Cbe Countrp.
At the Cambridge Sessions, on the 5tb instant, George Robinson, aged twenty-three, was charged with assaulting and stabbing Mr. Frederick Lane Birch, student of St. John's College. The prose- cutor stated, that he lodged at Nurrish's, in Jesus Lane. In the course of the winter, he had frequently been annoyed by the ringing of the bells at the houses he and his friends lodged at. At about half-past twelve o'clock on the night of the 8th of December, several friends being in his room, they heard some bells violently rung ; they went out, and saw four or five young men running away. They followed, and the witness struck one of them without saying any thing: he then struck the defendant, who returned the blow ; and they struggled several times, when witness found that he had been stabbed in the thigh : he turned to go home, and gave the defendant into the charge of his friends. A surgeon proved that the wound was a dangerous one. The Chairman said, the case was very clear ; because, even supposing that Mr. Birch and his friends had first transgressed, the blows given by them with their fists would not justify so un.English en attack as the use of a dangerous instrument. After some delay, the Jury returned a verdict of Guilty, but that the wounds were inflicted under aggravated circumstances. The prosecutor begged to recom. mend the prisoner to mercy. The Court felt it to be their duty to deal seriously with such an offence, at the same time not forgetting the merciful recommendation of Mr. Birch : the prisoner was therefore sentenced to be imprisoned six months, at the end of which period to find sureties, himself in 40/. and two others of 20/. each, to keep the peace for twelve months, and to be further imprisoned until such sureties be given.
On Thursday week, William Turner, while placed in the dock at the New Bailey, Manchester, and undergoing an examination before the Magistrates on a serious charge of burglary, suddenly made a rush and escaped from the constables.
An accident happened on Wednesday afternoon, at the village of Thorndomi Heath, between Croydon and Streatham, which caused great alarm, and was nearly attended with fatal consequences. A postilion, who was returning from the nomination of the candidates for East Sorry at Croydon, with two post-horses, rode them into the large pond in the centre of the village, opposite the Plough Inn, and had not pro- ceeded far before the horses stuck fast in the soft mud at the bottom of the pond. The animals in endeavouring to extricate themselves, only sunk deeper ; and all the efforts of the postilion to release them by using the whip and spur were in vain. In this dilemma, a rope was thrown to the man, which be made fast to the horse he was riding ; but, owing to the awkwardness of the villagers, they pulled the animal over into the pond, and both horse and rider were nearly. drowned. The people, however, still continued pulling as hard as they were able, and dragged both horse and man through the water to the shore. The pos- tilion was in a complete state of insensibility, and it was some time be- fore he showed any signs of animation. The other horse, %vimich bad been left sticking in the mud, was after some delay, dragged out in the same manner. About the same time, a boy who was waving a small flag in the road, near Thorndon, was knocked down by a carriage con- taining a party of gentlemen in the interest of the Conservative candi- date, and the wheels passed over his body. The party immediately took him up, and conveyed him to the house of a surgeon at 13t ixton.— Times. On Monday evening, a fire broke out on the farm of Mr. Tadman, Ilighamn; which consumed three stacks of wheat, three stacks of hay, a barn, and some outbuildings. There is no doubt but it was the act of an incendiary, and two men have been taken up on suspieiomm. Mr. Tadman's loss is estimated at about 1400/., and we believe he is insured in the Kent Fire Office. On Sunday night, another tire took place at Mr. Neam's, Selling Court, which consumed several farming buildings and some farming stock. It broke out between nine and ten, and was sup- posed to have been the act of an incendiary. The property was insured in the Kent Fire Office.—Maidstone Gazette.
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