The National Register. — London, England, 1816-08-26 00:00:00

AU 06 ST 26. 1111:11 AS.SIZES. SOMERSET. On Saturday the 17th instant, air. Justice Park and Mr. Jos. tire Wimp, arrive!' at Wells, add opened the commission for he Summer Assizes far this county. On Sanday they attended dr, Me rerviceat the cathedral, and on the following looming coommiteed the business of their respective courts. Mr. ill:I- C(1. Park presided in the Crown Court, and Mr. Justice Hot roy d at Nisi Penis. The calendar contained the names of 50 prisoners; of whom nine were acquit led, against nine others no bills were Mond, and two were discharged by proclamation : of the real lining 30, 6 were sentenced to death, mu' to transportation Mr seven tt to be imprisoued fur various periods, and one to be einoved by /wheat corpus, to taki:lda trialtit London. When we arrived, god cast our eyes over the calendar, we were exceedingly pained to see, that the age of uo less than 20 of the prisoners did not exceed 20 years, and some of them were charged with most heinous offences. In the progress of the trials, however, we were glad to find, that against four of them no bills were Mond. and three were 'acquitted ; but among those sentenced to death were Charles Hillier, aged 2a, and George Townsend, aged In, for burglary and stealing in dwAling-hooses ; and JaalC4 Gardner, aged IS, convicted of hating abused the person of Keezia Gould, an influn of 6 years. Nothing could he more distressing to our feelitip, than the ag gravated and afflicting circumstances of this case, which, of course, are far too di-gusting to be laid before our readers. The prisoner sentenced to transportation teas George Marsh, aged 19, for having stolen wearing apparel and other articles. John Bennett, aged 12, William Burge, aged 13, and Daniel Parker, aged le, convicted of having stolen several bottles of gin and other articles, and William Butler, for stealing 138. were sentenced to be imprisoned two years. Charles Edwards, aged 20, for stealing five ducks, and James Webber, aged Li, for stealing a telescope, •to be imprisoned 3 months. George Stokes, aged ist, and John Thorn, aged 20, fur stealing new cat .{rasa, to be imprisoned 11 days ; and John Lambert, aged 17, for stealing 2 coats, to be imprisoned I days : the whole to be kept to hard labour. This heavy catalogue of youthful offenders cannot fail to ex cite the most painfol reflections. The great and rapid increase of crime ; mong persons of tender years is a subject fur grave and deef consideration. The alarming extent of this evil in the metropolis has been long known and felt, hut very Made (pate remedies have been hitherto applied. it is known, that there are several schools in this great city where children are regularly taught the hest modes of stealing from the pet son, of breukiug into dwelling-houses, and, in short, of committing all kinds of depredation. The most proficient and notorioni thieves are masters of these wicked seminaries ; and reward: are given to such of the scholars as display the greatest adroit items. The officers attic police are well acquainted with these farts, but they take uo steps to repress the mischief. It is their interest, indeed, not only to allow these young persons to enter upon the town and commence their depredations, bitt also to stiffer them to go on, step by step, from nue offence to enother,• unlit they commit sonic capital crime, mid are ripe to be plucked from the tree. We sincerely trust, however, that measures will be adopted very early in the next session of Par liament to amend our present defective system of police; and tsuthing,, see think, is inure likely to produce-this benefit, than the nivestigations which are going on with respect to Vaughan ;tad his associates. In regard to youthfial perpetrators of crime in the country, it is the duty of all magistrates to exercise the utmost vigilance in their respective districts, and to cause of fenders to be brought hi justice as speedily as possible. The first transgressions should he always punished, for mercy in Foch cases is actual cruelty. If the day of small beginnings were not antlered to pass unnoticed, how many useful lis es would be annually sac efl to the country ! Hoch, no doubt, must depend on education ; for " laws without mangers are but words and wind." It is a remarkable feet, that in the only two countries csc.oland and Switzerland) where thete have been national vstab;irlmtenis for the education of the lower classes, the rumber of criminals has been uncommonly small. 