Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

SUPREME COURT.
The Criminal Sessions of the Supreme Court,
at Hobart Town, commenced on Monday, before
Mr. Justice Montagu.
The kalendar has been unusually heavy, consi-
dering the very short time that has elapsed since
the last Sessions. The time of the Court, the
jury, and the law officers is almost entirely taken
up with the trial of the prisoners of the Crown.
We hope that amongst the reforms which Sir
Eardley Wilmot has recommended in the judicial
and law establishments, his Excellency has not
over-looked the justice of calling upon the British
Treasury to defray that portion of the expenses
which arises out of the trial of British convicts, a
burden which the colony is not able to bear, in
adition to the burdens which the convict establish-
ment has thrown upon our impoverished Trea-
sury.
The following is a list of the cases that have
been tried at the present Sessions, which will close
this evening — .
Henry Johnston, a second class probationer,
under sentence of life, charged with stealing three
one pound notes, from the person of Thomas
Johnston, a sailor, guilty, seven years to Port
Arthur.
Michael Charles, another probationer, rob-
bery, with violence, in the house of John Baker,
at the Broad Marsh, guilty. Death recorded.
There was another information against him for a
similar offence, in the house of John Tyne, not
tried.
James King, Edward Gore, and John Wil-
liams, three probationers, for robbing, with ex-
treme violence, in the house of John Lanthrop, at
Green Ponds, guilty. Death recorded.
James Macdonald and George Bell, free
by servitude, for stealing £5 13s. in silver, from
the person of Phillip Phillips, guilty. Macdonald
fifteen years' transportation; Bell remanded for
sentence. This was a regular case of pocket
picking. Macdonald who had been transported
from England for a similar offence, took the mo-
ney from the pocket of Phillips, and passed it to
Bell, which was observed by Mr. W. C. Dennis
Smith, who gave information to Phillips, and had
the prisoners secured. It occurred at Mr. Brown's
auction, in Bathurst-street. Bell, fifteen years,
this day.
James Edwards, James Gowers, and John
Bateman, three probationers at the Cascade sta-
tion, on Tasman's Peninsula, charged with assault-
ing and beating William Findley, an overseer on
the station, with sticks, with intent to murder
him, guilty. Remanded for sentence, with an in-
timation that their lives would not be spared.
This was a most brutal and unprovoked attempt
at murder. They continued beating their victim
until they thought he was dead ; he has, however,
recovered. Sentenced Death, this day.
William Brown charged with larceny, reman-
ded from last sittings, in consequence of the ab-
sence of a material witness, discharged by procla-
mation.
William Macdonald and John Clarke
charged with stealing a hat, acquitted, by reason
of the prosecutor not appearing to give evidence.
Tuesday, April 16.
George Jones, the celebrated bushranger, and
James Platt, his surviving companion, were at-
raigned for the robbery at Mr. Samuel Evans' at
the ' Wheat Sheaf,' on the 9th March ; Isaac Al-
der, Isaac Downing, William Millingham, James
Brown, and Bridget Brown, for having feloniously
concealed, harboured, and sheltered Jones and
Platt.
Mr. Macdowell appeared as counsel for the pri-
soners ; he stated that the evidence of harbouring
rested principally on the deposition of one of the
bushrangers named Moore, taken when he was
dying ; that a doubt had arisen as to the sanity of
his mind, when the deposition was taken ; it be-
came necessary for the persons to have two wit-
nesses examined on that point, viz., Richard Tray
and Patrick Cunningham, now confined in Rich-
mond gaol. The trial was postponed until these
witnesses could be brought up.
Thomas Blackburn, an old man of 60, living
near the Dromedary, was charged with receiving a
quantity of goods, which Jones and his compa-
nions had robbed from the cart of George Taylor,
a hawker, on the 24th of February, at the house
of Quested, at the Brushy Plains, guilty. Four-
teen years. He was ably defended by Mr. Mac-
dowell.
John Spiller, a probationer, in the service of
Mr. Abbott, for stealing, and William Evans, a
taylor, at O'Brien's Bridge, for receiving a pair of
silver spoons, the property of Mr. Abbott. Evans
acquitted; Spiller seven years.
Richard Jones, stealing three pair of trowsers,
and other articles from his master, Mr. John John-
stone, guilty. Seven years.
William Robinson, uttering a forged order for
£8, to defraud Mrs. Mason, of the "Whale Fish-
ery" public house, guilty. Seven years.
William Young, stealing various trifling arti-
cles, left out all night to dry, from Mr. Macguin-
ness, guilty. Recommended to mercy — three
months' imprisonment.
