The Sun. — 1851-12-20 (London, England)

PLATT.) Dennis Elsom, aged 24, was indicted for having feloniously cut and wounded one Jonathan Clake, at Marfleet, on the 12th of November last, with intent to murder him, or do him some grievous bodily harm. Mr. Dearsley prosecuted ; the prisouer was undefended.  It appeared that the statute fair for the hiring of servants at Hedon was on the 12th of November last. The prosecutor is the landlord of a public-house at Marfleet, a village between Hedon and Hull. About two o'clock in the morning after the fair a number of persons were drinking in the prosecutor's taproom, and the prisoner was there, and attempted to pick the pockets of several persons in the room, but found nothing in them. Some one at length cried out that "Old John Stephens had been robbed," and prosecutor immediately closed the door of his house, in order that all present might be searched, and the thief discovered. The prisoner, who had about a dozen of the lowest male and female characters of Hull in his company, hereupon made a disturbance, which led to a row, in the midst of which they forced their way out into the road, and commenced throwing stones at the door and windows of the house, breaking in the panels of the door. The prosecutor went out at his beck door and round to the front to endeavour to prevent them destroying his property. He had, however, no sooner spoken to them, than the prisoner started forwards and struck the prosecutor a violent blow on the back of his head with a heavy wooden rail, which he held in both his hands, which knocked him down insensible. The prisoner then cried out, " li—n him, I've finished him," and he ran away, followed by the rest of his party. The prosecutor was very seriously injured by the blow, and was unable to follow his occupation for a considerable time. Information was given to the police, who afterwards apprehended the prisoner. The prisoner, in his defence, denied that he was the man who struck the blow.  His LORDSHIP having summed up the evidence, The jury found the prisoner Guilty on the minor charge.  A—previous conviction for burglary was then proved against the prisoner, and he was sentenced to be transported for fifteen years. Richard Surtees, a well-dressed and respectablelooking young man, was indicted for embezzling several sums at Doncaster, in July last, the property of his master, John Bradley. Mr. Oliver Farrer prosecuted, and Mr. Hardy defended the prisoner. It appeared that the prosecutor is an extensive brewer at Sheffield, and in June last he engaged the prisoner at 1/. a week as clerk and bookkeeper to manage his business at Doncaster, and put him into the Crown and Anchor public-house, which was then unoccupied, and belonged to the prosecutor, to carry on the business and obtain orders and customers in the neighbourhood for the prosecutor's beer. Evidence was given that the prisoner, on the 4th of July, had received 1/. 14s. 6d. from a Mr. Lilford, and had accounted only for 15s. as received, and that he had received other small sums in July, which he had only in part accounted for. It was his duty to account to the prosecutor every Saturday after market at Doncaster. But on the Saturday after the 22d of July the prosecutor, not being able to see the prisoner, locked up the Crown and Anchor, and took the keys and the prisoner's books with him. The prisoner afterwards made out an account of his receipts, but did not account for the sums above-mentioned. Not being able to give a satisfactory account of the moneys he had received, he was taken into custody. The Learned Counsel for the defence succeeded in accounting for two of the sums charged to have been embezzled; the third was stated to be a mistake arising from the prisoner's incompetence to fill his situation.  His LORDSHIP having summed up, The jury found the prisoner Not Guilty.