The National Register. — London, England, 1818-08-02 00:00:00

AVG. !I THE DRAMA. HAYMARKET THEATRE. The Merchant of Venice was played here oil Tues day night, and introduced Mr. Warde in Shy/ock. His scene with Tuba/ was very well executed, and the judgment scene contained some masterly points, which, it strewed a little more thickly, will soon introduce him to the foremost ranks of his profession. Mrs. Glover played Portia with great judgment and feeling: we regret to state, that this deserving actress was seized with a sudden indisposition, near the termination of the fourth act, which for a short time suspended the performance, and afterwards went through the play with extreme difficulty. The sympathy of the audience Avu mach excited by this event. Tokely was very happy in Launcelot Gobi)°, and Jones's Grationo was extremely gay and spirited; the representative of the Duke was not conitne it Taut, the office was a little 'shorn of its dignity. The rest of the play was respect ably cast. ENGLISH OPERA HOUSE. The proprietor of this theatre appears to he deter minei to keep up the spirit of the old ash ge, " Industry must prosper," and has re-produced the twonrite opera of the Americans, in a style of excellence superior to its -origiaal appearance. The music, by Braham and M. P. King, is well known, having been frequently intro lucc in the first Concertg, and in many new operas since ‘• The Death of Nelson,' " The Wanderer's Home," " The •Echo Duet,' are familiar to our ears, but never have they been so exquisitely sung.as in this revival. With such a singer as Miss Carew, indifferent music would be made pleasing by her superior vocal powers—but when excellent compositions like the above mentioned arc placed at her disposal, the science and taste which she so eminently possesses, render them, indeed, a delightful treat. She is, in her line, the most important acquisition this tlica'se has ever gained. Mr. Pearman seems to be daily rising iu estima tion, and, in addition to a sweet voice and correct style, has always the di2portment of a gentleman. The opera was announced for repetition amidst great applause, -and, with the talent displayed by Miss Kelly, Mr. Bartley, &c. will have a considerable run. We must not omit to notice the line effect of the War-whoop Chorus at the end of the fiest act ; the wild shrieks of the Inlians, with the most poWerful.orcbestral aceotn paniamcnt►, rendered it truly sublime. AVe hear that traps are splendidly fitting up for the Royal Dukes and their iilostranis consorts, who, we hear. intend topay a visit to this theatre to-morrow evening. Tuesday a Meeting of the Subscribers to Drury-lane Theatre was held, at which a Report of the General Committee recomittendin G. Culman, Esq. to be Stage Manager; en-1 informing tl.e. Meeting, that they had obtained tile consent of three-fourths of the creditors to accept 10s. in the pound, was rend. it was moved, that the Meeting should agree in this Report; but another Report from the Select Committee, reconimerid ing the raising of a loan of 17,0001. to enable them to go on, was also read ; which was.agreed to in prefers ence to the first Report, on a division of 126 to 7:1. Tuesday the Captain of a British trader stated on Change, that on his voyage home last week, he met in the Baltic four American vessels in ballast, the Cap tain of one of which informed him that their destiaa• tion was to St. Petersburgh, to purchase i 000 tons of hemp, with which they were to return w.th all passi ble expedition. Au American Journal says, " It is stated upon au thority of the most intelligent navigators, that upwards -of 20,000 square miles of ice have disappeared from the Greenland seas within the last two years. Thet.p proximation of such no immense body of ice to the slmres of El,rope and America, may in a great measure recount for the astonishing changes which the tempera t, re of both hemispheres has undergone." Prt.‘sian bond, me the amount of 2,300,0001. sterling anived on Wednesday morning, in the care of his Ex ca:ent.y. Cowl: viler Eckhard, who has delivere them to Messrs. Rothschild, to be distributed among the dif ferent subscribers to the loan with that government. The remaini:ig bonds may be expected to arrive .by the latter,• end of August. They will: be brought to this country by Privy Counsellor Berrien:emu John. Wakefield, Esq. the Chairman of Mr. Brough am's Kendal Committee, has given orders .for the .4xecatibn of a medal, which he intends to present to the lmlependent Electors of Westmoreland, who sup ported that gentleman's cause a ethe last election. And the donation.vr.ll not be confined to the electors whose votes were aceepted, but to those whose rights were alleeted by t..e errs;; of