The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-10-18 00:00:00

Legal.

GLASGOW AUTUMN CIRCUIT.

NIAMOUR CASE. —The Glasgow Autumn Circuit was
opened here on Monday by Lords Ivory anal Bean, and
brought to • close on :Saturday. ( in Tuesday Lord
Ivory broke down through indisposition, when Lord
Cowan, who was sent for by telegraph took his place.
On the following day Lord l'owan also succombed to
illness, when the telegraph brought Lord Ardusillan,
who, with Lord Ikas, completed the work of the cir-
cluiL la all there were ill cues, in which $I persons
were implicated, the great majority being thieves,
househreaken, retunied convicts, ikc., who were cum
victed and :i.ntenced to periods of penal :ervituile vary-
ing (rem Ili years downwards. There were, however,
only two cases which excited especial interest, the one
being that in which Margaret Gallacher, or Boyle, John
Boyle (her husband). Jasimems Boyle, and Charles Kerr
were zwen,ed (.f a very foul act of conspiracy. Fll/111
the evidence it appeared that FrAticis Paterson, a wri-
ter and house teeter in (Ilinigow, had let • shop in
ll'Alinne tm !Soy!o and his (fe, who were brokers. The
rent was not regularly paid, however; but finally lie
was induced to go to the shop 011 the pretext that he
would be paid in on account. When he arrived the
woman Boyle invited Paterson into the back shop (a
dimly lighted place), imi)ing it was requisite lie should
examine the water crane, which was out of order. No
sooner was he there than the WOlllllll mend him by the
neck, when sLe fell to the ground, and dragged him on
the top of her, at the same time imposing her person.

Paterson struggled to get away, but meanwhile the
woman raised the alarm that he was attempting to com-
mit a criminal assault upon her. Boyle, the -husband,
and the other prisoners, who were waiting at hand,
then rushed in, attempted to tear down Patereon's
clothes, and assaulted bun severely. They then called
in the police, when he was given in charge, and in • few
days tried before the police magistrates for the assault
upon the woman, but acquitted on the ground of discre-
pancy in the evidence.
After a trial which lasted two days, the prisoners were
on Friday night found guilty as libelled. On Saturday
morning they were brought up for sentence.
Lord Ardniillan, addressing the prisoners, said the
jury had, after a painstaking investigation, conic to a
unanimous verdict, ending the four prisoners guilty of
the crone of conspiracy as libelled, to extort money, or
found a false claim for damages against Mr. Francis
Paterson, by means of • false accusation for • criminal
offence, knowing it to be false, and by lIIC4OII of a perjury.
A more heinour offence could not be committed, and one
more wickedly and more cunningly devised, or more
determinedly persevered in it was difficult to imagine.
Up to the trial, and during its progress, all the prisoners
at the bar persisted more or less in maintaining that
false accusation of an indecent assault by Mr Paterson
upon the person of the female prisoner at the bar. The
jury in the box had been compelled yesterday and the
day previous to consider whether that accusation of the
assault was or was not perpetrated by Francis Paterson.
If it had been proved before the police magistrate, a
touch more serious crime would have been committed
by them. It fortunately happened that under the cir-
cumstances the case was only tried before the police
court, and Mr. Paterson was aoquited by the intelligent
and discerning magistrate, who had seen his innocence
through the meshes that the prisoners had tried to
spread around him, but lie might have been tried for
that offence in this court if it had been laid under a dif-
ferent denomination, and he might have been con-
victed; if that story which they had concocted had been
believed, he would have been convicted of this most
serious offence, and transported for • term of penal ser-
vitude, and a severe sentence would have been pro-
nounced against an innocent man. A more wicked
scheme, tool one more wickedly carried out, he (Lord
.Irdniillati) had tardy heard of. The sentence of the
Court was that John Hoyle and Margaret Boyle be sub-
jected to ismal servitude for seven years each, sod
James Boyle and Charles Kerr to live years' penal ser-
vitude each. The prisoners were then removed.

DESPERATE ENCOUNTER WITH CON-
VICTS ON DOARD SIIIP.
(From the Ore,.Mad Bombay Mlwiard, tiept. 10.)

The story of the .trarat, now in liondriy harbour,
would ha % e sati.fied us when, in our schoolboy dayi,
we thought nothing Inure inspiriting then such
"Tales of the &a." as narrated the bloody deeds of
pirates, and the righteous retribution that soinctitnes
overtook then.. _ . . .

