Star. — London, England, 1811-04-04 00:00:00

PARLUMINTAIir PROCIEJOINCL HOUSE OF LORDS, APRIL 9. Sir James Graham, Mr. Mills, and others, from the House or Commons, brought up the Militia Enlistment Bill, and several private Bills, which were laid upon the table, and afterwards read the first time. LOVEDEN't DIVORCE RILL. The House having resumed their consideration on the second reading of this Bill, Counsel were called i n , who proceeded to examine the witnesses relative to the conduct of the criminal parties. Warren Hastings delivered further testimony re specting the occurrence which took place in the study of Mr. Loveden, when the servants had agreed to excite an alarm of fire, in order to give a pretext for entering that room, which they accordingly did, when they found Mr. Barker there. Mrs. Loveden's bed room adjoined the study, where it was presumed Mr. Barker had slept the preceding night. Two female servants were next examined, and they spoke not only to the circumstances already stated, but also to the state of the bed, which ap peared as if two persons had slept there. William *Nicol, the gardener, stated his observ. ing one day the windows of the green-house shut down, he having opened them not long before. This was in 1807, when, upon throwing them up, and en tering the place, he saw Mr. Barker and Mrs. Love den concealed there, James Hooker, footman, related in his evidence, that in 1805, as he was returning home through the plantations, he saw two persons coming towards him, which induced him to go behind the shrubbery; when lie clearly perceived them to be Mr. Barker and Mrs. Loveden; Mr. Barker had his arm round her waist, and Mrs. L. had hers round his waist. He never men tioned this to any person but one of his fellow servants. Mrs. L. would frequently, in the absence of Mr. Love den, order her carriage, especially if she saw Mr. B. -riding in Hyde Park, which was sometimes the case, as Mi. Loveden's house, called Kingston-house, is in Park-lane. Once in Bond.street Mr. B. entered the carriage with Mrs. L. and they drove tt three doors from Temple-bar, where Mt's. L. alighted and went into a shop, and upon her coming out again he observed the green blinds were closed. They next drove to Hyde-Park corner, where Mr. B. got out, and seemed much confused. Mrs. L. was in the ha bit of going into shops and leaving letters there for the general post. He recollected in one instance, in the country, that he observed Mrs. L. writing for a long time, and afterwards when it was sent to the post, be took the opportunity of getting possession of it, and he opened it and read the contents. This was in Oc tober, 1808, and ix March 1809, when the discovery .was made to Mr. Loveden, of Mr. Barker's being found in the house, he delivered this letter to Mr. Price, the son of Mr. Loveden. Some questions were put by the Dukes of CLA UNCE and CUMBERLAND, as to the motives of his conduct ? The witness said, he was anxious to discover what he long had su►pected to be a criminal correspondence between Mrs. L. and Mr. Barker. Neither this nor the former witness had been called or examined in the Court before a Jury, but it did not appear why they had not been examined. Mr. Warren stated they had about seven more vitnestes, but he did not know how they clme to be absent, he should therefore request the indulgence of further time. _ _ The LORD CHANCELLOR suggested that it would be the best way at present to adjourn the fur ther consideration pro forma to Wednesday next, when the Counsel would have time to fix a day . after the recess, convenient to them and the House.—Ordered accordingly. MILITIA ENLISTMENT BILL. The Militia Enlistment Bill, after being read the first time, was ordered to be printed, and to be read the second time on Friday. Lord HOLLAND said, there was an importaut li bill of his Noble Friend's (Grosvenor) fixed already for Friday and therefore he trusted, if this Militia Bill should be read the second time that day, the dis aussion on his Noble Friend's Bill would have the House, There was no rule in their Lordships' House, but he wished this to be understood, and therefore he thought it his duty to name it on the pre dent occasion. The Earl of ROSSLYN viewed this Militia Bill as one of such great importance, that he trusted tht• Noble Secretary (Earl of Liverpool) not present would have no objection to postpone the second reading to a more distant and more convenient day than Friday. Lord WALSING HAM suggested an arrangement slight be made to.morow, when the Noble Secretary would be in his place.—Adjourned till to-morrow. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The Report of the Committee upon the Duties upon Timber wu brought up, the Resolutions read and agreed to, and a Bdi ordered accordingly. The Aberdeen Harbour improvement Bill was read a third time, and passed. A Message from the Lords informed the House, that their I.ordships had agreed to the General Indemnity Bill, and the Mi litary Commissioners Bill. Mr. Irvine, from the Customs, presented an Account of the quantity of Wines imported, and the Duty payable thereon, for the year 1810.