Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1872-03-02 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

FUIDAIL—Before the Hon. Sir John MeApr, Knight. The trial of prisoners commenced this morning, at t:in o'clock. Twenty-four gentlemen were sworn upon the Grand Jury, amongst whom were E. G. Waldy, Esq., of Egghaniffs ; W. C. Ward Jackson, Esq., of Greatham ; and Thomas Hutchinson, Esq., of How. den. R. L. Sanderson, Esq., was selected foreman. The absentees were David Dale, Esq., of Darlington, and H. B. T. Allen, Esq., of Darlington. The proclamation against vice, immorality, &c., having been read, His LORDSHIP charged the Grand Jury. Before proceeding to comment upon tha calendar, his lordship said that he desired to congratulate the Grand Jury upon the reconstruction of the courts of justice. Tuis was the first time he had the honour of presiding in the new cow t, and as far as he could see it was most creditable to the county, and also to the architect of the county. Of coulee, there were little details about which an opinion could only be formed after the court had sat for some time, but so far as he could see at present, the county of Durham had one of the best arranged courts in the country. Coming to the business of the Assizes, from a perusal of the cal6ndar, he was sorry to see that it gave a very painful impression of life in some parts of the county. Cases of violence, of rape, of manslaughter, and even one, under a coroner's inquisition, of murder, were to be found. The prisoner, William James, a fireman, was indicted by a coroner's jury for the wilful murder t I Louis Johann Frederick Richenback, at South Shields, on Ist January, 1872. The prisoner was also committed by the magistrates, charged with the manslaughter of Rickenback, under the same circumstances. Upon examination of the depositions, he (his lordship) had given instructions that the bill of wilful murder be sent up. The deceased man had not given any provocation which would justify a mitigation of the charge to manslaughter; he was driven upon the quay by the prisoner, and in the presence of several persons, he was pushed off the quay into the water and drowned. It was a most brutal affair, and he recommended that the capital charge should be allowed to came before the petit jury, who might return a verdio: of manslaughter in ease mitigating circumstances were shown in any further evidence which might be given. Amongst the cases of rape, two men, named Edward Lees and John Williamson, were charged with a rape on Mary Ann Hall, at Morton Palms, on the 26th December, 1871. The woman had been drinking at a public house in the same room as the prisoners. She alleged that in the presence of the landlady and her niece, the men carried her into a cow byre, and there perpetrated the offence, whilst she was screeching " Murder." It was a singular case, so far as his experience extended, and it startled one to think that such a thing could be done at a public house. If the woman satisfied them that this was done despite her screams and actual resistance, then a true bill must be returned. Another case charged William Robson with a rape upon Agnes Solomon, at Belly Row, on the 23rd October, 1871. The story told by the prosecutrix required watching. She said that she was got into the house by prisoner's sister, who then went upstairs. The young man then took her into the kitchen and raviethed-her. This was a case which required careful attention, and he advised that the Grand Jury should not find a true bill unless they discovered really good grounds for a conviction. His lordship said that the other cases were clearly shown, and then dismissed the Grand Jury to their duty.