The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-09-17 00:00:00

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.

LANCASTER SUMMER ASSIZES, TUILIDAT, SIFT. IL
NISI PRIUS.
B.pre Mr. Boron littwa:n. and a Common Jury.
HYDROPHOBIA.

LORD r. SANCIES AND ANOTHER.
Mr. STAICII opened the pleadings.il
Mr. SCARLETT and Mr. 1101JOIIAll conducted the case on
the part of the defendants ; and
Mr. Wit LLlAses, for the 'plaintiff, stated the case to the Jury as
follows :—Gentlemen of the Jury, you have all of you beau!, no
doubt, of the war between roan and the canine species in this coun-
try, and the noble exploits that have from time to time been per-
formed in exterminating the amine rue; but none, in my opinion,
equals the one that has been perforated under the ',race and direc-
tions of the redoubtable Mayor of Wigan who, having heard from
Liverpool that all these quadrupeds had been massacred, and not
one of die unhappy tribe left to tell the dreadful tsle, his sensitive
nerves became alarmed at the Crick word hydrophobia. A precla-
nasion was accordingly issued ' • and that great personage.. the Ton n
Crier, with his huge cocked hat, armed eap.a.pee, sounded the
direful " note of preparation" ID the following words:—
" Take warning, that all dogs found at large in or about the
town of Wigan after this notice will be destroyed, by order of the
Mayor of Wigan."
Nothing could resist this notice, and execution was therefore or.
tiered to be dune on the bodies of, all such dogs as sliou'ni be guilty
of being abroad after this warring; and among the number s Ito
paid the forfeit of their byes to this rigid law, was the unhappy
dog of the plaintiff's, who was absent on his duty at kirkiltile
Quarter Sessions. The Learned Gentleman then adverted to the
fans that will appear in the evidence, and called
Thomas Worthington, eiant:ned by Mr. STARKIE.—IIe is it
butcher, and resides at 'Wigan. Jle knows the plaintiff; Lord.
He had a favourite pointer hitch. Ile recollects seeing the animal
against his premises. It was on a Thursday mourning, the 13th of
May last. It was at three o'clock in the morning; he was going to
his slaughter-house, at the bottom of the yard. lie had been to
slaughter a cow. She followed him up the pied as he went to his
house. The last time he saw her was, as near as he can guest,
abeitt six o'clock ; she stopped in the entry of the gateway. After
be had gdt in he heard a gun go off. This was not more than two
minutes after he had shut the door. lie has known her a year or
two ; she was a very handsome creature ; he did not hear she was
mad. He cannot speak to her value.
Cross-examined by hie. SCARLETT.—Tt was 3 o'clock, as near
as be could guess. She was coining out of the yard. She had not
been I.,ekell up, he believes, the night previous. Mr. Lord, the
plaintiff; lives in Wigan, about forty miles from Lancaster.
The street is Queen-street. lie knows the dog was destroyed in
Wigan. He had heard of a man of the name, ef Low, having
a dog destroyed, but he cannot say If it was allot on account of
being mad. lit never heard it was, although it might. Many
have been shot there, but he cannot speak it on account of their
madness. lle knows Winslow Hall. Cannot say If the game-
keeper's dog was shot for being mad. Re never saw et mad dog
himself.
. .
Zachariah Bate examined.—lle was in 'the streets on the 13th of
May. He knows )tanks and Rutter, the defendants. Rutter had
a gun with him, and Baneks carried me shot belt. Witness was
*WI them when they went about the town. Rutter shot a dog.
He heard Rutter say to Banda, that dog has been running about '
al/ the morning." He observed the pointer bitch sitting by the
war. of Worthington's door; she was sitting still. Rutter went up
pretty near the dog, levelled his piece, and allot her in the basal
she in•tintly fell dead at his feet. 13ancks remained behind to keep
the boys off.
Cross-examined by Mr. 9101.1011 she —He knows a person of
the name of how. residing in Al4ate-street. Wigan. He has
heard lie had a dog shot, but he cannot say if it was mad. He
had heard a petson say he had one that was mad. Ile never knew
it himself. Ile never heard of such a thing as a dog bets:,; mid; I
(..1 laugh.) Don't know anything about Low's dog, nor him neither.
He had heard scnnething,ebout that thought.
John Hall examined—lle was present when the dog was shot.
Witness said to the defendants, " don't kill that dog, I knot
whose it is ; it is Mr. Lord's, and if you will let me, I v. ill take it
home." Ruttet said, •• No, I'll be d--d if you shall, I
must do my duty," and instantly took aim and shot her.
('ross-examined by Mr. SCAULETT—Mr. Lord was at that time
at the Sessions, and had not seen her fur a day or two. The de.
fendants had shot one dog before, and one after. The people
were warned by the benntan to keep all dogs tied up in Wigan.
HeChnevristeorpiableca Hmaaratldeyogegmranti6zirl---kilhfeelkikneewl°rhee one,
laugh).
Christopher
seen her hunt) she was a staunch animal, end under good coin-
ntand ; in hit oninion she was a vary good one ; the plaintiff has
shot with her ; site might be worth Item four to five guineas.
Cro)s-c•amined by 31r. St:AULT:TT—IIe has known her two
years; he had seen her last September, has hunted with her:
he(witness) lives at West Orton; there r;ere no mad dogs in his
neighbourhood that he knew of.
Rxsminel by Mr. R';l.l.tams—Nothing ailed her in September
last.

