The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-04-04 00:00:00

vet out from Jeff upon a bittek wale, to fetch
home his wife and eLild. intenthol to lady that
slight with them et Cbridepher Wright's and return
_
--he

- - -
the next day. After bowing Jeff's, 4 went to this
place and &at, upon different pretences; keeping all
the while in the aaighbouthood of Elements clearly
tbnisoostratec Walden was to wait until it was dark,
_ awl that effect hi. patinae. He called at Lew 0.
lington, at the house °lout John Jackson ; the wife
was at home; the Prisoner went in and took tea
with her, though else did inismak hien; this clearly
spews he wanted to wait his time till night; he af.
teener& called upon ewe Morrill, and want•cl to
pay for the, carriage of some willows; Morrill was not
at home; he toldthe wife he was going to Mugs.
tring, and under a pretence to get rid of In' horse
fear short time,, he says to Morrill's wife, s• I'll go
to your crow-house, and leave my horse.' fib. re-
plied, " perhaps The door is lat:Lerl." " Ifni,"
says JIP. " I'll leave it under the shed. and when
your liushwal comes home, tell him to come to the
cow-hoitse, for I want very much to puy him the
money.' This was a lawhilde purpose, had it
beet, sincere ; the cow-house is situated near the
radii the Prisoner would hereto go to Ellingutrilig;
h. went to the cow-house, and put his horse into it,
and Own stripped off his gre4t-cout, awl left it
there ; it ass a wet night, and he put Iris emit out
ci ii tune when lie most wanted it. What reason)
could he have for leaving his eoat there, utile*. it
was to llghtt'll Imo to get snore readily back again ?
The cow-house is stout three-quarters of a mile
tron4l.;lF's house. Tile Prisoner arrives at the
critical moment his father-to-law was shot. A little
before six u'vlork,./ett's wife went out of the dour
fire some household purtime. Jeff sat in a room
fronting the south. She sm., a man standing lurking
against a wail, who, upon discovering her, went off
towards the writ. She went all, and told hur hull-
luund, whit Mlls riling he the tire, with Iris shoes off;
ha Unwed:J.oy put them on, end wrist out to look
if lie could discover tiny person : there is a wall a
thiwrt divta,tre off about six feet high ; Jed'
euntil not see any per-oil, and, when in the act of'
turning motel to go iota the hone, was shut
11,1 the left awn sod the bone much .hatti•retl.
The hull was afterwOrthi found its a right line from
a place where a plii,ighooleetwe„,.. wits net against
the wall. which, be stepping 'upon, would citable
a •nerniii to title Pi level over the wall. Jeff called
out, and his wife, immediately on hatrisig, wept
ti, hi. teisistatice. She found hilts standing a little
Com the door, holding the w led arm with the
miser. The pent old man said to hip—•• Clime.
Betty, Let as go, awl not stay here to be .hat ;"
and soy they Sett to the house of a friend at a little 1
diitanee. Ilene. Mt. Maine timid, the old man c mild
list he produced as a w fitness, by his directions ;
hr iiiideriaronil from the Slitgf Yr,. that he i., i.e a fair
teat of reenv”r% ; soil thought they would be tlepriv•
try 1 rpr .time Irtile .•rieleterip in 1.11WW(1111 are or it, Vet
*as it or. net mercer-fly cafe to remove him, he, Mr.
Hanle, could not have reconciled his eon-wiener ril
*pay tiring had happened to him in consequence of
..• inteh removal. He did intend to hit i e moved his Ln nil.
-'4" Alp to put off the trial, on *emit* of the old man's
Itisence, and treated hie Lordship would he sus
teitied with hiss emotive.. But to return to the Pros
Ismer; he had appointed to meet Morrill at the
s ivy-how* ; the soonest thew was to wait wail tie
other came: Mornll's wife hied told her hirthand
that the Prisoner expected to meet Win; Merrill it.
rvrd there find, and whilst lw was rutting wise hag
fir his cattle, he heard voinethisig running on the
• mod lake 4 1111111'11 100 i ; the road was hart', and the
step. could be bawd at *none distance; en a sudden
it slept, no &Wit to recover breath ; as it would
not hr convenient to approach Morrill without ; in a
little while 04. romps tap to Morrill; never 'peke one
weed about the willows; one might have supposed,
ft.

