The Sun. — 1844-12-02 (London, England)

WILLIAMS.) Richard Seward, .56, maltster, was acquitted on the charge of having feloniously uttered a bill of exchange for 401., bearing a forged endorsement, well knowing the same to be forged, and with intent to defraud William Gilbert and another, executors of John Miles, deceased. MID  LAND ClRCUlT.—Warwick, Nov. 29. This morning the four persons convicted yesterday, together with nineteen or twenty others, were put upon their trial for a riot and assault. The evidence was almost identically the same as that adduced yesterday. The names of the prisoners were Thomas Leigh, aged 34 ; Jeremiah Duckworth. 38 ; George Wilcock, 54 ; James Leigh, 30 ; Peter Warburton Lowe, 32 ; John Dalton, 49 ; Luke Hullum, 70 ; Thomas Hopwood, 45 ; Henry North, 37 ; Frederick Townsend, 30 ; John Leigh, 59 ; Samuel Ledbitter, 36 ; William Green, 25 ; Thomas Taylor, 35 ; Joseph Flowers, 42 ; William Watts, 34 ; James Bickley, 33 ; Samuel Merry, 26 ; Thomas Flowers, 37 ; George Flowers, 19 ; Thomas Hill, 29 ; Daniel Scriminger, 44 ; William Flowers, 30 ; Thomas Goldsborough, 36 ; Henry Wilcox, 21 ; Joseph Thompson, 42 ; Charles Butler, 33 ; and James Flowers, 26. One of the persons who had been committed (Robert Miles, aged 65) had died since such committal, of a breaking up of the constitution, and a verdict on the inquest was returned to that effect. The two women spoken of as being with the party were not to be proceeded against. With reference to this case the same Counsel appeared in support of the prosecution as were retained in the former, while Mr. Temple defended the three Leighs, and Hullum and Ledbitter. Mr. Spooner defended Duckworth, Dalton, Lowe, and Hopwood ; and Mr. Adams appeared for Hill and Thompson ; the remainder being undefended. For the undefended portion, George Wilcox put in a written defence, which was read by the proper officer of the Court, that they had been given to understand that James Leigh was going to take possession of the great Stoneleigh Abbey estates by some novel means, and t d hat being desirous of seeing the same they accompanie him to the Abbey, but without any evil intent—that they very much regretted the step they had taken in going there at all, which had been productive of such mischief to themselves, their wives, and families, and pledging themselves to abstain from further acts of violence and annoyance to Lord Leigh. The Learned JUDGE closed his summing up shortly after four o'clock, when the jury retired to deliberate, and upon their return into Court at half-past seven, gave a verdict of Guilty against all the prisoners upon the eleventh count, alleging forcibly entry ; James Leigh, Guilty of common assault upon Hancocks and. Denser, and Flowers, Guilty of a common assault upon Joseph Freeman ; and all Not Guilty of a riot. His LORDSHIP then desired the four prisoners who had been convicted the previous day to stand forward. The present was a case of great aggravation, and he would have them believe what he said to them, namely, if William Freeman or any other person had died, he did not see how it would have been possible to have denied that the offence committed would have been murder. Considering the violent nature of the affray he must teach them a severe lesson, and to James Leigh, who had acted as ringleader throughout, he should award an imprisonment of eighteen calendar months, with hard labour ; to the other three an imprisonment of twelve calendar months and hard labour ; while the remaining, twenty-four prisoners his Lordship sentenced to an imprisonment of three months each. There was another indictment for trial, but the Counsel for the Crown thought sufficient had been done to vindicate the law, and it was not proceeded with. Saturday, Nov. 30. This morning the time of the Court was occupied with the trial of a man for an unnatural offence, wherein an acquittal took place. Also a case of rape, and two or three offences of a minor character, with which terminated the assizes for this part of the county. The calendar for the other division is but light, the principal case one of arson. The Commission will be opened this (Saturday) afternoon.