The Sun. — London, England, 1827-05-30 00:00:00

and gave her to her father. My Lords, it is ne cessary that I should put your Lordships into possession of some letters which Wakefield thought fit to write to Mr. Turner, because you will there see a proof of her vast affection for her father. You will see that there never had been a more con fiding child; you will see that, if any one thing more than another ever took possession of her mind, it was her affection for her parents, particularly for her father; and you will see therefore how skilfully and powerfully Wakefield worked upon the weakest part of her mi n d—if I d o not use an improper expression, in calling it the weakest part of her mind, and how likely it was that a statement such as Wakefield made, should operat e on her mind. My Lords, the first letter with which I shall trouble Your; Lordships is addressed to Mr. Turner, and dated March 13, 1827. The Learned Counsel here read part of a letter Which a cknowledged Wakefield's unpardonable guilt in carrying off Mi ss T urner, state d t h at t h ey were 14t Calais, and th a t h er h app i ness wou ld b e complete if she only saw her father. My Lord s , your L or d s hi ps cannot h ave a greater proof than this that the predominant feeling of her mi nd was affection for her father, nor can you have it fume bett er aut h ority. When Mr. Orimsditch and ll'. Turner's two brothers arrived at Calais, they had a conversation with Wakefield, and there your Lordships will find he took the earliest opportunity (if assuring M r . Grimsditch, that Miss Turner had received no contamination whatever from the course that had been taken. I will stat to Your Lo r d s hi ps t h e terms i n which he expressed him self on that occasion, and I do that the more:, that he is now disposed to withdraw from that statement --a statement consistent with the truth, and which no allegation on his part now can at all outweigh. The statement he then made was, " Mr. Grims- Turh, I assure you, , upon my honour, Miss Turner is the same Miss Turner that she was, Whe n I took her away—there has been no consummation of the marriage." He afterwards wr ites a letter addressed to Mr. Robert Turner, in ''' i llieli he ledges hims e lf, in th e most so l emn man ner, to the same effect. Afterwards he wrote an- °t her letter, dated the 17th, which likewise corro borated t hi s statement. This letter was addressed to hav e fath er , an d stated that whatever effect it might 4 `;'e on th e quest i on respecting the validity of his marring e Tan yet th at hi e i ntercourse with Miss beent aken the the m ost d e li cate nature, that he had not towthe s li g h test liberty with her person, that ard e be en most carefully guarded in his conduct his her, and in all res p ec t s t rea t e d h er as of sister, (Th e Learned Counsel here read a part 7 this letter.) Atettter, i t w My Lords, consistent with this ill be for Wakefield to make out a pe t.' ion at this. bar, and endeavour to oppose the 121st tha t progress of this Bill. In this letter he states, !eif it be necessary, an Act of Parliament should assed for annulling the marriage, and Mr. Tur ,.,e,r,,should decide on the daughter never being his 'lle, that he will be the first person to afford his ut most. assistance to thepassing of such a Bill. He states i tr ja it would be then seen that he was not a sneak "g., eowartl; and I cannot but wish that the un di:laded affection he boasts of having had for his e t ti f h ter, had governed him in the attempt he into e to rob Mr. Turner of his child, and to sink f or the deepest distress the feelings of this family ;at ever. A fter all this had taken place, ater Wakefield had made this communication to t 'a Turner, and she had been re-conveyed to : 414 4 your Lordships will find that Wakefield z-°eieded to address his brother William, the per and Who Who had assisted him in this transaction, ' ll s I will read to your Lordships the very lan- I I "? he makes use of . to his fellow conspirator.— bet e lette r is dated Calais, Thursday, signedE. G.W. ,"a",„addressed to William Wakefield.—[The Learn TVCounsei here read a part of the letter, which also i, tared that Miss Turner was uncontaminated.]-- h e letter, my Lords, is most important, because it NI" genuin e statement of Wakefield, of the facts (1 t took place, made to his brother and confi dential correspondent ; he could have had no motive to a . saeeeive his brother; and he states himself, in a ne _ e,„ssr that must be taken as conclusive evidence, qr"efrora the moment at which they were at Gretna t itt rn till he had delivered up Miss Turner, they to:Jived together as brother and sister. Your ie u r t m, 4 ,ip will observe here, too, the affection she th e ' have had for her father ; for it is of t h utmost importance to prove that there were tin } ( :!e rnaterials on which Wakefield could work, and th 'eh, by being so skilfully applied, would produce t e e , ga r ery end a t w hi c h h e a i me d. B es i des this, my ke , it appears Miss T. was in a state of delusion f' error until her uncles arrived at Calais, and that .c° l that moment her mind was made up to g s s a ' l .don Wakefield, to abandon a person who had e , j ' e e'ved her in the most scandalous manner—a per t ti ho, on his own admission, had forged a let iier "a person who, upon his own representation, , s Sle had ascertained the fact, she must have 4ed as th e most despicable of mankind, which • 'la lie begs may be concealed from her, because, if t t he, natu re o f t h e c i rcumstances was made known e t her h e cons id ered that those circumstances must 1 k4 ip him i n h er v i ew as the Most worthless profligate. eti'anot stat e any tiling so st rong or power ful, as the Orvations 'Wakefield himself has made; nor can wi r i e any difficulty in supposing that your Lordships I - e i ° lne to the conclusion we pray of the House.. ,leaarornit upon the whole of this case, it was quite , oi that there never was a consent—a willing , o t hat on th e part of Miss Turner to become t ie (:-, of 'Wakefild. I submit she gave that a p parent t i p eat under the influence of fraud, fear, and i . - la '- ; 44tio n, and under that which is known in 1, 4 e to be force. It does not require actual vio lein" to constit u t e f orce ; t h e f orce i s u p on the p s e,; and if any individual does that which corn -4; a nother t o d o an act under the influence exerted t er r the mi nd, I submit that that is violence. On a irl e er ferre'peeasion a N oble Lord i n th i s H ouse re tort," 0 the law of burglary, as explisna tro4l°l the law of violence. Now I will b ur g e Your Lordships with a definition of the word iret ten . Y, and the book to which I shall direct your e e tli ti ° l l is the