The Sun. — 1830-08-05 (London, England)

NORFOLK CIRCUIT.--.NORWICH, Ana. S. Mr. Justice J. PARKS opened the commission for this county yesterday evening, after having tinizhed the Suffullc Assizes by trying Charles Cocke. reit, who was indicted for the murder of his wife. The investigation Was very long, and as the facts have already been fully detailed, We do not think it necessary to repeat them, The evidence was such us to leave no doubt that the prisoner was in sane, and a verdict to that effect having been returned, he was ordered to be confined until his M►jesty's pleasure should be known. After attend. ing div►ne service to-day, the Learned Judges proceeded to despatch the public business. It'illinin Drank:, aged 19, was totted guilty of u highway robbery, attended by circumstances of  great aggravation. At the Spring Assizes for this county, a brother of the prisoner was convicted of being one of the perpetrators of this outrage, and received sentence of death, which was commuted to transportation for life. Previously to those Assizes, the two brothers had made an attempt to escape from the Norwich gaol, and had succeeded in gaining the parapets of the prison, from whence this prisoner was letting himself down by a rope made of the shreds of his bedding, when the rope broke, and he was precipitated down a height of 70 feet. By that fall he broke both his legs, one of his arms, and his buck, and received many other severe injuries in consequence of which he was nimble to take juries, trial in the spring. He, however, survived his injuries, and to-day appeared in Court on crutches, still a dreadful cripple. The facts of the case were, that the prosecutor, named Rayner, a baker, had been going his rounds with his bread cart, and stopped on his return home on the Gth of January at the Maid's head, at East Winch, about seven in the evening. He there saw the prisoner and his brother, the former of whom had with him a short bludgeon with an iron knob at the end, who had been some little time drinking there. Going out to look at his horse, .the prosecutor saw the brothers looking very hard at him out of the window, which rather alarmed him. They then inquired of the landlord who that old gentleman was, and were told that he was a baker at Middleton. They next inquired whether he was well to do in the world; and were answered "that he had no doubt accumulated n goodish sum by his industry." They also asked how far Middleton was, and were told two miles. Very soon afterwards they left the public-house, and the prosecutor followed. This was about half-past seven, and the moon was clouded over, but it was light enough to distinguish the person of a man. When he bad got about half a mile along the road, the prisoner and his brother came up to him, one on each side of his cart, and the prisoner struck him a severe blow on his head with the bludgeon which he had at the Maid's Head, and at the same time his brother violently beat him with another bludgeon. He bled profusely, and the two men then got upon his cart and rifled his pockets of 70s. in silver, and a sovereign. Being unable to go onwards, the prosecutor made the best of his way back to he Maid's Head, and gave information, in consequence of which he was apprehended, which was not done until after great resistance, and a severe chase. The prisoner said nothing in his defence, and called no witnesses. The learned JUDGE should consider well the case before he passed sentence.  George Polka, a private in his Majesty's regiment of Royal Dragoons, who appeared at the bar in the uniform of his corps, was indicted for stealing ten sovereigns, a watch, and other articles, from the person of Christopher Lennard. He was convicted, and sentenced to be transported for 14 years.