The National Register. — London, England, 1823-03-23 00:00:00

jl -4 LAW INTELLIGENCE. (ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. COURT OP CHANCERY. TVEaDAY, Staiten IS. LORD PORTSMOUTH. Mr. Hart, in rising to bring thin subject before the Covet, said, " There is a petition in the matter of Lord Portsmouth, which your Lordship was pleased to order to come on this day. The petition, my Lord, is that of Walter Skirrow, Esq. and prays that the rare and custody of Lord Portsmouth might be entrusted to Joseph Draper Coombe, Esq. as provisional Com mittee, uutil a permanent committee was eppointi.cl ; and in the event of his Lordship's being pleased not to grant the prayer of the petition, then that some (Aber Version might be appOinted, in order to secure the comfort and happiness of the Noble Loril." The petition also preyed that Mr. Skirrow might be at liberty to pay over certain sums of money, out of the fund then in his hands, for the maintenance of his lordship. The lord Chancellor, after some prefatory remarks, said— " Let my Lord Portsmouth be removed by Mr. Coombe to lurstbourne. Let the greaten care-be taken of him ; and if there is any disturbance likely to be made, let the application be made to the Court." His Lordship declined making any order as to costs, but said, that if Mr. Skirrow advanced any reasonable SUM for the maintenance of his Lordship the court -would take carb he should not suffer. MEM'. Matostone, FRIDAY, MARCH el.---MURDIR OP • Ma. SMITH, OP LEWISHA/4.—John Coleman was in dicted for the wilful murder of Mr. John Smith, at • Lewisham, on the nil of December last, by shooting hint with pistol loaded with powder and a leaden bolo. 'This case excited very general interest, and lasted the greater part of the day. It will he recollected, that in the morning after Mr. Smith was wounded, a carpenter's stock and centre bit were picked up under the window at which he was wounded. This implement was traced to the possession - of the prisoner, and was one of several carpenters' toils stolen front Mr.l3utkland, a cartentter at Deptford.— When the prisoner was apprehended he made a state. latent of facts, Many of which were tiow contradicted.— The prisoner was folly committed for trial oat the Gth of January. On the Bth the magistrates at Greenwich re ceived j letter front the pi isoner, requesting the presence . of one of thins at the gaol to hear sonic statement lie bad to make. Accordingly Colonel Forman and Mr: Bicknell, the magistrate's clerk, went down to Maid stone gaol oit the uth, and saw the prisoner, when he proposed to make a declaration respecting the murder.— lie was distinctly told over and over again, that no statement he could make could avail him to defeat the course of justice. Ile then said he hoped his statement would entitle hint to the Royal mercy, and that he would be adintited as an accuser against his accomplices. Attain he was distinctly told, that he hail been commit ted upon a chain of evidence 'which satisfied the minds of the magistrates, and that any statement he should then make would be received against him. Notwith standing this warning, lie made a full conlession that he was one of a party of live or six men• that attacked Mr. Smith's house on the night in question, fur the purpose 0, robbing it, that lie hail used the centre-bit above meutiontal. In the party were two nephews of the de ceased, and one of them was the person who acotaily discharged the pistol which effected the murder. It ap peared that 100/. each had been offered fur the apprehen sion and conviction of any of the offendera implicated in this diabolical traasaction, by the friends of the de ceased, die Blackheath Association, and the parish of Lewisham. On the 4th of dal, a proclamation was 'MIAOW(' in the London Gazette, reciting the circum stances of the murder,that rewards to the•antount of awl. had been offered, and then promising the King's pardon . to any of the parties concerned in the offence, who should give evidence against any of his accomplices, ex cept the hand that actually fired the gun. Mr. Andrews, for the prisoner, contended that the statement made by the prisoner iu gaol was not admissi ble in evidevee against him, and must be considered as protected by the King'a proclamation referred to. Mr. A dolplots answered the objection by saying, that the statement was made, amtwithstandtaig the repeated caution that it would not avail him, and consequently could not be affected by the King's ?decimation. Mr. Baron Graham said he should admit the evidence, but in a case of this description he should hereafter deli berate with other authorities on the point, and if the result should he fasourable to the prisoner he should have the benefit of it. The prisoner said nothing in his defence. The learned Judge summed up the evidence, and the the Jury found the prisoner—Guilty—Death. The sen tence was respited for the present. STAFFORD NISI PRIUS COURT. CLAIM' TO THE BARONY OF STAFFORD.