The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-08-17 00:00:00

Aug. 17, 1847.

Entritignrt.

LIVERPOOL SUMMER ASSIZES

On Thursday morning the Lord Chief Baron entered
the Crown Court, accompanied by William Gale, Esq.,
High Sheriff, the Sub-Sheriff, Geo. Hall Lawrence, Esq.,
and the Chaplain to the Lord Chief Baron.
The royal commission having been read, the following
gentlemen were sworn as the

GRAND JURY :
Sir Peter Hesketh Fleetwood, Bart., Fleetwood, Foreman.
Joseph Acton, Esq., Wigan.
Joseph Brotherton, Esq., M.P., Manchester.
R. B. B. H. Blundell, Esq., Deysbrook.
James Brockhurst Barclay, Esq., Wavertree Lodge.
Reese Berang, Esq., Freckleton House.
Richard Edwards, Esq., Roby Hall.
William Entwisle, Esq, Rusholme.
Richard Earle, Esq., Edenhurst.
John Fenton, Esq., Bamford Hall.
David Hodgson, Esq., Liverpool.
Joseph_ Langton Esq., Liverpool.
George
ee
Loch,
,E'
Lawrence,,g,, Esq., Mayor of Liverpool.
AtoEres,elE.'
orsleyolld Hall.
William Marsh
Esq.,
‘ Liverpool
rt h a m Hall.
John Bramley-
Thomas Rodick, Esq., Gateacre.
Thomas Thornely, Esq., M.P., Liverpool.
John Haywood Turner, Liverpool.
William G. Walmsiey, 'Esq., Westwood House.
James Hibbert Wanklyn, Esq., Crimpsall House.
John Wybergh, Esq., Liverpool.
His LORDSHIP then proceeded to deliver his charge.
He said :—Gentlemen of the Grand Jury, the calendar
which will be presented to your attention on the present
occasion, certainly is one of the most remarkable which I
have met with in all my experience, which, gentlemen, is
not very long indeed ; but, in the whole course of that
experience, it is the most remarkable I have ever met
with. I believe it exceeds in amount any other calendar
that I have ever known to be presented to a grand jury.
It contains the most frightful catalogue of atrocities
which it is possible for any of us to imagine. There are
no fewer than 43 cases of violence to the person ; 7 mur-
ders; 13 manslaughters ; 10 cases of cutting and wound-
ing ; 5 of rape ; and, in addition to these, there are 2
cases of burglary. And, gentlemen, if one looks back
to a period only a few years ago, before the recent change
took place in the criminal laws of this country—a change
with which my own opinion, in every way, and for every
reason, entirely coincided—he would find that much of
this amount of crime would be subject to capital punish-
ment. Yes, it is alarming ta_reflect on the fact that. a

P•
very few years ago, if this calendar had been returned,
there would have been presented to your attention not
less than 70 cases of capital felony, the majority of which
were very frequently punished with death. Gentlemen,
I know not to what this is to be ascribed—l mean the
alarming increase of the very great and atrocious crimes
which your calendar presents ; and particularly that spe-
cies of crime which consists in a disregard for the sacred-
ness of human life, the health, and the personal enjoy-
ment of those who suffer from its perpetration. I consi-
der the due investigation of this subject to be of great
importance—to be of more importance than the question
relating to the increase of those offences called petty lax-
cenies—which frequently never find their way into this
court ; but which, I am afraid, present a striking feature
in the proceedings of the Court of Sessions here, as in
otl '-noa. G

.ner places. .aentlemen, notwithstanding the very great
and the very black, calendar of crime which is now before
me, I am not aware that it will be necessary to offer any
very lengtheaed observations of mine to you. V
spect to one case founded on a coroner's inquest, probably
there may be bills presented to you—l mean No. 4, Wm.
Wolfe. If that case should come before you with no
more evidence than is presented to my attention, through
the proceedings before the coroner, I would caution you
to be particular in your investigation of the case, and to
see clearly if there be any just grounds for placing that
party on his trial. If there be, you will of course present
the bills ; but if not, you will throw them out. It may
be right also, gentlemen, to make another remark. There
is at least one case that may come before you—and in this
dark catalogue of crime I do hope that there are more of
a like nature—but there is one case where there is reason
to suppose that the party may not, in the eye of the law,
be adjudged guilty, although the fact may be clearly
proved ; because, gentlemen, that party may not be in
the possession of that reason and sound mind with which
it is necessary to accompany the commission of crime
before he can be held guilty in point of law. I consider
that it would be unsafe for you to throw out the bill,
even upon those grounds. If you find that the act was
committed by the party charged, then it will be your duty
to return the bill, in order that any ulterior proceedings
arising out of it may be sustained. Perhaps the case will
tbjected to a more accurate and perfect inquiry here-
There are some few offences against the person,
\hire of which I need only allude to, the public in-
lion of which has no tendency to promote the
-rats of the people. You, gentlemen, will have no cliffi
culty in understanding the class of cases to which I al-
lude. They are a class of offences, the investigation of
which inverts the general rule which attends the public
exposure of every other sort of crime. I •conceive that
public inquiries into this class of evil offences produce no
good effect on either the mind or morals of those who
hear them, or the great body of the public out of court ;
and, therefore, gentlemen, I think it is better, unless you
see that such accusations will terminate in conviction,
that you should exercise a judicious discretion in throwing
lAN—and the exercise of that discretion will

