The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-08-31 00:00:00

IN, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 1821.

judged•guilly of. felony without basalt of clergy." His
Lordship concluded by observing. that, isi. an illegal eism-
bination where any shot is fired hymn smagglerst.a revenue
cutter, all on board are judged equally guilty with the per-
son who actually fired; and particularly impressed on the
Jury the importance of being 'misled that it was done na-
lleioarly, u in that case only they could And a bill.
STABBING. . •1
George Main. aged 59, was then arraigned on
Lord Ellenbosough's Act, f,r maliciously cutting
and stabbing bin wife, Isabella Main.
Mr. Loss' briefly stated the circumstsocet as
detailed in the evidence.
Isabella Main—l ant the Prisoner's wife. and
have been married to him above 30 years. Ws
'have nut lived together the whole of that time, but
separate for many years. I remember seeing him
sibout ten o'clock on the night of the 2311 of May
;mt. I was in my own house; had opened the
lamer door and was going to fasten the outer dour.
ad heard the *neck of the Tinier door lifted be-
'Awe that. and asked, " who is these ?" bat received
aso answer. I then saw my husband. The door is
le two parts; I then opened the upper part, and
the Prisoner immediately stabbed me iii the throat.
without speaking ; I kept my hand to my throat
to save it, and called out Is murder !" I was then
'that:toed, and became senseless. When I came to
my senses I found myself bleeding very much;
Margaret Kay, Samuel Harvey, and the neigh-
boors were then in the house. I heard my husband
•
' say. he was sorry he had not finished me.
By the JUDOS--4 never spoke or said any thing
to him before he stabbed me.
The Prisoner here said, "she cried ' murder!'
before I said or did any thing."
Margaret Kay—l live near Mrs. Main, on the
iippasile side of the way. I remember hearing cries
if " murder !" from Isabella Main, about ten
o'clock on the night of the 23,1 May last. I went
immediately into her house ; there were only lob.
bells Main and the Prisoner in the house; she wee
laid along a table, and he was holding her dosses.
She was struggling very much, with her hands up
to save her throat. She was bleeding at the throat,
Mid he was in the act of cutting it when I went in;
be was holding her down with the left hand, and
cutting her throat with a knife he held in the right
hand. Isabella Main's bands were cut with the
knife, and bleeding. I put my arms round the Pri-
soner and kept hold of him till a young man 0191 C
SO my assistance; his mime was Samuel Harvey.
The Prisoner said, " I'll stab you," and imams.
diately presented the knife at me. When Harvey
came in, the Pi isoner said, " let me murder her !
let me murder her !" He was then takeu in charge
of a constable.

By the Jnoett-1 did not know them when they
lived together as man and wife.
Samuel Harvey-4 list its a rooms above Mra.
Main, at North Shields.' I was alarmed on the
night of the 2311 May last; I was sitting in my
room with my door locked a little after 10 o'clock,
when I heard • knock at Isabella Main's door; I
heard her ask " who is there ?" and no one an-
.severed; a few minutes after I heard her lift the
*neck of the door, and the stied( was scarcely lifted
when I heard her scream " Murder !" She scream-
ed that twice, and then I heard her scream as if in
a struggling state. I immediately opened my door
and met my next neighbour, Jarvis, on the stair-
head. I received a light nut of Jarvis's hand, and
instantly ran down stairs to the resistance of Isa-
bella Maio. I met Margaret Kay at the door, and
abe took the light froin me. When I went in I
-observed the Prisoner had his wife laid over the
table, and was holding her down with the left hand,
.and cutting her throat with the right. Mrs. Kay
took hold of him by the shoulders and turned him
off, and he Bleu presented his knife ut her in a
threatening manner. While lie was presenting the
knife I seized him by the nrist, and got it out of
his hands; I gave it to Turnbull, the constable.
Main's house is at the low end of North Shields. in
this county. While the Doctor was dressing Mrs.
Main's wounds the Prisoner was asked if he was
sorry for, what he had done, and be said he was only
sorry he had not done it to perfec,ion. I have
known the Prisoner and Isabella Misin as man and
wife ever since I was a child : I am now le.
Isabella Jowsey corroborated the other witnesses
with respect to the state iu which the Prisoner and
his wife were found after the alarm. She called
Harvey and Jarvis: heard Margaret Kay say,
" take the knife from him, for he has cut her
throat," and then fainted.
George Turnbull, constable, took the Prisoner
into custody on the night in question, and pro-
duced the knife lie received from Harvey. It was
a jackeylegs, or common clasp knife; and
Samuel Harvey, being recalled, swore to it as the
same he took from the Prisoner.
Mr. William Bramwell, Surgeon, stated that
he was called to house between 10 and
o'clock on the night of the 2.141 May, where he
found the Prtouner and his wife. He found one
wound on the left side of her neck about two'.
inches in length, extending horizontally ; it ap-
peared to have been done by • rotting instrument ;
it bad perforated the skin, but had not readied the
flesh. These was another wound lower down, in
the prominent part of the throat, about 11 inch in
length. There was also a inure buperticiul wound
between these, which appeared to have been pro-
duced by a cutting instrument sliding. There were
•lso two wounds, one on each hand, between the
fore-finger and thumb ; they had bled, but not
much. The Prisoner said he regretted the wounds
had not been more effectual. Witness inquired
what instrutnent it had been done with, and Harvey
at the time produced the knife befine mentioned.
This was tii the presence of the Prisoner, and he
rigid hing.—[The knife was here agent) produced,
and identified as the same be had seen at the
time.] —lt would require considerable effort to in-
flict site woutuir with this knife.
By the JUDGIC—If the wounds hod been suffi-
ciently drop they might have been fatal.
The Privotter being called upon for his defence,