—Ordered to be laid on the table. Mr. ROSE obtained leave t• bring in a Bill to amend the 42d of the King, to prevent Deer-stealing. He soon afterwards brought in the Bill, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time to-morrow. Mr. JOHN smisru gave notice, that be would to-morrow nave for certain returns of Accounts under the Irish Tontine Act. TAUNTON'S DIVORCE BILL. The House wear into a Committee upon this Bill, and heard Mr. Dampier and Wiz'"easel. Upon the House resuming, the Rtport was ordered to be received. WEILD OF KENT CANAL BILL. BirTHOMASJONESerpressed hintsel f rather hoita tile to the Bill, and therefore approved of the proposed postponement, as the most proper course for hearing the petition. Sir EDWARD KNATCHBULL agreed to vote for the amendment, since he was now convinced it was not for the purpose of getting quit of the Bill by a side wind. It was at length agreed that the second reading should be postponed to Tuesday the 23d instant. THATCHAM INCLOSURE BILL. Mr. CHARLES DUNDAS moved the second reading of this Bill. Mr. THOMPSON spoke against the Bill, and moved an amendment, that it be read a second time this day six months." Mr. CURWEN supported the Bill ; as did also Sir JAMES GRAHAM, and, as we understood, Mr. ,GEORGE VANSITTART. Mr. PETER MOORE supported the Amendment. A division took place, when there appeared—ln favour of the Bill 36—Against it 21—Majority 15. During our exclusion, we understood that tbe Bill had been read a second time, and ordered to be com mitted. Upon the motion that this Bill be lead a 2d time, Sir EDWARD KNATCHBULL said, he had been requested, by certain persons interested in this canal, to present a petition to alter the line of its course, but he saw nothing in that petition to prevent the House proceeding to the second reading, and going into a Committee. Mr. CALCRAFT expressed his wish that the se cond reading should be postponed till the petition should be presented and considered ; he therefore pro posed, as an amendment, that the second reading be postponed to the 22d of April. Mr. LUSHINGTON thought that the wisest course would be to read the Bill a second time this day, and allow the petition to be considered in the Committee, or appoint a Special Committee fur that purpose. Mr. W ILL 1 AMS WYNNE spoke in favour of the amendment. w s -.:;..:~~ bLn keli.i r. Yesterday the sessions commenced before the Rea 00IWZR of London,LordChiefJustlceELLlMOßOVCll4 9 and Mr. Justice BAILEY. The first prisoners brought forward for trial were' Davatisort Wiry and Charles GaGrid Cathruur Merl* commonly called Baron Kieruy indicted, together with Edward Meyer (who has fled from justice) for a felony, in stealing bills of exchange to a considerable amount from the Marquis of Headfort. The indittment was stated by Mr. Cunwoon. Mr. Atte; in stating the case for the proseention v observed, that the Marquis of Headfort, the prosecu tor for the Crown in this case, is a Nobleman of rank in Ireland, and that he has extensive-estates in that country; that his Lordship, within the last year or two, was occasionally in want of large sums of mo ney ; and rather than be obliged to trouble his friends `or immediate connections by application to them for, loans, he chose to make application to those who were in the practice of procuring such loans for pecuniary ; consideration. He in consequence had dealings with some of those persons who frequently advertise to ac commodate Noblemen and Gentlemen in want of money ; and an offer was made to procure money upon his acceptances, and by thus getting his negoci able securities in their hands, to commit the grossest frauds upon him. In the month of October, 1809, the prisoner Sedley communicated to a man named Walker, who would give his testimony for the prose. cution in this case, that he knew the Marquis, the ex tent of his fortune, and his perfect competence to pay any securities into which he might enter ; and be tween them they resolved to send his Lordship a let ter, offering their service to procure any money he wanted, upon his acceptances. Both Sedley and Walker, so far from being able to advance loans of money at the time, were actually paupers, and priso ners within the rules of the Fleet ; and Walker espe cially, in so ragged and tattered a state, that he could not venture to appear to the Marquis in the character it was proposed he should assume. In this dilemma, Sedley requested of Walker to apply to some person of his acquaintance out of prison, to al. low of letters to be received for him at his house, and others sent from thence, without incurring a charge of forgery ; and Walker did in consequence prevail on a person of his own name, having a house in Ro bert-street, Bedford-row, to allow of letters to be da ted from there, and others received on his account.