'Phis, then, is a great encouragement for all persons to protect, to the utmost of their power, the schools mined' have been re cently instituted in this country upon the systems of Dr. Bell 4wi Air. Lancaster. The one is a dissenter, the other a mem ber of the Church of England ; but as every well-regulated mind must be impressed with the necessity of cultivating the understanding of the poor and ignorant, so we hope that uo spirit of intolerance, jealousy, or uncharitableness on either tide, will be suffered to counteract the principal object of both iostitutious—namely, to tearb the lower classes to disa llo w, between right and wrong, and to disidiarge are various duties 'Uhlman life as lieeomes good wen and citizens, • At the Somerset Assizes, Gregory arid Joseph, one II baker, and the .other a pawnbroker, of Frome, is ere indicted and found guilty of a conspiracy, in collecting together notes of Messiter's bank, of that town, to a considerable annum', mid bringing theta iu for flank of• England paper: Gregory a!so publicly boasting, that by these means he would ettect !kit esiter's ruin. The learned Judge, in summing up, animad verted most severely on tho conduct of Gregory; and ex pressed his conviction, that Mr. Messiter, in an action of law, might have recovered damages to the extent of a!! the injury 1w had sustained: SIIRREV. FORGER v.—At the late ..sasl ites, William Sims. alias Jones, was capitally indicted for fogging and littering as true, a certain order for the payment of one hundred pounds, and nticriug the same, knowing it to be fats.: and counterfeit, with intent to defraud Robert !Gill. Tins case occupied the atten tion of the Coot t for a very considerable time, and the circum stances are briefly. these : The prisoner, in the mouth of De bt care, hail lodged in the house of a Mr. Lipscomb, in \Vater I.lne, Mae ',friars, to whom he applied fora recommendation to some rope-maker, observing that iie wanted to " give his ve,sel a new suit of rigging," pers.m ding, for the first time, the character olcaptain ()fa ship. Mr. Lipscomb, iu consequence, accompanied Lim to the 111)11.e of the prosecutor, Mr. Rich, in Bermondsey. Here, being introduced to the son of the pro aerator, he represented himself to be the master of the Mary Anne, of Dover, which, he said, was coming up the river, and f ur a hieh he wanted sonic kordage. As lie wanted a good deal, however, and would pay ready money, he expected a discount. He then looked out an assortment of the goods he wanted, to the amount of about tint.; in payment for which he tendered a bill, purporting tube drawn by John Jones, accepted by Richard Jones twi), lie said, was his brother, and who resided at No. ter. Duke-street, Deal), and made payable at Deal bank. This bill, after some little hesitation, was receive"; bit the prose cutor not being - at home, his son stated that he was not pre pared tu give the full change. The prisum.r, however, urging his necessity for some cakh, tires ions to the arrival of his ship, obtained MI. at the same time ordering Ibc goods to be made aliti forwarslcd, tent stating that lie would call for the ba lance. This bill was innuediately lodged is the house of W THE NATIONAL REGISTER. Hams and Co. irons thence it was sent to Messrs. Lubbact and Co. the agents fur the Deaf bank. By the latter it was fin - warded to Deal, at the time of its becoming due ; but it was immediately ascertained, not only that there were no effects of the pretended drawer, but that the instrument was altogether a forgery. In consequence of this discovery an inquiry was set on foot for the prisoner, but he Nis not discovered until the month of June last. when lie was apprehended at Wouiwielt. Ilk arrest at this place arose from the circumstance of lie, having introduced himself to one Nichols, a butcher there, by the name olJames, where he had some dealing. The conduct pursued by the prisoner,. however, excited suspicion in the mind of Mr. Nichols; and a Seitidl'lll4 SIMI having Coal.' lots the shop, and i..idressed the former by tim mane of Simi, oh doubt was removed, and he was taken into custody. Mu Rich, j uu. being immediately sent fur, the prisoner was fully recognized as the person who passed the bill. Upon thisocra slot the prisoner confessed his real mane. Sev.