Old Bailey, Friday, Sept....
The Times, 1824-09-25T00:00:00

)#fare the RrEcoltDEB James frarcxood, aeed 10, was indieted for hasLi g assaulted John Strachau, in an open place near the Ktngv hilghway, ond tr,king fromn his person certain money, a coat, and otter tbings. John Strachan, a tailor, at Hamnpton.court, went on the 7th of July to the review at llounslow. At about ten o'clock an the night of that day, as he was coming out of a booth in which he had been taking somie refreshment, he found hiumselfattacked byten or twelve fellows, among whom was the prisoner. They struck him violently. and dragged hinm away from thc booth. The prisoner thrust his hand into the witness's waistcoat-pocket,and took out of it two half-crowns. The witness was afraid to make any sessstance ; the prisoner and h4is companions treated him with great violence,; he was knocked dow:n, and lost one of his teeth fromn a blow. He endeavoured to re. turn to the booth, but was prevented by thc prisoner and his gang. fie was again knocked down aid j.umped upon, and moncy wagtaken from the pocket of his trousers. His coat and waLstcoat were torn off, an(d he was left almost naked, and with great difliculty crawled to the booth, crying out " mutder." Ile had no doubt of the pri- soner's identity; he had been looking at hint long before the attack was made. On the dav following, the witnesg went to a magistrawte at Hampton, to give iriformation; and on the 14tlh of July tihe pri- soner was apprehended. The witness was so ill, in conseouence of the treatment he received, that he was obliged to go to thie workt house. On his cross-examination, the witness'r evidence remained un- shaken. Ed ward Collins deposed to nearly the same ecfect. He swore po. sitiveJy to the identity of the prisoner, and to his having taken a foremost and active part in the assault upon the prosecUitor. Joseph Beswick, one of the Bow-street patol, aoprebended the prisoner. When he was taken before a mangistrate, ije made a state- mr ent, but witness could not say whether that statetment was reduced to writing. The RgcoRDEa L would not permit the wltnesq to sty sny thing respecting thir statement, wlhich oucht, under any circumstances, to have been reduced to writing, and transmitted to him; and the more so, as the charge against the prisoner was one involvirg themost serious consequences to him. The RcoanDEa sunmed up, and the Jury found the prisoner Gusilty.-Death. The RFcCOIInE R recommended the prisoncr to prepare for the execution of the mont severe setenice of tle law. The evidence, he said, was perfectly clear : if there had been any doubt, the prisoner would have had the benefit of It ;but for his own pzrt, he fully con- curred with the verdict which had been pronounceu. The ultimate decision of the prisoner's fate would rest witht HIs 1ejesty in Coun- cil; but. his Lordship thought that the nature of the evidence would precludle all hope that mercy could he extended to so aggravated a case. Jn all events, the prisc.er would (lo well to mnake the best use of the short time that in all probabiltty rerined to him of ex- istence in thiis world to prepare for another. The prisoner listened to this addres3 withi considerable ernotion, and retired from the bar evidently penetrated with a deep senae of' hlis perilous situation. The session being concluded, the RrconDp7d pyocecded to pass sentence upon the pristlcrs. t Twenty-five prisonerss, the greater part of whlom had not ~ttained the age of 20 years,were sentenced to be executed, and the RECoR- *.n, alluditig tO the case last tried, and to another of horse-sical- ing, retommenel both thte prisoners to preeare for deLtb, as it was nrost probable the sentence wfould be carriLd into ful execution. TwelveI prisoners were ortiered to be transported forlife; eight for 14 years; forty-six for 7 yCars; nnd seventy-eight to various periods oef imprisonent in the youse of Corrcction, and to be kept to hard OLD BAILEY, FkwDAr, SSP?. 24.