The Sun. — London, England, 1806-04-07 00:00:00

hear an be .'et upon - the ,wharf. If any'bodv had got ovei ee - • pales I must hare seen- them. 1 . saw I no one - g - et e - .•er the pales. I did not meet any body. I did not obsetve any one come ?tom Mr; Blight's house after I heard the firing:: • • Martha Elila:DaVis deposed to the same effe6.t. • Mithatl Wright.—'' I was returning fi-Om Dept ford on the night of the loth, about ten minutes past eight. I went by Mr: Blight's house ; I heard the report of a pistol ; _when. I :rot up to. the gate, I Mr. Patcli; he asked me, if I . had met any per•son coming dow . n the alley„ there had been any, I roust haveriiet them ; I saw none. He asked me if I would step hi, -as he had been fired est, I Said, I 'lipped not. He said, I wish you woOldstep in till my serVant returns. I stept in. He said,' I will fetch a candle, and show you where the-ball went through. 'saw by the refie6lion of the light, a hole throughthe lower part of the window frame and the shutter. I took the candle to look for the ball, but I could riot find it. In the mean time the girl came in with the • ovsters Patch said, I have been - fired at,. !-{ester, The. picked . Up a ball, and I took it and looked at it, and it appeared like ahalf circle. We kt'ithdrewlo • another parloureand I asked Patch if I should bring any . . body to sleep in the house, as what had happened was very alarming. He said I need not give myself that trouble; he did not accept the offer. I said perhaps it Might 'be a bail fired from some police boat. He said he did not think it was so; if he did he should , 'be satisfied in his tninsl there would not be any more --firing. I saide - if I was you - I would advertise it by hand-bilis; and likewise by pUblic papers. You May - depend upon that, said he, and I will bid 301. reward. I asked Patch if he had any fire arms 'in the house. He said he had a pair of pistols that cost five guineas, but he had hot got any ammunition. _Mr. Frost 'of fered to supply him with some, which he declined," • Kintiaird, - a 'Surveyor,' verified the plan and model produced. • . Hester Kitchener.,—" I lived. in the service of Mr. Blight about two months; I remember my mis tress going to Margate, nw master went with her, and returned home again. He went again on the !nth, Patch accOmpaniedhim in the morning,-anil returned in the evening. When I first came into the service the family sat in the back room, but for seven weeks they always sat in the-front yooni. When my master went away Mr. Patch sat in the front room. About 8 in the evening of the. I eth, I Went for six penny e -. worth of oysters. When I returned-Mr. Patch was :talking with Mr. Wright and his wife near the win dow. He said, is that you Hester, I have been shotit.' I said, Lord - have mercy on me! where ?' ,He pointed and said,` through the window.' I had' left all the windows-shut-up when I went out. Me. Wright went for-Prost, leaving Mrs. Wright, Patch, and me in• the house.: We looked.for the shot, and at last found. it underneath the window, They all said 'it was a shocking affair.' Patch said he 'did net . know he or-Mr. Blight had an enemy in the world. .My cuaster,catne home about seven o'clock the next Monday morning. Mt; master went out after break fast, and then Patch Went out on horseback. 'He ',had boots:crn : he usually wore boots. In the after -noon they had tea in the back room. Mr. Patch had shoes on'and white stockings.. In the evening the gates were left shut, as usual. After tea, mymaster and the prisoner were drinking grog. I was sitting in the kitchen by the fire-side, and could not see the • parlour doOr. In about half an hour Patch came and Hester, give me a.candle. I have got a vio - lent pain in my bowels.' I gave him the candle, and he took the key of the counting-house off the ciresser.. 'He went out of the door. 1 heard the counting- Louse door open, 'and I heard him walk very quick across the cOyntiog-house. heard_ .him step into the privy; and the privy door slam to.; and the in stant I heard that, I heard the report of the pistol. My master. came in to me, and. came up to: the dresser, and said; Hester, lam a dead man: said, Lord . have mercy on me ! I hope not.' I . screamed violently, ran and shut the :street -door. I was retnrning about half way of the length ofthe passage when I heard a violent knocking at the door. I found Mr. Patch -at the door; his small clothes were all , unbuttoned. He went to the kitchen, and said, Lord have mercy an me ! Blighf, what is the matter ?" I said, my master' is shot.' We helped my master into the parlour. .