The National Register.
London, England, 1817-08-11 00:00:00

THE TRIAL (fl' ROGER O'CONNOR.

At hate-:sast five o'clock in thr tenting of Friday, August the
Ist. Si: F. Burdett, accompanied by Captain Butler, of the 55th.
Regiment. arrived at Trim, in a pod-chinse and four, attended by
two servants. Immediately alighting at the prison, they were
'hewn to the apartment in which Mr. O'Connor had been lodged a
short time pee%tous. and which was prepared, with much good feel-
ing and consideratioo, for his reception. A crowd of payers col-
lected round the entrance to the goad on the quality of the visitors
being ascestiiined. and in a few u.inutes the news of the arrival of
these distinguished persons spread with more than ordinary rapidity,
and draw into the town a vast concourse of people, liilXlol.ls fort
view Of Sir Francis Burdett.
_ . . .

Dn Saturday and Sunday the town was completely inundated by
arrivalr from Dublin aid the surrounding counties, namy of them
pers.oniv, of distinction and political notoriety. Sir Francis
Burdett, from the anxiety which was manifested in all so WC him,
seeimll to be as much the object of attraction as the trial of Mr•
O'Cunnur. The charges for accommodation, from the caantinuAl
ingress of visitors. at length became so extravagantly high that two
guineas were, in some cases, considered competitively reasonableterms tbr a bed.—The Gentlemen's seats contiguous to Trim were
occupied by crowds of friends.; and, from the must splendid man-
sion to the humblest cot, so great seas the pre-occupation, scareali
had or hoard was to be had.
On Monday the Assizes for Meath commenced. Mr. Justice
Da.t.r presided in the Crow% Court. The _following Grand Jury
was sworn :

Earl Receive. foreman.—Sir Marc Somerville, the Hoc.
Edward Preston, Hon. Thomas Barnwell, Sir Thomas Chapman.
Bart. Janus Naleper, Esq. Christopher Nicholson, Esq. Gustavus
Lambert, Es,q. duhu Pratt %Viotti., Esq. William Blaney. Wade.
Esq. Claudius Cole Hamilton, Esq. Chas. Tisdall, Esq. NichoLts
Coddington, Esq. Colonel Joseph Pratt, Elias Corballis. Esq.
George Lucas Nugent. Esq. Thos. Everard, EF,q. John Metge„
Esq. John Gerard, Esq. Henry Smith, Esq. John Charles Preston,
Erq. Richard O'Ferral Caddie, Esq. and Framers Corbet, Esq.
His l.ordship briefly charged the Jury.
Within „a quarter of three o'clock, Michael Owens, Daniel
Warning, aud Dorothea Reynolds. were sworn in Court. in order
to he examined Striae the Grand Jury, as witnesses against Mr.
O'Connor.