— Sedley then writes a letter to the Marquis, which Walker copies, and sends to the Marquis, in which he states, that if his Lordship is under any difficulties to raise money, he would undertake to procure for him 50 or £60,000 upon his securities ; and if necessary, for present exigency, to oblige him with an advance on his acceptances of 8, 10, or £12,000; bat at the same time enjoining the Marquis to the profoundest secrecy do money matters, and requesting the matter might be unknown to any person but his Lordship and the writer, until the Marquis should return to Eng land. This letter was sent to the Marquis's town re sidence. He was in Ireland at the time he received this letter ; and, on his return, he was not surprised, that a knowledge of his pecuniary embarrassments should have reached the writer. He therefore answer ed the letter, and desired a personal interview ; but Walker was itisuch a state of rags and wretchedness, that he could not appear ; and yet those wealthy gen. tlemen, who were so ready to procure for the Mar quis of Headfort £60,000, could not, amongst them, raise money enough to purchase a suit of clothes in which to dress their chosen actor for the purpose of playing his part at the proposed interview, and there fore another person was chosen, whose name, in cha rity, lie would not mention, because his evidence this day might be adduced in further exposing the machi nations of this foul and fraudulent conspiracy. Uponl some further consultation, it was agreed that Walker had bluivn up the plot, and another person, named a Mr. Edward Meyer, a Count by titular assumption, was chosen at the recommendation of Mr. Sedley, and a second letter was sent to the Marquis from Meyer, j proposing to lend the money. In this letter Meyer recurs to the accommodation proposed by Richard Walker—offered, as he states, I to the mercantile house in which he is a partner, but as his partners have rejected the business as out of the way of their concerns, he (Meyer) states, that having solely taken, on his own private account, a business wholly unconcerned with his partners' export . trade, he is, if his Lordship stands in need, ready to accommodate Lim with 6 or £B,OOO for four or six months ; after which time he would renew the secu rities for four or 'lx months longer ; and do the like again, if it should n;,,: be perfectly convenient for his ' Lordship to pay the money. This letter is dated the 14th of December, 1609, from 21, Little St. Thomas Apostle ; the very counting-house, which, as he was ready to prove on the testimony of the widow from whom it was rented, had been taken by the priso.l ner Kierulff, and the rent paid by Sedley, both of whom were frequently there together. This letter also enjoins profound secrecy : it appears to be copied in the hand-writing of John Sedley, the son of the prisoner and the original draft, in the prisoner's own hand, is found amongst his papers, on his apprehen sion ; so loosely and incautiously will such persons sometimes act, when wrapt up in an imaginary secu rity from all discovery. The Marquis, in conse quence, agrees to an interview. Mr. Walker's ab sence is accounted for, by a statement, that he is in the country, confined with- the gout. The Count Meyer comes to the Marquis elegantly dressed, and, being a man of specious address, found no difficulty in imposing on the credulity of the Noble Marquis ; nor would, perhaps, on the discernment of persons much more acute and conversant with the practices •of such persons. The Marquis asked Meyer how he proposed to accommodate him ? and Meyer answered Monday morning, about nine o'clock, the remains by purchasing merchandises for the securities, and of the late Turkish Ambassador were interred in the then turning them into money. The Noble Marquis, burial ground of St. Pancras. The procession con- however, decidedly objects to this mode, and to sisted of a hearse, containing the body, covered with every thing like having securities brought into the white satin, followed by his Excellency's private car- mercantile market ; but insists, that whatever was riage and two mourning -coaches, in which were the the amount received, must be in money. Upon this priest and the late Ambassador's attendants. Upon Count Meyer took his departure ; but on the very arrising at the ground, the body was taken out of the next day the Marquis receives another letter, the con shell which contained it, wrapped in rich robes, and tents of, and the circumstances connected with dropped into the grave ; and immediately after, a which, it would be of the utmost importance for the large stone, nearly the size of the body, was laid upon Jury to attend to ; because it would develope a sort it ; and after someother Mahometan ceremonies had of bye-plot, still deeper than any stratagem hitherto been gone through, the attendants left the groom!. practised; and under the pretence of personal know. The procession, on its way to the church-yard, aid- ledge of and respect for the Marquis, to guard loped nearly all the way. - hira against imposition, by a manceuvre, which war - obviously and insidiously calculated to lull all his suspicions, and to lure him into the irery,trap against which it pretended to guard him. This letter was signed by the name of a person calling liimszlf O'Brien, and pretending to be a wealthy merchant. It is not addressed to the Marquis, but to a Lady then in his house, who, it was naturally supposed, would communicate its contents to his Lordship.