Gazette of the United States, & Philadelphia daily advertiser. — Philadelphia [Pa.], 1796-07-21 00:00:00, page 2

foreign Intelligence.
TRIAL of CROSSFIELD FOR AK AT
TEMPT TO KILL THE KING.
[It is some time since the public heard of the at
tempt to kill the king of England by the dif
charge of an air gun ; and the confinement of
one Crofsfield, as the principal in the conftrilc
tion and life of the gun. It may now be inter
elling to learn the ifTtie of the trial, under at
indidment for the offen. e. The cafe wa» warm
ly pleaded by the attorney general, and ably dc
fended by the prisoner's cotinfel—but as they
deiailed no circum It aires in the butitiefs not men
tioned 6y the witneflefl~-»^ii* c -""* v4 '* ,: d ttiepdea
--J jvAun; and only pnblifhtd tbeevi
dence.J [Bolton Mt-rcury.
LONDON, May 12.
» OLD -BAILEY.
Yesterday the court, confitling of Jirltires Ey>e,
Grofe, and the Recorder, fat at the tifual bout, but
were wot able to impan»el a Jury till half palt three
in the afternoon ; when Robert Cr -fsfield w <6 put
to :«e bar, charged, as well as several other 9, with
havi Tg conftruCtrd an inftrnment fur blowing a dart
loaded with poison, with an inte tto kill'the king*
The fi'ft witness was John Di»ndrr,a brass foun
der iti New street fquaie, who :fwore 'hat Upton
and two other men cade at his mailer's a«d asked
for a tube of certain dimerfioi s, but refufed to
tell him for what purp.fe they wanted it
J >feph Flint and Thomas Bland, likewise two
brass founders, gave evidence ;o t'»e fame tffeil.
David Ciukber'.a mathematical inltrumenl ma
ker, had some converfati.jN with Up'on and auoth- ■
er man refpe&ing an airguu. The other man t, Id
liim he wa# very fond ot (hooting : and had 101 l
iomeof lingers by the firing <.f a gun.
A Mr. Palmer, of Barnard's Inn, had known
'-.Crofsfield 15 or 16 years, and had accompanied him
and L'pton to the different brass founders already
mentioned, but said lie did not understand the na
ture of tlie bjfirefg, and that it was refpeifting Up
ton's business that they called at these different
brass founders.
John Hail), turner of Bartholomew close, said
that he was a member of the Lor* on Correspon
ding Society, and belonged to the 6th division.—
He knew Upton and Palme- in Sept. 17:14. They
and a stranger came to his hfiufe at that time, and
having a(ked him, whether he could turn io wood,
a sketch was made out by thr stranger and himlelf,
agreecble to their directions. He believed the
Iketch was the fame as that produced in Court It
wasdotie in irk before him, and was drawn out 011
the back of a bi|l sot letting lodings. Having
ed what it was intended for, he was informed by
them that it was meant to be used in an electrical
-machine. He fjjid, on his cross examination, that
Upton had been disgraced in the London Coiref
ponding Society by Higgins and Le Maitre.
Ihe Loid Chief Jultic obferveo, that it was un
necessary for the prisoner's Counlrl to invalidate,
what was not in fait before the court —theteltimo-
nyof Upton.
Mr. Adam having argued that point at some
length, the chief justice said, that as Upton's de
claration was that of a man not upon oa h, it for
med no evidence whatever: '
After some arguments bet .veen Mr. Garrow.the
attorney general, and Mr. Adam, on the propiiety
of producing confeffional'evidei.ce to r(tablift) she
guilt of the pr fiiner, the court decided that mea
sure in favor of the profeeuiion.
The firft witness called was John Le Briton,
who said, that he was boat fleerer.to the Pomona
South Sea-whaier, and failed from Falmouth 011
the 13th of Feb. 1796. The prifoner,CrofsfieH,
came on boaid as fargeon, a.week before the (hip
failed-from Portsmouth, which was on the 29th of
Jan.* He was not at that time acquainted jvitli the j
name qf the prisoner, who generally went by the
name of the dodtor. The Pomona was taken on
the ijth of Feb. by Le Vengeance Nafional cor
vette. The prisoner, with some others, was put
on board v the corvette, and the witness beard him
fay, on quitting the Pomona to go on board the
Frenchman, that he was happy at going to France
and much better plcaf. Jon that account than if he
were to return to England. He had never heard j
that the prisoner's name was Crofsfick), till his ar '
rival at Brest, which Kappened on the 23d of Feb.
