6 DECEMBER 1828, Page 4

MIDDLESEX Szsmons.—These sessions commenced on Monday. Mr. Henry Holme, surgeon,

convicted at last sessions of having disinterred the body of his mother, and cut off her head, with a view to make some phreno- logical experiments, was brought up for judgment, along with the two men who were convicted with him. Mr. Holme was sentenced to pay a fine of 50/. and his companions 5/. each. The money was paid, and the parties were dis- charged.

William Spencer Northhouse and William Low were indicted for having, on the 31st December 1827, unlawfully obtained by false pretences, from William Baldey, two hills of exchange, value 5111. and money to the amount of 451. with intent to defraud him of the same. The following are the circumstances of this case as they appeared in evidence. The defendant Northhouse was editor of the Glasgow Free Press, and had rendered himself conspicuous among the advocates for the repeat of the combination laws. This brought him in cor- respondence with Mr. Hume, and on the occasion of one of Mr. Hume's visits to Scotland, he had some interviews with him. At one of these, Northhouse mentioned to Mr. Hume that he intended to come to London for the purpose of establishing a newspaper. Mr. Hume had subsequently assisted in forward - keg his views ; but, as a public man, he declined to have any share in the con- fern. Northhouse came to London, and set about establishing the London Free Press : giving out that lie had been brought from Scotland to defend Mr. Hume against the attacks of the Times relative to the. Greek loan. At this time he lodged with the prosecutor; and in January 1827, he introduced the other defendant Low to him, as a person who had formerly been in the employ of Mr. Hume, and who had a 500/. share in the paper. Northhouse further alleged that Mr. Hume and Colonel Jones had each 5001. shares ; and that they had already 15001. in hand, to carry on their speculation, which was likely to prove lucrative. On these representations Mr. Baldey consented to take a 1006. share, for which lie gave two bills of 50/. each. Mrs. Baldey also took a share as her own venture, for which she gave a check for 40!. and W. in money. On one occasion, the defendant North- house had told the prosecutor that Mr. Hume had got the names of fifteen gentlemen in his black pocket-book for 100/. shares each. All this Mr. Baldey fully believed ; and according to his evidence, he was not undeceived till Northhouse was called to give evidence in a case in the King's Bench, in which Colonel Junes sought to recover 501. from him on one of the acceptances he had given in part payment for his share, and heard Northhouse swear that neither Mr. Hume nor Colonel Jones were shareholders at the time he made his purchase. As soon as he found that he had been deceived, he commenced proceedings against Northhouse and Low, for conspiracy and fraud, as it was through their representations that he had been induced to part with his money. After the paper stopped, the prosecutor was called upon as one of the sureties to the Stamp-office to pay the arrears of advestisement-daties, and he had to pay 301. on this head. The same circumstances were recapitulated in evidence by Mr. Baldey, and by a Mr. Bonnard, who heard the conversation. This last gentleman also under- stood Northhouse to say that Lord Rossmore was coming from Ireland on purpose to become a shareholder. Mr. Hume denied that he ever was a part- ner or sharOolder of the Free Press, and on his cross-examination for the de- fendant Northhouse, he detailed the circumstances which led to his connexion with that defendant. He had considered Northhouse's services in the matter of the combination-laws to have been useful, and he had thanked him for them. By Mr. Dunn—" Did. you reward him for those services ?" Mr. Hume—" No person ever receives reward from Mr. Hume." (A laughfroni various parts of the court, not excepting the bench.) On its subsiding, r. Hume added," I never reward any one, because I do that work myself which others pay to have done." Before the paper was commenced, lie left no stone unturned to procure supporters for it. His efforts, however, proved un- availing, for most of the gentlemen with whom he corresponded on the sub- ject, declined to have any-thing to do with it. Colonel Jones also denied that he had been either a partner or shareholder,—though lie had done his best to support the Free Press, as he considered it to be a downright, bold, radical paper.

The following letters addressed by Mr. Hume to the defendant Low, were read " Bryanston-square, March 22, 1827. " Dear Sir,—I am favoured with your letter of yesterday, and regret that, con- sistent with the rule I have laid down for myself long ago after dear-bought experi- ence, I cannot lend any money to any person. I have declined to my own con- nexions on the same grounds. I am sorry to hear Mr. Northhouse does not devote the whole of his time to the work you have mutually undertaken, and which, I hope, will reward both in due time. I am your obedient servant, "JOSEPH HOME."

" Bryanston-square, March 23. " Dear Sir,—I have already sent you an answer on the subject of the Free Press, which I adhere to for the reason assigned, and remain your obedient servant,

"JOSEPH HOME."

" Bryanston-square, Nov. 14, 1827. " Sir,—On my return to London I received your letter without date, and to pre. vent your being deceived, as you appear to be, by erroneous ideas of my intentions to serve you, I have to inform you that I so generally receive ingratitude and vexa- tion in return for my exertions to assist the destitute and those who are in distress, that I intend in future to be very cautious in everything I do. And as there is much in your conduct which would require explanation before I could have any further transactions with you, I trust you will excuse ray declining all future communica- tion, as I have not time to spare.

" For the sake of your family I sincerely regret your situation at a time when I had expected to see you steadily advancing in the world, and I hope they will find assistance. I am your obedient servant, " JosEmt Rums."

The witnesses for the defence gave the defendants good characters. They were both found guilty. In the course of the trial Northhouse drew down the censure of the Court, the Jury, and the counsel for the prosecu- tion, by the levity of his behaviour : he laughed outright when 111r. Baldey was narrating the loss of the 30/. which he had to pay to the Stamp-office. At the meeting of the Court on Tuesday, Mr. Northhouse intimated an inten- tion to move in arrest of judgment, on the ground that he would be able to disprove the evidence brought against him. The Chairman said, that sentence would not be passed until the adjournment-day, as the Court had not agreed what the punishment should be. Low was discharged on his own recogni- zance. Northhouse is in custody of the Warden of the Fleet, for debt ; and, lest he should in the mean time pay the debt and abscond, the Court was to lodge a detainer against him.