ile. SC•IILrTT appealed to the Jury, and asked them what
they would have done under similar circumstances ? Whet would
have been their feelings as men, and as the fathers of families when
they heated of the alarming dieonler that the canine tribe had been
afflicted with—the most calamitous of all maladies, hydrophobia,
and which bed never heard there had been yet a for? Why,
' would they nut have done what the defendants baud an action
against them commenced for, under such dreerifel eireitinstancei,
especially when the symptoms of hydrophobia had ecome so alarm-
'wing, that a proclamstion issued against all dogs found at large
The defendants had oily done what was highly proper; and al-
though he admitted a verdict must go against his clients, as there
was no statute law that authorized the shooting of dogs, and this was
not proved to be mad, yet, said the Learned Gentleman, fund as
am of dogs, and having some fine dogs of my own, I had much
rather the whole of them should be shot than that spy of his Ma-
jesty's subjects should risk their lives. The dog hail ',ern suffered
to go at large after a public notice to the contrary ; and the defence
set up was, that its owner was at the Sessions. The dog was said to be
of the value of U., but would any one have given a shilling for it,
when, fur aught they knew, the dog might have been mad or bitten
by another? A dog niigfit bite and yet show no signs of madness
'at the moment. The act was rot one eta vindictive nature. As
to his Learetal Ftiend'e facetious address about the bellman sandhi'
huge tracked hat, and the other defendant, whom he had described
ash second Ilion Quixote, the people might laugh at it, tut still a
Lie
was issued, with merited attention to the public.
Ile had been informed that no less than seven thousand dogs
had been killed in Liverpool, and he would rather hear of
every dog in the Lingdoin being shot than that any person
should suffix under this most dreadful of all maladies—hydrophobia ;
and the Jury would, in order to discourage these actions, give the
least possible damages; for if they did otherwise, at the next As-
sizes they would have a plentiful crop, though he, of course, would
not deprecate that. (A laugh).
The Learned BARON charged the Jury, and said the plaintiff
was entitled to their venliet. There was no law that authorized the
sweeping notice of shooting all dogs. It certainly was highly
proper that persons should take care and guard against this dread-
ful malady, as far as was in their power, by keeping their dogs tied
up, especially after prochmiation had been made. The Learned
Judge then dwelt an the conduct of the defendants in shouting the
dog, after the witness had said he would take it home; and instead
of letting hint do so, he l( utter) shot the dog. saving, 6. No. I'll be
d--d if you do." The Jury would say what tlatuagei the O&M-
-er.ui entitled to, and whether for five pounds or a pert, but be
was entitled to smitethieg at their hands.
The Jury found for the plaintili—llantages one farthing.
This sutu carries costs.

