Star.
London, England, 1828-12-10 00:00:00

WINTER ASSIZES.

HERTFORD, Mamma 9.
The JuJges ariited here yesterday morning, and
after attending Deice Service, proceeded about noon
to open the Commission. The calendar contains 55
prisoners; but for the most part the charges are nut ut
a serious description.
Before Mr. hake Buzaocair.
HORSE STEALING.

Henry Tuck %rood indicted for stealing a brown cart
horse, ►alue 201. the property of Mr. Edward Slett, of
Chatteris, in the Isle of Ely.
The prosecutor deposed, that on the e►ening of the
12th of August, the horse in question was safe, with
many others in an enclosed ground, in the parish of
Chatteris. The following morning it was missed. The
case was clearly pro►ed.
Verdict—Guilty. Sentence of death recorded.

B;fure Mr. Bawl VAUGHAN.

John Stokes and William t>tails were charged with
feloniously stealing five fine fowls, of a peculiar breed,
valued at 20s the property of Sir John Sebright, Bart.
The housekeeper of the worthy Bat onet proved, that
on the evening of Easter Sunday the fowls were all safe,
and were by her locked up in an outbuilding, situate
within the curtilage or ring fence surrounding the
house. The nest morning she found the lock .f the
building broken, and missei four hens and a cock.
Mr. Lawrence, poulterer, of St. John-street, Smith-
field, deposed, that on Easter Monday he saw the pri-
soner Stokes, who was standing in Newgate-market.
offering some live fowls for sale; they were of a minus
breed, and were five in number, four hens and a cock.
Witness asked the price, and was told 41. each, which
he consented to give. He considered that to be af dr
price. It was double what they would be worth if not
of a fancy breed. A few days afterwards witness saw
an advertisement describing the fowls he had purchased
as the property of Sir John Sebright, and offering 5011.
reward for the apprehension and conviction of the
thieves. Witness immediately gave information.
James Morgan, constable, apprehended the prisoners.
Beth prisoners at the time of the robbery were living
within a mile and a half of the place whence the fowls
were stolen. Stokes disappeared from the neighbour-
hood soon after thtyrobbery.
Several wanesses were called to speak to the charac•
ter cf the prisoners.
One called on behalf of Bails, stated that he was of
goad character, and had never any imputation on his
character before.

Mr. Baron VAUGHAN (to the witness)—Pray don't
you know he has been in prison before?
Witness—Yes. but it was not for anything of a rob-
bery kind.
Mr. Baron VAUGHAN.—What was it for then?
Witness.—lt WAS ooly for poaching.
Mr. Baron VAUGHAN.—OnIy for poaching! then yon
think there is no great harm in poaching ?
Witness.—)l4 t much.
Mr. Baron VAUGHAN —And so a person who has
been in prison for punching you consider to be a per-
fectly good character. You may go down.
The Jury found both prisoners
HOUSE BREAKING.

John Jackson was indicted for burglarioosly entering
the dwelling house i f Mr. John Phillips, at 'f herfield,
and stealing therein one double-barrelled gun, one
single-barrelled gun, a It. note of the Royston Bank,
and other goods, the property of the said John Phillips.
Verdict Guilty—Sentenced to transportation for Lie.
ARSON•

Joseph Wood was charged with unlawfully, malici•
oubly, and fAoniously setting fire to a stack of clover
hay, the property of Mr. Alfred Hi:, at the parish of
Great Hadhun.

Mr. RYLAND stated the case, and implored the Jury
to pay the greatest attention to the evidence, as the case
was one which might affect the life of the prisoner.
Mr. lt's examined—ln the month of November last
witness was one of the overseers of Great Hadham.
On the sth of that month, Wood and Uncle applied at
the gene'al vestry, at which witness was present, for
relief. Wand was working on a ticket at 43. per
week. The vestry refused doing any thing more for
him. Wood is a single man ; he appeared to be much
dissatisfied at the decision. On leaving, he burst into
a loud laugh—it was a laugh of contempt. Uncle
applied for a pair of shoes, which was !mused him.
They went away together. Oa the Friday foiloiv;ng.
Wood and Uncle again applied to witness, who told

them that they had been refused at the general vestry,
and he could do nothing for them ; witness told Wood
in particular that his conduct had been so bad at the
vestry, that he certainly would get nothing; Wood and
Uncle went away together; witness about halt an hour
after saw a blaze in one of his fields, which on approach-
ing he discovered to arise from one of his clover stacks
being on tire; the stack was distant from any buildings;
it was impo-sible to save it, as there was no water near ;
on li-soking about, witness saw Wood and Uncle among
the crowd; he went up to them, when they appeared
confused and hung down their heads ; the value of the
_stack was about 481.
David Uncle deposed, that, on the 7th November, he
went with the prisoner to the woikhuuse to apply for
relief. They were both refused, and went away from
the workhouse together. It was then about seven o'clock
in the evening. They proceeded its company to the pro.
secwor's house. The prisoner went in, and witness
waited outside. The prisoner remained inside about
ten minutes, and then came out with a lighted pipe
and some matches, and proposed that they should
go together and set fire to Mr. Roes barley-stack.
Witness refused to accompany him, and told him he
should not do it. He then said, he would set fire
to the clover-stack. Witness consented to accom-
pany him. Witness blew the pipe while the pri-
soner lighted the matches and thrust them into
the stack. After the stack was en fire they went
away, but returned again. The reason why the prisoner
proposed setting fire to the stack was, because the parish
would give them no relief. It was the prisoner who
first suggested setting fire to the stack.
By the Jolson—Witness was n t angry at being re-
fused relief. He had ran reason for what he did. He
did not join in doing it because he had been refused
relief. He did it because the prisoner asked him. He
would not have committed murder, if asked by the
prisoner or any one el-e.
This was the whole of the evidence for the proarentioa.
The prisoner, in defence, said that the witness Uncle
was the patty w Jur first sugkested the crime, in which
he (the prisoner) joined at his entreaty.
Mr. Justice Butthouott told the Jury that the case
wholly rested on the evidence of the approver, and after
the answers he had given, denying a'.y motive for the
participation in the act, it wmild be for them to say
what credit they could place in Iris testimony. It was
competent for a Jury. to convict a prisoner on the un-
supported evidence of an accomplice, but it was the ge-
neral practice of the Judges to advise a contrsry course.
The Jury, after a short consultition, found the pi-
loner ciarifty.
S.nrence of death was then pronounced with the
usual formalities.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.