the land-tax assessment, and also to those freeholders who were prevented, by the unexpecied close of the poll, from giving their suffrages to their favourite candidate. The materiel of the of Clam :e's Hcrischold and the infaior...servants, wid he e:itty.7 l -At to-morrow at Bled:wall on bear! a trail:l,oa which is waiting there to receiv...them, wig p: , direct to Ha nover. The Household, baggi , ge,.an..i iterses of the Duke ut Cambridge will be unbarked a the same place .about the ILth MA. THE NATIONAL. REGISTER: TRIAL OF HUSSEY, FOR THE MURDER OF MR. BIRO AND MARY SINIMONS, AT GREENWICH. MAIDSTONE, FRIDAY, JULY 31. The Court was this morning crowded at an early hour by people attracted by the interest of Hussey's trial, against whom a true bill was found on Wednesday for the murder of Mr. Bird and his housekeeper, at Greenwich, on the 7th of February last. Hussey was brought to the bar and .arraigned on two indictments, for the murder of Mr. Bird and his maid-servant. The prisoner was well dressed Ls a black coat and waistcoat, and mixed pantaloons, and appeared com posed, both in his manner of entering the Court, and in his mode of answering the questions put to him on his arraignment.. He is rather a tall man, with a mild looking countenance, and possessing much the appear ance of a person above his rank in life. When the Clerk of the Arraigns put to him the usual questions, " guilty or not guilty," and how would he be tried, he answered with a firm tone, and with somethinglife a practised manner, " Not Guilty," and he would be tried by Gotland his country. He was accused, as is stated in his arraignment, of the murder of Mr. Bird, of Greenwich, by giving him several mort►l blows on the head. on Saturday the 7th of February last. A model of the premises was exhi bited in Court, representing the situation of Mr. Bird's house with respect to the academy where Hussey de posited his box with Litton, and the other buildings mentioned in tlieevidence. The plan was on a have scale, but the Court remarked, that if not necessary it would rather tend to perplex and distract the miads of. the Jury than to enlighten them Mr. Sergeant Onslow, in a luminous statemest, de tailed the circumstances of the .ease, gave a connected view of the evidence which he was to bring forward, showed how it bore against the prisoner, examined the weight of even• part of it, and laid it before the Jury in a very methodical and distinct manner. Re deielt particularly on the late discovery of the hammer, and the evidence which contradicted the t.atements made by Hussey in his own defence, both in his ex amination before the Magistrates, and in two letters found .on his person when apprehended, the one ad dressed to Mrs. Walmsley, the mistress of the Tiger's :lead Public House at Greenwich, and the other to his brother. These letters stated, that he had embarked for America. though l►e was then in Oxfordshire—in the heart of England ; and that he had been all the Sa turday night,from 7 o'clock downwards,when themur fier wa.• committed, ut the Tiger's Head. among the society that met there, called the lodge of Odd Fellows. This last statement he would disprove by the evidence of persons who were there. The whole evidence, he reminded the Jury, was circumstantial ; but according to a trite observation, circumstantial evidence was sometimes stronger than direct testimony, as circumstances could net be so easily falsified. .1 he learned Sergeant proceeded to call wit ncsses. EVIDENCE. Da% id Thomas lives neat door to the late Mr. Bled, inLon don-street, G. eenwieli was acquainted with Mr. Bird, who was e 3 yours of age, He latterly kept only our servant, Mary Si 11111 l ons. On the Sunday morning of the Sib, lie ob served the house of Mr. Bird slint,abont Yt minntes before l• o'clock at noon. Mr. Bird's brother gave him information of his alarm at th.• house being shot up. Mr. Bird asked him to go toll's- back of the premises, and see it' all was secure. All was secure ; the windows closed ; and he recommended to Mr. Bird to pick the lock of the front door, which could:nut he done because the key was inside. They then tried a.door between Mr. Bird's house and witness's, and broke It open ; a passage communicated from that door tootle hack part of the bottle. Throneli that passage witness and Iwo or three others proceeded to the back part of the Loose. They then raised up the sash of the kitchen window, and broke open the -hotter+. He then went through the. window to the kitchen. When in the kitelitin,he went to the hall through a passage. tie insetted the back door.to let in Jigitt, auJ then saw the body of Mary Shemin's; lying in the passage, with her head towards the stairs and her feet towards