........
The Ararat is a bark of 290 tons, owned by Hajee
fialeh alahumed Artier, of Bombay, and commanded by
Captain J. M. Correya. On the sub of January last
she left Bombay with convicts for Penang and Singapore.
Having landed the men awl disposed of his cargo, the
captain tendered and was accepted for convicts for
Southey, 12 of whom were ready for deportation from
Singapore, and as many f l'enang. Just as the
vessel was ready to leave, Captain Correya was informed
that he might have a batch of pirates, the Esk having
brought them in.
It seems that, shortly before the Aramt'a arrival at
Singapore, complaints had been mule of two piratical
junks prowling about the China Seas, and the 'Reamer
Hooghly, Her Majesty's Indian Navy, Captain Wright,
was sent after them. Coining up with them among the
islands, the steamer's boats were sent in chase, but on
coming within range of the junks' guns, each vessel
carrying 10 or 12 6 to 12 pounders, they were met by
such a fire as compelled them to return. The Houghlis
armament consisting of only two six, pounders, the cap-
tain did not think hinewif justified in proceeding fur-
ther in the matter, and steamed back to Singapore.
On his report, Her blejesty's steamer Esk, Captain Sir
It. Maclure, was dnpatched in search, with the mate of
the Hotighly as • guide, and was happily sucoensful. On
the junks catching sight of the Eek, there being men on
board them who were well op as to her armament, dis-
cretion was thought to be the better pan of valour. A
boat was lowered, with some fellows who could speak a
little English, and pulled for the Esk. On coining on
boanl they showed Sir Hobert a Singapore port clear-
ance, in ballast. But Sir Hubert being far too old •
salt to allow any to be put on his tail, coolly gave the
order to "U 0 a-head." In a twinkling the Esk was
alongside the junks, the crews were taken on board,
draught to each junk made from the Esk, and the gal.
hint vessel, with the junks in tow, steamed away for
Singapore. These were the fellows whom Captain Cor-
reya was told lie might have in addition to the ordinary
convicts. They were tried on shore, 52 in number, by
a special sedition, two being acquitted, and the remainder
evidenced to transportation to lkonbay, 1101110 for 15
years, mid sonic for life. On the judge passing sentence
they assured him that if they gut an opportunity on
the voyage they would not fail to take advantage of it
and murder every soul on board. They would rather
be hanged at 011 CO than transported.
With these 50 pirates on board, 12 ordinary convicts,
a guard of 15 European Madras Artillerymen, and eight
Sepoys of the Marine Battalion, the Ararat left Singa-
pore on the 19th of June, and arnved at Penang in the
evening of the 24th. 12 convicts were here added to the
gang, making 74 in all.
The Ararat left Penang in the evening of the 25th, •
junk leaving at the same time, and doing her best to
keep up with the ship. Captain Correya, not liking the
appearance of things, dodged his satellite, and finally loot
sight of the craft on the evening of the 27th. A few
hours later, the Ararat was sonic sixty miles from Pe-
nang. The 2S th broke gloomily, very dark, and sharp
gusts of wind. At 245 the Captain ordered the mate to
set top-gallant-Inds if the weather should clear, and lay
down again on the isoop. His rest was of short dere.
t ion. Ten minutes later he was aroused by a :mire, such
an one as wakens a man broadly in an instant. The noise,
a craeli Ha of something giving way, followed by a shout,
startled the mate also as he was standing by the break
.if the poop. There was no doubt as to the cause—time
convicts had broken loose. Quick as thought, the cap-
tain leaped to the deck mid brought his aruis—a revolver
mid two pistols—from the cabin. Tim mate as instantly
aroused the guard, at the same time hailing the sentry
forward, but received no reply. He reinained by the
iii4ht guard muskets until the gnarl turned out, before
which the captaiii's revolver spoke from the poop. The
captain, it seems. on reaching the deck could just dis-
cern that the convicts were malting their way aft. They
hail advanced as far ax the stern of the longboat when
lie fired into them. Still they Caine sin, a timitiltons
rush, yelling like fiends, and heaving beh.re them blocks.
hanitspikes, holyetimi s, firewood, curry-stuff grinders—
anything, in fact, they could lay hands on. Captain
I:orreya WAS severely struck by soine of them niissiles,
as were also several of the guard, who dwl by this time
joined the captain (the crew, lancers and Spaniards,
being altogether without arms, having made their '
way into the riggingl on the poop. The gellent
party had no thought, however, of acting on the
defensive, but juniping to the quarterdeck
hand•to.band fight with the ticoundrels. Roth the
captain end guard fired into them as fast as they could
