The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-07-29 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS.

PROVINCIAb OCCURRENCES.

ACCIDENT.—On Thursday last, as Alice, the daughter
of Mr. W. Wood, of Ovenilen, near Halifax, was running
down stairs with a pair of scissors in her hands, she un-
fortunately fell upon them, the point/ entered her heart,
and she expired immediately.—York Chronic/e.
CAUTION TO PARENTS.—Last Saturday morning, a
little boy about eight years old, the son of James Glew, of
Makeney, near Duffield in D, tbyshire, was, as usual, sent
to school by his parents, but instead of going there, he
, went to bathe in the river Derwent, between Duffield and
Milford, and near the former place, but was immediately
drowned, in si;lit of several children on the bank, who ran
for assistance, but too late. The body, after diligent
search, was not found till Sunday afternoon. Ahtl on
Monday evening, as a little boy, about two years old, was
1 playing on the turnpike road between Duffield and Milford,
' and near the place of the other accident, he was thrown
down by a cart, and so much hart, that surgical assistance
was immediately necessary; but there are hopes of his

MIDLAND CIRCUIT.

Wegate .
CRIMINAL-SIDE.
IPA).* the LORD CHIEF HARON.I
Samuel. rniiie was indicted for the wilful murder of Mary Ana
Randall, at the parish of Overton, in this county, on the 4th May
lea.
It appeared from the evidence, that the unfortunate deceeteet
had been to the family way by the prisoner, and that, wishing to
conceal her situation, or to tl.reroy the fruit of the illicit inter•
course, the prisoner had bought some arsenic, under the line
preesion that, taken in quantities of a quarter of an ounce at a
time, it would produce the desired effect. A feilow-servant
of prisoner's and the deceased had slept with Selith on the night
that the unhappy girl died ; he went to get a surgeon for het ; she
reached heavily at the etontach, and then died. The prisoner
expressed great regret at the melancholy effct produced by
the arsenic, and never denial the parpOse for which he gave
it her.
The mother of the girl saw her a fete trindtes before she exe
pirrtt, and she said to her, " Sam gave it tome."
The surgenn who examined the body proved that her death Wa4l
produced by taking corrosive poison internally. Three grains of
arsenic would be sufficient to destroy life.
The LORD CHIEF BARON recapitulated the evidened, and told
the Jury they had three points to consider in this case. Fir ,
was the petition given to take awry the life of Mary Ann Randall?
Secondly, was the poison given to procure abortion ? and, Thirdly,
was it merely given with a view to awe in her a regularity of body,
such as was referred to by one of the wiliettees. In the first or se•
cond case, if the Jury should find him guilty, then he would be
gully of murder; but not so in the third case, however wherwiree
culm,ble lie might be. There was, in his opinien, no evidence to
show that he meditated the young wernlin'e death ; but it was for
the Jury to decide on all the circumaances as they appeared before
them in evidence.
Toe Jury consulted fin about a quarter of an hour, and then re•
turnA the to lowing
.verdict—" e find the prisoner guilty of ad.
mi,istering p&son with intent to procure abortion."
The Leen lime BARON said he could not take this qt alified
verdia. and the Jury must say either guilty of not guilty.
The Foreman—We arc unanimously of opinion, my Lord, that
the prisoner Is guilty.
Sentence of death was then
.pronounced upon the wretched mar.,
and It was ordered for execution on Saturday next.
During the trial he seemed to labour under extreme mental agony.
but bore the awful sentence with evident resignation.
On the Civil Side, an action, Doe on the Demise of Sabine
t.
Walton and others, occupied the Court on Wednesday and a part
of Thursday, respecting the validity of a will made by a man
named Greenaway, who was stated to be non comput at the time of
his signing the instrument.
After hearing evidence at great length, the Jury, on Thurs-
day, returned a verdict for the defendants against the heir of
Greenaway.

WESTERN CIRCUIT.

