The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-01-20 00:00:00

write to the tteeorder or the Governor of Newgate, stating the
fact.
We understood that a small subscription was raised for her in
Court; and the broken-hearted mother retired full of gratitude for
the kindness she had received.
Samoa' Rake, William Elliott, and John Austin Wren, were
indicted under the Act, commonly called " Lord Ellenhorough's
Act," for maliciously assaulting John Collins on the highway with
a pistol, his monies to steal.
This case excited a great deal of interest, and the witnesses were
on admitted intn Court as they came to be examined.
Jhn Collins, thepreeecutor, being called, deposul that on the
4th of January he was in the Vauxhall-road, returning to his lodg-
ingi ill South Lambeth New-road. Ile wade, daily servant to bir.
Ileautoy,of South Lambeth. About twenty 'minutes before eight,
eta distance of about Us yards from tie toll-gate, in the Vauxhall-
read, a man came up to him, and pointed a pistol about three or
four inches from his fame and said, " Stand ! I demand your mo-
ney, or I will blow your brains out !" Witness said, " I have not
got any." The man asi4, " You have." Two more men then
came up instantly, when the prosecutor yt,treated two or three paces,
keeping his face towards the man whed the pistol, and who put
the pistol close to his temple, and 4d, " Positively I will blow
your brains out, if you do not deliver Aur money." The first man
had his hand on 'images breast at the time. The other men then
laid hold of him; or.e round the waist, the other by the left arm.
Prosecutor said he would not give them the money, and made a
rush to get swat eon . He loose from the prisoners and then cried
out " Murder ! The who had the pistol :hen fired in the
direction of the thesis, MO the bullet knocked his hat up ; but it
did not fall, for hit caught,his hat. The prisoners then ran away ;
the one who eauyht hint ity the waist Tee across the road, and the
others ran into -ftochestee.row. The two then separated ; but lie
still kept one of them in sight in going down Rochester-row, crying
out " Sto? thief !" and the prosecutor saw a soldier stop 11411.
The man who was taken by the soldier was not the one who had
the pistol. Misname was Samuel Rains, and he then stool in the
dock. The soldier took him to the guard-house, in Rochester-row,
where Reins wad searched by Pace, the athccr. and either dime on
four halls were found upou hint ; they were pistol-balls. He saw
Elliott on theYridey following, in custody; and at first he thought
he was the man also had red ; but on the subsequent Tuesday,
on seeing them together, witness believed that John Austin Wren
was the man who had fired. The man who had the pistol had a
black crape over hie eyes sad nose, and he was the tallest of the
three ; he wore a blue coot, light waistcoat, and dark trowsers.
Elliott's dress was nearly like Austin Wren's. The prosecutor
said, " I believe upoa m4slatil that Wren and Elliott were two of
the men ; and *Neter w ken in my presence. I was perfectly
sober " 't
Croes.4eauthieds-alatraag yery dark night‘ and he was a good
deal alarmed; but he wae"attacked just under a lamp. The ex-
lesion of a pistol loaded with powder, pointed so near as the one
an question was pointed to the prosecutor, would mist the hat.
Thomas (.adds, a soldier lia the 241 battalion of grenadier guards,
stated that he was in Hachette -row on the 4th of January, about
eight o'clock in the evening, calking to one of his comradesat the
guard-room, when lie heard the report of a pistol or gun. It ap-
peared to be about 200 yards from the place where he was standing.
He heard some one cr out " tlurder I" and immediately after
some one sung out "'Stop thief!" He then saw the prisoner
Rains running up Rochester-row, coming away from the place
where the report of the fire-arms was heard. Vi'itness pursued
Rains for about 200 yards, when be said, " What are you running
etc: me for, I have done nothing?" He said this as he was
running. Witness overtook him at the corner of Vincent-square,
and took the prisoner to the guard-room. When they got there,
the witness saw the prosecuwr, who said, " That is one of the
