The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-02-19 00:00:00

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netnally laid in wait, they would then find them
11-. c Jury returned a verdict t —Netlty.
The prisoners were detained upon another indift-
ment, wherein they were charged with 'fsloniously
steali.ig a box, the praperty of Mess. Dickenson
and Co.
The circumstances attending the trial of the pri-
soners for this offence, were so closely attached to
the fags contained in the first indiament, that we
decline stating any further account than that the
robbery was dearly proved ; in consequence of
which the prisoners were found--. Guilty.
Fordyce Gow!an was indiaed for stealing one bank
note for 101; one bark post bill for 101. ; and one
bank note for 51. the property of James Dowlin.
The prosecutor stated, that he lived at the Cum-
berland coffee-house in the Strand. On the 12th of
January he left his portmanteau in his chamber, con- ,
taining notes to the amount of 1101. ; it was at that
time secured by a lock and a chain. On the 17th
he returned, and observed the portmanteau had been
opened, and the property taken out. He did not
know the prisoner; ire had never spoke to him ;
though he had ohsorved him in the same house.
James Sherwin, the master of the Cumberland
coffee-house, said, the prisoner had lived in his
house, in an adjoining apartment to that of the
prosecutor's. He kept ten beds ; and at the time the
property was taken they were all occupied. The
hair-dresser and the chamber-maid were the only
persons that had access to the prosecutor's apart-
ment. He knew nothing of the property left m the
room on the 12th of January ; if he had, he should
have taken care of it.
Mr. Galley, a linen-draper in Aldertgate-street,
stated, that the prisoner came to his house, and
bong,ht six pair of stockings, for which he gave a
101. Bank bill. The witness gave the prisoner the
change, and immediately sent the note to the Bank,
to ascertain if it was a good one. In the evening
the prisoner came for the goods he had purchassd,
and indorsed the note.
Charles Raynion said, the prisoner bought goods
at his shop, and paid for them with a 101. note upon
the Bank of England, which he immediately sent to
his banker's.
Charles Carter, a publican in Windmill-street, •
Finsbury-square, said the prisoner formerly lived at
his house. In November last he left his lodgings ;
I e came and paid him some money !that was owing
for the apartment he had occupied, and presented a
51. note. The witness gave him the change, and
he went about his business. The witness pnt the
prisoner's name down, with the day of the month on
which he received the money. •
Edward Dunningham, clerk to the house of
Messrs. Wilton and Co. Bankers, 'Colchester, on
the sth of July, received '2OOl. from a young
man, who tame front the prosecutor, Mr. Dowlin,
for change. The Notes were—ten of .51. one of
which was No. 4279; one of 101. No. 8027, signed
Dovrlin ; ten of 101. and one of 201. with a Bank •
Post Bill, for 101. No. 1444, dated 19th September. •
—The whole of which notes made np the change.
James Lucit, a clerk in the Bank, produced the
three notes in question taken from the library, the
numbers and indorsements of which exaaly agreed
with those already stated. The prosecutor, on his .
'cross-examination, said, that he had not parted with
any of the notes since he had received them at Col-
chester. He examined the bank post bill, and was
sure it was the same he had deposited in his port-
mantean.
Carter, the publican, examined the 51. Bill, end
was sure it was.the same the prisoner gave hint in
payment for his lodgings.
The prisoner called no evidence to speak in be-
half
of his charataer. He made a slight defence,
stating that he was a Quarter-master in the 16th
Light Dragoons, in which situation he had
been accustomed to receive much money ; the
note. by that means had got into his possession.
Mr. Judge Ce sere summed up the evidence,
and pointed out to tke Jury the particular points
wherein the prisoner's condo* had appeared sus-
picious, direaing them at the same time to give •
their decision upon the testimony of the different
witnesses. The Jury, without hesitation, pro- •
flounced the prisoner--Guilty.

James Sibley was indicted for feloniously stealing
one ewe lamb, the property of Thomas
It appeared that the Prosecutor lived at South
Minas, Middlesex, where he was possessed of seven
sheep. On the t.Y.7th of January he missed the
lamb, and suspected the prisoner had stole it, -cam
his having several joints of lamb hanging in his
house, of which he could not give a satigfittory ac-
count.—Sufficient evidence not appearing to couvid
the prisoner, be was acquitted.
James Brook, and yolyn Norwood, were tried for
stealing a quantity at lace, the property of Eilwat el
Meredith, but were acquitted.

Tuesday two young gentlemen underwent an ex-
mination, at Hatton-garden, charged with commit-
ting an assault on oneTitc hner, at I,lingtonToll-gate,
by whipping and otherwise ill-treating him, because
he insisted on their paying the toll, or shelving a
ticket, to prove they had paid in the course of the
day. Several witnesses who saw the transaction.
declared, that the turnpike-man acted with' the
greatest moderation. It afterwards appeared that
a set of idle young fellows frequently take a ride a
short distance, purposely to "kick up a row," as
they term -it. In the • present instance the conduct
of these lads was reprehended by the Magistrate ;
and the matter in dispute was comptanised, in order
to prevent them:from being exposed, though they
justly deserved it.
A letter from Leeuwarden, in Holland, gives
the following accounts—" Several fires have done
considerable damage within these two or three
weeks past, in .the country places of our depart-
ment.—On the 26th ult. at Harig, a darin.house
and yard were entirely consumed, and a great
number of cattle destroyed by tlw flames. On
the 29th, a new-built farm house, with the ap-
purtenances, met the same fate near Wytgaard,
when twenty-three head of horned cattle, four-
teen sheep, and two horses, were burned to
death in a most miserable manner. And, since that
time,,onthe redwing to ashes another farm house,
in the Zuider Dragten, :nearly all the poor owner's
cattle fell sacrifices to the devouring element. Such
a concatenation of disasters, so similar in their na-
ture and aids, seldom occur at nearly one period,
and 'within the circumference of one distria, in such
a short -apace 'of lima; and 'that tech as it should
teetta,-the mere tiled of accident.