The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-11-29 00:00:00

STATE.MMENT•

" On Tuesday evening, the 26th of October, or Wednesday
mining, the 27th, our warehouse, No. 22, IVootl-etreet, Cheap.
ride, was broken into, end silk goods to the amount of from 8001.
to 1.0001. ao len therefrom. On the Wednesday evening Mr.
S.d,non, of 'low-etreet, and Mr. Lidbetter, from Ludgate-hill,
41•098 in with /Ir. Charleswonh, and Mr. Salmon questioned our
pater for some time respecting the robbery. Mr. Charlesworth
told me Mr. ',Whetter intmditced him to (Ir. Salmon and Mr.
?erry. I then thought Mr. bitibcoer was an officer, but have
head since he is not. but keeps the Dolphin public-house on I,nd-
gnembill. Mr. Charlesworth told me the next morning we could
not have our business in better bards than Lidbetter's, and he wito
rum we should hate our goods back, but we must leave it all to
him, and have patience.
" The anonymous letters which we received I took down to the
Manelon-house, and delivered into the hands of Mr. Cone, 31r.
/been (the City Marshals), and Harrison, the Alarshalman. I
think this was on the Friday morning after the robbery. In the
coarse of that day /11r. Char worth saw the Bow-street officers,
and wiehe. ate to go down to the Mansion-loose for the letters to
show to Mr. Salmon. &c. I went, and Mr. Cope gave me them
at the Ohl Bailey. Mr. Ledbetter has them now in his powiession.
"On Saturday Mr. Lidbetter told me he knew where the goods
were, and he wished they had seen the anonymous letters first. He
said he should see 'key Solomon on Sunday, and old Crowder. I
csUe.l at Mr. Salmon's, at Tavietoce-street, Covent garden, on
SitneLly morning about twelve o'clock. There I saw Mr. Salmon,
• Pirry. and Mr. 'abetter. They said they shookl see old
Crowder, [key Solomon, *c. that day at two or three o'clock. I
calk again in the evening about seven o'clock. Mr. Salmon said I
had better see Lidbetter directly. I went immediately to his house
on Ludgate-hill. Ile said all was right ; they had got seine ; they
were in a right hunt, and he was sure we should have the goods
bakk, I said, "Do you -eally think it is likely 2" lAdbetter said
he was sure of it ; the thing was got so now they must give up the
gools. He said he would lay a thousand sounds to ten that we
had the goods back in a few days, " but. 'Aid he, " you meat
make up your mind what to give for them." He likewise said we
must give him a Cermet statement of what goods we had lost, the
number of yards as well as the amount, and what description of
goods, and he must have it by eleven o'clock next morning (Mon-
day.) IV& took stock, and delivered our statement to dlr. ',Whet-
ter. with thirty sovereigns, which he said ho must have to give the
'thieves. This was on the Monday. Ou Tuesday Mr. Lidbetter
informed tr.e had seen the party, and !key Solomon told him he
;night have the goods back for 4301. but there was a deficiency
fn the headier of yards of silks of about a thousand yards;
eleven pieces of Iftuulanette short; four China crapes, shawl*,
&c. &c. Mr. Lidbetter likewise told me there were 53 pieces
&silk on rollers, and the satins, with everything else, were in good
condition. I said, perhaps it would be tenter to give 450/. than
lose the whole. 3b. ',Whetter said, • lie quiet—we shall have
them for about 200/.• W'e have heard no more of them since.
The Bow-street officers delivered their bill in, up to the 6th of
November, 211. lls., and for their trouble and exertions we gay
them a check for M. Then Mr. Lidbetter sends in a bill for
siting and &irking, &c., 14/. Ills. Sel., and, for services, he
adds 1111. more. Iddbetter holds the 30 sovereigns now, and
says his bill mint be paid before he win give them up, and we
may dadott his bill firms 301.. and place the balance to his ac-
gaunt. Mrs Lidbetter then told me he had not done with it, and
he thought we might have the goods yet ; but his exoensenses
were stopped—he should charge nothing more; but he *Hied
he had put down 201. for services Matted of IW. Intlerter.dent of
these bills, Mr. Charlesworth has paid 10!. for handbills. &c.
(Signed) "J. C. CRAMPIN."
Mr. Crsmpin having veribed this statement upon oath, Mr.
Alderman Cox, under the judicious advice of the City Solicitor
emoted a summons for the attendance of 51r. Iddbetter, and to I
peeyent creating too great an alarm, it was worded—" To give
*widener, touching a certain felony lately committed in the City
raf London," and Mr. Lidbetter accordingly attended on Satur-
day, The City Solicitor was also in attendance.
Mr. Alderman Cox shortly explained the reasons that had in-
duced him to send for Mr. Lidbater, and desired to know whether
the bill shown to him was made out by him, and for what purposes
the expensri in it were incurred.
• The first item was, " October 27. Suppers 4. 6d., beer Is.,
wine 121."
Mr. Lidbetter said—" i furnished the seamet, sod the supper
weal for the Bowatreet Officers, Perry and Salmon.
The next item was for lunch. wine, &e. amounting to I/. ls.
The parties present at this, Mr. ',Whetter said, were the Bow.
street Officers and their men, and Mr. Crampin's partner, 3lr.
E:harladrorth ; be knew but little himself as to the items in the
