ne Country.
Thomas Crawley, aged thirty-two, was tried on Wednesday, at the Bedford Assizes, on a charge of murdering Joseph Adams, of Luton, aged seventy-five, on the 7th April last. The evidence against the prisoner was very complete. He was seen walking with his son, a boy • of twelve years of age, on Easter day, from Watford, in Hertford- shire, Where he resided, in the direction of Luton. The deceased, who lived at Kingsburn Green, three miles from Luton, was also seen walking to Luton to church, about fifty yards in advance of the prisoner and his son. About half-past nine the prisoner was seen -alone, and about a quarter of an hour afterwards the deceased was found sitting on a bank with his head frightfully cut, and his eye forced from its socket. He was put into a cart, and conveyed to his brother's house, where he died in forty-eight hours. About two hundred yards from the place Where he was discovered a stout hazel club was found covered with blood. In the course of an lour the prisoner and his son were apprehended, and their shoes taken off. The shoes of the prisoner were heavy, and the soles were nailed in a very peculiar manner. , Within twelve inches -of the spot where the deceased was found, most distinct and deep foot- Marks of the prisoner were discovered. The same prints were found for several hundred yards, till they diverged in the direction of a tree, ' from which it was evident that the hazel-club bad been cut, with which the old man was killed. A surgeon proved that the wound on his head was given by a blunt instrument. The prisoner's son was examined as a witness against his father, and his evidence comfirmed all the suspicious circumstances of the case. The Jury after a short consul- tation found the prisoner guilty ; and Mr. Justice Littledale imme- diately sentenced him to be hanged on the Friday following.
At Lincoln .Assizes, an action was brought by Mr. Smith, a farmer, to recover 11 guineas, the price of eleven sheep sold to a butcher named Woolridge. The sale and delivery of the sheep were proved. For the defence no witnesses were called, but his counsel assured the Jury that the defendant bad paid for the sheep, thongh he had no evidence of the fact. Mr. Justice Park charged the Jury to find according to the evidence, not on the assertion of the defendant's counsel. The Jury, to the amazement of the Court, found a verdict for the defendant. Mr. Justice Park—" Gentlemen, you have found a verdict against evidence and your own consciences. Let another Jury be sworn." The Jury was accordingly dismissed and another immediately called.
Robert Chatburn was sentenced at the York Assizes on Friday week, to be transported for life, for killing William Sonthwortb in a scuffle at Waddington, in the West Riding, on the 16th May last. The prisoner was jealous of the deceased's intimacy with his wife, and charged him with it. This produced a threat from the deceased that he would give the prisoner "a licking." A struggle ensued, and Chat- burn stabbed the other in the back several times with u butcher's knife. He was then seized by one of time bystanders, and secured. The judge (Lord Lyndhurst) told the prisoner that his ease bad received most Merciful consideration, as the crime very nearly amounted to murder.
John Wildrake was charged, at the late Lancaster Assizes, with a burglary in the cottage of Sarah Nicholson, a widow, aged seventy-five, at Moore End, Thorne. The widow and her two daughters were alarmed on the night of the 27th February, by some person bursting in the front window, but having armed themselves with a hatchet, a bill- hook, and a poker, threatened wounds and bruises to every leg and arm that attempted an entrance. The fellow threatened dreadful vengeance, but he was only able to snatch away a muslin cap and a table-cloth, with which he made off. The evidence not being very conclusive against the prisoner, he was discharged.
Sir W. Courtenay, the soi. disant Lord Courtenay, and Knight of Malta, was tried on Thursday, at the Maidstone Assizes, before Mr. Justice Park, for perjury. The defence made was character ; and the Jury, with very little hesitation, found him Guilty. He was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, and then seven years' transportation. The prisoner, it will be remembered, was candidate on the Tory in- terest at the last Canterbury election.
Mr. Cole, a brewer at Bridport, obtained a verdict on Monday, at the Dorsetshire Assizes, held in Dorchester, against the proprietors of the Times, for a libel published in that journal during the general elec- tion in December last. The libel stated that as Messrs. Warburton and Romilly, the newly elected members were riding through the town in an open carriage, a ceremony equivalent to that of chairing, some sulphuric acid was thrown upon three of the flags from the ause of Mr. Cole, the brewer. It was further remarked, that if Dyers, the informer, had been present, he would have made agood thing of it, as
a very heavy penalty is incurred by a brewer having such stuff on his premises. The evidence, as to the Act of the sulphuric acid havia„.., or
not having been thrown from Mr. Cole's premises Wis very eontradic- The Jury, however, found a verdict for therlaintiffs—diunages The Judge seemed to consider thivaireryilarepe sum. who the /ate Dorsetshire Assizes, Mr. Lanibett, .ho had brought an action, again4 -Mr. Hannam for criminal conversation with his wife, was nonsuited in consequence of there being no satisfactory proof that the adultery had actually been committed. - The trial excited consider- able interest in the country, both the parties being gentlemen of pro- perty and well known. The particulars of this case, which has been more than once before the public, were detailed sonic weeks ago in the Spectator..
Previous page
