Star.
London, England, 1825-08-05 00:00:00

SUMMON ASSIZES:
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'SUMAS, ?itiGtitri• • 7 . •
Matthew Pratt, of Beennbods fanner, *it capitally
indicted for :horning at Mani]: Greenvrell, on the Sd
of April last, with intent to murder bet, or do her wise
grievous bodily injury.
the prisoner pleaded ,Not Guilty.
Mrk Low stated the case, and called the prossteutriz.•
annah Greenwell, who deposed that she was servant
to the prisoner ; on the $d of April last, being Easter
Sunday, my master came home on horseback at night,
about 12 o'clock, and my fellow-servant,-Jonas Smith,
took.his horse. A young man of the name of Storey
had visited me, and when my master came into the
kitchen to take off his boots, he asked if Storey was in
the house, which I denied. Mr. Pratt then took the
gun horn over the fire-place, and went into the back
kitchen to look for him, but not meeting him, he said.
he would shoot me ; he was then standing about the
length of the gun from me ; he presented the gun at
me, saying he would shout me, but I escaped by put.
ing my head and shoulders over a furnace pot; I after,
got behind a wall, into which some of the shot was
lodged ; my master then said, " she's not dead r hel
then took the other end of the gun, and said he would
have my life; upon this my fellow-servant, Smith, cam*
in, and my master jumped and went into bed. I was
not in any way hurt, but I fainted •away, and on re-
covering went to a neighbour's 'house—to the house
of Charles Gills.

Cross-examined by Mr. Custom—l was housekeeper to Mr.
Pratt at the time, and &orey used to visit me. Ile had been with
me that day, from three o'clock in the afternoon till half-past
eleven o'clock at night. Perhaps he had sot gone more than due
minutes before my muter came home. My piaster was in MOW%
More this time he was always kind to me, and I don't know how
he knew that Storey had been with me. Joseph was
using the gun the night before. I saw him unload it and take the
shot out. After that he put the gun_ over the liro-plhee, whence
my muter took it down. If the gun had gone off, I think it
would have shot me iss the breast. When my head and shoulders
were behind the wall, then it was that nay master fired. He soon
saw that he had not done me any harm, and then he said ° She is
not dead yet." I did not shout murder, nor anything like that,
tut I cried a good deal. The. noise nude by the gun was not land.
Gin's people, next door, did not hear thiamin of the gun. They
said something about it, but what that was IT do not now re-
member. I told Gills that my master shot at Jobe Storey, bat I
afterwards recollected myself, and said it was at me that. be shot.
I did not say to Charles Gills, " Irdu lust say yea heard the gnu
go off," for I had no conversation with him till after we came from
the Justice's at Chester. I never gave John Steer/ any of Mr.
Pratt's money, nor anything she belonging to Islam
By Mr. Justice HATLItY.—I did nut telt my master,
that Turnbull had unloaded the gun, but he could not
think it was loaded at the time he took it down to
shoot at me.

Jonas Smith, the fellow-servant of Greenwell, de-
posed, that after putting the horse in the stable, and
corning into the kitchen, he felt the smell Of powder,
but his master was then in bed. Hannah war crying,
and asked me if I went out for her to be shot-at? I
slid I knew nothing about it; and she_ said her master
hail shot-at her. Hannah Then went away.
By Mr. Justice &MlL—Tim gun was generally
kept unloaded. Ido not believe my masterksew any,
thing of what Turnbull had done. • • • •
John Storey ezamiried.-4 left. Mr. Pratt% Muse at
half•past eleven, and when about 400 yards off, E heard
the report of a gun. I did not return back,, and knew
nothing of what took place in the house.' ' •
cross•examined.—l was often at the prisono haute
when he was at home and when he was Rota
Charles Gills.— Lives within twenty yat.et Pieta
house, but heard no report of a" gun. . aineksaid
that her master had shot John Starey, and'theilainted
away ; but on recovering said, " he, had shot at her."
She t Id me I would have to say that I beard the report
of a gun, to which I said I never heard it. -
Het e the case for the prosecution closed. • -
Mr. Justice.BATLET.-4: it any case at all, .Mr. Losh ?
The difficulty I have about it is that' the prisoner did
not know that the gun was loaded. There is every
reason to suppose that there *ere only a few straggling
shots left in the gun by the • man who had cleaned i:.
I shall proceed if the Jury wish it; but if you, Gen-
tlemen, agree with me, the prisoner must be acquitted.
The Jury declared their coincidence with his Lord-
ship, and the ptisoner was instantly acquitted.
MALICIOUS STABBING. •
Robert Jobson, of Gateshead, pitman, aged 17, was
capitally indicted for maliciously stabbing William
Liddell, with intent to murder him, or do hart some
grievous bodily harm. • .
Mr. Hovr stated the case.
Eroin the evidence adduced it appeared, that on the
21st of May last the prosecutor (William Liddell) went
into a public-house, in which a great number of per-
sons were assembled. At, first the prosecutor and his
party avoided the quarrel, but shortly after his brother
and some of his own purty had a dispute, and they
went out to fight. A man of the name of Young en.;
couraged the men to fight, and I said it was scandalous,
to do so; whereupon Young. and I had high words.
Robert Jobson then came in, and swore whet he would
do if anybody touched his uncle Young. He immedi-
lately struck at me, and hit me a blow on the shoulder.
fell, and he made off. I went out after him, and
`said, " Robert, man, I know you" So he stood and
struck at me again in the left side, and penetrated my
body. 1 lev, he upon me, and when on the ground,
I received a wound in the neck ; I found the prisoner
was using something sharp ; that I was severely cut,
when some persons came and took the pri.oner off me;
I was then very sick, and my neck bled a great deal ;
the wound was soon after dressed ; I was off work.
for nine days, and was confined to my bed for a part
of the time.
In cross-examination by Mr. Coossom, it appeared
that there had been some old quarrel between the uncle
of the prisoner and the .prosecutor and his brothers,
and that on the day in question (which was pay day)
they had all been thinking at several public-houses,
and knew little of what they had been saying or riding.
The prosecutor and his brothers were old bound mat;
and Young and the prisoner " new bound men," litd
difference. often had taken place between them on that''
subject; but the witness positively denied having struck:
the prisoner before he had used the sharp instrumeot,
although he admitted that there had been a very ge-
neral quarrel amongst the rest of the• company; who,
might be twenty in number; his pa ty were farther
fr. m their homes Than that of the prisoner:
Several witnesses were called, who gave very con-
trad!ctory evidence.
Mr. Justice BAYLIS, in summing up said, they meat,
be sati Sad, before they found the prisoner guilty, that
if death !tad towed from the wound inflicted he wad&
have ben guilty of murder. They must also see
whether the blow was struck without any provocation
either to the prisoner himself or to his master, Young;
jot it there were hone offered to Lir:, ri:Al yet was of..