The Express.
London, England, 1850-11-15 00:00:00

THE CHARGE AGAINST A CLERGYMAN AT

BRENTWOOD.

BRENTWOOD, THURSDAY.
The Rev. Robert Abercrombie SJuuetone, rector of
West }brachia with Ingrave, a small hamlet in :his vickii y,
who was charged a few weeks since, on the informetion tat
Mary Anne Doc, a young girl Bahl under his root is the
(rapacity of a dosnesic servant, with having felonimoly as
nuked her on the morning of the Bth alt., and who has
been remanded from time to time by the Ninth of magistr-tes
at this place, in consequence of the absence of the coin.
pleinant, surrendered to-day In pursuance of the reogni
sauces he had entered into on Thursday last for the purpose
of meeting the charge.
The prii.cipal witnesses in the cue, namely, the girl and
her mother, were not torthcomiug at first, and the case had
been adjourned ; but before the bench bed broken up, how-
ever, Buperiatei.dent Coulson received an electric telegraph
mi sage, intern:dog him that the prosecutrix, witu her
slather and lather, were in custody, and would be at
Brentwood in half an-hour. Au intimaticu was iramedi
mely forwarded to Mr. Clarkson, counsel for the pris“uer,
and in the citric of a very short time the learn, d Kande
man, accompanied by the reverend defendeat, returned to

the court.
Tke girl was brought into court at half•past two o'clock.
She was accompanied by her father and mother, and by a
young fema.e friend. All the parties were in the oust. dy of
Sergeant Gunn, an active detective officer of the G division
of the metropolitan police. Gann had apprehended the
girl only this morning at a low lodging•house in Camden.
town. On explaining who he was to the complainaut and
telling her that she must come with him, she cried very
much, and said she could not come without her mother.
Gunn ascertained from the woman of the house that the
father and mother were living in the neighbourhood of
Islington, end thither he accordingly drove with the com.
lainant. As soon as Mrs. Doe saw her daughter in cute ,y
she ran towards her, and, grasping her hand, said, Now
mind, my child, you tell the gentlemen that it was ell wrorg
what you told them before ; and if they
.ask you how you
came to tell such a tale, say you wasn't to 3 our right mind,
and you didn't know what you said." This fact bet-ow:no
known in some degree prepared the bench for whet fuliows.
All the wittiness having been °rioted out of court, she
mother of the girl, who had been sluing beside her, ewe to
leave the room. As the was doing so, et was observed that
she bald up her finger in a threatening manner to Oct
child.
The Chairman having ordered the complainant to be
re-sworn, requested Mr. C. C. Lewis, the clerk to the
bench, to read over her deposition made before hi 021.011
and Cept. Button on the OeCallIOU of her preferring the
complaint against Mr. Johnstone.
Mr. Lewis having read the deposition, a copy of which
appeared in this j nasal of Friday Last.
The Chairman asked the complainant whether what sic
bad heard read as her deposition was true.
Complainant.—No. I really did not know what I was
after when I stated that.
The Chairman.—ls it true, I ask you ?
Mr. Cisrkson.—She has already said no.
Complainant.—l don't know what I said. I wan quite
Innwsible.
The Coalman—When you came before me you must
esenther you swore that Mr. Johnstone did emne,hing
pm on the morning of the 9th of October. Was tact true
abbe ?
Complainant—Why, sir, they frightened ur to I did not
know what I said.
Tho Chairman—Who frightened you ?
OMMlOMmuit—Tho pathos who came to my mother's
IMMO. (The witness was here understood to refer to the per
No allows.) •
The Chairman—Well, you ere not to be alarmed or
Milatened by say one here. Yon are sworn to speak the
Mask and it you do that you have nothing to fear.
Complainant—AU I know is that, as soon es I entered
I the kitchen I fainted away. Whether Mr. Johnstone did
anything to me er not I don't know. I believe he didnot.
The Chairman—Did you go home that morning ?
Complainant—Yes, because I was so
The Chairmaa—What made you ill ?
Complaisant—l don't know. I had been ill all night

The Witness wu here questioned at great length by the
Chairman sad the other magistrates, with a view of testing
her veracity. Her answers, how , were all of the same
character, and when premed upon any point in her previous
deposition, she invariably sheltered herself by remarking
that she did not kaow what she said when she laid the com-
plaint, sad that she was now sorry for having done so.
♦ magistrate asked her whether she recollected Mr.
Johnstone having Wooed her on the Sunday before the
Ilk of October ?
Complainant—Why, I don't know, sir.
Mr. Clarkson objected to any question being asked, ul-
ulated to prejudice the accused, which had not a direct
heaths' spots the case under Investigation.
Atior a long and somewhat personal discussion between
the beach and the learned advocate,
The complainant was farther questioned by Mr. Tower,
who reminded her of the awkward position she was placed
in by &saying now what she had previouly stated upon oath.
The girl still persisted in averring that she was now stating
the Math, and repeated her expressions of regret for having
said as very different a story before.
Mr. Tower expressed his opinion that the complainant
had been mat disgracefully tutored. It was impossible for
him to believe that a young girl like the complainant would
some before the bee& sad swear to certain tuts, and after.
wards contradict them is tote, unless she had been tutored
so to do-
Kr. Cleekma said be believed all the
ems wage net yet knew..
After some feisther dienesion, in the course of which Mr.
lausta.=tenakaseatiwasid that the mother of the girl
a. hal to him hit hie private capacity of the trea-
son bas denglfter hod eallmed hem Mr. Johnstone, and in-
treated kis interftremse,
The Chairman sail they had two afildavits made by the
semplainent now bus them. Oil of them, which had
beam ewes I. his atiessee, sestously affected the character of
the Selbadaat ; that soh & had been MOTS in his presence
=rebutted SW aim Row the complainant had been
thiss to ember slatement did not appear ; but as
therame steed these weakly no grounds for detaining
rte delbaiffill Y anstwiy. The NM was therefore dismissed.
idnielems them retired, and the court was presently
desist
Ater the remain* had terminated the beach gave in-
alrealleme to Yr. Lewis to prefer a bill of indictment for per-
spinet Mary Ann Doe.
great deal of ozoitoneat kr prevailed in the town daring
the day.

Ezra!, nor or THE Pouca Ix THE COUNTY or
Strizzl,-04 Wednesday • sautleg of the Surrey ma-
gistrates took plus at the flessiona-house, riewiigton-emise-
way, for the purpose of esosideriag the best weans of provi-
ding a sufficient rake forts to protect the property of the
Inhalants. It say be recollected, that at the lut Quarter
Raises for the dainty, • souroluse was fonnedior the
thews pa owing to the late brutal warder and robbery
at Frith*, it is silted Witt have hew preventia
hada ethstable hen sew duvet Sine then the Epsom
Bak bee hue ribbed. and ether 1114 MINI onamitted which
all Seth the ethenden of the rightist*. Kr. Saurinten-
gni ]Hide nnthin of Gedstaisg, and the chief constable of
gad Bum have bees ezassined at mine length,
leliaMailis:ifilievedirviptierlasysithatzpsiajamilt,"athirillalbaebtaiostodt rfirourestratesioduta,. urnTdselestriktonihuers:Cloolltt
Ow siponl.