The Sun. — 1859-07-04 (London, England)

CRI3IINAL COURT.-(THIS DAY.)  OLD COURT.  The July session of the Central Criminal Court commenced this morning before the Lord Mayor, the Re corder, Aldermen Moon, Salomons, Mechi, the Sheriffs, and the other civic authorities.  The calendar contains names of 55 persons for trial. Two, viz., Thomas Smethurst and William Abraham Moore, are charged with murder, eight with burglary, nine with uttering counterfeit coin, three with forgery, three with manslaughter, five with feloniously wounding, and the remainder with offences of a minor description. The Recorder, in charging the grand jury, said he was very glad to say their duties would be very light in consequence of the short interval that had elapsed since the last session. The cases in the calendar were few, and none of them presented any difficulty. There was a charge of murder against a person named Moore, but in this there was little doubt but that the blow which produced the death of the unfortunate woman was struck by the prisoner. No person was present when the wound was inflicted, so it would be for the prisoner to show that anything occurred which would reduce the crime from that of murder. There was a charge against a foreign coloured seaman, named John Burdoe, for stabbing a policeman ; and the circumstances connected with the case were somewhat peculiar. It appears that the prisoner had been purchased by the captain of his ship—who it was gratifying to find was not an Englishman—as a slave, and he had made two or three voyages to and from this country, without knowing that he had acquired thereby his freedom. On the last occasion when the ship left London, he was too ill to proceed, and was left behind, in charge of some person, until another ship belonging to the same owner arrived, when he was to be again shipped. During this period he appeared to have learned that he had acquired his freedom, and for some cause or other which would more clearly appear as the trial proceeded, he barricaded himself in his room and the aid of the police was called. In consequence of what they were told they proceeded to his apartment with a view of taking him into custody. The prisoner, who was unacquainted with the English language, naturally thinking the police were endeavouring to recapture him as a slave, made his escape through the window on to the roof of the house, where he was followed by Oliver the policeman. The constable seized him, when Burdoe, who was armed with a knife, struck Oliver a blow which it was quite a marvel: did not instantly deprive him of life. There were certain circumstances connected Nith this case  what would render it desirable to have it inquired into more fully than it could be before the grand jury, so all they would have to ascertain would be whether there was sufficient evidence to justify them in returning a true bill against him. The effect of finding a true bill would not be to finally settle the case, but only to put it into a state to undergo a thorough and searching investigation in this court with a view to ascertain the causes that induced the police to interfere. There was nothing further to call for remark from him, but in the event of an unforeseen difficulty arising the Court would readily render the grand jury every assistance.  The jury then retired to their room, and the trials pro ceeded.