The National Register.
London, England, 1822-12-23 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER

CORONER'S INQUEST.
On Saturday night last an inquest was held before
.1.""L iblittss Esq. deputy coroner for WVe►tminster, at
the Spoiled Ilia, public house, in Strand-lane, an die
body of John Heath late of Norfolk.
M r. 'Donnas Pnillips, proprietor of the New-txcliange
Coffee-house, in the Strintl, stalest that he had knowis
the deceased fur sonic time: he had-resided in his house
since the Stith of October last, and dined with his family
every day. lle was related to a family of the greatest
respeciaoility m Norfolk, and came to London. For
sonic weeks he had been in a low desponding state, and
would walk in the passages and rooms in the dark, for
hour► together, with his hall to his head, in the most
di-jected• maoner. In the course of tile last fortnight,
the deceased had COWe twice at six o'clock in the morn-
ing, without his coat, and the account he gave of his loss
was, that he had slept out, and having tin money his
colt hail been detained. lie (wittiest) bad wrote to the
tieceased's uncle, to inlorm b ni al his nephew's situation
Ott Thursday night was the last time he saw the deceased;
lie was then melancholy as ; lie slept at his house
th it and went out about IY o'clock its the moro-
nic ; he relined to take any breakf.ot. The deceased left
a razor ill his bed• . llis hither was a commander
in the limy, and a man of .ortune. He had expect 11 re-
mittances for some time from his friends, and was very
much distressed in consequence of their non arrival. The
apparel in which he was Mund after death witness had
lent him. The deceased had spent a good deal of money
foolishly, in a short time ; and having no money, when
meal trine arrived, he would get out of the way, and
frequently, when asked io partake of food, would ex-
cuse himself, by stating that lie could-no: eat, or he did
not se ant ally. `He believed the deceased's embarrassment
had pioduced temporary derangement.
Richard Carter, a watermati belonging to the Thames -
police, stated, that about eleven o'clock on Friday, he
went on board the police vessel lying in the Thames,
toplo site the end of Noriclk-street, and -was informed
that 3 hat, a handkerchief, 311 d a knife had been bound
on the steps of Waterloo bridge, and that it was suspected
some man was drowned. Ott his way, as he was rowing
slung the shore, lie was directed by the officer to look
out fur the body, and as be came near Somerset-house
stairs, he saw something near the water's edge, and ex-
claimed, " That is the man!' On going up to the spot
he found the deceased lying on his face, without'his coat,
in the mud ; he turned over the body, and a deep wound
was I lin his throat. The body was cot.veyed to
Strand•lame watch-house.

Thomas Gray, another waterman, corroborated the
above evidence, and in addition said, that on searching
the c:o hes (Attie deceavtd, nothing but a metal button
was found.

Edward Type, a waiter at the New.exchange Coffee-
house, stated, that the deceased came from the same
place as himself, and witness was much attached to him.
On Friday morning, about twelve o'clock, he informed
hint that he was g to his uncle, who was a sales-
Mail in Smithfield market, and should receive a good deal
•of money. Witness advised him to take of it, as he had
spent a good deal of money sery wastefully, and people
had imposed upon him. phrased vs as of a very mild dis-
positi n. When he came to London first, he had a good
steal of money, and such was the extent of his wardrobe,
that he had not lea than 16 pair of hawsers, with coats,
fice. to correspond. He was then lull of spiritsibut having
agent his money, and betstg orsappointed in his tore-
cianoil of a supply troin his friends, lie had become
very despoinitsig. lie was daily expecting rem tatiees,
and snot was his dejection within the last few days, that
he (a i:ness), had sh.t d that he should not wonder if he
putt an end to his existence. The deceased had often
spoken of a female to whom he was much attached, and
that en constquei:ce.of the lowness of his finances, his
holes were destroyed, and he believed that it was from
disappointment in the object of his affections, that hail,
with other circumstances, affected hits faculties.

The Jury expressed tlititisehes sati4ied that the de-
ceased had caused his own ileath. when labouring tinder
mental derangement: and a verjict i f " Insanity" was
recorded.

A letter from Bilboa says, a priest, named Longa,
who had been a lieutenant of cavalry, escaped from
Drava with a troop of eighty men, twelve of which
only had muskets. l•ie made them assist at a 'Mass,
which he celebrated himself at the church door.—
With his own hand he cut off their hair. It was
not known which direction this new Guerilla had
taken.