book of Sir Edward East, his treatise e ct the 0n He states that it is a breaking into onlywOing-house • and in order to constitute it, not . . P i n • b 18 it necessary to have the individual let dwell t, from the nature of it, the breaking of a states, gill,4°,uilsie must be co ns ti tute d of v i olence. He a ti o l n e i; have b b e e e e n n ',how to you i nstances in which per ceoxne;iuicut a jiaccompanied by terectidi and on w hi c h conv i ct i ons 'ir Edward states that theforlreocm° mmitting a burglary, beginning to end. ' l l . l itted either by constructi on o e mu st , be a breach corn. : v o . r . ce. H e says, though tip be breaking, the every i en 'a t w, or by actual 4 th '!. that is not sufficient, fo r the 1 ilj,s entrance must be obtained. eithe r by fraud, con ,, , t ta 7q, threat, or force, and that thi s ma y Le Mil s -0 ,t,ed by different examples. So that in this very by of burglary which consists of forc e , Sir 44 test states that it may be accomplished by er e " or conspiracy. The instances he gives theAort, and I will trouble your Lordships with se' lie states, that thieves having intended to to thraised the h ue an d cr y, an d b roug h t a constable tot e.house the owner opened the d oor , t h ey all rolC rn ission, the thieves bcund the constable, and 4 ed the owner ; and that was held to be but. as i tl Y , So again, if a per Son takes lod g i ngs with 't tratletent to rob the owner, and does that, the en- A IN ' . is obtained by fraud—and that too is bur le I l i , . 1 0 also in the case of Smart, which was tried 1 1 1'0 4 , 18 ; the pris oner k nocked at the door, the ire r „. l- ;,torope ne d it; the prisoner pushed himself co litti 7b d the ho use , and that too was burglary h itt 'lted of fraud. .I submit, therefore, to t h at . Lordships, that I have clearly mad e out t og rece:tequires nothi ng b ut fraud, fear, or conspi ;AS caalistitute force, and which .ean b e o l T il linittea h e without actual violence. But 1 I 4 % eo , able to state to you r L or d s hi ps, where there hre imll Marriage* ;Annulled on grounds less strong than the present. A Noble Lord in the course of the discussion that has taken place in this case, called the attention of the House to a case in the 2d vol. of Mr. Hut chinson's book of Allan v. Young, which took place in 1783, and where the marriage was declared void. The child was about 12 years of age, and under Allan's care as a teacher : in that case - no consum mation of the marriage had taken place; the facts went to prove that • there rSight be the influence and control that a schoolmaster had over the mind of his pupil ; but the ground on which that marriage was set aside by the Courts of Scotland was, that it had been brought about by fraud and undue influence. Now I beg your Lordships to consider, in what situa tion Wakefield placed himself; he told Miss Tur ner at Manchester that he came from her father; he told her he came there to take her to her father ; he assured her be had her father's authority for having her care and conduct in the course of the journey. At one place he left her and returned to her with a pretended message from Mr. Turner, stating that if she valued his hap piness, she was to marry him without delay, so that instead of having the care and protection which the law throws over persons of her tender years, Wakefield turned that intended protection to her injury. He stated he had her father's authority in calling for the marriage in the way he suggested; and I am entitled to say that Wakefield assumed a controttl over her from the time at which they left Manchester. My Lords, I have stated we have been unable to find any case precisely in point ; but in 1691 an act was passed fur dissolving the marriage of a Mr. Campbell and Miss Walton, which I trust will be considered as a clear authority for the passing of this Bill. I submit that we are entitled to say force was practised. In the case of Campbell there was actual force, because Miss Walton was seized by Mr. Campbell in coming out of her mother's carriage, was carried by him to a house in Westminster, and there married. The witnesses stated she gave her consent with as much seeming good-will as any bride had ever done.— Now, I submit that on the facts proved in that case, there was nothing like as strong a case of fraud and imposition, as is made out in the facts this day detailed. I submit that the present is a clear case to come under the authority of Campbell ; but at the same time, I contend it is unnecessary to carry this case so far; because if there were force sufficient to intimidate Miss Turner that is enough. My Lords, I have now stated what I think sufficient to show the ground on which we are entitled to ask your dissolution of this marriage—namely, that this really never was a marriage, on the ground that there never was a willing consent given. The point I apprehend is clear, that if marriage be a con tract, there cannot be one without a consent, and here Miss Turner was not a free agent at the time so as to give her consent, and this is established by the facts which took place at the time, as well as by the conduct of the parties afterwards. Having said thus much, I trust I have said enough to carry the House along with me; for it would ill become me to say more than is necessary. Wakefield is now suffering the judgment of the law; but I do trust that your Lordships will think, as the sole means by which the happiness of this family can be restored, is by the declaration of this House that Miss Turner is not to be the wife of a man convicted, on his showing of fraud unrivalled in history ; a man who himself states that lie has been guilty of such conduct, as that a wife who knew of it must have despised him for ever— I trust your Lordships will think this a cars in which we are entitled to ask for your Lordship's speedy relief, and to restore Miss Turner to that society in which she was in the habit of mixing before this event took place. The first witness called was 'William Turner, Esq. He was examined by Mr. Sergeant CROSS, and deposed to the following effect reside at Shrigley Park ; Ellen Turner is my only child, she is now nearly sixteen years old. At the time she was taken away, in March, 1826, she was fifteen years and one month old ; she had been at Miss Daulby's school, for four or five years. I am the owner of an estate in the county of Chester, of considerable value. I have also a large personal property. When my daughter was taken away, I had not known Edward Gibbon Wakefield. I did not even know his name, and I am certain that he was not acquainted with any of my family, and I most certainly never consented to his marriage with my daughter. I left Shrigley Park on Monday, the 6th of March, for London, and from that day to the Friday following I was absent on my journey. The first intimation I got of the occurrence was from Miss Daulby, one of the ladies with whom my daugh ter had been placed. She arrived at Shrigley on Monday, the 13th of March, and upon hearing of the circumstances from her, I sent oil messengers in every direction. I know Mr. Grimsditch, who has been for a considerable time my confidential agent. I do not know a person named Thera:not ; a French man, nor was he ever in my service, nor have I ever heard of a Dr. Ainsworth, nor am I aware that such a person exists. When I set out for London, Mrs. Tu rner was ill, and Miss T. had returned to school about a fortnight before that period. She has an uncle re siding in Manchester, who has no family, and is a gentleman of opulence. My daughter is heiress to him as well as to me. Mr. Sergeant Citoss—What is the disposition of your daughter?