men who stopped ins on the Vmixhall.road." Ladds then
gave the prisoner in charge' of the corporal of the guard. An
officer was sent for, and Rama was searched; four bullets, a glass
bottle and a piece of cane, were found upon him. The witness was
asked if he could form say idea as to the use of the cane? He
replied, that lie should supts...e it had been used for a ramrod.
Thomas Pace, an officer of Queen-square, who resides at No.
11, Rochester-terrace, beard the cry of " Stop thief!" at his own
house; lie ran down to the gaard-room in Rochester-row, where
lie saw the prisoner Rains; he Searched him, and found four but.
lets, a flat bottle with powder hilt, a small-crow-bee, and 4 piece
of cane. 'Whilst the lama `Miss eeartiling Rains, Stiff. another
soldier, brought in a nat, and• a piece of black bouthasin in it ;
"J. IVren" was written in the hat. Front the name in the hat,
and knowing Wren to wear smog a hat as the one produced, he
'rennin search of hint, but did istat apprehend him till Monday,
the 12th, in the night, at a holm of ill-fame, No. 3, in the Al-
monry, two doom of which witness broke open before he could
secure him. Wren asked the witness if he wanted him for a
felony, and on being answered in the affirmative, he said he hoped
the officer would not handcuff him. The witness asked him where
his hat was? He then produced a paper cap, and said that was
all the hat he had. Wren then said,'" I know now what you want
lye for, and lam sure of being Soppy" (hanged). On the bth of
January witness went to Rains lodgings, and found a vice, to the
teeth of which he applied the bullets, and found them to fit
exactly. The bullets had not been cast, but pressed by a vice.
On the same day he also found Elliott near Salisbury-square,
Fleet-street. Witness searched him, and found three flints in his
left hand pocket, a key, and some money.
Thomas Stiff a soldier in the First Regiment of Guards, was on
duty in Rochester.row, a little before eight at night, on the 4th of
January, when he heard the cry of "Stop thief !" and saw two men
running, nne of whom witness knocked down. The man made his
escape, because the witness had nearly fallen himself; but he left
his hat, which he gave to the Pace.
Thorns, Pace wile again caoiled
, proved that he found the
pistol on the vommagofthe adi annoy, within few paces of
the place where the last witness h knocked down one of the men
who had ran away the preceding night. The pan was open, and it
had the appearance of being recently fired. The cock was also
down.
Rains, on being called upon for his defence, said that a young
man called upon him on the 4th of January, before he was up, end
asked him if he had any lead ? He said, " No."
Elliott said he knew nothing about it; and Wrest said that he
was in another place at the time.
The Hon. Mater Cust, a brother of the Earl of Brownlow, was
ailed to the character of Wren. lie said that Wren lived with
him two years ago; that he left his service of his own accord ; but
that he returned his livery most honestly, even to his lace
hatband.
' Two persona with whom Rains had worked, stated that they con-
sidered him honest and industrious.

Elliott called no witnesses.
ARABIA minutely summed up the evidence, and the Jury
retired from the Court for twenty-five minutes. On their return,
they pronounced a verdkd of Gailty against all the prisoners, but
recommended Elliott to mercy.
Air. AHAB/ SI robed upon what ground?
AJurynum replied, because the evidence was nut so clear against
• •

him.
ARABI sr—Then it is your duty to acquit him.
Another Juryman here observed, that the reason the Jury recom-
mended Elliott to mercy was, because they considered this his Emit
offence.
111 r. A RABIN asked the Jury If they were united in that mom-
mutilation, and was attawerul that they were.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS,
Mourn .711. X. 19.

The cases which came before the Court this day were generally
uninterestirig.
CO.M.MON INFORMERg.
IT'nt. 'rise, the common informer, and Wm. Jr? rsoa, who
were found guilty on cMtunlay last. of a conapiracyagainst the pro.
primoe of the Battler coach, were sentenced to six months' imprison-
ment, Wise to be txl,sed in the New Prison, and Jefferson in the
Roust of Correction.