The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-07-16 00:00:00

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rMr. E. !Awes stdmittesl that the marriage of the prisoner with
'Coleman, in 1810, was binding upon her, Intl that she was not en-
, titled to contract wedlock with Irons. uottfithstoditfing the previous
matriage of Coleman. The btarned Uentlaman pacteded to quote
an authority where it was laid dowm that if prudes entered into
wedlock, which was voidable by reason of consanguinity, still it
was not competent to either of them to ester into.a fresh Marriage,
till the first had been legally annulled; and sihmitted that the
present was a calm oft similar nature. •
quMoterd.,juthsteiceml
airarsiaagerars wmovberuindliendgtharme
iobgjooeciod inn.
ltanwttellinleigtailaltely
voided; but in the present case, the marriage was void from the
first anti ft could not be reclaim' that the ptisoner shal:ld remain
single all her life, becau.e ahe •had had the misfortune •to inter.
marry with a man, who by means cf his own previous marriage,
could never have been her legal hasbarid.
• The Jury, under the direction of -the Learned Judge, acquitted
the prisoner, who was accordingly discharged.
SIIEEY-STEALING.
William Heel and Charts: Minim were Oared at the bar, capi-
tally indicted with having, on the 99th of April last, feloniously
killed and stolen a weeper sheep, the property of Mrs. Elisabeth
Chitty; at Shevborne, in this county. a. • .
Mr. P. WlLLl:cats stated the case to the Jury as :t eterwarde
appeared in evidence.
The lad who attended the sheep of the promicutrix proved that
he left the sheep penned up in the fold on the 29th April. The
fold was then closed, and all the sheep safe. Next morning ha
found the fold open, and one wether missing. On, perceiving the
treat of men and Cheep, he followed them, and obserted the direc-
tion they took. • He had folded the sheep the night before., and
pitched it. The sheep were shorn.
li'illi eat Eustace deposed he was a labourer in the emplojeterd
of Mrs. Chute, He knew the last witness, who was then In the
employment of Mrs. Chute, sod saw him os the mem:rig of the
30th April at the fold. The sheep had been shorn, and witness had
applied a particular mixture, which he made up for the cure of the
mange, to the sheep on the nth of April. tic observed tracks of
the footsteps of three men in the meadow, and traced them emcee
the fields for a considerable distance. He found the skin of a sheep
in a ditch in Lower Worthy Fields, also the entrails. They theta
continued to trace the footsteps as far as Pyets.hill, in Basing pa.
rish, which was the residence of the prisoners. Ile went with Mr.
Wood, the butler, to the prisoner palsy's lionise with a warrant. Mr,
‘Vood told prisoner lie came to search the house, and Haley made no
t objection : theyalidsearch,and found the bead of a sheep tor teithia
in a pot. The liver was also in the pot, and !laity bid he blight
them the day before at a butcher's. They contittheid their
search, and bound some meat concealed in the buttery. It consisted
of a leg, a shoulder, the breast aid piece of the flank, and three
pieces of the neck. It was all fresh, and had the tippeeranee of
being lately killed. The skin which they discovered intim ditch
was that of a sheep lately shorn, and from the composition that was
on it, lie entertained no hesitation in saying it wit cite of Mrs.
Chute's sheep. The head found in Haley's homes certainly belonged
to the skin which they had discovered in the ditch, and he was sure
it also belonged to 2114s..Chute. There was something particular
In the traces of footmarks, eind %Icy a shoes corresponded with
them, as also those of the other prisoner.- .
Joseph Wood corroborated the evidence of the last witness with
regard to the finding of the head and other parts of the sheep its
Ilsley's house. Witness asked Ileley where be got the meat, and
whether it was not Mrs. Chute. motion ? He acknowledged it
was, and said it was a had job. After thin disclosure he gave him ire
custody of the constable, and proceeded to Monger*); house. Hw
Was out when witness got to the house, but Witness observed
him returning from die copse in &brad a minute afterwards. No.
thing was found in the house, but Monger attempted to escape hy
treaking through the wattle and plaster which formed the beet
wall of the house. Witness seized, and. after a struggle, succeeded
in detaining him. Witness then conducted him towards Basing.
and on the way asked him jibe had not taken the mutton into the
copse? Prisoner replied that be had.
Hobert Chapman confirmed the foregoing esaienee In several
particulars.
The prisoners made no defence.
Tile Jury consulted for a quart's of an hour, and found both
prisoners Guilty.
Mr. Justice GASELEZ said the crime of sheep-stealing had rm.
ceeded to such an alarming extent In this county, that it had be-
come absolutely necessary to adopt
.such measures as would to
likely to check it. Under these chtumatances, all the hope he
could afford the prisoners was that their lives might be epared„
but the next punishment of the law must necessarily be inflicted.
HORSE STEALING.
Robert Hunt was indicted, with having on the 29th June, in the
parish of Milton, feloniously stolen and taken away, a mare, the
property of William Cola.
The prosecutor deposed to having seen his mare on the 28th and
missed it next morning. the 99th June. In consequence of his
loss he went to Fairliam fair upon tile same day, anti found his
mare in the posseseton of one Samuel Shipton, and on claiming it
succeeded in regaining possesaion of it.
Samuel Shipton stated that he was a labourer residing at Slindon.
in Sussex. lie was at the fair of Paitharn on the 29th June,
where he met the prisoner Hunt, from whom he purchased the
mare for 61.

