The Sun. — 1840-07-21 (London, England)

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.  HOME CIRCUIT-JCIIELMSFORD, Mo)--DA r. Tne business of the Assizes for the county of Essex commenced this day, Lord Ab:oger presiding. in the Croxn Court, and Mr. Baron Gurney at Nisi Prius. The calendar contains the names of nineteen prisoners, three females and sixteen males, and out of the number only one can read and write. The charges comprise one of murder, one of attempt to murder, ono of manslaughter, several burglaries, and other serious offences.  Lord ABINGER, in 1113 charge to the Grand Jury, observed that there was only one charge in the calendar that would require any observations from him to gentlemen of their experience. The charge in question was ono against a husband and wife of having murdered their child by neglecting to give it the proper nourishment and attention it required. He did not see in the depositions, however, that any mention was made of the circumstances of the party, and in cases of this description that matter was very material, because it might be that the alleged neglect of giving proper nourishment to the child arose as much from poverty and necessity as evil intention ; and if this were the case, the parties would of course not be liable to answer the charge preferred against them. To make out the crime of murder, it was necessary that there should be a motive and an Intention either to destroy life or to do some mortal injury, and criminal negligence alone was not sufficient to substantiate that charge. It would be their duty to look very narrowly iato ail the circumstances, because cases of this description always involved very nice points of law. George Crane, a lad aged 16, surrendered to take his trial upon an indictment imputing to him wilful and corrupt perjury. _ _  Mr. Sames: with Mr. Marsh, conducted the prosecution ; Mr. Clarkson and Mr. Chambers appeared for the defendant.  It appeared from the evidence that the prosecutors were respectable farmers named Piper, Stevens, and Upton, who reside in the neighbourhood of Epping, and the alleged perjury was committed upon the hearing of an information laid against them under the Game Act, for trespassing upon some land belonging to Mr. Abdy, a magistrate for the county of Essex. The defendant was examined in support of the information, and he swore positively that he saw all the three defendants in a wheat-stubble belonging to Mr. Abdy, in pursuit of game, and upon his evidence the magistrates convicted the parties, awl fined them 20s. each. They did not appeal against the conviction, but preferred the present indictment for perjury against the lad. The three parties who had been convicted were examined in support of the charge, and they all swore positively that they had not trespassed upon the ground as stated by the defendant upon the hearing of the information. Mr. CLARKSON addressed the Jury, and remarked upon the improbability that the lad should have committed so serious an offence without any assignable motive, and he called a witness, who confirmed the original testimony of the lad as to the prosecutors being really the persons who were on the field at the time in question.  LordABINGER, having summed up the evidence, the Jury deliberated for a short time, and then returned a verdict of Guilty. James Crick, aged 17, was indicted for the manslaughter of Henry Ringer, a boy about his own age, by inflicting a mortal wound with a stone upon his temple.  The prisoner, who appeared very much distressed, pleaded Guilty.  Lord ABINGER said that in this case there could be no doubt that the prisoner had been the cause of the death of a f,llow-creature ; but at the same time there were many mitigating circumstances in his case. He had been provoked and struck by the deceased, and there was every reason to believe that when he threw the stone he had not the least idea or intention of causing such fatal injury as had taken place. He hoped, therefore, that during the rest of his life it would be a warning to him not to make use of any weaFon, or other thing calculated to injure another towards any person. Under all the circumstances the sentence was that he be imprisoned in the Chelmsford gaol for one week and then_ be discharged.