ThrV were often in company 'oge her in the poison- \
<hip at Brest, and be heard Crofsfield fay, that he
was one of those who invented the air gun to af
f.ifiinaie his majetty. The witness aflted him what
the gun resembled ? 3nd he said, that an arrow was
to be driven through a kind of tube by the force
df i: flammable ait ; thr arrow was represented to
be like a haipoon used in Ariking whales. They
were, after some time, to be sent home in a cartel,
and the prisoner then assumed the name of H.
Wilson ; and put his own name down the second j
in the muster lift. He embarked for England in
the eartel ship by the name of H. Wilson, and was
described in the mutter lift as belonging not to the
Pomona, but to the Hope.
The witnefle* being crots-rxamined, admitted
that he and the prisoner went on shore together at
Portsmouth, and walked publicly about the fy-eets.
Thomas Denis, chief mate of the Pomona, said
the piifone# had declared, aftei they had failed,
that if Pitt knew where he was he would fend a
frigate after him. He acknowledged thatie was
privy to the delign of getting his majesty afT.iffi
nated at the play houfr, and knew how the dart
was conftrufted. The prisoner also said to him,
that if Piit had come over any other bridge than
Westminster bridge, he would have-fceen shot.
When he airived at Brest, he boalted that he had
no longer any occasion to bu ashamed or afr:<id of
his name—Dennis then corroborated the evidence
of Le Briton with iefpe£t to the prifoner's*cbang
ing hi* name'tp Wilson.
Mr John Winter, owner of the Sufan'nah, frotr
Newfoundland, and earned into Brett on the 13.1
of December, said he was introduced to Crofsfic h
oil Iward the Revolution piifon ship at Brest. Tht
ptuufKT told bitn Lis name wai Tom Payne, and
f *
■ »laughed heartily. He cor,felled he had itat at
his majesty near Buckingham honfe. and had mu
. fed him.- ' The witness was often in company with
he prisoner during Ihe fpasc of five months at
Brest, and Crofsfield told him that he had invented
the pop-gun, which he dcfcribed as »tnbe about a
foot and a half long, ma le for the purpose ol dif
t- charging a poisoned ariow, which was to make lii->
f maielty expire in the greatest agony. The prifun
■A tt said he could kill a man at the distance of 3 dr
c- yards will it, and without any Boili. This
r language was used Crofsiuld very often : |>er
n haps 40 or 50 time% and in the presence of feve
B-* ialo'hers. He declared, that he had ordered rhe
e poison to be mixed at the Che,nirt's. Ef sometimes
•y said, that miffing his majrlty was vtry u duckv,
n- and fometimcs I hat it was d——d unlucky. He
a- Jiope.l that he Ihould fee the day d/hen the llree.s
1 of London would run ankle deep with Ihe bipod
<f. of his majesty and his party. He frequently ex
prefled himfelf in those terms before 'many others.
The witnefes particultrly 'ecolletted he did
so in the presence of Captain Gallery and Captain
; Collins. '* -
n ' Mr. Winter said, on his cross examination, that
. r the prisoner was at that time in the habit ot driuk
„ ing Itrong liquors.
h Samuel Benet said, that he was on bdard the
- t Elizabeth prison-ship with Crofsfield, at Brest.
r He at onf time heard the prisoner sing an impio
]. perfong, and ex daim, " Damnaiion 10 the king
n of England !" He confefled, that he was one of
those who attempted to blow a poisoned dart at his
0 majesty. The witAefs told him that no true En
glishman would sing such a song ; and the prisoner
0 threatened to him put in irons. Ciofafield
declared that Tom Payne's works were the belt in
. the world 5 and said, that if ever he arrived in
. England; he would attempt to Ink- away the
j king's life again. The witness met him again on
) lizard the Cartel, aid he was desired by Crofsfield
not to take any notice of what had paflei on board
, the Eli'/.abrih.
