Lord Lyndhurst stated et the Brighton Assizes last week, in
reply to a question from Mr. Clarkson, that the Judges had recently decided that former convictions should invariably be produced and read in Court on a second charge of felony.
At the York Assizes, on Thursday, Mr.Ridsdale, who is well known on the turf, obtained a verdict and 500/.' damages against Mr. Gully, M. P. for Pomfret, who had struck the plaintiff over the shoulders with a stick, at Lounsborough, on the 13th November last. The cause of offence was that Mr. Ridsd ale bad spread a report that Mr. Gully bad won 12,0001. at Epsom Races, which sum could only have bten gained by unfair means. Sir John Jeffcott, the principal in the fatal duel at Exeter, surren- dered on Friday week, immediately after the opening or the Commis, Mr. William Land, a wealthy surgeon residing near Exeter, was tried at the Exeter Assizes, on Wednesday, on the charge of having hefted and abetted Sarah Loosemore to murder an orphan child, by refusing to give it proper nourishment. The woman Loosemore, who had the care of the child, was tried at the same time, on the charge of having committed the murder. The evidence was far flan prov- ing the guilt of the woman ; though it appeared that she had treated the child with neglect and unkindness. Against Mr. Land, there was scarcely any evidence at all. Ile had for some time, it appeared, paid the woman for taking care of the child, and afterwards had refused to do so. The prisoners were acquitted, under the direction of Baron 'Williams, without being called upon fon their defence. In the Times report of this trial, we find the following explanatory note.
" We understand the real fact to he this—that the father of this unfortunate child was a clergyman, the mother a young lady, the niece of this clog).- man ! Both these parties are dead. 31r. Laud was applied to with a view to keeping the matter secret ; and he for a length of time paid for its mainte- nance, but at length determined not to do so longer, as he could not proeme funds from the friends of its parents."
Mr. Joseph Newman Reeve was tried at Norwich, on Weduesdav, on the well-known charge of stealing sonic sovereigos from the laaiy of Mrs. Pyne, one of the ladies who was drowned on board the Earl Wetnyss smack, off Brancaster. The Grand Jury ignored the bill against Mr. Reeve, for stealing money from Miss Ruche's reticule ; and the evidence against him on the other charge was so slight, that he was not called upon for his defence ; and the Jury acquitted him in the fullest possible manner, saying that he left the Court with un- stained character.
At the Leicester Assizes, on Wednesday, Alice Potter, aged forty- six, was found guilty and sentenced to be hanged, for setting fire to several stacks of hay and corn at Turing. tone in Leicestershire. lime princiind witness against her was Elizabeth Mason, the wife of a transported convict. This woman was also the principal witness in a trial for mur- der, which came on immediately after ; but her evidence was so con tra-
• dictory, that the Judge stopped the case, and the aceused were acquitted. The woman Allison will be tried for perjury; and the case of the other woman, who was convicted of arson on her evidence, will be recon- sidered.
Charles Shaw, the boy of fifteen, who was scum/m:11 to he hanged at the late Stafford Assizes, for the murder of anather lad in order to get his wages, has been respite(' by Judge Patteson, omm Cme lelaC- sentation of time Chaplain and Governor of the gaal, that it emit:arra probable, from the conkssion of the boy to his moth( r the !m islo. previous to his intended execution, that I's nur, 1:c, '0 as only man- slaughter. The Chaplain mm ml Governor went tt) -:hre,‘-:1;m-y to see the Judge.
John Reeve, a fellow known by tilt name of " Lim;: Po the catcher," was examined on Monday afternoon, liefiirt! the Woolwich Magistrates, ou suspicion of lie! mg one of the murderers of Alf.
Richardson. It appeared from the evidence, that on Thur,day last week, two of the horse-patrol apprehended time mistimr and another man, named Richard Browu, at Shooter's Ilill, on suspicion of Imvinx attempted to rob it gentleman near IIendon, in Middlesex. The IA.- sutlers said they knew nothing- about it, and that they came from AM-- mouth. As the patrols were conveying them to Woolwich, the pri- soner Brown begged to be allowed to go into a shed on the road for a minute ; which was consented to, and they waited outside. Finding that he was very bug, they went iii ; when it was discovered, that he had made his escape out at the back of the shed ; and the prisoner Reeve only was brought to Woolwich ; where he was soon recognized as being a well-known depredator on the town. It also appeared, that when the patrols apprehended Brown, the man who eseaped,he exclaimed, " What ! apprehend me for highway robbery and murder !" without any thing being said to Lim about murder. A shoemaker of Woldwirli identified Reeve as one of two men who had robbed him on Sunday fortnight, near Elthatn, in Kent. They were armed with bludgeons and knives, and threatened to beat him unless he gave up his*watch am ml the money in his pocket. Upon this evidence, the prisoner was cum.
witted. Reeve and Brown answer the description a the two men who were seen coming from the spot, where Mr. Richardson was found murdered. Brown has not yet been apprehended.
A builder of Brighton has decamped, after forgiog the accepts:was of a great number of respectable persons. He has left a %rife and family entirely destitute of support.
On Tuesday morning, Paekenbant Church, Suffolk, was discovered to be on fire. Considerable damage is dune to the roof part, vi Lich fell in upon the organ. The fire is supposed to have originated in a flue which runs along the wall from a stove.
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