--is she ingenuous and confiding, or otherwise ? Mr. Turner—She is remarkably confiding. Mr. ADAMS—Has she grown in size since that occurrence has taken place ? Mr. Turner—Considerably so ; she has grown much larger indeed. I was about to change my re sidence and remove to a new house at the time my daughter was taken away. Mr. Sergeant CROSS having intimated that he had concluded his examination, The LORD CHANCELLOR said, Edward Gibbon Wakefield, have you any questions to put to this witness ? - E. G. Wakefield advanced to the bar and said— I am prepared, my Lord, to disprove the allegations in the Bill now before your Lordships, a copy of which has been furnished to me; but on coming here this morning, I did not know that any evidence was to be gone into, I am, therefore, completely un prepared. LORD CHANCELLOR—YOU will by and bye have an opportunity of entering upon your case. E. G. 'Wakefield—My witnesses are in Scot land and in various other places, and I cannot pro duce them at a moment's warning. LORD CHANCELLOR--E. G. Wakefield, it is my duty to. inform you, that I merely want to know whether you have any questions to put to the witness? E. G. Wakefield.-1 am anxious, my Lords, for delay; if that is not granted I am desirous of re tiring, as I do not wish to be compelled to listen tc an ex-parte statement. The LORD CHANCELLOR.—If you are desi rous of retiring you may withdraw. Mr. Wakefield, upon this retired. During his absence, which was only for a minute or two, the Lord Chancellor and Lord Eldon were in earnest communication. The LORD CHANCELLOR then desired that E G. Wakefield might be brought to the bar immediately. Upon his re-appearance, The LORD CHANCELLOR addressing him said, " I am desired to inform you, that their Lordships will proceed with this iny e sti ga ti on w hether you are here or not." E G. Wakefield. --Am I at liberty to address your Lordships. LORD CHANCELLOR.—When all the evidence is concluded, you will be at liberty to o:;mment on it, and to make such remarks on it as you may deem expedient; and you will also be allowed to produce whatever evidence you may please. E. G. Wakefield..—My witnenci u§ in Race, Scotland, and in various parts of England. I can not proceed without having time to produce them. The LORD CHANCELLOR.--Edward Gibbon Wakefield, I have to inform you that at present the House proceeds with the investigation. Mr. E. G. Wakefield again retired, accompanied by his brother William Wakefield, who was also brought up with him, in custody of the Deputy Warden of Newgate. [The next witnesses called were, Miss Daulby, James Brown, and James Holden; but their evi dence corresponded exactly with that given at the trial at Lancaster.] Mr. Dealt y brought up office copies of the con victions of E. G. Wakefield, W. Wakefield, and F. Wakefield, for a conspiracy; and also, the re cord of the conviction of E. U. Wakefield, and W. Wakefield, for a misdemeanour. Mr. Wm. BROUGHAM asked the witness whether he could state to their Lordships the nature of the misdemeanour ? The LORD CHANCELLOR thought the question unnecessary, as the tecerds must he read at full length. . _ Mr. ADAMS then s►id, the next witness, my Lords, that I propose to call is Miss Ellen Turner. This announce ment caused considerable excitement, and all eyes were in stantly directed towards the door through which she was ex pected to enter. Miss Turner made her appearance in a few minutes, ac companied by her mother and other female friends. She was attired in a black-silk dress and plain straw-bonnet. She did net appear in the slightest degree embarrassed, and during her examination, she answered the questions put to her, in a very distinct, though rather low tone of voice, and upon sevcn•al occasions, when the questions re spected dates, she exhibited such anxiety to be ac curate as to delay her answers. During her pro gress from the door to the Bar, the persons imme diately near her were perhaps not so decorous as the circumstances of her peculiar situation required. They very unceremoniously endeavoured to look under her bon net, which concealed a face, the view of which would have, in some measure, compensated them for their efforts to behold it. When Miss Turner took her place at the bar she was examined to the following effect :--She said, I am the daughter of William Turner, of Shrigley Park. I was, in March, 1826, at school, at Miss Daulby's, at Liverpool. On the 7th March I remember leaving school ; my departure was occasioned by a letter which Miss Eliza Daulby re, ceived. I went from Miss Daulby's iu a carriage. I was alone in the inside of it, and there was a servant on the box. Before I got into the carriage, I remembered making an observation—it was this—that the carriage was not my papa's. I did not address this observation to any one in particular. The servant answered that the car riage belonged to the physician. My reason for leaving the school, was that my mamma was much worse, and that I was, therefore, to go off immediately to her. Miss Daulby told me this was the reason. I first went to Prescott in the coach. Nothing particular occurred there. From Prescott we went to Manchester and stopped at the Albion Hotel ; I there alighted from the carriage and was shown into a room with three windows in it—two of which looked into Picea dilly-st., and one into Oldham-st. ; no one was in the room when I was first shown into it. I was told that I would meet my papa there. I was induced to Lelieve that I would see him there from what I had heard at Liverpool. I have rela tions at Manchester, and when I proposed to go to see them the servant objected and said that the gentleman would be here immediately ; 1 abstained from going because I thought that by the gentleman he meant my papa. I was in tne room a considerable