The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-09-17 00:00:00

OLD (MILEY, THURSDAY, Sr.prtmgrn 16.

OUTRAGES AT WEST END FAIR.
)1111el1 was indicted for isesanfting
Pico' Maxwell. near Writ End Fait, on the 36th
ut .Ittly. and stealing from his person * watch, -nine
phi thug:. oilier property.
l)ivorMsawell, who was n serrint* to Admiral
Tate. raged. that he was at West End Fair on the
'69b inly ; as he was returning with two or three
friends f it, before nine o'clock in the evening,
ha via ono by a gang of eight or nine people. who
toiciutieil hint andadtempted to snatch Ins watch,
and hustled him away 'front his tricot's; they ulti-
mately got his watch, andleave him several cots id
the bead both with sticks end fists, Fie al.o lost
94. a bunch of keys, and a silk handkerchief. He
could no, identify any of the.parbea.
William Belantyne, a watch-maker, residing in
WeAirline-square. proved that the Prisoner came to I
his house on the ittith of Jell., nod offered to sell a
Watt 14 Witness refused to purchase it. The Pri.
*slier went away and returned in the evening with
the watch. which he left to have repaired. sod
msrsrel to call next day and pay six shillings for the
rsouirs. The watch wanted no repairs inside. but
it had tier swivel. that baring beets obviously broken
by violence. On the day the Prisoner was to call
witness got souse information respecting watches
which had been stolen from the fair, sad an officer
row in readiness to s,e the Prisoner when he called
for the watch. He accordingly came at the appoint-
ed kitoe, but did not conic in farther than the door.
QII tieing asked to cotne inside, he declined aril
went away. and witness. did not set him after-
wards until he was taken into custody.
Uross-eraperined by Mr. Cuawooo.-F-He knew
the Prisoner personally for some time, but he was
unsequeinted with his unine, though, he knew a
former lodging of his.
Thomas Coombs, an • fficer, said, he apprehend-
ed the Prisoner On the 91st July, on iuformat )))))
be had received respecting the watch. The Pri-
soner said he dealt io clothes, and referred witriess
to a place in the Minories, where his story was cor-
sborated,
ne. Wit He knew nothing amiss of the
oness produced the watch, which he
had from the former witness, Baletitysie. The
latter identified the watch as being that he received
from the Prisoaer, and the Prosecutor proved it to
be his property, mid the one which he had lost at
the fair
The Prisoner, in his defence, said, that he dealt
in clothes at Rag-fair. and bought the watch for
SOs. from a stranger who came op to him is Petti-
coat-lane. It was the practice to deal to watches
or any thing else at hag-fair.
Thomas Patterson, clerk to Dovrgete.wharf said,
be knew the Prisoner for four years, two years and
o half of which he lodged with wittiest., and con-
ducted himself very properly ; he lived at that
time with a brushy-maker. It was fictern months
ago. He never heard that the Prisoner dealt in
clothes. When he lodged with him he was porter
to a brislomaker.
Mr. Bunn GRAHAM summed up the evidence to
the Jory. In the course of his charge, he observed
that mile outrage at West End Fair was of the most
aiiiharions kind, and the perpetrators of it most
slating villains. It was almost ilicreilible to thirk
that iieoravity should have ait.iined such a height,
as to present the spectacle of Go or 70 young men
meeting together in broad day light, in the envi-
rons of the metropolis, and openly attacking,
wounding, and plundering his Majesty's peaceable
subjects of the little property stitch they carried
essut their persons. It would seem indeed, as if
Englishmen had changed their character, and be-
came brutal, cowardly, and audacious. There was
something in these outrages s-i repugnant to the
ordinary feelings which characterised the people of
this country, that they could not be contemplated
without horror and dismay. The Learned Judge
d'-tailed the stature of the evidence as affecting the
Prisoner—his being found soon after the outrage,
possession of part of the stolen property, and his
'vowing away from the watchmaker's shop, when
asked to enter. He had had a character for ho.
anti. but they would recollect that the man who
gale it did not speak to his conduct within the
last fifteen months.
'Else Jury, after a short consultation, returned a
verdict of Piot Guilty.
Mr. Baron GRAHAM—I' Gentlemen, I don't
qcorrel with your verdict ; but, at the same time,
wie must feel that the man has had a narrow

ratat.e."
Foreman—" My Lord, we entertained a
ihtobt as to his lit ..,ng one of the party."
Mr. Baron GRAHAM—" 1 sat sure you have
decided conscientiou.ly, but still we must think he
hoot a narrow ...cape."
John Powell and Joseph Anderson, two very gen-
teelly dressed buys, were inclteted for breaking auto
tl.e I:ouse of Mary Harding, in Hullos-street, Cave
disli.strare, and stealing therein several gold rings,
• pearl cross, and n brooch, valise 9/.
Mrs. Harding. a widow, who kept a jeweller's
slop, proved. that while she was at breakfast a pane
of glass was cut in her window, and the articles
meuiinued in the indictment stolen.
Other witnesses proved the detection of the Pri-
-• the act of carrying WI the articles.
ode no defence.
gave them an excellent charse.
the respectability of their con-

note
'oud"
which

Vf . mot. ro. while in the act of carrying Ott the articles.
"Use Prisoners made no defence.
1 te?-. e.eral witnesses gave them an excellent chem..
mid spoke to the respectability of their cou-
Sirx ))))) •
.
Verdict—Guilty ; but recommended to mercy on
account of their youth, and previous good cha-
r 4cier.
-.'irnes Leaf was indicted for stealing a Bank
torte value 50/., and one value 301., from Mary Leaf,
on the sth July.
The Prosecntrix stated, that she resider! as a
lodger at Brentford, and on the 3d July, while she
i us. from home, she lost a 50/. and a 301. Bank
" woe. which site had left locked up iu her drawer.
—(der husband died on the Mb June. and
i she got the 301. note from Mr. Wood, the coal-
, merchant, at Brentford. on tile settlement of au
itc..onglt. It had Mr. Wood'is name written upon it,
Thomas Rugg, a clerk at the Bank, proved hi,
kii•og exchanged a SO/. and a 301. cote ou tht
s'l: July, bat for whom he could not say. Thu
JO/. note had the name of " Wood, coal-suerchout.'
4' tie produced both notes.
Mrs. Leaf was again called, and the 30/. oot
war Anew to her. It had the name of " Wood'
I witted upon it, and appeared to be the same ',hie
(
IF iwr