NM I 1 •• a i I I:1

• , •
Si lie)sati seemed before so intim &bent it,. that
the first thing be did would her. bonito sense them;
but not a word was 'poker alszot the debt or
the willows ; his real purpose was to secrete his
horse. When first he appeared to Morrill, be was
iulently fluttered and out of breath • his hands
sod face were scratched and bleeding. The ground
between Eleinere and the cow-house is fall of
thorns and bushes, and strong fences, until they
come to Ellington Firth, which is full of bushes,
so that lie might scratch himself in getting over the
fences, or might have tumbled amongst the bushes.
Merrill asked the Prisoner how his face came to be
so bloody ?" he answered, " he had done it with
soma pine that were in his sleeve." Prisouer took
his emit, and put it on, mounted his mare, and rode
off at full speed. Ile war in goad time to get to
Wright's. It ir understood he intends to prove that
be went to his own father's at a place celled Ash
Head. and afterwards to Summersides ; lie must
account for his time, and how he was employed ;
and if any attempt is made at any particular hour,
am prepared to negative it with evidence. When
he got to Wright's, the brother-in-law, lie was in a
straws eonthtion ; his wife. en seeing his face, ques-
tioned him how he had gut it so much St:Ditched. He
told her "he had been carrying a whye to the bull
that morning ; and she was unlucky, for she had
pushed him against a hedge." It was about eight
o'clock when lie arrived at Wright'., and be stopped
there that night. In the morning they get intormii-
tiou of what had befallen their tether-in-law. %V rigit
proposed to go to Elemere to see him, and the Pri-
soner acceded to it. They set otf together on foot
for that purpose, and proceeded on the road to a
village called Ellingstring ; Prisoner wished to go to
a public-house to spend six-peace ; Wri6ht would
not agree to tlre proposal, so they walked on until
they Caine to Ellington Firth, and before they got
over it, Prisoner said to Wright " I've a job to do
fur ni‘ self, you may be going forward ; I'll overtake
you."—Wright walked forward, and the nismier's
loitering increased Wright's suspicious. Wright
arrived at Elemere before the Prisoner. When
the Prisoner arrived, Wright asked him "what had
detained him so long?" he said "he had been
talking with Robert Jackson;" which is not true;
he sieve, sae him. Then the circumstance of
hiding the gun: why hide it, if he at ver used it ?
In consequence of Wright's suspicions, he and
other witnesses who will be called before yon, pro-
eeeded in company to Ellington Firth ; and the
Place whereabont the Poisoner had stopped in
the morning being pointed out by 11'right,
within the space of fifty yards from that place
the gun was found by a young man of the
name of Ilartley. The gun was bid in some Lushes,
owl, fortunately fur public justice, port of the butt
end wail !eft bail.. There is another -

very important
cirenenstance, what the PrLanier said when the goo
was shewn to hitn—he denied it entirely; he sold
lie had never seen it; he never had it in his hands
h.4nre. Why deny it? because with that very gun
lee had exeented his wicked purpose. He afterwards
said he hid felt afraid they should find it. When
at Elemere, (La the Sunday, one Woodward sad the
Prisoner were together behind the wall, conjectur-
ing where the man heal been when he tired the gun.
oodward said, they had levelled (nun here,"
pointing to a particular place. Prisoiier
" No; you may depend on% they have shot him
from here; they could get a good level; and you
may depend upon it, if old William had not come
out, they would have shot hint through the win-
dow." Where there is wickedness, there is always
cunning. Addressing himself to the Jury, he said,
after they should have heard the evidence, if they
entertained a reasonable doubt of his guilt, in God's
name acquit him; mad trusted they would dischirge
then duty, however painful.
