The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-08-10 00:00:00

CHESTER ASSIZES.

The commission for the county of Chester was opened
on Saturday last, before Mr. Justice Talfourd and Mr.
Justice Crompton, the former presiding in the Nisi Prius
Court, and the latter in the Crown Court.

These assizes complete the business of the circuit, and
throughout the whole of North and South Vales the
Judges have only been employed four days to dispense
both criminal and civil business.

The calendar at Chester is not so heavy as usual, so
far as numbers are concerned ; but, in other respects, it
is heavier than for some years past, there being three
murders—two from the neighbourhood of Birkenhead,
and one arising out of the Stockport riots. There are
nineteen other persons charged with being implicated in
the riots in that town.

Yesterday, Mr. Justice Crompton took his seat in the
Crown Court at eleven o'clock, and, after the grand jury
had been sworn, of whom W. T. Egerton, Esq., of
Tatton-park, was foreman, the learned judge delivered his
charge. The chief topic upon which his lordship dwelt
was the Stockport riot, and, after stating that the law
ought to be administered so as to convince all that it
respected the rights of the property of Roman Catholics
equally with that of Protestants, he explained the nature
of the evidence, and dismissed the grand jury to their
duties.

The oases tried in the course of the day were if a very
trifling description.

CIVIL SIDE.

Mr. Justice Talfourd took his seat in this Court at ten
o'clock yesterday morning.
The cause list is of the most meagre description, con-
taining but six cases, only one of which is for a special
jury, and that is an action for libel against the proprietor
of the Chester. Courant, brought by the Rev. Mr. Ford,
of St. Peter's, in Chester, arising out of some strictures
on the conduct of the plaintiff during the recent election
for that city. The rev. gentleman had formerly taken
part with the Conservatives, but on this occasion thought
proper to change his course, which led to some animadver-
sions upon his conduct, for which an action is brought and
the case fixed for this day.
The causes tried to-day were of a very trivial nature.

BODY FOUND.—The body of a man, name unknown,
was picked un in the Prince's Basin, on Sunday, and re-
moved to the dead-house for recognition. The inquest
will be held this day.
Docx COMMITTEE.—At the usual meeting, on Thurs-
day, Mr. C. Turner, M.P., in the chair. " a scene" oc-
curred in consequence of an attempt on the part of the
chairman and the committee to induce Mr. Evans to with-
draw the expressions used by him the week before with
respect to Mr. Bold and Mr. Wainwright, the committee's
legal agent in London. He contended that Mr. Bold was
the original aggressor ; that the assertions he (Mr. Evans)
had made were justifiable under the circumstances; and
that he ought not to be asked to withdraw them ; but he
ultimately expressed his regret for any expressions
that fell from him which were offensive to the
committee or to the board ; and the matter
was allowed to drop.—An application by the Ince-hall
Coal Company for 3,400 yards of land at the canal
lock, north docks, was agreed to, subject to certain con-
ditions.—A site was granted for a Custom-house dep6t at
the bottom of Parliament-street.—Mr. Tanton was ap-
pointed treasurer of the Dock Estate, vice Mr. Withers,
resigned.
DEJEVNER ON SHIP-BOARD.—On Thursday last a
very sumptuous dejeuner was given on board the clipper
ship Chaseley, laying in the George's Dock. About
thirty persons, including several of the gentler sex, sat
down. The chair was occupied by Capt. Slaughter, and
the duties of vice-nrecident were discharged by Capt.
Friend. After ample justice had been done to the viands,
several toasts were proposed, and not the least enthusi-
astically received was that of " Success to the Captain,
the Owners, and the good ship Chaseley." Snbsequently
the whole company proceeded to an inspection of the
'tween decks, which are fitted with state rooms on either
side, the centre forming an avenue, clear fore and aft, for
the free circulation of air. The Chaseley, we may men-
tion, having previously taken out mails and passengers to
Australia, is in every particular adapted to the trade.
Her sides are pierced for patent ventilators, and every
improvement that experience could suggest has been ap-
plied. The party assembled expressed their high approval
of the arrangements ; and the rapidity with which the
berths are being engaged, shows that the Chaseley is,
for strength, model, and equipment, duly estimated by
the emigrating public.
ALLEGED CRUELTY IN A NUNNERY.—At the Guildford
assizes on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, the attention
of Chief Justice Jervis and a special jury was occupied by
a singular case. This was an action brought by Henrietta
Griffiths, aged fifteen, against Madame de L'Espinasse
and Madame Theodosie, the superiors of a Roman
Catholic Nunnery, at Norwood. Mr. M. Chambers,
(IX., was the leading counsel for the plaintiff, and Ser-
geant Shee for the defendants.—'lle declaration alleged
that the plaintiff, who sued by her next friend (her un-
cle), had been placed in the charge of the defendants,
and that they undertook to provide her with proper
food and nourishment and other necessaries, and that,
in breach of that undertaking, the defendants had
neglected to provide proper food ; that they had worked
her beyond her strength, and had improperly confined
and otherwise ill-treated her ; the consequence of which
was that she became very ill and distempered in her body,
and eventually lost the sight of one eye. A considerable
number of witnesses were examined, and amongst them
the plaintiff, who alleged various acts of cruelty which
were productive of the effects above stated. This evidence
was met by a fiat denial ; and the learned counsel on
both sides having addressed the jury, the Chief Justice
summed up at great length, and after a brief consultation
tho jury returned a verdict for the defendants.
SIR JAMES GRAHAM'S NOTIONS OF CONFIDENCL•••-
To open letters at the Fost Office, and tell " a secret," lit
a dinar party of 590..--Gkogom Constitutional.