The National Register. — London, England, 1819-03-15 00:00:00

ASSIZE IS TFLUGEA CL LENT ASSILLS.-110NIE CIRCUIT. Hertford, March B. INFAMOUS CASE Of ARSON. James Head, aaed 40, and Martha, his wife, were in xlicted for having set fire to it ham in the occupation of Jahn Os erell, of Wakely, and burning thereby an im mense qoantity of corn, his property, on the 27th of August last. ssr. Walford opened thecase for the prosecution, and proceeded to call evidence. John Ot err •aid, he kept an extensive farm, and re sided in the hamlet of Wakely. The prisoner had been in his employment, and he discharged him on the Itith of Mae last. His barn was set on fire on the :'7th of August following, and completely burnt down. The harts was separate sonic distance front his dwelling house. In the year 1817 Ilia premises were set fire tons a similar way. J. Turtle said, he resided at Buntingford. On the uialit of the 27th of August he was alarmed by informa nm uof a fire at the premises of Mr. Overell. He rose front bed, and rode to the spot. The fire, which was Id:labia, appeared to have commenced at one corner. In about two bouts after he had been there, Jas. Head appeared upon the premises, and kept walking about, and talking very much of the former fire at his master's, in 1817. He talked also much of the then fire, and wit ness was induced to observe him closely. The prisoner caught his eye, appeared embarrassed, and shuffled away, to break off the conversation. George•Mickley said he also went to the premises of Islr. ()vela the night of the fire. He saw the prisoner there, who spoke to hint, and said it was a sad job that a tire should thus happen again on his master's premises. His wife, he added, was unuell, and had got out of bed in the night, when he (the prisoner) said he thought theft was a fire. His wile replied it was nothing but moon-shine, but lie thoaght it was ,1 contiguous farm which was on lire. The prisoner appeared to the wit ness to he confused and agitated. Ile lived shout a mile front the place whew the fire took place. Winless did not think it possible, from the situation of Head's dwellina, that he could see a fire while he lay on his bed; but Admitted that the atmosphere might be illu minated by a blaze where the fire was not directly oppo site to the view. Thomas Britton resided at Minden, close to the pri soner's house. Tice latter called hint up out the night of the nth of August from bed, by an alarm of fire. Wit. nest arose, and accompanied him to ihe premises of Mr. erell. The prisonet told him on the way, that Mien he first called hint up he was naked, and :hat his wife threw his clothes to him out of the window, when he pot them on by the time he(the witness) had got dressed. lliahard Tew (an interesting boy) said he was the son in-la aof James Head. Martha Head was his own mo ther, and he lived in the house with them. lie slept up stairs in a room outside his farmer's, and through which the I liter Must have conie to go down stairs. On the Main of the .;;;;th of August he was awoke by a person, whom he knew to be Ins father, and who went clown staits and out of the house., He returned in about a (par ter or hall an hour. He knew his voice well, and heard . Lim distinctly say, " 1 have left a brave light behind me." Witness soon after this went to. sleep, but was again, in a short time, aroused by hi: mother, s, 110 called out, " Dat, get ; your master's (Mr. Overell's) farm is on fire." Witness threw Iris father's smock-frock out of the eiirviow to him. AUR Bo‘‘Ver ,aid, that her husband was in the em• ployment of 'Mr. Ovarell iu August last. her husband • had money tai pay t':e prisoner alter his discharge front the prosecutor in May last. Ile accordingly came to their house, hut her husband was not at honor. NVitness asked him ii' he came for his tit nu v; he said, yes; lint it would not be notch when he had it. \Vi!ill'SS us id it would be some for him, as it was fir thum ; when he immediately replied, " 1.)11 hit old bluud (meaning Overell), Ire wants my knife in his throat, and another or two want a knife as well as he." Ile also added, " he cl—d to bell if they don't have it, and he (Ove rell) must not live. Ile wants amither light over his head, and he must look sharp if he does not have it." WiIIICSS 3,ked hint if her husband ever heard him use such expressions, when the prisoner replied, " No ; , 1 bi t; th e ks% yllll* hus b and knows, the litter it milli be fur hint. - \' had known Ilead and his wire for s or 9 years, butt haul no immediate intercourse or aerraintance with dam. She never had angry words or quarrelled with either in her life. Flair: the diteelloll 0f the learbed dodge, the prose cution as iialina; etc woman was here totall) abandoned. Stephen Lit eirler, the Bow-street officer, said he laid down on the bed from whence the prisoner said he had seen the light of the foe, and thought it impossible he could his e seen it from thence. The prisoner, in the most solemn manner, protested his innocence. NI a Justice Pak add; es•-ed the Jure, who, ;trier a coitsulaa ion of atimit tea 1110011111W' .116 aupil tat as to llar•his ar a , Inn hound tile prisoner James Ile ul—Gwall. •tiis Lora,Lip proceeded immediately to pass tipfill him the awhii sun:cute of death; and in tile most so h:lnn thatmer implorid brut not to indoiae any hope of mercy in this world, but hue a imiMeat iu seeking Los peace in the World of eternity, to uhleit he MUst ehortly be consigned. VITID:CHKF R, S ,TURDAY, MARCH 6. civil. min:. Ihe Assizes of t,iis l ussitu. : Lossisseettrusl just Tsicisloy, before