The National Register. — London, England, 1811-08-25 00:00:00

THE NATION on several of these tickets, and thought it was the shortest way to appear and answer to the names of those to whom he had ad vanced the money. The witnesses from the Hospital stated, that by the regula tions of the office nobody was paid but the pensioners them selves in their own person, and If they did not produce their ticket they were obliged to produce an affidavit that they had lost it, and had not sold or pawned it. Boyle the seaman was also called, who stated that he had pawned his ticket with the prisoner for .255. and that before the time when his payment became due be wished to have it back from the prisoner, who refused to part with it. saying, he would receive the money hims:lf. Boyle told him be could not, but •he added he would try, he knew how to manage it. Several most respectable witnesses gave the prisonei an ex tra rdinary good character, not only for honesty, but for ex treme benevolence. The Learned Junoe told the Jury the facts of the case were very clear. The law made it a felony to personate a seaman, and receive his allowance. It was clear the prisoner had done so; but it was also clear that it- was not with a fraudulent inten tion. They must find him guilty, but he would take care to represent the case to the proper quarter, that the severity of the letter of the law might not be inflicted.—Verdict.eGuilty. TILE TAUNTON WITCH: The last remains of Satan's visible kingdom on earth was destroyed at Taunton by the secular arm of a Magistrate last Monday. An old woman, named Betty Townsend, had lived up to the age of 77, in the habit and repute of familiar agercy with the great adversary of mankind. Front many people she had ex acted large sums of money, as compounds fur allowing their 4ocks to thrive and their corn-fields to prosper...." Far keti'd and "Noted was her name."—Sh e increased in fame, and laid the whole country under contribution. Her name had entered into the calendar of the images of terror, and this illustrious emissary of Satan's was about to be canonized for her unwearied exer tions for her-terrible employer, like the couple Nanny of Burns's inimitable Tale of Tam o'6l:anter, For movie a cow to dead she shot And perished mottle a bonnie boat; And snook baith mieckle corn and bear, And kept that country side in fear. - This rag-weed Hag had perfomed as many notable exploits, yet living in the retentive memory of tradition. She, however, had threatened a young girl with the pains and penalties of her dis. *mire, which were no less than that of dying by inches did she not bring her money. Under such a terrible decree, the child bad borrowed sums of money as she went to mat. et to avoid being clutched by the Cur/in. The father of the child discovered the sink which drained his purse, and, along with his wife, a woman in no way in fear of the devil, being a sound scolding christian, ventured to somewhat rough expostulation with this venerable Priestess to Appallyon. Shc threatened them death by. iiiol-es also . , but the resolute woman displayed a large pin, and scratched with two dexterous strokes the bloody sign of the Cross on the Witch's arm : destroyed in her greatest bower she had not vigour to r e si s t, an d was h au l e d away efore the inflexible Tribunal of Justice. The reverend figure of of this old caterer for Satan so softened the Judge, that he, in cmsideration of her age, ordered her to durance in the I louse of Correction for six months. We congratulate this county that She fogs of intellectual dullness are Melting from around it ; and we hope that its ghosts as well as its witches will be brought to quake at the conjuring hammer of Justice. . PROVINCIALS. _m.o.._ In the evening of Sunday sennight, when, the London Mail tad proceeded within five miles of Colchester, the coachman being in liquor, grew very sleepy, and though repeatedly warned of such impropriety. at length soddenly fell headlong between the wheel horses. The horses. set off at full speed, hut by the great exertions of Mr. H. :-:t. John, at tjle most imminent dan ger of his own life, they were so far stopped, as to enable the guard to run and seize the leader's heads, we are happy to say without any further accident. The guard and Mr. St. John were lett in charge of the coach by the other passengers., who went in searchot the coachman, whom they tound on the road upwards of half a mile behind, his head shockingly cut, bleed ing profusely, and one of hilt legs above the ancle broken to pieces. DARIN° AT - rrNtrr.