The Sun. — 1860-03-21 (London, England)

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.  HOME CIRCUIT.—LEWES, March 20. The commission for the county of Sussex was opened in this town on Monday, and yesterday both courts proceeded to dispose of the business, Lord Chief Justice Erle presiding on the Crown &de and Mr. Justice Wightman at Nisi Prins. The gaol calendar is very heavy, there being 58 prisoners for trial, and there are thr- ) charges of murder and several other serious cases contained in it. On the civil side three causer only are entered, one common and two special jury cases ; but one of the latter was withdrawn in the course of the morning. Mr. J ustice Wightman disposed of the common jury cause, and was engaged the remainder of the day in trying prisoners.  (Before Lord Chief Justice Erle.) Anne Stephens, 35, a good-looking woman, was charged with bigamy. Mr. Roupell prosecuted; the prisoner was defended by Mr. Pearce. It appeared that the first marriage took place in the year 1854, but the prisoner did not seem to have cohabited with her first husband for some reason o: other that did not trar spire. Slse was married a second time in December last year to aperson named Bennett, at Brighton, and they seemed to be living happily together, when the first husband appeared and preferred the present charge. When the prisoner was apprehended she frankly admitted that she had been married to Stephens, and it was evident she thought that, under the circumstances, the first marriage was not binding upon her, and that she was at liberty to contract the second. The jury found the prisoner guilty, and Mr. Justice Erle ordered her to be further imprisoned for one day, the effect of which sentence was that she was at once discharged, and she left the court with her second husband apparently on the most friendly terms. Just before the sitting of the Court it was discovered that one of the prisoners—a man named William Charles Atkins, who was committed upon two charges of obtaining money and goods by false pretences—had destroyed himself in the gaol. He had been placed in the cell, as usual, and was visited several times during the morning, and appeared quite calm and collected, and not the slightest suspicion was entertained that he meditated doing himself any mischief. Upon the officer going to his cell the last time, however, he found him suspended by his neckerchief to the gas burner, and quite dead.  NORFOLK CIRCUIT, CAMBRIDGE, March 19. The commission was opened on Saturday by Mr Justice Williams. Both the learned judges arrived at Trinity-lodge on that day. There are seven causes entered for trial, one by a special jury, which is to be taken to-morrow. The calendar contains the names of seven prisoners only ; 1 charged with arson, 1 with burglary, 1 with forgery, 1 with bigamy, and 2.with felony. Mr. Justice !Williams, in charging the grand jury, remarking upon the light appearance of the calendar, said that he had intended to congratulate them on the number of prisoners being considerably below the average at these assizes, but that he had been informed that there was reason to doubt whether the decrease was really due to any actual diminution of crime in the county, or whether it was not in truth attributable to a deduction in the allowance made to prosec3tors and witnesses, and the consequent d;sinclination to prosecute. He of course had no means of judging . whether the sugestion was or was not well founded ; but it was of a nature deeply to be deplored, and ought to be made known in the proper quarter as soon as possible. With reference to the learned judge's remarks, it has been stated on reliable authority, and the statement can easily be verified by a reference to the local newspapers and other sources, thatign Tess than 20 alleged offences, including three charges of arson and one of house-breaking, have occurred since the last assizes in the Isle of Ely alone. Those who profess to be well informed on