Lancaster Lent Assizes April 10th 1812

 

The assize did not conclude n the Crown side, till Friday morning when the Hon. Baron Thompson passed the awful sentence of death on six  prisoners, viz.

Charles SEFTON (aged 27) convicted last assize of burglary; Margaret CUNNINGHAM (35) and Martha ENTWISTLE (42) for uttering forge bank notes; Marg CLOYD (50) for sacrilege; and James ROBINSON (19) and Edmund CADWICK alias BARROW (25) for stealing cows

 

The following are the sentences of the other prisoners;

 

Bella INSON (37) and Ann LORD (32) for robbing bleaching grounds; Thomas RAWSTORNE (38) for having forged notes in his possession; and Mary GLEAVES (35) for receiving stolen goods- fourteen years transportation

 

Wm. PERCIVAL (19) Wm HANNA (22) Edw. FAGAN (30) Patrick DUFF (23) Thomas TUFF (42) Charles McALLISTER (50) Jane WHITE (28) James FROST (23) Wm HEYES (18) James WALKER (14) John WRIGHT (38) and Daniel McLEECE (54) for divers felonies – seven years transportation

 

William ROWBOTTOM (50) pleading guilty to robbing bleaching grounds – fined 1s and two years hard labour in the House of correction

 

Henry GREENWOOD (47) and William DODGSON for conspiracy – imprisoned 18 calendar months

 

Thomas JOHN for felony – Fined 1s and 12 calendar months hard labour I the House of Correction

 

Thomas FLETCHER (66) aquitted of murder and William WIGAN (20) for manslaughter; and Patrick SWINNEY (48) for putting off counterfeit silver – One year’s imprisonment and to find sureties

 

Thomas WILSON pleading guilty of buying guineas at a higher rate than the standard value – six months imprisonment

 

Thomas GRAVES (29) for manslaughter – Fine 1s an imprisoned till the fine is paid

 

The following have been aquitted-

 

James HEATLEY for murder; Joseph SHAW, John HAWORTH, Thomas WADDILOVE; Samuel HOLT AND b BURNETT for manslaughter; John RALPH, John ROBINSON and Jane SKINNER for felony; Henry FOWLER for horse-stealing ; John HALSTEAD for burning a barn; Edward BURNARD for stabbing ; Richard DOUGHERTY alias DEWHURST for uttering notes; Thomas SLATER for an unnatural crime; and Robert SMITH for bigamy

Thomas DEARES, for a rape, was honourably aquitted, without even the Judge summing up of the Jury retiring from the box

 

The King, on the prosecution of the Rev. John REES, Vicar of Hawkshead v. Daniel SATTERWAITE for a libel- this was a traverse from the last assize The defendant was found guilty, and sentenced to pay a fine of 6s 8d to the King, and costs and to enter into his own recognisance in £100 to keep the peace for two years.

The Judge was pleased to reprieve the whole of those condemned before he left town

 

Caryl Williams www.old-liverpool.co.uk Old Liverpool 1998-2008