The Sun. — 1846-12-10 (London, England)

ROLFE.) Owen Morris and Thomas Kelly were indicted for having, on the 4th of September last, cut and wounded Robert Johnson, with intent to do him grievous bodily harm. Mr. Cross conducted the prosecution ; the prisoners were defended by Mr. J.Tollock. It appeared that the prisoners, with four other men, all Irish reapers, had, in the latter end ,of August last, been employed by a person of the name of Latham, a farmer at Great Lever, to cut down a field of grain of nearly two acres, Cheshire measure. For this they were to receive 2/. 17s. 6d. and 50 quarts of beer. On the 4th of September, when the job was about completed, Mr. Latham and his wife happened to leave home for the purpose of attending Turton fair. While they were absent the six reapers came to the house, in which there was at the time no person except the female servant and Mr. Latham's children. They made some complaint about not having had the quantity of beer fur which they had stipulated, and insisted upon having some mere. She gave them two gallons, but they were still unsatisfied, and under the influence of. the threats which they used she was induced to let them help themselves to what they pleased. On Mr. Latham coming home, he found the farmyard in an uproar, and was immediately assailed by the reapers, who got him down and threatened to murder him. He got away, and went for assistance to Mr. Johnson. the prosecutor, the constable of the township. Mr. Johnson accompanied him back to the farm yard, they having taken with them to their assistance some brickmakers whom they met on their way, among whom was a person the name of Woods. When they got to the yard the disturbance was still continuing, and some of the party attempted again to assail Mr. Latham. Mr. Latham directed Johnson to take Morris into custody. Johnson expostulated with the men on the impropriety of their conduct, upon which they, Morris being the ringleader, began slashing with their sickles in all directions, Johnson being severely cut about the head and hands, until he succeeded in wresting from Morris a pitchfork, with which he had armed himself on his sickle breaking. With the handle of this he knocked Morris down, on which the others ran away. Mr. PoLLocts addressed the jury for the defence. His LORDSHIP summed up, and the jury by their verdict found Morris guilty of the felony, and Kelly guilty of a common assault. It appeared from the statement of the Learned Counsel as to a second indictment which it was not considered necessary to try, that the person Woods, already mentioned, hail had one of his figures so severely injured by the blow of a sickle that amputation became necessary. His LORDSHIP said, that the only circumstance of mitigation in the case, and which induced him to abstain prom passing a sentence of transportation, was that the Prisoners, it would appear, had not deliberately armed hemselves with these dangerous instruments with a preconceived intention of inflicting these injuries. The offence, however, was one of a very aggravated kind ; and he had some doubt whether, as to Morris, he was justified in stopping short of a sentence of transportation. He would nut, however, piss that sentence, but they must each of them undergo a very long period of imprisonment. Morris was then sentenced to be imprisoned for two years, and Kelly for one year ,M- 11011•1•10...•••••••••••,