time before any one came to me. At last a person entered, whom I had never seen before, but who I now understand to be Edward Gibbon Wakefield. On his entering the room, I rose to leave it ; he requested me not to go, and said he was commissioned by my papa to take me to him. I did not then understand where papa was ; I believed it was on account of my mama's health I had been sent for; Mr. Wakefield told me that it was no slight circumstance which prevented my papa from fetching me himself; that circumstance, he af terwards informed me, was the state of my papa's affairs; but be then gave me no further explana tion on the subject. , I remember that a Miss Greenway had been at Miss Daulby's school, and that she left it shortly before I did. It was generally known. that she left it in consequence of her papa's difficulties. I also remember that my papa, on taking me back to school, had to pay .a bill. We were talking before that of Mr. Green way's affairs, and I recollect my father not having money enough about him to pay his bill, upon which he observed, " I think I shall fail too." This he said in a jocular way, and lat the time took it to be a joke. When Mr. Wakefield told me of papa's circumstances, his remark respecting Mr. Greenway, at once occurred to me. We next proceeded to Halifax, on our way I fully expected to have seen my father at Huddersfield. Mr. Wake field left me at Huddersfield, and requested me to re ! main, in order that he might go and look for my papa. He returned and said that he had received no letter, and that he was much surprised at that circumstance, but he, at the same time, expressed his conviction that we should meet my papa at Kendal. We arrived early in the morning at Kendal. I asked how long we should stay, as I had some acquaintance whom I wished to call on. He said that would entirely depend on papa. Whilst at Kendal, I got no letter ; but I remember seeing Edward Gibbon Wake field and William Wakefield, reading one at the window in which we were ; Edward Gibbon Wakefield afterwards cause up to the and said, " I perceive you are anxious."— To this I made no reply. He then said that he would shortly tell we why my papa could not meet me. We went ftom thence to Carlisle. On our way he told ins that a bank at Macclesfield bad failed—it was the bank of Ryland and Davis, and that it had almost ruined my papa. He added, that an uncle of his had lent my papa some money, to relieve him from his distresses. 1 think he mentioned the sum to be 60,0001. He afterwards told use that a Blackburn Bank had failed, and that this still further reduced the circumstances of my papa. I was at the time aware that my father had pecuniary dealings at both these places. Edward Gibbon Wakefield also told me that his uncle who lived at Kendal, and was a banker, had required security for the money which he lent. This se curity he obtained, and it was the estate of Shrigley. He said that his uncle now had the power to turn my papa out of doors. This property would, he said, be mine if I married ; and he told me that Mr. Grimsditch proposed that he (Edward G. Wakefield) should be my husband ; the property would then be mine, and his uncle could have no claim. I made no answer. He said, that if my husband were a man of honour, my papa would he perfectly safe. This be said he was willing to do, and told me that it remained for me to decide whether I would marry him or have my papa turned out of doors. He did not repeat this remark, but frequently required to know to what conclusion I had come. I gave him no answer : but I more than once said that I would tell my papa what I would do.— Wakefield took a letter out of his pocket. Ile said it was from Mr. Grimsditch, and that the writer expressed his hope that Miss Turner would dis play as much fortitude as her excellent papa did. I did not then know Mr. Grimsditch's hand-writing, but had often seen him at my papa's, and was aware of his being his solicitor. When we arrived at Carlisle, both the Wakefield's were absent from me for nearly half an hour. I lost sight of them all the while. E. G. Wake field first returned. When the carriage, which I had not left, was about driving off, W. Wakefield drew up the carriage window, and said he had something of importance to communicate. He said that lie had seen papa and Mr. Grimsditch concealed in a small room at the back of the Inn, and he told me also, that the persons collected round the Inn door, were Sheriff's officers, in pursuit of my papa. Before we left Carlisle, Edward Gibbon Wakefield was anxious to cross the border, and iatended to do it at Longtown. Both brothers examined the map, and one of them said that Longtown was not across the Bonier. They looked again at the letter, which they before read, and assured me that I was to have lettere at Longtown. Edward Gibbon Wakefield told me that Grimsditch was so much afraid of their being discovered that he took him by the shout• dens and turned him out of the room of the Inn, and that my papa desired him to tell me that if ever I loved him I would not refuse to marry Mr. Wakefield. Mr. Anams—What reply did you make to this? Miss Turner—l asked him was that the only thing which would save my papa, and he answered yes. Mr. ADAMS-After you were told that it was the only thing that could save your papa, did you consent? Miss Turner—l did. Dir. ADAMS—Now, Miss Turner, I wish you to state what induced you to content to marry Edward Gibbon Wakefield ? • Miss Turner—The fear that if I did not convent my papa would be ruined entirely. Mr. ADAMS—Was that your only motive ? Miss Turner—That certainly was my only motive. We went next tf? Gretna Greei., and there the ceremony of marriage was performed. There was no clergyman pre sent. I was then 'asked - whether. I would consent to accept Edward Gibbon Wakefield as my husband ? I consented tQ Marry him, Wider the 4411,10ce of the motive which I before stated. From Gretna Green we returned to Carlisle, and there inquired as to my papa. I was told that one of the post-boys bad returned to my papa with information of the marriage, and that that enabled him to proceed. I was told that the certificate of my mar riage had been shown to the Sheriff's Officers, and that my Papa would suffer no further molestation. We travelled in a public coach ; I don't remember with whom. We changed coaches at Leeds, and at Barnet near London, we got into a post-chaise; William Wakefield had left us at Leeds, and Edward Gibbon Wakefield and I arrived to gether in the post-chaise at the Brunswick Hotel, I expected all along to be taken to Shriglev, but at Leeds was told that as papa had gone forward to London it was possible I might meet him there, if not I could return to Shrigley. E. G. Wakefield, after