Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1864-03-16 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

THE °RAND IVRY.  The CLERK (Mr. Vau2hal) called over the nnme3 • those who were t)sarve on the Grand Jury. They were as follows :  C. R. M. Talb A., Eq.,M.P H.ll. 'Vivian, Esq., M.P. H. Gwyn, Esq. T. E. Thonias, Esq. Griffith Llewellyn, Esq. Charles Bath, Esq. E. R. Wood, Esq. 0. J. (Mark, Esq. T. M. Talbot, Esq. .T. T. D. Llewellyn, Eq. Benson, Esq.  W. G. Vivian, El. A. P. Vivian, Esq. T. Penriee, EN. Pissele St. Leger Grenfell, J. 11. Rowland, Eq. R. Eaton, Esq. Vaughan Lee, Esq. W. Gilbertson, Esq. N. P. Camersin, Esq. I J. L. Roberts, Esq.  His Lordship, in the course of his address to the Grand Jury, remarked that since thirty years ago, when he used an counsel to attend the Glamergansbire Assizes, the criminal business had much inereamed. The calendar of prisoners lying before him was much heavier than it was then, owing to the vast strides this county had made in wealth and importance, and the consequent increase of population and influx of strangers, many of whom were of doubtful character, and had caused vicious habits to spring up. These were necessarily attendant upon the increase in the local seats of industry, and upon the general prosperity of the neighbourhood. It was very remarkable, as it was certainly very creditable, that the criminal business at these assizes was so small as it was. The calendar included, he believed, thirty names, but a large number of these were what were called Sessions cases. As to the remainder, although it included seme very grave charges, on the whole he thought it could not fairly be said ti be of a very serious eharaeter. He was glad to observe that, so far as he knew, there would not be brought before them a single case of highway robbery, an offence which he remembered used to be very prevalent in the suburbs of the populous towns in this county. He was also gla Ito observe that there was not a single ease of arson. This was a crime, he bad learned during his roc nt visit to some of the English counties, which was frightfully on the inarease. The most serious charge was that of murder against a young woman, whose age, according to the calendar, was 17 years. She was charged with the murder of her own newly-horn illegitimate child, having cut its threat. That she committed this dreadful act was proved by her own admission; but this admission was accompanied by the statement that the child was born dead. It would be for the jury to say, at :r hearing the evidence of the medical gentleman who dad formed his opinion on the cane after a post mortem examination, whether they believed this to be the case or not. There was another ease, somewhat analogous, though by no means of so grave a quality. Miriam Evans was charged with the manslaughter of her own child, which was only 510111 C few weeks dd. She was charged upon that she n-as guilty of manslaughter by neglecting her natural duties It appears that the prisoner was very much addicted to drunkenness, and under the influence of that vice she seemed to have lost all those tender feelings towards her child, which at other times she possessed. The jury would have to consider whether she caused the death of her child by such neglect. His Lordship concluded by saying he had no doubt their ditties would be comparatively light. Among the Petty Jury, Mr. John Bevan, of Swansea, had been summoned, and he now int iod up, and, addressing his Lerdship, said: My rend, before you proceed any further, I beg to claim exemption. I am past sixty years of age. I wrote to the High Sheriff. His Lordship : I mast pay you the compliment of saying that you look so young that you must be sworn. (Loud laughter in Court). It was stated by the Clef, of the Assizes that Mr. Bevan'e name was not on the list.  His Lordship : Are you more than sixty? Mr. Bevan: Yes, Sir, I am. I was born in February, 1800.  His Lordship: You can go home, then. (Laughter).