bill, bat his waiter could give a better account.
A charge of 21. 12s. " cash paid," he said, was to a party for in.
formation. and the money was paid to the Bow-etreet Officers.
OM Crowder, be said, was not present at any of the dinners; but
Ikey S•lomons was at some of the lunches at Salmon's, the Officer
He (Mr. L.) saw Solomon afterwards at Charing-cross, and he
was to have come to his house. but did not. Every thing that was
charged for in his bill had been furnished with the knowledge, and
by the order of Mr. Charlesworth or Mr. Crampie.
Mr. Alderman Cox—l now think it necessary, in order to put
you upon your guard, to tell you, Mr.Lidbetter, that there is • very
serious charge against you, and one that I have determined to fol.
low up as fa as the law directs. This system of carrying on nego-
aations with thieves, for the purpose of getting back the stolen
property, has been carried to a most alarming height, and tends
more than soy thing else to the encouragetnent of thieving, and
most, if poesible, be put a stop to. You are charged with having
taken money to give t.) the thieves, under the pretence of getting
the property stolen from Mr. Crampin's warehouse back again.
Mr. Crenip'e, being then upon his oath, was examined by the
Caey Solicitor, and stated that he gave Mr. Lidlietter the thirty
nosiereigns, expressly tin give to the thieves; that it was expected
they were to get their goods back ter 21t V. and that he furnished
himself with two hundred sovereigns, as bank notes, he was told,
weal.' tint do, because the money was to he given to the thieves.
'The thirty sovereigns he paid to Lidbetter were part of that sum,
and the other 170 was to remain in their cash box, as it might he
wanted at a tuoment'e notice, to be paid when the goods were re-
-tunas'.
In answer to the question from the City Solicitor. Mr. Crsmpin,
said. I paid the thirty sovereigns to Mr. 'Abetter, with the lot:re-
manding that they were to be given to Solomon to be given to the
thieves, upon his undertaking that he would get the goods back
again.
The City Solicitor now read the clause of the Act 4 Gen. I. c. 11.
at Pillows :—" Wherever any person taketh money or reward.
directly M. indirectly, under pretence or upon acrot:nt of helping
any person or persons to any stolen grinds or chattels, unless ouch
person do& apprehend, or cause to be apprehended, such felon who
stole the sante, and cause such tidon to be brought to his tnal, and
gore evidence against him, shall he guilty of felony, and sof!: r the
pains end peealiies of felony, in the sante manner es if such tefirder
lad himself stele such COEmin or chattels ;" and then pre:ceded to
stem that >n tooth of flit., Art as inflicted the punishment of i'eath
for this oftence had been repealed by the statute I Geo.
anti in its stead enacted the punishment of transportation for life,
or for any term not less than seven years, as the Court might
adjudge.
Mr. I,id6etter said hr had acted entirely under the direction of
the gentlemen. and the Cow-street officers. lie took the thirty
eoreveiet..: towards paying the hill and the eveienses. If the ten
pounds VTIth01.11;11: Leo touch he was willing to return it.
The City Solicitor—The law says you must rot tale money on
any see% aceeont.
Me. Liithe !ere- I tried everythiro possible to rt the gentlemer.
their goals back. I ilia Nin ditty as I W.IS dirt(' fed ac far as I
• sed I beer nwhing to tear. There has rot been one shilling
of the 301. paid to the thieves. I took it only in case we tanned it,
bet the I...ieve.s were afraid to trust me 1 hold my, fj Ste ell
f w the wrier. I intended, when they brimeht the goods, to have
tier fr. :in ;v.!! takri the 17:7tiee into rtistody ; hut Ikey
wrest would not trust v.. These gentlemen know all that 1 key's ;
I tevve I'-'-or 1111!;.1g viOthotit them. I believe Clwyd, r odd your
yetre:er, 317. Cearlca itch, that the goods were t.lLell away in a
In erldenedion of his I:nowlethre cf the deficiency in the p,eials,
be alel. that he eiterkell she lira the gentleman hail river him of the
goals Itivt, !kee Selootens toldai:d the cheeked
L.t thimeht he gave to Mr. Chsrlcsworth. That gentleman was
or• scot 10,-, it appeared tie had returned the list to Mr.
i4A:ielttr, whit suggested that Mr. t Wiriest:melt knew every pert
oi the !TiCleA,:nti. Venni the pert, however, that lie bad iskeii it
ie. the Altlerdiaa did hot think it proper, in the .present stage of
the business, ti.at be should he examined ; and be, arcordingly
rave nn xplanaitens. An officer was sent to Mr. Lidbetterhi
heose for the aeadyminia letters alluded to, but upon their produe.
lion they ice:it:tilted tithing of importance worth notice.
Mr. Ald roar. Cox said. at present Mr. Lidbetter stands com-
mitted for further examinstioa oa the charge of felony.
31 r. ',Whetter asked if he could not be bailed ; lie could give se-
curity to any amount.
The City Solicitor replied, that the charge tieing for felony, the
hlsoharata could take no bail. The only way in which lie could
bs rehetvd from the charge, was by ptoducine the thieves, and
Minn, evidence against them, in which case he himself would be
a ceased.
This doom* he professed himself unable to do, sod was re-
goaded for further ciuunination.

