1852 Cornwall Quarter Sessions and Assizes Table of Contents 1. Epiphany Sessions .................................................................................................................... 1 2. Lent Assizes ............................................................................................................................ 26 3. Easter Sessions ...................................................................................................................... 68 4. Midsummer Sessions ............................................................................................................. 75 5. Summer Assizes ..................................................................................................................... 91 6. Michaelmas Sessions. .......................................................................................................... 113 Royal Cornwall Gazette 9 January 1852 1. Epiphany Sessions These Sessions were opened on Tuesday last before the following magistrates— J. King Lethbridge, Esq., chairman Sir W. L. Salusbury Trelawny, Bart. Goldsworthy Gurney, Esq. Lord Vivian R. Gully Bennet, Esq. The Hon. G. M. Fortescue W. Peter Kempe, Esq. Sir Colman Rashleigh, Bart N. Kendall, jun., Esq. C.B. Graves Sawle, Esq. F.J. Hext, Esq. T.J. Agar Robartes, Esq., M.P. T.G. Graham, Esq. H. Willyams, Esq., M.P. E. Coode, jun., Esq. W. Hext, Esq. W. Braddon, Esq. J. Gwatkin, Esq. W. Morshead, Esq. N. Kendall, Esq. D.P. Hobyln, Esq. E. Archer, Esq. H.P. Rawlings, Esq. C.G. Prideaux Brune, Esq. T.R. Avery, Esq. J.S. Enys, Esq. Rev. T. Pascoe. H. Thomson, Esq. Rev. Vyell Vyvyan. J. Thomas H. Peter, Esq. Rev. Roger Bird. W. Carpenter Rowe, Esq. Rev. R. Buller. Sedley Bastard Marke, Esq., of Treludeth, in the parish of Egloskerry, qualified as a magistrate; and the Rev. Richard Byrn Kinsman, took the oaths on appointment to the living of Tintagel. The following gentlemen were sworn on the Grand Jury:— Messrs. Silas Hiscutt Liddell, Bodmin, foreman; John Bray, St. Austell; John Cardell, junr., St. Columb Minor; William Clark, St. Ewe; Richard Coomb, Bodmin, W. Cowling, Gorran; Thomas Grose, St. Austell; William Grose, St. Kew; William Guy, St. Austell; Warwick Guy, junr., Endellion; Nicholas Hawke, St. Kew; Richard Lean Hawken, sen., Egloshayle; John Harney Hick, Egloshayle; Joseph Hicks, St. Columb Major; R. Julyan, St. Ewe; Hart Key, St. Breock; John Lovering, St. Austell; John Mudge, Bodmin; Edmund Norway, Egloshayle; Thomas Olver, St. Mabyn; Samuel Symons, St. Columb Minor; Charles Thomas, Gorran; John Tremain, jun., St. Columb Major. The following gentlemen also answered to their names: Messrs. Richard Trethewy, St. Mabyn; William Truscott, St. Columb Major; George Wright, Bodmin; Samuel Yelland, St. Austell; Frederick Chapple, Bodmin. After the Queen’s Proclamation had been read, the CHAIRMAN delivered his Charge to the Grand Jury: (Not transcribed). CORONERS’ BILLS. – (Not transcribed). GOVERNOR’S REPORT. – (Not transcribed). BRIDGES. – (Not transcribed). PROPOSED ALTERATION OF THE COURTS.—Mr. PETER brought forward the motion, of which he had given notice at the Michaelmas Sessions, for the interposition of a box for Reporters between the Counsel-box and the Jury-box, in both Courts of Justice at Bodmin. To this proposed alteration, several others had been added by the Gaol Committee; and we give the whole, seriatim, as moved by Mr. Peter:—1st. The raising the jury box twelve inches in the Crown Court, and in both Courts the sides of the boxes above the heads of the jurors, so as to prevent their hearing conversations, remarks, and voices of persons without, other than those of the Judge, Counsel, and witnesses; and so as to prevent, as much as possible, distraction of their attention from the matter in hand before the Court. 2nd. To shorten the eastern end of the Counsel Table in the Crown Court, and the western end of that in the Nisi Prius Court, and to appropriate the empty spaces so made to two boxes for Reporters, with a view to the accommodation of these gentlemen—to the preventing idle spectators or interested persons sitting immediately under the jury, and so distracting their attention and confusing their memories, in long trials,—also to hindering any remarks being made to the jurors without these remarks being heard by all persons professionally engaged in the matter before the court. 3rd. To make the Counsel tables more narrow on the southern sides of the Courts to the extent of nine inches in order to give more room to attornies with their papers, behind their Counsel. 4th. To raise the seats of the Chairmen in both Courts, by nine inches. 5th. To take means to bring witnesses into the Crown Court, by an entrance along the northern and eastern wall, by a door in the north-eastern comer of the Court. 6th. To take means to bring in prisoners to the docks direct from the cells below. 