- al witnesses • were called wlta proved the foregoing tarts; and Lord Ellen borough (who sat thr Mr. Justice Borrough, engaged upon the tr:al of Lord Cochrane) having stiumied up the evidence, the jury found the prisoner guilty—Death. His Lordship then proceeded to pass upon the eidprit the awful sentence of death. [Here the prisoner fell ul his knees, mud in bitter terms implored the mercy of the Court.] His case, he observed, was, according to th e policy of tilt law, without hope, gi l d without mitigation of ponislinient. It was a crime which struck at the root ill all VOMIITCYCiaI security, and those who had hi...en found guilty of it, c o mmis s ion had rarely escaped the fatal ptiaishment attached thereto, lie im plored the prisoner, therefore, to dedicate his few remaining days to penitence and prayer, and ill the most impressive Mall. nor passed awn bins tl.e usual form of sentence. Tllll ZING V. 11..11.1'11V1. The prisoner, a tanner of Southwark, was convicted of forging the stamp appointed by the Commi4sionwr , of E%cil‘e to denote the payment of the duties on hides and skius. lie was sentenced to one year's imprison:tie:lA At the Cornwall Assizes, J. ltowc, a baker, convicted of mixing china clay with flour, was sentenced to be imprisoned two years, anti to pay a fine of LOI. The learned Judge com mented with due severity on the enormity of the offence, and told the prisoner, that if he had not been a poor own. with a wife and several children, the tine would have been much larger. At Durham Assizes, J. Grcig, barber and publican, of Monk. wearinouth Shure, was indicted fin• the wilful murder of Eliza. beth Stonehouse.—He went to the house of the deceased, and shot her for molesting his children on their way to school.--He was found Guilty, and OA Saturday morning, in pursuance of his sentence, executed upon a new drop errected iu front of the new County House. At the Norwich Assizes, Thomas Moy, aged 32, a farmer occupying nearly a hundred acres of land at Biitham, and having a wife and seven children, was capitally convicted of stealing lb sheep. Tt may, perhaps, be in the recollection of our readers, that Mr. Fry, of Bermondsey, WAS robbed a few weeks since on Barham Downs, by two footpads, who beat him very cruelly, and threw him iato a ditch, after rubbing him of about 1801. in Bank notes. One of the said notes was paid into the Chatham Bank, and traced to a person who kept au eating•house at Woolwich. A note for 201. port of Mr. Fry's property, was also paid into thy Dartford Bank, and traced to the same per son. These circumstances being communicated to Mr. Fry, he went to the house of the person in question last week, and immediately recognized him to be the man who had beat him about the head with a bludgeon. Mr. Fry did not make hint self known babe had procured proper assistance ; and he then went up to the man, amid,. looking him full in the fuer, said, " Do you know me i" at wpich tremendous question, the knife, with which he was carving the dinners of his waiting cus tomers, immediately droppulfrom kis hands, and he was taken into custody. On scar: Icing further into the same house, the other Mall, who Lad taken the notes item Mr. Fry's pocket, was observed waiting upon the custotners; and he also was Idea. titled immediately by Mr. Fry ; tiad being secured by Bic Po lice Officers, proved to be the brother of the first robber, and•, they were both committed for tr ial at the Maidstone Assizes. ..... ..... _ The- following is an imenentie account of a dreadful aerideut which occurred