West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser. Friday 28th March, 1851. Part Two. TRIALS OF PRISONERS - THOMAS CANN, 20, JOHN MANSELL the younger, 17, SAMUEL JONES, 18, and ISAAC PIKE, 16, charged with stealing, on the 6th of January last, two carpet bags and a straw frail, the property of JOSEPH EDWARDS, bazaar-keeper, in Truro. It appeared that in the evening of the 6th of January, the prosecutor's son, a lad thirteen years old, saw the four prisoners loitering about the shop door and window. There were some carpet bags and other articles hanging outside the shop. In the same evening, the four prisoners went to the Police Station and asked of policeman FITZSIMONS if they could have a night's lodging there. He told them they could not, and directed them to go to the parish overseer. On his questioning them, Cann said he came from Redruth, where he had bought a carpet bag which he had under his arm. Mansell also had a carpet bag, which he said he bought at St. Austell. Jones had a frail in his hand. Fitzsimons took the four lads before the Inspector, and told him what had taken place, and afterwards determined to lock them up. Before doing so, Pike said that he had stolen the first carpet bag from Joseph Edwards. Fitzsimons went to Edwards's and found that he had missed some carpet bags. The jury found all the prisoners Guilty. Against Cann there was a previous conviction and he had been ten times summarily convicted. Cann was sentenced to Seven Years Transportation; and the other three prisoners to Three Months' Imprisonment each. ARSON - THOMAS SYMONS, 40, and JAMES GREEN, 23, were charged with having on the 6th of November, 1850, at the parish of Poughill, feloniously set fire to two stacks of hay, the property of Mr. EDWARD SHEARM, solicitor, of Stratton. Mr. SLADE conducted the prosecution. The prisoners were undefended. WILLIAM DOBLE, a clerk at Mr. Shearm's stated - Mr. Shearm has a field called the Furze Park, on a farm in Poughill. On the 6th of November, there were two stacks of hay there, belonging to Mr. Shearm. In the afternoon of that day, about four o'clock, I was going to Poundstock, and met the two prisoners going towards Stratton; when I met them, each of them had a stick. In the evening, between nine and ten o'clock, I was again in the field, and saw both stacks burning. SAMUEL GODDARD - I am an innkeeper at Stratton. On the 6th of November, about nine o'clock in the evening, I was in the Furze Park, and saw the two stacks burning. I was at that time police officer. I received information which induced me to seek for the two prisoners; and I afterwards, in the same evening, saw them in custody of the constable DREW. I began to search them, and asked Symons to let me see if he had any matches about him. He said the match-box had fallen out of his pocket as he fell over the gate where the hay-stacks were on fire. Symons, at that time had in his hand a stick which I now produce. I then locked up the prisoners and went to the field, and found another stick hanging at one of the gates. The next morning I showed that stick to the prisoners, and Green looked at it and said it was his. The ricks were about ten or twelve feet from the gate. They were on fire all round. JOHN HAWKRIDGE, servant of Mr. Shearm, proved finding, on the evening of the fire, while the ricks were burning, a box of lucifer matches, about sixty or seventy paces from the ricks, on the road leading to Stratton. WILLIAM POUND, innkeeper of Stratton:- I was going along the road from Furze Park, about seven or eight o'clock in the evening of the 6th November, and saw the two prisoners standing by the side of the road. I returned into Stratton, and in a quarter of an hour, I heard of the fire. JOHN DREW, constable of Stratton:- About nine o'clock on the 6th of November, the two prisoners came to my house and asked to speak to me; they then called me outside the house and said "we have done it." I said, "done what?" They said "set fire to two stacks of hay." I said, "I hope not." They said, "we have" I then took them in custody. I asked them where the stacks were; and they said, about half a mile out of Stratton on the Kilkhampton road. Mr. Shearm's Furze Park is on the Kilkhampton road. Both prisoners were found guilty. - In reply to questions from the Judge, Symons said: I went to Mr. Shearm's and begged for bread; Mr. Shearm refused to give my any, and threatened to send me to prisoner if I did not make off; I then said, he should not send me to prison for nothing. The other prisoner made no statement. It appeared that both prisoners had been several times summarily convicted, on charges of vagrancy, &c. The learned Judge, after expressing himself very strongly, on the enormity of the crime and on the malicious motive avowed by Symons, sentenced both prisoners to Transportation for Life. MARY GUY, 12, was convicted of stealing on the 13th of December, at St. Breock, a pair of cloth boots, the property of JOHN VARCOE, shoemaker of Bodmin. The robbery was committed as the prosecutor was returning in the evening from Wadebridge market, with a stock of boots and shoes on a cart. Guilty. - One Week's Imprisonment. ELIZABETH BOASE, 33, was charged with stealing, in December last, at St. Buryan, a