The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1806-01-15 00:00:00

PUNISHMENTS.

Peine feet et duns.
—"•-•
Tlis
L, goes Jewess! of the 6th instant, contaiss the
following article :
For the satisfaairin of a respeaable correspondent,
we should be glad to be informed, by any of our rea-
ders, whether there are any traces of memory remain-
ing of the following singular transaition, which is
,recorded in 'I Cs 14”dom Alva:tee, for Almost, 1735.
" At the Assizes at Lewes, in Sussex, a man
who pretended to be deaf and dumb, was indiaed
for a barbarous murder and robbery. He had been
taken up on suspicion, se►eral spots of blood, and
part of the goods being found upon him. When he
was brought to the bar, he would cot speak or plead,
though often urged to it, and the sentence to be in-
fliaed on such as stand mute was read to him.—
Four or five persons in the Court swore they had
heard hiss speak, and the boy, who was his accom.
;slice, and apprehended, was there to be a witness
;whist him; yet he continued mete; whereupon
be was carried back to Horsham Jail, to be pressed
to death, if be would cot plead They laid on him
first! 100 weight, then added 100 more, and he still
remained obstinate; they then added 100 more, and
then made it ssolb. yet he would not speak; then
adding 501 b. more, he was just dead, having all
the agonies of death upon him. Then the elven-
(loser, who weighs about 17 or 18 stone, lay down
upon the blbord which was over him, and adding to
the weight, killed him in an instant."
We never heard any mention made by the eldest
inhabitants of our town, of the above extraordinary
circumstance, and it is the first instance we ever met
with, of a man's enduring the sentence, even to
death. In the year 1721, one Spilsket endured it
for an hour, and then pleaded.

ANSWER TO THE ASOVIL, ICON TYR LEWES JOURNAL
Of Tat 13rn.
The appearance of the article in our last Journal,
respeding the man who suffered death by pressure,
at Horsham, rather than plead to an indietment
that was preferred against him for murder. at the
Assizes held here, in August, 1735, has brought to
our knowledge divers incontestible proof of its au-
thenticity.
Mrs. Read, of Southover. whose grandfather,
Mr. Henry Miller, of Hellingly, was of the jury
impannelled to try the prisoner, not only confirms
his obstinacy, from family tradition, but further
informs us, that he had two accomplices in the
murder. a travelling tinker and his wife who, being
arraigned at the same time, and havini pleaded to
the indidment, were condemned and Gag, princi-
pally on the evidence of a bay concerned, who was
admitted an evidence for the crown. The barba-
rous deed she states to have been committed in a
lonely house, in the western part of the county, on
the person of a young woman, in the absence of
her soother. who was meseding bar braless, as a
nurse, in the neighbourhood. And it appeared, by
the testimony of the boy, that he first entered the
house. through an aperture made in the window for
that purpose, and then opened the door for the ad-
mission of his companions; but their noise having dis-
turbed the young woman, she quitted her chamber,
and was coining down stairs, bat being met by the
tinker, be knocked her down. when the man who
refused to plead, took her up, and having placed
her heed between his knees, these held it until the
tinker's wife cot her throat. They then pillaged
the premises, aid made of.
Mr. Fiest, now living at 'rwineham, (who was
about eleven years of age, and resided at Horsham
at the time mentioned) informs us, that he was
present when the punishment was intlideil in the
old gaol yard, but that, owing to the excessive
crowd of speittators, he could not get sear the scene
of death. He describes the sufferer as a very robust
looking man; and ears he conversed some time
with the boy who was to have been the principal
witness against him.
Mr. J. Verrall, a very respectable gentleman. in
Sniithover, well remembers the sentence having
been passed ; but does net recoiled its being carried
into execution.

Our Correspondent having felt particular interest
.11 atcettairpng the above fad, we Lope K is now CA.
tab:ised Is his sci.taltion.