Star.
London, England, 1823-07-12 00:00:00

ASSIZES.

OXFORD, JULY
This morning the Assizes commenced before Mr.
Justice PARE and Mr. Baron HULLOCE. The for-
mer delivered an Address to the Grand Jury.
He commenced by congratulating them upon the
state of the Calendar, which although numerically
heavy, was light in crime. Adverting to the punish-
ment of the tread-mill, his Lordship declared•his en-
tire conviction that it had extensively diminished
crime, and expressed his regret that it had not been
adopted in the County of (Ilford. " I think," ob-
served the Learned Judge (Mr. Justice Park), " that
the objections made to this mode of puniihment are
unfounded ; it does not prove injurious to the health
of the prisoners, and I think that offenders should not
be living in prison in greater luxury than those they
have injured; but that they ought to be employed
every moment during the period of confinement for
their crimes, although every article should be afforded
them which is necessary for food and -cleanliness."
Alluding to an important Act lately passed, respect-
ing capital sentences, his . Lordship said, " There is
one Act *hick has made a most material alteration
in my situation, and that of my brother Judges, which
I think will he attended with very beneficial conse-
quences, viz.*-giving the Judges the power not
to pass sentence of death where they do not mean
to order execution to be done on the criminal ;. but
they are empowered to enter the sentence on the
record. All capital convicts, who receive the sen•
tence of death in future, will be left for execution."
John Stone, a youth, in the service of Mr. Cousins,
a Gentleman residing at Watlingdon, in this County,
was indicted for stealing a variety of property be-
longing to Mrs. Latham, a very young and interest-
ing widow, the daughter of Mr. Cousins, who was
the chief witness. The prisonef had lived servant
slnre time in Mr. Cousins's house, and in his sleeping
room was a box, containing the property in ques-
tion, which box was nailed down. The prisoner was
found offering part of the stolen property for sale,
and he could not give an account of his obtaining
possession of the same.—Guilty.
Thomar Wharton and William Badcock, young
men residents of Oxford, were indicted for stealing
two coats, the propel ty of Charles Mac k allister, in the'
University College, in this city.
The prosecutor, who is 13.:d maker to the College,
on the 18th of March last left the two coats in ques-
tion on the outside of the College door, on the stair-
case between the quadrangles, and they were carried
off. In a few hours aftery arils J.tcobs, a Jew resi-
dent in this city, sent for witness and• showed him
the two coars which had been stolen, mid which lie
(Jacobs) had purchased of the prisoner:.
Aaron Jacobs, a Jew, attired in a black toga, with
a bine velvet cowl on the crown of his bead, and a
long beard, wits sworn. Witness met the prisoners
the Corn-market of Orford, on the 18th of March
List, ahout five o'clock in the afternoon, and pur-
chased of them the two coats. They asked 12s. for
them, witness gave them is.
A number of witnes'es were called to character.

Verdict —Both
Mr. Justice lc; said, it was to him a painful
c.)nside:atic.,a to pass sentence on men uho had' re-
ceive st) grod a character; but it was ofimpott.tnce
that the Cul!eges should to protected, they being
puLlic places, a:td exposed to depredati:lns. Ile (the
Learned Jnds,c), however, took into consideration the
temptatiJn which bad been placed in their way, by
the vrosecu tor improperly leaving the coats in an ez-.
posed place.—Sentence, three months imprisonment,
and hard labour.