• Patch told me to go and fetch assistance. 1 said I was 'afraid to go. He desired me take hold of Mr: Blight'S hand, and he would g o. 1 said, you shall' not am afraid to be alone. I jumped out of the kitchen window ; I went to Mr. Frost,. and returned with him ; he jumped over the ote.- My maSter,l.vas laid on hisebed, and . a Surgeon sent for. • He died, and there was' a Coroner's Jery„ Patch said he did not kiimy what, was the matter • 'with the people--there - Were strange ideas—l was to speak the truth." ChriStiv' her ..Morgan.—" I was 'passing by Mr. Blight's premises about twenty minutes before nine, on the 23d. When I came to Blight's gate, I re ceived information of what had happened ; a Mr. Berry was-with me ; 2l•went in with my friend and knocked at t t he door. - The servant said, who is there ? I said a friend, who wishes to render assist ' ante. I saw' Patch . advancing from the parlour door where Mr. Blight was. 'He began to relate the cir cumstance: told him I thought no time should be lost in searching; the premises. I asked him - for a light,,, and he ordered the servant to give me one:: he fol- 1 lowed me to the door with a light. Pointing to an old Vessel, he said, •" you had better search that first." I went with Mr. Berry, and' fOund the vessel 16 feet from the wharf e 'and no - access to it could be had. It was low Water. I then examined to see if any body had gone by the water ; the mud appeared not in the least disturbed:. lam convinced it, was impossi ble 'Mr any One to go that way. The wharf, to• the best of my recollection, was dirty. We search ed the premises, but fbund nobidy. We returned, 2nd Mr. Blight was laving on the bed. I begged Mr. Patch to conamiSsiol; me to go to . Bow-street. He told me he did not seethe necessity. I repeated that he himself was in the same danger, having been shot . at th e Thursday before. . I asked him again to com mission me to go to Bow,-street'; I fold him there must be a cause, and that hu - mati so nature was not • depraved as car' one• man t'd - shoot another without a cause. He turned to rtie and said, he had as much right to suspe6lme as any-man. Then; after advis ing , him to have some inquiry made, I went away, • ridding my services were not accepted. , Mr. Berry corroborated the evidence. - • Charles Stonard, a labourer in Mr. Blight's yard; Xkinembered hearing a shot 11 1 4 d been fired. He saw \\;\ where the bailiwent through:" . He proted iii".; nn` person could, have eSc'aped by the water side being up to the middle in mud. Mary Stnith, -servant 'at the Brown. Bear, 80v..-- street—l retnenib:±r the Prisoner seat a•mes nee to Hester Kitchener ; he asked the to take her a glass of - wine; and give his coinpiiinentS,-ana to i her notto feet, for they only kept her con hur,d to high te:t her, to see:whether She would - alter her story. I de the message. 0_ _ _ . .'George Smith, apprentice, to a shipwright,. tecol leas the. Monday Mr. Blight .was shot.—" I-was passing his premises about half past eight, by the fence near the gate; I 'heard' the report of a pistol : it appeared to me to be in .Mr.' Blight's yard : there were three .boys and five labourers near. I *as about ten or eleven yards from the gate... One of the labourers had, a ]ink. No- person (mine from the premises of Mr. Blight .; I must have seen them if they bad. I might be a minute, , more , or' less, within sight of the gates. I heard no person at-_ tempting tO"(Yet away." , • Mrs.. Sarah Blight," lam the widow of the de ceased ; I have been acquainted with Patch two years and a half; a sister,of his lived as servant in the fa mily, she was my only servant: My first acquaint', 'ance , With the Prisoner was by his visiting his sister. He represented that he came from the country 4con sequence of some dilliculty,respeaing tytheS, I think he said ,frOm Aylesinere. He engaged after a little in my hitsban(i's service at . 401. a year; he worked some time only for his viauals ; he superintended other _workmen ; he was at 401. a year for one year;• his salary was raised to, tool. a year. Mr. Blight deli vered me some paperS to be given to Mr.' Patch, in . a given :event. I think this was 4 . months before his I. was to give those papers to Pater in case of being questioni.