the street dour. Witness stepped over her body, and opened the hall window, and then saw Mr. Bird lying dead on his back in the parlour. The dour between the hall and parlour was open. Upon examiniug further, lie observed . blood ou the floor of the Iran. It was near the body of Mary Simmons. Theme was a track of blood by drawing the body. The head was cut,. the ear was slit in two, part of the banisters was broken by her ; a candle was lyiusr beside her, which was nearlyu whole one. About one eighth of the. candles-was burnt. When lie saw Mr. MO, lie saw a candlestick veer knees; between his arms lay WS uecbtcks, Wilieil were. broken; on the table was a small poci;el-book and a lottery ticket. There was no watch in his fob. His pocl.sts were. Scathed, and .n.a. thing was in them. While/us afterwards went up stairs into the little room over the parlour, and observed there a large tin box, and a padlock on it, and some papers lying loose on the door. Sonic of the drawers of the sect etary were open.. Witness did not examitt:i them. He went to Mr. Bird's bed room, and found a double chest uf drawers open, and. every dre wer.wits half open. The things la them appeared to have beeretorned ever,and left in disorder. On the bed there were two or Once keys, and near them, on the counterpane, marks of blood. The bed was made and oilmen' dawn, ready for •eleepues tn. He did slot go. into the servuut's remit. On lilt betel dour of :le house there was a ehate, which (WI not ap. rat. have teem ter that ui,iht. 'file lock was a spring•lock, rod bad not heel' locked beyond the spring. Witness remarked in die kits heir the servouVe needlework on time table, ands' prilicitife or two, and the table-cloth folded on one coruer of it, as if fur present use. These was a pair of slippers on the feeder, and in the oven roasted potatoes, and the tea-kettle was full of water, lie looked Low the burcae, auth saw a '45 gentleman take some plate out of the bureau, which woe open. Croce-examined by Mr' Nolan.' I t was a b ou t ew e o 'clock that he went to Mr. Bird's house. .gr,. l banister bad here broken as it' Mary Siommes had Ws bold of it. There were several wounds on her head, made alMal•-- te by a blunt In strement. Mr. Bird was in the parlour; his pin:keit were t empty, but not turned altogether out. All the places which he entered appeared to have been examined. He could not say so of the back parlour. The thief, whoever be wasomist have inspected the rooms. Examined by Common Sergeant.—llichard Smith is a Mr gistrate. Heard of the discovery of the murder about rim o'clock, immediately after morning service, when he was tu the vestry room. He then went immediately to the house, where he arrived in about two minutes.. Mr. Themes the last witness, let him in. He described the house. Ile observ ed a woman lying on the flour iu the passage. There was much blood on the fluor, which was spread over it by • the moving of the body. The bod y lay in the way to the front door. tier head lay put at the foot of the staircase, and tie noticed that the lower banister was broken, and this was part which could net be laid hold of by a person in an ere 't position. There was a candle lying near the body in the hail which appeared new, only to have been lighted and tuen blown out, He went into Mr. Bird's parlour:found Mr. Bird lying on his back evidently dead, his feet near the door. scarcely enough to let the door open, and his head near the fire place below a chair. There was a little table ow..ethe hind the door, and on the table. near his heal witness saw is pocket beak. The spectacles lay on the ground, and din pockets appeared to have been rifled. On searching about, he foetid below the door of the parlour the mark of a hammei which had just grated the lintel, and left the mark of blood. He marked several wounds on the bodiesof both, apparent y inflicted by the same instrument ; some of the wounds belt.; seemingly inflicted by a hammer head, andrbe other a mo derately sharp end. lie saw the hammer afterwards, and such an instrument must have been employed toinflict these wounds. There were several wounds on the head of the we man, sad on Mr. Bird's. The skull of Mr. Bird was fractured. Witness went up stairs, first into the small reading room, where Mr. Bird had a bureau desk. He thought thaw per— son sitting near the window of this room, as he must do When the flap of the desk was down, might be seen front the Tiaper's Head. There was a small table with a portable desk uponeit nearer to the window. The flap of the bureau was down when witness saw it. Many papers were scattered about on it, and some down ou the floss. They appeared to have• been scattered about as if done in a hurry to inspect