The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-03-15 00:00:00

STEALING BEASTS AT GOSBERTON.

William Stanyard, iihas claypok, aged 31, was
put on trial, charged with strafing, its the eight of
the 16th of November last, a cow and two heifers,
the property of John Dicking,i, of Goshertosi
Cheat, iii the county of Lincoln, which cattle he
sold at liettoo, to this comity, on the hollowing
oloy, to Thoonas Goodwin. The fact of the am-
mats having beta grazing in a posture of 51r.
Dickings, on the 16th of Novendier, aus proved
by Joseph Grafton, who, as well if. the Prcomer,
wits at that tune so the service of the Prosecutor at
Grosherimi.

Ylr.Goodsiii deposed to seeing the Prisoner with
the cow end heifers at Ketton on the 17th ; he told
witness that they belosird to 31r. Claypole, of
I)eeping Frei, that they must be bold, and ilist his
master uphill la • piece for them. %Valorem', after
s-iar chaffering, bought 411 the three for the rum
and seine victuals, and sett the Prisoner to
to Ket the latter at the public-home. He then ac-
quainted his to ghbours wish the price, tutu his
comberitont ampiciorta that the stock had :wen
stolen ; wird Joseph Wortley, the cwistable,
heiedt-d the seller. .

The l'imaler, in defence, called nitilesses to
Charactur.
The 'tea. John Mossop, of Deeping, said the
!Intoner had lived wiih him; he wab very civil, and
h. 441 the reputation of honesty, but wittiebr, from his
t•ui,duci, vorobidered lam to be of weak intellects.
Mr. John 1-lack said the Priatitter had lived for
two years With conducted himself well, and
gave witness 110 reason to thick him dishonest.; he
appeared a little bit silly in the head, and at times
witness thoa;;l►t he might 1101 know eight from
wrong. He was often in a low, itietincholy way ;
and from his conduct upon the whole, witness
thinks that his mind was out of order ; Ins mother
had told him (Mr. flack) that bib father was at
11'1ilia's for nearly tire years. Prisoher always
comphoitied of his head, and would hot stoop. Ile
had been iii the army, and received a wound, of
whirl► the bear remained. Witness owed him five
guinea% at the time of the rubbery.
William 11411 gate, a ►hepherd, at Gusbertoo, had
known the Prisoner for Iwo years, mild thought
that at times he did not know right Irvin wrong iii
common matters. On one occasion, in returning
from Baotou with a team, he wanted to swim the
horses and waggon up the river, instead of pro-
creilihg on the road.
Mr. William °slide, gaoler at Okeham, said,
that the Prisoner's conduct had always been good
in the gaol ; witness had observed him fiequeutly
in lean., but could not discover that his mind was
disordered.

The JUDGE. in eum gup the evidence, said,
that it was nu answer to a cluirge of kluily, that a
Prisoner was subject to tempora►y derangement ;
it was fur the Jury to consider whether there was
satisfactory evidence that he was or so unsound a
Timid at the t►me ut this transaction, as not to knuw
that he was doing wrong.
The Jury, aft. r a few minutes' consultation, re-
turned a vvrilict of Guilty, but recommendad the
Prisoner to mercy.
Sentence of Death was afterwards passed.
STEALING FROM THE CART OF A CARRIER AT

OKEHAM.

Edward Lewin, aged nineteen, was arraigned
for stealing a canvass hag, containing articles of
grocery of the value of 51. from the cart of John
Wright, of Okeham, such bag and goods having
been committed to his (Wright'}} care as u common
carrier, and for the safe &livery of which be wus
ariamerable.
James Kirby, grocer, of Leicester, proved the
plating up ul sib. of tea, :Rub. of ►agar, and 21b.
of tuba•:co, which he directed to tilt: procecutor,

Mr. Hack, of Okeham, and delivered to tie car-
John Wright receives] from the Leicester carrier,
■t Melton Mowbray, the bind bag.
The other witnesses were. William Tomblin,
iit how to Wright, and Thomas Rippin, con-
stable of °Wham. It appeared lions their testi-
mony, th it the hag coutaining the goods was in
the cart when it reached Wright's yard a► Okeham,
and that the Prisoner Lewin was in the yard ut that
time. A warrant being obtained to search the
lodgings of the Prisoner at his sister's house,
the Prisoner, on the approach of the constable,
jumped out of the window, and ran off without
shoes or stockings. Sonic of the stolen sugar was
found under his bed, and other parts, with the
tea, &c. in ■ pig-sty belonging to the house. The
Prisoner subsequently confessed the robbery to
Wright.
Verdict—Gwilty. Sentence—Seven years' trans-
portation.
The JUDGE observed, that the notoriously had
character of the Prisoner made it impossible to mi-
tigate his punishment.
On passing sentence of death on the other Pri-
soners convicted, hit Lordship expressly said, that
they would not he executed ; what their punish-
ment would really be, was a matter about which
he should take proper advice, and it would be dis-
closed at a another time.
It way be useful to state, that in the course of
the day's bus►ne-a, the Learned Judge twice took
occasion to remark on the injury to the course of
justice which arose from inducing Prisoners to co, -
fess any thing through intimations that it would
be better for them. Prosecutions often failed
through this foolish conduct of constables and
others, against which he wished all persons to be
cautioned for the future.

During the time of the trials, so much noise anti
confusion prevailed iu Court, from the insubordi-
nation of the spectators, that it was impossible to
hear the observations of the Learned Judge ; inso-
much that some of the Jurymen actually returned
home ignorant of the sentencts pronounced upon
the Prisoners,

'there were not any law caulks entered fur trial
It time AlilliZtl4.