Star.
London, England, 1817-09-09 00:00:00

LANCASTER ASSIZES. SEPTEMBER 8.

Friday the Pendleton murderers, William Hdd'ers,
and the three Alhcrtfts, one of whom is the father,
the other the brother, and the youngest the son, were,
after a trial of twelve hours, found Guilty. The
evidence was wholly circumstantial. They were tried
for the murder of a Mrs. Ramtden, and Harnah
Partington, efie servants of Mr. Littlewood, of Pen-
ditto's, near Manchester. It was proved that tl•oy
got into the house between three and four o'clock in
the afternoon of April 2f3th, and that after robbing
it, and carrying away some plate, linen, and a cOn.
siderable quantity of bank notes and gold, they mur-
dered (as it is supposed) with a blotch:A.% cleaver and
the kitchen poker the unfortunate domestics above-
named. The robbery and minder were committed
in mid-day, iu a populous village, and within two
miles of Manchester.

The Jury, in two minutes, returned their verdict--
James Ashcroft the elder, David Ashcroft, James
Ashcroft the younger, and William Holden—Guilty.
James Ashcroft the elder addressed the Court as
follows:--" This is murdering us in cold blood.—
GOD will reveal this injustice. I pray earnestly that
he would now send two Angels to declare upon that
table who committed this noirder. We areinnocent,
and i will declare so to the last."

I)4vid Ashcroft invoked Con, and protested his
innocence in the same manner.

James Ashcroft the younger-64 If I must suffer
death for a crime I never committed, I,implote your
Honour to look in mercy on my poor wife and chil-
dren."—(Here a tremendous shriek burst from a fe.
male in the crowd, who, it nas Nand, was his un•
fortunate wife.)
William Holden.—(flinging one arm towards
Heaven, and the other towards his earthly Judge)—
" There is a GOD yondor who knows that we are in-
nocent, and whdwill make amends for this."
The awful sentence of death was then pronounced.
They were ordered (or execution on Monday. The
JUDGI declared th4t no sensible person who had heard
the evidence could have a doubt of their guilts that
he owed it to justice to say, that he considered the,
verdict the only one an intelligent Jury could have',
,'returned.

The moment sentence was pronounced. James
'Ashcroft the elder waved his right band with a white
bundle in it over his head, and exclaimed aloud—
" Glory to GOD I"
David Ashcroft said—" He hoped GOD would not
'allow the injustice done to them to be always un-
known."

James Ashcroft the runlet said—"" He would
meet a Higher Judge with a conscience clear of
this guilt."
William Holden vociferated, in a wild tons—
" There is Mr. Nadir', and there is Mr. Fox, ( Attor-
ney for the prosecution), and before they leave the
earth. Goa will punish them !"
Tnus they were hurried away from the Bar, while
every person in Court Will penetrated with a chi:ling
horror at such a dreadful scene.

Aissitall and SaoXeld, convicted of murder at Lan-
caster last Thursday, were executed on Saturdar.—
Both confessed their guilt. Nuttall, after he was
brought out, and before the rope was tied rrlod his
neck, looked,coolly round upon the immense con-
course of spectators. Atter his face had been covered,
and the rope adjusted, he made an effort to obtain *a
greater freedom of his right arm, moved the cap up
so tar as the tip of his nose, and thus, while the hang-
man was fastening the rope about Scholfield's neck.
turned a fearful aspect again upon the multitude.—
He took several minutes in dying. Scbolfield never
moved, and died quiet'', and almost instantaneously.
Both seemed quite firm and composed. Nuttall was
an uncommonly goodicsoking fa h.