at Fansley, Yorkshire, on Tuesday senuight. Two of Mr. Fawkei's brothers, Mr. F. Hawksworth, slid the Rev. Mr. R. Hawks. worth, WM& shooting together on .Blubber-house Moors; they had each tired and ttleatled their oups);l4. H. H. was sto.:ping to'pick up his bird, whin Mr. F. llawksworth's gun, which was placesl anus., his arm, was discharged (whether by the string of his whistle, or any sudden action of his clothes, it is impossible to say); the shot took effect in Mr. R. H.'s head, and a moat shocking fracture was the con- . sequence. Mr. R. llawkswiirth, was conveyed to Fernley. He was trepanned by Mr. Hoy, of Leeds. He languished until the Friday following, when he died. A few days since, as Mr. J. Faiwatels, residing near Lagoa wee returning from Bath market, he was stopped near his awn house by a single fooipad, who struck him a violent blow on the head, 'end then robbed him of,two notes, value 244. besides other property The villain beat him dreadfu ll y about the he ad: and left him. INQU EST S.—An Inquest was held at the Roebuck. Cannon-street- Mad. on the body of T. Owns, a Geetleman's servant, who met his death in the ndlowing manner:—ll. Piudie. of Morgan-street, cliff: stated, that on Tuesday evening he had been drinking with the deceased and some others at the Roebuck, and as they were playing in the skittle.ground, about seven °Vaal:. the deceased was called out; in about the minutes after witness was called out to liaise him, and Monet him leaning against die pannelopposite the liar. with his heed down wards, set idouil flowing front his nos,: ; he want away, arid did not see hint till next day, when he was dead. He was pertectly convinced no one did him any injury. Verdict—Died by the Visitation of Glad. Monday a Coroner's inquest was held in Gateshead. Newcastle-noon- Tyne. on etw body of Mrs. Robson, of Dyke?, kzed in, who died on S1111(1111 last, in consequence of .he overturning of the North Briton coach on Friday night, width standees was attributable solely to the darkness of the night. Verdict—Accidental heath. Friday se'nnight an Inquest was held on the body of F.. Pill. ser vant to Mr. Mason, a fanner, of the parish 01' Howdeswell, Glou cestershire, who was killed by a hull. It appeared in evidence, that while the poor fellow was attempting to put le mullen on the lead of the bull, the enraged animal ran et hint ferociote.ly, dense hint against &poet in the stall, and gored him SO dreadfully With his horns m the thigh and body, dint medical aid paned of no avail, and he lingered from Monday till Thursday, when lie epired. Verdict—Dial in con sequence of being gored by hull.-= rile animal was forteited as a (Wieland, and is to he killed. Tuesday an Inquisition was held in little Guildterd-street. Hruns wiek-square. on the body of Joh:arta Clarey, a girl three years and a half old - , who was killed by falling out of a window.. Verdict—Acci dental Death. FOOTPADS.—Ma Friday night, between 8 and ii o'clock, as Mr. Wood, a carpenter, was returning home near Wainswad. he was at tacked by three robbers dressed like labourers, who stopped him and demanded his money, which he delivered to them; they were finned with pistols. In a short time tiler, a man of the name of l .avar, in the service of Mr. Long Wellesley, was stopped by the same villains, near the same spot, who, being a resolute man, resisted being robbed; 1..11,11 one of the sdiaia, dischatged a pistol at line, loaded with slugs, abich lodzed wider his right ariu. POLICE. BOW-STRE ET. FAMILY QjT AR nr. My &wid e st was ChaTtiWith threatenine and attempting to murder her husband ; who sent , that she frequent ly acted in the most violent and unineriegeable ntanner, accompanying her actions with the mote. luirrid expressions. Her violence to his pre pea/ had Ingm elite' to tile attacks upcn his person. She had con• sand about VOL in four months. Site had sold a horse for half its value. She had broke all the windows in his house. Nearly his clothes were either dedroyed or made awry with ; so that he was ob liged to borrow clothes to appear v.ith del ency at the office to exhibit his charge. He