—AIR GEORGE JERNINGHAM, DART., V. BEECH. This was an action of trover by Sir Geo.,Jerningliam, the proprietor of Stafford Castle, and of huge estates in Its vicinity, against the defendant, a timber merchant, in the borough of Stafford, to accuser the value of an ash tier and two alders, his property. which had been wrong fully converted to the defendant's use. The following are the circumstances out of which this action arose :—ln December last, a person, calling him self the Hon. James Stamp Sutton Cooke, arrived in Stafford, and laid claim to the estates on which Sir Geos ge Jerningliam and his predecessors have been in possession fur inure titan a century, on belie!, of his brother, to whom he gave the title of Lord Staff:rd. He sour hire rested a number of the populace in his cause by, the boldness of his measures and the liberality of his promises. Ile appointed gamekeepers to the manor of Forebridge. in winch Stafford Castle is situate, and by a miunctscre obtained a few hours' possession of the castle itself, which Is usually open to the inspection of the curious. Notices were to lite leahislis of Sir Grer2e Jerninglians, re tlit•s to pay their rents otly to I:04e, the 4tithht:ecti agent of litA brother, and threatening them nub ch.:fess: sin Mc tluy should tt•fus:: Ise comply. Ls THE NATIONAL REGlgnil order to induce them to attorti to the new claimant,l were offered them at tow rents, on the payment of a pre mium, and a day appointed to receive the rents ill aricar, half of which only were required in consequence of the pressure of the times. 011 these representations, some of the tenants actually made payments, and receipts were given them for the sums. In the mean time, Mr. Cooke prooeeded to employ men to fell timber on several parts of the domain, which they did, attended by a rabble, and in the whole felted between 70 and SO trees. Although a hand-bill was issued, and served on all timber dealers in Stafford, slot to purchase any of these trees, the defendant amid others !semiotic possessed of some of them, and obsti nately detained them from the owner. The defendant in this action was one of the persons who were thins delnded. It was waved that two alder trees and one ash tier., cut on the lauds of Sir George Jerisinghans on the 14th of January in this year, were conveyed to his premises, and that lie refused to deliver them up when demanded by the agents of Sir G. jeniing ham. The value of the trees was proved to be 21. 15s. The learned Judge, in his charge to the Jury, expressed his strong reprobation of these proceedings. To try a chain, of right, it would lie eeough to cut a twig or lake • away a clod of earth; and theiefoie this apt. in of depre dation mud violence was einitely without excuse. • 'flue Duly doubt its the ease was, whether the conduct of the defendant did not amount to felony; to this point the evidence did not quite come, but it was extremely neat it. It was tight the people of this town should be aware, that if trees were wrongtielly severed one day, without a shadow of excuse, and taken away the next, the patties who lent themselves to such a taking would have to au swer as felons in another Court. The Jury found a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages, 21. 15s. lam! V. BARNETT. This was also an action of trover by Sir G. Jernlngliam, to recover the value of trees felled under the same cir cumstances as those which gave r ise to the last cause. The Jury found a verdict. for the plaintiff—Damages, 71. 7s. IN THE COURT OF THE SHERIFF OF STAFFORD. SIR GEORGE JERNINGIIAM, BART., V. JAMES STAMP SUTTON COOKE. This was an action of trespa►s brought against Mr. Cooke himself, for the dam Age committed by his orders, in cutting down trees of Sir George Jet ' ghouls. In this case, the defendant did noePleird, hut antlered judgment by default, and the present inquiry was held to assess the damages. It was proved that 74 trees in the whole were felled on seven different farms in the occupation of Sir George Jer ll ill gbant's tenants. 01' these, five only had not been recovered ; but the -damage beyond the value of these arose from the cutting of trees unfit for feiling e from the improper manner iu which the trees were cm; and from the expenses incurred in bringing back the trees trona the rations places to which they had been conveyed. On one occasion the defendant was she wit to be present, and giving money to the workmen who performed their office in the midst of the ralilde. I'lte whole attic damage was estimattd at 341. I. Mr. Caldwell, who acted AN assessor to the Sheriff, left the Jury to say whether th.a acts complained of were sufficiently shown to be the acts of Mr. Cooke, mid to what extent the plaintiff had sustained injury. The Jury assessed the damages at 341. 