EXETER, JULY 27.
[Before Mr. Justice LiTTLEDALE.I
THE KIX43 v. WM. It. ELL/S.
Mr. C. F. WILLIAMS (with wham wets Mr. COEEIIiDGE and
Mr. TERRE!, foe the prosecution) stated that this was an indict.
ment against W. IL Ellis, for stealing six pounds of cheese, and
twelve pounds of soap, from Susan Newman, who had for maby
years kept a grocer's shop in Exeter. The prisoner was in the erne
ployment of the prosetutrie and her late husband for several years,
as a ottoman, end whilst he filled that situation the alleged charge
was said to have been committed.
3lary Paltrier examined—l am in the employment of the prose•
trix, and have been for the last sixteen years. .Me. Newman ha
been dead five years. I know the defendaat, Bilis, who was also
in the employment of Mrs. Newman ; lie had been in her employ.
meat, and that of her late husband, for founeeii years. Mrs. New-
man is a grocer and tea-dealer, and also Pens cheese and soap.
John Taylor sworn—ls • constable. Remembered searching the
house of the defendant's mother, at Serelfurd, some time in Sep.
tember last. Knew the defendant, and had seen him and his mu.
ther in conversation together. C. pon searching the house of Mee.
Ellis, witness discovered a quantity of cheese and soap, and took
them into his keeping. They have since remained in his posses-
sion, under lock and key. M Horn made the search the day after
the apprehension of the defendant.
'The cheese and soap discovered by the witness were then pro.
duced.l
runty Palmer recalled—l know Mrs. Newman's shop ;it is 182.
Fore-street, Exeter. She is in an extensive line of business. The
cheese produced is such cheese as 31rs. Newman is in the habit of
selling. It is Dutch cheese. There are two sorts of soap produced.
One has the maker's name on it. That was the kind et eoip Mrs.
Newman has been in the habit of selling for the last five or six
years. I once remember having scid sonic cakes of scented soap to
the defendant. I never sold him nny other description. I sold it
to him, in May, 1825. and also the quarter sat a Dutch cheese. De-
fendant was apprehended in August last. I never sold him the
cheese now produced, nor any like it. I saw that soap before, at
the Guildhall, after Ellis was apprehended.
Crises-examined by Mr. Sergeant WILDE (who with Mr. Nutt ts
was for the defence)—l don t know from whom Mrs. Newman
purchased her Dutch cheese. She had her soap from Messrs. Frith
and Co. of Bristol, who are in very extensive business. They hese a .
traveller who goes about every year four or live times. Vie have a
large chest ice the shop, in which a box of each of these differen;
kinds of soap is deposited every morning for the daily sale. The
store is below stairs. I believe Mrs. Newman bought no soap from
any other house but Frith and Co. She has purchased cheese from
several persons. Her practice is to buy a large quantity at a time.
We seldom cut the Dutch cheeses, they are so small. Young Mr.
Newman (the peosecutrix's son) used to fix the prices of the several
articles sold in the shop. The cheese produced has no particular
mark on it. The selling price of it is about 134 d. per pound. Each
cheese contains about 3 pounds. The soap produced is of the same
description as that 31n. Newman sells. items could only speak
to its general appearance. It is only worth 8.1. per pound. The
cheese cut by witness for defendant Wen cut differently from that
now produced. 'rite defendant paid witness for the cheese sold him.
The defendant, 31n. Newman, her son, and witness, were the
persons who attended in the shop. Witness had a full recollectton
of the manner in which she cut the cheese she sold to the defendaeh
She has many reasons for recollecting it. She took one-third her-
self anti Mr. Newman took the remaining third. Besides, E.
lis was soon after called to London and left a part of his third
unfinished. Witness is positive that the cheese produced is not
that sold by her to defendant.
John Taylor re-examined—Had the cheese and "Pap now pro-
duced, at the Guildhall, when defendant and Mrs. Ellis were there.
Examinations were then taken before the Magistrates. Witness
took home the cheese and soap, locked it up, and it was never since
out of his possession.
31r. John Gidlcy, Attorney anti Deputy Town Clerk of Exeter.