This case was proved in evidence exactly as
state.'. The Prisoner was found guilty, and order-
ed for 1.7411. UtiOS on Saturday.
eAniellld Drown was indicted for the wilful minter
of Elizabeth Fletcher, of Hensel, near Fern bridge,
by administering poison to her in the month of
Uctob r. 1903.
Robert Challenger lived at Retrial, in Octot-er,
Mt, and was a near neighbour to Elizabeth Flet-
cher at the nine of her death ; saw her the night
before she died, on Sunday, 81st Oct. when she
appeared in health. Witness was in her house,
about eight or nine in the evening, and saw the pri-
soner, Joseph Brown, and Joseph liazzlegrove,
there at supper: at that period they lodged there ;
recollects Razzlegrave fetching 'quart ofule, which
he mixed with a quantity of sugar, and then gave
'it to the deceased, desiring her to drink heartily of
it, bowing previously put the mug to his own mouth
t. drink, but witness could not say whether he ac-
tually drank of it or not. The deceased drank of
it freely. and g we it to her sister, who also partook
...it. Brown panned sonic ale unsweetened int" a
..tang, saying, he did not like it sweetened ; and the
;whole of the sweetened ale was taken by the de-
meaned and her sister. Primmer and Haszlegrove
went to heal about a quarter of an hour after the
ale was druid., rind the witness returned home about
sine o'clock in the evening. About eleven o'clock
is the mourning of the next day, saw Elizabeth
Fletcher ; she was then dead, and her sister was in
a deep sleep. in which the continued until six
o'clock in the evening. when she awoke, aud took a
little. refreshment.
Mrs. lotighottorn finding the windows of the de-
ceased closed at a much later hour Is the morning
.than was usual, went, at the desire of Mrs.
Htwr-
ttt#eth, littiP the house ; the door was shut, but nut
goiag into the house, she found the
anal her sister apparently in a dying state;
taster Lay helpless on the floor, and the deceased
laws estenaled on the lied. Winless thought at
first she was dead, bat on moving her a little, she
Perceireti she was slice; perceived a quantity of
froth at her mouth. . Witness remained with her
until she died, which was about a quarter of an
hour before eleven tic:luck. The deceased never ,
spoke ; she was raotiotiless, and her eyes were
closed, though she moveml her eye-lids. The wit-
nem had seen the deceased on Sunday, the day be-
6tra her death, and she then appeared to be in a
good state of health. Witness said Sarah Fletcher
was upon the Boor ; witness assisted to remove.her
into• chair ; she opened her eyes, but did not speak;
it mar six o'clock berme she spoke. E. Fletcher
is *boss, 6,3 years Ow.
Rebecca Harrison heed next door to the de-
ceased at the rule of tier death; went lisle her

house' *boot tea o'clock in the mersiieg as the day
she died, and was there also at eight eoliselt the
preceding eveuing before sapper, mid site was then
to * good state of bastib. Did mot see the primmer
there in the morning; found the deceased lying un
the bed : she appeared strongly convulsed, and
froth came out of her mouth. Sarah Fletcher, the
sister of the deceased, was subject to convulsion
fits, but her sister enjoyed a good state of health.
Thomas Wheates, constable, knew Elizabeth
Fletcher ; went to her house the day she died ; she
was lying upon the bed, appeared to Le in a con-
vulsed state; went to the overseer to get medical
assistance, but was informed she was dead, before it
could be procured. Went for Mr. Marshall, of
Selby, rho irts Coroner, was examined before him,
but no medical piano' was procured to examine
'the body. Brown and liazzlegrove bad then left
their lodgirrgs. Saw the ileireseed and her sister ;
when the hotter awoke, be asked what had been the
mutter with her 1 To which sloe replied, she did trot
know; and fell asleep again inturediatelj. Satoh
Fletcher being in a state approaching irliodey, 4s.
per week was paid by the parish towards her 11“1111.•
trounce. The deceased was a very endeavouriug
industrious woman.
