The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-12-04 00:00:00

MANSLAUGHTER.

&mute!' Jackson was indicted for killing and slaying
John Stratford, a child, 18 mustily, old, on the 14th of
November Inst.
it appeared in evidence, that the Prisoner was riding on
horseback with great velocity, on the 12511 of Novenilwr,
near Old-street Turnpike, arid the sisicr of the deceased,
a girl 12 years of age, was carrying him in her arias, bust
in consequence of her being struck In Ilse Pi isoneer horse,
she dropped the child, who was so injured by the fall skis he
died in three days after this accident occurred. The l'ri-
goner, however, continued to g: illop on after the child was
thrown down, oar did be rein i.• his hose until he found be
was pursued and likely so be overtskeu.
The Jury found him Guilty of Manslaughter.
- - -

Iliojamin Smith tai indicted for killing and slaving
Richard Sylvester, by driving a coach over him on the 30th
or October, in the City-run&
It appeared in evidence that the Prisoner, who was the
driver of one of the Paddington stage coaches, was driving
very hard on the City-mail, and his Irwin rail up aviinid
the deceased, who was a poor man employed in sweeping
the cross-ways. The deceased only survived the effects of
the injury lie receivrd by the fall a day or two. It was
proved that the Prisoner pulled up the horses the moment
the accident occurred, called a hackie, coach, into which
lie put the poor man, and gave the driver sa. to take him
immediately to St. lisitlviliimew's Hospital. Ile aim put
Ss. in the poor man's pocket, mud said he would take care be
should not want for any thing.
Srvenil wituessrs gave the Prisoner a most excellent cha-
racter for lisismoity and sobriety.
The Jury returned a verdict of Nut Gaily.
Mr. Baron Grinnow remarked, that the excellent chaise-
ler of the Prisoner steed him on the present orcasion; but
be warned him in future how he drove so as to endanger Ike
liars of the King's subjects.

Samuel Jordan, Morn Jordan, .Tune Parker, John
Churchill. If'illiain inMon, and Morten Murray, were ca-
pitally suds test for wilfully and maliciously ending and
stabbing James M 311611116, with intent to kill and murder
luau, or with intent Ist do bins soma grievous hodily harm.
The Prosecutor deposed, that he is a carcremer oat of
work; he lived in Chequcr•atlev, 'Wooorwplace, Osub.sirert.
All the Prisoners lived in Camlin court, G►ub.street. On
Sunday night week Martin Murray and Jane Pother came
to his boding' and called tint to hint that Mrs. Jordan had
some business with him. Witne►s put ou his chattels and
went to ihem to a gate at a distance, whet, lie found them
waiting for bun. Thr y took him into initiates house, and
set a chair before the lire, and talked tea him pleasantly fur
some lime. lie bad obtained an attachment against Jor-
dan in the Court of Requests. They talked to him in a
fiieadly way for some time, when Churchill put a rat rag
over his mouth, and cowered his eyes, now, and mouth, and
Vrilksin Wadies gave him one stab, sod he received three
other stabs upon the breast-burro, hot he could not tell by
whom they were istlieted. When they Snead him bleeding
they brought a spunge and a wet rag, and applied them
to his brrcast. '1 hey then threw him down stabs into the
cellar, and iiiJ hiss hands behind him. Witness fainted away
twice. Churchill CUM. &oh and said he was dead, and
kicked him tin the shoulder. Murray seat came dows acid
said kr ass dosie, but Mary larders said, " He is not until
Isis throat is cut." Murray said be bad a* business there,
and Churchill, Wilder, sad Norm dragged him up. He
pretended to be dead, hut upon hearing them talk of tut-
ting his throat, he made a noise, and Jane Parker stuffed
the rag down his thrust sills • stick. They then took him
up, stud carried him isito the marl, where he found his arms
and legs were lied, but by straggling he broke there're. He
was afterwards liken to the hospital.
Cross-travel:ford by Mr. Aboe.eitas.—He had left the
house in consequence of having hold a dispute with some of
the Prisoners. He was tried at Chiskirsowell Sessions, and
put into prison respecting these disputes. lie was confined
nearly duce weeks. He never said he wools' be revenged of,
them, and hare them all hung in a hue. He slid not say sir
to three persons whom names were mentioned by Mr. Aolosl.
plino. The red rag was funnel in his pocket ; the officer bad
it. He MOM MN Inelinew Of make any noise. It was two
days since he ram from the hospital without his shoes, dock•
inv, and hat.
Au Assistant Surgeon Ili Mr. Weeded, of Chimed Wert,
stated, that ow the warning of the 47th of November, abort
too o'clock, he maw Iblargismia He tumid him sitting in a
Thaw in she oambAirearterry (aim and weak. Wilma@ ex-
amined his breast, sod Gourd a wound us the righ: indent
it—it maid not hate ocessisinard death. There 1140 e also
two small weeds lies, but they did am partake or she charac-
ter of winsuris.
Here Mr. Aware Saitudit stemd the ,widener, oh.
serving to the Jary;llial upon Ikea evoker, he the
prostration, said Is. would date io the Jury fat I par•