stated, that the signatures to a paper produced were in the hand,
yeti 14 of Alderman Phillips and hlib, and that he had seen
them sign it. He was present at the defendant's examination, at d
saw hint sign the paper in question. It was made op of answers
put by witness in the presence of the Magistrates. Witness told
the defendant before the examination that he .was root bested to say
anything he did not think proper. Petendant replied that he was
willing to tell all he knew. The Alderman repeated this caution.
No one told defendant in witness's presence that it was better for
him to tell the truth, or anything to that effect.
Cline examined—There was an examination about money ott the
day previous to that on which die paper was signed. Witness be-
lieved chat the prisoner had written to 31r. Ituariog, the solicits.
The letter was not then sent to el nßawring, but was brought by the
jailer to the Magistrate, who kept it for some days, anti told the
defendant that he could not then permit his attorney to have access
to im. Mr. Bowring is 3 most respectable solicitor, and has long
practised in this city. Witness understands that the Corporarien
have claimed, or intima'ed an intention of claiming, the proper:),
of the defendant if he is convicted of felony. Alderman Phillips
lived near Mrs. Newman. 31t. Bowring was not allowed to see
the defendant befose his second examination, at which the paper
produced was signed. Witness did not recollect that the Alderman
maid to the defendant that he had better settle with Mrs. Newmae'e
fancily. Ellis had no legal adviser on his lint examination. Yonne
Ms Newman, the officer', the 31agistrates, and witness, wets
present. There was nothing said nor hinted about compensation
or satisfaction. No inducement was held out tollie
who was fully committed on a charge of robbery, before the
second examination. The defendant's attorney was not allowed
to at c him before the second examination. Mr. Toed, the attorney.
and 31r. Tyrrel, the barrister, were prssmlt at the seenntl examina-
tion. Mr. Ford and Mr. 'Petrel were now engaged for the prosecu-
tion. The former is the attorney ; he was not admitted on the first
examination. In the confession produced, the answers only re
put down, which is the usual way. The questions put by the
Magistrates were such as were suggested upon seeing the erodes.
pteeueed by the constable. The questions were such err—'• 11' eat.
account do you give of this ?" taking up some article produced.
This was the course pursued. The traverser was cool, and ap-
parently free from agitation. Asa proof of it, he signed his mime
to the confession steadily, aid with a flourish. Ile was Actually
charged with stealing a varieay of articles found at his motheet,
but the technical charge in the indictment was—" feloniously steal-
ing two packets of 'irons, the property of Susan Newman. ' He
sae asked to account for all the articles found at his mothet's, but
WAS told in terms that lie was under a charge of stealing clueese.
Ite-exemieed—'rhe lord Bishop of Exeter had also twitle a
claim in right of the Dean and Chapter, it the defendant shout.' be
found guilty of felony. The Corporation generally claimed the
goods of felons within the city of Exeter.
'rite prisoner's confession was here offered to be put in as evi-
dence against hint, but was objected to by his Conned as Inadmits
sible in evidence, upon the ground that the examination was
in-
formally anti improperly taken.
Counsel for tin:Crown 'contended that the confession was pro.
perly taken, but under all the circumstances would not press l.pr
its admission.
The Learned JUDGE thought the examination was properly
taken and admissible in evident'; but it appeared to him that it
did not bear upon the articles produced. There was no proof that
the cheese and soap 'mentioned in ;he indictment were stolen by the
prisoner, and on that charge he must be acquitted.
Counsel fur the prosecution concurred in the view taken by hie
Lordship, and a verdict of acquittal
to was accordingly lyti'
preotnuranetlse.c4nd.
charirg7e.ofielteeiaslrtYntrEsniixs swh iTlinaggasil put'd
other pieces of silver,
the pro.
perty of the said Susan Newman.
In support of this tedittment, Me. C. Newman, the roam.