The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-03-26 00:00:00

THE GRAND JURY.

The Hon. Richard Bootle Wilbraham, M.P., Blythe Hall,
Foremau.
William Blundell, Esq., Crosby Hall.
Thos. Weld Blundell, Esq., Ince-Blundell Hall.
Sir Thos. Brancker, Knt., Liverpool.
Hugh Hornby Birley, Esq., Broome House.
John Bentley, Esq., Birch House.
Chisenhale Chisenhale, Esq., Arley Hall.
Jas. Cardwell, Esq., Ellerbeck.
Sir George Drinkwater, Knt., Liverpool.
John Smith Entwistle, Esq., Foxholes.
Jas. Fenton. Esq., Bamford Hall.
James Hilton Ford, Esq., Ecclestcn.
Daniel Grant, Esq., Spring-side.
John Hargreaves, Esq., Broad oak.
Samuel Holker Haslam, Esq., Greenside.
Richard Houghton. Esq., Liverpool.
John Lister, Esq., Blackburn.
Robert Henry Norreys, Esq., Davy-Hulme Hal/.
Wm. Standish Standish, Esq., Duxbury Park.
John Reid, Esq., Manchester.
Thos. Sands, Esq., Mosley-hill.
Wm. Whalley, Esq., Whalley.
Wm. Brown, Esq., Liverpool.

The DEPUTY CLERK of the CROWN having read her
Majesty's proclamation against vice, profaneness, and im-
morality,
His LORDSHIP addressed the Grand Jury to the follow-
ing effect :—Gentlemen of the Grand Inquest, I shall
have very few remarks to make to you on the subject of
the prcsentcalendar, which I am happy to say, with one
exception, is not marked with any very atrocious crime.
There is, unfortunately, one case of murder, which will be
brought before you,—a case which seems to have occurred
under circumstances certainly of a very lamentable nature.
mother is charged with destroying her child, and indeed
it does appear that she endeavoured to poison herself at the
same time. I apprehend that your duty in the case will
not be attended with any difficulty, because so far as the
depositions disclose the circumstances to me there can be
bale doubt of such facts coming out as will warrant yon
in finding the bill. Gentlemen, there are four cases of
manslaughter, or homicide, in the calendar, but they are
not attended with any circumstances of aggravation. They
are cases either arising from negligence, or casual rencon-
tres, and not under circumstances of a bad description.
I believe, gentlemen, there will be three rases brought
before you of violence to the persons of females. With,
regard to one of those cases the party is charged with hav-
ing committed the offence on a child under the age of ten
years ; therefore, all inquiry as to consent, you know, is
perfectly unnecessary. There is another case, also, in
which the party is charged with having committed a similar
offence upon a young person, but one of a more advanced
age than the former. She appears, I collect from the de-
positions, just past the age of twelve. In this particular
case it does not appear that any inquiry was instituted
for some considerable time after the occurrence. That, in
the case of a female of mature age, would be a circum-
stance so strong against the parties bringing the accusa-
tion, that it might affect your decision, or, at all events,
the decision of a traverse jury. But the cane is different
in so young a person as the present, because you may
think the omission satisfactorily explained by the age of
the party, and, upon this ground, yon may find yourselves
warranted in finding the bill. In the third case also, I
apprehend, the prosecutrix is one of not very mature
age. Gentlemen, there is in the calendar, what we too
often find, a considerable number of wounding, cutting,
or stabbing cases—as many as seven. It is an offence
which it is necessary to watch with great vigilance, and to
check by punishment as often as the circumstances may
warrant. I shall only observe that those cases, or at least
that some of them have been perpetrated after assaults
committed by the party who was afterwards wounded ;
and it is right that I should observe on this, that the
circumstance of a previous assault will not, by any means,
prevent a party from being amenable to the law for, a sub-
sequent wounding, because the law will not justify a party
in using a deadly instrument, unless it be for the necessary
protection of his own life.. Before it is used he must be
under a reasonable apprehension that his life is in dan-
ger; and it is advisable, perhaps, that I should advert
to this point, because it appears that assaults were com-
mitted previous to the woundings in those cases, which
assaults, to a certain degree, must of course mitigate the
offence of the party charged. Gentlemen, there are three
cases of highway robbery in the calendar, but they are
cases attended with no great degree of personal violence.
There are also, as we always find, a large number of
burglary or housebreaking cases ; but, with regard to
them, I see, with great satisfaction, that I believe in
none of the instances were the family disturbed. The
essence—the malignity—of that offence consists in the
disturbance of the family ; and where a burglary is com-
mitted without any disturbance, it is of the lighter de-
scription of that class of offences. There is a case that
will be brought before you in which the depositions run
a very considerable length; and certainly, a very bad
case if established in evidence. That is a case of arson.
It is a case depending entirely on circumstantial evidence ;
but it is very probable that such evidence will be brought
before you as will satisfy you that the party should be
put upon his trial. I need not advert to the other cases
in the calendar. They are such as you, in your official
capacity,
will be familiar with. I do not apprehend that
any difficulty in point of law will arise, or that I can offer
any further observations for your guidance ; but if you
wish for my assistance at any time, I shall be most happy
to attend to you.
The Grand Jury then retired to their room for the de-
spatch of business, and shortly after sent several bills
Into court.

BURGLARY AT FAILSAVORTH.

Thomas Davies, 29, pleaded guilty to a charge of hay-
ng broken and entered the dwelling-house
of Sarah Hill, at Failsworth, and stolen thereout three
clogs, one cap, and other articles, her property. He also
pleaded guilty to having been previously convicted of
felony and was sentenced to imprisonment and hard labour
in the House of Correction, at Kirkdale, for 2 years.