has freqoently offered her a separate maintenance. and lee! employed an attorney tin that purpose, but she had declined to ac cept of it. Hz could not account fur the violence of her condoet, as she hail always e.njiived every comfort. The ronsahle who aporehemled . her stated, that she minuted the threats, in his hearing, ofarsil , bing her , - hushund in the heart. Jealousy was the oat). reason assigned for her violent and unnienegenble conduct, which Mr. Sturidge assured the Magistrate writ without the lead foundation. He sail that, in conse quence of Air conduct. lie had nothing but nisi and a prison before him. Mr. Storislge took a very tine infant front her while she made her defence; hut all that the said did not amount to an answer. ta her husband, or a ittstifieation. Sir Nathaniel Cowie emitted her to 6174 hail. When she was being taken away, foe endeavoueedto wrest the in. flint hem her hushanit„, who, hal , - eve.% resisted; but the Magistrate, thought the mother ought to have e child. TUE ABOVE CAFE REV 11: SE 1).-- , -.4Moti v. Abbot C-131. tiliS tht romplaitiant summoned her lindotral lcfore Mr. Serjelnt Mellon. for a violent assault. The eoniplaiment, a delicee looking women, stated. that she had been tr.leried to bet luei'ouredibr SOlre year., who was a working rum, and miming a sufficiency to live comfonahly !mon. He had, however, for some time past, been in the almost daily habit of beat. ing her in a most cruel manner. He had lost a e leg. and its place was supplied with a wooden one ; and frequeale he would take off his leg to correct her with. On ‘Vellnadity sennight he mote house whelk she was in bed, and piffled her lour off her head by hard-full. called_ on her to acknowledge herself in the tarmg. at the /A MC tittle pressing his thumb on her throat, ro as to prevent her speaking, and wen heat. ing her, because site did not answer 'dui. At length she got from him, and escaping out of the house iu her night-ebonies. threw herself upon the watch for protection. This rautotert was corroborated be several respectable neighbours, who deposed, that they had frequently been ' awoke by cherries ut the woman, and had heart the sound of the blows. Mrs. Abbott said, all she wished was to separate front him an condition art his allowing her something towards bar suprort. The Magistrate observed, he had no power to emotes such arrangement unless the de. fondant was agreeable to it. The defendant said he was reedy- enough to part, and wished the Parish Officers should be sent for, and his wife taken to the Workhouse, wher e h e wou ld su pp or t her. This proposi. dun not meeting her wishes, Mr. Sellout cabal on him to put in bail to keep the peace, and he nut being prepared to do vs, the liicistrate or doesl hint to be locked up, intituiting that he would keep him seeura till good hail was found. After notate time had elaused, it was COTLlllU nicated that he had agreed to allow his wife Bs. a week. and she dedare ing herself satisfied, he was discharge/. n(GRATEPtiI, nOIIIIEII.--C. De Roches. alias P. Schneider, who,- was apprehended on hie way to France. was charged with having swim three hills of exchange for the payment of wtoi. ute property of Messrs. Hellman and Company, merchants, of Copthali-buildirgs. Mr. H. stated, that he and his +warmers had a fi rm at Triesse and Vienna ;he conducted the busitiess 4 in Copthall-buikiings. About six weeks sloe* the prewmer, who had been in the French and Spanish armies, repre sented binistif io be in great distress, arising from an altercation with, one of his superior Officers, wham he had might and wounded, and was he consequence compelled to qui: his country. Witness relievedt his immediate necessities. and lent him tut. and he being desirous to go to America, witness gave him 251. to pay his voyage thither. Oa Sunday he brcaktisted-with the prosecutor, and said he had taken hie passage. and rid the Captain tot in prrt. &only afterwards he wort out, as did waness; and on his return home he understood front his servant that the prisoner had come bark for a hook. and had gone into the counting-house. On Monday morning witness missed the bills oe exchange, and O gcve infontstion at the Mansion House of th e 'ben:. and accompanied Bishop. the Officer, to Canterbury, where the pri soner was apprehended with the bills of exchange in his possession.