The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-04-11 00:00:00

HOME CIRCUIT.

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OLD COURT.

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KENT ASSIZES, MAIDSTONE, BARR/MAT, APRIL 9.
The Horde Circuit ended on Friday evening, after a -duration of
week', a period eieeedinr any former occuion within liring

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memory.
BRZTT r. C. T. DONSLTT.
This was an action for seducing the 011;nt Ors daughter, whereby
he lost her services, and was put to the expense of her confineMent.
Pia, the general issue.
Mr. On marl' (with whom was Mr. Dow titan), stated the phin-
tirs case. The plaintiff was a respectable farmer, now residing
et Lower Hardres, in this county. He had to complain of one of
the Most serious injuries by which the heart of a parent. could be
seined—the seduction of a daughter, who, by the conduct of the
.iffendant, was induced to deviate from the paths of virtue and re.
epectability, to those of vice and infamy. The plaintiffs daughter
wt.., now twenty years of age. About four years since, the seduction
camplained of took place. What defence would be offered to this
.action could not be anticipated; but it was understood the defend-
ant meant to attack the character of the unhappy victim of his se-
*lntim. Such a course of defence, supposing it well founded,
must render his conduct more infamous. Until she had fallen a
victim to his sensual passions, she was chaste and innocent; if,
after that, she became indifferent to the dictates of propriety and
decorum. he alone was to Name, having deprived her of every in-
..entire to lead a life which would have rendered her estimable in
the humble sphere in which she moved. That the plaintiff was
anitled to a verdict. at all events, no doubt could be entertained ;
the Jury would regulate the amount of damages by the course
.which the defendant should think proper to take.
Mary Brett said, that about four years since she was invited by
the defendant to take tea with his sisters, but found him at home
alone. She was prevailed upon to stay, when he took liberties with
her, and an improper intimacy took place. It was several times re-
peated at subsequent periods ; and the defendant having supposed
531 was pregnant, gave her 2s. 6d. to purchase some drugs. On the
16th of December, 18:13, she became a mother. Her father paid
the expenses of her confinement, and also of a second illness,
occasioned by venturing out too soon. On her croas-exiunination
several questiwcs were put to her, with a view of affecting her cha-
,racter, and she admitted that she was acquainted with a man named
Hewitt, and an improper intercourse took place between them once
at Heentt's house in August, 1813. Her seduction by the defen-
dant wss effected in the early part of that year, and sbe discovered
a July. 1823, that she was in the family way.
Mr. Sergeant Taricx (w Ali whom was Mr. Bolland), then ad-
iiressed the Jury for the defence. The question, in this ease, was
F.ot whether the Jury would sympathise with the plaintiff in the
misfortune of having such a daughter as Miss Mary Brett, but
whether they would make the defendant pay damages for an injury
to which he did not appear to hare been accessary. Under the
siscamsrances proved, could the Jury say in their consciences that
I.•:em bad been any seduction ? For any thing that appeared, sup-1
posing Miss Brett's story to be true, the intimacy between her and
vie defendant was of her own seeking, and that the supposed mix-
fortune complained of was without any solicitation on his part.
Henry Hewitt, a broad-shouldered middle-aged man, about six
feet high, was then called, and deposed IS follows:-1 lived year
the plaintiff's house until last harvest; I know Mary Brett; I re-
member her being in the family way—she told me of it. I asked
her who the father was, and she told me it was Gano, her sister's
lausband. She said he was nearly mad about it, and that he had
wren her a good deal of stuff to make away witis it, and that it
made her so ill, she hated the sight of him ; she said it was not
lair. Dowsett'a, but she would swear it to him, because he was bet-
ter able to keep it. I know Charlotte Pegden ; I have known her
Firing at the plaintiff's house in the summer time ; I don't know
her sister Anne.
Cross.examined.---I have not seen Gann hereto-day, but I saw
him in the torn last week ; he was subpanaed am a witness ; the
conversation I have mentioned was at my house. lam not a mar-
aced man, I am a widower, and have no children.
This was the defendant's case.
Mt. OnaxEsr, in reply, urged the utter improbability of the
conversation imputed to the plaintiff's daughter by the witness
oiled for the defence. He admitted that it was not a case fur ag-
pawed damages; but he had no doubt the Jury would give such
damages u would compensate the plaintiff for the expense to which
lit; had been pot.
The LORD CNIZT BARON summed up the evidence, and
Jury hound tor the plaintiff—Damages 201.

OLD BAILEY SESSIONS, APRIL 9.

