The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-08-07 00:00:00

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• • • .4ssiz RS.
F.S7II:IIN ciactifT, SAURIMIT, • Art. S.
The Commission for holding the Assizes of this
e• u!l*V was opened on Saturday, at the Council-ehem-
b. by Mr. Justice ANT, who arrived from Win-
el ester. The calendar. we are happy to state, is re-
, avkably light, there being only 27 prisoners, aneneet
vr) cm is Philip Cooksey, charged on the oath of Mr.
Brbert Coleman. surgeon, of Tifsheati, with having
f.) niously killed and slain Ann Coleman, the will
et she prosecutor, by giving her a blow with his band
oh;ch caused her death. Oa the Civil Side there art
2 causes entered.
'[he Assizes at Winchester ended on Saturday. 13
poisoners were condemned to deaths 2 to be tranepoiled
G for 14 years, and 3 for 7 years.
The Assizes for the county of Dorset commence on
Wednesday next at Dorchester. There are only eight
prisoners for trial.
BERKSHIRE ASSIZES.
The oommision for the County Assizes was opened
at •Abingdon by Mr. Baron Ostrow en Wednesday
evening last.
On Thursday nothing more than ordinary interest
occurred, except that, after the convietion of Wirdnam
for stealing six pigs, the wheels. a very respectable
looking man, who had purchased them from the pri-
soner. the morning after they were stolen, as he was
driving them along the road, requested that be might
hpeallowed his 'skits's, and that the money which be
had paid for them, about 41. should be returned bins.
Mr. Baron OAPROW.—I certainly shall not allow a
single farthing, Sir; for your conduct was extremely
reprehensible in purchasing the pigs from a man whom
you nom' have suspected could not have come honestly
by them. Patna Y.
Ilia Lordship commenced business this morning at
eight o'clock, and about eleven the important trial of
Hannah Howell and (how Gyles, for setting fire to
the premises of the former, came on. The indict-
ment consisted of 20 counts, charging the offence in
4!ifferent ways upon the prisoners, as contrary to the
statutes of (leo. 1. and Geo. 111. made expressly for
the proteetiop of property against the crime of arson.
The act was hiso charged as an offence at common law.
Mr. Cnoli opened the pleadings.
. Mr. J rails then proceeded to detail the particulars
of the case, cautioning the Jury against receiving
their impressions of the guilt of the prisoners from
his address to them. The indictment which they bad
heard was of considerable length, and might have a
little embarrassed them, if they had attempted to keep
thp whole of it in their memory ; but he wished them
to confine their attention to the circumstances of
Ryles having set fire to the premises. and Howell haw-
leg instigated and procured him to do so ; their ob-
ject being, as charged upon them, to injure and de-
fraud 0. Dawson, Bag. the landlord, and the Phenix
fire-office, or one or other of them. It was necessary
for him to state to the Jury, that the farm was let
under lease, for a term of years, to the husband of the
prisoner Howell. which term expired at Michaelmas
last. The lessee, Howell's husband, died some time
ogo; but before his death he had given notice to quit
the farm at the expiration of his term. It was acres-
vary that be should state this to the Jury, in order to
show that the possession had, its fact, reverted to Major
Dawson. the landlord, against whom it was alleged
this mischief was intended. Ateordingly another
tenant was provided, a Mr. Sadler ; but there was a
stipulation in the lease that Ilowell should hold the
tenements after the lease was up, to costume the re-
reaining materials on the farm. The incoming tenant
Sadler, took possession of an out-house, in which he
pat his carts and waggons, and that was one of the
burnt ; he also occupied part of the stable; and
on the day preceding the fire, Mrs. Dowell had a sale
of her stock, preparatory to her giving up the entire
possession to her successor. The Pheenix Insurance
Company was also made a party in this prosecution,
because she had insured her stock with that office for
LOW. ; and as they undertook to make good her
loss by fire, ti•e destruction of her property, by her
rili•o will, was a fraud upon the company. He then
Foceeded to relate the evidence, which we shall give
from the mouths of the witnesses themselves ; and
.said he would also put in the voluntary confession of
•the Prisoner livles himself, at the proper time, if per-
witted by his Lordship.
The first witness called was Mary Butcher, who
stated, in answer to the questions of Counsel as fol-
lows :-1 am the wife of William Butcher, and live at
Arb.ii field. 31y husband was carter to Mrs. Howell,
and 1.1)Ics was also in Ler service. The fire took place
on a Monday evening : 1 do not know the day of the
month. Abont three weeks before it bappened, Gylea
came to onr horse, and said. " 1 have something to tell
you, if you will not tell." I told him 1 would not,
except it's on tiv; savance of death. Ile then said,
" Howell has uttered me la to set the place on
fire ; and it is to be done at midnight, the night after
the sale." I slid. " George, for God's sake don't do
• any sneh a thing;" and lie said, " It some one else
MO of it, and not for its to find of it." He then said,
" No, Mary, 1 shall do no such thing." I told him,
• well, to let Mr. Foster know ; and he said lie would
if be knew where he lived. I afterwards observed, it
• was well enough to get the money, but not to do the
thing. He came again a night or two after, and said,
" Mary. our old woman is on again like about
the fire ;" 1 said, " Don't do any such thing ; u hat a
Fin it would be to burn time corn ;" and he said, "
don''t intend." On the Saturday before the fire lie
• called again for a clean shirt ; said be was going away,
• • het should he that way again in three weeks, and he
• would call on me.
Cross-examined by Mr. Tot: NTON .--I was tenant to
Mrs. Howell when she had the•farm. My husband
was carter to Mr. Sadler at thetime of the fire. He
bad been carter to Mrs. Howell bat she turned him off
• about six or seven weeks before Mr. Sadler took him.
Mr. Dawson lives in London 1 believe, and Mr. Foster
• his arm, in Yorkshire. I •seiw Mr. Foster about the
farm on the Friday before the fire ; iset bad then bean
a Jay or iwo in the country. 1 said nothing to bin on
...Mae business.
. • By Mr.• Ricer.-1 lived there many years. lis
a•ngt know whether Gyles is weak in its
He is no scholar, and ignorant. He is a jahiag asp.
- William Burred.-1 know Oyles. I renialsbnalie
fire, ofi the Saturday before I WO Is OD brioskfial.. • -1
was A labourer in her sitrvlee. (Wes sold to wok "II
goine in to have a role. linwell thee met
pa anti said, lam credibly informed thigh* (kyle)