The National Register. — London, England, 1822-12-16 00:00:00

THE BEACON NEWSPAPER, Elms/ammo, DEC. 9.—The long-expected trial for libel by the Beacon newspaper on Mr. James Gib<on, Writer to the Signet came on this day. :at m GIBSON PURSVER,—DUNCAN WrILTENSON, DEFENIII2. In the fuses in Cause it was admitted that the• pursuer, ant Attorney for the Bank of England, was employed as agent on the trial of Prances Mackay, which took place before the High Count of Justiciary at Edinburgh, on the Ist day of Fe..- 1 bruary, 1119 ;. and that in the months ofJun3 and July, 18kt, the defender was printer, publisher, and proprietor of the Beacon newspaper. • The first issue wits—whether, on the 23d of July IW2I, the defender, in said newspaper, did print and publish a letter addressed to the Editor, signed " [The letter, which was set f o rth at length, corr tained, amongst other observations on the trial of F. Mackay, the following passage :—] In Ibis case, the agent of the Bank of 'England induced a yowls woman, by • promise that she would be taken as a witness against others, to make a declaration admitting her guilt, and gating full information as to the way in which - the trims was committed; be afterwards thought proper to have her tried, and by concealing from the Lord Advocate the way in which her confession had been obtained, induced him- to. give hie instance to an indictment against her. She was ac cordingly brought to trial, and, after the eoefessioo and infor mation which had beep elicited from her, is her declaration, she bad but one course left,--to plead guilty. She wan found guilty, in term* of her own confession. The Lord Advocate had snowed for sentence, which the Court were pronouncing, whew the Sheriff' (the present Lord Advocate) in whose pre sence tie declarations had been emitted, laappeniag to come into Court, exp d to his predecessor Lis surprise that he should have brought to trial any person whose 000feasinn •as obtained in the way the powers had been. It was by this time too lade to prevent sentence from being passed ; but the Court, on being informed of the circumstances of the cane, expressed their high.disapprobation of what had taken place, and the Lord Advocate immediately procured a free pardon for the prisoner. After this, I ask, whether the Whig or the 'Glary mode of administering justice d the pr.( It appeased that Mr. Gibson having remonstrated, the correspondence was continued by the following hitter " Edinburgh. Judy 2, 1821. "St R,—l am favoured with your letter of this date, and is consequence of its unsatisfactory terms, beg leave to decline your proposal of examining the author of soy reticle in the Beacon. 1 have, as yet, no reason to think that any passage in the Beacon concerning you is false, calasonitms, and mali cious.' lam not aware of having asserted soy right to dictate to you valet whom you should peoceed. " sin, km (Signed) JOHN NIMMO." " To James Gibson, Esq. W. S. - Frances Malay was examined at sotse length as to the supposed promise of pardon if she confessed, but which she positively denied. Among other witnesses for the prisoner, Lord Pitmilly was sworn, and examined on the Bench. For the defender, Lord Meadowbank was sworn, and examined on the Bench. Sir William Rae, Lord Advocate, was also examined fiir the defender. The Lord Chief Commissioner, in summing up for the Jury, said, that in every case, bearing the aspect of the present, there were certain leading prineiples which aught to be strongly imprinted on the mind of every Juryman. These he would give in the words of two of the ablest Judges that ever sat in Westminster Hall (alluding to Lord Mans field and Lord Chief Justice 1)e Grey); who in the memorable prosecution of Horne Tooke, delivered this opinion—" It is the duty of the Jury to con strue plain words and clear allusions to matters of universal notoriety, according to their obvious mean ing ; and as every body else who reads must under. stand them."—l-lult on libels, page 290. His lord ship then commented at some length on the evidence and applied it with a skilful hand to the libellous matter contained in the issues —and, after a lumin ous survey of the features of the case, gave it as the eLeitled opinion of the Court, that the paragraphs in ►he newspaper libelled the conduct and character of Mr. Gibson. The Jury, after retiring about ten minutes, de livered their verdict by the mouth of Sir James G. Baird, their Chancellor, unanimously finding fur the pursuer on all the issues.