, Waltrr Colmsn, who apprehended Crofsfirld on
f board the CartH ship, said, that he had offered to
him ?nd t. e other man who were conducting him
to Bodmyn, a guinea each if they consented to let
t him effape. As for the driver, he decided, if
they gave him a pistol he would soon fettle liim.
) Elizabeth Upton, wife to Thomas Upror;, said
. ihat (h? had seen her husband foi the l ift time on
tht 22d of February lall, be'ween and nine
, o'llock in the mo-aing His hat was afterwards
j biought t6 her by a waterman. She never saw her'
j hufbind diu k in. her lite.; (he k > ,w Cr- fsfield,
and had fc;en him trequenjly ai her husband's house
. in company with Palmer ; she saw one of the in
, ftruments produced in court at her husband's (hop
, —it was brought there by Hill, but (he saw
the tube there.
, George Steers said, he attended a meeting of
| the Comfponi'ing Society, and saw Upton there
,■ with fomni ing in his hand, which appeared to be
like the tube then in court.
Thomas Puley corroborated ihe evidence giveij
. by Sie'ers, ar.d added, that Upton (lyiok his head
when he ua» asked by him what the tube was de
[ flgned fo-*?
Mr. Mortimer, the gun smith, explained the ef
. feft of an air gun, and of a feathered at row, the
. drawing of whicfi had found in Upton's
house, as well as the brass tube. It may be im
proper to publilh all that was defl ribed on this A:b
. jrft. He said it was a most dangerous and fatal [
, weapon.
. Mi.Wird, a'bairiflet. had seen the delign, and
. shewed it 10 Mr. Mortimer,, in Upton's house.
The ju-y brought in a verdiit not guilty.
; WATERFOKD, March 17.
1 It is with" pleifure weinform the pub!:'», that Mr.
' Cox* has completed the Rojs to the entire fatif
-1 fadtion of the commiflioners, and for which they have
> re urned him their public thanks.
f We are informed that' Mr. Co'.t sets out for Portu
ir.a in the course or this week,in order to ertdt a bridge
, over the nver Shannon, at that place.
Mr. Cox has been in this kingdom 6ve years' and
nine months, and lias built tne following bridges, over
diffeient rivers. '
Length. Breadth. Depth, At low water.
1 Londonderry," 1068,' feet,' 40 feet, 31 fe;t,
. Waterford, . 83a 49 37
. VVex:ord, i is4 _ 3 a 20
. F«-iyC*i-rig, 340 2 7
! . Rofc, ;fo 40 20
I Afro a Drawbridge at Dublin, -over the great Ra
-1 son at King's End.
Portima bridge, when completed, will be about
84* feet long -depth of water 24 feet.
(*Mr. Cox is an American, a native of Bjfton.)
LONDON, May 1. *
Extras of a letter from Calcutta, dated 24th Decem
ber, 1795.
" Of the many strange events that have lately hap
pened, that of our supplying you with bread, is not
the lead remarkable. To keep in unifoti with it, we
| have only to apply to Carolina to Tupply Bengal with
rice, and then the fyitem will be complete*: a viflei y
of poffjbilities over all human calculation.
" The otily intelligeßee that has traiifpired by the
last over-iand'paekttj is that you are flatyim;; and in
return you may expeflto hear (probably hy this con
-1 veyance).that we are in a liopefuU;ay hi India. This
army is not to be amused with i'peeches They have
: no better opinion ot' the integrity of a House ot' Com
• mous, than the House Jiave «rf theirs, and it requires
I "intthing more than the eloquence of Mr DuneUs t.->
, lull the officers into security. Though I ani sat.in the
1 ■ cre 'l I own that lam hot without apprefceofionj that"
. before this reaches you, you will hear of the army havi
tig taken upon itfelf the redrifs of its grievances. On
lins you may rely they are fully prepared, and do not
want rcfolution, inelination, or unanimity.
, "In coufequence of an advertil'einrnt from the Go
vernor, fir John Shore, prohibiting for the future cei
. tun meetings of military officers, a deputation from
1 hat corps was appointed to wait on him ; and by thein
f <ie was.told, in very plain English, that to his prohibi
tion they neither would nor could ; and that
js to their ohjefl, they both could and would, &c Up
in which fir John Shore thot' it advU'eable to retrafl his
->rder, and pacify them with promises as well as he
,:ould.
ST, VINCENT'S.