HOSSIIILE CIUM! IN SWITZ:7ItI.AND.I—A crime so Me.
crable, that it is difficult to beli;Ne it to have been the work
of a human being, has been committed in the village of
Walperschweil, in the canton of lkrne, two leagues from
Arberg. The perpetrator is a man of GO years of age, who
has been for some time know') for his revolting immora-
-1 lity. Having suddenly conceived the idea of proceeding to',
America, he demanded money from his wife, whom be I
supposed to possess property ; being denied, lie addressed
his claim to the Commune. which also refused to sanction
lit. These refusals filled him with the most horrible pro-
Tett of revenge. After having inhumanly assassinated his
wife,
he contemplated the destruction of the village by
fire, and !mem tied but too well. His preparations were
majle with skill, and in the night of the 30th oC August
twenty-fi‘e houses were burned to the ground. The
wretch has escaped, but the police ate at his heels.--Jour-
nal dot Commerce.

i liiLD vane a.—On Thursday, the hotly of a female;
child was discovered in the river, not far from Horsley,
tied up in an apron, on opening which it was seen that the
poor infant had been barbarously murdered, and an in-
quest was that day held, when the .Fury returned a verdict
of " Wilful murder against some person unknown." Sus-
picion falling upon a servant girl who had left the neigh-
bourhood and come to Cheltenham, she was traced and
talotn into custody on Friday. tqte made a full confession
lof her guilt, and acknowledged having beaten the child to
death, in consequence of the threats of ho. father and mo-
ther, who declared they would turn her out of doors, and
she thought, " as she would be then thrown upon the
world, she had better destroy her infant, and then she
would be out of her trouble, as she was sure justice would
overtake Nit, and she must l* hanged. —Llteth tLam
CI rankle.

A pickpocket was detected attempting the pocket of a
gentleinmi, in the Poultry, yesterday morning. tine of
the City officers passing, took him immediately into cus-
tody, and safely lodged him in the Mansion-House.
Acetutis.r.-LOn E4aturclay evening, between five and
bix o'clock, a gentleman's coachman, on his return from
the country by the thrscube road with his carriage empty,
after stopping at a house about a miles' from town, had just
got upon the coach-box, when, it would appear, in raising
himself to arrange his great-coat, he lost his balance and
fell forward between the horses, and it is believed the
whtels of the can pabsed over him. Ile was imme-
diately carried into an adjoining house, and although me-
,dical aid was instantly procured, he survived only a few
InictitA.—G4:4.,, me Par.

OLD iIAILET, Seri.. 16.
This morning these Seastass commenced, before the Lean
Ilfarot, the KEClftrorlt, the Covestom.Sructravr, Mr. Ser-
i rant A ItAll N, the flit witirra, &c. The presiding Judges are,
llr. Justice LI TTI.VIDAIL r and Ur. Justice GAZEI.EZ.
Tlx calendar is heavier, both in number and magnitude of
offence, than it has been for several sea.lons, as It contains the
names of nearly forty capital offendert, among whom are four on
the charge of murder.

STEALING IN TIIE DWELLING-HOUSE.
D. Morgan, alias Mason, and J. Sestions, alias Seasons, both
aged IR, were indicted for stealing, on the 7th of June last, at St.
George's, Ilanover.semare fi watch, value IW. the property of C.
E. Vine,. There arc two Other capital indictments against the psi.
loners of a similar nature. The accused are both youths of very
respectable appearance.
W. Grant is shopman to the prosecutor, who Sires in Band.
street, and is a watchmaker. Rent:rulers the prisoners coming to
the shop on the 7th of June, and asking to look at a silver watch
of eight or ten guineas value ; one of them went out and pointed to
the watch in the window which they wanted to inspect. Witness
told them the price was 12L Thee then requested a sight of others-
which were shown them. After further onnverartin they selected
one. which they requested might be laid ashie. and trey would call
again and settle for IL They new,- returned. Srite time after
they were gone, 31r. Reiner came out of the parloue and missed h
gold watch ; suspicion naturally fell on the prisonera.
I Gross-examiticil-31r. Vine, has a partner of the name of llos-
kins.
Mr. Law—My Lord, the property is laid in..l'..e indictment as
that otViner's only. rwillrest here for the present.
Wieseid-tominued—lleslid not see the prisoners again until he
saw that! at Ijnitbeih-stmt Police-office. six weeks after they had
been at the shop. lie had no doubt but he was ederett to hisider-
, titlestionwfthe primers. .
i Mr. Vipir depoird that he bas a partner, not in air Bond-street
m !
1 convititt t in one srhiell he has an the city. Pap of the goods
a red in I tontl-strert are taken hasp the city. Lad charged to
the ership acreaßna. me
_lnteresa oL his partner only lies in
the Wok Iti„Spietlybkrollejr. ettrembere4, the prisoners
coming ' . 'NI of dune: was quite positive of their
identity. er • ce of this witness mcfey went to cor-
roborate the statement of hisWhopman.
In his cross-egandhation the witness stated tli the watch was
in an unfinished state, it was without hands, dial, &c. The grearer
part of the works were fixed together. lie valued the part stolen
at 101. ; if complete, it wduld have been worth 3W. The whole of
the going parts were there, but it was incomplete as to the functions
fur which it was intended.
Mr. LAM was about to eke en objection, When _
M. Jtistice Lyre 1. trust inrerposed, and informed the Jary,
that it was a doubtful case as, to whether this 'could be called a
watch ; therefore, he would direct them to give the prisoners the
benefit of the doubt.
The Jury inistierPstely acquitted the prix. nem
The prisoners are also charged with stealing, in the City of Lor. .
don, a watch, value 40,.
Letiii.s Pickerr was indicted for stealing at St. Luke's, Chelsea,
an the Itith of August, a pelisse and other apparel, the proper.y
of R. Brix.
The wife of the prosecutor stated, that she lives at No. 127.
Sloane-street.. Knows the prisoner, whose husband worked for
theui. She came to witafsa's house to take care df an insane huh.
Had continued in that capacity about three weeks, and left on the
16th of August abruptly. The articles named in the indictment
were safe in witness s drawer the night before the robbery. Part
of the property was traced.
The pt ironer, who was indulged with a chair owing to ill-health,
attempted to insinuate that Mrs. ibis had given her leave to use
her apparel.
That witness denied lending her any of the things she charged
her with stealing.
Margaret Green lives at No. 9. Dow-ttd.,:t. f'ovent-garier.
Prisoner slept one right at witness's holse after she lett t_ helses.
On the IlLia she met the prisoner in ismg-acre, *hen she g./Ve El ..'
a pelisse, which *inters tonic home. :rite constables afterwards
searched the house.

