The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-10-22 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

Yesterday, these Sessions were opened at Hicks 's Hall.
On the sitting of the Court, the Chairman observed.
that as the Lite Reeognithince Act 11•111 about to be put
into operation for the first time these Sessions, it be-
came nee sssss v to state, for the infortnation of all con-
cerned, that ail whe had entered into recognizance',
must appear at Iran to plead on the adj corned dty ; it
they neglected or decline.' to appear, their recognizan-
cee weak' be returned to the Exchequer.
Edward Kelly wee indicted for an assault on E.ltrarl
Hurcomb, a parish constable, on the eleventh of May
last. It appeared, from the evidence of the prom-rotor.
that be and his brother constables, G. Brown and J.
rtfoore, were on duty on the night of the eleventh of
,May; they heard a cry of murder from ease -person in
the house of the peisoset at Paddington. _They, in the
execution of their duty; knocked at the door, open
which the prisoner appeared at a window, with a guu ;
'lnstead of giving any iiiplanation to the officers, be
threatened to shoot them if they did not instantly re-
tire. A woman, who lived with the prisoner, to..k the
gun from him, upon which be seized a (inert Mock
threw it at hlurcomb, and very severely wounded him io
the breast.
The evidence of Harcomb was supported by the t‘s:i..
moray of Brown and Moore.
On the part of the prisoner, Lydia Webb, a woman
who lives with him, stated, that there was no cry of mur-
der, or any disturbance whatever in the house; that she
' and the prisoner were awakened out of their sleep by vto.
lent knocking at the door • that the prisoner got up, and
assured the officers that they were mistaken ; he desired
them to retire, but they refused to do so; and it was n t
nntil they broke the panne) of the prisoner's door, th.it.
the bottle was thrown.

The Jury retired for a considerable time, and the Court
having sent to ascertain whether they were likely to
agree to their verdict, an answer was returned, that etc..
Yen of-them were for convicting the prisoner on what
they looked upon to be clear and coeclusiv, evidence ;
one only entertained a contrary opinion, and retoruNd
an answer that he would sooner starve than convict the
prisoner.
The CHAIRMAN tap d his surprise at this sneer ;
there could not be so doubt in his opinion of the evidence
on the Wart of the
.prosecution. He was surprise I.
that any man wislitog to do justice could Itesitat.,
as to his verdict: there could not be a clearer case.

After some conversation between the gentlemen of the
bar, and the agent for the prosecution, it was a4reed that
the prisoner should have liberty to withdraw his plea of
Not Guilty, and plead Guilty.
Mr. ANDREWS, on the part of the prisoner, expressed
the regret he felt at having committed the ass mit and
said that he was ready. to pay a sum of M. in aid of
the funds of a charitable institution.
The :natastax said he was well advised in the course
be had taken.

The Jtiry returned, and the case was discharged.
Mr. IV. Willes, a gentleman of most respectable ap-
pearance anti connections, was indicted for assaa It on
Isaac Hawkins, a constable, whilst in the execution of his
duty at Walhani-green, ow the 21st July last.
The prosecutor stated, that on the night in question be
found the prisoner engaged in a fight on the green, with
a Mr. Keelin, whe lived in the neighbourhood; that they
hai their coats off, and were fighting. Witness inter-
fered, as it was his duty (here he entered into a tedious
detail of particulars; and swore positively to the fact
of having, without any one provocation, received a bloW
from the t rrrrrr sr). Witness, assisted by Sinithers, the
officer, succeeded In putting the traverser into the cage,
where'll* remained all night.
On his cross-examination, be denied that he had ill-
used the traverser; Mr. Kerlin never Caine forward es
make any charge. He did not hear Souther, say, "111-11
him, if he should not have blood for his supper.'
Suaithers was next examined, insupport of the evidence
of the last witness. On his cross-examination, he ad-
mitted that he said " he would have blood for supper ;"
but he did not say so until the prisoner and his friends
threatened to shoot him. Ile said he wolld helve
blood for supper after his brains were blown out.—(A
laugh.).
Two female witnesses were then examined by Mr.
alleles Phillips, bat they did Cot rate any materiel
fact. _ _ .

Mr. ADOLPHUS addressed the Jury on behalf of the
prisoner. He said, that the case was one of a most
shameful description, bnt it was net without example.
It was but too much the custom of those whose duty it
was to preserve the peace to exert themselves to the ut-
most in order to effect it. violstion. Constables an
watchmen were notoriously in the habit of advancing
the, most scandalous charres—of supporting those
charges by the most scandalous perversion of facts, in
the hope ofextorting money tr.im those, who, thong'.
conscious of innocence, were yet unwilling o fare