The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-10-11 00:00:00

CONSPIRACY.

William Turner, Samuel Kay, and Robert Robertson,
were found guilty of having conspired together, with a num-
ber of other persons, to prevent her Majesty's subjects from
following their lawful occupations.

SENTENCES.

Joseph Smith, Moses Smith, William Rook, John Webb,
and Matthew Baker, convicted of stealing money and pro-
visions from the Stockport Workhouse, were sentenced to
twelve months' imprisonment and hard labour.
Thomas Wild, James Wild, Witham Maorhouse, Stephen
Shirt, John Fairhurst, Samuel Lees, James Buckley, and
several other prisoners, convicted,of conspiracy, were then
brought up for sentence. The Lord Chief Baron, in passing
sentence on them, said they had all been found guilty of con-
spiring to overturn the existing constitution by force and
violence, and had endeavoured to bring that about in,A
riotous and turbulent manner. The offences of which they
had been convicted derived additional importance from the
organisation for mischief which had been proved to exist
amongst them. He could tell the prisoners that they owed
it to the lenity of the Crown's legal advisers, that they had
not been placed upon their trial for high treason. The go-
vernment were making an experiment of conciliation, and he
knew not whether it would be successful, but they were
anxious to give the working classes time and opportunity to
recover from the delusion which had caused so much mis-
chief. Even if their labour did require further protection,
which he very much doubted, they had taken the very worst
course for redress. His Lordship then sentenced the two
Wilds, rVloorhouse, Fairhurst, and Lees, to two years' im-
prisonment and hard labour. Shirt to eighteen months.
Taylor, Thorp, and Joseph Hague to one year each. Kay
and Robinson to one year. Fry, Winterbottom, and Smith,
who had been wounded at Mr. Shepley's mill on the inter-
cession of that gentleman, were sentenced to three month's'
imprisonment, and Lees and Buckley to one year and hard
labour.

This concluded the business of this Court, and shortly af-
terwards the Lord Chief Baron left this city for Liverpool.

NISI PRIUS COURT.-SATURDAY.

On Mr. Baron ALDERSON taking his seat in this court
this morning, the whole of the prisoners who had been pre-
viously convicted before his lordship were brought up for
sentence.

Mr. Baron ALDERSON, in addressing them, observed that
they had all been convicted of very serious offences injurious
to the public peace, and formed sad examples of the bad
consequences of young men following evil counsels. If they
had exercised common sense, they would not have been led
away by persons who supported themselves by exciting others
to mischief and outrage. By such offences as they had com-
mitted, the greatest injury resulted to themselves ; for it they
succeeded in effecting a general cessation of labour, the pro-
perty on which they hoped to live in idleness would soon be
exhausted. His lordship was willing to believe they had
sinned through ignorance, but still it was necessary, for the
protection of society, that the law should be vindicated.
Cartwright had been convicted of preventing others from
following their employment. Turner, John Drabble, and
Isaac Drabble, had stopped machinery, although the stand-
ing still of that machinery was ruinous to it; and'thus, while
professing to wish for freedom, exercised a most despotic
power over others. The prisoner Jas. Gorsley was a farm-
ing labourer, and could have no interest in the turn-out ex-
cept a wish to promote dangerous political changes. Joseph
Dove had been convicted of endeavouring to interrupt the
railway traffic. He (the Lord Baron) should, however, in-
flict on all the same punishment, which was, that they be
imprisoned in Chester Gaol for one year. The prisoners
Michael Norris, Charles Harrop, Saml. Shepley, and Saml.
Gosling, found guilty of rescuing one of the delegates from
the officers of justice, were sentenced to IS months' impri-
sonment. The prisoners Joseph Taylor, Wm. Smith, Jas.
Kershaw, and Wm. Martin, convicted of attending an un-
lawful assembly, and stopping the traffic on the Peak Forest
Canal, which offence was felony : the sentence on Taylor
was that he be imprisoned 15 months, and upon the others
to 12 months, and hard labour.

ATTACK ON THE STOCKPORT WORKHOUSE.
Thos. Hough, Wm. Wright, John Charlesworth, Jas. Lee,
Noah Layfield, Anne Hibbert, Wm. Stringar, Joseph Falks,
James Hatton, James Horsefield, Thomas Smith, John
Rhodes, and Jos. Harrop, were indicted for the attack on
Stockport workhouse. Hough, Charlesworth, Wright, Lay-
field, Talks, Hatton, Rhodes, and Harrop, were found
guilty. Hough having been previously convicted, was sen-
tenced to fourteen years transportation. Wright, Charles-
worth, Layfield, and Talks were sentenced, the latter to 7
years transportation, and the first two to 2 years imprison-
ment, the rest to one years imprisonment.
Smith, Horsfield, and Stringer were then indicted for a
riot, the two former were acquiited, and the latter being
found guilty, was sentenced to one years imprisonment.
This case terminated the business of the Special Commis-
sion.

GRAND JURY ROOM.—FRIDAY.
(Before Mr. Justice CRESSWELL.)
Several cases were tried before his lordship in this court
during the day, but as they possessed no interest beyond the
mere fact of their arising out of the recent disturbances, we
do not think it necessary to report them.