The Lancaster Herald, and Town and County Advertiser. — 1831-03-12 (Lancaster, Lancashire, England)

SCVC-• rid other witnesses were called, none of whom implicated Ashton as having had any thing to do with stabbing the deceased.  The Jury found Schofield guilty and acquitted Ashton. Samuel Wieckka,2s, was indicted on 0 p coroner's inquisition, charging him with killiug and slaying Lucy Wheeldon, his wife, at Manchester.  William *liceWon, the brother of the prisoner, stated that, in December last, he was living in the house of his brother, and that, on the 11th of December, the deceased went out about half-past seven o'clock, and did not return until nearly two o'elotk. He was in bed when-she returned, and hearing a scuffle got up and went down stairs. He fmnd that prisoner's wife was vory drunk, and Willa prisoner, " Drop it to-night, and talk it over in theOrning when she's solid and stead/. "On this dcetvised strnak witness in the tape, and tuld blin to mind his otrn business and go to bed. Ile acesii-dhigly Went 'up Stairs 'again, and, about five minutes afterwards, he heard the deceased cry out that she was in labour, and tell her husband to run and fetch a doctor. Prisoner went out and came in again immediately with the wife of a neighbour. Prisoner went out three times for a doctor, who did not come till the third time, and then the deceased was dead. NVlien witness went down stairs the second time, she was leaning on a table, and told him that she was in labour.  The witness in the course of his cross-examination by Mr. Bassin., said, that deceased was cursing and swearing at her husband all the time, and that he did not see the husband strike her at all.  George Tenant, who lived in the next house, stated, that he had heard prisoner and his wife quarreling and scuffling as if they were pushing each other. Deceased appeared to be in a terrible passion, and was cursing and swearing at her husband. He heard her shriek Murder !" and cry out, Bring a doctor." Margaret Tenant, the wife of the last witness, corroborated his testimony, and stated that she went into prisoner's house, and found the deceased leaning against the table. Deceased said she was in labour. Deceased died almost immediately.  Henry Oilier, the surgeon who examined the body of the deceased, stated, that be found the abdomen ruptured, and an extensive bruise near the rupture, which must have been occasioned by external violence. Either a blow or a fall against any hard substance would have caused it. Re stated in his cross-examination, that intoxication would quicken the circulation, and render the artery more liable to be ruptured, and that it was scarcely possible that an intervarof half an hour could have elapsed between the rupture and the flaw of blood. The Learned Junct remarked, that there was no cwt. dence to show that the prisoner had occasioned the death of the deceased, and, under his direction, the Jury acquitted the prisoner. Samuel Haslam, 24, was charged with killing and slaying Robert Willin, at Great Bolton. It appeared from the evidence, that the prisoner, who was drunk at the time, went into a weaver's shop, at Great Bolton, on the 10th of September last, where the deceased and several other boys were. The deceased began mocking him, and calling him names. The prisoner went away, and returned several times, and on each occasion the deceased repeated his irritating language, mid threw coals at the prisoner. At last the prisoner caught hold of the boy, and beat and kicked him about the head with his clogs. The deceased died shortly afterwards. The prisoner was found yuilly, and sentenced to be imprisoned for three months, and kept to hard labour. ,  Ma Warden, 18, was charged with killing and slaying Sarah Ann Robinson, by driving over her with his cart. IlitowN stated the case fur the prosecution. it appeared that on the lith September last, the prisoner, accompanied by another lad, was driving a cart, near Oldham, and was sitting in the cart, when the horse set off at a gallop, in consequence of being struck with a whip, either by the prisoner, or by Thomas Hilton, a man who was dri‘ing a cart in an opimsite directon, and passed him in the road. The wheels of the prisoner's cart went over the bead of the deceased, a child about i years old, who was walking on the parapet, and killed her in'tantanewly. The accouhts givn by the witnesses thr the prosectitiop difl;:red from cacti other as to the person who caused the,  horee to set off. The employer of the prisoner, Messrs. IleywooA, cotton-spinners, more him an excellent character; and the Jury, after a short consultation, argititted him.