The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-16 00:00:00

igssEmr v.wzisom.

Mr. BIOUGHAII opened the pleadings, and Mr. VEWABLES
stated that it was an action to recover the ruin of four hundred
pounds, for building Boise houses for the defendant, in Mosley-
street, Manchester.
Alt. %Vika) said thaehe had no objection to a reference.

Yenlict for the plaintiff: subject t- order of the Court.
The Special Juries have been summoned for Friday next.
CROWN SIDE, Alanen 13.
Before My. Justice DAY LEY.

This day his -Lordship passed sentence of death on the follow.
ing prisoners and Logan (whose names are not in the
calendar) charged with having uttered 11. Bank of England notes ;
Thorns. Martin and John Smith, charged with having uttered to
Wm. Bayley, at Manchester, one forged Bank of England note,
for the payment of 51. There were four several indictments
against Smith. On the crimes of these two his Lordship caps.
stated at considerable length, and in a manner which seemed to if
ford them not even the slightest hope of mercy. He said that the
increasing frequency of the commission of the baneful crime of
forgery called fur exemplafr punishment. James Simpson,
charged with having uttered to Maria Hanby, at Chothon.row, one
forged Bank of England note for the payment DIM.. knowing the
same to be forged ; and. James flare, charged with having tittered
to Lucy Stoptord. at Manchester, one forgfd Batik of England
/tote for the payment of If., against whom there were three similar '
indictments, complete the melancholy number on whom the' wful
sentence was passed. It was a most melancholy arsine. His
Lordship's putting on the black cap (which has not of late been
frequently done) excited in the prisoners and a crowded Court feel.
ings not easily described. Ilia Lordship, during this disrressing
ceremony, appeared much affected. After its conclusion the whole
of the prisoners fervently begged that their sentence might be
changed tothat of transportation for life ; but the Learned Jut ge
observed, transportation fur ha seemed to have very little effect in
the prevention of the crime.
. Philip Locus, aged 59, a very feeble old man, of singular ap-
pearance, with large spectacles, long beard, and a large white
night-cap on, stood charged with having stolen, at Liverpool, three
Exchequer bills, of the value of 10001. eacn, the property of Capel
Hanbury•Leigb.
No evidence was given,exeept that of part of the property having
been traced to his possession, and a contradiction arose among the
witnesses concerning the dates.
After the Learned Juno: had finished his charge to the Jury,
his Lordship, at tie suggestion of the prisoner's Counsel, inquired
of Mr. Higgins, the gaoler, if, dunng the prisoner's confine.
ment, he had observed a contraction in his hands, and on Mr.
Higgins answering in the affirmative, his Lordship observed to the
Jury, that a person having such a contraction might, but it was
very improbable that he should, pick a person's pocket, and this
was a point to which they should pay great atteatiou.
The Jury gave their verdict, Not Guilty, and the prisoner was
liberated in Court.

The Court was exceedingly crowded, and did not break up till
mar seven o'clock.

POLICE.

nOW,STREET.

Yesterday Thomas Watkins, Thomas Coles,
and Richard Napp, were broaght betore Sir R. Di awn: and 111 r.
AI isstiv Li., charged on suspicion of stealing the dead burly of a
man unknown.

It appeared from the statement of Wilson and Guy, two of the
ratrol of this establishment, that a little before eight o'clock on
Tuesday evening they were on duty in Piccadilly, when they saw
a cart, in which were the three prisoners, stop near the White
*lone Cellar, and the prisoner NVatkins ger nut and call a hackney_
coach. When the mach drew up to the parment, At'atkins had a
hamper handed to him from the cart, and endeavoured to get it
into the coach ; but the door was not wide enough, and he returned
it back to the cart. The officers thought all this suspicious, and
conceiving that the hamper contained stnlea property, Wilson ac.
coated Watkins, god asked him what he had got there. Watkins
at first evaded the question, but upon Wilson raying that he must
examine the hamper, be said at once that he had got " a subject,"
which he had been employed to procure for Sir Astley Cooper, to
whom he was then going to take it In the Borougli. The officers
took the three men into custody, and, on examining the hamper,
found it to contain the dead body of a man, apparently eighty years
of age at least. The body was quite naked, anti smelt very vireo.
-sively. The cart had on it the name of the prisoner Coles, who
stated to the officers that he had been hired by Watkins and Napp
to bring the hamper to town from Hammersmith, that he was to
have six shillings for his job, and that he knew nothing at all about
its contents.

Sir It. BioNiu-,-And pray, Mr. Wa!kins, as you call yourself,
bow long have you gone by that name
Watkins—Oh, a long time.
Sir It. I:ileum—You have gone by another name, I think ;
hate you not ?
Watkins—No, I believe not.
Sir It. Bllo4lE—Yes, you have. Have you not gone by anothey
name beginning with it W ? Williams, I mean.
Watkins-1 believe I did once go bj that name.
Sir 11. BIRNIE—Aye, that was the last time you were here,
you know.

Upon reference to one of the journals of the office, it was found
that the prisoner was committed on the 30th of March last for steal.
log a dead body, and afterwards convicted and sentenced to six
m9nthe imprisonment. He then pulsed by the name of Williams.
Watkins, when asked if he had any thing to say, stated that he
was employed by two gentlemen of the faculty to procure this par-
ticular auSject, and it would be folly to deny it.
Napp said that he was a carrier, and that on Tuesday morning,
about sit o'clock. he was coming through Slough, when he saw
the prisoner Watkins sitting on the hamper by toe road aide. The
latter asked him what he would bring it tuwards town u far as he
came for, and he replied," half a crown." This was agreed upon,
and be (Napp) brought the hamper as far as Hammersmith, where
his hone and art stopped, and at the desire of 'Watkins he applied
to Coles, who also owned a horse and cart, to bring it the twainder
of the distance.

Coles told the same story. As far uhe was concerned, he de.
Blared he WAS as innocent as a baby. For his pan, he thought the
hamper contained trine.

iirtison, the constable, said he thought it very improbable that
either of the prisoners could be ignorant of the contents of the
hamper, for dist the smell front the body was extremely strong.
Mr. 311 w ut.t. said he would at all events teach Napp and
Coles that it was necessary to be extremely cautious as to what they
took up on the road ; they must find bail. As to Watkins, he
must find sureties for his appearance at the sessions. himself in one
hundred pounds, and two.other persons in fifty pounds each, and
give twenty. four hours notice.
the man charged with passing four counterfeit sovereigns
to a countryman named Hickson. in the purchase of two pigs, was
again brought up, and fully r.inanitted fbr trial at the next sessions
fur Berks. is which codnty the uttering took place.
James gorge, the man who was examined on Saturday even-
ing laid. on suspicion of stealing a witch, the property Of a lady
nstnedJennings, residing at Kensington, was elm again brought up,
when a pawnbroker in Sloane.street produced the width, and Wan.
tilled the prisoner as having pawned it.—He was fully committed
to twgitte for trial.
It Is but justice to state, that Hull, the constable of Kensington,
though certainly in a state of inebriety on Saturylai when he brought
up Hobert,. liss been for many years a valuable and efficient offi-
eer at Kensingion, and has earned himself the good-will ~f almost
every respectable inhabitant. He alleges that he had been nut the
whole or that day on duty, and having taken no solid food, a com-
paratively small quantity of liquor, which the gentleman who em.
plotted hien pressed him to take, produced an effect upon him
which it would not otherwise hare done.)