The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-04-01 00:00:00

I

THE BRITISH PRESS.

whom he dills nerd ow ducats day, in book piliker a brass hi
Can
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J. a slinsdow loft so Mahlon hissing of
their impriope •
Thaws Woods was then said Wades Ina sunriwoadon
mien by his sister Is have taken plasm between him and Ms Inschor
goofy. He swims positively doss me such convesudiss hod sow
IshulammEA tarred Osilins, also in the service of piesocalse. woo next
that she was in the Meese ow the sight in
quostion, ho osawradillies Woods the soma Ellen, and
stem psoltivel not vonsoin dim users than half an hour
Ant is family wog swhod ; that dary sorely washed their feet,
and did not sew egoall 101_ put of "'aclothes. She said that
Miss Woods, F.llesAwli hersdf, Illso wont into the bed-room of the
kitchen ; that they Wall three indesased, and were in the act of
praying, when tho shorn of Ste ono given by her master. She
denied all that theism others had swim respecting the conduct of
her master ; nothing of the kind took place that she saw, nor could
it have taken place without her seeing it.
Charlotte Woods and the girl Ellen were confronted with the
last witness, and both adhered firmly to what they had previously
sworn.
The Learned Judge now proceeded to sum up the evidence. lie
*et out by observing that a more estreordinary case, or one sup-
ported and defended by such conflicting testimony, hail never
conic before him.
I The Jury remained closeted during the night, and until the after.
noon of Thursday, when, not having agreed on any verdict, they
were conveyed to the verge of the county, and there diatharged in
the usual way.

WESTMINSTER SESSIONS, MARCH Si.

The Court was occupied nearly the whole of the morning in
trying prisoners for minor offences, the whole of whom were
boys from twelve to sixteen years of age, yet some of them were
old offenders, The Court sentenced several to six months' impri-
sonment in the House of Correction, and three to be kept to hard
labour. One, a lad apparently not more than Twelve years of age,
was so old an offender, that the Court ordered him to be put
aside, that it might consider of the beat means of disposing
of him.
Sarah Laidky was indicted for assaulting her husband, Thomas
Laidley.
Mr. ALLEY stated, that the athletic lady at the bar was charged
by her husband, the little man on the floor, with violently assault-
ing him—in fact, giving him a good thrashing. They had been
married little more than twelve months, and he had the happiness
of being blessed with a wife who was fund of gin and other spirit-
uous liquors' and who indulged therein to such excess that he felt it
necessary to bring her before the Court-
When Mr. ALLEY had concluded, the lady said, " It's all
false !"
The prosecutor, who keeps a public-house in Little Catherine-
street, Strand, stated, that on the evening of 17th March, the priso-
ner being intoxicated, in which state site had been for the pre-
vious fortnight, seized him by the hair of the head and dragged
him down to the goor, and that her conduct was altogether so no-
lent that his life was endangered ; that she had got up to the night,
and seised a poker and threatened to have his life ; that he had fre-
quently taken her to flow-street, where she entered into recogni-
settees to keep the peace; that she there charged him with assaulting
her, and that he had been also held to bail. Her conduct altogether
was of that violent nature that his life was in danger.
Two witnesses corroborated the prosecutor's evidence as to the
assault charged. One of them, an •• Emeralder," on being asked if
he had ever seen the prosecutor assault his wife, said, " Not a
haporth of it."
The defendant, in reply to the charge, used her pririlege most
unsparingly in recrimination, but not one word in defence of the
assault charged.
The Jury found her Guilty.
The Co VIT ordered the case to stand over until the adjournment
day, and advised her in the mean tint. to come to some amicable
arrangement with her husband.
George Usk stood indicted, under the Ist of William and Mary,
for maliciously and conteptuously going into the parish Church of
Saint Clement Danes on Sunday tho 21st instant, and disturbing
the congregation there assembled for Divine Worship, and to con-
fuse the Reverend Mr. Gurney, the Minister, in the performance of
his religious duties.
Mr. Asucw, on the part of the parish, stated the case to the
Jury, in support of which he called the fcillowing witnesses
The Rex. Mr. Gurney, Rector of the parish of St. Clement
Danes, stated that a day or two before the offence complained of
was committed, he received a letter from a person who signed him-
self " George Hale," enclosing a printed placard, headed—" To
all men who love Truth." The letter stated that he having gone
to Lisle.strett Chapel to protest against the prayer for Parliament
and the King, it being gross and impious, and having been taken
into custody and detained above an hour in St. Martin's watch-
house ; for so doing be was determined on the following Sunday
(the day mentioned in the indictment) to make his protest in a
parish Church. He, Mr. Gunny, therefore, to guard against such
• step, mentioned (b einssaistance to the Churchwardens, and
although the writer did not mattion the Church of St. Clement
Dane*, yet the beadles and officers were instructed to be on the
alert should any disturbance take piste. Witness, previous to
his reeding the Morningcservice, teed the usual prayer for the King
and Parliament, at the tommencement of which the defendant, who
sat before the reading de*, arose and exclaimed something in a
loud tone, and in order if possible to outnoise (4) use the Reverend
Gentleman's expression) him, I eontinued to read the prayer in a
very loud voice, theres') he heard him say was "abominable lie."
The defendant was earned uut of the Church by the beadles, and
given into the custody of an officer.
Thomas Williams, the beadle, beard the defendant exclaim,
whilst the Rev. Mr. Gurney was reading the prayer already men-
tioned, " That's a lie, and you ought to be ashamed of yourself to
tell such an abominable lie.' His conduct created a great disturb-
ance amongst the congregation ; he instantly seised him and carried
him out of the church.
The defendant put several questions to dse.trituan at to the elect
words he used, and declared that he said, " Sir, you ace uttering
that that you know to be an abominable and wicked lie." -
Mr. ALLEY said, that he would allow those to be the words
used, and not those stated by the witness.
Mr. Hall Cannon, one of the churchwardens of the parish, spoke
in corroboration of the other witnesses.
The defendant was then called on for his defence. He in the
most positive manner declared he had a right to express himself in
the manner he had done ; the prayer alluded to was a most impious
one, and held up the Kings sof Ragland, no matter bow moral or
immoral their characters may be, as religious and gracious Kings
if a King be living in the commission of crime then this prayer
served for him ; Wien most gross and iniquitous. The defendant
was going on in a manner that called forth the interference of the
Chairman, who told hint he could not be allowed to proceed in such
a strain any fwrther.
Defendant—lt is well known the character of the present King
does not

----
The CHAIIII•X again interrupted him.
The defendant to the Rev. Mr. Gurney—Have . yen not sald the
Ring is the greatest in the whole nation P
The Rev. Mr. Gurney-.Never--monceertainly not.
The defendant then threw tunnel( on the mercy of the Court.
The Jury found him Guilty, and the Court sentenced him to pay
a Sine of 20L, in default of the payment of which he was ordered to
be detained.