Star.
London, England, 1828-08-12 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIRCUIT—MAIDSTONE, AuGurr 11.
CROWN SIDE.—MURDER—MANSLAUGHTER.
Edward oldield was charged, on the Coroner's In-
quisition, with the wilful murder of John Wallace, at
Woolwich, on the 4th of April last. He was also in-
dieted for killing and slaying John Wallace (man-
slaughter).
Mr. LAW stated the case for the prosecution, and then
called the following witnesses:
Philip Holloway—Was in the company of John Wa-
llace, at Woolwich, on the 4th of Aptil; they went into
the Prince of Wales public house; witness soon came
out again, and saw his mother and sister standing on'
the opposite side of the street; three soldiers, of the
corps of sappers and miners, came up, and one of them,
without the least provocation, struck his mother on the
breast, and said, " Take that, you —." Witness's
brother then came out of the Prince of Wales public
house, on hearing the cry of the woman when she was
struck, along with two or three other persons, and de-
manded of the soldiers why they struck the woman ?
The soldiers replied, "Curse you, what is that to you?"
Several abusive words passed, and then one of the sol-
diers struck one of the other party, and a general affray
commenced; it lasted only two minutes, at the end of
which time the deceased (Wallace) ran into the public
house, and said he was stabbed, and witness saw the
bit od dropping from his back ; Campion, a constable,
then came into the public house, and took witness to
the barracks, where the men were turned out, but he
could not at the time identify any of them; when he
came back to the public house, Wallace was dead; the
soldiers appeared to be intoxicated.
Sophia Andrews, the mother of Holloway, the pre-1
ceding witness, stated, that she was struck by one •of
the Sypers, as stated by her sun; an affray took place,
but who utuck the first blow she could riot tell ; she
saw a bayonet in the hands of one of the Sappers.
Campion, a constable at Woolwich, went to the
Prince of Wales public-house about nine o'cl.'ck of the
evening of the 4th of April, and took Holloway to the
barracks ot 'the Sappers and Miners; lie saw a bayonet
hanging at the bed of one of the soldiers; drew it from
the ss Abbard, and found it to be stained with blood,
which appeared to be fresh ; the prisoner was in the bed,
and was asked if that was his bayonet? and lie said that
it was, and then witness gave him in charge to the cor-
poral of the guard.
George Winter, the corporal of the guard, stated,
that the prisoner Oldfield confessed that he was the man
who did the deed, and that the reason why he did it
was, that when he came up he was twice knocked down,
and then he drew his bayonet in self-defence.
Mr.Dakin, a surgeon, proved that the bayonet wound
was the cause of Wallace's death.

- -
George Hilton, a Sergeant-major of the Sappers and
Miners, and William Jackson, a gunner of the Royal
Artillery, gave the prisoner an excellent character for
humanity and general gond behaviour.
Mr. Baron GARROW summed up the evidence, and
observed, that the charge was presented in two shapes.
A Coroner's Jury having found the crime to be murder,
and a Grand Jury having found it to be manslaughter.
It was for the Jury now to say of which of them crimes
the prisoner was guilty, or whether he was guilty of
either of them? It was cleat that the prisoner, under
the circumstances, was not justitiei in using his bayonet.
Guilty of Manslaugiter. Sentence—Twelve months
imprisonment and bard labour, and to eater into a re-
cognizance in TOL to keep the peace.

HOUSER R BAK ING.
Richard Mepsted, John Mepsted, and Jesse Hodges,
were indicted for having, on the 27th February last,
broken and entered the house of ttatcliff Collard, at
Alkam. near D)ver, and stolen therefrom vas loos articles,
b:s property.
Ranch Collard stated, that about eight o'clock in the
evening of the day mentioned, tour persons opened the
door and came into the house; one of them gave him
a blow on the head with a bludgeon, and demanded
his money ; he gave them three one-pound notes and
some gold and silver, and said that this was all the
money he had ; one of them said, " that will not do ;"
and then two of them stood over him with bludgeons,
while :he other two ransacked the house, and took away
a watch and various other articles, and then left the
house; he could not enumerate all the articles, but they
were worth more than 201. The three prisoners at the
bar were among the four that robbed the house ; the
fourth—a person of the name of Beck—bad not yet
been taken.

Richard Lay, a nephew of the prosecutor, was in the
house at the time of the tobbery, and identified the
men. and corioaorated his uncle's evidence in every par-
ticular.

