Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1876-12-23 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

FOR PERJURY. . they overpowered them. They had in their posOn His Lordship taking his seat to-day, he passed session nets, &c., for the purpose of taking rabbits. sentence on Francis Dolan, found guilty of —Rushton admitted being on the land for the manslaughter at Middlesbrough. He said :—You Purpose of 'getting a rabbit or two," and • were yesterday tried for the murder of Michael was fined £,l and costs or one month's imprisonment, • Rodden, and, in my judgment, if the jury had found and the other defendants were each mulcted in the you guilty of that crime, they would have been sum of £2 and oosts.—Philip Barnes and William quite justified in doing so. Indeed, your learned Rushton were then charged with assaulting ' couliwa, in ilia address to the jury, stated in distinct George Walker, at the same time and place. terms that if you struck the fatal blow it Barnes did not appear. When the defendants could not be suggested that our crime made off they were followed by Walker, whom they was any other but murder ; and had you knocked down and assaulted, but not seriously.— been convicted of murder it would have The Bench fined Rushton £l, and Barnes was fined been my painful duty to sentence you to £1 and costs.. death. The jury, however, took and I CHARGE OF KILLING Two PicizoNs. Thomas don't regret they did so—a lenient and merciful Stephenson was charged with killing two pigeons, view of your case. You are but young, and I don't the property of Mr Thomas Oliver, High Grange think when you inflicted the fatal blow you con- Farm, Norton, on the 6th instant. On the day templated,the sad consequences. Nevertheless, you in question George Paaker, gamekeeper, was have been guilty of a sad crime, and if anyone passing along Norton back lane, when he noticed should hereafter be placed in the position which the defendant, who was carrying a gun. Suspectyou stood in yesterday he must not look for a jury ing that he was after shooting pigeons, he watched to be so lenient, merciful, and considerate. I can- him, and shortly afterwards heard the report of a not help thinking, notwithstanding your youth, gun, and at the same time saw a flock there are circumstances of aggravation in your eon. of pigeons rise. He went in the direction duct which I cannot pass over. You thought fit to and found the defendant, who had two pigeons charge a man, whom you knew was innocent, with which were quite warm in his possession. The having inflicted the fatal blow, and in birds were now produced, and were identified by Mr consequence of your statement, and aided Oliver as his property.—Mr Garden (from the office by perjured testimony of some of your witnesses, of Mr Fawcett) appeared for the defendant.—ln Muckian stood beside you yesterday in peril of his answer to the Bench, Supt. Bell said defendant had life. These are circumstances of great aggravation, been convicted five times since 1874 for similar Regarding the wickedness of those who falsely swore offences.—The Bench imposed a fine of 30s and on your behalf, the day may come, end in my ousts, or two months' imprisonment.  r, 5  r A "