---Two ;;;Ita-I.7les—produced part of the stolen JO-ticks. which were
identified by the first a itness 33 her peop.uty, the value of
ale considered tar beyond Its.
The Jury found the prisoner Gsilrg—Dfirii.
Mrs. Ibis said, that the family of the prisoner was highly re.
spec:able, and she never heard anything Wf the prisoner be..
fore. she. therefore, earnestly recommender to mercy. The
applicant was deeply nifty:ed.
Iris L0213313ir said her recommendatiOn sbetild go to the proper
quarter.
Morgan and Seasions **re again indicted for stealing it the I:-
berty of the knits, on the 29th :tine, a watch, v..lue 71. the I hi.
pert). of .
Wm. licit, shopman to the prosecutor, rat,-d, that his master
ncemiled a shop in Chancery-lone, but not the dwelling-house over
it ; the prisoners COMO to look at seals. Which were exposed tin sal"
in the window; alter looking at a variety of Itrticles, they select.-1a pair of ear-rings for their sisters ; they wished them to be put by
till evening. when they would call for them ; a watch lay on tins
counter, which had bean repairt.O. to expectation of the owner
fey it; witness was airotiug up the watch just Wore Ili'
came in ; the watch was missed dui-they went away itc
eknw the prisoners, because they had been at the shop three dais
before, and selected 161. worth tat articles, whiCh they did nut :alio
away.
(;rots-examined by Mr. Law _Persona passing the door might
have put their hands in round the post and take the watch awai
witness saw an account of the apprehension in the newspapers.
Mr. ,Law.:--Net a mind the newspaper, it's not all true you see
in a newspaper.
Witness continued.—On thst account be went to the Police Once;
always dined at one o'clock, but seeing tuff in the paper be went
without his.dinner dist day ; (a laugh watch had not been
found, but he owner demands its value of the prosecutor.
James 3leeh, an officer at Lanibeth-street, stated, that from in-
formation lie had received, he went to No. 8, Lambeth Marsh. on
the '.:Otli of July, and inquired for the prisoners. but they were de-
nied by the landlady ; witness and his brother officer went up stair.,
and found them concealed in an aperture of the roof; saw the feet
of ficssions 3 witness sall. "us that you, Jen] i" lie replied, t
he ordered him to dress and come down ; he said, " what do want
me for, broth" (cloth)—witness said, " yes ;" he handcuffed him
and brought him away.
' liy Jlr. LAW—There were pigeons at the top of the house. which
the prisoner said lie was attending.
The prisoners, in their defence, said they were innocent.
Mr. Justice Lrrrt.anat F: recapitulated the evidence, and stated
that the capital par: of the charge must be abandoned, inasmuch as
the prisoners had been charged with stealing a watch "in the titter.-
, ing-houw," whereas it turned out, that Mr. AlPPliail resided in
another part of the town.
The Jury returned a verdict of " Guilty" of stealing, but no: in
the

IN TUE NEW COURT.