the lion. Ch;orgc Sosvltylth ) (l, hut. :hat the Born. Ww.l./r.yer, Best. -Jo.; t THE NATIONAL :112OISTElt Alarander LMertux v. Boyce, 'Meld, and 11 ails. This was an action to rover damages for Mimics sustained by the plaintiff, in consequence of the upset tine of the Express coach, of which the defendants are proprietors, and which travels from Gosport to London. The plaintiff, who is a navy agent and linendraper at Gosport, was riding on the Lox with the coachman, in the mouth of July last. This coach changed horses at about six miles from Fan:Liam, on the road from London, and travelled free front accident until it reached Fareham, when the off wheel horse began to kick and plunge violently, the reins broke, and the horses struck into a gallop, when, coming in contact with some rails on the left-hand side of the road, the passengers were precipitated front the roof and box, and the coach broken to pieces. By this disaster, the plaintiff had suffered two dreadful compound fractures in his lea, the joint of the allele was entirely destroyed, and other wise very touch bruised. At the lapse 01 nearly a month after the accident, as soon as the state of the plaintiff's body rendered advisable, but still when his life was doubt ful, amputation of his leg was made; and on the hun dredth day after the misfortune occurred, and since which time he had lain at the Red Lion lint, at Farehain, he wa s conveyed home in a convalescent state. W. Fox, assistant to Mr: Saute, deposed, that he saw the plaintiff at the Red Lion, Fareham, to whom he heard Mr. Atfield (one of the proprietors) say, that Mr. Watts ought to have been ashamed of himself for putting such a vicious horse into the coach ; he requested Mr. Dever eux to have every thing requisite fur himself and his at tendatits, and he. had no doubt there would be a meet ing of the proprietors, after the plaintiff's recovery, and all debts which he might incur would be liquidated. John Charles Devereux stated, he remembered Jr. Watts coming to his brother's (the plaintiff ), after the latter's return hon.e, and saying to him that he came froth Mr. Boyce, in consequence of a letter plaintiff had writ ten, enclosing some bills; he said Mr. Boyce was ex tremely sorry for the accident, and he came to know what plaintiff's intention was about die bills, and the damages he expected for the deprivation of his limb. Plaintiff wished the offer to come from defendants. Waus said he conk! make him ntaoffer till they heard what plaintiff had to observe. Plaintiff replied, that they must discharge the bills that had been tendered them by the ail of November, and allow him mul. per annum. Re said he could not give an answer to that then, but would lay his proposition before Mr. Boyce. NI r. Shute, surgeon, of Gosport, related the nature of the dreadful fractures of the plaintiff's leg: he attended him dorilig the whole of his illness, during Li weeks of which period the plaintiff's life was very doubtful, and he was in attendance on hint, daily, for two hours and a half. Ib is bill amounted to t bit guineas. .Mr. Harris, Landlord of the lied Lion, was called to prove his bill : it amounted to W. 701. Iris. for lOU days, including chaise-hire, nurses, washing, upholsterer's Lill, tze., incurred by plaiutiti '6 ptecatious state at that intl. —Verdict, CROWN SIDE. Injockeskr, March 8. The only case of atrocity was that of Sarah Ilunting ford, who was found guiltyy, on the clearest evidence, of murdering her husband, Thos. Huntingford, at Portsea, ott the 24th of last October.--He was upwards of 70, and she of 60 years of age; they had lived together nearly forty years, and no reason whatever was assigned at the trial for her cruel conduct. It was proved, that at a little before nine o'clock on the preceding evening, and the last time they were seen together, she Was reading the Bible, and he was sitting near her. It was not known at what time they went to bed, but at three o' c l oc k i n the morning she was seen in the yard, apparently in great distress of mind; and when shewent up 6t.,irs again, two other persons went up with her, and found her hasband murdered, he having i t s and about his head thirteen severe wounds and contusions; she then said that two persons, who seemed like eltititney-sweepers, had canoe up stairs and murdered him, and that they told her that they would murder her also, if she made a noise. But this defence it scented her Counsel aban doned, as it was endeavoured to prove, by various wit nesses, that she was insane, but as nothing of this sort appeared either immediately before or after the act, the Leauted Judge (Nlr. Justice Best) thought this defence not available, And the Jury agreeing with him, found her Gui/iy on the whole indictment —She Was sentenced to stiffer the puttis:hme,it of" Petit Treason," which was pin in execution this morning, between eight and nine n'elmik, and her body was afterwards sent to the County I lospiial to be dissected. Site persisted in her not doing the murder, hut said that the instrument which was produced in court was not the instrument with which he was killed ; she appeared to be quite a sisionarv, and reconciled to her (ate; when urged to confess, she re plied, that she wiiald confess to God alone—that the act of dying was only momentary and what she did not fear. When brought ma ot the Gaol she stepped on the sledge wino firm II ass, and did not appear otherwise es en when the fatal Carl was reuited, and site was launched into eternity. Cheinidicd, March 10. CROWN slim. WALTHAM HANG. William flush, J.dio•slVesmootl7(;corge 