Thomas Thorp lives at Knottingh'y at present,
but in October, 1804, lived with Mr. Durham, of
Hensel, nd was then acquainted with the prisoner.
who at teat time lodged with the deceased. The
prisoner, a short time before E. Fletelitr's death,
told him he had some thoughts of marrying her,
for she had a good bit of money. Witness asked
him how much? To which he replied tul. it would
be a good thing, cud set him aforeloand. The pri-
soner said. this conversation was false ; it could
nut he true, he sahl, because he was at that time
married, and thercfote could not talk of marrying
another person. The wituesa stated. that both
Brown and Haultrove had represented themselves
as siligh: men." '1 he prisoner again repeated his
denial of this.
Rebecca Fletcher, sister of the deceased, went to
her house on thf i2d of October; found her sister
Elisabeth dead, and her sister Sarah asleep. Said,
that about three weeks before, her sister skewed her
box to I:er ; she had then in her box three guinea
notes and two pieces of gold, but on examining the
box after her decease, funinl the luck had been
broken open, and the money taken away ; the
other contents of the box appeared much rumbled.
The box was kept in the room w here the prisoner
and his companion slept. Prisoner asked the wit-
ness if she had not before stated that she had found
a tive-shillin„us piece in the box ? 'ro which she re-
plied she heti not. Her sister, Elizabeth, the de-
ceased, had a good state of health for many ears,
and during that period had not 'beeo subject to
any kind of fits.
John Carr stated, that the prisoners had been
employed to swingle flax; they were to do it by
the job ; and absconded on the morning of the 2)d
of October, before they had done the quantity they
had agreed to do. With of them had represented
themselves as unmarried men.
Mr. W. Perkin, surgeon and druggist, of Snaith,
stated, that the prisoner came to his shop on the
lath or Igth of October, for some laudanum; the
witness asked him his name, avid the use hr intend-
ed it foe. The prisoner said his name was Joseph
Fletcher, and that he lived at I leuval ; and that the
laudanum era for the use of lair father, who lived
at Cawood, and who was troubled with pain, and
could obtain un rest at night. On this representa-
tion, the witness tit him have sixpenny-worth,
which was rather more than an ounce. Witness
never saw the prisoner again, until he was examin-
ed before the Magistrate, on suspicion of hoeing
poisoned the deceased, which was about ten days
after ; but he was perfectly sure as to the identity
of the prisoner, and that the prisoner bad reG:
sewed his name as being Joseph Fletcher.
quantity of laudanum bought by the prisoner was
sufficient to produce the effect described by the
preceding witnesses, in a person Mho had not been
in the habit of using laudanum, and to produce
death; and that the symptoms described by the
witness were such as were likely to result from the
udministration of laudanum ; and from these @rap-
toms, he had no doubt but the deceased died of the
poison of laudanum.
Mr. Sewell stated, that he was a solicitor at
the Isle of Wight, that the prisoner was brought
by a serjeant of thr der6t to the office of the Magis-
trates, at his own desire ; that no threat, promise,
or inducement of any kind, was held (rut to him
to make confession ; that he took it down in
writing at the time, and when it was fairly written
out, it was read over to him distinctly ; hr said he
understood it all. and it was all true. The rea-
son resigned by the prisoner for making this cue.
fession, was the extreme anguish of mind he suffer-
tit from his reflection', which absolutely rendered
lit* insupportable. The confession was dated Isle
of Wight, 3d August, 111011. This eodestioti
stated. that his_ had been acqesieted- with4sisph
I Itaxzlegrove upwards of sin years, that is the month
of October, 1004, himself and Joseph Haulegrove
lothped with Mrs. Fletcher, of Hensel. Ferrybndge,
and there formed the design of possouiog her, in ow
der to passers themselves of some property they sup-
posed her to possess ; that for this purpose he peso-
cured six-penny-worth of laudanum of a Mr. Per-
kins, of Strait!), which hr gave to Hazzlegrove,
who mixed it is some beer along with souse ingot,
and give it to Elisabeth Fletcher and her sister ;
the former died in consequence of it, and early the
following morning they broke open bee bus, end
took out one guinea and a half; that they ware
afterwards apprehended, and examined before a
Magistrate. who, not considering the evidence
ficiently strong against them, ordered theta to be
discharged. The confession also recited the com-
mission °f evem! ether crimes. particularly that of
the murder of Calvert, the Selby earner ; but the
Judge would not permit that part of it to lie reed.