-hl respecting the property. I kept them. I had gone 'to Margate, and there received information of the death of my husband. I , found the papers in a tin box,,where my husband put,them, in , an envelope, addressed to me; I delivered them to a Lady- on a visit to me, - and she 'delivered them to Mr: Patch on . the - evening of the.Coroner's'Jurv. He said he had been questioned respeeting the pro perty, and: he wanted the papers. He never had possession of those papers till the 27th September, My husband had been to Margate with me, and there he received a letter on the SatUrday. [The witness provqd : Patch's hand-writing to.the letter, informing Blight of the firing of the : first shot.]-Iknew my husband and Patch had money concerns between therm about,a thousand pound bill, drawn at two .montbs upon Mr. Gaom by Jl/fr. Patch, the pro duce, as he said, of, the sale of an estate of his in Devonshire. Mr. Blight vas to have the atiioant of that bill, for Mr. Patch to have part of the busi ness; 12501. was the Whole sum: when that bill became due, it was to be paid into. Mr. Blight's 'hands. I heard my husband, ask him how at came not to be duly paid ? Patch 'said, his friend Gooth :was not ready to pay it. He said he could get,sool. of 'the money, but he would not take that, as be could not have the whole. Upon the receipt of the :letter lie came to town. I'afterwards heard of his misfortune, and Came to town. I asked Mr. Patch on the Friday, if Mr. Goom's bill was paid ? told me,- yes ; he 'said that Goom had been there to breakfast on the Tuesday morning- by appoint-. meat, and he had been to the Banker's, and the money had,been paid.. I knew the contents of the papers to be given to Patch. They were given to secure his property, because his Creditors threatened -him. I never heardlhat Patch 'had purchased the property. Paich only paid my husband one other 501. beyond the 2001. I must have known if he had." Mr. Stephen Groorn;-I knov the Prisoner Patch';' I had not seen him for ten years till I saw him at Bow-street; ,I. have never had any pecuniary con ne6tions'with hiin—never received any money from him—never gave hi' any authority to draw. on me tbrany amount whatever—never received any money on his account—till Mr. Blight's death I never heard of his drawing upon me—never gave any note of . hand to the Prisoner for Money—never made- any appointment to breakfast at 13lighes--4 did not know Patch was there—l never called at the Banking house of Willis and PerciVal, or ever said I did. ThornaS Gi - ahana, Mile End-road, was acquainted with Mr:Blight, Was at his house on the 23d of Sep tember, when Patch and he were conversing. On Fri day I called at his house about the payment of a ship. Patch told me that a accident had happened-=some body had fired through the window. He took, me to show me the place where the shot had come through., I asked him it he knew any cause. He said, No, but, he belie‘'ed it was meant for him or Mr. Blight.' He slimed me how he was sitting, and. the dire&ion in which the ball went. I saw some things by the win dow, which I wondered ,Were not removed, and he said he wished Mr.. Blight to see . I asked him if he bad any suspicion. He said,. No, he had not ; but that Blight had some words with a person named Clarke. He said he would ; -write to Blight to come' to town. Ort. the MOnday I called again. I saw him; we sat down to have something to eat.— Patch cane in, 'and said, Mr. Blight, where are your spurs ? Blight pointed to them; and said, Patch, don't you return without the money paid.— I shall not retairn till it IS' paid.or settled. Mr. Percival, the hanker, proved the fats stated by the ConaSel, respeding Goom's draft. Thomas Webster, a sawyer, proved that he was at home in bed when Mr. Blight was murdered. Joseph Clarke, labourer, proved, that on the even ing Mr. Blight was shot, he was at several public houses, but not near Mr. Blight's premises John Cox corroborated the testimony of the last witness. . • • • The agreernent.was proved by which the Prisoner was to pay 32.;•201. to the deceased. Wm. Jones, Surgeon.—l remember seeing Patch When I was called. Speaking generally, Patch wore boots, but he bad shoes on that evening and white stocking - S. Mr. Stafford produced a pair of stockings. He said, he foinid the stockings ►n , a closet in the Pri soner's bed-room they were folded up and turned .over, and had the appearance of clean stockings.— He thought .there . was a hardness in the feet 91: them, which made him open them.