Kingjfwn, July 1 r .
: We feel inexpreflible pleafurein beiug able to
ccngrattilate olir readers on ibe glpncus events of
yellerdav, when the bra.ery of our troops m a few
hours tubdued the eheray attheVigie. >V« (hall
begin our detail with the occurred®* that preceded -
that brilliant affair, whu;h is dccil'ivc withreipedt |
t„ our molt formidable enemy the French Repub-
His.Excellency General Sir Ralph Abercrombie
returned here frora Carincou on 'l'hurfday lad, in i
his M 'jelly's si iga'e the Arethufa about that time !
the whole foice deftinedfor the service of the lfland, I
either had arrived, or were off this Bay workirg
in. Wcdncfday about one o'clock in the after- i
noon, the trcops were landed, and immediately
marched itpto Ivon Hiil, Cflue Oarden, and Great- t
heed's wheie thev were cantoned. Ihe dif[>oti i- t
onsfor attacking the enemy, being made, the troops |
marched in the afternoon of Thurfiiay in the foi- <
lowing order : '
To Matiaquavaley.
Ift Colotrn,' commanded by Bn :• Gen. Knox. ,
20® Loventtcin's Regt. ['Riflemen.J
ioo Heffey's Rangers,
636 14U Regiment.
(
936 (
To Calder Ridge, with a 12 pounder, and a five
and an inch howitzer.
2 d Commanded by Major General Hui.fer.
50 LovenfteiVs, , ,
100 iHeffey's Rangers, (
314 42d Regiment, I
53 1 53 ditto
jo Pioneers
t
t°4C .
To Catapan Ritige, with a brass 12 pounder and
five and a half inch howitzers,
3d Commanded by Major General Moifhead.
50 Lovenftein's,
soJaikfon's Rangers,
254 Buffs,
450 York Rangers,
jo Pioneers.
Sj4
To Rofls's Ridge, with two brass 6 pounders.
4 Comr-.andeci by,Lieut. Col. Fuller,
4O J* kfon's Rangers,
220 J9' h Regimtai,
263 63 I ditto.
jo Pioneers.
573 . a
Up Warrawarou Vallev.
;th, Comma;ded by Lieut. Col. Dickens.
260 2d Weft India Regiment
t
J7 34th Regiment. N
]
3*7 , f
To follow the line of march.
6;h .Refcve, under Lieu;, cul. Speucer.
14J 40'h R gt.
87 J4lll ditto,
23 2 - *
The columns gained ;lieir several positions that j
n 1 l'ht or earfy the next morning, wit'ont any ma
terial occurrence, except the falling in with three
of the enemy it SttibU's eflate, (tin of Whom were
killed 5 atid the-accident of a p;irt of liciit. colonel
1) ickens'sdinfion, fepaiifing fiom the main body
in the daik: cfs of the night. -Lieu enanl (Colonel r
Dickers, however, gained poffi ffion of the right of t
the enemy's volition ; t Louis Patience's before day a
light, an important pas*, -from which the enemy, a
piincipallv Chanube,. fled wi.hout making much re- 1
ft fiance, and where he planted the colours of the 1
34th regiment. Lieutenant ColoncKDic kens at- t
tempted to carry a (Irong and commanding p o st a *
little to the left of Louis Patience's, but did not 1
succeed, and ft'ffered considerably in the attack.— t
1 tie C haraibs from the woods, and the enemy at c
the pelt of the lett, kept uj> a f'mart fire at times t
upenbim; thi y threw (hells, and at lift? brough' \
ip a fwivef, whi. h was oily fired twice, anil did f
no mi.< h;cf. Hi maintained his ground, however, 1
but had ji ki-iled and wounded, out of whicti nutri- [
he , 39 were ofthefmall party of the. 34th in his
div lipn, and ttuee (.fficers.