—Friday evening, at seven o'clock, the prisoners confined iu Reading Caol, consisting of five transports, an d s i x for trial at the c.suing March Assizes, attempted to Is , . make their escape in the most resolute and formidable way: the turnkeys having proceeded to the ward where they were secured in the day, opened the door to remove them one at a time to the close cells for the night, when one came forward and was locked up. They then proceeded for the second; immediately the door was opened eight of them rushed out, seized the turn keys, and fastenedthem into the close cells adjoining their ward. The keeper's wife, - who was sitting in the kitchen with a debtor, ran to secure the door which led into the keeper's house, to prevent their approach, but W.i.S not in time; they entered it, seamed her, and forcing the debtor on the floor, dragged them both out, and bolted them into a solitary cell. The keeper, who was writing in the Magistrates' room up shirrs, seeing them drag out his wife, immediately descended, fastened the door of the house, ran up stairs into the room he had previ ously left, and collected his fire-arms in the window. The whole of the prisoners were now in a body trying to force the door, calling_ out in menacing language for the keeper, who an- swered, " Here I am, and will shoot every one of you," and . pulled the trigger of one of his pistols at a transport, who stoups ing his head, the balls missed him, and they all then ran .to. ward their wards, with fury, swearing, but again collected themselves to attack him; when he quickly opened the door of his house, with his fire-arms, Which were very formidable, cone sisting of three brace of pistols, and a musket with a fixed bayo net, and drove them into the ward, where they hid themselves in the best manner they could. The keeper now .releasetl the • two turnkeys, his wife, two debtors, and three women whom they had shut up In the. close cells, as before described. The keeper's wife, immediately after he: release, brought four debt ors through the house to his assistance, hut he had previously rushed into the ward, and, presenting' his fire arms at thi threatened to shoot the first malt that resisted going to his nightly abode; they oh:yed, and with the assistance he had now procured, he was enabled to secure every one with extra irons, Ara fasten them down to the floor of their respective cells. Upon an apricot tree at Standen, h'.sex, 6570 apricots we e taken off, a short time since, t) thin rite tree for the proper quamity to remain as fruit. . - At Newbury races on Tuesday, the SO% plate was won by Mr. Dundas's Romeo, heating Mr. Hallett's Lev ant—Wul neiday, the town plate' of .101. was won, at two heats, by Mr. Wttherall's Fuscott, beating Mr. Hallett's I,evant. 57.01te day, the wigs. stakes for 3 year olds, was won, at two beats, re first being a dead heat), by Mr. 13Ig gs 'a Clohanna beating Ir. Dundas's Philadelphia. Mr. Hallett and Mr. C. Craven are ap pointed stewards for the ensuing year. t i 7 , , ~ NAUTICAL INTELLIGENCE. PORtSMOUTR, Atm. Excellency the Duke del Ina fantado, and Suite, landed this morning, under a salute front , the Cumus. When he landed at the Sally-port another salute was fired front the platform battery, and a guard of honour conducted hint to the George bin. Ide was attended by Cap tain Smith, of the Comui, and Captain Munro, a representa tive of General Waltham, our Lieutenant-General. '1 he Duke is of low stature, and about 33 years of age. DOVER, AVG. 23.—We are annoyed almost every night with French privateers ; last night one of them captured an Ameri can brig, but being chased by one of the sloops of war oil the Station, they abandoned her, and she wai recaptured and see:. into the Downs; the being men, eight in number, took to their boat, and, after teing some time in her, she was (pond to leak so much, that they were obliged to row for the shoec, and were all taken prisoners and sent to the guard-house. DoVea, Acourr 20.—Last night, as 'several light colliers were coming front the westward, they were greatly annoyed !-.)- a French privateer, which, after several inanceuvres, succeeded in capturing one of the colliers. and sent her off for France (she has sitice been recaptured by tke Cracker), at the sat time makiti.; all chact• in .orsuit of another, called the brig Hope; of :;underland: 'lle Frenchmen VI . *Cfs:' so eager after their ptey, and so dotern3itted upon. capture. that they actually fol lowed our brig within the buoy paced at the entrance of the harbour, and then made an attempt to board. The Captain of the privateer directed seven of the crew to jump on board the brig; two only succeeded, will). not finding their companions follow directly, leaped overboard; one reached the shore near the Caves, and was made pr.soner, the other is.supposed to be drowned. During thi4 disgraceful scene, there were lying in the roads the Naiad frigate, and a sloop of war, supposed the Echo. The batteries opened upon the privateer and drove her off. • The French burn ail the brush-wood in the neighbourhood of Cadiz. Every night, Jately, a blaze was to be au m occupying the space of two or three miles.