—[The stock ings. were exhibited, and .the soles appeared incrust— ed with dirt, its if they had been worn without shoe's," Richard Murch was employed to search the privy belonging to Mr. Blight's house, the Wednesday. after,,he was shot. He tinind the ramrod of a pistol in the trunk he produced the rainrod : he said the'ii wc , 7m was about two inches in the soil, with some widding.. The place had not the appearance of any one having been there who - had. a disorder in his bQ WC The next thing produced in evidence was the writ ten exatnipations of, the Prisoner before the 13ow 3treet Magigtratei, on the E. , . 8t h September, and ttie st and 3d Odtober, which was attested by Mr. m, and the substance: of which has been already befOre the Pnblic • These examinations being read, -the evidence Eq . the Prosecution closed. . , TrIE DEFENCE. The Pasonei being called upon for, his 'Defenee, addressed t';'2 Comt, Pitis'oNEß—''' I beg, my Lord, that the Paper I hold i❑ my hand may be read by one of the Gen tlemen in Court." • 11. r. K,NA.PP then perused the Paper handed from the Wisoner, which was to the fhllowing etre& icothinereed with expressions of gratitude fbr the means which had been taken to prdcure him a fair 'Whatever might be the result with regard. to :au individual, was of no consequence; but the cause of public justice would be prombted by the impar tiality of . these proceedings, and that was at all times Of the highest importance. He could not enter on his Defenee without avowing, the gratitude he felt Jhr the attention his Lordship bad paid to the pecu, liar prejudices which had prevailed, and who there thre had provided that his'case should be sebmitted to twelve Gentlemen, , removed from the clamour and bustle of a Public Assize, who could calmly relied on 'the merits of the case, and give their de cisioh in- a Way, that-would. confer honour on them selves and their Connery. A man pointed out as be had been as the object Of general detestation, assailed on every side by open hostility, possessed no advan tageous 70=1 from which he could resist the as Saults of 7 his'enemies. He was accused of a felonious Crime; and under this charge s he had not even the customary assistance in, making his defence : while on the part of the 'Prosecution; it was_allowed that the 'same should be laid before the Jury With all, the benefit of long deliberation and learned - comment. In' this unfortunate predicament he was not capable of preparing his defence with anTimmedinte ap-. plication to the evidence now delivered. It must be principally referable - to the depositions giyen by the Witnesses before the. Magistrates during the preceding examinations: What, therefore, should be deficient, he entreated the Jury by their . good 'sense to supply ; and although he lamented the cif- 'cumstance on the present cecasion, yet he was con vinced that the mode Of trial the law had pointed out was founded on the same humane 'principles which had adways distinguished the administration - of British Jurisprudence.. The, case against him Was supported by`no direr eVidence; it was n o t .even pretended that any dire or• -Conclusive fad could be proved ; it depended wholly upon a chain of incidents, none of whieb, e takeu separately, could be satisfaaory ; and it would be fbi the Jury to de terinine if all of them, considered coltedively, cotald he sufficient to establish the guilt of the Prisoner.-=- The nature of the -evidence was then only circum iistantial, a sort of testimony had been re ceived at all times wittr - gr... , ..at caution, and which '`could only be admitted When the offence charged was - wholly incapable of any•positiee proof. This re luaance to receive such te s titnony was justified by the difficulty of establishing 'any truth ,by 'such means; in .a lotig concatenation of fads; if a single link of the chain :failed, the whole was destroyed, nothing could be : , ,uSteined by it. What was the extent of the chain which was now to be perfe& in all its parts ? Forty Witnesses were examined, and the Jury were called upon to examine,- not only if they were consistent with each other, but if they were consistent with themselves. Whatever might be the fidelity of the Witnesses, it should not be forgotten how much depended on the accuracy of the memory ; so that not only a malignant Motive, but an ineorreaness-of memory, would be sufficient to destroy all this testimony on which the Prosecu tion must entirely depend. The charge proceeded • on theSe three grounds—tsr, The motive of the crime- s -2d, The • opportunity of committing it— '3d, The impossibiiity of its commission by any other but the Prisoner. ' Ist ; With regard to the motive.. The person- - who had lived in habits of in •tithacy and friendship 'with the deceased must.shrink back with horror at such a deed. , So far from any attempt upon his life, the Prisoner would a thousand times rather have sacrificed his own for its preserva tioneßut not only the fceing of affedion would have operated, powerfully, • but the sentiment of pure , • mercenary interest would have , had the same 'hat , ence to proted the life of Mr. Blight. The success 'of the, Prisoner. depended upon the existence of the deceased. He had entered into business with • ' Mr. Blighein circumstances somewhat embarrassed, 'and the credit and countenance of that Gentleman was peculiarly necessary. to its success.