. . .
pmc lie aid .4. The Prisoners were charged 11111.111 the Ws-
dirtuseut with the paints% Artiste of cutting, siabhiug, el tl
doiog aurae !grievous bodily harts. and therefore it was to
the stabbing sad cutting that the Court' el, called Bras to
ttireet• its attention. ACCUldint PO the :oe of the Sor-
grim, the extent of the uuty wound spoken of did not amount
to a cutting or 'Wilting. which moold be constroed as cons.
inte within the rootemplation of the Act of Parlimnrut. The
wentsisl Weida! was out likely 10 produce (4151 COMlC-
garotte. finder the.e circunistauces the Jury could sot
Sod them guilty.
The Jury immediately found all the Prisoarrs Not Guif!jr.

CRI.UthAL LAWS.

(Co:ilk:sod f,ois our Paper of Monday, Nut: caller 19J

REPORT.

The Select Committee of the iiiUss. of Commons appointed
to consider of No moils of the Criminal Laws as relates to
Capital Punishment ist Felonies, have agreed upon the
following Report :
It has sometime■ been said, that the abolition of perml
laws which have linen into disuse, is of little advantage to
the community. Tone Committee consider this opinion as
an error. They forbear to enlarge on the striking remark of
Lord Oaron. that all such laws weaken and disarm the
01111 r pots of the criminal system. The (regiment occurrence
of the assescisted threat of death in a crimin code, tete&
In rob that punishment of all its terrors, Rod to enervate
the general authority of the Government and the Laws.
The multiplieati tttt of this threat in the Laws of Englaisd
has brought on lhtm, and on the station, ■ 'quintet'r of
barshoes: Anil cruelty, which evidence of a mild *simians.
tration of thesis will not entirely remove. Repro] •ilenced
the objection. Reasoning founded no lenient exercise of
authority, whatever its force may be, is not calculated to
efface a general and deep impression. The removal ..f
used laws is a preliminary operation which greatly fat Ili-
' talcs a join estimate, and (where it is necessary) no effects's,
reform of those laws which are to remain in activi.y. Were
capital poniditnenta restored to the comparatively small
number of can a in which they are often inflicted, it would
become a mode simpler operation to form a right judgment
I of their propriety air necessity. Another cuosidtratiou
of still greater 000000 tient 'mounts itself on this part of the
sulij. et ; penal laws rue sometimes rally(' into activity after
lung nod in rases where their very existence may he
unknown to the best informed part of the community; ma.
heions prosecutors set them iu ttttt ; a mislabels admi-
nistration of the law may apply them to purposes for which
they were not ioseuileil, and whirls they are calculated
more to defeat than to promote : such scents to have
been the rase of the person who, in the year 1814,
at the Assizes for Essex. was capitally convicted of the
offence of cutting (lows, trees and who, in spite of ear-
nest appltraiiooa for merry from the prosecutor, the com-
mitting Magistrate, and the whole neighhoorhood. was ear.
crated, apparently hermitic be was believed to he habitually
engaged in other oCI ores, for none of which, however, be
had been convicted or tried.

This case is not (puffed as furnishing any charge against
the Mulleins y of the Judge or of the advisers of the Crown ;
they certainly acted according to the dictates of their judg-
ment; but it is a case where the effect of punishment is
sufficiently sliewu by the evidence to be the reverse of ex-
emplary, and it is hard to say, whether she general disease of
the capital punishment in this offence, or the single instance
in which it has been carried into effect, suggests the strong-
est reasons for its tau:Heim:. .

The statute* creating capital felonies, nhirh the Com-
mittee have considered under this head, are resliteible to two
classes ; the first relate to acts either so nearly indifferent as
to r►gaire no penalty, or if injurious. not of such a magni-
tude as that they may nut safely be lat punishatile as mis.
demeanors at commit law. In these your Committee pro-
pose the simple tepee, ; thi y are as follows:
I—l and 2 Phil. and Mary. c. 4. Egyptians remaining
within the kingdom one mont►.
2.-13 Charles 11. c. 3. Notorious thieves in Comber-
land and Northisinhrrhwl. . . .