The prisoner being called upon fur his defence,
referred to a paper which had been delivered to the
Judge, at iris lodgings; but his Lordship said lie
could take no trustee of any papers delivered to him
out of Court ; but if the prisoner wished it to be
reed as his defence, he would give it to him; whirls
the prisoner assenting to, it acs read by the Clerk
of the-Coen—This paper stated. that, about, seven
years-ago, he commenced an intimate acquaintance
with Joseph Haerlegrove, which had continued
unbroken to the present moment; that in the
early part of thew friendship, a lady of high Tank.

.
ansi tortoni hermit' theinimitek 1411/1111 fries s.
end massy notelentiog met trash plum Oa.
tweet' them ; sod as be was ' ore& by hie friend
to carry nreseers to the lady, cod toinrive biter.
views between them, this gave in air of oecrvey and
Mystery to their conduct, w.hich people repreeented
much to their disadvantage, and iiisiiiiisteit t 1441 it
was fur dishonest purpoins that 111, y hail iii,
slightly meeting; end to such a pitch of malignity
said superstition did their malice arrive, that there
was not a murder emumitted within ties miles
which was nut attributed to them. This nacre.
live then proceeded to a review of the diff lent
prosecutions which had Neu couuueuced against
diem, which all of there Origiiiiiieil, es be re-.
prevented, inoiliee. and thwt iiitoiirequeui, i,t the
evideace of a vile main, they were convicted of 0,
burglary; but that the Judge wart Wien iii... , tit.
tied with the verdict, and their @maraca sir. g ii 41,4„,
v.l from death to tieing sent uti 'roved the iiiie,,,
and sitlisequeutly they were permitted to roll r t i •ii
Majesty's service, where their suffering, were •to
extreme, in cousevineuce of the odium a hi,i, ~,.,„
then followed them. that be deter iiiiii ed. tii .s titbit
eihifervion, rifler,. to have an opportunity tit %mil,-
calor, their diameters iii a Court of iluiitiee, *it iii
poitiliroog in the attempt; aril he knew that i.,.
confession whicii ,lid not include the death of Cat
vett, would mitisfy the gentlemen 4.f You kalllre ;,
and IM to the death of Elizabeth Fletcher, it 1,.. do
occasioned by u lit, to which sat had beets so tire!.
'flue, written paper concluded with iiiiitrstitlif
their entire imioecuee of the vicious criiiirs of which
they had boeu accused, and -also iii4pleAkni etiner
for to, enemies and persecutors. 'M de ositethe i i
risked the Mir:loner if he wished •oy ..wittlesseiv to be
examined to suintatitinte Ina defence? "I o a ;orb the
Prisoner replied it, the negative. His Lordship
then.proceeded to sore up the evideit.-e, and the
Jury, without retiring. immediately rewrite(' a vet.
Oct of--Gatiity.
His LOPli glop Mill proceeded to poet smitelice :
" Joseph Brown, 1 arc again celled upon, in the
painful exercise of my public ditty, to pees sentence
iirizsperson found guilty of one of the greatewt
against society—the crime of delitierato
murder. You stand an awful and striking exasuole
Of the justice of Pmvideuct --of that piiiiishinent
whichoooner or later, never fails to overeike.the
guilty. You have been compelled, by the agonies
of remorse, and the uphraidiugs and torture, of a
guilty mind, to furnish that evidence egeinst your-
self, which was wanting to establish the proof of
your guilt, and to supply that hal in the cliiiiii of
aeideoce which appeared to be iniperftee. I trust,
ems every one who hears of your fate, will beer in
Wilia, that a time wi I arrive, probably iv time
maid, most certainly in another, when gisilt till
mom with its due punishment. hi your unhappy
Mom that period has %heady come, when yen must
vs the rewind of rout crimes. linptikd by
4 . hlieSel9rfrisessurortmitilirgtelyeicttri:nibraedwati:rdh Y171,09284hP-er
earnings. vim deliberate!, formed the design
'of dentreying here ; for this purpose, you purchased
E
a deadly drug, which you procures, to be mingled in
the cep which you offered to her under the guise of
frieudship. Whets the potion had lateen effect, you
plundered her of her property, though it was meth
less than your guiltyieupoittykiadsruggeriesl. 'tout
critic appeared likely to be pcipetritcd. err In this
world, with impunity; more than four pairs had
elapsed, since its perpetration, and the reinter
brrnce of it begat, to lade from the recollection of
every Gee, but the guilty slither of the deed : and it
seemod probable, that uothing more would leave been
Aided of it, if the consciousness of rout crime. more
trout Mid destructive than tit; poiewied bowl,
ot compelled eau to disclose the homid 'suet.
