[List-Cumbria] Carlisle Patriot, 20 Jul 1816 - County Sessions (1)

Mon Sep 5 13:30:01 UTC 2022

Saturday 20 Jul 1816   (p. 2, col. 6 – p. 3, col. 2)

COUNTY SESSIONS. 

The Midsummer Quarter Sessions for the County came on at the New Courts, on Tuesday, before J. C. SATTERTHWAITE, Esq. and a more
numerous Bench of Magistrates than we ever recollect seeing assembled on any former occasion, thirty-four being present. 

Nearly the whole of the first Day, and a considerable portion of the second, were taken up in the hearing of appeal causes, in some
of which the arguments of counsel extended to great length; but there was nothing of public interest, or that would amuse any of our
readers. 

John LITTLEDALE, Esq. of Whitehaven, qualified as a Magistrate. 

Esther TYSON, who pleaded guilty at a former Sessions to an indictment for an assault of a violent nature on George LAWSON, came
into court and received judgment. She was sentenced to pay a fine of £10, and stand committed till such fine be paid. Several other
persons pleaded guilty to indictments for assaults, but being of a trivial nature, and having made satisfaction to the parties
agrieved [sic], they were discharged. 

---------- 

THE KING v. HODGSON.—This was an indictment for an assault on the prosecution of Edward RICHARDSON. The parties are respectable
farmers. 

Mr. LAMB, in opening the case for the prosecution, said the defendant was one of those men who are very often fond of practical
jokes, which he took care to carry on without any regard either to the comfort or the lives of those he fixed on for his practice.
The defendant was indicted for a grevious [sic] assault, the consequences of which, might have been very serious. The action was
brought to teach the defendant the folly of such conduct and to prevent a repetition in future. If the defendant had made an apology
for his ill behaviour, the case would not have come before the court. 

Richard RICHARDSON, the prosecutor, sworn. I am a farmer, and live at Wormanby, in this county. On the 5th of April last, I was at
Wigton fair, and set out on my way homewards about dusk in the evening. I had taken some liquor, but was not the worse for it. While
I was riding along the road about 2½ miles out of Wigton, I was overtaken by the defendant HODGSON, who came galloping up to me at a
furious rate; he struck at my horse without speaking a word. I told him that was bad behaviour; he then damned me, and said he would
drown me in the pond—I knew no reason for this conduct. HODGSON also forced his horse against mine, which being a young blood animal
full of condition, became very restive. HODGSON then said, that I neither should ride beside nor behind him, but that I should go
before—I said I would ride as I chose, the road was for me as well as for him. On this HODGSON struck both my horse and myself—my
horse reared, the girth broke, and I fell off into the dike on my head. I was not much hurt. 

Cross Examined.—HODGSON was very drunk. After he began to strike me and the horse, I said that I would knock him off if he did not
be quiet. 

John MARSHALL, and John METCALF corroborated the statements, generally, of the prosecutor. 

Robert HODGSON said he met with the Defendant on the road after the affray had happened, who told him that if he had been behind he
would have seen a bit of sport, and defendant seemed to look on it only in that light. 

Mr. COURTNEY for the defence contended that a more trumpery action never came into Court, and which in fact was founded on private
pique. If the defendant would have humbled himself a little, the action never would have been brought, and the prosecutor himself
was obliged to acknowledge that he sustained no injury whatever. The fact was this, RICHARDSON had been to the fair and got drunk,
and in going home had fallen from his horse! The defendant's saying that he should neither ride behind nor beside him was readily
accounted for, as all present must know how dangerous it was to ride in company with "a blood horse full of condition;" therefore
defendant very properly insisted that he should go before him. He was sure that the Jury would scout the action and mark their sense
of it by their verdict. 

The Jury, however, without hesitation, pronounced the prisoner guilty, and he was fined 40s., which he immediately paid. 

---------- 

THE KING v. MARGARET TYSON.—This was an action for an assault. The prosecutor is Mr. A. MILLER a corn and flour dealer at
Workington. The defendant also resides at Workington, and is a cow keeper. She was described as a perfect Xantippe, and one who is
frequent in her sacrifices to Bacchus. Her whole appearance and conduct in Court indicated as much; never had a woman more reason to
be out of temper with her looks! 

Mr. MILLER, the prosecutor, gave evidence. I was in the market place at Workington on the afternoon of the 20th of September last.
The defendant both struck and abused me. She came to me a second time and struck me. She said her husband had died suddenly; that
she would rip my great g—ts up, and that I should die suddenly too. I never gave her any provocation. She had frequently struck and
abused me before. 

Wm. BURNS, and Thomas LIDDEL proved to the same effect, and that the defendant had recently said, that she would strike prosecutor
again as soon as the present business was settled. 

The defendant acknowledged herself guilty and thro' her counsel threw herself on the mercy of the court. 

The Chairman bore witness to the great respectability of the prosecutor, who was a harmless good kind of man, and who wanted nothing
but have the defendant placed in a situation which should preclude her from annoying him in future. 

Guilty, and sentenced to pay a fine of £5; find two sureties at £20 each as a security for her good behaviour for one year; and to
stand committed till such fine be paid and bondsmen found. 

[to be continued] 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://list.cumbriafhs.com/mailman/private/list-cumbria/attachments/20220905/c4ec07e6/attachment.htm>