The Sun. — 1837-03-29 (London, England)

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—Lx7NRroor., MAncil 27. The A-ssizes commenced here to-day, the commission for the southern division of Lancashire having been opened on the evening of Saturday The business in both Courts is considerably greater than usual. The calendar is heavy, and contains more than the usual proportion of f;fronces of the more serious kind. Sixteen prsons stand charged with manslaughter, three with murder, five with attempts to murdvr, and one 'a ith arson. William Francis Drake, who was lately apprehended at Manchester, in consequence of his endeavouring to discount a forged bill of exchange for 11,3471. 125., stands charged with the uttering of this and several other bills. The family of the Arnetts, whose apprehension in September last, on a charge of coining, caused some sensation at the time, will take their triel at these Assizes.  Jesse Piling was indicted for having at Prestwich, in the county of Lancaster, married Betty Norris, his former wife being living at the time. The marriage to both wives was proved by the most clear testimony. The prisoner grounded his defence upon the circumstance of his first wife having left. him, and married a collier, with whom she had lived for some years. The Jury returned a verdict of Guilty, and lie was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. Robert Tindall, for a similar offence, committed under more aggravated circumstances, was sentenced to seven years' transportation. It appeared by the evidence that he had absconded from his wife and family, and in a false name married a widow woman of Rochdale, for the sake of the small property she possessed. Walmsley Shepherd, a lad of sixteen, was indicted for the manslaughter of a lad about his own age, Richard Chadwick, at Bury, on the 14th of October last. The prisoner and the deceased were in the service of a butcher at Bury, and on the day on which the fatal injury was inflicted were both at work in their master's slaughterhouse. A person who resided in the immediate neighbourhood saw them both going in, and a little after there was a cry as if of some one in pain, and deceased came to the door of the slaughter-house, holding his hand to his side, and exclaiming,, " Oh, the knife ! the knife." There was blood at that time running. out at the legs of his trousers. On being asked who had done it, he said Walmsley. The prisoner at this time was walking backwards and forwards at the door of the slaughter-house, apparently as the witnesses said, out of his mind with fright. On being questioned, he said the deceased had knocked away the prop from the dressing-board where he was at work, and had annoyed an irritated him in other ways, until in his anger he took up the knife and flung it at him. Chadwick died shortly afterwards, having previously expressed his forgiveness of the prisoner for what had been done.—Guilty. After a very serious admonition from his Lordship, he was, in consideration of his having been already imprisoned since November, sentenced to month's imprisonment, with hard labour.  On the civil side the entry of causes is very large, amounting, it appears, to 167. The lists, however, are not yet complete.  The Court was engaged nearly the whole day in taking undefended causes.