LAW INTFLLIGENCE.

COURT O' CHANCERY, SATURDAY, Nov. 27.

WILLOCGIITIT I'. EAIIL GROXIIEWOR.
Dir. SHADW ext. moved for a special injunction to restrain the
noble defendant, his agents, and servants, from proceeding to
.161 the fittni•ure, property. a^d effects of the plaintiff, in the Royal
Hotel, Chester. The plaintiff' had entered into an agreement, in
1319, with the Noble Earl's Agent, one 11r. Cropisy , for the pro.
perty, at the robe of 6,5*0L, which amount was ea, be paid by two
equal instalments hut these instalments the plaintiff had not been
able to keep up, and therefore hod given a warrant of attorney,
upon which an execution issued, and the property was advertised
fur sale. The original rent of the premises was era, but this sum
beitla found too heavy for the plaintiff to bear, it wan reduced
to ?wt.
The injunction was granted.

VIMCIIANCELLOR'S COURT, SATURDAY, Nov. la.

ASHLEY, (WIDOW). V. ASHLEY&

Immediately on his Honour's entering the Court, a most respect-
able looking lady, of middle age, addressed the Court as follows:
•, May it please y our lloaour to give me, a suitor in this Court,
your attention for a few minutes. I do assure your Honour that
it is with feelings of very great reluctance that I have at length de.
termired to take the present course, and present myself
personally before you. In the cause .• Ashley, widow, vertu,
Ashleys," I am the plaintiff. That cause was heard by your
Honour some years ago, 1 believe four, or nearly five, and
it wanreferred to the Master to make a report. From some
cause or other that report had not, up to the first week of the
present Term, been made; and, as I have been informed, the Sidi-
eitor of the defendants has had recourse to every expedient calcu-
lated to impede the progress. As the will of my husband, by
which I was entitled to the life interest in his estate, has not been
disputed ; as there were no debts due by the testator at the time
of his deceaae; and as the legacies left by him did not exceed lOU
it does appear most unaccountable how such a delay could bare
occurred. The defendants had taken possession of the testator's
cash at his death; they have sold the furni: ure and valuable
musical instruments more than three years ago; and if there has
been any delay on their part in furnishing the proper amounts,
surely it is e case of severe hardship that I, the widow of the dm
ceased, with whose fortune the principal part of the houses and
vents, amounting to thlo/. a year and upwards, was purchased, who
held a life-interest in the estate, should, for the last two year, since
the appointment of a Receiver, be deprived of my annual income,
and left m live on some small suns, doled out to me after continued
solicitation, as if I were receiving a pauper's allowance. For the
last two years I have received, iii one payment 3001., and in a
second payment 1001. The certificate I hold in my hand, from a
most respectable physician, will idles to your Honour that I am
labouring under an organic disease, which has, I do assure you,
confined me to my chamber nearly eight months out of the twelve
for the last four years. That certificate I beg to hand to you for
your perusal. And I beg to recall to your Honour's consideration
that these defendants are the reversioners to the estate at my death;
that one of them has been fir rears in prison; that they, early in
this cause, arrested me in the public streets ; and that therefore I
have reason to fear, unless protected by this Coutt, that their aim
towards me is to resort to every expedient by which they may annoy,
and eventually wear use out I did certainly receive, from tne
death of my husband, until the appointment of a Receiver,: the
rents; but, in the confidence that I could not be disturbed in the
receipt of my life-interest, I had, out of my very Ent savings, lent
one of the defendants, the acting ementor, 20M.„ which he has
never repaid me. And I WY induced, for the future advantage of
some near relatives, to lend, under peculiar circumstances, a sum
of money on a post-obit bond. I mention these circumstances to
prove that I am urged to appear before von by necessity; and
therefore moat humbly pray you to direct the report of the Master
to be made ; and that the Receiver be ordered forthwith to pay me
the proceeds of my life-estate, which he has received."
The VICE-CHANCELLOR—Madam, you are a party in this
cause, and you say that it is five years since it was referred ?
Mrs. ASHLEY—Yes, your Honour, I ant a party • and it is
certainly within four or five years since the cause was be.ard.
His fi oxor rt—Five years certainly is a very long time. Who
is your Solicitor ?
Mrs. ASHLEY—Mr. 3laberly.
His Hoarot: a—A most respectable man. It is not in my power
to assist you now ;
.you must apply to your Solicitor to take the re-
guise course, and if those impedimenta which you say are inter-
posed mkt, let the subject mine before me by motion. Five years
certainly is a long time.
Mrs. A Sii I.VT-1 thank your Honour for your kind attention.
I at least am no cause of the delay, and with every necessity
for those comforts which an invalid stands in need of, my income
has been withheld front me. I shall certainly act upon your Ho-
nour's suggestion, and beg again to return you my sincere thanks
for your kind attention.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH—Soy. 27.

