The Sun. — 1844-12-05 (London, England)

WILKINS—WeII then, gentlemen, I will not comment on what the Bench has said, though I am often made to put up with observations when I can't reply, and so are many of my brethren. Mr. Justice CoLERIDGE—To be sure you are, Mr. Wilkins,- ard, whilst you are at the bar, and I am on the bench, you must put up with it. Any comments that you may please to make must be made in a respectful manner. Mr. WILKINS then proceeded in his address to the jury, and laid it down as a general rule, based upon his own experience, that polioemen were prone to exaggerate against the prisoner. The Learned Gentleman made an eloquent appeal in behalf of the unfortunate women at the bar.  Mr. Justice COLERIDGE having summed up, the jury consulted for a short time, and returned a verdict of Guilty against two of the prisoners, and of Acquittal as regarded the third. Previous convictions for felony were put in, and the prisoners were each sentenced to ten years' transportation.  WESTERN ClRCUlT.—Winchester, Dec. 4.  Wiitam Jones, servant and Henry Jones, were indicted for stealing a quantity of candles from the store of Geo. Clark, at Lymington, on the 9th of November. The prisoners were found Guilty. William Jones was sentenced to fourteen years, and Henry Jones to seven years' transportation. Very great delay and inconvenience have been occasioned at this assize from the following circumstance : The magistrates in this county have refused to allow the expenses of briefs for the prosecution and the fees to counsel in all cases where the bills are ignored ; the const quence is that counsel are not instructed till the bill is brought into court, and are unprepared to proceed with the case when it is called on, and much time is lost. Mr. Baron' Alderson said this was a most improper thing ; ate Government had thought it right to put the people of England to the expense of sending a judge down to try the prisoners, and the magistrates refused to put the county to the expense of employing counsel to prosecute them. He thought the magistrates would find such paltry economy a disadvantage, as the assize would probably last a day longer than it otherwise would, to say nothing of decency in the administration of justice. In addition to this, it was almost expressing an expectation that bills would be ignored, which was a libel on the committing magistrates, for prisoners ought not to be committed except upon a reasonable expectation-that the bills would be found.  OXFORD ClRCUlT.—Worcester, Dec. 3. (Before Mr. Justice CoLTNAN.) The commission for this county was opened yesterday evening. In the course of his charge Mr. Justice COLTMAN observed, that be had received hterally a mass of depositions, indeed, the largest and longest he had ever seen, against a person named Hassell, imputing to him the murder of his wife. It was a case which appeared to have created a great excitement in the county, as far as the reports in the newspapers enabled him to form an opinion. There were only two ways, consistent with the mass of evidence contained in the depositions, in which a charge could be presented to their notice against the accused—either that of accelerating the death by the administration of improper food or liquids, or by neglecting to supply proper care and nourishment to the deceased, both of which offences would amount to the offence of manslaughter only. It was, however, an important feature in the case for the consideration of the grand jury, that his wife was a person very much addicted to the use of ardent spirits, and was described by the witnesses to be seldom in a state of sobriety.  The calendar contains the names of 24 prisoners, whose offences may be, thus classed:—Murder, 1; burglary, 2; highway robbery, 10; assault with intent to maim, 1; beastiality, 1; rape, 1; malicious shooting, 1; uttering counterfeit coin, 1; stealing from the person, 1; and 5 for larcenies. Among the foregoing is not included the charge against Mr. Hassall, whose case continues to create very lively interest in the county. The bill of indictment is to be presented to the grand jury tomorrow morning. Mr. Godson, Queen's Counsel, who is specially retained on behalf of Mr. Hassall, arrived from London yesterday evening at the Star Hotel. Mr. Justice Coltman has disposed of four cases this afternoon, none of which presented any features of general interest.