The Sun. — 1864-07-30 (London, England)

MIDLAND CIRCUIT—Lmcour, July 29. Mr Justice Blackburn, having finished all the civil business yesterday afternoon, this morning tried the following case, which is curiously illustrative of the rural simplicity prevailing in the northern parts of this country. William Jones, Joseph Harris, and John Snufflebottom were tried upon a indictment, four counts of which charged them with obtaining money by false pretences, and the remaining three with conspiring together by certain false pretences and indirect means to defraud certain persons therein named of their money. Mr Vincent Thompson conducted the prosecution; Mr Sergeant O'Brien defended Jones; and Ur Cave appeared for Harris and Shnffiebottom, The evidence was the primers were seen in a light cart driving into Brigg market on the morning of the 21st April. When they got to the market-place the cart stopped, and Jones soon began to sell half-crowns for 25., florins for is 6d, and shillings fur Gd, the coins offered being in all instances good ones. He thea began to offer scarf pins for sale at is apiece, stating that those who bought them would receive back their money, and a reward of Gd for making the purchase. This was dons accordingly, the purchasers getting back is 6d for their shilling, and being also permitted to keep their pins. When by these and similar means a large crowd had been collected the prisoner Jones produced a watch, which he opened, and into the case of which he appeared to have put several half-crowns and two sovereigns. He then offered the watch and its contents for £3 108., reducing the price gradually to £:, when a purchaser appeared, paid hie £2 and had the watch and its contents handed over to him. It was rumoured in the crowd that this man had got £3 with the watch, and several purchasers immediately came forward who bought watches, into which the prisoner Jones had appeared to put gold and silver coins, at prices varying from £1 to £2. Of course when the purchasers examined their purchases, they found no gold or silver coins, but only pence, in the watchcase. Murmurs then arose in the crowd, and the prisoner Jones ordered Harris to drive on. This was attempted to be done, but the crowd surrounded the cart and stopped it, and the prisoners were all taken into custody. Neither Harris, who was sitting in the cart, nor Shuffiebottom, who was walking about, took any active part in the sale. Mr Sergeant O'Brien submitted that there was no case on the counts for false pretence, and _  His Lordship suggested that the casehad betterbe confined to the counts for the conspiracy, on the ground that no per son in his senses could have believed that the prisoners were selling £2 10s and a watch for £2. Mr Sergeant O'Brien then addressed the jury in a very humorous speech, which set the court in roars of laughter. Mr Cave having cteclined to add anything to what the learned sergeant had said, 1118 up, auo. the jury acquitted all the prisoners. (Before Mr Justice Keating.)  Martha Eason was indicted for the wilful murder of her female child at Whaploth. _  After a short deliberation the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, apparently much to the surprise of a crowded  court.  David Mop was indicted for the wilful murder of Simon Cote, at Fleet, on the 3d December, 1860. Mr Kline prosecuted. The prisoner was undefended.  The facts of this case were very simple. The prisoner  and the deceased were sleeping in the same ward in the workhouse at Fleet, when the prisoner, who appears to have previously secreted a knife in his bed, went to Cote's bedside and cut his throat, falling down himself immediately after in an epileptic fit. There was no provocation for the act, and no previous quarrel. The prisoner had been for some time tinder medical care. He was subject to epileptic fits, and although regarded as mad and so returned to the Lunacy Commissioners, was considered harmless and not put under any restraint. About three weeks before the attack upon Cote the prisoner had exhibited the first symptoms of violence in tearing his bedclothes upon his recovery from an epileptic fit. After cutting Cote's throat, the prisoner became decidedly mad, and had only recovered sufficiently to be put upon his trial now. Cote's wound went on well for a short time, but erysipelas supervened and caused his death. The jury acquitted the prisoner on the ground of insanity, and he was ordered to be detained in confinement during her Majesty's pleasure.