7th. To get cast-iron rosettes with appliances for ventilation. The estimated expense of the whole of these proposed alterations was about 92l. On the motion of Sir COLMAN RASHLEIGH, seconded by the Hon. G. M. FORTESCUE, it was resolved that the recommendations be printed and circulated with the agenda for the next Sessions.—Mr. PETER gave notice that at the next Sessions he would move for a grant not exceeding 100l. for effecting the proposed alterations. COUNTY ASYLUM. Mr. KENDALL gave notice that at the next Sessions he would more for a grant not exceeding £1000 for building wash-houses and drying-houses at the asylum. He adduced the opinions of the medical officer and the Superintendent of the asylum that these buildings were necessary for the health of the Establishment, where every week were washed as many as 300 pair of sheets and 100 blankets. Mr. Kendall stated that so great had been the increase of female patients that the room for them was becoming limited. Although, two years ago, additional accommodation for 45 female patients was built, yet now there was only room for 17. In building the proposed wash-houses and dry-houses, accommodation would at the same time be provided for 25 female patients; and this would save £600 which would otherwise ere long have to be spent for that purpose; so that that sum might be placed as a set-off against the grant for which he now gave notice. TRIALS OF PRISONERS. MARY ANN HARRIS, 19, pleaded GUILTY of stealing between the 9th and 22nd of November last, at Redruth, a pair of stays, the property of Jane Trebilcock. (Sentence: three months hard labour.) JANE CHYNOWETH, 16, pleaded GUILTY of stealing, on the 8th of November, at the parish of Probus, three sovereigns, the property of William Nicholls. (Sentence: three months hard labour.) JOHN MAY, 16, charged with having on the 23rd of December last, stolen a gold locket, the property of Joseph Edwards and Edward Edwards, of Duke-street, Truro. Mr. STOKES conducted the prosecution.— Joseph Edwards stated that he keeps a silversmith’s shop, and about 4 o’clock in the afternoon of the 23rd of December, he sold a gold locket to a lady, and gave it in charge to his son Edward Edwards, who stated that he took the locket from his father for the purpose of putting hair in it; he placed it on his work bench in the shop, and, having occasion to be absent for about 10 minutes, on his return he found that the locket was gone.—There was no evidence of the prisoner being seen near the premises; but the following evidence was given against him. James Fitzsimmons, police constable of Truro, stated that on the day named, in consequence of information from Mr. Edwards, he made inquiries at the silversmith’s shops in Truro, and, from information given him by Mr. Harris, silversmith, went to a man called Francis Lance, who delivered him the locket which he (Fitzsimmons) had had in his possession since, and now produced.—Nanny Richards, who lives with her father, Francis Lance, stated that she saw prisoner there in the evening of 23rd December; he took out a locket and showed to the children; and she, thinking it was only a child’s plaything, gave him 2d. for it, and afterwards gave it up to her father.—Francis Lance confirmed the evidence of the last witness, and stated that he gave the locket to Fitzsimmons.— Fitzsimmons produced the locket, which was identified by both Joseph and Edward Edwards, by means of their private marks.—The jury took some ten minutes to consider, and to the evident surprize (sic) of most persons who heard the trial, found the prisoner NOT GUILTY. MATTHEW RICH, 30, charged with having, on the 16th of October, at the parish of Mevagissey, feloniously stolen a quantity of apples, the property of Henry Harris Carveth.—The witnesses against the prisoner were the prosecutor, in whose orchard the felony was committed, and the constable, Francis Organ. The prisoner’s statement before the committing magistrate was put in, after proof of the magistrate’s signature given by the constable. In it the prisoner said he was sorry he had gone into the orchard; he knew he had no business there; he begged Mr. Carveth’s pardon, and if he would forgive him, he would never go there again.—GUILTY. (Sentence: one month hard labour.) JOHN DYER, 66, charged with having, on the 3rd of December, at the parish of Lanivet, stolen two shirts, a bed-sheet, and an apron, the property of William Marshall.—He was also charged with stealing, on the same day, a child’s robe and waistband, the property of John Chapman, also at Lanivet.—In both cases, the clothes had been put out to dry, left during the night, and missed the following morning early. The prisoner was not seen near the premises, but between 8 and 9 on the morning of the 4th of December, he was at the house of Edward Williams, in Luxulyan about two miles and a half from Lanivet village, and left a bag in charge of Williams’s wife. The bag was subsequently examined, first by Williams and his wife, and afterwards, in the presence of Mr. Marshall’s servant and Mrs.