The Sun. — 1833-03-07 (London, England)

MARCH 4.  The Commission of Assize for this place was opened at the Castle on Saturday. Yesterday Mr. Justice ALDERSON and Mr. Baron GURNEY attended divine service in the Cathedral.  This morning Mr. Justice ALDERSON tried four prisoners in the Guildhall of the city, and then proceeded to the Nisi Prius Court in the Castle. Nothing of importance occurred, and the Court rose early. The calendar contains a list of 66 prisoners, which is considered rather light as to number, but three of the cases are for murder, and there are some other very serious offences. John Pickles was put to the bar charged with sacrilege. The prisoner was indicted at the last assizes, together with two others, of the names of Spurr and Fawcett. The two latter were tried then and convicted, but Pickles escaped apprehension until after those assizes, but having been since taken into custody, he was now tried for the offence. On the 20th day of August last the Church of South Kirby in the West Riding, was feloniously entered by means of a large hedge-stake having been put beneath the great doors, and the doors thereby raised up so as to slip the bolt of the lock over the fastening, which was a staple, open at the top. The thieves had broken open a chest, and taken from it fifteen bottles of sacramental wine, a pewter flagon, and the silver top of a sacramental cup, beside a smaller box within the large one, containing some of the records of the parish, and which was found the next morning in a close near the place. On the morning of the 21st of August three men were seen by the gamekeeper of a Mr. Hardy at a distance of about 12 miles from South Kirby, and, suspecting them to be poachers, he followed them. They had a poke, which appeared to contain something hard, and as one of them got over a Stile the poke struck against the stile, and a bottle broke, and some red wine ran out. The gamekeeper then called a farming man, who was in a field they were passing through. The two prisoners before convicted were seen to go into a plantation, and when followed by the farming man, were found kneeling in a ditch. They were both taken, and upon 'earching the place several bottles of wine, the pewter flagon, and the top of the silver cup, were found. These articles were clearly identified as having been stolen from the church on the Sunday in question.  The Jury found the prisoner Guilty, and he received sentence of transportation for life. John Crossley, late of Soyland, in the West Riding, was charged, upon the oaths of Lessey Crossley and others, wiih having, on the 18th day of October last, feloniously and unlawfully married and taken to wife, at Elland church, in the township of Elland-with-Greatland, in the said riding, one Barbara Berry, the said Lessey Crossley, his former wife, being then alive. The prisoner pleaded guilty to the charge, but said that he had lived with his former wife eight years, by whom he had two children. He always worked hard, and carried her home 245. every week, but her conduct was so bad that he could not live with her any longer, and therefore he left her for peace sake, and after he had wandered about for a year he met with Barbara, and unfortunately married her. He acknowledged his crime, and implored the mercy of the Court. The brother of his former wife and some other witnesses were called, from whose evidence it appeared that the account he had given was too true. He was taken into custody on the day after his second marriage. The Learned Judge sentenced him to 12 months' imprisonment and hard labour.