The Sun. — 1838-01-29 (London, England)

OLD COURT.  These Sessioll4 reopened this morning before the Right lion. the Lord Mayor, the Recorder, Alderman Sir C. Marshall, Altiefm3n Johnson, the Sheriffs, and the usual civic authorities. The Grand Jury having been impanelled, The IleconnEe delivered his charge. The number of prisoners for trial was not very large, nor were the offences such as required any remarks from him. There were, however, two cases of murder, which would demand their most serious attention. In one case three persona were charged with the crime of wilful murder—one, as accessory before the fact, in exciting and inducing the other two prisoners to commit the crime, not being himself present at the time. Of the other prisoners, one was charged with actually committing the crime, and the other with aiding and abetting in the commission of the seine. The effect, to all the prisoners would be the same, but In pint of law it was necessary to shape the charges! thus. The case: was one arising out of those tumults (happily not very frequent in this country) among the lower orders of the .Irish, in which after the parties had separated some of them returned and renewed the quarrel, that ultimately led to the death of a person who had not taken any active part in the riot. The other charge of murder was against the captain of a vessel, for having, when off Calabar, caused the death of one of his crew by immoderate flogging. The Grand Jury would probably find in this case some of the witnesses making admissions that the testimony they had previously given before the magistrates was far more favourable to the prisoner than that which they now would furnish. One of the witnesses would give evidence very much opposed to tide testimony of the other witnesses, he would state that deceased, who was steward, immediately before the infliction of the punishment, which camel his death, had violently assaulted the prisoner; this would or course throw some light upon the conduct of the prisoner, and might, at another stage of the proceedings operate consirably to his benefit. Still, the Learned Recorder said, he felt it his duty to tell the Grand Jury it would be proper for them, seeing the important nature of the charge, and the difficulties with which it was surrounded, to send the case for trialbefore the higher tribunal on the charge of murder. In both of these cases of murder, the witnesses were so numerous, and their depositions so velurainous, that the Grand Jury would be attended by an officer of the Court, with the depositions, who would be able materially to assist the Jury in eliciting the real facts of the case. The Learned Recorder concluded by cautioning the Grand Jury against too quickly dismissing an indictment because the first few witnesses examined did not substantiate the charge. The calendar contains the names of about 150 prisoners, a number which will doubtless be increased to 200 before. the Grand Jury have concluded their labours. Among the charges are, besides the two cases of murder, one of cutting and wounding, one of h.Lsebreaking, three of burglary, one of bigamy, upwards of ninety of larceny, two of stealing from the dwelling-house, one of manslaughter, two of Oisdemeanour, eight of coining, &c„ two of horse stealing, two of sheep steal:Jig, six of embeseement.