—Damages 5001. The trial lasted from ten o'clock in the morning till ten at night. It is reported that Lord Chief Justice Dallas (who has signified his wish to retire) is about to be succeeded by the Attorney-General, who again will be succeeded by Sir John Copley. Mr. Shadwell is named for the Solicitor-Generalship. On Thursday evening, at half-past six, twenty five convicts, sentenced to transportation for lite, were removed froat Newgate, in a caravan, strongly guarded, in order to be conveyed to their repetitive destinations. On their quitting the Sessions-house yard, they gave three distinct huzzas. Earrrwsumas.--About three weeks since, a se vere shock of an earthquake was telt at Ilillesden, Bucks. It was prectxled by a loud rumbling noise, and commotion of the earth, which shook several of the houses so violently, that the inmates, who had retired to rest, were awoke, and the children sc reamed from terror. The church on y suffered : art of its battlements having been shaken down, as p well as sustaining other damage. . ~. ?Mt WITTANAT V I, -I! EXTRAORDINARY APPALL COIIOII.II . IIIIIQUIST.—A Most strange and afflicting circumstance wee the subject ofineestigation on Monday, and again by adjournment on Tuesday last. The circumstances that gave rise to the inquiry was an anottymorw letter„ which asswell, the 1.11 ttttttttttttt officer of Morylrisone, received on Sadder,- who ill mediately commenced an inquiry into the mat er. An inquest was - accordingly summoned at the Sawyer's Arms, Marylebone, upon two bodies, one an old lady, and the other ir young w oman name d Mary Pole: Several witnesses were examined on site sitting of the inquest on Monday, Imes whose evidence it appeared the old lady dird a natural death, and that the young women (Mary itole).was delivered of a still-born child on Sunday week, and she died from-the edicts of the premature delivery on 'intaday. It also appeared she had made mute brig tin of a very citguler nature with a youtsj medical practitioner, .who amended her during her secouchensent, on condition were the child born dead, he was to hare it for his attendance, and if alive,• one vine' and a week's medicine. Oh the child being found to be dead, it was sent away in a basket by the surgeon ; the young woman neceasedr wis taken in by the other, and aided deceased eons 11101IVCS of hu manity-. The inquest was then adjourned tmtil Tuesday:night, after some strung observation on the condoct of the seducerof the untortunate deceased and the surgeon. Mr. James Haney, physician, proved having 'acanthi ed the chili ; it was lull grown, and had no marks of violence. ur any blemishes on the head or body. Mr. Cusack, the celebrated surgeon, to whose school of anatomy the child's body was brought by the surgeon, that he might sandy from is, proved to the same effect. The body of the child. its a mutilated state, it hating been dissected, was here shewn to the Jury, and given up by their command to the deceased's mother for ins. leritletst. A medical gentleman gave the gentleman who at. tended the deceased the highest character, and said he well understood his profession. The brother of the deceased proved her wish to con ceal her state, and the sefosal of the surseon•io.infweu hint where the child's body wat After wine other converution the Jury then retired for about !o minutes. and on their return, the foreman said it was the decided opinion of the Jury, that Mrs . Plumber (the old woman) died a natural death, by the visitation of God, and the infant being still born, they did ton impute blame• to the suedic-4 goodetuatt, but extremely censured him fur baring made a contr..ct to !me the the child fur dissection if still burn, indeed of his fee. 1 Ise ►•erdict being registered by the Counsel, The bu siness terminated. Less OF -rue- LtvearooL•• AND ELtanktElle't STEAM PACKET.—The following melancholy particulars of the loss of a steam packet are from the Chester Guardian This packet left Liverpool abut three o'clock on Thursday afternoon, having 23 persons on board, including her crew. The wind at this period blew fresh, and was a-bead of the packet, and there was-no appearance in the weather to justify a suspicion of danger. About tire o'clock the wind had greallyiincressed, - and at sin the packet had reached within a quarter of a mile df Ellesmere pu. t. Li wes now blowing a complete burikeee, the captain found it impossible to make the port. He then con templated a return to Liverpool, and steered the vessel round for that purpose, but was soon convinced that it was impossibte the tide haviog so far receded.' The vessel then beat about for several hours, it being impossible to steer for any particular point. At nine they cast anchor, but she continued to drill ; and about twelve ran foul of flat, whose cable was also cut, dragging her anchor. Ibe concussion was tremendous every person on board expecting she was going down. S lof the passengers were at this time iu (be cabin, and were violently thrown down by the heaving of the packet, one ride of which was under