Star. — 1828-07-23 (London, England)

NORFOLK CIRCUIT-BEDFORD, JULY 19.  The Judges—the Lord Chief Baron Alexander and Mr. Justice Hob oyd—arrived yesterday and opened the Commission. This day, after attending Divine Service, Mr. Justice Holroyd proceeded to the Crown Court, and the Grand and Petit Juries were sworn. The Met qui, of Tavistock was appointed Foreman chile Grand Jury. Mr. Justice Houton), in his address to the Grand Jury, said it was a great consolation vs him that there were so few prisoners for- trial at the present Assize; and.that amongst them only two cases required any observation from him. The cases he refuted to were those of James East, for the murder of his wife; and Charlotte Lovell, for irson. These were circumstances  in the first case of a very extraordinary description..-a The murder was said to have been committed so lung ago as the year 1821, and had been brought aq light by circumstances as singular as those under which the murder was said to have been:perpetrattd. It would appear, that when the prisoner was committed for trial by the Magistrates, they were not satisfied that the female who was discovered to have been murdered was the wife of .thaprisoner, and he was committed for the murder of a female whose name was unknown. It would be material  fur the Jury to atcettain if the deceas:d was actually the wife of the prisoner ; and if the evidence brought before them should not be of that description as to satisfy their minds that a Jury would convict thereon, it would be advisable that they should ignore the bill; for if the prisoner should be put on his trial and acquitted. be cas' not be again tried for the offence, though the most complete evidence or his guilt should be after wards obtained. The case of Lovell was extraordiaary ; she had, according to the depositions, set fire to her master's house, and, after'destroying the building, she set fire to the out-house of a neighbour. He was sure the Jury in a caie of so penal a nature, would take every circumstance into consideration consistent with humanity and justice. His Lordship directed the Jury to proceed. to the discharge of their important and soletom duties, and requested that bills might be brooght into Court as speedily as possible, so that the Courtmight proceed to the dispatch of business. Willians Gilbert, who had been capitally convicted at the last Assizes, of stealing four oxen, the peoptittof the Marquis of Tavistock, was placed at the bat.--The' prisoner was tried before Mr. Baron Garrow, who reset ved a point in his favour, for the opinion of the Judges. Mr. Justice HOLROTD said, that on the trial it sp. pearedthat Mr. Baker, a servant of the Marquis of Teristock, had tour oxen to sell at Ampthill fair, and the prisoner agreed ,to purchase them f0r:461. 10s. and to. pay ready money for them. Baker proposed to . mark the oxen, but the prisoner oppoted it, and saidhe would,pay for them by-and-bje at the King's Arms. Baker went to the King's Arms at the time appointed, bat the primmer WAS not there. and on gain back to the Mullett he  found that. the prisoner bad driven away the oxen and sold sham, and he °mild notheiound till some time after, when be was apprehended. Biker MOM 'ou the trial that he did not consider the oxen to be sold and delivered to the prisoner till the money was paid.' The Learned Judge who tried the case left it to the Jury to say by their verdict, if they believed the prisoner originally intended to convert the oxen to his own use without paying for them? and they decided, that they believed he newer bad any intention of paying for them ; and the Judges were unanimously of opinion, that under those circumstances the prisoner was proper'', convicted of the felony, and sentence of death would be recorded against him.