—lt professed an intimate knowledge of his Lordship's family, and his property; it states a knowledge of Meyer having visited his Lordship, and cautions him against any monet transactions with Meyer, whom it states to be an artful usurer, exuemely rapacious, and who had amassed an immense fortune by usuri- . ous transactions, and who would exact the exbrbitant terms of 8 per cent. It stated, that this Meyer had advanced in this way large sums to certain branches of the Royal Family, and in particular £50,000 to the Prince of Wales ; that his moie of neguciating securities was by pretended purchases cf merchan dise, of which he ustudly made fictitious sales to his clerks, at a pretended loss of 8 per cent. and charg ing the loss to the borrower ; thus artfullf pretending to guard his Lordship against usurious extortions, to which he knew he must submit, while it insinuated that Meyer was a man of immense wealth, who bad the means in his power of accommodating his Lord ship in all events, and thus lulled all suspicion of in security in trusting him with his acceptances. The draft of this letter was found amongst Sedley's pa pers, and the letter sent to the Marquis is in the hand writing of his son John. Immediately after this comes a letter from the same counting-house, signed by the name of Edward Meyer, dated 20th December 1809, purporting that he could now purchase, on very low terms, a quantity of port wine, very good, at four l and six months credit, which he could sell in a few days again at risk ; and if his Lordship would allow him to draw upon him for £3,000, one-half at four end the other at six months, he would purchase the wines, and his Lordship might draw upon hhn for £2,800 at 21 days, which would give him time to put the wines again into his own stores, and sell them again to the trade without giving the business the ap pearance of a money tramaction • and as soon as his own acceptances were paid,he would shew the account, and settle the balance to his Lordship's satisfaction. This also was John Sedley's hand-writing, and so little disguised, that on the slightest examination it might have been discovered to be the same hand with that signed O'Brien. This was followed by a series of other letters, signed by Meyer's name, and written by young Sedley ; which ended in the obtain ment from his Lordship of the Bills in question, to u the amount of £5,000. A day or two-after those Bills were passed, a letter comes to the Marquis, by G. Kierulff, dated from No. 4, Panton square, Ja nuary 13, 1810 ; in which the writer states, that he has received from Edward Meyer his Lordship's ac ceptance for £5OO, which he very much wished to convert into two Bills, and he drew and inclosed two for his Lordship's acceptance at 6 months, the one for £3OO, the other for £2OO, and saying, that on Monday afternoon following, on receiving those Bills accepted from his Lordship's porter, he should leave with him what he held. The letter concludes with this remarkable paragraph, that when the bills be came due,he should, if require I, renew them according to Mr. Meyer's engagement with his Lordship.—He received the two drafts as he requested. Kierulff,hnw ever, had denied all connection with Sedley sr Meyer. Here Lord ELLENZPROUGII interposed. His Lord ship said, he had no doubt of the correctness of the statement, but still from the whole it did not appear there was any fact to sustain the charge. of a felonious taking against eitherof the prisoners—and if even the fact of felonious taking had been proved against Meyer if he were present, the most that could attach upon the other prisoners was, as accessaries, or as receiv ing the property, knowing it to be stolen—but the charge in this latter case was obviated by the circum stances of exchanging the bills with Lord Headfort, upon whom, no doubt, a most grievous fraud had ,been effected. But - the Court were now met to decide upon a charge of felony, which could not in his Lord. ship's opinion be • sustained upon the circumsances stated. What force those circumstances might have, if proved upon trial for a fraudulent conspiracy, was quite another affair—but that case was not row be fore the Court ; therefore, although the Court would not now give any opinion as to what might have been the result of another and a different form of procee ding, the felonious stealing charged now could not be sustained by the circumstances detailed by the Learned Counsel. Mr. ALLEY, with great deference, stated, - that the impression on his mind had been, that constructive guilt of conspiracy and combination could be brought home in this case as well as in that of libel or bur. glary ; where, although the party accused is not guilty of actually breaking open the house, yet, if it shall appear to have been broken open by his procu ration or stratagem, it is as much his guilt as if he actually forced the doors. Lord Ecureaottouou admitted this ,principle with regard to felony—for, whether the party charged was waiting at a distance from the remainder of has gang, or whether by tapping at a door he induced the mas. ter inside to open it, and thereby procured entrance with aielonious intention, the guilt was the same as if forced open by himself; but constructive proof could not be admitted to prove a felony under the pre sent circumstances, although it might be an act of tres pass—beside, the exchange of the bills put the charge of felony out of th e case „ with regard to Kierullif ; for his having any lien or property in the bills for one moment obviated all charge as to his felony, what. i ever might