water. The confusion and alarm were now at their height. As the flat remained sonic short time alongside the packet, four of the crew and two of the passengers caught hold of the side of the fist, ant got onboard her. There was pow oueloot water in the cabin ; it was determined to cut Else cable, and let the vessel drift with the wind and tide, the sea dashiiig over her in- all directions. About one o'clock the tide began to f.w ; and the packet was driven about two miles a ore Fillesmore port, where she ran against a sand-bank, con tinuing for several times. to recede from and ajproach to it. At length she stuck fast in the sand, nearly opposite Stanlow-boas. , and the feeble glimmeriag of the moon discovered the shore at about seventy-yyrds distance. most of the intervening space sand, or rather mod. It was now near four in the morning.— Captain Dimond here pressed u many of passengers as lie could prevail on to make the shore, when Mr. H. Whittle, sus of Dr. Whittle, Mr. William Leatherbarrow, of the Eschange, and Mr. Nixon, • farmer, near Stanney, leaped into the water, arid succeeded iu gaining the land. There were now fourteen individuals on board, only five of whom reached the shore is safety. The c :plain with his son in his arms was washed over board, while in the act of disengaging himself of his great coat ; Mrs. Deakin, • stonemason's wife, of Flookerabrook, with her ffinfant in her arms, 'and her wiece,.about sixteen years old ; the blind fiddler who accompanied the boat ; the son of Mr. Dart, a promising yonth about nine years of age ; Mr. W. Davies, millwright, of this city ; and an elderly person—all perished in attempting to gain the land. The packet has been gut up, is found to have sustained comparatively little injury, and has been taken to Runcorn. Letters received from the port of Maracaibo, in the province of Venezuela, give a most terrific ac count of the pestilential fever now raging in that place. A man belonging to the crew of a Liverpool vessel, then lying in the port, happened untimtu eately to be seized with this horrible contagion, which instantly spread through the ship with such devastation, that only one individual escaped.-- Other vessels had also suffered most severely, though not in an equal degree. A plan is said to be in preparation to light all the public clocks in London with gas by night. Tw.) clerks at the Bank have been suspended in consequence of their jobbing in the funds, which is against the regulations of that estublishureat. 3 0' BONISIRT OF TVS BIRMINGHAM COACH.-04 Thursday last, at about five minutes after four o'clock, the Birmingham Balloon Coach was robbed of two parcels, containing. between 7.0001. and B,oool.—At four oclock the tourd of the coach, which was shout to set off for Birmingham, appeared it. the yard of the Swats • with TwO Necks Bin. Lad.lane, in preparation for tile • journey. The horsekeeper, who had just put to the cattle, observed a man walk up to the 'lour of the coach, with a great coat, and threw the coat mum the seat, .15 if he intended to follow it soon after. The guard, who also saw the stranger throw its the coat s asked the horse keeper who the person was, to which the other replied. " Why, he's a passenger of your's. to be sure " The guard taking it 'ingrained there was nothicg to be ap prehended nom the mass who-had been the of jest of his employ, proceeded to load the coach. He had in his possess ttttt three-parcels of the notes of country , bankers which had been paid iii kondois by their agents, and were enclosed to them. One of %hest parcels wastlirechti to Messrs. Gibbing, Smith, and Co. Bi • glsain, an/ and another to Melina. Taylor and Lloyds, Birmingham, and cesistamed mrsvoisory 'Recta their retpective banks. • These two were laid by the ;wan' "on the seat of the coach, opposite to• the seat oat which the coat lay. the guard 1111eilditift to deposro them in a-place of more secu rity in a few moments. He had not owned his back foe many seconds when the two parcels and the great cost • disappeared. lit the hurry of the business of the yard, • ttobooy who could be supposed to be interested in the safety of the property saw the person who committed the robbery,etati who must have beta watctiiitg the cautions of the guard HOW wane part of the yard. The plaid had put the third parcel in his coat pocket. He imasitediately ran off to Sir Janie* Esdaile's and Means. Hatibury tool 'Faylor's banking-houses, front which lie had received the percielr. and informed:them-of the rot,- • bery. but could give no•deacription of the person who threw the gnat coat Mao the - coach. Piatarels were mi. mediately posted about the city, offering 2,0001- reward • fur the recovery of the parcels, and convaction' of the offender. or offenders. Judging f the manner ill which the thing was done, the police are of opinion that • the notes are in the rieg-i-amougst the usail-coac,k thieves. On Friday last James Davis, a man who was cOnvictell of stealing carpenters! tools ; was brought from the House of Correction to Dorset-square, New-road, aid being tied to a cart, was flogged, amid an immense rm. t ourse of persons, a distance of 100 yards The fellow. on the punishment beingcompleted. challenged any 0110 in the crowd to fight; but he was put ititu a ha, hussy • coach and taken Lack to gaol, to undergo his senteitem of imprisonment. MATCH 1014 200 SOVIRRIONIA.