— c was reananded.—lt unpaved fran a commission which was found upon him, that he was a Captain in the French army, and a Member of the Legion of Honour, and was no doubt making his way to France with his ill-got booty. Tuesday, N. Davis, late a Clerk in the house of Flameout, rtforland. And Co. of fall Mall, was charged with embezzling above 20411)1. the priopertk 'of his employers. Mr. Squire. a Clerk in the above house, stated, that the piisuner had bet.n a Collecting Clerk to the Firm; on the 17th ult. he took out his notes as usual, but did not return at the proper hour. Shortly afterwards witness received the following letter. which he believed was written by the prisoner:— " Sir,—l send, per bower, my poe t which i tan sorry to say drsm not contain so ;nuch as it should by triad. owing to an accident, which I will call and explain in the course of the evening. —1 ant sir, &c. " N. DAVIS." Mr. lovcarove, also a Clerk in the house, producsd a book which was re,,ntiarly taken out by the prisoner ; and in it was inserted, in hit own hand-writiiig, the sums of money received. In that day's exount, Acre *as a deficiency of Y 1 19L 9s. td.—He was :marshal, to g ii the part:len an opportunity of appearing at the next exiouirtation. GU ILDII Saturday. Frederick Clarke, a genteel looking young nr.n, was charged with stealing a munitity of glass and other articles, from the t'ast'e Tavern, Isilig.street, Cheayable. The prisoner. it appeared, had gone into the kunst, in question upon sevcrsl we:talons, usually taking refixcliment. On Friday last, he reposual his visit in the ra..xt manner, and retired; but soon after his departure. u quantity of pro. hperty was miss's', and the prisoner being followed, it %astound uvon int. He %into:landed for a final examination. HATTON-GARDEN. -‘l,l A Thrre.Eaststu ("Am.—A respectable woman, 66 years IX air. was brow . ht to the fflfice. charged with havin4: a quantity of sto.. q mods in her poosession. It appeared, her on was in a eeafi let ttal si tuation at a shop in town, whence he had purloirael prods to •considem able amount, part of which was found in the old Lady's possession.—. she. hos .:ver, declared her total ignorance of their having been di.:!n. nestly obtained, and said she had, advanced her bon !MI. and coneesed the goals to have been the r ioduce thereof. Tait aecoemt trate said he nobly believed, but he was übd.ir the neve:wail oft. neaet.: l in{ her. QCEEN-SQUARF. Bann t Wednesday 'Alta Collinatmthe wife ar agaidenee Chelsea Common, and her semints, W. limbs awl I.llry were charged with a cruel assault on G. Hragg, a boy sevsn y.ars of age. The boy was tent by Vijot paraus to purchase VIM goosehcfries 4 but on going to the lawk.sloor, tttwo thought he came to rob etc pr.. den, and was dragged througk the hedge by Gibbs. Mts. Co I ; of then seri i tisctl him naked. and caused the man and woman to hold ht.., whilst ,he Hogged hint from his shmtlders to his heels with , ficgint nettles. The Nlay;istrare salt!, the mac was niw,t cruel, and urder,,,4 them to find boil. Mary Fisher. who stands chstgoi with mhbing her master, NI , . Weisse, of the Strand, was put to the bar ; who Mr. Fox. a ‘Vonll , ll. draper, of illackfriars-math stated, that in Septenther last he hired tb w prisoner, by the resmnummtlitiun of her mother, who nursed his father ; that sewn after various valuable articles were missing, and the prison et for a long time escaped suspicion. At length eircunistane es arts: which ihtlireti him to hare her examined ; when two remnants of cut .1:s a ad a superfine cloth cloak. his moperty. were found is her poissessitri ; atter which he heard nothing of her till he found by the Newspapers that she was in custody for robbing Mr. Weisse..t nninher of pawnbrokers attended, and produced as much limit and apparel as filled two sacks ; and the table was nearly coveted with trinket% saver +pool* r sad paw