Nith re-

otherwis,

might be tainted in their morals by listening to
of such abominations. I alluded to the fact
..•

have not seen all the 4

inueeti, that lam unable to read. I take this pu

ot stating that any corone, ~.,is the lu'i:---
to discharge of taking depositions and returning them t
this court, should take care that the proceedings taker.
before him be returned here in a legible hand. I think
i
that t ought to be conveniently legible. For when youknow
a judge is d
called on in a very short
fromace of time to
read
tohe depositions in connection with not less than
100 l2O offences, we have reason to conclude that if
such..obstacles are thrown in his way as bad writ.ing, bad
hug, and the handwriting scarcely legible, it is next
iPossible for him to ay that attention to the cases
li
le cessary for
h he should do.
This% the second time that it has
eghgences. I forbear, at present, from mention-
desire, the judges of this circuit to notice
name of gentleman in question ; because I
if thecan help it, of inflicting any injury o.rl
-gs of any individual. He may not be tie 'nth.-
.1, whose conduct my ber Wightman oun it
essary to comment
on theroth other day; but iff not,d he
-410uld, at least, have sent in such depositions as are logi-
b.le. The coroner who so neglects his duty, besides being
liable to a fine in this court if he persists in discharging
his duty in such a slovenly,manner, is liable, I think, to
be removed from his situation altogether. These are all
tn,,,reixiarks necessary for me to make to you.
The grand jury then retired.
1?f,

the feelin7

STABBING AND WOUNDING.
:fretialinio/t, aged 26, was indicted for having, at Great
sof ner, it do
him
felonious) stabbed and wounded John Cort, with
some grievous bodily harm. The pri-
it appeared, was a private watchman in the service
101 a gentleman near Bolton, and the prosecutor, in going
ti4:::1116 on one Occasion past midnight, went by a lane
the ugh
t thatere W
which he had no right, near to the works which
him Prisoner was employed to watch. The prisoner told
knew baust he no road that way. The prosecutor said he
, persisted in going on. Holt held a
lantern in kick it outthe face of the prosecutor, who threatened to
of his hand. The prisoner then extended what
appeared to be a blunderbuss with a spring bayonet on it,
and the prosecutor, whose two coats were cut through,
received a wound in the left breast, which placed him for
some time under medical superintendence.—The Lord
Chief Baron thought the charge of felony could not be
established. The prosecutor had persisted in snaking a
trespass over a place which the prisoner was employed to
At the same time he remarked, it was highly im-
hat any one should be set to watch with so lian-
-The prisoner was then discharged.

gerous a weapor

MANSLAUGHTER

Nathan Dearden, a carter, was indicted for having, on
the 7th of December last, in a road near Ashton, inflicted
43;1c wounds on a little boy, named Thomas Cornwall,
Monck conducted the

ne soon afterwards died. Mr. 11
ease for the prosecution, and Mr. Pollock appeared for
the Prisoner. It appeared from the evidence, that the
.2Y, in company with others was returning from school,
and /net Dearden. The prisoner was drunk at the time,
the boy rushed at him, and severely kicked

-al on the l'eg—sev;;:llimes. The limb shortly alter be-
Frret° swell, and continued to do so till the child died.—
hh mercy
returned a verdict of guilty, but recommended

HIGHWAY ROBBERY.
John Smith 18, (could read and write imperfectly),
"aa charged with having, at Manchester, knocked down
and robbed "Wam Southam, traveller, of his watch and
se silver. Mr. Sanders prosecuted. On: the 13th of
April, as Mr. Southam was crossing Cockpit-hill-bridge,
Manchester, between ten and.eleven o'clock, three -
came behind him, "

:ed him d

...own, and beat him so
~,,etyriciirtilly that lie became insensible. When he repo-
broker.
a" hund that his watch had been taken from him.
prisaTZ: his pockets had been rifled. Two days after the
o,lj.frecl the watch for pledge with Mr. Cox, pawn-
ferred, Prisoner was found guilty.—Sentence de-
_

rhonaB
Hui DEVIII By FIGFITING.
charged with', write,) was
Inf., 26, (could neither read or
death of Georgeav}3a
Fr defe uchanan. Mr. Pollock prosecuted, air
g, at Upholland, been the cause_o.f_the.
Y ride& On the 29th of IV last,the prisoner and
Iceased were drinking other
Barton's beer-
alo with severa other mentor. A quarrel took
ben the parties while inthe house. A fight
and either from a fall or a blow, was
deceased,His lordship said the only question for
39 Whether death was produced by
oy a blow. If they thought that death had been
a blow then the prisoner was guilty of mall:
-.gnter. If the' prisoner had caused the fall, and death
had been produced by it, then he was still guilty of man-
slaughter; but if the prisoner had fallen in endeavouring
theto strike a blow, then he would not be guilty, although
transaction was in itself illegal.--The prisoner was
'euild goiltY, and recommended to mercy, in consequence
of 'the provocation given him. His lordship, in passing.
a_lntence, said that, taking into consideration the provoo a
h culd
tTio, and the time he had been imprisoned, he should of
th Y pass a slight sentence upon him. The sentence
e court was, that he be imprisoned for one week.
MANSLAUGIITER.
John Gordon, 4, (could read,) was arraigned for hriaove-
!ng, at Manchester, caused the death of Thomas P
by forcin 12
The •
and the
deceased, who
linsoner is a master chimney-sweeper,
g Jam to enter a hot flue, which caused his death'.
was about seven years of age,
Prentice to Win. On the 11th of last July, the prisoner
the
was engaged in cleaning the flues in connexion with_a - boilers, boilers at the works of Messrs. Tennant and Co., m I_
was an ap-
A.,nuring the day he sent the deceased into the

to consider wa