The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1876-12-15 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

SOUTH WALES WINTER ASSIZE.  Mr..Tustice Mellor, the judge appointed to the South Wales Circuit, opened the court for the trial of pris..ners in the Guildhall, Swansea, at half-past ten o'clock on Monday morning. c .mmission was duly opened in the usual form, after which his lordship moceeaed to the parish church, accompanied by the High Sheriff (Mr Thomas Picton Turbervill), and the Deputy Sheriff (Mr. Matthews, of Cardiff), and the assize sermon was preached by the Sheriff's Chaplain. Leasing the church, his lordship returned to the Guildhall, and commenced the business of the assize. Mr L. L. Dillwyn, M.P., was the chairman of the grand jury, and his lordship in his address to them stated that this was the first experiment which had been made by the Legislature to remedy complaints which had been made of prisoners committed for rial at assizes having to wait an unnecessarily long' period before their cases could be heard. These winter .118-IZeS were not for the hearing of quarter session cases, but only those oases committed to the assizes, which otherwise would have to wait until the spring assize before they were disposed of. This was the third assize county which he had presided at during this winter session, and so far as he was able to judge the remedy which the Legislature had in view for the complaints previously made was in every respect satisfactory. Looking at the calendar of prisoners for trial, he had never seen out of greater simplicity since he had been judge. The cases were not numerous, and although there were one or two of a serious character, still they were all most clear and plain, and riquired but few onservations from him. l'here was a uiost shocking case of ohild murder, but, however revolting, the evidence was most plain. The mother herself had repeatedly stated that the child was born alive, and that she had with a pick-axe beaten it about the beset and canard its death, and the medical evidence also bore out the fact that death was canted by such means. There was another serious chaige—that of criminally assaulting a young girl 10 years of age, and whether the medical evidence would prose that the capital offeece had been completed or not, the prisoner was unqueetionably guilty of au indecent attempt. There was one other cast te which he would direct their gttention for a moment, and that was the case of send. pig 4 threatening letter. The Legislature held that it was not itheolutely necessary to show ally motive or an intent to do harm or extort tuonwYs but that the letter WAS COlCUlated to alarm Of frighten. He (the learned judge) had during his career received a very large number of threatening letters, and w.is able to treat them with the most perfect indifference; but everybody could not do so, and the letter in question had caused the husband and wife a good deal of alarm. When he (the judge) had tried the Fenian prisoners and other great easea, he had received many threatening letters, embellished with and pistols, but they never bad the lest effect upon hint. The letter in question commenced," You can begin to pray formercy as soon as you like, or else you will p out of this world in darkness, as you came into it. I shall be as still as a mouse until I catch you, aud then I will shoot you as dead as a door nail— so prepare yourself as sopa as you esm" Then there was a coffin on one side and a pistol on the other, so that there could be no doubt it was a threatening letter, calculated to cause fright or alarm. After a few further observations, his lordship discharged the grand jltrY!