On Monday, and Wednesday and Thursday by adjournment, an inquest
was held at Leeds, on the body of John Beckett, a cloth-dresser, who died in consequence of injuries received on Sunday evening, in an affray near the barracks. A private soldier in the 17th Lancers, named Joseph Clibbron, who was said to be accessory to the death of Beckett, was surrendered by the Commandant of the regiment to the civil power, to be dealt with according to law. It appeared from the evidence that about half-past seven on Sunday evening, a fight was about to take place between a soldier and another man : for the purpose of making the ring, some the soldiers drew their swords to clear Mc people atcay ; but they presently rushed in again, and the feeling scented very strong against the soldiers. Shortly after this, an attempt was made to force them back again ; and Clibbron was seen running after deceased with his sword in his hand. Deceased outran the soldier, and was getting over a wall when the latter overtook him ; he struck hint several times on the bead and other parts, and be fell front off the wall to the ground. Deceased was at his own request shortly afterwards taken home, complaining very much of his head. Mr. Braithwaite, a surgeon, stated, that on examination of deceased's head, he found a fracture on the left side of the head, and an extravasation of blood immediately under the fracture. The fracture and the extravaga ion were the immediate cause of death ; but be could not be sure that the fracture was the cause of the extravasation. The Jury, ;after a longr' deliberation, found a verdict of " Wilful Murder" against Joseph Clibbron ; who was accordingly committed to York Castle to take his trial. [Our readers will recollect the recent outrage of the soldiery at Manchester. The Secretary of War's statement of the demoralized character of the Army, receives ample confirmation from such occurrences as these.]
About thirty convicts have this week received a free pardon at Woolwich.
At an early hour on Sunday morning, the residence of Sir Edward Paget, Blackwater College, near Windsor, was broken open by some thieves, and robbed of plate worth :300/.
Mr. Justice Vaughan, in addressing the Grand Jury at Carnarvon, expressed his surprise and satisfaction at finding a calendar without a prisoner, and a cause list without a cause.
At Shrewsbury Assizes, yesterday week, a verdict with 51. damages was given against two Magistrates, Messrs. John Brown and C. Powell, for the false imprisonment of a person named Morgan ; who had been charged before them with assaulting a woman, by ejecting her from a house under the authority of the landlord. When Morgan was taken before the defendants, they were informed that they had no jurisdiction, as Morgan had acted under a claim of right ; but they persisted in convicting him in the penalty of sit, and in default of payment he was sent to prison.
At the same Assizes, Mr. E. Lechmere Charlton obtained a verdict, with alarthing damages, against the proprietor of the Shrewsbury Chronicle, for a libel contained in some comments on a previous trial, in which Mr. Charlton had a verdict against the same defendant with nominal damages. At the last trial, the plaintiff's counsel pressed for heavy damages ; but the Jury;estimated the injury he sustained quite high enough at a farthing, and the Judge left it uncertain whether he would certify or not.
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