The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-08-05 00:00:00

WESTERN CIRCUIT.

BODMIN, AtiaraT 1.
The Assizes for Cornwall commenced this day. Mr. Justice
GastzEs: sat in the Nisi Prins Court, and Mr. Justice LITTLE-
DALE presided at the Crown site. The Calendar is oat antisuslly
heavy, but contains some eharget of a very character.
There is the usual quantity of business at the CM! Side.

CROWN COURT.
Thomas Stone was indicted for making signals to a smuggrng
vessel on the night of 2'3th March.
Thomas Gammon examined—ls a boatman in the Preven-
tive Service, and statlitned at Cawsand. Saw the prisoner on
the beach at Cawsand on the night mentioned. It was past eight
o'clock. The prisoner walked past witness, and, in a few minutes
after, witness observed some aparks of fire in the direction which
the prisoner had taken. Wh.n wit •,a saw the sparks he wan
twenty or thirty yards distant. Witness conceives that the sparks
were made with a Hint and steel. They might have been seen at the
distance of half a mile. Witness then tired a pistol, and the pri-
soner was apprehended. After he was taken into custody, the pet
soner said he had only atru;k the light to tire a lime-kiln which was
near the spot where he was taken.
Samson Quick (also in the Preventive Service) swore that he was
within a few yards of the lime-kiln, and distinctly perceived the
prisoner making the fire.
Richard Foote, Chief Officer of the Coast Gdard at Cawssnd,
stated, that nn the night in question he had seized a small boat is
Cassand Bay. He found tive casks ot for eign brandy and gin
in the boat. When on board the smuggler be perceived that a sig-
nal was made from Cawsand Beach.
The prisoner said he hail nothing to offer in his defence, but he
hoped the Court would take it into consideration that he had been
in confinement for a long time, for doing nothing that he conceived
to be a crime. Ile was found Guilty, and sentenced to imprison.
meat and hard labour for three months.
/11/Thint ift,:,•c was charged with stealing a mare, the property of
John Hooper.
It appeared that the mare was taken from the prosecutor's stables
in the parish of Helland, on the night of Saturday the 27th May,
and was seen in the prisoner's possession, two days after, at a pub-
lic.house called the Indian Queen. 11 miles distant from Mr.
Hooper's. The prisoner stated in his defence, that on the evening in
question he had learned that his eliil4l was ill, and he took away the
hoist for the purpose of going to ace her, intending to return it

next day.
John Lohb swore that the prisoner's child was at his house, and
having met with an injury by falling down stairs, he wrote to the
prisoner on Saturday morning to acquaint h:m with the accident.
The prisoner arrived the next morning at four &Clock to see his
child, and remained at witness's house until the following morning.
He said the horse he rode was 31r. Hooper's, and took particulat
care to feed her.
Under all the c'rcumstances, the Jury acquitted the prisoner.
CIVIL SIDE.
ACTION FOR SEDUCTION.
lIITCHENS.

This was an action in which the pl,intiff sousht to recover corr.•
pensation in damages for the injury sustained by the loss of his
daughter's services.
Mr. ERsiii NE (with whom was Mr. CARTER) stated the plain.
tirs case. He said it was his painful duty to lay before the Jury
a most distressing case. The complaint which he had to make was
of a moat serious character. His client was a father, who claimed
compensation for the deepest injury, perhaps with one exception,
that one man could inflict upon another. He asked compensation
for the services of his child, who had been seduced by the defen-
dant, and through!his instrumentality had lost that virtue which was
her most valuable possession, because by that alone she could hope
to sustain a respectable station in society. It would appear by the
evidence which would be adduced that the plaintiff was an in-
dustrious and respectable farmer, but one who like many others
had felt the pressure of agricultural distress. and was now any
thing but wealthy, and also that he was the father of a very numer-
ous family, of which a large proportion were females. The latter
circumstance probably induced hint to think of placing the subject
of the present action in a situation in which she might by honest
industry contribute to her own support and that of her family. At
all events, it would seem that he put her as apprentice to a Mrs.
Arthur, who carried on the millinery business, at St. Austel. in tit:.
county. After her time had expired, the young woman, in con-
junction with her elder sister, set up business for herself, as a
milliner, at St. Austel, and it was then that her acquaintance with
the defendant, who was a tallow-chandler, and resident in the sate e
town, commenced. He (3lr. Erskine) was not instructed as to the
precise time when the acquaintance began, but the result had
been, that the defendant, under the promise of marriage, had con-
trived to win the affections, and ultimately to get possession of the
person, of the plaintiff's daughter. It did appear that the illicit ir -
tercourse continued for a considerable time. during which this no-
fortunate young woman returned is her father's house, where it
would be proved that the defendant frequently visited, and where
it was supposed he came in the character of a suitor, who was pre-
ferring honourable addresses to-the plaintiff's daughter. This con.
Muted until the defendant was informed that the unhappy rictint
ut' his passions was pregnant by him, and then, but not until then.
he had thought proper to break off all intimacy with her. Stith
was the ease for which his client demanded compensation ; but t'
the Jury were fathers—and he doubted no' that some of them were.
lie called upon them to say what damages could compensate tot
the misery and torture which a fatter must entlute under .1;7,
circumstances. To them he should entirely leave the amount of 1:; •
damages, and whatever their verdict might be, lie would bow to it
with respect. But he was quite at a loss to know what could he urned
by the defendant in his defence, or in extenuation of his cominet.
Ile had heard it whispered that the defendant would attempt to pr.
yr
that the unfortunate young woman had yielded, not only to his ad.
vances substantially, bet to those of others. By such a defence the
defendant would MI tethis wretched father, " I ant not content with
the disgrace I have brought on you, and injury I have done you nit -
self, but I wish to inflict on you an additional wound." If such a course
of defame was taken, and his Learned Friend should call tritnessee
to support it, he would have an opportunity of commenting upon is
hereafter. Even if such a ease was made out, the plaintiff' would
still be entitled to damages. The defendant might have to pay
less, but he must pay something ; and it was for the Jury to situ.:
him, that he was not with impunity to gratify his passions by the
destruction of the farmers, daughters in his neighbourhood. He
thought it would have been as well for the defendant's character. :t
he had not suffered the plaintiff' to apply to a Jury for that MX-
peniation which he now claimed, and which, if he received. Itoel4
be applied to the support of this unfortunate young woman, wlie
had not at present the slightest means of subsistence. but that
which her now unhappy father, who had Hee other daughters. was
able to afford her. she was now soffering under the effects of se-
rious illness, and, under all the circumstances, he telt contiaen.
that the Jury would feel it their duty to award the plaintiff's tlia
and fair remuneration fur the grievous injury he had sustained.
Elizabeth Wills was then called. She appeared about 3:25;
of age, and was dressed respectably ; she seemed in very
health, and was supported to the witness-box by her sister. 6
one could suppose from her appearance that she ever possessed srn
extraordinary personal attractions. She was examined by Mr.
CARTER, and, without evincing the slightest embarrassment. I:ee
evidence was as follows :—My father's name is Jilbn Wills; he Is
a farmer. and resides in the parish of Prouder; T have awe bre.
then and five sisters ; one of my sisters is named Honour; -she and
I carried on business- at St. Austel ; ere were milliners; this was
after I left Mrs. Arthur's, who taught me the business,. After wa
left off business I went home to my rather a to lire ; this wart it.
October, 1821. I know John Macho* vettviell ;heis a clirlder,
and carries business now as it
tekdow. at st. teL
I have
seen hint ten. AL:Ay at my father's honk. lb dine of Le ted rue.