154. 341. SECKERSoN V. SIA4I.Ev, CRANK, AND sMITR. • The plaintiff in this ease is a solicitui resoling near Stafford, and agent to Sir George Jer • ;ham, of whom he hulls it considerable tarm. Ouf the 1 tilhuf Jamul . ) , last, while he was absent limn home at the sessions, the three detendanta, who arc labourers in Stafford, entered his house under preteece of dfdraining ter 1,0001. arrears of I CHI, due to " Lord Stafford." • They began to take an inyeitiogy of the goods, but were put out by the servant, of the plaintif f . At four in the afternoon they retnriteds attended by a crowd of people, and attempted to gain admission to the house, but bound the doors locked and barred, to prevent their entrance. They then made their way to the stables and back yard, where they began to take an inventory of the goads, butt were expelled by the constable, Niter considerably alarming Mrs. Seckerso g and die family. On die following day, while Mr. Seeker sun was at the sessions, they came again, end the front dour having been opened to admit Mrs. Williams, widow oldie late Mr. Sergeant Williams, who came to visit Mrs. SeckeillUll, they entered, passed through the parlour into the kitchen, and begin] again to make a catalogue of the goods. They were again expelled; and, in consequence of their bits usions, the duels were barricadoed for several days. The Jnry assessed the damages at 201. alit °BURGE JSRNINGHAM, BART., V. DEAKIN. This was an action of trespass against the defeigalent, who is a gunsmith at Stafford, for beating the covers of Sir Geo. Jerniughanes pi esti yes for game. It appeated that he had done so on eight several days. It was tinder stood, but did not appear in evidenye, that the defendant was tale of the persons appointed as gamekeeper by Mr. Cooke. The Jury assessed the damages at 51. . ROBINS v. CRUTCHLEY. This was an action by a tenant of Sir G. Jerningham, on • whose lands timber bail been cut, against the defendant, who hod forcibly entered his close to lake it away. The Jury assessed the damages at 20s. DORCHESTER ASSIZES. norBSBRY AT MILTON ANBEY.—']'humus DONSIfh and Thomas Harvey were charged with having eutered the dwelling house of Lady Careline Darner, at Milton Abbey, and t testing au immeuse quantity of silver plate, amongst which were I -21 i silver plates,five large silver find baskets, ten dishes, IIN spoons, arid 4,000 ounces of plate, of a miscellaneous description. William Harvey, one of her ladyship's lootinen, was charged as au accessory before the fact. 'rite evidence for the prosecution having been gone. through, the Jury deliberated a few minutes, when they returned a verdict, finding Thomas Harvey and Dossiter guilty of the burglary, and William Harvey guilty as ac cessory before the fact. After a solemn pause, Mr. Baron Hullock put on the black cap for the hut time. His feelings were so power ful, that it was with difficulty lie addressed the prisoners. —The learned Judge passed the sentence of death upon the in ibUtlCrs in u Manlier which did not leave a dry eye in the Coon t. Harvey, at the Claleillg la, tell down and was curried nut senseless, Thos. Harvey was tonewltot aft( cittl, but it,oitet vras WIMUYej. - _: - ..:o+~r . -.-, POLICE. '-- GUILDBAIab. THURSDAY, MARCH 20.—Public indignation was strongly excited this morning against a fellow named W. Smith, who was stopped with a can on Holborn Hill, containing four dead bodies—together with all the implements ured by body snatchers in violating the bodies of the dead. At twelve o'cloeit the prisoner was brought to the Justice Room in a hackney coach, followed by the enraged multitude, who would have inflicted summary punishment upon him had he not been protected front their fury by the ollicers. Shortly afterwards Alderman Cox arrived, and the examination of the witnesses was gone into. Bany, a watchman of St. Andrew, Holborn. stated, that aboot six o'clock this morning, he was going off duty with another watchman, named Gammage, whets a young man, dressed like a butcher, came up and told him Mete was a small cart with a black horse, consiws down the bill, and he suspected it contained something it ought not, and advised him to keep his eye on it.