Star.
London, England, 1820-03-07 00:00:00

DURHAM ASSIZES, MARCH 4.

Mr, Justice BAYLEY arrived in this City on Tues.
dal, and next morning the criminal trials commenced.
Jonathan Nicholson, aged 62, late of Wolsinaham,
was indicted for stabbing Thomas Frazier in the
belly, with intent to kill, on the 18th of August last.
It Appeared in evidence, that the prisoner imagining

that Frazier, in company with a persOn named Eden,
was ridiculing him on the day set forth in the indict.
.meet, followed him and threw stones at which
being returned by Frazier, the prisoner made up to
him and stabbed him. It was proi,ed that the pri-
soner was occasionally deranged, during which time
he appeared extremely jealous. Verdict—Guilty,
the prisoner being at the time insane.
Valentine Anderson, aged 34, late of Fatfield, a
pitman, was indicted for a rape on Sarah Bainbridge,
spinster, of Harraton, on the 2d of December last.
Verdict Guilty.
Thomas Anderson, of Tudhoe, was acquitted of
having in his possession certain reams of paper with
counterfeit stamps affixed thereto.
Charles Clifford was found guilty of stealing five
silver watch cases, &c. the property of Mr. Bolton.
John Brady, late of Merrington, . was indicted for
endeavouring to pass a forged £5 Bank of England
note, knowing the same to be forged. The prisoner
iately, in attempting to make his escape, broke his
leg in falling from the wall of the prison ; he was in
consequence accommodated with a chair. It appear-
ed in evidence, that the prisoner tendered a £5 note
to Mr. Jacksc,n, hatter, of this city, on the fith of No-
' , vember last, in payment of some girls hats the pri-
soner had chosen. Mr. Jackson ascertained, from
the banking-house of Messrs. Backhouse and Co. that
the note was a forged one, and returned it to the
prisoner, who did not take the hats. Having some
suspicion, Mr. Jackson followed the prisoner, and
saw him enter the shop of Mr. Swinburn, grocer,
Elvet, where he again offered the same note in pay-
ment for some groceries. Mr. Hines, an attorney,
being aware of the circumstance, seized the prisoner
and had him taken into custody. When in the shop
of Mr. Swinburn, the prisoner was observed to throw
a bundle into the street, which, on examination, was •
found to contain two £1 forged notes, and 15 coun-
terfeit sixpencei. The prisoner, in his defence said,
he had taken the £5 note from a traveller of the name
of Beckwith, in the way of business. The prisoner,
previous to this transaction, bore a good character.
•Verdict—Guilty. He has a wife and six children.
John hauler, aged 26, late of Dalington, was in-
dicted for stealing in the dwellin.g-house -of Mr. C.
Ilird, landlord of the Fleece Inn, barlington, a bill
of exchange, Value £3O, and other property, on the
31st of January. It appeared by the testimony of
the servants of Mr. liird, that the prisoner came to'
the Fleece Inn, on the 30th of January, with a horse
and gig, as a traveller. There were three other tra-
-ellers in the inn. On the next morning the bar door,
and a secretaire, in which the property was depoited,
were found open. A window in the travellers' room
was also open, a;11 some silver spoons were found
lying in the bottom of the window, as though they
had been left thcle by some person who had been
surprised, and fled through the window. Mr. Hird
did not mention the circn'nstance to the travellers for
fear of Utrending them. The prisoner left next morn-
ing between ten and eleven o'clock, for the south.
W. Levy, a Police-officer of York, stated, that he
apprehended the prisoner at Darlington, on the 16th
of February, and found the bill of exchange above-
mentioned on him, and £125, sixty of winch were
given to the prisoner yesterday. Suspicion fell upon
the prisoner, owing to a conversation he had with
Mr. Crowe, in a stage-coach, in which the prisoner
admitted he was at the Fleece on the night of the
robbery, and on account of the similarity between
this robbery and one afterwards committed at Thirsk,
at which place the prisoner left the. coach.
The prisoner, in his defence, appealed to the Jury,
whether it was-likely he would have remained three
or four hours at the Fleece after the robbery, were
he guilty. lie was genteelly dressed, and was gene-
rally very composed throughout the trial, frequently
taking snuff with an air of apparent inaifference.—
Verdict—Guilty. The sentence, which was pro-
nounced by the Judge in a very impressive manner,
was seven years transportati The prisoner re-
quested his horse and gig might be returned to him.
The Judge said, that was impossible: it now became
the property 01 the Crown.