told a long unconnected story, in, wivlch he signi-
fied he had received ill-usage from his wife.
His LORDSHIP shortly stated the evidence. and
the Jury slinoat immediately returned a verdidt of
Guilty—Death.
• • MANSLAUGHTER.
James Bartel! was arraigned on a charge by the
Coronet's Inquest of killing and slaying one Mat-
thew. Mason, of Long Benton. It appeared from
the evidence, that the deceasEd and the Prisoner,
with others, were engaged on the 201 h July hut, in
playing at • game called bowling, which consists of
throwing a toned atone ball, wekhing about ohm
ounces, as fur as the parties can along the raid.
There is ■ practice it see►ne of sending a person
forward in the direction in which the stone is
thrown, in order to give notice if .any paa•engera
are coming. The unfortunate man, Matthew
Mason, was the individual appointed to this office
on the occasion in question. The Prison, threw
the ball, and at the distance of 6o ya►ds, it fell on
the head of the deceased, who died in a few days
in consequence: The witnesses all agreed that
Burrell gave sufficient warning when he threw the
stone, and an excellent character being given him.
the Jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty.—
Whereupon the Learned Jodge took an opportu-
nity of justly reprobating such an amusement op
public roads, which he characterised as highly dan-
gerous a►►d illegal.

HIGHWAY ROBBERY.
John Wilkinson and Thomas Dodds, charged
with robbing Paul Regan oti the Pordeland turn.
pike.
Mr. loin stated the case, and collet!
Paul Regan. He knows both the Prisonerk. He
was on the Pontrland turnpike, coining to New-
castle, about half-past nine, on the uinetteuth of
May. He was joined by the Poisoners, who asked
him how far lie hail travelled. and if he had any
money on him ? fir said a little. Whet of that ?
One cf them said, let's see shit money you've
sot, and put his hand to his pocket and took from
it a side bottle of spirits, out of which he drank,
and then handed it to his partner, who emptied it.
One of them then took from his pocket Ins. and a
nankeen parse.
Rio LORDSHIP hare said. " How came you to
let them take your money ?"
. .

Witness replied, " I had a large bundle on my
beck, Sir, and I cuuld nut resist against two of
them."
• Dodds then came forward and took • witch out
of his pocket. They then said they thought they
knew him. Witness said he did not think they
did. They had sticks with them which he thinks
would hurt a man very much if struck with them.
-Wilkinson then said be had better make the best
eif his way, and not look behind , him. He then
tame on to the south lodge of Mr. Bell's hall,
when they overtook him again, which pia him in
considerable fear„—They said he was • good fellow,
that he had not given alarm when lie might have
done it. They then gave him the nankeen purse
and diree shillings back. They further advised
him to go ou his way to Kenton Bank and not look
behind him. It was light enough to discern any
thing.
George Rutherford, a constable. suw both the
Prisoners on the turnpike the same night between
eleven and twelve ; they had stii.ks with them and
were coming in the direction of Newcastle. He was
present when Dodds was searched, and there was
• watch taken from his right hand : lie raid it was
his own watch, and he had had it eleven or twelve
years.
Thomas Forsyth, serjeaut at mace, saw the Pri-
soners on the Motpeth turnpike the same night.
► (or to twelve o'clock ; he asked where they had
been, and they said they had been at Morprrit seek-
ing work. After which, assistance arriving. they
were appreheoded, and being searched, there was
found on Dodds • silver watch, which he said he
hid had thirteen or fourteen years ; in one breeches
pocket there was 103. 6d. in silver, in another pocket
3s. 6d. in. silver. On Wilkinson they found two
I/. notes and 151. Gil. In silver. Forsyth afterwards
sent a man to the spot, who found two sticks.
Charles Sloan, another serjeani, corroborated this
testimony. _

Anthony Steavenson proved the finding of the
sticks, which he gave to azabrth Carter, who
gave them to Hannah Forsyth, her mistress, who
finally gave them to Thomas Forsyth.
They were here produced, and identified by
Regan.

Andrew Lindsay saw the Prisoners on the 19th
May, about five miles from Newcastle, on the Pon-
Weird road, betwixt nice and test, with each a stick
similar to those produced.
Catharine Lindsay we, in the cart with last wit-
ness, and corroborated his testimony.
Forsyth produced a watch, which was identified
by Regan as the one taken from him.
Guilty agaiust both Prisoners. Sentence—Death.
John Wilkinson and Swifts Hetherington,
for robbing Mr. Nesbit, of Long Benton, on the
highway. Wilkinson was found guilty only a few
minutes before of a similar charge, and firth-ring-
ton was tried only the day before at the toau Court,
on a charge of robbing the keelmen's box.
Mr. Lose related the circumstances .as proved in
evidence, and Mr. CoottsoN called
Mr. William Nesbit, who is the son of a farmer
at Lou; Benton. When on his way home front
Newcastle market, on Saturday, the 7th April,
about nitre o'clock, he was attacked about ball way
up Bruton Bank, by two men, who sprang out
from the side of a wall. Witrie.is bud un Inns at
the time two notes of 11. each, of Ridley's bank,
and four one pound notes, of what bunk he does
not know ; what silver he hail lie ciiuld not say.
The motes were in a pocket-book in a breast pocket.
The first man (who also appeared to be the tallest,
auswering to the appearance of fletherington) seized
his coat tail, attempting to pull him thereby from
his horse, but the coat tore in his hand. l'he se-
cond man seized the horse by the bridle. There
was also another Dian who stood uff at the borer's