The Sun. — 1848-10-27 (London, England)

COMMISSION-COURT-WEDNESDAY.  Judges Tortens and Crampton sat yesterday morning at ten o'clock, and were engaged all day in trying the following important case of assault upon a police-constable in the discharge g£; hit duty. No allusion whatever was made Throughout the day to the pending prosecutions against the proprietors of the Nation and Tribune newspapers, nor is it likely that the prisoners in any of those cases will be brought to trial before Friday or Saturday. STABBING WITH INTENT, &c.—Three young men, between 25 and 30 years of age, named Michael Moran, John Joseph Moran, and John WCoricick, were placed at the bar and indicted for having, on the 25th of July last, in South Great George-street, wilfully and maliciously stabbed Pollee-constable John Byrne, whilst in the execution of his duty, with intent to kill and murder him. Michael Moran was the person actually accused of the stabbing, and the other men as being present aiding and assisting. There were several counts in the indictment varying the precise nature of the charge. Messrs. Plunkett, Q.C,, and Smyth, were counsel for the Crown, and Messrs. J. A. Curran and R. Armstrong defended the prisoners, who having refused to join in their challenges, the trial of one of them, Michael Moran, was proceeded with in the first instance. The Hon. Mr. Plunkett having briefly stated the case, Police-constable John Byrne, 132 A, the prosecutor, was examined. Ile deposed that upon the night of the 25th of July last, or on the morning of the 26th, between one and two o'clock, ho was on duty in South Great George street, when the prisoner, and the other two men charged, passed him, making a great noise, cursing and swearing, &c. He addressed them, and told them to be quiet, and to go home; but the prisoner immediately stopped and said, " Constable, will we have a rebellion?' Witness replied, that he hoped not; upon which the prisoner said, that the time had come, and that they would, and at the same moment pulled a pistol from under his coat, and struck it against the shutters of a window. The city having been proclaimed at this time, witness demanded the pistol to be given up to him, or that the prisoner should bring it himself to the station•house, but he refused to do either, and when the prosecutor attempted to take it, he drew a dagger and stabbed him in the groin most severely, so that his life was endangered for a considerable time. The pistol, which was loaded with ball and cocked, and the dagger were here both produced, and appeared to be most formidable weapon:. On cross-examination the prosecutor positively swore to the identity not only of the man on trial, but to the other two prisoners, after which several witnesses were examined in corroboration) and also medical witnesses, to show the serious nature of the injury received by the prosecutor. The Crown case having closed, Mr. CURRAN addressed the jury for the defence, and examined some most respcotable gentlemen to give the prisoner a character. Judge CRAMPTON then charged the jury, who convicted the prisoner upon all the counts in the indictment, with the exception of the capital one, It is probable that the other two prisoners will plead guilty to a comma assault.