The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-08-14 00:00:00

DREADIVL SUICIDE.

Yesterday morning, about half past six o'clock, a mass
of genteel appearance went into the shop of Mr. Jeremiah
Ash, hair-dresser in Loudon-street, Si. George's-market,
&touch, and requested the loan of • razor fur is moment,
'o shave off (as he said) some disagreeable hairs that were
griming on his tipper lip. Mr. Ash having frequently
seen the man in his shop before, had no hesitation in
lending the instrument; but at the same time offered the
stranger his own services gratuitously to do the busi-
ness, which he positively decliard, observing, that it was a
trifling service which hefleould du himself in • minute. He
then took the razor in his band and approached the looking.
glass, whilst Mr Ash turned round to get him the ahaving-
box, but instead of shaving, be pulled off his t,
and inflicted a most desperate wound in his neck.—
Mr. Ash ass very much terrified on advancing with
the shavine•hox, to find the unfortunate man standing
against the wall, bleeding profusely, and the ream. in his
hand covered with blood ; he immediately grasped him by
the shoulder, and aucceeded in throwing him into a chair,
•nd shaking the razor from his hand; be then endeavoured
to stop the hlood with a napkin, upon which the wounded
mac, aware of his intention, with a sodden and desperate
exertion, span from the chair, and seised the razor, which
be was again shout to apply to his throat, when Mr.
Ash seized his arm, and fur the mosnerit prevented him. A
desperate *woggle tossed, iu the course of whirls he made
several attempts to rut Mr. Ash with the weapon, who at
length overcome, was obliged to save himself by miming
into the hat* rotors sad locking the door. The unfortu-
nate %vaunt'. their drew the razor several times nears his
throat, and at note of them cut the jugular vein, when the
effusion of blood became so great as to suffocate him imme-
diately, and be dropped down dead. Mrs. Ask, who was in
bed, was alarmed by the iicnfliorg, and comedown stairs in-
stantly—on beholding the shop covered with blood, she
thought somebody had been killed, and called loudly for help,
when a great mob assembled. The rause of the disturbance
bring made known a surgeon was procured, but be could,
or coarse, geode, MO scarier; he advised the body to be
Wire to the Wellington Arma public-house, which was dune,
and au the course of the day it was ascertained that the un-
fortunate Mall was a ruler its the King's Bench, named
James Lon 4. He had carried on the business of a master
carpenter in Londou for a length of time, and the whole
of his debts did nut exceed 300 i. It is supposed that some
disagreerrwitt mails his creditors had driven hoe to the per-
petration& of the sash act.

Extract of • letter Irons St. Helena, dated the
_9lh of Mat' :
" General Sir GEORGIC, and Lady BINGHAM em-
bark for England to-inorrow, on board of the Re-
gent. Report says, that he will soon return as Go-
senior. One of the irerisroris with the 20th regi-
ment liar out %et arrived. Count BALMAINN has
retained here f hr Brazils. We know nothing
of what passes us Europe, sa all the newspaper'
which restive are obliged to be forwarded to Sir
Runsua Lowe, who destroys them after perusal.
Even Iris own papers are 110 t exempted POlllllll4,
and ulirsirbef he condescends to lend one to the
Officers of his Stall, it Iv sent used returned under a
sealed envelope, sit order to prevent Ilse contents
being made known to any except the favoured cuss-
believe that I omitted giving you an sc.
count of the sham light, which caused so great an
alarm in Ilila Si, THU*. ItLADE, the Adju-
tant-General, being desirous of gratifying Lady
LAM I: with Ilse representation of a naval night act 000000
gave darectioris to that effect to Capt. W•cciuttoE,
of the turydice. Accordingly, at ten o'clock at
tag's', the Eurydice, alter a brilliant discharge of
rockets, Moe helms, Ste. co 000000 eticed r vigorous tali-
Isussade, which was answered by a brig. and kept up
with great spirit uo both sides, to the great acatira-
tom of such lashes es were its the secret, and to the
consternation of the Inhallilmistos, gbt tailiefr, of
Adunral PhamPltd, oho out liabllsg heels eislibiallrd
Un the occasion, and imagintrig that the Yankees
were endear/outing to laird warder tocarry Hu A-
PARTN, beta Iss. Secretary and the signal midship-
man gallopping down the steep side path front the
briars at the Ira of their neck', to ascertain what
was the wetter. Notliiirg could t xcerd the con-
(moon, roiroirgst the uauvea, the greatest part of
wi docked ha the alarm pubis, where they re-
mained Instil day-1141st, while Ihr laboured few who
were duly titillated, quietly Named to their irea
c miaowed plate of repose, laugilliog within them-
Klee. at the ream of their credulous iirighhorirs.
The following day an order was issued by Admiral
1'1.4'1414N to the Atioullrois under his command,
prolulnitrig a repetition of night 1:11111101sidissg,
wititusit lila cousesst liarlog beefs pretiougly °Waits-
VI. Nob's% Notion is known abust Bea•paatz,
• th... 0 that tic auu the aloud."