The Bills being found.
AA half-past four o'clock, Mr, O'Connor was conducted from the
goal to the Court by the High Sheriff, Sir Francis Burdett and Mr.
O'Cenner's eldest son walking amt in arm with hint. Mr. O'Connor
was put into the dock, and immediately went up to the bar. Sir.
Francis Burdett and Mr. O'Connor's sun sat. at the Traverser's bar,
in front of the dock. it being cleared foethern by the High Shezitt;
the Court was crowded to excess; and from the moment Mr.
O'Connor made his appearance, until he withdrew, the most re-
spectful silence prevailed. He was dressed in blue, end looked ex-
tremely well; has deportment was dignified, he had a smile on his
countenance dtuing the entire time, and from the bar saluted
some gentlmen in Court; the indictments were not ready, and after
Mr. O'Conner had stood for upwards of half an hour at the bar,
the Sub-Sheriff handed a chair into the dock, when Mr. O'Connor
sat down at ten minutes past tive o'clock.
Mr. O'Connor and Matting al•Keon were called to the bar, when
Mr.lttots:v, Clak of the Crown. read the Indictments, which
were to the following effect:-
Ist. That Richard Waring, or Warren, robbed the Mail OP the
2d. day of October, 1812, at Cappagh-hill in the County of Kildare,
and that the prisoners received it, knowing it to be robbed.
Second Count as the first, stating the Mail to be from Dublin to
Clonard.
2nd. States die robbery of the Mail by Richard Araring, or
Warren, and that!the prisoners did. at Danagan. in the County of
Meath, feloniously incite, move, procure and assist, nounial, hire.
and command the said Richard Waring, or Warren, to do and
commit the said felony and robbery.
Second Count stating the Mail to be frora Dublin to Claimed.
3rd. That the said Richard Waring, or Warren. did feloniously-
assault on the said day, at Cappagh-lull, on the King's high-way.
Bartholomew St. Lire, and put him in fear of his life, and forci-
bly and foloniously d steal from his person one silver watch value
ss. and his goods, against the peace and statue—and that the psi-
soners before the commitang of the said robbery, to wit, the acid
day, at DarniKan, in the county of Meath, and did feloniously in-
cite' move, procure and waist, counsel, hire, and command, the
saidßichard Waring, or Warren,. to do and commit the said felony
and robbery.
Second Count as. the first. stating the goods, to he keys, value 56.
The indictment being read; Mr. Rickey, the Clerk of the Crown,
asked the prisoners, individually, whether he was guilty or not ?r Mr.
O'Connor emphatically replied," 1 amnot Sir." al•Keen answered
t•not guilty.
They were then asked if they were ready for then trial. And answer-
ing in the affirmative, it was fixed for nine o'clock on Tuesday
morning.
Owens was under sentence of death in Kilmainharn. Waring. is an
approver. Witab.2 !anther was hanged for the mail coach robbery ; and
Dorotha Reynolds was a servant to Mr. O'Connor.
Mr. Bennet, who went down specially as Counsel for Mr. O'Con-
nor, made application to the Court that ho would be allowed to sit at
the traverser a bar ; this being grounded on two circumstances .--t et,
That a most distinguialied stranger. Sir Francis Burdett, attended
thin extraordinary trial, who wished to sit. next Mr. O'Connor durmg
its continuance. 2d, Thac he perceived that die flock was extremely
inconvenient, as his Lordship saw when his (Mr. Justice Daly's) ',II.
Inanity suggested the idea of sending a chair into the Dock ; that Mr.
O'Connor, could not be seen. nor Iris it puesible for, hint to see the
witness when on the table; beside. the trial, from what he (Mr. Ben-
two knew of Mr. O'Connor's defence. was likely to last for a very
considerable time, and this aecsmaniodatian was nut given. lie must
from fatigue, sic down, and become invisible to the Jury, the Court
and his collage]. Mr. Bennet said this accommodation had been fre-
nootlY granted. hods on: the State Trials in England, and in other
cases.
Lordship said, he could .:ee no objection ta thisapiicattion.
Mr. Bennet said, he trusted it would not be opposed
Mr. Serjeamt Jebb, leading Counsel fen the prosecution, said lie
would not oppose it.
Mr. Bennet replied, that was just what he expected.
Me, o.oollrlOr was now conducted out of nun by Mr. Somata-
vine, accompanied by• Sir Franois Burdett, his ton, and a numbee.of
friends.
While in Court hewas saluted by a large numbea of persOns he
bowed repeatedly to those around him ; frequently smiled, and seem-
ed chew tel and compe•ed.
l'he Dublin papers received yesterday, announce that Mr. O'Con-
nor was acquitted on Tuesday Evening at nine o'clock, after a trial
of eleven hears. These papers r.o not give any detailed report, b:t
merely cat cthat the result was occasioned by the prevancation
of the witnes-rs, Owen and Waring. The inhabitants of 'trim are
stated to have passel the night in rejoicing. alumina were seen on
the hills t'or many milea.round.

In the Royal t;ociety of Etlini;nrgb, on the .19th of -
May, a paper, by Mr. Stevenson, civil cmgitioer, Avni
read, regarding the operation of the waters ef.tbe
maul and of theriver Dee, in the basin or barbell/ of
Aberdeen. From which it appears, that Mr. :.;teiven.
son, aathe month of April, 18 '2, wits the. use 411.1611
instrument, has been able to litt salt wator frem.the
bottom, while it was quite fresh ut the surface, unO 11:4
satisfactorily ascertained that the tidal or salt waters
keep in a distinct stratum or layer under the fresh Ira.
-.ter of The river Dee.

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