the• drawers. Thor bereau had a secret drawer, from which 31 one pound Bank notes were taken out in the presence of wit • ness. He afterwards saw plate taken out in a bed roosts, which had escaped the notice of the person whohedvplandered the other things. Mr. Bird's bed was made and turned dome In that bedroom thieve had been the same search for articles. , of property, and the seine -confusion as in the other pat ts of 'the' house. Witness went then to the stiles, which exhibited. the same scene of confusion. Witness then .exandseAtke premises on the ground floor, beginning with the back par , lour, and it did nut appear toshave beronntered at all. There was a sideboard kbere with some plate, which had not been dheurbed. After that, wit.tess went to the kitchen, where be :iv/ the servant's work on the table, a tinder box on the tab*, and a table cloth on a chair in the room, and. Mr. Bird's slippers near the fender. Two watches were delivered to wi mess on the 13th of March, by Goriwya, a tailor at Peokliatn, who represented himself to be poisonorn.brother iu law. Wit-. lies., produced the watches, but.could not speak to their pre vious ownership. He was present at the examination of. Hussey, when prisoner emittedn statement which was taken down from his lips, by Mr. Bicknell, which the prisoner was requested to sign, but which he refused to do. Cross-examined by Mr.Adelplins.—Witness- said he list, examined the house and the deceased peesons. The bans'. .trade was drown down by a person straggling on the ground. Five rooms had been ransacked; and at least a dozen drew ete examineiL So much• bad been done that it took witnen;auree time to examine it—about an hour. Witness said, that sellers • he mentioned that Mr. Bird's room could be seen. froin the • Tiger's Head, lie meant train the front of the Tiger's Head.. and not from any of the rooms of the inn. /Rainer went into the tap-room to try whether be could see from it or not. Frederick Finch is a surgeon. Resides at Greenwich.— Went to Mr. Bird's house on the 7th of February last. lie found Mr. Bird slaughtered in the most horrible manner. He observed two remarkable indentations on the forehead about the size of a half-peony. He observed a fracture faun the front to the occipinim. Any of the wounds wond have pro duced death,and from the parietal bone, the h;iiiie had es. .caped. He had no doubt t hat the wounds were inflicter: by an instrument, like a hammer, with a blunt cutting edge, mid a smooth. lie observed also the head of Mary Simmons.— He observed a depression on the os frontia which won:II have,produced death. He observed other severe wounds.— They were evidently pioduced by the same instrnment as the wounds were of the side of the cottingydge of Co/thane mer. He had since seen the hammer and Ale thought it would exactly produce the wounds Ire had described. Ho saw the hammer id the posses.ioti of Hodges, the cons:able.. The servant was woonded in the jugular vein, and bad evi dently vomited from the sympathy betweeu the head and the stourarit. Cruss•examined by Mr. Nolan —There wan a member of • blows on buth..the deceased.personi. He thought aoiustrti :tient but a ha aaaaa ier could have produced these wounds. • thesiali Bell deposed, that she lives at .orecUViCll; is a washerwoman ; used to go to Mr. Bird's to assist in cookieg before his wile's death, which happened niore dam two years ago. Mx. Bird generally ser lied at 9 o'clock. His meal was. potatoes mid sometimes soup. He went to bed at 10 o'clock.. He pulled cif his shoes biter souk or,,it hen the.cluth was re moved. Witness attended every washing ..in Mr. Bird's on the Monday before the niurder,ool had washed lb shirts. She saw two shit ta produced by ilentet s, the constable, alter • rite murders,and she was very sure she had washed them un the blenday met:butted. A haturaorchiel was litiewiso pro duced, which she.thought Mr. Bit :l'n. Crossoexemined by Mr. Noian.—Deposed that Mr. Bird was a regular man, wean to bed at 10, a lew minutes out or in, but never long. l m, l 7Alr. Hints nahe r house. Si on the ~Vnolwsch fowl, oboist 1 r if te r. mile fro • uh;ht, a litile past ti o'clock. T!:e mg ,it w ay foggy. She left h er bows at it o'clock, and might anea 21) neentetes en going the &s -law 3 man ta lki ng to a woman, apar w e it n o tl w y as as t i l f t 2 spe •hou ak se i k n tance. She knew Mr. Bird by sight. Site saw the door open. g eePeL' to kbe gh ser e van al 7 I‘' l4 l ' r it'a ß tsa ir' l)4..% l n ed i°u t t i l ;e n dl v r il l.ig ig' ain at half past tencand•saw the door shut, am! nottung particular au out the house. She knew Mr. Bird quite well ; he was her father's !Radice-1 C;teSi4.44Aint.t) ty Mr. Nol.4l.—Dqw3sed that she could not ins.