The Sydney Morning Herald, Sat 10 Aug 1878 1
CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
The Central Criminal Court opens next Monday, at Darlinghurst, before Mr Justice Faucett, with the following, calendar:—William Stanley, Joseph Leader, and Henry Fuller, breaking, and entering in a warehouse; Larrigo and Mickey, murder of one Billy on 6th February last; Richard Adderley Kearney, bigamy; James Cooke, attempt to commit sodomy; Edward Llandover Hall, forgery and uttering—prisoner is also charged with attempting to obtain money by false pretences; Patrick Maloney, murder of one Patrick Holland on May 26; William Thomas Asprey, unnatural offence; John Hughes, Andrew Murphy, and Emma Brown, robbery with violence; Donald Gray, rape; John Anderson, obtaining money by false pretences; George Smith alias Henry Galvin, burglary and larceny; Margaret Gardiner, bigamy; Joseph Lincoln, indecent assault; Joseph Windeyer, alias Cooper, murder of Emma Gilbert on June 30; William Copeman, alias Todham, alias Thompson, garotting; Charles E Heind, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm; James Baker, William Rose, and Mary Burns, stealing; Robert Davis, garotting; Michael Finn, garotting and robbery; Mary Ann Merryweather, William Lane, Andrew McDonald, and Caroline McDonald, conspiracy to defraud; George Edwin Jelly, stealing in a dwelling—seven charges; John Robert Morrow, fraudulently applying money received by virtue of employment in the public service’ Patrick Brown, manslaughter of Ann Brown on July 8.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Evening News, Sat 13 Jul 1878 2
INCREASE OF CRIME IN SYDNEY.
————
Extraordinary Heavy Calendar —
Results of Light Sentences.
THE increase of crime in Sydney, as represented in the committals, has been truly extraordinary during the last few months. We give a list below of the committals since the last Court of Quarter Sessions, and by the time of the next sittings on the 31st instant, it is possible the number of cases for trial will be a third more. The opinion of the public is that the sentences hitherto have been too light, and have not acted as a deterrent. This is a serious matter for the Bench to consider. The list will show that robbery with violence continues, and that larceny is greatly on the increase. The cases are as follow:—
William Quinn, assault with intent to rob; Hippolyte Baron, larceny and receiving; John Daley, attempt to stab and assaulting a constable; Edward Edwards, larceny and receiving; Thomas Burgis, inflicting grievious bodily harm; Annie Smith, stealing from the person; Henry Hunter, alias Williams, alias Johnston, obtaining money by false pretences; John Leipser, larceny and receiving; Samuel Selby, stealing from the person; Edward J Hall, forgery and uttering; Christopher Cain, keeping a bad house; Richard McMahon and John Reilly, stealing from the person; Ellen Trendall, illegally pawning; Walter Green, illegally pawning; Frank Bourke, and John Clancy, stealing in a dwelling; Mary Farmer, inflicting grievous bodily harm; Alfred Orchard, obtaining goods under false pretences; Andrew Stuart and Thomas Davis Careeny, larceny and receiving; Samuel James Smith, alias Ingram, two charges of larceny; John Jackson, stealing from the person; George Chambers and Thomas James, stealing from the person; John McCarty, Michael Reynolds and Patrick Macguire, larceny; Jimmy Strong, larceny; Richard and Eliabeth Stewart, keeping a bad house; William Watkins, attempt to commit suicide; Michael Sullivan, two charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm; William Quinn, larceny; William Jeffrey, larceny; Thomas J Moore, feloniously wounding; Mary Hill, obtaining money by false pretences; Susan Brennan, inflicting grievous bodily harm; James Hooper, attempt to commit suicide; Albert Davis, Thomas Johnston, and Bella Greenfield, robbery with violence; David Cleary, inflicting grievous bodily harm; John Ryan, stealing from the person; Elizabeth Staunton and Alice Leburn, stealing from the person; William Knight and Hugh Connell, assault with intent to rob; John Darley, feloniously wounding; Mary Hill, uttering a forged promissory note; John Donnelly, larceny; Henry Moore and George Hutchinson, alias Scotty, larceny; John Henry Hairison and Christopher Clifford, two charges of larceny; James Walbrook, larceny; Elizabeth McGregor, stealing in a dwelling; John Morgan, two charges of larceny; Charles A Galley, larceny; Robert Adams, uttering a forged promissory note; James Bourne, John Henry Harrison, and George Binks, larceny; William Thompson, stealing in a dwelling; Margaret Owen, larceny; Thomas Lynch, stealing from the person.
As to the Criminal Court, the following cases are set down for trial on August 12:—William Stanley, Joseph Lander, and Henry fuller, for breaking, entering, and stealing in a warehouse; Larrigo and Mickey, murder of one Billy Richard; Adderley Kearney, bigamy; James Cooke, attempt to commit an unnatural offence; Edward Llandover Hall, forgery and uttering, and another charge of attempting to obtain money under false pretences; Patrick Maloney, murder of Patrick Holland; William Thomas Asprey, unnatural offence; John Hughes, Andrew Murphy, and Emma Brown, robbery in company with violence; Donald Grey, rape; James John Anderson, obtaining money by false pretences; George Smith, alias Henry Galvin, burglary and larceny; Margaret Gardener, bigamy.
There are other committals in which however the Attorney-General has not yet decided whether a bill shall be filed or not.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 13 Aug 1878 3
CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
Monday.
(Before his Honor Mr Justice Faucett.)
The sittings opened yesterday morning, the Attorney-General and Mr Manning prosecuted on behalf of the Crown.
…
GRIEVOUS BODILY HARM.
William Thomas Asprey, committed by the Bombala Bench on a charge of committing grievous bodily harm on the 12th May last, pleaded not guilty. The case was postponed to allow counsel to be arranged for the prisoner.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 14 Aug 1878 4
CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
Tuesday.
(Before his Honor Mr Justice Faucett.)
…
UNNATURAL OFFENCE.
William Thomas Osprey [aka William Thomas Asprey], a boy aged 16 years, charged with committing a criminal offence [bestiality] at Bombala, on the 12th May last, was acquitted by the jury.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Australian Town and Country Journal, Sat 17 Aug 1878 5
CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.—The Central Criminal Court opened at Darlinghurst, on Monday last, before his Honor Mr Justice Faucett. There was a heavy calendar, which has been slightly augmented since the list of cases was framed. Up to Thursday evening, the following convictions have taken place:—
…
William Thomas Asprey, of Bombala, and James Cook, of Sydney, both accused of capital crimes, were acquitted; as also Donald Gray, charged with having committed a capital offence on a girl. The other acquittals were Larrigo and Mickey, two aboriginals, charged with the murder of another blackfellow named Billy at South Grafton.
1 The Sydney Morning Herald, Sat 10 Aug 1878, p. 3. Emphasis added.
2 Evening News, (Sydney, Sat 13 Jul 1878, p. 5. Emphasis added.
3 The Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 13 Aug 1878, p. 3.
4 The Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 14 Aug 1878, p. 6.
5 Australian Town and Country Journal, (Sydney, NSW), Sat 17 Aug 1878, p. 324. Emphasis added.