Star.
London, England, 1826-12-25 00:00:00

WINTER ASSIZES.

KINOSTON, Decemaeit 43.
The Winter Gaol Deliv.ery for this County ended to-day, We
lament to state that there Were forty capital convictions, in most el
which judgment of death was recorded.
Was. ilascossb was indicted for feloniously killing and slaying
labouring man, at Bookbant, on the 16th December.
Mr. Dimes conducted the prosecution. It appeared
that the deceased, the prisoner, and other labourers,'
assembled at the Fox public house, at 13o,kham, on the
16th inst. for the purpose of roffiing for a watch. Some
dispute arising between the prisoner and the deceased,
both of whom had been drinking beer, they agreed to
fight; and went out on a green before the house, for
that purpose. After fighting some rounds, the deceased
fell, and was found soon afterwards to be lifeless. it
was stated to be a fair fight, and without any foul blows.
The surgeon, a young man of 20, gave it as his opinion,
that there were sufficient mat ks of external violence on
the body of the deceased, to occasion death ; but he did
not open the body, to see whether these was any inter-
nal injury.
The Jury, under the Learned Judge's directions, found the pri.
loner Not Guilty.
Henry Hopwood and Wm. Chamberlain were indicted
on the statute 5 Geo. 111. chap. 14., for unlafuily enter-
ing Claremont Park, on the night of the 29th of Nov.
and taking from an enclosed pond of water, 42 fi.h,
called carp, the property of his Royal Highness the
Prince of Saxe Coburg, without his consent.
Mr. Mumma and Mr. Mammas conducted the prosecution.
It appeared in evidence, that about twelve o'clock,
on the night of the 29th Nov. a watchman of Thames
Ditton stopped the prisoners and another pet son in a
cart going in a direction towards Esher. He asked
them where they were going? They said they were
bargemen, that they had 'left their barge in London,
that they were just come from Kingston, and were going
to their home at Guildford. 'lacy had a line and a net
in the cart, He allowed them to depart. Between
three and four in the morning, the same watchman
stopped the same persons again at Thames Ditton, and
recognizing them as the persons he had seen so lately
before, expressed his surprise at their manning from
Guildford in so short a time. They gave so lame an
excuse, that he was induced to search the cast, and in
it were found 42 carp, together with a large net and a
line. He took the two prisoners into custody, but tte
third man escaped. Next day, upon searching the fish-
pond in Claremont Park, it was found to have been re-
cently dragged of its fish, there being the foot marks of
three men at the edges, and a considerable number of
fish scales; The foot marks cf the men were traced to
the Park paling, on the other side of which were the
traces of a cart which bad there stopped in a lane
leading from Esher, and bad turned about again.--
Upon comparing the shoes of the prisoners with some
of the foot marks, they were found to cot respond ex-
actly, The fish found in the prisoners possession were
valued at st. In order to prove that they were taken
without the consent of the owner, as alleged in the in-
dictment, Mr. Arnashassia, Superintendent of the
Prince of Saxe Coburg's Palace of Claremont, proved
that he had not given the prisoners any licence to take
the fish ; and no other person had authority to give
such a licence but himself, in the absence of his Royal
Highness, who was now at Rome.
Mr. CLARKSON addressed the Jury on the part of the
prisoners, and endeavoured to persuade them that there
was not sufficient evidence to justify a conviction. The
indictment was founded on a highly penal Act of Par-
liament, which imposed the penalty of seven years'
transportation absolutely, without soy .discretion in the
Judge to mitigate the punishment. In such a case, the
Jury ought to be satisfied by the clearest testimony of
the prisoners' guilt, before they pronounced a verdict of
condemnation; The strongest circumstance sworn to
was the correspondence of the prisoners shoes with the
foot-marks near the pond ; but, recollecting that the
comparison was made four days after the alleged theft,
and it having been raining in the interval, he submitted
that this was too slight a fact to justify a conviction...-.
Again, there was no evidence that the Prince of Saxe
Coburg had not given his consent to the pt isoners to
take the fish,which he contended the Prince ought to be
called to prove, especially in a case so highly penal It
was scarcely to be believed, that this prosecution was
carried on at the instance of the Royal Prioce, consider.
ing the circumstances under which his Royal Highness
became possessed of the property at Claremont. Finally,
he contended that the case was too slight to warrant a
verdict of guilty.
The prisoners were found Gritty, and they were sentenced to
seven years' transportation.

FOX HUNTING:

Thursday the 14th ult. the Linlithgow and Stlrlingshire pack out
at Cralgie Hill, where they found immediately. After running
some time in that eitensive cover a strong dog foz broke to the
east, and having about ten minutes laws, run right through the
Earl of Bold:wry', grounds to Cramond Bridge, where be crossed
the road for the earths at Craigiehall ; but finding them shut, passed
the mansion-house, swam the Almond, and leaving Saughton on his
right, made direct for Corstorphine Hill. Here he traversed the
whole cover, which gave the hounds a great deal to do, and they
certainly hunted it in great style. He again broke, and ran to
Beechwood, headed about, and down to Ravelston, here he w.O
killed in the garden. The length of the run was at least eight
miles. There was a large field out ; the road riders had the spurt
quite to their wish, u the track was intersected with roads almost
throughout. IS few sportsmen, however, kept with the hounds,
foremost of whom was the master of the pack, who always
appears to advantage in a hard day. Sisme of the flash stands who
went off a score, came to their moorings rather early. The run
throughout was splendid; indeed many were almost induced 19
suppose themselves following the Lothians.