Star.
London, England, 1822-08-30 00:00:00

SUMMER ASSIXES.

LANCASTER, AUGUST 17.
John AK:arty. convicted of the fraud on the Excise
at Liverpool, in 1817, was this Morning brought up
to receive Judgment in the llisi-Prins Court from the
LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. An affidavit was read in mi-
tigation of punishment.
Mr. WILLIAMS addressed the Court to the same
effect. His Lordship was aware from the evidence,
that the' man whose ingenuity contrived and con-
structed the machinery by which the fraud was ef-
fected, had not been sought by the defendant, but
had been sent to him by an individual who was not
now before the Court. The defendant was now a
bankrupt, and had a family dependent upon him for
their support. In this situation a pecuniary punish•
ment would be to him only an interminable im-
prisonment. He would rather suffer in his person
than see his family destitute. . The Learned Gentle-
man spoke at some length upon these topics, with,
great feeling and apparent effect.
Mr. R AINE spoke in aggravation.
The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE admitted that the con-
trivance seemed to have been another's, not the de-
fendant's. The offence, at the same time, of which
the defendant was so clearly convicted, was one of
great extent and extensive criminality. The sentence
of the Court was, that he should be imprisoned for
eighteen months.
John Wol.fenden, aged 26, was put upon his trial for
the murder of Eliza Ann Dunwell, at Royton, on the
Coroner's Inquest, the Grand Jury having thrown
out the bill,
Mr. COLTMAN stated the case. The charge was,
that the prisoner had caused the death of the deceased,
his apprentice, by excessive work and insufficient
food. The Vestry of Royton had appointed men to
go round the several places in the parish, where poor
apprentices were employed—an example worthy of
the highe.t praise and of general imitation. The con-
sequence of their visit was, the discovery of the situa-
tion of this girl, who died soon afterwards. It was
for them to say whether her death was caused by the
conduct and treatment of the prisoner.
Thomas ltadcliff.—l live at Royton. I was ap-
pointed, with others, to inspect the different parish
apprenticeships in May last. We went to Wolfen-
den's, a weaver. We found the deceased sitting on
a loam in a quite emaciated state; we went from the
cellar to where Wolfenden was. We had made in-
quiries of her as to what quantity of work she did?
She wove two yards and a half a day of fustian. She
was about ten years of age. That was not a proper
quantity o, work for her age, even if she was well
and hearty. She was unfit for work of any kind.—
I told him so. He said he had put her to bobbin
v•ink.iing and nuring of the child ; but she was too
weak for the child, being a lusty child, and she pre-
ferred %yeas ir.7. I asked her to weave, and she did,
with the weate,it exertion, but with much difficulty.
I took her up in my -irms, and thought she was not
twenty pounds weight.
. By NIr.WILLIAsts.—I don't know weaving. There
were three other gills in the cellar. It is the custom
to weave in cellars. Two of the girls looked mid-
dling, and another poorly, The prisoner bask wife
and child.

John Cay, Overseer.—She appeared in a very elm-.
ciated state, unfit for labour of any kind. Wolfenden
said she looked badly when he took her an'appren-
tice, but he had been told by the Overseeis of Leeds
that she had been short of meat, and if he would take
her she would come found. I went again to see her
on the Bth of July. She was at a winding engine,
quite in wwoin out state. WoVanden seemed very
willing that the indenture should be cancelled, and
to give money to the township for the purpose. On
the 10th she was taken to Rochdale. The Magistrates
ordered me to take care of her, and that WoMenden
should pay the expenses. She had done More work
ta4an a child of her age in health ought to do.`l Weave,
but have no appientices.
• By Mr. WlLLlAKS.—Wolfenden had bad the girl
since .Christmas, and wished to send her back in April.

On the 10th of July: he Offered EA to me to take her
from him, and paid El. 10s.in part of that sum. He
mentioned- that her being poorly was the reason why
he had wished to send her back.

Margaret MellOr.—The girl, after she was removed,
was sent to live with me. She looked almost dole.
She lived ten days.
By Alr.Wiwasts.—She was consumptive.
Mr.W. Taylot considered her to be in the last stage
of a pulmonary consumption. She died nine days
after. Extiaordinary labout would contribute to
bring on the consumption. •
Cross-examined.—lt might have arisen from natu-
ral .disposition.
Alr.Cot.T4A w.—That is the case for the prosecution.
Mr. Baron WOOO.--4 don't consider this a case of

murder or of manslaughter. It is very proper that
Enid) Officers should look after these poor appren-
tices, but there appears to have been no culpable negli-
gence, much less any ddsign to destroy the life of the
deceased, on the part of the prisoner.—Not Guilty.
Mr.WlLLtabas.—l ought to state for this poor fel-
low, that we a.e prepared to prove that a medical
- man v:as called so early at,February, and kept in at-
tendance upon the girl for a considerable time.
Mr. COLTMAN applied for the expenses, and stated
that they were bound over to prosecute by the Coro-
JaerMr. J. Milne).
• Mr. Baron WOOD granted the expenses, and said it
was very proper those cases should be inquired into.
CROWN SIDE.
ASSAULT ON .A GIRL UNDER TEN YEARS OF AGE.
John Hull, aged SG, was indicted for a most atro-
cious assault upon Eleanor Mercer, at Hindley.
The indictment was only for the misdemeanour, the
Grand Jury having thrown out the bill for the capital
offence.--,Mr. ItaxNcoCk stated the case.

Eleanor Mercer, a very interesting little girl, stated
what happened to her with great clearness.- The pri-
soner met her on the road near Hindley, on the 26th
of March, and after inquiring the way to the next
public house, he pulled her into a shippon (a shed for
cattle), and there accomplished his brutal purpose ;
she screamed, and he stopped her mouth with hay ;
on coming out she met Betty Oaks, to whom she told
what had, happened to her, and the prisoner was
taken into custody.
Mr. AintwonTu cross-examined the witness, but she
il4cl not vary in the slightest degree in her evidence.
limy Oaks and Alice Hams, tlit child's mother,