SUSSEX ASSIZES.

LEWIOI. AUGUST 11.
MURDER AT BRIGHTON.

Edward Broadbent, a private soldier in the 90th
regiment of foot, was indicted for the wilful mur-
der of Willem Watson, ■ verjeant of the same regi-
ment, by shooting him with a loaded musket, at the
perish of Briglithelmstone, on the 49th of June last.
This case produced comiderable interest. When
the wretched culprit was put to the bar, he excited
feelings in all around, very unusual on similar or-
engine's—pity and c 1111 l miteration. tie appeared
deeply affected by a otiose of his dreadful situation,
■nd Ins whole demeenuur wag highly creditable to
corsidering the nature of the crime with which
he :tool charged, and the inevitable certainty of his
fate. When yelled upon for his plea to the arraign-
ment, hr exclaimed in a pathetic manner, " I am
but too guilty-1 ant guilty, and it would he only
adding more guilt to my cuaircience if I were to say
utlirrwi•r,"

Mr. Justice PARE Ur;zral him to pleat' Not Geary,
and take his trial, suggesting to him the inutility id
the course lie had taken, if he expected any mercy.
The Prisoner shook his head, and repeated that
lie was guilty, and expected 110 mercy. Upon
which his plea of Guilty was recorded.
The Learned Juessig, however, again entreated
him to plead Not Guilty. and requested the Com-
mon Serjednt, who led the prosecution, to speak
with and recommend him t• retract his plea.
The Coussou SERJBANT accordingly conversed
with the unhappy man, mud after • great deal of
peivuasiou, prevailed upon him to take his trial.
The Ju►y accordingly being charged,

Mr. COMMON SERJEANT (with whoffi was Mr.
Norton) stated, in as abort a compass as piwsible,
the case for the prosecution. It will be recollected
that the Prisoner, having been put under arrest by
the deceased, for some act of misconduct, on the
day tuentioned in the indictment, lie was liberated
to attend the evening parade in the Barrack-yard at
Brightosi, and that at the moment lie got at liberty
he levelled his loaded musket at the deceased, and
shot him through the body. The deceased sur-
vived about g 0 minutes, and the Prisoner surren-
dered himself the moment the melancholy occur-
rence took place. The following witnesses were
examined to prove the case.
John Shannon, a private of the 90th, stated, that
on the 29th of the Prisoner was confined under
arrest iii the guard-house at the Brighton Barracks.
IVliilst witness was in the guard-room lie saw the Pri-
soner pruning his lirelock. It frequently happened
that wheu a soldier wanted to light his pipe, he
flashed some gunpowder in the pan of his piece, to
ignite sonic tinder ; but as the Prisoner did not ap-
pear to be going to smoke, witness laid hold of his
tirelock, and asked I • whether lie was going to in-
jure himself? lie replied that the lirelock was his
own, and lie was nut so mad as to injure himself.
%Vitoria took the gun out of his hand, shook the
powder out of Inc pan, and laid the piece down, at
a distance of about four paces from the Prisoner.
The Prisoner never touched the piece until a non-
commissioned officer came to take him to the evening
parade, when lie took his tirelock with I
Asumined by Mr. Justice Pate.—The powder
must be very small to find its way through the
touch-hole from the barrel of the gun into the pan,
the touch-hole being very sinall.
Thomas Visor. a private in the 90th, stated, that
the Prisoner was put into conlissement in the guard-
house by the deceased, between eleven and one
o'clock, on the g9th of Julie. Witness saw him in
the guard-house, walking up and down, in a very
agitated manner, flinging his bands about in a
threatening and passionate manlier, 811(1 heard him
say--$4 If I go to the evening parade this evening,
it shall be worse fur Serjeant Watson."