11'estwood, Joseph Ches,ititi, ILhert Wolfe, James .Jellery, and Robert Litchfield, %%ere indicted lir hurglarionsly break. in gand eliterny the dwelling-house of John Chapinam at %A . :Milian' llo:y Cross, ht dd.: county, and plunder. Mg the house of a ‘artety of articles set out gie iu IfAIICH 15. Mr. Jessup stated the case, which was finned by art accomplice, of the name of Duvall, who Rare the fnl lowing aCCOUtt of the transaction :,--that ‘l'ulfr, who was the captain of the glue, On the 25th of O cto b er, met him in London, and told hint that if he and Litch field would come to his house they would meet with some others, who were to proceed to a house where they could get a good booty, as they knew an old man who had a good hoard. He accordingly met with Litchfield the next day at Hertford, and they went together to lioddesdon, where they slept at the Red Lion ; t h ey staid there until four o'clock; they went on to Bromlty, where they crossed the fields to Mr. Chapman's house, which was a lone farm-house, in the parish of Wal. tham. They listened in a lane until it was quite dark, and then they went to an out-house near the house, where, by appointment, they avere to meet %Valle and the others. :Yoon afterwards Wolfe and the four others joined them, and they all continued in the nut-hoose until about eleven o'clock at Wight; they then went to the house, and just then they saw the carter returning with his wagon, who had been to London ; he went into the house and got a light, and went with another lad into the stables. Sallie of them immediately bound the two men together, back to . bark, and fastened them to the manger, where Wolfe stood guard over them. The others then went into the house, and went up stairs, when they got into a vont where they found two men servants sleeping ; thy asked them where was their master's bed room, and wnere he kept his money. The men were very much frightened, and replied, their master slept at another part of the house, and that they did not know where lie kept his money. A g uard was left upon them, and they pro ceeded to th other stair-case; but here they found a strong door, which was fastened ; they went out and got two plough-cutters, with which they immediately shivered the door, and burst int, Mr.C..apinan's bed- MOM ; lie and Mrs. C. were in bed ; 'hey demanded hi: money and Ms keys, which he gave them, and told them his money was in a bureau below; th y went down s'airs and broke noel* the bureau ; they also broke open all aon chest, forced all the closets, and completely ransacked the house, taking away considerably above 1001. In mu ney, plate, and three watches; and they regaled then.. selves with o Me and spirits, and took away the best lait of a ham. The manner and circumstances of the rob bery were also confirmed by the servants, and Air. and Mrs. Chapman. In confirmation of the testimony of the accomplice, it .was proved by the landlord at Hoddestlen, that he and Litchfield had slept at his house the night before the rolshery, and one watch was found in the possession of Jetii-rev, and another in the thatch of Wolfe's house. Mr• - Curwood cross-exunnned the accomplice, but did not discredit his testimony.—The Jury timid them all Guilty. Litchfield-was also convicted of another burglary in the house of Nash Kemp, at Chri,tall, a little shy N. keeper. He was found the next day with all the goods, having stripped the shop. MELANCHOLY SUICIDE OF J. PAUL, ESQ. .A Coroner's Inquest was held on Thursday after. noon, before Thomas Shelton, Esq. Coroner lin. London, at the Committee. room of St. Olave's Workhouse, on the body of John Paul, Esq. a incr. chant in the City, who put an end to his existm c by drowning himself. The deceased was brother to James Paul, Esq. (who fought a duel with Sir Francis Burdett) finmerly a Candidate tbr WeA minster, who, it will be recollected, shot himself at his house in Charles -street, St. James's-square, and also brother to T. Paul, Esq. a merchant, late of Birmingham. John Stevenson, mate of the Humility sloop, moored near Gan-shot Wharf, stated, that he saw the body of the deceased floating on Tuesday morn. lug last; he got it out of the water, and it es is wnveyed in a shell to the dead-house of Saint °lave's. Isabella-Brown stated, that she was housekeeper to the deceased, who had resided at No. 3, Circus, Jklinories. He had been absent five weeks last Tuesday, and for some days previously he was in such a state of mind, and so exceedingly distressed, that she felt convinced he was not in his proper faculties ; she believed his affairs were embarrassed. For nights together he would leave his bed anil walk about the room like a person distracted, and when she spoke to him he would burst into tears, strike his hand in great agitation against his timty head, scream very loud, and appeared in great ter. ror. She did not hear ef the deceased until he was found drowned. He has left tour children, the youngest eighteen months old ; his wife died twelve months ago. John Ramsbottom, M. D. Old Jewry, stated, that he was called in by the deceased's surgeuti to attend upon him, and found hint labouring antics disorder, both mental and bodily ; he talked ot ' lilt disorder, but in such a manner us led him to suspect his mind was impaired ; he prescribed fin• him, and called again on the Wednesday following, and was informed that the deceased had left home (as .1 to described) on the preceding evenit4,-. letto, written by the deceased, was linind upon the titbit', addressed to his brother-in-law, Mr. I lewettson, the , ~.