gown, the property of Mr. JOHN MANN, farmer. She was also charged with feloniously receiving the same, from her daughter JANE BOASE. From the evidence it appeared that the daughter found a dog running about with the frock, and she took it up, put it in a basket, and carried it home. The learned Judge told the Jury it would be monstrous to say that that was a stealing; and if there was no stealing, of course there could be no felonious receiving. It would be their duty, therefore, to acquit. Verdict, Not Guilty. JOSIAH WILLIAMS, 14, was charged with stealing, on the 7th of January, at the parish of Kea, two sovereigns and two half-sovereigns, the property of WILLIAM RULE. Mr. ROGERS conducted the prosecution. The prosecutor state that he was a maltster and flour dealer, keeping a shop in Chacewater. On the 7th January, he received two sovereigns and two half-sovereigns, which he wrapped in a piece of brown paper and put into the till, about twelve o'clock. He left his shop for a few minutes, and on his return, saw the prisoner standing just behind the counter, with the till half out, and his hand over the till, and the paper and money in his hand. On the prosecutor's appearing, the prisoner dropped the money into the till. Witness had, on leaving the shop previously, closed the till. WILLIAM BARBERY, stated that he knew the prisoner, and saw him go into Mr. Rule's shop between twelve and one o'clock on the 7th of January, just after Mr. Rule had come out of the shop. The Judge in summing up, directed the jury that the removal of the property proved by the prosecutor was legally sufficient to constitute larceny. The jury found a verdict of Guilty. The Judge, as appears to be his usual practice, inquired particularly concerning the circumstances and character of the convicted; and on receiving from Mr. PAINE, Inspector of Police at Truro, a bad account of his practices, sentenced him to Six Months' Imprisonment. ELIZABETH JANE COCK, 19, was charged with stealing, at Truro, a gross and a half of tobacco pipes, the property of her master HENRY BASTIAN; and MARY ANN MAY, 21, was charged with feloniously receiving the same. The prosecutor, a pipe-maker of Calenick-street, Truro, missed some pipes on the 9th of January, and sent for the prisoner MAY, a companion of his servant, and in Elizabeth Cock's presence charged her with selling some pipes of his to Mrs. WELLINGTON at the Coach and Horses, and asked how she came by them. At first she said she was in the habit of leaving her door open and did not know how they came into her house; but afterwards she said Elizabeth Jane Cock brought them to her, and told her where to sell them and what price to charge for them. Cock then began to cry and begged prosecutor to forgive her; and the two girls began to abuse and blame each other. ELIZABETH WELLINGTON, wife of the landlord of the Coach and Horses, proved that Mary Ann May had often brought her pipes for sale, and that she brought her two gross in the Christmas week, which she bought at the proper price. The two girls had both brought her pipes, as if from Mr. Bastian. The prosecutor recalled, stated that he had not sent any pipes to Wellington's in December or January last. Both Guilty. Three Months' Imprisonment Each. EDMUND GILL, 36, a respectable looking young man, on bail, pleaded Guilty of stealing, at Carnanton, part of a hand of a stable clock, parts of copper flues, two lead window weights, and other articles, the property of Mr. HUMPHRY WILLYAMS. The Judge passed the lenient sentence of a Fortnight's Imprisonment; stating that the prosecutor had recommended the prisoner to the merciful consideration of the Court, on account of his good character. HENRY BURROWS, 21, and WILLIAM THOMAS, 20, charged with having, on the 1st of March, broken and entered the mill of WILLIAM PASCOE, of the parish of Bodmin, and stolen therefrom a quantity of flour, the property of the said William Pascoe. Mr. HUGHES conducted the prosecution; Mr. SLADE the defence. It appeared that on the night of the 28th of February, the mill was broken open, and a bag and a quantity of flour stolen. On the discovery of the burglary and robbery, at about half-past six on the morning of the 1st of March, two sets of shoe-tracks were traced from the window which had been broken into through a garden and fields to the turnpike-road. These marks were traced by JAMES WORDEN, a servant of the prosecutor, and by the prosecutor himself, William Pascoe, who stated that afterwards in the same day, he went with PHILIP SIBLY, the owner of the mills, to the house of the prisoner Thomas, and asked to be allowed to search the house. Thomas refused for an hour to allow them to do so. At length they threatened to get a warrant, and then he said they might go in. On entering, he (Pascoe) heard footsteps up-stairs, and, on going up, saw Burrows in the bed-chamber; where was also a bag, and a quantity of flour of the same kind as he had missed from his mill, which was about a quarter of a mile from Thomas's house. This evidence was corroborated by Mr. Sibly, the owner of the mill, and also a constable, who afforded no small amusement to the court and bar by his singularly energetic and also vehement manner of giving his testimony. Mrs. KNIGHT, a