John Thomas, a private of the 90th, said, he had
just left his barrack-room to attend the evening pa-
rade, on the 2911 i of June, when he saw the Prisoner
coming out of the guard-room with his firelock.
11'itness was standing six or ►even yards from
The deceased was standing iti front of the company,
with his back towards the Peisoaer, the latter being
at the distance of about three or four yards from
him. IV hen the deceased was iii the act of turning
round, the Prisoner raised his firelock to his shoul-
der, and discharged it at 1 The deceased
dropped to the ground, and exclaimed, " My God !
my God ! lam shut !" The Serjetint-Major came
twining out ul the guard-room, and asked, " Who
was it ?" The Prisoner answered, "It was I, lam
the man," and said no more, but surrendered him-
self into custody.
Corporal James M`Cahe said, that he came lin-
: mediattly to the spot sfier the gust was fired, and
lifted the deceased tip; he died in about 211 mi-
nutes. Witness took the Prisoner into custody, and
in his way to the guard-room said to hint, " Are
you not a terrible man for dotes; such a thing as
tins ?" The Prisoner replied, " I am not, for the
serjraut was always tyrannising over me, slid I was
determined lie should not du it any more."
Mr. 101111 C Sikock, the surgeon of the regiment,
stated, that he was called to attend the deceased ; he
died in 15 minutes after witness saw him. The
bullet passed under the right shoulder blade in ■n
oblique direction through the body, and in its pas-
sage went within three inches of the tip of the heart.
The deceased must have beets standing sideways,
from the direction which the ball took. There was
no doubt it was the cruse of his death.
When each of these wittiesses were examined in
chief, the prisoner, bring without Counsel, was
asked if lie would put any questions to them, but
every time he *bok his head in a melancholy muss-
tier, and said " No."

Beii,g asked shot lie had to Pay in Ilia defence, lie
miiilnothing, but shook his heed in like manner.

Mr. holier PARK, to his charge to the Jury,
solid, it was always of great itni.ortatice that the pro-
ceedings in cases of this description should be as
public mud notorious as possible, it being much
more satisfactory, fur the purposes of justice, that
the grounds upon which the Court told Jury de-
cided should be well kuown ; and it was therefore
that his Lordship was anxious that the nishappy
Mari at the bur should hose the opportunity of hay.
ing his Clore fairly and impartially tried, by urging
lino to retract his plea of As there could
he little doubt 4.f the result of the case, it would
hardly be necessary to
less iteccs.ary lOr him to make any observations upon
a. Without waking any further comment, it would

be sufficient to observe, that the crime of murder
consisted in taking away the life of 'mother with
malice aforethought. There could he ito other in-
ference drawn (rain the evidence they had just beard,
than that the Prisoner was guilty of such • crime.
The unhappy man at the bar seemed to have had •
mind extremely sensible and irritable ; and because
the deceased, in the faithful discharge of his duty,
had put him under :arm, lie meditated the fatel
revenge which was earn. ii ~,,, as detailed
iii the evidence. The rJ• e wo. heroic tlir Jury. and
!boy would dispose of it accoithog to their coo-
et letters. _ .

•
The Jury immediately fooud the pri•nrier Guilty.
and he struggled with his feeling• to preserve some
degree of firmness fluting the solemn iirnteeding
which full.useil. _ _

Mr. Justice PARK proceeded with difficulty to
discharge the melancholy duties of his (Ace, and
the tide of his own feelings, greatly excited by the
demeanour of the prisoner himself, frequently pa: a-
lyzed the power of utterance. Adverting to the
prisoner's thifeigeird sen,ibility, he said he should
not aggravate the distress of his mind, by enlarging
upon the enormity of the crime f.r which he was
:11/00 to sutler, conceiving tlv.t he was duly im-
preased with a consciousne-s of the dreadful sin he
had committed ; but in the Issiguage of cotornirer-
titian and entreaty, he urged hnu to employ the few
short hours left loin in this world, in devout apple-
cation to that tribunal f which alone he could
expect mercy. Nis I,oril.hip pruGouisced the dread-
ful sentence, and ordered the wretched culprit for
execution on Friday morning, and that his body
should be delivered over to the surgeons to be atia-
toniixcd.

The prisoner, during the Learned Judge's im-
pressive address to him, tells dreadfully agitated,
and at the conelts‘ion he fell into the min. of the
gaoler end his aiwistanti in a paroxysm of grief.
The Court war crowded to eller...

EXECUTION OF WEEMS.
AND GALVANIC EXPERIMENTS UPON THE BODY.