- How was it possible for the business to be conduaed ? Could ships be purchased, could materials be found, could any line of regular connection be maintained without his support ? By his,- death ,the Prisoner was de prived of all: his beneficial prospects, and yet it was contended that these alone could be -brightened' and improyed by that melancholy. event. It had been said that the Prisone. - Wad in a state of distress' and poverty. It was true that he was pressed by a claim for tithes ; • but it wre: not • correct to say that by this he 'was reduced to a condition, of absolute ruin. He had an estate, and a farm well - stocked, in the County of Devon. In this situation he had been. informed of the profits of ship breaking, and he was determined to acquire, the knowledee of a, business so productive : he therefore conneae ° d him . self with' Mr. Blight, 'but not with any intention of continuing, as had been represented, in the'charac ter of a menial servant : he-had more than 13001. -and 125.01. of this sum had been appropriated in execution of the- agreement for the acquisition of one-third of the trade. The account of Mr.,Blight I iii regard to these affairs was not implicitly' to ..be relied upon ; he was a man of irregular 'habits ; he had many private -expellees, of which - Mrs. Blight: . had no information ; he had many. natural , children, and expended considerable sums on- women in habits of impurity and disho nour. Besides this, he had been involved in his mercantile pursuits, which ended in his failure. From the papers of such a' person DO satisfaaory evidence- could be acquired; many' of his most so-' lemn instruments were tit:titious, and such were ac taowledged to be the papers o the ittli of July, which bad been so improperly introduced into this transa&ion.—(The Prjsoner here entered into a g:- neral examination of the' matters of account himself , and the deceased; from which he con tended„ that he had given honalide consideration for his share of the business p and that the 10001. in which Mr. Goons was concerned w no pail of the amount he had, paid for his concern, but an-ilea) of accounts with Mr. Blight entirely independent.) A. Merchant, surrounded by his Clerks; he said, could give a full account of his pecuniatty affairs on CO petent evidence ; but he haying none of these ,as sistants,and :being deprived of his•principal test uno;IY , hy the decease of his brother, and the diStance of 'his conne6tion, 'relied with confidence or the, Can dour of a British fury. Placed,_ as he was, iu this situation, he could not call his friend from the gra; to supply the conclusive proof of his innocence ; tl:e nature of his defence only admitted of stron bability, and sheWing,that he -had no. donbt et . acquittal to which he bras entitled front his Couni... : , The next proposition reg,.lrded the opportunity committing the crime. it tea's true thit he abundance of opportunity to perpetrate this crinnl if he had the inclination,, and the possibility of coni- . witting it any time, and at all times, furnished one strong ground of his defence. If he had intended the murder, would he have committed it when there :%vasa witness at hand ta proclaim his gull': "Nonni he -net have 'availed hituself of the sdent 'hour of midnight, when nothing 'cOuld ha:, e occurred to . lia'-„; fixed upon hint. the guilt n Ott! chcnmstace r. Moved; beyond all doubt, the weight of the' ihe door of the privy, 'and the report of the pitoi, were heard at the same timeby the witness on who,ti the whole of, the case rested.. It was impo..;,:ii:?l:2 the; Prisonel' could , be at the necessary and in the hoase discharging this weapon of destruction. Whai. was the' cumin& of tile Pri,S:mer immediately after the cunt I—Did lie not send into the neig;tbom:hon.t for assistance ?—Did lie not attend toexplain all the faffs to the friends of , the deceased, and before tn..: Magistrates I—Did he fly from his :Lome and hIS, couptry to seek proteClion from the hand of aveng ing justice.?