This morning the Recorder presided in this Court.
The four first prisoners who were put to the bar pleaded guilty.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE COURT.'
In the course of the morning the greatest inconvenience was sus-
wined front the difficulty of hearing. in consequence or the very
considerable echo which is experienced in every part of the Court.
Neither the I.ear.:ed Judge nor the Jury could hear the witnesses;
roe could the witnesses often hear the questions put to them until
they were repeated.
The Itecoarixa complained of this circumstance, and said he
was astonished that the suggestions which hail *ieen made at the
conclusion of last sessions fur amending the defective construction of
the Court had not been attended to. It had been sugg.sted that the
sOundinr„-beard over the sitness-linr was not sufficiently large to
prevent the sound from being lost in the high space alone; yet i:
had not been altered.
The Jury intimated that they sustained the same inconvenience.
Some conversation took place on the subject between the Rr.
COIDCR end the sitting Alderman. Cox. and we understand that
1:01111 steps will be taken on the subject. Saute tiltrtations
however, been made since the last Sessions. The jury.box. the
students' box, and the large box for jurors and witnesses, lisee
been raised, and the back of the bench has been carried up • .
the ceiling. These are so far improvements. The box in the body
of the Court, which had been exclusively appropriated by the
Committee of the City Lands for their own use, has been throw a
open. and the inscription " City Lands " erased, so that it is de-
termined not to recognize In any degree the right of the Court of
Common Council to interfere with the arrangement of the Com t.
J. l'lnttely and Letitia Irrtght were indicted, the former tit
stealing six shirts, three boxes, and a variety of other articles, the
property of Colonel 11. H. llutchinson ; and the latter for 113:ii% -
cog the same, knowing them to have been *mien.
Colonel Hutchinson deposed, that the nude prisoner had beet
his servant about three weeks, and he received an excellent char:te-
ter with him. Having occasion to leave town in June, he left his
trunk and writing-desk In the care of the prisoner, requesting him
to leave them at his uncle's, Lord flutrhinson's, in lialstrode-
street. Witness returned to town on the Ist of August, and then
discovered that the writing-desk and trunk were broken open, and
the articles missing. Witness informed the prisoner that h' sus-
pected he had robbed hint, bat the prisoner denied it.
(lenient,, an officer, apprehended the male prisoner at Larl
Hutchinson's. On searching him he band a valuable Los, shies
C'nlonel Hutchinson identified. Some of the lodgers also mated,
that they had seen the same box in the possession of the female
prisoner, in consequence of which he repaired to her lodgings in
North-street, and told her that James was in custody. and that he
bad cone by the rest of the things ; she hesitated for a few mi-
nutes, and then produced two seals, a necklace, and other articles.
On searching her bon the rest of the stolen propel ty was discovered
sit it.

_
The male prisoner attempted to deny the charge of robbery, nmt
the femai.. mid they had only been lett in her possession two hours
before she was apprehended.
The Jury, after a short conschatien. returned a venni of (;s;ky
J3lllOl flattery, and trequitt-d Letitia Wright.
The convict was then coiled up for judgment, mid sentenced to
seven yews' transportation.
ll(fIlBERV AT THE THATCHED 110 USE TAVERN.
Etiz.ibeth Sherp who had fernierlp lived as servant with Mews.
Wm. and JAUICI Willis, of the Thatched house Tavern, St.
James'ustrein, was put to the bar, on an indietment.;harging her
capitally with stealing a considerable quantity of silver plate, cot!.
siting o spoors, forks, die. therr property. Chic prisoner was co:,-
fidentially employed by the prosecutors, but had formed an tinfAr-
tunate acquaintance with a man, whom she was in the tuba of
supplying with money out of her wages, and it was strongly au,.
peeted had been induced to commit the robbery fur the Mile pur-
pose.
The Jure found het Chi!ty of iNtolieg under IN. but strongly
rceomnattded her to mercy.