Star.
London, England, 1826-12-20 00:00:00

WINTER ASSIZES.

KINGSTON; TunaAr, Die-19..

The Qsand Jury having been sworn, the Learned
Judge (Sir JOHN BAYLEY, Knt.) addressed them at
considerable length, in which he observed, that he felt
a ;ratification in seeing sl► MI an attendance of Gen-
tkmen con.posing the Grand Jury ; it evinced a readi-
ness to discharge a public duty ; and on the pres-nt
occasion it was pecteiarly so, as there appeared one
case in the calendar which required their strictest at-
tention—it was one which had agitated the county of
Garrey—it was no less than the crime of murder,agai ,st
two individuals. He had carefully perused the dep .si
eons, and it required the Gentlemen of the Grand
Jury's peculiar assiduity ; for if they returned a true
bill against the prisoners, and it should turn out on the
trial that there was not sufficient evidence to convict
the parties, the door would be for ever shut against any
additional evidence that might be produced at a future
period ; if, on the other hand, they returned their bill
" not found," it would have the reverse effect. There
was another case, No. IS, in the calendar, which also
required their utmost consideration, as to the evidence
to support the capital offence with which the prisoner
was charged (a rape). The Learned Judge concluded
by saying, that he did not think there was any other
case that required any particular remarks from him,
and therefore requested the Gentlemen of the Gland
Jury to return to their room.

fames Stacey, aged 38, was indicted for feloniously
uttering and tendering in payment a note, purporting
to be of the Governor and Company of the Bank of
England, for the sum of a on the 31st of May last,
with intent to defraud John Constable.

The Learned Judge summed up the evidence, and
observed, that the prisoner was charged in the indict-
ment with uttering a forged five pound note. The evi-
dence went as far as to the passing of two other five
pound notes ; also a one pound note; but it was for the
Jury to decide whether the evidence was sufficient to
identify the prisoner as the person who went into the
shop of the prosecutor ?—The Jury returned a verdict
of Guilty.
Mary Ann Knott was indicted for uttering, with a
guilty knowledge, a forged 51. Bank of England note, at
Newington, with intent to defraud Thos. Williams.
It appeared, that on the 12th of December, between
six and eight in the evening, the prisoner went to the'
shop of Mr. Williams, a linendraper, at Newington, and
selected various articles for purchase, to the amount of
about two guineas, and tendered the note in question in
payment. She was asked her name and address, and
gave 6, Mrs. Knott, No. 9, Hill-street," a neighbouring
street. Mr. Williams asked her if she knew a family
of the name of Powell, at No. 55, in the same street ?
and she said she knew them perfectly well. She was
then told that Mr. Williams suspected the note was not
a good one. She said, her husband, who was then
waiting at the Blue-coat Boy public house, had received
it in payment. She was then asked if the goods should
be sent home? but she replied, that as she had no other
money about her to leave in part payment, she declined
the proposal. She then left the shop, saying she would go
and fetch her husband.but left the note inMr.W.'s posses-
sion: The shopman was then sent to watch her. She did
not go the Blue-coat Boy, but went in a contrary di: cc-
eon, and was followed down Hill-street (where she did
not stop), and thence through other streets into Wal-
worth,
when she was stopped, and given in charge of
a constable. On her examination before the commit-
ting Magistrates, she said that her husband was at sea,
and that she had taken the note of a Gentleman for the
purposes of prostitution, and that he bad stopped with
her in a hackney coach at the Blue Coat By, and de-
sired her to go and get the note changed. It appeared
that there were three numbers of 9 in Hill•street, at
none of which the prisoner was known, nor had the
family of Powell, living at 55, Hill-street, the slightest
acquaintance with her. There was another Hill-street
in Peckham, but no proof was given that the prisoner
lived there.
The prisoner, in her iefence, declared her ignorance of the note
being forged.
Air. Justice Firmer summed up the case to the Jury.
Verdict—Guifiy; but the Jury recommended the prisoner sp
mercy on the ground that she did not appear to have been culpa-
ble in any other case.
Mesas Jones was indicted for uttering at Thursley, on the 9th of
September, a Bank of England note for la knowing the same to
be forged and counterfeited.
The singularity of this case was, that the prisoner wets
perfectly blind. He was a musician by profession, and
was in the habit of attending families in the neighbour-
hood where he lived. Prior to the month of Septem-
ber, he had lodged with his wife, and a man servant, in
the house of a Mrs. Evans, at Thursley. In the begin-
ning of September, he went to Lyndon 1:r a few days,
and on his recur n, he sent his landlady on the 7th to get
a 101. note changed. The note was changed by a Miss
Knowles, in the neighbourhood, and the mlney was
given to the prisoner. On the 9th, he sent her again
with another 101. note to a Mr. Whitburne, a miller, to
get changed, but without success. On the next day,
the prisoner sent Mrs. Evans to Miss Knowles with the
change of the first note, desiring the note to be given
back. Whilst Mrs. Evans was in the house, Mr. Whit-
burne came in and detained the note, and understand-
ing where it came from, he obtained the assistance of a
constable, and caused the prisoner to be apprehended.
'On Iris person were found six or seven 11. country notes,
and two or three counterfeit sovereigns. He was asked
'why he wanted change of a 101. note, when he had
smaller Ivies and other money in his possession ? He
said he wanted snore change to make good his pay-
ments. He said he had received one of the 101. notes
on the sale of a musical instrument at Petworth, and
the other at a public house in Kingston.
Mr. Chasms:9, the Bank note Inspector, proved that both notes
were forged in every particular. They were both printed from
the same plate, bore the same date and number, and were on simi-
j tar paper.
The prisoner, in his defence, said he had received the notes in
the way of his business, and bad not the least knowledge of their
being Torged. called no witnesses.
Mr. Justice BAYLEY left the case to the Jury, and
said, the question was, whether the prisoner had uttered
the note in question with a guilty knowledge? He
called their attention to the prisoner's blindness, and the
circumstance ut his uttering the note in a neighbt w-
hom! in. a hich he was well known. It was certainly
singular, that if the prisoner had received the notes in
different places, they should correspond with each other
in every particular.
The Joey found the prisoner
Sentence of death was passed upon all the unhappy convicts in
the above ease&

POLICE INTELLIGNCE.

M A NSION-HOUSE.

Among the applicants for relief to the LORD W.a.rot was a Nlni,
cheater Pico printer; he wished to be passed home to kis
at Mancli,:tter. lie stated, that hr bad gone to. the Continent 't.r
work, and had been employed for some time, but calico pao,:,t4e
was extremely slick there. lie had travelled tluough the Net,,tr.
lands, but could get nothing to do. He had maita.,:ed to get mei
to London, but had not means now to get back to 11311eheSter.
The LORD MAYO& could not give the applicant the pass he
quested, and referred hint to the officers of the parish where ht
List slept.