The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-05-17 00:00:00

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, MAY 16.

Mary Bailey, late of Turnhain Green, and formerly of Oriostead,
Essex, farmer, who was heard on the 26th ult., was brought up for
judgment.
The insolvent was opposed by Messrs. BEAT! and COOCE, for
a host of creditors, and a case of (ram' ...eat contract and a conceal-
ment of property was made out.
It appeared that, in a short time, she contracted debts to the
amount of several hundred pounds (principally furniture), by wane
of specious representations. The contract was for ready money,
but when the goods were delivered and fitted up, she put off pay-
ment from time to time, until at length the Turnharn Green etrta-
bliahment was cleared of every thing, and the goods removed to a
broker's in Chancery-lane for sale.
The COURT animadverted in no measured terms upon the insol-
vent's conduct, than which nothing could be conceived more frau-
dulent. Her original offence was considerably aggravated by the
manner In which she delivered her testimony, for it was clear that
she wished to bolster up her fraud by means of perjury. A clear
case of fraudulent obtaining and making away with property to a
large amount had been proved beyond a doubt ; it therefore became
the province of the Court to mark this as a case of no ordinary
magnitude in the judgment it was about to award, for the public
must be protected against such premeditated and well-concocted
systems of swinuling. The Court then ordered the insolvent to be
imprisoned for tae term of two years from the date of her petition,
fur making away with property, and that she be confined within
the walls of the King's Bench Prison, and deprived of all rules.

Calf BINATION.
OLASOOW, MAT 12.
Yesterday John Kean, cotton-spinner, who was convicted at the
last Circuit Court here, for shooting at John Graham, another cot.
ton-spinner, and severely wounding him, underwent the punish-
ment of the law, upon a temporary scaffold erected in frost of the
Court-bottle. On the scaffold was erected an upright frame•work,
to which Kean was closely bound, as if extended on a cross, and in
a manner that he could not move either one way or the other.
About ten minutes put twelve o'clock, the criminal was brought
out and bound to the post, when the common executioner inflicted
the punishment awarded by the law, namely, eighty stripes, a
punishment certainly trifling, compared to the enormity of his
offence. He seemed to take it very coolly at the outset, but towards
the close, the feelings of pain rather overcame his resolution.
Il'hen released, his back appeared considerably lacerated. It was
icon after dressed by a medical man in attendance. Be was then
conducted to his cell, to undergo the remainder of his punishment.
Tte severest p irt of it yet remains, namely, banishment fur life,
and to be confined at hard labour on the public works, we presume
at Bermuda, amongst other atrocious and hardened criminals. The
next cold-blooded anti atrocious deed of the kind which takes
place in this country will, front the law now in progress, be punished
with death, an end still more terrible to criminals who are " consti-
tutionally delicate and nervous," and fearful that their character be
deteriorated. The prevailing opinion is, that the punishment was
nut so severe as it might have been. The executioner, indeed,
seemed to do all that he could, but the same nerve and knowledge
which are sufficient to hang a Iran may be very unable to flog him,
which fact, it is to be regretted, was overlooked on this occasion.
Our Magistrates, however, could not help themselves. They were
boutd by the strict letter of the sentence, and could employ no
other person but the executioner, certainly neither a Samson nor a
Hercules in his line. The crowd was exceedingly great—unequal.
led at any public punishment since the execution of Wilson for
high treason. The number of females was very great; all was
peace and order, however. The feelings of the multitude were,
generally speaking, decidedly against the cold-blooded assassin.
'rile feeble hiss of disapprobation at the executioner, when per-
forming his duty, was drowned by the stronger expressions of re-
gret that the punishment was not severer, and by the cheers
which escaped the lips of numbers, when blood began to make its
appearance on the back of the criminal. Information was received
on Monday that 100/. was collected to bribe the executioner toavoid,
as far as possible, severity ; but as he was kept out of the way the
whole of Tuesday, it is probable the object of the associates of
Kean was frustrated. The execution of the sentence took place
under the surveillance of the civil poweralone; a party of dragoons
was stationed at Clyde-street, to be at hand in case of need, but
there was not the smallest disposition to riot evinced amongst the
multitude assembled.Edbiburgh Observer.

We annex a petition presented to the Magistrates by the criminal
on Monday. It is a curiosity of its kind :
" Unto the Ilonourable the Lord Provost and Magistrates of
Glasgow,
" The Petition of John Kean, prisoner in Glasgow Gaol,
" Humbly Sheweth,
" That the punishment which the petitioner has been adjudged
to suffer, on the eleventh current, being left to the discretion of your
Hoanurs, he, in all humility, throws himself at your feet, implor-
ing for mercy in the number and quality of stripes, being constitu-
tionally delicate and nervous, increased by the nature of his em
ployment, and rendered unwell and weak-from deep anguish and
long and close confinement ; and having mother, wife, children,
brothers, sisters, and friends, whine hearts will be convulsed at the
puuishment, anti whose feelings he is more anxious to spare than
his own : beseeching you to recollect, that to exhibit cruel punish-
ment to the public does not reform but deteriorates character, and
is opposed to tne intelligence and benevolence of good men :
" And your Petitioner shall ever pray,
"JOHN KEAN.
" Glasgow, 9th May, 18.25."

THE ARMY.
The 7th (Royal Fuzileers) regiment has received orders to march
on the 17th and 111th instant, from Manchester fot Portsmouth, for
the purpose °Embarking for foreign service.
A detachment belonging to the 4th (the Queen's Own) regi-
ment of Light Dragoons. marched this morning, from West-
minster, for the depot of that corps, which is stationed at Maid-
stone.

Detachments belonging to the 2d, 40th, 56th, and 57th regiments
of Intantry, marched thin morning, under the command of Staff
Corporal Mackay, from Westminster, for Chatham.
A detachment belonging to the 79th regiment of Foot, em-
barked on the 19th ult. at Dublin, for Liverpool, on the Recruit-
ing Service.
Detachments belonging to the 6th, 21st. 36th, 40th, 41st, 44th,
45th, 47th, 48th, 59th, 64th, 09th, and 97th regiments of Foot, the I
East India Company's Artillery and Infantry, embarked on the
22d ult. under the command of Corporal Henbury, from Dublin for
Bristol.
A detachment belonging to the 2il battalion of the Rifle Bri-
gade, embarked on the 22d ult. at Dublin, for Bristol, on the Re-
cruiting Service.
A detachment belonging to the 61st regiment of Infantry, em-
barked on the 23d ult. at Dublin, for Bristol, on the Recruiting
Service.
Detachments belonging to the 16th, 18th, 23d, 41st, 44th, 45th,
40th, 47th, 48th, 81at, 83d, 89th, 94th, and 98th regiments of
Foot, the East India Company's Artillery and Infantry, em-
barked on the 26th ult.. under the command of *tali' Serjcant
Huainan, at Cork, for Bristol.

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