seeing a friend, told me papa had gone forward to France, and that we must follow him there. He desired me not to name my papa to the servants or to any other persons. We left London in a chaff e in the middle of the night, and after arriving at Th f ki crossed over next day to Calais. I left Miss Danlby's about eight in the morning on Tuesday, and arrived at two o'clock in the afternoon of Wednesday at Gretna Green, and left Perth on Thursday morning. I had only one night's repose after leaving Liverpool, until we arrived at Calais.. We put up at an hotel. When my uncle arrived, Mr. Wakefield told me he was as much sur prised as I was that we did not meet nay papa. I met my uncle on the pier head. I was in company with Mr. Wakefield. We went to the pier head to look out for my papa. When I told Mr. Wakefield that my uncle was - ome, he said we must go back to the hotel. When Mr. Wakefield and I came back to the hotel, he took me into Madam Pilliac's room, and as soon as my uncle and Mr. Grimsditch arrived, Mr. W. left me with them, and was very glad to find out that what he had told me was not true. and I said I should never see him again. I told him so. Until the moment that I saw my uncle and Mr. Grun•- ' ditch, I was under the impression that all Mr. Wakefield told me was true, and that my father would be ruined it I did not marry Mr. Wakefield. The Learned SERGEANT having concluded his exami nation, The LORD CHANCELLOR inquired whether any of their Lordships desired to ask any question, and no question having been put, the witness was ordered to withdraw. Mr. Grinditch examined by Mr. Sergeant Caoss.—l am confidential agent and solicitor to Mr. Turner of Sh r icr_ ley ; I reside in Macclesfield; I saw the two Mr. Wake fields there last year for the first time; the Wakafield:s were at -Dr. Davis's on a visit ; and I heard they had come from Paris where they lived ; Dr. Davis had a daughter, who was then known as Miss 'Davis. The Messrs. Wakefield and Miss Davis called on me on horeback, to permit them to ride over some grounds which were in my care. Hav ing heard of the particulars of the marriage between Miss Turner and Mr. Wakefield, and on Tuesday the 14th March, after getting a warrant from the Secretary of State, I set off for Calais with Mr. H. Turner. I first met Mr. Wakefield it Gilliac's yard ; he asked me whether it was intended to prosecute hint; I said, certainly; that he had stolen Miss Turner by means of a fraudulent letter, and that the most severe measures would be resorted to. I also told him, that he had broken the peace of Mr. Tur ner's family ; that Mrs. Turner was almost if not quite dead, and that Mr. Turner was left in Lon don unable to go on, and almost broken-hearted, I alto told Mr. Wakefield that he ought to be shot, and he replied that he had a daughter himself, and that if any person took her away in the same manner he would drive a bullet through his head. We then talked of the legality of the marriage. I told him that by an Act pasted in the reign of Philip and Mary, tha marriage was void. I then said we must see Miss Turner. He wanted us to pledge ourselves that we would not ask certain questions of Miss Turner which we refused to do. He then asked to be present at the interview, which we also refused. He asked if he may see Miss Turner after our interview, and Mr. Critchley acceded to this proposition. Mr. Wakefield and I thenproceeded to Madam Gillinas' room, when Miss T. has, and he and I escorted her to the room where her uncle was. Having let Miss Turner in and shut the door on her, Wakefield and myself, and Mr. Wake field then said, " Well, I give you any honour that she is the same Mae Turner as when I first saw her ; the mar riage has not been consummated." I then saw Miss Tur ner ; her uncle had informed her of all the deception which had been practised on her. She said, " Oh, the brute, he has deceived me, and I never called any one a brute before." After a great deal of parleying, Mr. Wakefield consented to give up Miss Turner to her uncle. He saw her before her departure. She said, " You have deceived me, and I never will go back to you again ; I shall go with my uncle." Mr. Wakefield said, " You must admit that I have treated you like a gentleman," and she replid, " you have, but you have deceived me." Mr. Critchley examined by Mr. J. BaoucHaar—l am the uncle of Miss Turner. I accompanied the last witness to Calais, and asked Mr. Wakefield what induced him to run away with a child that he had never seen, and he replied, that he had heard her talked of at Dr. Davis's, as a fine girl and a large fortune, and he determined to possess her. Mr. Edwards was then sworn, and deposed to the hand writing of Mr. E. G. Wakefield, in three letters which were read, but the contents of which are already before the publ ie. The Counsel here stated that they:had gone through the evidence. Mr. Sergeant CROSS then proceeded to recapitulate the evidence. The case was one of a most extraordinary cha racter. An afflicted father prayed for the restoration of his stolen child, and a convicted impostor claimed that child as his bride, add asked their Lordships to reward him with the spoil which he had robbed. Those were the parties contending at their Lordships' bar. the case was one which, being uncommon, required an uncommon remedy. The differencebetween the law of Scotland and that of England, with regard to the abduction of an heiress, was that which made it necessary for the unfortunate father in the present case, to apply to their Lordships for was commenced in England, had been concluded there and not in Scotland. One of the parties at their Lordships' bar would have been immediately convicted of felony.— The Learned Sergeant here proceeded to sum up the evi dence, commenting on the system of artful delusion which Mr. Wakefield was guilty of to forward his purpose of pos sessing himself of the person and fortune of Miss Turner. The Learned Counsel, after recapitulating the whole cir cumstances, concluded by imploring their Lordships to in terfere, and rescue an innocent girl out of the accursed grasp of a vile impostor, who had set the laws of God and man at defiance, and to afford their protection to an unfortunate family, whose peace was destroyed by a com bination of the most extraordinary circumstances, all of which occurred in two countries, over which their Lord ships' jurisdiction extended ; for if they did not interfere, the matter would have to undergo a long, lingering, and expensive investigation before an inferior triLunal. E. G. Wakefield then advanced to the bar, and said, that when he was this morning called to that house, he understood it was for the purpose of speaking in support of the Petition