—Every particular condnccd to spew, that in the persuasion of his innocence, he delicd all the means Which might b„- employed to effect his destru&ion; The Prkoner terminated with Some remarks on particular parts 'pf the evidence, said that he was a plain unlearned'man unaccustomed to the subtleties of legal) disvutatien, and in the dire& and positive terms avowed his own purity an_i innocence. - His life was of little consequence; he lamented only. the fate, of fpur children win) ( 1 ,.'- pended'npon his industry for their support, and v.:as cdniident that the Jury would not be lc-Ss inclined to a candid. and humane consideration of his case oe account of these pledges of his sincerity to them'and to liis Country. WI iI , ,rESSES FOR THE DEFENCE.. Josiah Siee, Thos. Haeffam, and Richard Poole, .were called to establish the chara&er of the Pri soner.. They had each •of them 'been acquainted with him for two.or three years, and ga. - e genc; - 4 .testimony to his respeaable demeanour in the way of.his business. The Camp BARPN now proceeded to gum up the evidence ; _but betore he. entercd'into'. the parei:' e u iars, he should expain its general rgiture and bear ing. It was true that the whole was circumstan tial, there was no (Urea testimony whatever ; bet wren this ; was conneaelby a long series of well conneaed thase it was often :more' convincing then the testimony of ft few Witnesses to minute , and in sulated\ points, It was possible for a Plain shunt story, to be told with confidence and address, and some instances had occurred in which impos-itions, had-been praCtised. which have 'defeated the great est viilance of An impaLtial and 'intelligent jtiry .; When, a train. of circumstances were necessary t 9 establish any Ilia Collusion was generally idepo,.. sible, and )1 the slightest dissonance. were disco vered in any material respell, the whole was *s troyed, and the Prisoner 'acquitted.. His Lordship• then entered into the testimony of each indkaduel. Witness, commenting on the different items in his 'progress. He observed, at gveat length, on the matters of account, and concluded, from the tenor`, a of the testimony,- that the Prison e r h a d ad opte d regular system of fraud, the, objelt of which was to be finally attained by the assassination of the da, ceased. Whether he had successively attained these ultimate means was the 'question for the deterinina, tioir of the Jury, in which / they would . exercise their judgment, and decide in a way honourable to them selves and satisfaetory to their Country. The Learned Judge having concluded bis Charge, the Jury retired for about 20 minutes, and returned at half past nine their Vercii&of--GeILTY. Mr. KNAPP, Clerk of the Arraigns, then ad qressed the Prisoner with 'solemnity, recapitulated his :time, the verdia of his Jury, and pat the usual question, what had' he to say why Judgment of Death and Execution thereon, should not be awarded ao - ainst him. . The Prisoner lowed, but made•no answer. The . Learned JUDGE then shortly addrest the Prisoner, told him he had been tried by a humane,. upright, and patient Jury, who, alter attendiuir to the whole of the case, had pronounced him “U,ltv of a crime the Most atrocious ever known to the laws of this Country—a crime commencing in thud; continued in fraud, and terminating in -ti:e foul assassination of his friend and benefador. At ter-what has already been said upon - the subjea, no thing now remaicied to hint but to pronounce the awful sentence of the law, which was " That the Prisoner be taken back from whence he came, and from, thence that he be taken on Mon day morning next to the pike of exectitiOn, there to be hanged by the neck until dead, and then to be delivered to the Surgeons to .be disseaed and ana tomized; and may, the Lord have mercy on your soul," , • Mr. Patch, through the wilole Of the awful pro ceedings against Lint, maintained a ft= composure, which 'was'Worthy of a better cause: . Some people have described thiii composure as mingled an air of sullenness, but the general impression was, that of a colleeted mind.' 'He was decently:inbred in bLek. He has a florid, lealthy fook; like that of a man who may be supposed to have 'chiefly re sided in the cannily. lie is about the middle stature, or rather above it, and is round shouldered.--Mhen the dreadful sentence, to, which he pAid profound attention, was uttered,bis resolution was not shaken, 'except for a single moment, at the passage' which referred to the diSseEtton of his body; but he recce vetl itnalediately, and Ins teatules assumed ~~_-- i i -tom