Shrewsbury, Saturday, Mar...
The Times, 1824-03-23T00:00:00

CRDIMINAL CO( ir_(BefOrc iVr. Justicc VARX.) Joseph Sadler was indlicted under Lord 2EUenborough's Act, for maliciously stabbing John Mearman, swith intent to murderhim, or to maim or disfigure him, or to do him some grievous bodily harn The prosecutor in this case, an infirm and sickly man, was on the 20th of August last at a public-house called the Holly B~ush, in the parish of Hales-Owen. There he met the prisoner, and some words arose between them abo-ut reaping, which e nded in blows. At length they were parted, and Al earman set out in a cart to return home. Sadler rernained behind himn for 20 minutes, during which he did notimerition hisname; biieafter whichhe followed in. the same direc- tion rapidly with hissickle iohishand, which then was almost entirely covered wi thl paper. On his road he vras heard by a woman' named Chapman, threa-ening vengeance against Mearman, in very coarse language; and when she begged him not to fight the prosecutor as he was a poor inoffensive roan, he replied i the same terms. *fhen he overtook the cart iu wvhich Mlearman was riding, he called to hirm to comie out to fight; the clallenge. was refused; on which he went up to the cart and cut at Mearman with his sickle two or three timei. The poor nian was taken to a public-house, where it was discovered that the back of his band was cut,and a puncture inflicted on his loins, four inches from the kidnies. He remained ill or oine time, though able to walk to the surgeon fbr medical assistance. When Sadler was apprehended some time after, he told the constable that if he had known the consequence, he would have cut Mearman's head off, as they then could but have hanged hium... On behalf of the prisoner, a witness nanmed Ed*ards was called, who stated that he was passing when Sadler came up to the care; that both parties used ill language; and that Sadler merely put the -ckle, wvhich was still covered, round Mlearman, as if to pull him from the caret, and did not strike at him. The'surgeon, mAr. Blox- are., however, proved that the wounds coald not have been inflicted bvN a sickle covered in the manncr represented, nor without the an. plication of force. 2Ir. Justice PARK summed tip the evidence, and left the jury to decide whethee,if death haa followed the wounds, the prisoner would have been guilty of murder; as, if his offetie would hve iborne that character, he was guilty of the present charge. The jury, at'ter a few minutes' consultation, foand the prisoner GGuilty. The prosecutor carnestlv recommnended the prisonerto mercy -and the landlady of the public house wheye he had been druning gave him an excellent character. It also appeared thpe, at the time of the violence, he was considerably inflamed with liquor. Mr. Justice PARK, under these drcuisizn e, forbore to. pze sentence of. death, which otherwise would ce-tainly have been car- ried into execution. Thn capital convicts against whom .iudgment of teath had. not been recorded, were placed at the bar, to hear tlte decision of the Judge on their fate. Alr. Justice PARK addressed John Fox, William Fisher, Ricbard Soon, and James Boon, all convicted of burglary; the two first also convictei of' highway robbery, and, all charged with other offences; and inforined them that, after most serious consideration, he had determined to recommend themn to mercy, notwithst=iing their accuniulated guilt, partly because there was no actual crueltr proved against them, and partly because he believed they had,been sefduced by Richard Smith, who stood by their side.-Judgmeet of death was therefore merely recorded in the usual form. Hlis Lordship then proceeded to pass sentence on Richard Smith, to whom he had alluded in the hearing of his associates in crime.. This man was found guilty of burglary under aggravated scircum_ stances, and found with a tinder-box, dark lantern, and other ini- plements of robbery. He was also found guilty of an extensive theft, and charged with other crimes. At the time of his arrest, lie had a pistol loaded and cocked on his Derson. The learned Judge, I in his address, statedl that he had reason to believe he was a. prin- cipal member of a gang who had commnitted almost incredible de- I predations in the connty, aud who had become its terror. In I822, he was capitally convicted, but received pardon on suffbring a 12 mon.ths' imprisonment, which had been infiicted in vain. Under these circumstances, he must not hope for mercy in this world; but prepare himself for that death which awaited 'him. The learned. Judge then passed the awful sentence of the law, and the prisoner was taken from the bar entreating that his life might bespared. - The calendar was unusuallyxheavy, contining 63 prisoners, I mostly for capiral oftences, and several under accumulated charges. SARENJ'SBURY, SATURDAY, AIARCH 20.