which bad been presented in his behalf to their Lordships. He did not expect that he would be called upon to answer the statements of the Counsel op.' posed to him, but merely to shew reasons why the Bill should not pass, and to give a true account of all the facts connected with the case. To the Bill itself he did not mean to offer any opppsition ; all that he objected to was, its passing on ex-parte statements, without both parties being heard. He had formerly congratulated himself that the Bill had been introduced into the House, because he expected a fair opportunity would be afforded him of bringing forward the evidence which heretofore be had not been permitted to do. The Bill contained heavy cri minal charges against him; it stated that he had used fraud, ...imposition, and intimidation, in order to induce Miss Turner to marry him. He then referred to the eon viotion against him, and stated that two bills :of indict ment had been preferred against him in August last, bet which were not tried till March last. The. indictments contained ten counts, on five of which he had been ac quitted, and on five be had been convicted. None of the counts on which he had been convicted charged him with fraud upon his wife, consequently he was not guilty of the offence stated in the Bill. He had to complain that the charge of fraud was not brought to a fair trial. A charge of force was also preferred against him, but the Judge at the trial without hesitation passed from it. A great deal of evidence had been heard against him, some of which bore hard upon his conduct, and though he had a great many witnesses who could disprove some it, 1111.. Baron Hullock (who sat at the trial) refused to bear them. In particular, he had several witnesses who could repel the charge .4 fraud upon his wife, come of whom had been ex amined, but would not be heard upon that point. His witnesses had been conveyed twice to Lancaster, and his object now was to obtain leave from their Lordships to have them examined before them, and he hoped they would in their wisdom allow him the same opportunity and facilities of examining them, which were granted before inferior tri bunals. It would, perhaps, be difficult for him to procure the witnesses' attendance on the score of expence, as he had already expended nearly 8,0001. in conveying them twice from France to Manchester. He was so ignorant of the forms of proceedings before their Lordships, that he threw himself entirely on their justice ; but he would beseech them to allow all the facts to be disclosed. He bad no doubt be could prove that his wife had been induced to marry him, solely out of motives of love and affection, and he could repel the charge of subornation of perjury made against him. He then referred to a case, that was tried some years ago in Dorsetshire, where the accused were charged with carrying away a young lady by force, and afterwards marrying her, and so strong was the impression made by the witnesses for the prosecution, that the Judge at the trial would not suns up the evidence, and • the prisoner was convicted. Soon afterwards, however, some of the witnesses were convicted of perjury, and the lady herself, under circumstances which might be easily imagined, was obliged to fly the country, to avoid a similar conviction. If the House was determined to pass this Bill, surely it must be on grounds of public expediency ; anti he would ask if it would not be better, if not for his sake, at least for Mr. Turner's own sake, that the whole truth should be known. It had been suggested to him, since he came into that House, that it would be better for him to give their Lordships a short sketch of what his witnesses would he able to prove, and though totally unprepared beforehand, he thought it best to comply with that sugges tion. He then produced a printed pamphlet, out of which he read what the innkeepers and waiters on the road could say, all of which went merely to spew that Miss Turner had been sometimes in good humour and laughed; that she did not appear to be under any retraint, and that Mr. Wakefield behaved with great politeness towards her. In course of reading evidence, Mr. Wakefield was inter rupted by Lord DELAMORE, who thought that it was quite irre gular for their Lordships to hear what Mr. Wakefield read at present. If they were determined that the witnesses themselves should be heard, he conceived that it was quite onnecessary to hear their evidence at present. Lord Eenoss said that it was absolutely necessary that Mr. Wakefield should state to their Lordshids what he proposed to prove, before they could determine whether his witnesses should be heard or not.—(Hear, hear.)—He himself had read the whole evidence at the trial, and had formed an opinion, but whether that opinion would be ulti mately adopted by their Lordships or not, he conceived it to be their duty in the mean time to hear what was pro , posed to be proved. Mr. Wakefield then ~roceeded to read, from a printed pamphlet, the evidence adduced for the defence at the trial in Lanaster, but in so inaudible a voice that he was scarcely heard. When he concludedhe said that it was incomplete—a mere sketch. It did not contain the third part—certainly not the half of what his witnesses would be able to prove. These witnesses were scattered through various parts of England, some were in Scotland, and some iu France. It was therefore impossible for bins to collect all the matter which they were in a condition to prove. In fact, he did not come there to -day prepared to enter into any details ; he did not expect that any explanation would be gone into. The prayer of his petition was, that he might be at liberty to enter his opposition to the further progress of the Bill; and the course he intended to pursue was this—to state, in the first instance, his objections to the Bill, and after wards to produce evidence to substantiate those ob jections. In the mean time he proposed to cross-exa mine the witnesses against him, and particularly the lady herself, and to rebut by his own evidence such parts :as were untrue. He abstained in the present instance from cross-examining the witnesses for the Bill, in order that he might more conveniently re but it at a future time. As he was not, however, al lowed sufficient to procure them, he would withdraw his opposition to the Bill, and allow it to proceed upon what must be considered as purely exparte evidence, which, if it accorded with the statement of the Learned Counsel who opened the case, would be false. However, he bad no remedy, although, if he were afforded the same opportunity of producing his witnesses that he would have in a criminal court, he felt confident that he would suc cessfully oppose the Bill. Mr. Wakefield