DI:XCAN J. TIIWAITES.

The Court announced yesterday that they would give judgment
in this important case this morning, but the Lord Chief Justice
said that it would be inconvenient to deliver it at present.
Mr. Sergeant PELt prayed the judgment of the Court upon
Robert I.nting, who had submitted at the last Devonshire Assizes
to a verdict of guilty, upon an indictment for a riot in that county.
It aptrearc.l that the defendant was a part-proprietor of the Sub-
scription Plymouth and Exeter stage-coach, and being ejected
rather uncoorteoudy from the partnership by the other proprietors,
he assembled a mob of twenty persons between Exeter and !Joni_
ton, drew a waggon across the road ro prevent the passage of the
coach on its way to London, and when the coach made its appear.
ance he cut the traces, and obliged the coachman to take has pas..
aengers on in a post-chaise.
Mr. %Vs LLIA ms and Mr. Fiaz El were heard in mitigation of
damages, and the Court sentenced the prisoner to two months im-
prisonment in Exeter gaol, and to had securities for his good
hasiour for three years, himself in 100 L and two others in iQi.
each. _ _ . _ .

3lr. GURNEY in the ahsenee of the A ttorney4eneral, prayed
the judgment of the Court upon J. Christopherson, who had been
convletcd, as master of a vessel called the Trafalgar, oilcan:lg
three of his ►eamen ashore on the coast of North America.

Mr. BROUGHAM addressed the Court in behalf of the prisoner.
He observed, that as the punishment of the offence was prescribed
by the Act of King William, the ('ourt had no power to mitigate
its sentence. fie should, therefore, trouble the Court only with
affidavits for the purpose of obtaini'g a new trial.
The LORD Cutts' JUSTICE—If cases in this stage require
furlier investigation, the Court will give an opportunity to tile more
htEslavitx ; but it is contrary to practice to grant any new trial.
Mr. IluouGlTAX—Undoubtedly it is contrary to the custom of
the Court, but it has been said, that if, when persons are brought
to fur juigment, any thing very material appears in the affidavit,
that even then a new trial may be granted. . .

Mr. Justice BAYLEY—TiIe new trial can be granted only upon
suffivient ground a➢pearing in the Report.
.Mr. Ituurtarax—The defer:dant was pre►ented moving for a
new trial within the proper time, by being in the command of
Ids *Lip at sea. My affidavits state, that these men had gone on
rliore, and h..d been kit on shore by their (inn desire. The affi-
davits further depn,c to the perjury of one of the principal wit-
: .-irs et the trial; twenty-two neighbours of the defendant's have
swim, to his eseclletit char-;ter.

hunts CHIEF Jus•rict —All this could have been produced
at the trial.

ficattl:Y. in aggravation of punishment, submitted, whe-
ther the Act of IVill:am 111. did nut heat the construction of three
months for each seaman left on F 1101. C.

The Lo eI) CH Er t•sT no; the meaning of the Act
is clear enough. The Court is by no means willing to wisent to the
proposition, that, even if the men were willing to be left on there,
that this %cock: take the case out of the Act—one intention of
which was the prevention of piracy. The Court sentenced the
pri,oncr to be e ;Mined in Carlisle Gaol for three months, if he
&rise to pay the expenses of hie removal there ; otherwise to be
eJoliced in toe iii.:g's liv%ch Prison.