This unfortunate criminal, whose trial for the retarder of
his wife was reported in our paper of the 9th, was I' aerated
sin Friday, the 61h mataut, a few minutes past twelve o'clock,
Over the gateway of the County Gaol, at Cainhoridge, is the
presence of a vast number of spectator,. HIP behtviuor
after condemnation was eonsisteat with his awful situation,
and be met his ignominious fate with firmness. His crime,
as our readers may remember, was attended with circum-
stances of peculiar atrocity, having murdered his wife in the
most deliberate manner, in order to marry a female to whom
he was paying his addresses as a single man.
The body, after having been suspended an hone, was re.
moved from the scaffold, and WWI immediately conveyed i•
• cart, accompanied by the Sheriff's ulcers and coustebley,
to the Chemical Leccire.roons in the Botanical garden,
where Professor Cumming had prepared his powerful gal-
vanic battery (which formerly belonged to Professor Ten-
nant), with the intention of repeatiug some of the experi-
ments lately described by Dr. Ere, of Glasgow, is the Jour.
ual of the Royal Institution.
We shall now proceed to state the result of the experi-
meats upon the body of Weems.
E'xr. I.—thie wire was applied to a small incision in
the skin of the neck over the par vagum, and the oilier to
one made between the 6th sod 7th rib ; when, at each ilia-
charge of the battery, the chest was disturbed in a manner
similar to • slight shuddering from cold • the period of Ma
shadikring corresponding with the number of plates shuck
by the operator in the last trough.
Exr 2.—The par vagum was laid bare, one of the
wires 'leased under it; the other was placed in contact
with the diaphragm, through an intim 00000 made sleeper than
the last between the 6th and 7116 rib. The contractions
were evidently simmer than in the last experiment,
and to all appearance confined to the same set of muscles.—
Not the smallest action of the diaphragm was perceptihle.
4.—One wire was placed under the snpra-urbitary
serve, the other remaining ler the par mama; at each
discharge of the battery it produced considerable action of
the muscles of the face, and !mire particularly ins the side to
which it we. applied, though nut expressive of say of the
mental affections of life; it might more properly be called a
convulsive twitching.
Esp. 6.—The wire being passed under the ulnae
its separation from the sailisry plexus, the electric circuit
was completed by bringing the oilier in cuutact with the
radial nerve at the serial. 'The flexor muscles of the arm soil
Amid were thrown into strong action, the arm being drawn
op, and the fist closing with considerable kirce. In this ex.
perimeist, the naliscular cataract's'''. were more struugly
marked than in may of the preceding.
Ear. 7th, consisted in placiug the wires in cootact with
the !plant marrow between the 3d and 4th cm teal vertehrm
and the tibial nerve, in its passage behind the inner ankle.
A more extensive, though less vigorous effect followed this
exhibiiinu of the galvanic iathiroce than in any of the
shove-mentiosied experiments ; most of the muscles of the
trunk and extremeties answered feebly the dischales of the
battery.
. . . . . .

_
The galvanic battery used in thew, experiments, coneiseed
of 220 pairs of double-six.incle plates; It was changed with
dilute sulphuric and fuming smutse acid, and was i n a state of
intense action. The galvanic influence was applied in the
same manner as at Glasgow, by connecting the ends of the
battery with the nerves to be acted upon, and run oo ioo g unc
of the connecting wires over the ends of the plates in the
last trough.
The experineents commenced at 25 minutes pmet one,
and occupied about an boor; the temperature of the body
was 93 degrees; there woe no dislocation of the neck, and
uu distortion of the connten.eure.

The necessary )))) a were timecard by Mr. Okes, its
the presence of nearly all the medical gentlemeo in Coel-
ho idge, of Busily members of the Uuiversity, and antral of
the most respectable inhabitants of the tows and comely.
From the account given by le. Ure, they had been led to
form, perhaps, too sanguine an expectation ul the efficary
of galvanism is era g onepeaded atonalities; it is there-
fore to be regretted, that, although undertakes with a bat-
tery at least equally powerful, and with every attesting to
ensure success, these expel orients afford op coMinnation of
the hopes held out by theme at Glasgow.
On the following day (Saturday), by pretension of Profee.
soy Cumming, the body mat (Trued and exposed to public
view to the same room in *lin+ the experiment• had been per.
formed. Cuusubk. mare placed at the gate in Downing-
ids eel, to prevent the fOUIIII f • twang too much crow tkJ, and
at 114 o'clock the /loins neat. "'wool. 'f lie britches were in-
staulasseausly tilled a ails speclolto%, whose tuantessances be.
'puke a strange combos:Awn oaf toramilly, disgust, mid 301.
Croatia of
ceeded each oilier until our o'clock, and amougst the many
hundreds who canoe to view Me body no ore error/ snored
by a feeling of rity fur tlw fate of the misdeal, es etre"(
were the grounds fur his condemnation. The &Oft wen the.
slant, and at the request of a large party ("gentlemen, Mr.
Okes commenced a more esiensive dissection or the body,
accompanied by a familiar illustrative of its several parts,
and their respective fersetieee.—(Creeloo.o Chrteoffiw)

PRICE OF STOCKS YESTERDAY.

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