1 he cotnm s tinder General" Huntfr and Mor
► ffliertd fcejfati to cannonade ti,e OIJ V%ic' 1»..r0 Cal
tier and Carapar) Ri'ges, between 6 and 7 o'clock
in the m riling; the guns at the former were at a
bout joo yards d flan e, ai d the latter pnly 300. t
Partus of the Y ,ik Rangers, Lovenilci.n's corps, J
and of Heffey's Rangers, alio tuok positions in the 1
Canes, and other fitu"tions near the enemy s works,
a-d mill have done coftfitln-vble' execution. The
column under Lieut. Gsl. Fuller was delayed a
by the difficulties they encounteied in
getting on their artilleiy;; Tliry, however, got
up soon af;erthe others, £nd opened their fire some
where in from of the old foundation of fc ofs's house. *
,- Ia 8 ,! " rt tl'e effect^of otir fire were v,S
% great upton the Old Vigitf and orders v,er ■ in
cotifcqnence given at two o'clock to florin it, which
wee executed with a celerity ano intrepidity per
baps never cKeclled. The columns were led on
t> s M jor Stewart of the 4 2d, and
Lieutenant Colonel Blair of the Buffs, and these
legiments had the Initior of carryin.r that post.
I he enemy began to move off as soon as they per
ee.vcd our. roo P s advancing, ,ud just they were
entering die whole fled to their other works. They
V " elC toll and tlve two next works
carnct] m „ke manner, and with the fame ease.
buch w-as the im, ,-uofity of our troops, that about
hfty rtlfiled on to ,he New ant s hai j adua „
go witiun a few yald3of it , when they were re
called. Lieutenant Colonel Fuller also pushed for
wardl at the_time the other columns moved. A
fides "for f " atter th ' S P'ace on both
ides, sot; some time, and about five o'clock, Suit
ViW lld'Z WaS g °'" S t0 °P Cn "P on the New
'f. ,ro "P 8 prepared to storm it, the
enemj t.nt out a flag to General Abercromby
wnhan offer of submission which was accepted'
of" tXrSZ U ' Cir dclivcrin S up the other p P ts I
IriW bi',T M °t' V " n »'
r' ''"'officer wrio came'with the flag
ging Gfneral Abercrombie very much to include I
French inl.abiis.nts and ih c island negro*., who j
'f were in arms with th^m,the eapinilati'on, ami
v the General within* to consult the Govtntn'r »
II the fubjett, the bulincfs was not finc-dfy concluded
d until about nine o'clock next morning,
I noon they marched out w.tli the honois us wur
,- laid down their arms to the number of 460, • , :t |
were conduced to town and embarked inimcdiateir.
e Not withllanding the precau'inns that were t!ik
n en to prevent the escape of the enemy during tlie
c night of the iolh, about 200 are fnppofed to
, have eluded our vigilance, and got away'horn ;he
r Vigie. It is, however, supposed they 'are not got
- far.
Y Lieut. Coj. Haffey'i Rangers afforded the great
. eft afliftance in getting the »nns to Colder rid/e
up a mete precipice : and after they were got toa
s proper fnuation, took to their arms and joined a
• detachment of the 42d regiment and a party of
Lovenlleiu's, in a wood within 90 yards of the
Old Vigie, where they kept up a heavy fj,- e , » tl jj
1 he affanlt began, and then advanced with the relt
Major Jackson's Rangers advanced with the coh:m;i
. up Carapan ridge, and have great piaifc for their
readiness.
The Commander in Chief has mentioned the
Colony Ranges in general orders, in the mod ftat
t teri g terms.—A considerable body of sailors a!fo
accompanied the avtillety, under comma dofCapt,
Banott, and fully jnltifijd by their great exertion
tlie high in which that body are held
With itfpeft to the Regular troops, we want words
to the fenle that is entertaii ed of their gal
lant behaviour : no troops could behave better.
With relpi d to our k>fs, we have great fatisfac.
tioij in Anting* that it is far less than could havs
been expected- from th<s fttength of the enemy'j
I works, aid their defence, which was by no means
•defpicnble. It amounts to about 100 killed and
wounded ; the greater part was filftained by Lieu
tenant Cel. Dickens. The following is the lilt of
pffi er6 killed and wounded.
Capt. Douglas, royal engineer?, wounded.
Buffs. Cap ain Jih iilon, wounded.
34th. Lieutenant o*'Donohue, wounded.
Lieutenant Georges* ditto.
Volunteer Gordon, ditto, since dead.
42d. Lieutenant Simon Frafer, wounded.
59th. Cap'ain Wharton, wounded.
63*1. M j Crofby, wounded.
2d. ■ Weft India. C»pt. M'Leari, killed.
