The Sun. — 1860-12-08 (London, England)

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—DunmAge pee. 6. William Harland was indicted for steal:og a post letter on the 30th of October last. The Hon. A. Liddell and Mr. Seymour prose, cuted ; Mr. Blackwell defended. On the 30th of October last the prisoner was a clerk in the post-office at Sunderland. It was his duty to take the letters from the box and hand them to Mr. M'Clement, another clerk, who sorted them, and then sent them in a sealed bag to Gateshead. In consequence of numerous complaints Mr. Moule was sent down from the head office in London to try and ascertain how the losses occurred, and having written and directed a letter in which he enclosed a marked half-sovereign, posted it at half-past son the day in question. The prisoner in the ordinary course cleared the box at 10 minutes to 7, and handed the letters to Mr. M'Clement, who put them all into the bag and forwarded them to Gateshead. Instructions had previously been gi;en at the Gateshead office to examine the contents of the Sunderland bag, and it was at once found that the letter had not been forwarded from Sunderland. In consequence of this Mr. Moule questioned the prisoner, who denied all knowledge of having seen any such letter. The police, however, were applied to, and after making inquiries it was ascertained that the prisoner very shortly after leaving the office purchased a pot of marmalade at the shop of a Mr. Humphrey, for which he paid with a halfsovereign. Mr. Humphrey placed the half-sovereign on a heap of gold, which he shortly after rolled up in a piece of paper and put away. Next day on examining th't parcel the marked half-sovereign was found. His Lordship having summed up, The prisoner was found guilty, and he was sentenced to three years' penal servitude. Henry Moore was indicted for robbery with violence.  The Hon. A. Liddell prosecuted. On the 21st of July the prosecutor, a pitman, was at Chester-le-Street, where he made several purchases, and then went to a public-house, where he remained till near 12 at night. He then left for home, having with him his basket, in which were the different articles he had bought. He had not gone far before lie met the prisoner, who walked with him some distance, then suddenly attacked him, using considerable violence, and ultimately, having knocked him down, left him on the ground, taking the baskets and contents with him. The prisoner was shown to be dealing with the basket and some of the property the next morning. _ _  The prisoner was found guilty, and a previous conviction was proved against him. He was sentenced to four years' penal servitude. James Westropp was indicted for shooting at Jane Westropp with intent to murder her. There were other counts charging the intent to be to disable, to disfigure, and to do grievous-bodily harm. Mr. Davison prosecuted. Jane Westropp, the prisoner's wife, on the 25th July last, was living at South Hetton, having been separated from the prisoner, who resided about three miles off. A little child lived with the wife, and on the 25th July the prisoner, who was shown to have previously threatened his wife,, went to Hetton and demanded to have the child given up to him. The mother refused, and tried to run away. The prisoner had a dagger-stick in his hand at the time, and as the mother was trying to escape, he changed the stick from one hand to the other, and, pulling a pistol from his pocket, fired at her. No shot struck the woman. The pistol, a double-barrelled one, on being examined, was found to have one barrel loaded with powder and three bullets. The prisoner was found Guilty of shooting, with intent to do grievous bodily harm. . .  Wm. Neave was indicted for placing a railway chair on the rails of the North Eastern Railway, with intent to endanger the safety of the passengers. The Hon. A. Liddell prosecuted ; Mr. Seymour defended.  The case had only just commenced at post-time.