customer at the mill, stated that on the 27th of February, she gave the bag in question, to MATTHEWS, a loading boy in prosecutor's employ; and Matthews proved that he received the bag from Mrs. Knight, and took it to the mill on the 27th of February. JAMES WORDEN identified the bag, and stated that he saw it at the mill in the evening of the 28th of February. Mr. Slade addressed the jury for the defence, and examined several witnesses in favour of Thomas's character. The jury found Thomas Guilty, and Burrows Not Guilty. HENRY BURROWS was then indicted for stealing, on the 1st day of February, at the parish of Lanivet, two fowls, the property of SAMUEL SOLOMON, farmer. At the close of the evidence for the prosecution, the Judge said the prisoner ought not to be called on for a defence, considering the length of time --- about five weeks --- during which the fowls had been missing before they were found on prisoner's premises, and then they were found in his garden, without any circumstances of concealment. Nor could they properly convict on such evidence. The Jury, however, hesitated to adopt the learned Judge's view of the case; and his lordship told them that if they had the slightest doubt, it was their duty as regarded the prisoner, to hear his counsel. One of the jurors said, "well, we should like to hear him." Mr. Slade, apparently not well pleased at such a compliment bestowed on him at a late hour in the day then rose and told the jury they must be more fond of a speech than he could have imagined. He then, while admitting the power entrusted by the English law to jurors, reproved his twelve hearers for hesitating to defer, in such a case as the present to the opinion of an able and impartial judge, and then addressed them on the facts of the case, warning them, in conclusion, that they could convict only on satisfactory evidence, and not on mere suspicion. The jury eventually found a verdict of Not Guilty. Thursday, march 27. - GEORGE COCK was charged with stealing, on the 1st of August, a quantity of cordage, the property of her Majesty the Queen. Mr. CROWDER stated that this was a prosecution instituted by the Admiralty, and after stating the case he called evidence, from which it appeared that the rope in question was part of the cordage of her Majesty's ship "Octavia," which in August last was lying in ordinary in Hamoaze, the prisoner being "ship-keeper" at the time. Verdict, Guilty. Sentence, Nine Months' Hard Labour. ECCLESIASTICAL - The Rev. J. G. WULFF, vicar of Gwinear, has been presented to the rectory of Illogan, on the nomination of Lady BASSET, of Tehidy Park. The Rev. GEORGE LAMBE, has been appointed to the curacy of St. Ives, and the Rev. A. W. TAYLER, to the curacy of Moorwinstow, both in this county. APPOINTMENT - Major General WOOD, C.B., K.H., Colonel of the 3rd West India Regiment, is appointed Commander-in-Chief of the forces in the Leeward and Windward Islands, with the rank of Lieutenant General. The General leaves Falmouth immediately to proceed to Barbadoes, the usual head quarters. THE CENSUS - The preparations for taking the Census, on Monday next, are fully completed, and the schedules for each householder will all be delivered by Saturday night. It will be the duty of the officers to call on every householder in their respective districts, on the day above mentioned, to collect the schedules, which ought by that time to be filled up and ready to be delivered. GRATIFYING TESTIMONIAL OF RESPECT - A few days since the mechanics and others in the employ of Messrs. SANDYS, VIVIAN and Co's factory, at Copper House, having learnt with deep regret that Mr. OCTAVIUS WILLIAMS, who has been in the Civil Engineering department of that firm for many years, had suddenly resigned his situation, resolved to present that gentleman with a piece of place as an acknowledgment of the many advantages they had received from his superior talents, his amiable disposition and urbanity of manners towards them as their engineer. In a few hours a sufficient sum was subscribed to purchase a very handsome silver box, which was presented to Mr. Williams in appropriate terms. It is to be regretted that the intention of presenting Mr. Williams with a piece of plate was not publicly made know, as many gentlemen and others of the neighbourhood are disappointed in not having their names among the subscribers. We believe that Mr. Williams has since been appointed to a more important and lucrative situation as civil engineer in Wales, and we are sure that he will carry with him the universal respect and best wishes of the people of Copper House. TESTIMONIAL OF ESTEEM - The shareholders of the Birmingham and Midland Bank have presented a service of silver plate to Mr. CHARLES GEACH, their managing director, to express their appreciation of the talent, zeal and energy displayed by him in the administration of their affairs, which have raised the bank to its present flourishing condition. His portrait is also to be placed in the board-room of the bank. We understand that Mr. Geach is a native of St. Austell. A few years since he was the junior clerk in the Birmingham branch of the Bank of England. He has raised himself by his abilities and conduct to be the managing director of a large and