The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-07-29 00:00:00

NORTH LANCASHIRE ASSIZES

(FROM OUR OWN REPORTER.)
The Summer Assizes for the Northern Division of this
County commenced on Tuesday_ last, beford Lord Chief
Justice Denman and Mr. Justice Maule. The business,
however, is more than usually light, the calendar containing
the names of twelve prisoners for trial; and the cause list
only an entry of nine causes. On Wednesday morning the
Lord Chief Justice attended Divine Service in the parish
church, when the Assize Sermon was preached by the Chap-
lain to the High Sheriff.

CROWN SIDE w EDNESDAY.
(Before the Lord Chief Justice)

Shortly after.: twelve o'clock this day his Lordship took his
seat on the bench, when the usual preliminaries having been
complied with, the following gentlemen were sworn

THE GRAND JURY:—
JOHN WILSON PATTEN, Esq., M.P. Bank Hall, Foreman,
Thos. Batty Addison, Esq., Preston,
John Armstrong, Esq., Lancaster,
Edmund Richard Gale Braddyll, Esq., Conishead Priory,
Clarence Braddyll, Esq., Ditto,
Wm. Clayton, Esq., Lostock,
Thos. Bright Crosse, Esq., Shaw Hill,
Pudsey Dawson, Esq., Hornby Castle,
Joseph Fielden, Esq., 'itton,
William Garnett, Esq., Bleasdale Tower,
William James Garnett, Esq., Ditto,
Samuel Horrocks, Esq., Lark Hill,
Daniel Hamby, Esq., Raikes Hall,
James Lomax, Esq., Hall Springs,
Thomas Lowndes, Esq., Preston,
George Marton, Esq., M.P., Capernwray Hall,
John Master, Esq., Croston,
James Pedder, Esq., Ashton,
Myles Sandys, Esq,, Graythwaite,
Win. Allen Francis Saunders, Esq., Hennington Hall,
John Stewart, Esq., Nateby Hall,
John Plumbe Tempast, Esq., Tong Hall,
Robert Henry Welch, Esq., Leek.
The proclamation against vice, profaneness, and immo-
rality having been read by the Clerk of the Crown, the Lord
Chief Justice proceeded to deliver his charge to the Grand
Jury. His Lordship said he had great satisfaction in ad-
dressing a full Grand Jury of this great county upon the pre-
sent occasion, and more particularly as the calendar was not
of such a nature as would impose upon them any difficulty in
the performance of their duty, nor were there cases in it
which reflected shame or disgrace on that part of the county.
Ile well knew that one cause of the lightness of the calendar
arose from the fact of the magistrates in quarter sessions
clearing away a vast mass of offence which it would be im-
possible for the judges to dispose of in the ordinary course
of business. An act had recently passed by which the juris-
diction of justices in quarter sessions was more particultirly
enumerated, but he did not think that would have much
effect, for although it took from the quarter sessions eighteen
different kinds of offence, those offences were of such a com-
plicated nature that it was very rare for the quarter sessions
to deal with them at all. His Lordship then proceeded to
observe that many attempts had been made to relieve the
Hall Courts from the fatigue and labour attendant on the
administration of justice where the population is so dense,
and crime, therefore, frequent. The matter had frequently
been discussed in parliament, and lie had reason to believe
that the matter was now under the consideration of the go-
vernment •, but he thought it by no means desirable that
offences should be disposed of without the intervention of a
jury, still it was worth whileto iriquire 'whether some inter-
mediate mode might not be adopted by
.which the attendance
of jurors might not be so heavy at session and assizes. He
knew no better mode of accomplishing that than by directing
the attention of magistrates to the subject. The learned
Judge then proceeded to give the Grand Jury some direction
on the nature of several cases likely to occupy their atten-
tion, and concluded by dismissing theni to their duties.

THE CLITHERO ELECTION.
The following parties, against whom true.bills were found
at the last assizes, for bribery and attemptink to give false
votes at the last election for the borough of Clithero, but
whose trials were put off to the present assizes, on the appli-
cation of the coudsel for the prosecution, were this day
arraigned, when Mr. Sergeant MURPHY stated that he
should offer no evidence on behalf of the crown, and in con-
sequence verdicts of not guilty were recorded.

ROBBERY IN A. BROTHEL.
Margaret Park, the keeper of a brothel in Ulverston, was
charged with stealing a sum of money amounting to nearly
£l4, from the person of Daniel Grant, at Ulverston, on
Thursday last, and John Dixon was charged with being pre-
sent, aiding and assisting.

Mr. Hurton appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Wilkins
for the defence. The brief facts of the case were, that on
Thursday night last the prosecutor went to the house kept
by the female prisoner, in a state of intoxication, and had
his purse, containing the money, taken from him by Park,
whilst the other prisoner was watchin,, in an adjoining room ;

. . . ,
but the statement rested entirely on the evidence of a prosti-
tute living in the house, who had been herself accused of
the robbery by Park. The jury, after a short consultation,
acquitted the prisoners.

_ .
The remainder of the day was occupied with mint cases,
of no public interest.

CIVIL SIDE.
(Before Mr. Justice Maule.)

This learned Jude took his seat in th 6 Nisi Prius Court
shortly after twelve o'clock, and in the course of about an
hour disposed of six causes, most of which were undefended,
and the others referred. The cause list, however, only con-
tains an entry of nine causes.
REPAIRING GLEBE PROPERTY.-PARR V. WILSON•

This was an action brought by the Rev. John Owen Parr,
vicar of Preston, against the defendant, widow and execu-
trix of the late Rev. Roger Carus Wilson, the predecessor
of the plaintiff, to recover the sum of £5,000, for non-repairs
of certain property held by him in virtue of his office; as in-
cambent of the parish of Preston.
Messrs. Hulton and Knowles appeared for the plaintiff,
and Mr. S. Wortley for the defendant.

Previous to the case being gone into, on the suggestion of
the learned counsel for the defendant it was agreed that a

verdict should be taken for the above-mentioned sum, sub-
ject to a reference to Mr. Armstrong, Q. C. who should
draw up a special case for the consideration of the court
above, as to the liability of the late incumbent to repair pro-
perty which had been leased by a predecessor of his, it being
taken as a finding by the Jury, that there were assets to the
amount of £6OO.

CROWN COURT.—THURSDAY, JULY 28
(Before the LORD CHIEF JUSTICE.)
CHARGE OF RAPE.

Thomas Bennett, aged 30, was charged with having ra-
vished Ann Embley, at Leyland, on the 9th of April last.
Mr. Brandt appeared on behalf of the prosecution, and
Mr. Wilkins defended the prisoner.
It appeared from the evidence, that the prosecutrix, a girl
14 years of age, resided with her parents at Blackburn, and
on the 9th of April the prisoner engaged to take her in his
cart from Blackburn to the Leyland Station' on the North
Union line of railway. On the way he called at two public-,
houses, and induced the girl to drink two small glasses of
rum, after which he committed the offence charged. The
details of the case occupied the court a considerable part of
the day, but, of course, are unfit for publication.
Mr. WILKINS addressed the jury in a speech of consider-
able length, and with great ability. The jury having heard
a minute summing up of the evidence by the learned Judge,
retired for consultation, and having been absent about an
hour and a half, returned into court with a verdict of guilty.
Mr. Wilkins then called three witnesses, who gave the
prisoner, who is a married man with a family, a good cha-
racter. His lordship, however, deferred passing sentence.