George Jones and James Platt, the bush
rangers, were charged with the robbery at the
house of James Campbell, at the Black Brush,
accompanied with circumstances of peculiar atro-
city, which were not, however, charged in the in-
formation, guilty. Remanded for sentence. It
came out in evidence that Jones had tortured old
Mrs. Devereux, who lives with Campbell, by ty-
ing her down to a stool and applying a shovel,
made red-hot, to the calves of her legs to make
her disclose where Campbell had his money.
Jones presented a most wretched appearance, be-
ing blind of both eyes, and dreadfuily emaciated.
John Lawrence discharged by proclamation.
Wednesday.
William Pearce, a ticket-of- leave holder, was
charged with assaulting and beating John Stoker,
the watch-house-keeper at Greenponds. The in-
formation contained three count's, first for beating
with intent to kill, second with intent to do some
grievous bodily harm, third with intent to escape
from custody, guilty on second and third counts.
Remanded for sentence.
William Thornton and John Smith, proba-
tioners, charged with stealing from the house of
Joseph Pascoe, two guns and a waistcoat, on the
5th April, guilty. Seven years. These were the
men who were captured by Mr. Wing, to whose
public-house at Bagdad they came three days
afterwards in the character of constables.
George Jones was tried for shooting at William
Jackson, on the 7th July last, guilty. Remanded.
This, the second capital offence of which Jones
stands convicted, was the case of robbery, at Capt.
Horton's by Cash, Cavanagh, and Jones, when the
latter most wantonly shot Jackson in the breast
and arm.
Objects of Natural History.— We regret
that we had not until this week an opportunity of
visiting the collection of animals which have for
some time been open for exhibition, by Mr.
Latham, at No. 66 Liverpool-street, near Harring-
ton-street. We would recommend them to the
attention of all who have not had an opportunity
of seeing similar collections, particularly to the
native youth of the colony. Mr. Latham is a very
intelligent and obliging person, and a conversation
with him about the countries which he has visited,
and the habits of the animals which he exhibits,
is worth much more than the price of admission.
There is nothing in the exhibition calculated to
excite either fear or disgust in the most sensitive
mind. We understand that it will only be open
for a very few days. Mr. Latham must have ex-
pended a large sum in making and transporting
his collection.
The George Town Runaways.— A few weeks
since, we reported that the four men who absconded
from George Town, with a whale-boat belonging
to James Cox, Esq., had visited Waterhouse Island,
and pressed some sealers into their service. It
appears they then made for the coast of New Hol-
land, and having landed there, sent back the
sealers with the boat, who returned to George
Town a few days since. — Launceston Examiner.
Accommodation for the Judges.— It is re-
ported, that shortly after the arrival of Sir Eardley
Wilmot, he recommended to the Home Govern-
ment the appointment of a third Judge, to reside
at Launceston. In the meantime a dwelling
house will be rented here, for the accommodation
of their Honors, when they visit this place to hold
the usual sessions. — Ibid.
Pendergrass. — It will be recollected that some
years since Mr. Ward, was missed from a vessel
which he was piloting outside the heads, under
mysterious circumstances, and strong suspicion was
attached at the time to a man named Pendergrass,
then belonging to the Marine.Department.The
same man is now under sentence of death at Oat-
lands, for bushranging ; probably a confession of
guilt will remove the mystery which has never yet
been satisfactorily revealed. — Ibid.
Flour to England.— Several are of opinion
that flour would prove a more 'profitable' export to
England than wheat. The colonial millers would
be employed to grind, casks capable of containing
224 lbs. could be made of country wood, at 1s. 6d.
each, and the freight of flour would not bear the
same proportion to the value, as the carriage of
wheat. The suggestion is worth consideration,
since we can send a finer sample to market than
perhaps any other colony. — Ibid.
Another Bushranger Apprehended.— We
reported in our last, that three armed men visited
the residence of Mr. Whittle, one was killed upon
the spot, another apprehended, but the third
escaped, and has since been captured at Perth.
They were sent into Launceston Gaol, yesterday,
fully committed for trial. — Ibid.
P.S. — The session of the Supreme Court was
adjourned for a fortnight about one o'clock this
day ; after passing sentence on the convicts who
had been remanded. Jones, Platt, and Gower,
were told that there was not the least chance of
their lives being spared, and that the warrants for
their execution would be sent within an hour. The
Executive Council sat, the moment the Court
adjourned, to receive the Judge's report. The
Lady Franklin, is ready, and the guard on board,
to convey the prisoners for Norfolk Island. There
will be about ninety sent, including Cavanagh.
She will lail on Sunday. The Governor leaves
Town this evening, and sleeps at Spring hill, on
his way to Launceston. His Excellency will leave
Launceston on his return to Hobart Town on the
22nd.
$