Northern Times. — 1857-12-08 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

CONVICT.—At York assizes, on Saturday last, before Mr. Justice Williams, James Ainswortin 29, who pleaded guilty of having. on the 17th of August last, been unlawfully at large at Hull, after having been transported, was brought up for sentience. The circumstances of this case aro of an extraordinary character. At the assizes held at Lincoln, in March, 1841, the pAscner was transported for life for burglary. He called at the Hull police-office on the night of Monday, the 17th August last, and he asked Inspector Cockin if a sergeant or icepector wee in. He was told by Coekin that he was an inspector. The prisoner then said he wanted to give himself up as an eseepecl C3HV et, and the in peter took down the statement of the prisoner to the following effect :—" My name is James Ainsworth. lam twentynine years of age, and am a native of Leeds; and was born in Grantham-street, near the Selby Railway Bridge. I was transported from Lincoln on the 12th of .liarch, 1844, along with a man named William Johnson, far housebreaking in Great Limber, in Lincolnshire. We were bath sentenced for life. I was removed to Millbank Poison, and was sent out in the ship Hyderabad to Norfolk Island seven months after I was conevicted. I landed there in January, 1845. I served there two years and eight months, and there was tried and, convicted of attempting to murder my overseer, whose name wee Skinner. I was sentenced to two years and nine months' extension on the -island for that offence. I was sentenced to two years' more extension, and was flogged several times, for other offences. -I remained on the island nine yeare, and was then removed, by order of Government, along with others, to Port Arthur, a penal settlement. I remained there four months, and was then transported to the barracks at Hobart Town. I was shortly after handed over to a master at Spring Creek. I remained with him about a month, and then assaulted him. Iwas tried and sentenced to three months in a chain gang, and removed to another part of the settlement. I shortly after wards made my escape and took to the mountains, and worked for myself splitting timber, and made about £BO. I then got myself disguised, and went to Hobart Town and Launceston, to try to get a ship, but could not get one. I then returned to Hobart Town, and paid £6O to go in a ship to Melbourne, in Australia, along with thirteen others. I went from thence to the diggings,' and made a little money there. I then returned to Melbourne, and got a skip to go to Calcutta, in the East Indies. When there, I shipped in the barque Ocean Eagle, Capt. comes for New York. I went from New York to Boston, and paid my fare to come in the Niagara steamer to Liverpool. She put in at Halifax the next evening to receive the mail bags. I went on shore there, and fell in with two men, one of whom I had known as a convict. They proposed that we should go to Windsor to rob a schooner lying there, that had money on board. We went, but did not succeed in robbing her then. I got engaged on board to assist in getting ber down the river,. and when at Blackrock I robbed her of £175. I then went to Halifax, and was taken there, and committed for trial to Kentville. I wag sentenced to three years' to Halifax Penitentiary, and I remained there thirteen days, and then made my escape. I then came to New York, and joined the American Union, Black Ball Line packet, for Liverpool, and arrived there three months ago. I have been travelling about the country ever since. I came to Hull at seven o'clock yesterday morning, from Grimsby. Ten pounds reward has ben offered for my apprehension"