=-MI. Hotidetswo& - thy's snare started on Thursday, upon a • nonderful un— dertaking, to perform 21 miles, u p on the trov.in an hour and a half. The match took • place in. Ashbert Park, over a three mile envie: Time 'was backed at six to lour, and the match was- lost by the itileitipershce of the mare breaking into &gallop five tallies, Willett occupied consi trebly more than one minute and (oilmen by which the match was lost. On- Sunday evening last, between seven and eight o'clock, as a resident member of the University of Chi-• ford, was returning from his ministerial vocations at Alin.- • don, the post chaise in which, accompanied by an academical friend, the gentleman was travelling, was stopped on the crest of the hill, between the third rode stone aim the Lodge of' Hadley Howse, by three desperate salmis*. Prom the mods • of proceeding, their plan appeared to be well sad delibrrately' organised, for one stopped the home on the Mt or right-sidec whilst the other desperadoes appros hod the carriage at either , • door. The post.boy, to whom great praise is due for his coot. yet energetic amine; perceiving the design of the riliaio„ • - resolutely whipped his h , which most fortunately being.- • . more/oarless: than pest horses usually are, instantly pluo and pranoing,•overthrew the wretch who had seised-the reins,' and as it is supposed the wheels of the vehicle rolled over his - body. The infuriated animals rushed outward, sad continnotfr•- their course witb-snabst-el speed, until they arrived at the saw- •• wit of Hiuksey Hill. To the courage of the driver mid dor mettle of the h,,rses must be attributed the fortunate escape a , the travellers from pillage, if not from assinisination. Two Of- the rillsina it appears were seen lurking abort the same spot;" - by the driver of a returning posnohaise belonging to the Lbw. Arms lon. They were dressed in dials 'frock coats, were armed with tremendous hludgeess, and the stamped' linens. Wills impri mad ma their countenances. It is remattabinibst the chaise just alluded to, was iininediatelp loilcsived. by a: cabriolet, containing another clergyman sad..-tde servant. whet however passed the spot unmolested. The Police of Oxfscsl and Abingdon, more particularly the University Marshal, who • is ever indeatigable in the performance of his duties, have, since time occurreuce, used the most active, incessant, mci • unwearied esertious fur the discovery edam persons who wide ed. daring attempt on time lives or property of gentlemen, whose profession should render them respected and secred, particularly when returning froiu the performance of their to clesiasti. al duties. EarLE CHASE.—Mr. Morrison, of Tooting, and Capt. Jaques, a bold rider of the Farley Hunt, started on Tues day from Moulsey, to cross the country to Beggar's Bush, Surrey, about 14 milts. Mr. Morrison rude the Eagle mart,' bought- of Mr. Forrester, and Capt. Jaques rode a horse belong ing to Mr. Brown, the fastest of time Parley hunts At going off the gentleman. kept together, and in the first -seven onion they • had to encounter many bold leaps, which the wetness Si' me day • did not much favour. They were le sigi.t of sash other when near Nekton. Mr. Morrison taking the open country verging on Epsom Doctor, and Capt. Jaques taking the straight line across the fields.. They were seen together gallopping up the. hills towards Bamstead Downs, when they separated again, Mr. Morrison •erging, os Wallington Park, and the Captain pursuing time regular track. Mr.. Morrison reached home 11141 minutes before his opponent, in 4 minutes. EXPERT SHOOTING Maili.:oo, of Royston Abbey, undertook ou &Hartley to kill 23 birds. partridges and pheasants, in 26 shots, over two manors in Buck*. ft was alt•.. gether a novel match, as it was to be per:in-nod in one dai , • and the ground for operation being so rouineil, that the biros got oft the manors, and were obliged to be sprang by dogs to got them in. This left Mr: Midlison no alterastire bat to ,boot at uncertain birds, and wso doing he was beet. H. killed nine brace of partridges and a leash aphelia/as, making.. twenty -one only Mille tweuty -sin shots. r - ' • , 1 .