on the
hearth till morning. Sothern refused them, but said if
they would go about their business, he would give them
a sovereign, which he dial by pushing it under the door;
they then demanded another sovereign, which he also
gave them, and then they asked for two shillings to
make the money into a guinea each. At last they pro-
ceeded to force open the premises by escalade, when
Sothern consented to open the door. One of them seized
him, and picked his pockets, whilst the other rifled his
office of a quantity of copper coin. Amongst the pro-
perty taken, were a sovereign, a Macclesfield and a
Northwich 11. note, wrapped up in an old coal invoice, in
Sothern's owa writing. Having taken all the cash they
could find, they left the house, promising to keep a sharp
watch on it till day-break.
On the following day, the prisoners were seen in
Stockport, by Donovan, a constable, who knew them
both well from their being in custody at the New Bai-
ley there. They were dividing a large sum of money,
and as Donovan knew Bates had none a day or two be-
fore, his suspicions were excited, and he took them into
custody. On searching Bates, the identical notes, wrapped
up in the coal invoice, which were taken from the pro-
secutor, were found upon him; and upon Woolley,
about 20s. in copper.
These were the leading facts on the part of the Crown :
but whilst in gao], Bates, in addition, made a full dis-
closure of the burglary to J. S. Barrett, a constable.
The Jury found the prisoners Guilty, but sentence was
not then pronounced ; it is feared, however, from their
known bad character, that their lives will be placed in
great jeopardy.
The Grand Jury were discharged this morning about
eleven o'clock.

Just before that hour the Foreman came into Court,
and stated that, owing to negligence belonging to some
one connected with the Cour, r, a bill, that had been found
against Thomas Green and John Mack, was lost; and
another of the Jury said, that some years ago a SI Imlay
circumstance bad occurred. Directions were accord.

ingly given to prepare a new indictment, but very for-
tunately for the attorney, in about ten minutes the fore-
man returned, observing he was sorry he had uninten-
tionally deceived the Court, for the lost bill had been
found in the Grand Jury room by the bailiff in attend-
ance.--A case of ejectment, in which a Mr. Picker i ng,l
of Hackney-terrace, is the defendant, and which involves
property to the amount of between 5,0001. and 6,0001.
is, by a Rule of Court, fixed to come on at these Assizes.
At the last Summer Assizes for this County it may be
recollected that a young man, named Joseph Dale, was
convicted of the wilful murder of William Wood,

respectable factor, near Whaley, in Cheshire, on the
16th of July last. The trial lasted from nine o'clock
in the morning un.il eight in the evening. Mr. D. F.
JONES, who was Counsel for the prisoner, having, how-
ever, moved for a respite of judgment on the ground of
a flaw in the indictment, it not having been stated
therein what number of stones had been used in the
murder of the unfortunate man, sentence was not then
passed. Toe question has been since argued before the
twelve Judges, who have decided that it was not essen-
tial that the number of stones should be stated in the

indictment ; and one of their Lordships appositely asked,
whether an indictment for murder wouki be invalid by
reason of its not having been stated by how many small
shot the death of a murdeted man had been occasioned?
About six weeks since, a petition was forwarded to the
Sect etary of State for the Home Department for the
pardon of Dale; it was most respectably and nu a;erously
signed, and among the names attached to it were those of
the Mayor and Sheriffs of this city.