— Witness told him he would, and the young man went away. Witness hastened to the watch house, and com municated what had been told hint to' Mr. Fruits, the beadle, who was then discharging the men, and he (witness) and the other watchman, Canon:age, went after the cart, and brought it back, together with the prisoner, to the watch house. Gamtnage, the other watchman, said he went with the last witness and Mr. Freda after the cart, which by this time had got as far as Shoe Lane; he called to the 'insulter to stop, but he drove on at a quicker rate, and witness ran after it, and pulled the prisoner from his seat, and took him back to the watch house. Al r. Bruin, the beadle, stated, that when the two last witnesses informed him that they fuspected a cart, that had just gone down the hill, contained something that it should Hui, he immediately ran out, and saw the cart goin g at a brivkish rate towards Fleet Market. He called to the prisoner, who was in the cart driving, to stop the horse; but ending lie did not, he desired the watchman to run alter it, and to bring both the cart and its driver back to the watch house. On inspection he hound in the cart three sacks, containing the dead bodies of three females ; one of them appeared to have possessed considerable beauty ; and the dead body of an old man was lying in the bottom of the cart, naked, with a cord tied round his neck, and his legs were brought over his shoulders for better conveyance. He also found a new spade, and a boat hook fastened to the end of a stick . about live feet lung, which was used its raking the lids of the coffins. Toe bodies appeared in a very fresh state, and had evidently been recently interred. He yew none(' the prisoner how he became possessed of the bodies. He 'said he had been employed by two men, whom he diel not know (and who were walking at a distance before him at the time he was stopped), to carry the sacks in his cart after them, wherever they went, and he did not know at the time what the sacks contained. Alderman—Where are the bodies now ? Wituess—They have been placed in shells, and are lying at the work house. Alderman-11.ve you any conjectures from what burial ',Lee they have been stolen ? Witness-1 suppose they have been taken from St. Pancras burying ground, ftoin what the !slimmers - said. The prisoner was then called for his defence. lie said that ho was a groom but out of place; he Is id a wife and family living at Surrey Peace, Blackftiars' Road.—Yesterday evening, two men whom he slid not know, called on hem, and told him if he would meet them at four in the morning, with his horse and cart, at the new bridge Kentish Town, they would give him a job. lie sort (ham at the oppointed hour, mid they loaded his cart ; but with what he was totally ignorant, till he was stopped by the watchman. The Alderman said, he should commit the prisoner for reeexamination, and in the meats time the officers should make inquiries at St. Pancras, of the sexton, if any graves in that church-yard had been violated. I'he prisoner was then conveyed to the Compter, amidst the execrations of a vast multitude. --------- Mr. Deputy Reeves, and the Churchwardens of St. Andrew, Holbiirn, were piescnt during the examina tion. IRELAND—MOST F.ZGHT?Ub MURDER.-011 the sth instant, on the lands of Trilmo, two miles from Redhills, in the county of Cavan, a-most cruel murder was perpetrated. The victim was Thomas Beatty, art amiable young man, about 20 years of age, son to John Beatty, a constable. They were usually intrusted with the collection of the county cess, and more moderate and deserving men in their situation were never known. Unfortunately, there was some misunderstanding among the tenants, bottle of whom not only - refused to pay, but were prepared to resist any who should enforce at. The young man above mentioned, advancing incautiously, was assailed by two men and four women, armed with the shafts of spades, gratis, &c. prepared for the purpose. One of the men, coining behind poor Beatty, struck him on the ground, when they ull tell furiously upon hint. On the father's attempting to save him, they left the son, and began at bun ; and while they Were thus en womanobserving ' th a the son revive a tittl e , s tr u ck on Ilm head loy-Auft, and fractured his skull : they then all ran off. The agonized father car ried his almost lifeless son into a field, and r an f or assist ance; the best medical aid was pro cure d, but all in vain, he lived in great agony for three days, and expired, lamented by all who knew him. The ruffian who 'first struck him fall to a house, and swore he had " sent a Protestant to On Wednesday evening last a well-dressed man threw himself off Waterloo bridge into the Thames and instantly sunk. Ills body was instantly dsaiged for, but without success. I FP" '1 r ; ~;; ~i ~'; ~ ~ •