Chequered. es your life bees been, with crimes. 1,
mew indulge the hope that any thing that I can
shy will have any lastiug affect upon you ; bat 1
eirlijate you to spend the *re remaining hours you
have to live, in earnest prayer said sepplicetiou to
Heaven fur mercy; mud, may your isehappy fate
rouvince others, that though their crimes may be
committed in the darkness of the night, they will
hereafter be proclaimed at ;woo slay." His Lord-
ship then passed sentence of death upon the Pn-
sealer. in the usual form, which sentence was car-
ried into execution on Monday the toth of March.
NAI',II., INTELLIGENC.
PoitTaatOUTO, APRIL 1. •
Arrived the Diamond frigate. from Guernsey,
and Camilla frigatstfroin the Streights. Sailed the
Hardy acid Alphea ; also the Termegaist sloop of
war, Capt.Sturt, with dwpatches for ffermuda ; and
the Aloes, Limit. Weir, op s cruise.—Wind Di-
. 'PLYMOUTH, APRIL I.
Arrived the Escort gee-beig, from Guernsey ;
aid Gambier cutter, from Basque Reedit.
Sailed the Thetis frigate, for Demerara.
CoTi Or COMM, 111 ARCH Zi• h
The IVisielle, Use. • Copt. 'Percy, with convoy
be Illpidreed. kit Wait; LaMar : the Brisk, Cspi.
Cowie, with convoy for Portligal, snit GosAawi.
Caplan. hones, with miry for the ikons, rot
tee Wog under weigh.—Also soiled, the Virgil/4e.
Capt. Reece, on a cruise.—Rensaiu m the harbour,
the Treat. Amsterdam, L'Espeigle, and Lord'
Eldon ; the latter put in here to repair damage-
sestaioed is her passage forte Gibraltar.

DOVLR, •PltIL d.
• Sailed the Say, of Portsmouth, with fruit, Glom
t'
. Michael's, for London, having put in yester,
y with the lomat* an anchor; likewise the Rote--
brig, of Dover, (lately dismissed from the ftt-:
:.
e) for London.
seamy in the Harmony storeship, which hap beots .
loop vtationed in the Downs, to take itt 14014% ..
_ Several French passengers have been landed hose
is day from d sloop of war, from Lisbon; ow. of
' theta is a French Count, upwards of so yea's, ut
age, sal one a Lady ; they have been 40 do's
. •
'
from Lisbon, consequently bring no news. •
--iiirmurr-
ILA.I Setoidey. by thole/v.-Doctor Row, Hooey Breeden, . •
.of Ahierme. street.% ear* eldest doeshise at Sway .
thole. Esq. of GuDEATH.ildford.
A kw deli ilmen, at Looioadim, oar Molhhos. Ur. E - , '
ad Wriest, wbo kid hem mar solemn itonotap stinta4:.
. W. Coke, Ise. X. P. Ns Norfolk— •
—......_ ..____
" • i • a ' ted # ._ *1
‘• ). , ho :.a 751.1)
Cerrfrotiestea4 porbkihrd et the ;mho e, .
' N.. ts, &el: oil at. Chemist, Clieteh, Shoed, 4.4.
'MUT'. of ewe pleiem—Orders, he. be MO Plot,,
seat to tits Mee , (peolgaid), silt le duly eitelad ISt • '

1