then retired. Mr. Grimsditch was then sworn, and in reply to clues. tions from the Lord Chancellor, said that he hail served Edward Gibbon Wakefield with a copy of their Lord ships Orders, on Monday the 21st instant. He had since given him notice that the order for the second read ing of the Bill had been discharged, and that it was fixed for this dry. He at the same time served him with a copy of the Bill itself. As soon as the witness had retired, The LORD CHANCELLOR then addressed the House at great length. The Earl of ELDON also thought no further delay should be granted, and that their Lordships should proceed on the information which was now be fore them. The question now before their Lordships, was whether by legislation the marriage null and void. The Noble Lord, after stating his opinion that the marriage ought to be annulled, commented at con siderable length on the nature of contracts in general, and said that force and fraud had always been held a a suffiient ground of voiding a contract. The Noble Lord said, that he had read the evidence which Mr. Wakefield said he would produce, and felt himself bound to declare that it did not furnish sufficient grounds of opposition to the Bill. A conversation ensued, in which several Noble Lords took part, and, finally— The Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow at five o'clock. It was also arranged that the Bill should be printed, and the discussion on the principle of the Bill take place at afuture stage. Lord SPENCER presented a petition from Northamp ton, against the Corn Laws. The House then adjourned. EXTENSIVE FORGERIES. A person of respectable character and connections, named Dutton, was discovered to have been com mitting forgeries to a considerable extent, in order to obtain the means of gaming at a house in the city. He had, it appears, gone to work in a most deter mined manner, and proportioned to the resoluteness of his propensity was his intention to dispose of him self in the event of detection or other unpleasant disaster. In order to secure himself against the con sequences of a trial, he carried about him a brace of pistols, and on Friday last he very coolly used them, upon being informed that there was an error in a bill of exchange which he had got cashed. The follow ing are the particulars of the case :—On Thursday last a bill of exchange for 1981. 19s. was presented at the house of Cox and Co., Charing-cross. It purported to be the acceptance of Messrs. Sewell and Cross, the highly respectable silk-mercers, of Compton-street, Soho, and was drawn by Thomas Dutton. No suspicion whatever was entertained of the genuineness of the bill, the wi iting of the pre sumed acceptors' names being precisely similar to that which always appeared upon their acceptances. The bill was paid. On Friday, however, four or five bills, drawn by the same party, and purporting to be the acceptances of Messrs. Sewell and Cross, were presented for payment at the same house. The circum stance of such numerous applications caused suspicion that all was not right, and the bills were scot to Messrs. Sewell and Cross's house, in order to be acquitted or condemned. It was immediately declared by that firm 1 that they were all forgeries—the bill which had been paid, as well as those which had not been paid. Ap plication was then immediately made to the different parties who had negociated the bills, and they were all traced to Thomas Dutton, who is a commission agent, and whose integrity in his numerous exten sive dealings had never for a moment been ques tioned. Information was without delay given that Dutton had committed the forgeries; but, without being aware of the suspicion attached to him, that unfortunate man went to the house of Messrs. Sewell and Cross, for the purpose of transacting some com mission business. Those who had discovered the forgeries entered the house at the moment, and told Mr. Dutton that there appeared to be some irregu larity in the bills which he had drawn lately, and that the firm were not aware of any dealings with him. " said he, " Mr. Cross knows all about it, and, as sOOn as he comes in, it will be all right." It was then proposed that Mr. Dutton should walk up stairs to the drawing-room, to await the arrival of Mr. Cross. He did not offer the slightest objec tion, but walked up stairs quickly, and, before any body else entered the room, threw a pistol from his pocket, and discharged it at his own head. He fell in a state of insensibility. Medical assistance was immediately procured, and he was taken to Middle sex Hospital, where four balls were extracted from his head. His condition is considered very dan gerous. It is necessary to observe here, that if Merchants and traders, who make their bills payable at banking houses, uniformly acquainted their bankers with the particulars of the bills payable at their banks, there would be very little difficulty in ascertaining genuine bills. LAW INTELLIGENCE.-(Tilli DAY.) COURT OF KING'S BENCH. (Sittings after Easter Term.—Guildhall.) ROGER! V. HUNTER. This was an action brought for the recovery of 161. of demurrage, for the defendant's delaying to clear the plain tiff's vessel, called the Thurso, of a cargo of oats and beans, within the time specified in the bill of lading. The vessel arrrived from Germany with the cargo at the port of London, on the 12th Dec. 1826, and the bill of lading stipulated that it should be cleared off within twelve days, under pain of paying 2/. per day of demurrage. One of the plaintiff's witnesses said that the goods might have been delivered on the 20th December. For the defendant, a witness was called, who proved that he called at the vessel daily from the period of her arrival, but could not get even a sample of the grain till the 26th of Dee. On the 27th, defendant employed lightermen, who cleared off 317 qrs. of the oats, on the 28th, 150 qrs. ; on the 29th, 53 qis. of the beans, on the 30th, 49 qrs.; on the Ist Jan., and 17 qrs. of the oats, being the balance of the cargo, on the 2d hoary. Mr. MAARTATT for the defendant, maintained, that the twelve days ought to run from the time whets his elieut could get delivery of the cargo, which was the 26th of December. _ . The ArroRNET-GIXIMAI. for the plaintiff, in reply, re ferred to a case, in which Lord Mansfield decided, that the purchaser was bound to abide strictly by the terms of the hill of lading, and must suffer by the delay of the master of the vessel. On the defendant's own chewing in this case, he delayed from the 27th of December till the fild of January, taking the whole away, when he might have taken the whole on the 28th at least. It might be very conve nient for him to delay as long as possible to save warehouse rent, but