be the effect of those circumstances it proved under another form of proceeding. Mr. ALLEY then proceeded to state another part of the transaction, which he termed still more at ocious than all the rest,•and calculated, when Lord Hesd fin't refused, by the advice of his friends, the pay. ment of those bills out of which he had keen defraud. ed, to terrify him into the payment by one of the most abominable insinuations ever devised for such a purpose A letter to Lord Headfort, signed by a person subscribing himself John Yeates, stated, that some friends of his held three of his Lordship's hills for (.1 500, drawn upon him by Edward Meyer, which they,very much wished to.get rid of, baying lately discovered that Meyer was a person notorious for propensities the most unnatural and abominable, and had been twice punished under the sentence of the law for unnatural crimes. It stated,. thatahe writer and his friend were wellsatisied that hisLcrd- 1 PARLIAMENTARY REFORM. Mr. BRAND presented a Petition from certain Freeholders and Inhabitants of the County of Hert ford, in favour of Parliamentary Reform, which w,;s read by the Clerk, and ordered to be laid on the table. Mr. BRAND took that opportunity of giving no tice, that he intended, soon atter the Recess, to sub mit a Motion to the House upon this subject. DWELLING-HOUSE ROBBER? BILL. Upon the motion that the Report of this Bill be brought up Mr. FRANKLAND again %hewed his opposition to it, and complained that it should be now reported in such a thin House, when there was an understand ing that an Amendment formerly suggested should not be discussed in the Committee. H• felt a great anxiety that it should be postponed, on account of the absence of Magistrates and practical Gentlemen. He suggested that there were not forty Members in the House. Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY, in support of his mo tion, stated that there was no such understanding in the Committee as that alluded to by the Honourable Gentleman, and thought that any Amendment he had to propose could be as well discussed upon the third reading. Mr. FRANKLAND persisted in proposing that =he House should be counted. Strangers were accordingly ordered to withdraw ; And the }louse being counted, there were only found to be 19 Members present, so that no further business could be proceeded in. The other Orders of course stand over for to-morrow.—Adjourned. THE PRINCE REGENT. We copy the following anecdote of the PRINCE RE GENT from the Morning Chronicle of this day, in which it is given as from a correspondent of known respect : 14 Last week the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER submitted to his Royal Highness a military arrange ment, in consequence of the death of Lord CARDIGAN, to w'iich he trusted to be honoured with the PRINCE REGENT'S approbation. " Earl HANcouar to be Governor of Windsor Castle, in the room of the Earl of CARDIGAN, deceased. " General CHABLIS CRAUFURD, to be Governor of the Military College, at Marlow, in the room of Earl HARCOURT. N The PRINCE REGENT signified his entire acqui escence in the appointment of Earl HARCOURT to Windsor Castle; he knew it would be perfectly agree able to his MAJESTY ; and he had reason to believe that he had designed him to be the successor of the Earl of CARDIGAN. " The PRINCE also expressed the high respect which he entertained for the talents and services of General CitauvUßD.—He had high claims on the gratitude of his Country; and the Country had not been unmindful of his claims. His Royal Highness said, that to the best of his recollection, General CISAUFURD had a pen sion of ,el2OO a-year on his own life, and that of the Duchess his wife. He had a regiment of Dragoon Guards, and he was the Lieutenant Governor of Tyne. Imouth—bringing him altogether above £5OOO a-year ; and therefore he must hesitate in adding to these ap pointments, while so many otker gallant Officers had not an equal provision. " Mr. PeRCEVAL strongly urged the General's high merits— and besides begged leave respectfully to state to his Royal Highness, that his claims were power fully seconded by his son-in-law, the Duke of NEw- CisTLE—whose support in Parliament was most essential to his Majesty': Administration ;—perhaps nuns of more consequence to them than that of any other Individual. " The PRINCE REGENT, in answer to this argument, made a declaration to the following purport—" Sir, did not expect such a reason to be assigned ; but I am not sorry that it is so in an instance like the pre sent, when it enables me to make known my resolution without disparagement to the gallant Officer in ques tion. I repeat that I have a high respect for his me. rits, which have met their reward ; but I must tell you, once for all, that I never can nor will ccalserit to bestow any place or appointment meant to be an asylum or reward for the toils and services of our gallant soldiers and seamen, on any person upon ac count of Parliamentary connection, or in return for Parliamentary votes. This is my fixed determination I L and I trust I shall never again be solicited in the same way." " The Minister bowed and took his leave. It is not true, therefore, that General CRAUELTRD is appointed Governor of the Military College at Marlow." l'