the men were apprehended at the time of the affray:
it was sought to implicate the others by a number of
circumstances tending to show that they belonged to
the party who were spearing fish in the Wye. Mr.
Greaves, a magistrate of the county, and executor to
the late Reverend W. Bagshawe, produced a lease from
the crown, whereby the right of fishery in the river
Wye, at the place in question, was leased to his testator;
and he stated that he had not only given the deceased
verbal permission to use the fishery and preserve the
fish, but had also written him a note to that effect;
which was produced. For the defence, it was contended
that the unfortunate deceased had no authority to
apprehend persons poaching in the Wye. Mr. Justice
Maule, however, ruled that Mr. Greaves was proved to
be the owner of this private right of fishery, and that
he had authorised Mr. Bagshawe to preserve the fish;
which would include an authority to apprehend
poachers. It was then contended that the evidence
utterly failed against several of the prisoners: it did
not show any common design to resist apprehension,
and therefore the particular person who struck the
fatal blow must be pointed out. Mr. Bagshawe seemed
to have more desire to punish the poachers on the spot
than to apprehend them. In any case the crime was
only manslaughter. The judge explained the law to
the jury; and pointed out, that if the poachers really
believed the intention was to beat them and not to
apprehend them, death caused by their resistance would
not amount to murder. After a short consultation, the
jury returned a verdict of "Not Guilty" as regarded
all the prisoners.

An atrocious case of Murder was tried at the Exeter
assizes. Harvey, a sweep of Buckland Brewer, was
accused of murdering Mary Richards, at Little
Torrington. From the testimony of many witnesses, and
from the dying declarations of the girl, the crime was
clearly brought home to the prisoner. Mary Richards
had been taking home some gloves to Torrington; on her
return, Harvey got into conversation with her, and
subsequently dogged her steps into a field, and offered
her violence. She resisted; he took a hammer from
his pocket, struck her on the head so as to fracture her
skull, and thus compelled her submission. He then
stole some currants and saffron from her basket, and
left her in her helpless condition. She was found next
morning, alive; and she lived for many days after,
with intervals of consciousness which enabled her to
indentify her murderer. The monster was found guilty,
and sentenced to be hanged. The sentence has been
executed, the criminal having confessed his guilt.

A case of Abduction was tried at the Appleby assizes
on the 4th instant. John Atkinson was indicted for the
offence of unlawfully taking Anne Jane Ward, a girl
under the age of sixteen, out of the custody of Jane
Bishop, who had the lawful charge of her. Miss
Jemima Bishop kept a boarding school at Ivy-house,
Appleby, where Miss Ward was placed by her parents,
her father being a gentleman of fortune residing in the
neighbourhood. The prisoner was organist of the
parish church at Appleby, and gave lessons to the young
ladies. In consequence of its coming to her knowledge
that too much familiarity was exhibited between Miss
Ward and the prisoner, Miss Bishop dismissed him from
the school. Some time after this Miss Bishop learned
that some communication had passed between the
prisoner and Miss Ward, and that Miss Ward had sent
him a locket. She therefore wrote requesting him to
return the locket, as Miss Ward had no right to give it
to him, nor ought he to have received it; that she could
attribute this act only to the childish folly of Miss
Ward, who was only twelve years of age. On a second
application the locket was returned. Soon afterwards
Miss Ward eloped in the night with Atkinson. Miss
Bishop pursued them to Gretna. On arriving at Sark
tollbar, which is the first house in Scotland, just over
the border, and which is kept by a Mr. Murray, who
performs the greater part of the runaway marriages at
Gretna, she ascertained that a young man and a young
lady, answering the description of the prisoner and her
pupil, had been there that morning, between seven and
eight o'clock, and had been married, according to the
law of Scotland, by Murray, and she saw in Murray's
register of his marriages a marriage certificate, signed
by the prisoner and Miss Ward. Miss Bishop
accompanied by a police officer, continued the pursuit, and
the runaways were apprehended at Carlisle. Miss
Ward expressed great reluctance to go back with Miss
Bishop, and said she would stay with her husband, the
prisoner, to whom she had been married. The prisoner
was then taken before a magistrate and committed to
take his trial. On searching him the following letters
were found upon him, in the handwriting of Miss
Ward:—"My dear John,—I received your lines and
fully understand what they mean and I give my consent
to all your proposals. It is a great comfort to me to
think that at last I have got your heart a little my way.
You never will find me unfaithful; so, with kind love,
believe me, yours ever affectionately, ANNIE JANE
WARD. Your note gave me such pleasure this morning
that I could not take my breakfast, I am so glad that
you have given up that formal name by which you used
to call me, my dear John." "Ivy house.—My dearest
John,—You have no idea of the joy with which I
received your letter. You asked me to say one word.
I think it will be 'yes' and you asked me to fix the day
and way of escape. I shall say next Thursday week,
and to get up in the morning and be dressed about
seven o'clock; then Bella will leave the front door off
the catch. I am to leave it open to set our tyrant off
her guard, and then to slip down the street, but I shall
leave you to fix the place we will meet, but at all events
it must be retired. You need not have had any
misgivings in laying open your heart before me. You
might have been sure I should only be too happy at your
doing so. I should have enclosed another stamp for the
one you sent, but old Crossy takes care to keep them
herself, and if I ask her for one she will know who it is
for; and now, John, when you write to Bella send
something for me, and say if you accord to my arrangement;
and now, with kindest and truest love, believe
me, ever your affectionate, sincere, and true ANNIE.
Tuesday, March 12, 1854.—I cannot safely write with
anything but pencil." "Ivy-house, Appleby.—My
dear John,—I am quite ready to join you at the place
you mentioned, and will, if it is possible, be with you
at a quarter to one on Thursday morning. I think I
will not call at your house, as I am not sure which it is,
and a mistake might not be pleasant. But I think, if I
go straight up to Battleborough, and do not linger, it
would be safer. I have a white dress, but it might
arouse suspicion; so I will just keep on my every-day
one. I shall set my watch with the real time the night
before, so I think we shall manage it nicely. You must
excuse these bad lines, for they are written very
hurriedly, and believe me to be, dear John, evtr your
affectionate and true, ANNIE. Do not tell Bella
anything about our escape, for she does not wish me to fly;
but I can get away myself." It was evident, from this
correspondence, that the medium of communication
between Miss Ward and the prisoner had been the
servant Bella. It appeared, then, that in pursuance of
the arrangement mentioned in the last letter, the
prisoner had gone to a young farmer named Brass,
whom he had persuaded to lend him his lather's shandry
and drive him and a young lady from the boarding-
school to Gretna, and that he was to be at Battleborough,
which is just out of the town of Appleby, at a quarter
past twelve o'clock on the night of the 24th of May.
He went there with his shandry, and in about three-
quarters of an hour the prisoner, accompanied by a
young lady, arrived, and he drove them on to Gretna,
where he was present at their marriage, and was with
them when they were taken into custody on their return
to Carlisle. The prisoner was found guilty, and
sentenced to be imprisoned in the county jail for nine
months. Miss Ward is said to possess £10,000 in her
own right, and it is believed that the marriage is a
valid one.

Mary Anne Brough, who Murdered her Six Children
at Esher in June last (see Household Narrative for
June, p. 132), was tried on the 9th inst. at Guildford
Assizes. She was defended on the plea of insanity.
Dr. Forbes Winslow, Dr. Daniel, and Dr. Engledue, all
expressed a belief that the murders had been committed
while the prisoner was suffering from a temporary