flourishing bank, and has filled with much distinction the office of mayor of Birmingham. HELSTON - SHEEP STEALING - During the past week seven sheep have been stolen from Ventonvedna, in Sithney, the property of Mr. TYACKE. The sheep were stolen on three different nights and as yet no clue can be got to the thieves. APPREHENSION OF A THIEF - Information having been received in Plymouth, that a woman named ANN PLEACE, HAD STOLEN AT Liskeard, A watch, the property of Mr. THOMAS PEARCE, the police were instructed to keep a sharp look out for the lady should she make her appearance in that town. The result was, that on Tuesday, she was apprehended by P. C. HOLMAN, one of the detective force, and by him taken to Liskeard, where she was on the following day, committed for trial at he assizes. SUDDEN DEATH - On Monday morning about six o'clock, Mr. GEAKE, tanner, of St. Germans, went into his tan-yard, and having sent one of his workmen to his farm to take up some turnips, proceeded, as is supposed, to finish some work which the man had left. While thus engaged he fell head foremost into one of the pump holes. The accident was not observed, and the body must have been a considerable time in the water before being discovered. He was seen alive at seven o'clock, but was not found until nine o'clock, when his non-appearance at breakfast occasioned some search to be made. The surgeon at the inquest stated that he thought it was an apoplectic seizure, and that he was dead before he fell in. Mr. Geake had often expressed a fear that he would die suddenly. PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE - A miner named HEAD, had a very narrow escape of his life on Friday last, whilst at work under ground in the Polberrou mines, St. Agnes. He was employ in turning a "Stull," when suddenly a large mass of stones and rubbish gave way on him, which carried him down a "pass," and buried him underneath. If occupied three house to extricate him from this perilous situation, and it was much feared that he could not be got out alive, but fortunately some large rocks fell around him in such a position as to screen his person from much weight, and he escaped with only a few bruises. MINE ACCIDENT - On Friday week, a young man named EDWIN TREMBATH, of the parish of Ludgvan, had his leg broken and shoulder-bone dislocated by a scale of ground falling on him while at work at the 140 fathoms level. At Wheal Margaret, in the parish of Lelant. CORONER'S INQUESTS - The following inquests have been held during the past week before Mr. W. HICHENS, jun., deputy-coroner:- On the 22nd instant, at St. Just in Penwith, on the body of ISAAC PERROW, aged 38 years. The deceased was a miner and worked at Balleswidden mine, in that parish, and on the preceding day was at his labour, at the 100 fathoms level of the "Colliver Shaft," with his comrade, a person named JOHN TASKIS. They were employed in what is technically called "running an old shell," and they had taken out some of the sollars for the purpose of letting a portion of the ground fall down to fill up a cavity below. It appeared that the deceased and his comrade in the expectation that the ground would quickly run or fall away, had agreed, in order to escape injury, that so soon as they had notice by noise or otherwise, of its being about to do so, the former should run westward and the latter eastward. In the course of their work the ground gave signs of its being about to fall, and Taskis immediately thereupon ran towards the east, as had been agreed, expecting that the deceased would go in the opposite direction. On looking round however, to see that his comrade was safe, he discovered that the poor fellow was following him, and in a second or two afterwards, he, the deceased, was struck down and buried by the falling ground. The unfortunate man was very soon afterwards dug out, but of course life was extinct. Verdict "accidental death." On the same day, in the parish of St. Hilary, on the body of JOHN TYACK, jun., about 16 years. The deceased was a miner, and worked at Hallamanning mine, in that parish, and was employed on the 21st with some other men, in clearing the adit level, when a large piece of timber (a half balk), which on the preceding day only, had been placed across the level to support the ground, came away, bringing with it a large mass of rubbish, and completely burying the deceased and his comrade, JOHN BECKERLEG. The utmost diligence was used in extricating the bodies, and Beckerleg, who happened to be taken out first, was alive, and has since so far recovered as to be out of all danger, but the deceased was lifeless. The timber had all the appearance of having been securely fixed in the ground, and no danger was apprehended by any one who saw it after it had been so fixed, and the were quite unable to account for its falling. Verdict, "accidental death." The adjourned inquest at Newquay, concerning the death of HEZEKIAH BUNT, mention in our last number, was resumed before Mr. JOHN CARLYON, on Friday last. After receiving evidence concerning the analysed contents of the deceased's stomach, the jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against Mr. WILLIAM HAMLYN PASCOE, surgeon, who, thereupon, was committed for trial at the Assizes.