the Jury could not sanction such conduct. Lord TENTEILOZN considered the doctrine laid down by Lord Mansfield to bear hard upon purchaser's, and he could wish that it were brought under the solemn consideration of the Court. At the same time, he could not go the length of viewing the matter in the same light with Mr. Ilarryatt. In this case, however, as the plaintiff 1 was a foreigner, he thought it better to take a special verdict. It appeared to his Lordship that the defendant bad not used reasonable despatch in removing all the cargo after he first got access to it. He received the sample on the 26th De- LTmber, he did not, however, employ the lightermen till the ?7th ; on the 28th he got 315 quarters, more than t';e half of the whole cargo, and next day, or on the 813th at toast, he might surely hate taken the remainder, whereas be did not take the whole away till the 2tl January. Un der these circumstances the Jury would say whether they thought three days sufficient, or that four days were neces sary for clearing off; if the former, they would find a ver dict for 81., if the latter, only 6/. The Jury found for the plaintiff, with 8/. damages. CONSISTORY COURT. 'wawa v. ROBERTI. This was a suit brought by the wife for the restitution of conjugal rights. The libel set forth that Mrs. Roberts left her husband's house and protection upon some trifling difference, but had subsequently intreated him to take her back, which he re fused to do. Dr. PHILLIMORE, on the part of the husband, now con tended that Mrs. Roberta should be compelled to give evi dence in support of her libel. The COURT was of opinion that no advantage could be obtained by obliging Mrs. Roberts to prove her libel, unlese the other party put in an allegation in contradiction. THE MARKETS.-(THIS DAY.) CORN-EXCHANGE. The arrivals of all kinds of Grain this week, as well Foreign: as English, are very smalL The Wheat trade remains la a dui' state, at the quot ations of Monday. Barley is still so scarce as to be nearly nomlnal in price. Beans and Pease are dull sale. Oats of good quality fully support Monday's tame. In Flour no variation. ARRIYALS. Wheat. Barley. Oats. Flour. English ',NO qrs. 40 qrs. —.cgs. 11,600scks. Irish Foreign l5O 2,850 FISH-MARKET, BILLINGSGATE. The arrivals this morning were not numerous, and the market exhibited but a moderate supply of fish, with the exception of Mackerel, which was very plentiful, and sold lower than at our last quotations,.—the prices were, for tine large, 60s. ppr hundred; good sized, 48s. ; small, 325. Salmon, lg. 9d. to 2s. per lb.: Salmon Trout, le. 3d. per lb. ; fine large Turbots, 181. to 20s. each ; choice red Mullets, 20s. to 245, per dozen; Whitings of superior quality, 10*. to 12s. per basket (containing fifteen) ; small ,10. 2s. to Ss. 6d. per basket (containing five); good sized. Brill, ss. to 6s. each. Lobsters were scarce—they sold from 18.. to 245. per score; Crabs, 15s. to 18s. per do. Prawns, 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. per lb. ; Shrimps, Os. to 2s.i 6d. per gal. In the prices of other fish no material altera tion. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. BETTING AT ST. JAMES'S.-(THIS DAY.) The Tun in Jermyn-street was crowded to excess last night, and betting at Lrge figures took place. This morning the odds were as under DERBY. 12 to 1 apt Defence 12 to 1 apt Gaberlunzie 13 to 1 apt Mameluke IS to 1 aget Ezpagnolle 11,clt Windermere (taken). to 1 agit Glenartney 5 1 i to 1 agit Windermero 8 to 1 agat Roderick 10 to 1 agit Trumpeter 1000 to 800 Glenartney a , OA: 5 to I aggt Scheheratade 6 to 1 agst Tlppitywiteliet of to 1 agst Brocard 7 to 1 agst Toso 11 to 1 agst Gulnare 14 N 1 agst Donna Clara EPSOM RACES. The metropolitan, or home races, commenced yesterday at Epsom. As is generally the case on a commencement lay, the company was not very numerous, but we eb .erved several noblemen in the new stand erected adjoin ing the judge's, for the stewards and their fiiends : there ~ vere the Dukes of Richmond and Grafton, Earl Mount clerks, Lords G. H. Cavendish and Anson, and several others of the nobility. There was some slight betting-4 to 1 offered against Glenartney (no takers) ; 6 to I against Windermere; and sto on the one against the other ; 8 3 } to 1 against the Duke of Grafton's twe ; and Si to . l against Mr. Wynd ham's. The following is an accurate account of the running : The Craven Stakes, of 10 FOlll. each, for three-yr-olds, 6st. 41b. four, Sat. five, Bst. ND. six, flat. 21b. gad aged, 9st. 51b. A mile and a quarter. Mr. Smith's ro. f. by Master Low, 3 yrs Duke of Richmond's b. h. Linkboy, 4 yrs Duke of Portland's Alderman, 5 yrs 0 Mr. Haffenden's c. Pontiff, 3 yrs 0 Mr. Forth's b. f. by Interpreter, S yr., 0 Mr. Pettit's ch. c. by Waxy Pope, S yrs 0 Mr. Theobald's b. h. Trinculo, 5 7rs Mr. Scaith's b. c. by a son of Haphazard, S yrs 0 Mr. West's b. h. Syphon, 4 yrs 0 Mr. Dilly's b. f. Maldonia, 4 yrs sto 2 agst Alderman-3 to 1 apt 'Pontiff—S to 1 agst Maldonia. Linkboy went off as hard as he could stretch, the win ner (rode by a boy) and Maldonia being close at him ; he did not keep his lead long, for the winner I_:y 50011 headed him, kept the front, and won cleverly by a lengt It was a tolerable good race, but there was a long train o h. ' Coming hi. X The Shirley Stakes, of 2b sovs. each, for three-yr-4)ld colts, Sst. ilb. and fillies, oat. 41b. One mile. Duke of Richmond's Starch (T. Boyce) I Captain Westeura's ch. c. by Friday 2 7,1 r. Bartley's b. c. Presthury Mr. L. Charlton's ch. c. Braganza 5 and 6t04 on Starch, and to I apt Friday. Friday started off at a terrible rate, followed very closely by Prestbury to the turn of the hill, where he was beat off. Starch then came up and challenged Friday ; they ran nearly neck and neck to the distance, when the latter gave way a little, could net recover, and was) beat in fiats style by a length. Ma soya. Last half mile. Lord Mounteharles's ch. c. by Catton, Sst. '7lb. Duke of Ricarnond's f. Buck, by Whalebone, Sat. 41b 2 A great deal of betting at 2 to I on the Duke's filly. They came off close together, and made a good sporting head-and-head race till within a few lengths of ending, when Lord Mountcharlea's colt made a grand rush, and beat the Duke by half a length ; rode by Arnuil, the loser by F. Boyce. The rouse is in excellent order. The following notice has been issued at the Bank on the shutting of the books for the divi dends :—Three per Cent. Consols shut on the 30th of May ; open on the 26th of July. New Four per Cents. shut cn the 31st of May ; °pelt on the 24th of July. Three per Cents. of , 1723 shut on the 7th of June ; open on the 12th cf July. Life Annuities shut on the 14th June; o p en on the 10th of July.