Cap*. Errington, wooadj.f.
Yorke Rangers. M ijof D'Arville, wourfded.
HefFey'i Ri Capt. Rofs wounded.
l"he loss of the et.-jny cannot be afcertais ed
a few only wcre-fu.iiiid and from jo to 6j
Wounded ill the new V^i { which was the
rebel Goiton Audibert. Marinier, with his prin
cipal officers, were conduffed into town after the
o'tier prisoners by a party of the 26th Ij«ht
Dragoons, and embarked 011 boafd his Majesty's
ship Expeiiment, m idlt the strongest marks of the'
indignation of the fpettators.
From the Virginia Gazette, &c.
Lawfield, June loth, 1796.,
Mr. DAVIS,
If ypU'Can Jpare a place in your paper, and think the
following exp rimsn/t worth communication; you
• ■will publi/h them, an J oblige your humble Servant,
RICHARD PARKER.
1 _
I HAVE for a long time believed that,the pro.
I per cul'ivation of turnips would be of great utili
t ty to the faimers, as they are veiy imtriWpu?, and'
' an excellent food f:.r cattle, of tlnir being
1 an wb6lc£»nie and pleafari, root for culinary use.
■ For a great number of years 1 attempted to taile
; them in the common mode, but without fuectfs ;
■ to sow them in the brhad call and hoe theoi'as is »1-
1 ways done in England, I liave tried, but the ig
-1 norance anf* carelessness of negroes, pioved that
■ could not he done to advantage, as no regularity
t could be expelled. At length, four years ago, 1
s thought ot a phn'<>f f .wing whi.h I was confident
1 wo uld prove fucccfsful. as jt did not depend on the
1 fkilfulsclc or attention of negroes, [eveiyccrmwum
, hue negroe, though ever so ignorant, being com
- peteut to the bulincfs.) I procured a lhaight piece
s of timber of two inches and an h.ilf square, fix fjet*-
two inches long, and had piils of right or ninetn
■ chcs lrTTgptbtW in it Ml [mim in iln »t) Ufanee • To
this puce 'of timber containing seven pins, were
l fixed two ftaf s (not for an lunfc but a man to
- draw) and two h 11' Its. f jhui, after the land was
. pin in proper order, marked off a (haight line ; a
, per fun then ill tire (hafts going backwards and
l* keeping the pin at the end of the piece,. i:i the line,
, with another per lon at the handle to affilt in direc
e ting the inltniptient, fix lines were laid off, and by
• continuing- the <vork in the Lme manner,-it was
: Toon gone thnnu h. 1 "afterwards eroded it at
t right angles and foVved the ground tjy dropping two
- or three feeds in each or. Is, which was quickly per
. formed by children as 'veil as grown persons, who
with a finall goard or cup ia one hand containing
1 the feed, with tlpe fiuger and thumb of the other
1 dropped the f eds in each cfofs, and with the three
- hind fingers flirted a litt'? diit over the feed : I his
i work is performed in a much shorter tirae than
j would be fuppi.fed. The hrR expetiment I made
e I was attentive to the time employed in laying off
. and sowing the ground (was half an acre) which
was !ay,ed off i:i fquates in two hours and an half,
e and sowed in three, by very awkward hards as may
f be fujipolcd, as 'twas their firlf assay. When the
s turnip-tops were the iize of a piflareen, all were
. drawn out except one, the ground was hoed or
t worked twice, and from-the half acre 1 measured
f 225 bulliels of turnips'"; the next year from the
fame quantity of ground 1 made 200 bulliels ;
- the third year from an acre 1 made 556 ; those
l three years were very unfavorable for turnips, and
i ro pcrfon or very few in the neighbourhood made
f any but myfelf. - The lalt year I sowed an acre
v and an naif, two thirds of whu.-h wt\s very mean,
e and made 900 bnfliels ; 500 bushels were made
, from half an acre : but this was a remarkable line
1 year for turnip*. The firtt and third years I sow
s cd the 15th of Aug 11 It, the fec«nd year the 23d,
r and the 20th nf Augulf. ,Not fatisfied that
I a foot square was the belt distance for turoips> 1
e t prepared a square in my garden, made it very IV''>
I put in fine tilth, and divided it uito five equal patls,