The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-10-10 00:00:00

ADJOURNED SESSIONS.

SESSIONS NOOSE, HORSEMONORI-LANE,
TUESDAY. OCT. 9.
Before the Chairman. THOMAS EVANCE. Esq. and Me
Jusri CES of the PEACE jar that County.

THE BLIND SAILOR.
Robert Howell was indicted for stealing a bundle,
containing wearing apparel ; and also a sum of mo-
ney, amounting to 71. and upwards, the property
of Francis Cooke, the b!:nd sailor, of whose exami-
nation, before the Magistrate, we gave some parti-
culars in our paper of Friday last.
Mr. Moms, in a most impressive and animated
manner, shortly stated the case, on the part of the
prosecution.
The prosecutor being permitted by the Court to
tell his story in his owls way, related it nearly as fol-
lows :

" Please your Worship, my name is Frank
Cooke : I have served His Majesty for many
years, and have seen some hard service before
now ; you see that mark (pointing to a mark
uver his right eye). About five years ago we en-
gaged with a French frigate, and when she had
struck we went to board her; but, like a treache-
rous enemy, as she always was, when we got
on deck, they attacked us, and in the fight I was
struck just there (poiroi,:g) with a boarding pike :
it etitered my head, and I fell overboard. On
bring taken up, seven splinters mixed with pieces
of my hot, were taken out of my skull, and I im-
mediately lost the sight of that eye ; the loss of the
other soon followed, and I became blind, but still
remained on hoard as Captain's Mate. The Prisoner.
Robert Howell, I had known for several years ; we
wee messmates together, and intimately acquaint-
ed ; when I was about to be discharged from the
hospital-ship, at Sheerness ; the Eloaor, knowing
we were old friends, appointed Bob Howell to
be my guide and assistant as far as Bri.tol, avheoce
we were going to our friends; we left the ship in a
boat, and were landed somewhere in London, but
I could not tell where. We had not gone far
through the streets, when we came to a gate-way,
at the corner of the street, and he took my stick
from 'TIC, tore my pocket, where I had my money
sewed up, off my jacket, and ran away with my
bundle of cloaths. After remaining on the spot
for near two hours, I made my way as well as I could.
As I went along, I fell foul of a poor woman's tea-
table, at the corner of a street, and had Ike to throw
the poor crea ure's tea-things all abow. but, I thatik
leave;:, I did her no mischief; however. I t 41.1
her my lamentable story, and she eh ied me ; a Four
little ragged boy came and slic begged of him
to condu.l me to Row-street; the poor dear fellow
led me along. and when I told him my story.
the goodaratured soul pot a pennypiece into
my hand; we went along until I. found myself
co Bow-street Mice steps. " Here the place you
will be sure to g:t redress," said the boy. There
was no one at the office then, so I asked for the next
public house, and he brought me to one just oppo-
site. " I must now leave you," says he. 1 was sorry
for it ; btu, do you know, he soon came back
again; and the dear generous fellow pat another
penny piece into my band, and bid me good bye
Poor fellow ! , shall never forget bit generosity.
I then got some porter with the money he gave me,
and loon after was brought to the office, where I
told my story. I have lived like a Prince ever Si ace.
His bundle was then produced, and being asked,
Could he identity his clothes? ho answered, st Let
me see, I will soon sheer you." Then taking a blue
spotted handkerchief, he telt the several corners if
it, and holding it up, " See there, Gentlemen, there's
a darn I made with my own hands, with white
thread, its a clumsy thing." He was then given a
pair of pantaloons, and observed, a Yes, yes, these
are my pantaloons, 1 know them; when I was
Captain's Mate I used to wear them ; they were too
long for me, and I cut them shors ; with the pieces
I cut off, I strengthened the inside of the thighs :
see here they are, and my own clumsy work." His
trowsers were then produced. a Sow. I know these,
they are my dirty trowsers I, threw off the day I left
the ship, and having turned them inside out. I
folded them up stocking- fashion to prevent their
dirtying my other clothes; if you'll look, you'll
see !"'

When the Prisoner was would he ask him
any question, he answered in the negative, and tite
blind man immediately exclaimed, "That's he,
that's his voice! I know it well! He a British
sailor ! Oh, no ! not he, indced !"
The other witnesses proved that on the 233 of
September last, the Prisoner went to the White Lion
Inn, in Tooley-street, in the Borough, and brought
with him a hag containing wearing apparel : he gave
the landlord a five pound note, two of one pound
each, and same change, to ke.p for him. When
he was apprehended about a week afterwards by
the Bow-street o.ficeili, ite acknowl.-dgel he had
left the hospital ship in company with a blind sailor,
who parted from him at the corner of a street, and
he did not see him afterwards. This was the 'eft-
soner'i &fem..

Tee CUAIRU AN said, he would not trouble the
Jury with summing up the• evidence, it was per.
f.: 1y clear an! circumstantial, and they were
luny competent to judge t I •he fags. Wit Lout any
hcf.hatitiii, the Jury four, I Ole Pi ismer Cut'/y.
The CHAIRM la, in pas.tug sentence, obse-Ted,
that it was a case of the most aggravated nature
that e...er came before a Court; he could not ex-
pre...s the sensations he felt at the inhuman and
abomirtoble condua of the Prisoner ; nor could any
observations of his impress it stronger on the Court,
th An the evidence of the Illind Sailor himself.—
The Prisoner was then sentenced to seven years
transportation, and in the mean time to be confined
to hard labour in the House of Correetion, at New-
ington.