The constable proved the execution of the warrant on the
prisoner.
The prisener said in his defence, that he got the horse from a
man in the fair to sell fur him. Verdict.—Gunry.
Mr. Justice Gaststs said the armee of *horse stealing had
' proceeded to an alarming extent, and it was necessary, by making
examples of thettfenders, to put a stop to its
Judgement of Death was recorded against the prisoner.
CURIOUS CASE OF HIGH WAY ROBBERY.
James Watkins, a private in the marine service, was put to the
bar, indicted with having on the Eth of April. in the parish of
Portsea, feloniously made an assault on John Poste, put him is
bodily fear, and taken front him three pieces of the current coin of
the realm, called pennies, and six pieces of coin called half-net:cc
The prosecutor neposecl that prisoner stopped him ache was return.
ing from Portsea in the night stated in the indictment, at about
half.past eleven o'clock, and demanded hiemoney. It was a clear
starlight night, so that witness entertained no doubt of the iden-
tity of the prisoner. I%'ititess said he had no money, but tile prf.
sorer persisted in his demand, and said he must have it, adii:ng.
he was tired of the service, and wanted to get out of it. Prisoner
farther told witness, in answer to his denial of having any money,
that lie knew lie had, and must have money or something else.
Fearing the consequence of a refusal, prosecutor gave him some
loose pence, which the prisoner at the bar took, and asked for more.
Witness replied he had nothing more about him except some
papers, which would be of no use to him. Prisoner answered, he
knew prosecutor was not without more money, and turtling about.
as if addressing Itirmielf to come persons, he exclaimed, "Cone
on—come on !" \Vitae's was led to believe from this that he hut
comrades with him, and he asked prisoner if he was not sensible of
what he was doing. In answer to this remonstrance he replied, he
was, and again said, he wanted to get out of the service, for he was
tired of it. Witness said, take care you do not get your neck into is
halter, and prisoner made answer, he did not care whether.
he was hanged or transported, so as he got out of hisnlaicaty's ser.
vice. Witness walked on, and prisoner followed. Voices were
beard approaching, and witness imaginul they were those of the
prisencr's accomplices. Two men came up, to whom witness re-
lated what had taken place. Prisoner then returned the money he
had taken, and said he was sorry for what he had done. Being
asked what he was? he said he was a private in the marine service,
but gave a name which afterwards turned out not to be his own.
Next day witness went to the barracks, and prisoner was identified
and taken into custody. On hie cross-examination the prosecutor
said he thought from Iris manner at first the prisoner was intoxica.
tcd. He did not observe any stick or other weapon about the pr:.
coney; and on the coming up of the two men on the road be did.
not make any attempt to escape. iVitness rec,mmended prisoner
to be more circumspect in his conduct in future ; but there was
nothing said about his forgiving the prisoner.
A witness of the name of Foster confirmed the statement of the
prosecutor.

FOR TILE DEIPLUCT.
Susan Watkins (prisoner's sister) bore testimony to the good
corduct of the prisoner precious to the commission of the present
offence. He was a loving brother, a good son, and of humane cha.
ratter from his birth. lie had been but twelve months in the regi.
ment, where he bore 1 most excellent character.

The ritnias leaned her head on her band, and retired from the
box evidently in great agony of mind.
Mr.-Justice OnsEtne charged the Jury, who after some deli.
beralion found the prisoner gutity of stealing, but not guilty of Tir
bodily fear,

putting the prosecuiorin
The CouRT said, if the two allegations were separated the in..
dictment fell to the ground and it was, in law, a verdict for the
prisoner. tits Lordship recommended them tto reconsider their,
•erdict.
After some further consideration the Jury brought in • verdict
of Guilty.
Mr..311331NG submitted he might more an arrest of judgment
on the ground of the special finding of the Jury : but his -Lord—
ship being of a contrary opinion, judgment of death was record:l
against the prisoner.
The prosecutor recommended the prisoner to merit%
Mr. Justice GASELEE addressed the prlenner, and informed Mn
if he could procure authentic testimony to his former good char
racier it might be allowed to weigh in his favour.
The prisoner, who was a fine looking young man, bowed respect.
fully to the Bench and retired.

Difore Mr. Jutlfccl,ltY TILLESDITLEE. tied a Spacial Jury.
REX DAVID WOLFE.
Mr. EASEINE opened the pleadings, and said, the present was
an information which hail been tiled in the Court of King's liencrt
igairst the defendant, who was accused of harmg assaukiskan
oSstructed in the execution of their duty, two ()dicers of Mit Ma.
kevenue.
Mr. Sergeant AVltni felt, that in stating the particulars of -the
tratoaction out of which the present case had grown, ha had a
paean] duty to discharge, but one from the fulfilment of which it
wro Impossible for hint to shrink or turn aside. The charge against
the defendant in this action was, that in conjunction with some
supposed to cor.
other individuals, he had assisted in an attack uponocfracersf f
his 31aja.ty's Revenue, and rescued some casks
ten contraband spirits, which had hem seized by the
06er, ,i a
the ordinary diacnarge of their duty. If the defendant were
guilty of the offence imputed to hint, it was one of a very.seriouss
nature, and he must be content to undergo the punishment attebd.
ant upon his crime. The transaction that gave rise to the•prest.r t
p • cution occurred on the night of the 18th of January, in the
, rnesent year. On that night, he was instructed, it would appear `
iicen the evidence shortly to be laid before the Jury, that -3'Ol:A
' Cheatham, Revenue Officer, accompanied by Clarke, wereout on
in a place called Farley, rear Southam; ton, with a view cf
~,iz"..:agtcehomw secreted
he e
ni
n contraband
tthhcay,perceived a
neighbourhood.nl cal nraan o
n whichThho r
stehy they
ak had had
7wo
tb
been
e ep
in
ni
dl fo n ngteo:::
them, looking mina in every threcuon, and appe.tnl to Lat,4

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