..... _
3.-9 Geo. I. c. 22. Being armed and disguised in any
forest, park, dm.
4.-9 Geo. I. e. 22. &ing aimed and disguised in any
warren.
5.-9 Geo. I. e. 22. Being armed and disguised in any
high-road, open heath, com.non, Or down.
6—9 Geo. 1. c. 22. Uulawfully hunting, killing, or steal-
ing deer.
7—9 Geo. I. e. 22. Rubbing Warrens, &e.
8.-9. Geo. I. c. 22. Stealing or taking any fish out of
any river or pond, &e.
9—l Geo. I. c. 2!. Hunting in his Majesty's forests or
chases.
10.-9 Geo. 1, c. 22. Breaking down the head ur mound
of a fish pond.
11.-9 Gro. I, c. 28. Rein; digitised within the Mint.
12.-14 Geo. IL r. 29. Nue iug ui Westminster Bridge,
and other bridges by other Acts.
The Second Class consists of those offences, which, though
in the opinion of your Committee never tit to lie posiisiwil
with death, are yet so malignant and dangerous as to require
the highest punishments except death, which are known to
our laws. These the Committee would make punishable,
either by transportali ... ,1111' iniprisoument with hard labour,
allowing considerable scope to the discretion of the Judges
mycelia; the term fur which either puisishisient is to en.
dare.
, 1.-31 Elie. e. 9. Taking away any maid, widow, or
wife, lac.
2 —2l Jac. I. c. 26. Acknowleding or p ing any fine,
recovery, &c.
3.-4 Geo. I. cap. 11. s. 4. Helping to the recovery of
stolen goods.
4.-9. Ciro. I. c. 22. Maliciously killing or wounding
cattle. _ _ _ _ . .

5.-9 Geo. 1. c. 23. Cutting down or destroying trees
growing, ;Sac.
6.-5 Geo. It. c. 20. Bmikrunts not surrendecing, &c.
7.-5 Geo. 11. c. 20. Concealing or euthezzling.
B—B GI/. 11. c. 3.. Cutting down the batik of any river.
9.-8 Geo. H. c. 20. Destroying any fence, luck, sluice,
Stc.
10.-28 Geo. 11. c. 23. Making a false entry in a mar.
riage register, &c. five feloisirs.
11.-27 Geo. 11. c. 15. Sending threatening letters.
12.-27 Gel.l. 11. e. 10. 13estruy lug Honk, &c. Redford
Level.
13 —3 Geo. 111. c. 10. Pim/mating Ont Pensioners of
Greenwich Hospital.
14.-23 Geo. 111. c. 40. Maliciously cutting Serge*.
15.-21 Gee. 111. c. 47. 14 admitting Offenders against
that (Revenue) Act, when returned from Transportation.
It does not seem necessary to make any observations in
this place on the punish/net/Is of Triasportation and
tnt-
priwrntrent, which your Cousmaitee have proposed to *abatis
tale for that of Death in the seeond of the two classes
absve.meutioswil. In their present in/perfect state they are
sufficient fur sack offences ; and in the more improved con-
dition in which the Committee trust that all the prisons of
the king/torn will sums he placed, imprisonment may be
hoped d. be Of such a nature as to answer every purpose of
terror and retursesation.

lit the more disputable which relate to offences
of more fr. quint occurrence and more extensive mischiefs
your Committee will limit their resint poetical conclu-
sions to those cases. to which the evidence before them mast
distinctly refers. They canton entertaits any doubt that
the general principles which h.vr Info so sti 'kingly verified
sad corroborated in some particular cases by that evidence,
apply silt' egnal force to many others, relating to which
they have oft had sufficient time to collect the lestimooy
of witnesses. That some offeuces which the law trent• as
arson. and awe which it puiiivlsi •as burglary, are nut pro-
perly classed with these mimeo, and ought nut to be punish-
ed with death, would probably be rendered apparent by a
legislative consolidation of the laws in bring re spieling
arson and burglary. The saute result, though in a Irv*
degree, might be ecpeetrel from a similar uperattuu in other
important beads of criminal law.
(To be continued.)

To give some idea of the state of the manufactur-
ing towels in this retool, it may be only necr►ssry
to state. that • la►ge manufut tory was put up at
Purlieu at Trowlwidge, a short time ago, and sold
fur lowa easoney than the glouud oil which the premises
stood would have fetchsd &about !en or twelve yeses
since. It is stated tbst no less then from 2to 3,000,
Weds are mow out of empluy its that town.
population is from • to to,tok—r(Derizeo Liw
setts.)