load, using also their enflames mid bayonets to keep
thsan at bay. They had desperate men to deal with.
No tamer was a musket fired than • rush was made
upon it before it cou:d be reloaded, but in no one in-
stance did they succeed in wrenching it from the grip
that held it for life or death. One bayonet was their
only spoil. During the whole time they kept up • ,
shower of the animates described above, and it is only
wonderful that re mischief was not done by them.
Inch by inch, however, the captain and his party gained
ground, advancing inirposely with caution, lest from
bellied the water &sake • rush might be made upon
them, and their anne—their salvation—be seized. And
here we have to record an instance of courage as rare as
heroic. Some ten minutes or so after the outbreak, ,
amid an uproar as if of hell let loose, arising frow men
who were thiniting for blood, the captain's wife took her
part in the fray, by loadiug mad continuing to reload her
husband's pistols, and paining them up from the cuddy
skylight. As each hatch was gained it was seized by the
guard and fastened down. After an hour's Lard fighting
the convicts were driven on to the toigallant forecastle,
where they were charged with the bayonet and several
run through or driven over the bows. Two or three
were seen to lay hold of the fore-top-gallant studding.
sail, which was lying on the forecastle and jump over.
board with it. They were idiot from the poop and
quarterdeck, as well as the darkness permitted their
being made out.
The deck now being clear, lights were brought—many
attempta had been made to get lights during the fight,
but a, 1.0011 as one appeared it was knocked over by the
convicts, 1111,1 the whole work was done in almost solid
darknese.. The sights which the lights revealed were of
the horrideet. Here a man with • gashed face, there
another cut almost in two, there another riddled with
the bayonet, there one—yet, yet living, with four bullets
through him. The aspect of the place was that of •
alatighter-howw. Eight dead bodies were found on the
forecaetle, and three on the main deck, including the
European sentry and Portuguese cook. It was now
apparent why the sentry had not answered the hail of
the wate—the poor fellow was found to have been
'dabbed to the heart. There seems, unfortunately, to
be no doubt that lie had left his post below, and come
on deck, where lie is SUIIIIO%CIi to have fallen asleep,
being stabbed without awakening even to fire his ristol,
which was in his hand as he lay. Had lie been at his
post, or even mvake on deck, alarm might in all proba-
bility have been given sufficiently early to have pre-
vented the convicts gaining the deck at all.
The poor cook was *hot by accident, being mixed up
with the convicts. The carpenter, and an Arab passen-
ger, jumped overboard. The former fell into the bight
of the lee fore sheet, got into the fore chains, and made
his way aft. Arab was never seen again.
At day break • nmau was found hanging on to the
rudder. A rope being let down lie was -hauled up, and
was found to have been shot through the leg. On march
being made below, five more bodies were found of men
who, on receiving enough, had gone below to die. It
was found that the convicts had escaped by cutting
through with a knife, of which they had somehow gained
poulession, a bar of a prison dour forward, then partly
cutting through the inside partition bar on the port side,
which enabled them to burst the door in altogether.
They then shouted to the rest in other cells, to fellow
them, which, with the exception of 14, whom the guard
were enabled ti keep down, they did.
At 6 the convicts were mustered, when it was found
that 214 were dead or missing—t 4 out of 60 who CAIIIO
on deck. The remaining 32, with the exception of 3
wounded, were treated to three dozen each. At half'
last 9 the sentries gave the alarm that some of the con-
victs had slipped their legdrons. The guard was called
and isecured them. On overhauling the remainder it was
found that many of the irons were too large, and they
were accordingly nsluciel, A welcome sight must Bom-
bay have been to the .trarat.
The captain apelike in high terms of the European
rergeants and guard, and of the Slarine Battalion also,
their havinlar especially singling himself out by his valour.
What shall we say of the captain hinixelf ? What
would have le cii the result bad he been a man of less
courage and pluck than be showed hiumelf to be? The
vessel would have ken taken, every mall on board mur-
dered, and these desperadoes have found their way to ;
the China Seas again, to the destruction of—who can
say how IllUell life and property It is so very excep-
tional a case that we doubt not the Chamber of Com-
merce will take wine notice of it. Captain Corms has
earned for himself • life-renown, and should be dealt
with in • way becouiing this great commercial port, and
• chamber of commercial men.