Sarah Collard, the prosecutor's housekeeper, gave
evidence to the cane effect.
John L iwther Kemp saw two of the prisoners enter
a wood near Ospringe,ssith two horses, and having some
su.piciun that all was not right, he procured assistance,
and went into the wo,,d, where he found Vie horses tied
to • tree, and one of the prisoners in the act of cleaning
one of them. The prisoners made their escape, and
then the witness found three coats lying near the horses.
The prisoners were afterwards,appreltended..
The coats were; produced, and identified by Collard,
the prosecutor, as his property.
The Jury, without hesitation, found the three prisson-
cfs j• •
Mr. Wiwi Gmtsairo atter a solemn address ts the

prisoners, intinsated that he coulJ hold out no hn6es t
them that their lives would be spaced, end then pro-
nounced the sentence of Death.

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POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
ANSION—HOUSE.
APeRVIRDDIED flues..--A hair dresser, who resides in the neigh.
bourhood of Somerset-street, was charged by his wife under the
following extraordinary circumstances:
The complainant, upon her return home to her lodgings in the
evening, after transacting some business, was told that her husband
had gone up stairs with a large duelling or holm pistol, and the
ingredients for doing something desperate. Presently she beard the
report of fire arms above, and she alarmed the neighbourhciod.
An officer immediately entered and proceeded to the defendant's
room, in the expectation of finding bim a corpse—but, to his
astonishment, he found the hairdresser very coolly charging his
pistol, in order to fire at a piece of paper, which was fixed against
the wall. There was already a bullet mark in the wall, but at sue),
a distance from the target as proved that the marksman was not
a very skilful hand. The officer took the pistol from him, and
asked him what, hi the name of GOD, he meant by firing the pistol
in the house. To this question he made no reply. lie did not
appear disposed to act violently, and consented to go to the watch-
house at once. His wife's alarm for him, as well at fur hers'elf,
induced her to charge him, and leave him under the protection of
the venerable constable of the watch; and all she now wanted
was, to have bim home as soon as possible, as several Gentlemen
wanted to be shaved.
Mr. Nobler (to the wife). Pray, Ma'am, what colour was the
powder ?—(Laughter.) The defendant's wife said that it was black,
of course, like all gunpowder.
Mr. Hobler—What business has he with gunpowder? Let him
stick to the powder whose qualities he understands best—white
powder or good flour—(Laughter).
The Loao MAYOR—My good fellow, what did you mean by going
on in that strange way ; did you mean to kill anybody? Defendant
—I meant no harm, my Lord : but I was insulted, and I was pre-
paring to defend myself.
The LORD Mavoe—But why did you practise in a roam? It
was enough to frighten your poor wife. out of her life. Defendant
—lt could do no harm, for the wall was double, and the bullet
couldn't go through to the next house, aaJ there was nobody but
myself In the room, so that nobody worth while could he injured.
One of the crowd said that the hairdresser was meaning to
challenge another Gentleman to fight a duel—(Loud laughter).
Mr. House—To fight a duel! aye, with a couple of puffs. NO,
no, my friend, don't fight; or, if you do, fight white: shoot your
antagonist until you make him as pale in the face as a sheet—(Loud
laughter.)
The LORD Mayo*. —What offence has been given• you, my
friend? If you have been struck we'll grant you a• summons, or
if you are afraid of violence, we'll protect you...—Defendant.
Afraid ! no, no, my Lord ; but I have been grossly, insulted !
The Loan Mayoa—But if you go on this way, with such
desperate weapons, nobody will like to put himself under your
hands, as the principal weapon of your trade is a dangerous one.
Mr. Holder asked the defendant , wife whether she was afraid
of him ?—She replied that she had not the slightest dread of him in
any respect.
The Loan Mayna—Then you may .take hint honte with you,
but be must leave hi, fire.arins here. The defendant said he never
wished to see the pistol again, but declared that he merely in-
tended to use it upon being attacked.

GUILDHALL.
Thomas Hayden underwent a second examination before Mr.
Alderman Amaze, on the charge of stealing nine sheep, at Grey's
Thurroek, the property of Mr. Hutchins. They were missed on
Sunday week, and the next day the prisoner brought them to Smith-
field, and left them with Mr. Hill, a salesman, to be disposed of by
him. The prisoner said he bought the sheep of one Allen, but such
a person could not be found. There were several other charges of
the same nature against the prisoner, and he was theretore remanded
till Friday next.