Andrew Thomproir was charged with forging and uttering as true,
a bill of exchange. purporting to be drawn by Bakewell and Co.
upon, and accepted by Thomas Oakley, Brentford.
• The prisoner, it appeared, had introduced himself to the prose.
queer, a Mr. Richard Bury, a silk shag manufacturer, at Coventry,
and having a warehouse in King-street, Cheapvide, as being related
to a Mrs Bakewell, a widow, with whom he had entered into
partnership, to carry on the business of hat-manufacturen in the
mercial-road ; and by. specious pretences prevailed on Mr.
goodsto open n thwelmthithet the prisoner
toertrinndeertakultrif to give
017 for atilliefrom
lifter this arrangement was made, the prisoner brought bills of ex-
change apparently of different firms in the city, and obtained on
them goods to the amount of 1901. from Mr. Bury. When, how-
ever, the bills became due, the drawers and acceptors were not to
be found, and they were evidently all manufactured for the pun.
paces of fraud. The prisoner sat in consequence apprehended,
and panels were found, showing that the prisoner was in con.
nezian with a great number of swindlers. These facts were proved,
and that no such man was known or to be found at Brentford as
Thorriss Oakley.
The prisoner, when called on for his defence, entered into a long
detill to exculpate himself, and to show that he had been imposed
on to believe that Oakley really lived at Brentford.
Several witnesses were then called to prove that there was such a
man as Oakley in existence, and that he had described himself as
living at Brentford.
One of the witnesses called for the defence was a man named

Jams; Pledger. whom
Mr. Justice PARK repeatedly called to order during his exami.
nation, and at lain called him a " coxcomb."
The witness replied, " My Lord, I never was considered a cox.
comb, though there are plenty of cake combs in Leadenhall-
market. (Laughter.)
Mr. ADOLPHUS contended there was no CM to go to the Jury.
Mr. Justice PARK -referred to the case of the King v. Webb,
tried before the Lord Chief Justice Best, in Wiltshire, last year,
which wss a case precisely like the present, in which Webb ut-
tered a bill, and made a false representatmn of the business and
piece of abode of the acceptor. The twelve Judges held it was
gross fraud, but not a forgery. Mr. Justice Perk, therefore,
directed an acquittal.
Verdict—Yet Guilty.
;here are two other cases against the prisoner, which were ap-
.

pointed foe *rumley next. -
Dlr. Justice PARK apologised to the witness Pledger for calling
him • coxcomb.
A Sunday paper gives the following notice of Thompson:—
"This man has been for many years notoriously known on the
town as an ingenious and ahnlesa!e swindler. About fourteen
yeirs ago. he anti his brother Joeerh, who had been in the navy,
wtwe implicated in passing a fictitious bill in purchasing a chaise;
the prisoner kept out of the way, and his brother was convicted
and executed. The prisoner was afterwards convicted at the Old
Malley, and sentenced to be imprisoned, and to stand in the pll.
lory. lie was afterwards convicted of fraud at Clerkenwell, and
venteneed to be transported for seven years, which term he served
on beard the bulks, and acted as clerk. The ingenuity and address
of Thompson may be imigined from the following anecdote:
-thlished - nrospectus tar establishirg the
late Lord Vincent, and several
Ateme, and succeeded so far in
their subscriptions to the house
I object went, he was just on the
get possession of the subscrip-
ste unfortunate Mr. Founderoy
and his hopes and expects.
The plan was still so much
ly engaged in bringing it to
Mr. Faunderoy's name is on
the building, as being one of
1 under sentence of death, men-
tarmer, with evident satisfaction,
would cast a notes on his fa-
,, in establishing so useful an
iterpoisc, and redeem the reputation
LETTERS.
Mould were tried for ha,,
' the sum of 6f. of Thome
have been already bakes the
-• respectable young ;us, bad

Seine yeirs ago lee published a pro.
Naval Asylum. He procured the late
ether Noblemen, to patronise the schen
his design as to get several to send thei
af Marsh and Co., and so far as his obj
eve of accomplishing it, namely, to get
Lam); the father, however, of the late
ersoovere! who Mr. Thompson was,
taana were very fortunately defeated. I
approved, that Mr. Etuntleroy &Mend]
maturity, and ultimately succeeded. 11
ttm caution, engraved in front of the
&La founder';: and his son,
_while one
tweed this CirCIII7IIItIACI to MT. Harms
• and temarked, that although his fate
lad name, Ma father's character, i
instiy tution, would act as a counterpoise,
or his relations in the eyes of posterity.
THREATENING L
nadoside Dramas and Joseph Mel
bJ tr.euscat, maliciously demanded tl
Glenna.
• Sie,cirmimptsanas at this ease hat
faffilijitteppeemune, who is a very ,
a,.