HYDROPHOSSA.—Au awful instance of hydrophobia
has nith.tt the last few days occurred tit the lividly of
-- Manning, a coal dealer, residing in Porttigal-stret
Laml ch. Some time during the iiiii tith of August hist,
the lamely kept a-small flo, which either went mad from
the bite of another animal, or some other cause, and in
this dreadful state was tlyitig, into the street. when ttlati-
ning, who had 'heti determined on destroying it, iin•
peixti its progress. The lotions animal stostatitly sprang
at hint, and -Mt him on the nose, and then left him
bit iii- eldest child, a boy, also in the face, and a.so hilt
Mrs. Manuwg and a pug. The animal was beard and
almost iosia oily destroyed, beitta in a horrible state al
canine madness. 'lnc family who hail been bitten ap-
prehended no danger, and the wounds, which were
•ittell, were dir oily healed. The pig was killed, hut
within the last few days the whole of the above-men-
tioned veisiais were taken suddenly ill, the boy b:ing
apparently first aliected, and bethre medical assistance
was called in, the poor child (to a horrible degier) dis-
played the el.ects of hydrophobia, and to a very short
woe was a c,irpse ; his lath, r next sickened, and worse
surgical Retitle-men, connected with the parish bled lism,
411111 s i 11111C11 1•11 as to pioduce a partial change of the
system. but very hint hopes are eniertaiLed of his reco-
very. Mrs. Manning ha, west attacked iu the saute way
but not 10 such a violent degree ; she however, con
ildered likely to ft-eider. The awful rorcuitistatice has
lauduced a great tiltuek to the iie.ghlruurl6.4ll.

LAIO INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF KING'S BENCH.
SATURDAY, DEC. 21.
•LACos V. HIGGINS, OTHERWISE ISAAC.
This was an action by the husband of Mrs. tacos, a Coed
dress maker, to recover a bill ofJlOl. 17s. Sid. fur d fur.
niched to the defendant, between March, ltittl, and December,
1820. The defendant pleaded that at the time of making the
promises in the declaration she was the wife of Hery Higgins,
which was denied in the replication by the plaintiff.
blr.Searlett was about to state the case, when
The Solicitor-General insisted on his right to begin, as the
affirmative of the issue lay on the defendant.
Mr. Soarlett said, he must still prove the amount of the bill.
The Solicitor General replied, that he would admit the amount
of the bill, liming no witnesses to contradict its items. He
tlieu proceeded to open the evidence, by which be intended to
support the plea of coverture. The defendant, a most respect-
able lady, the widow of Mr. Isaacs, an officer in an African re-
giment, went in 1817 to reside at Faris. There she became
acquainted with Mr. Henry Higgins, and was married to him
by a clergynieu of the church of England, named Sullivan, at
Versailles. At this marriage Mr. 11i4gins Everard, and the
waiting maid of the lady were present; but unfortunately Mr.
Sullivan was decd, and the femme de rhanitre had gone to
Greece; so that he could only call Mr. Higgins Everard to
prove an actual marriage. He would show, however, by a
sister of the defendant. that the parties left Paris for the purpose
of marriage : that they returned husband and wife ; and that
they returned as husband sad wife; and that they had since
been received in the most respectable circles in thew cha-
racters.
To prove this cue, Miss Donovan, the sister of the defen-
dant, was first called, who appeared in *state of great weakness
and agitation, and was allowed a chair. Mr. Gurney reported
her answers, which weie given in a very low tone of voice. She
stated that her sister left Fade for Versailles to be married,
and returned as the wife of Mr. Higgins. Mr. Higgins Everard
swore to the actual marriage, which was performed by a Pro-
testant clergyussee, though the parties were Catholics. This
witness, who oame up from W bitecross-street prison, admitted
that be had written letters to the plaiatill's attorney offering to
withdraw from the country, so as to avoid appearing as a wit.
mess, in consideration of 501. Lord Climmorris, Sir W. S. Lilly,
and Capt. Whiting, were called, who proved that they bad met
the defendant and Mr. Higgins, who was AD attorney at Dublin,
as Mr. and Mrs. Higgins, in the most respectable society of
both sexes. Mr. Alderman Wood was called, but did not
appear. He had been in Court in the early part of the day, but
bad quitted it to preside over the meeting of his Ward.

Mr. Swirled addressed the jury ou the evidence, and con-
tended that there was no credible proof of an actual marriage.
—Was n credible that these parties should go to Vereadies,
when they might be married in the chapel of the Ambasnador,
without the truesble and delay of the journey? Was it credible
that, being Catholics, they would contract marriage in a form
which could not hind their consciences 7 %1 here were the
witnesses of the ceremony d Madame Simond was gone to
Greece, and Mr. Sullivan was gone—to Heaven ; alai the lady
had taken away the certificate in her pocket as the only party
interested in keeping it. Ile contended, that Mr. Everard was
nttcrly unworthy of credit; lie said that lie should be able to
prove that the defendant had obtained her pension by the name
of Isaacs, and that she was introduced to Mr. Lacon an a
dashing widow with a large jointure. Besides this, be should
contend that the marriage, supposiug it to have been perform-
ed, was invalid by the laws of France i for be could show that
by that law no marriage was good unless contracted before the
Mayor of the district where the parties had resided Sur six
weeks—unless contracted in the presence of four male wit.
neasetienand unless authenticated by the certificate of ►he ma-
gistrate. There was an exception as to marriages performed in
the Anthassadoie chapel, and under 143 sanction.
To prove thin to be the 'French law, the Frentili Vice-Consul
was called, who produced a book professing to be a digest of
French law, and publiebed by the authority of Government.
which contained the law an stated by Mr. Seeded. The wit-
!lnas said, that this book, if produced in any Court in France,
VI4 Id be acted on as law ; that there were no original precepts
that the corrected copies of the laws. published by au-
thority, were the only documents to which reference could bo
made.
The

objected to this book, as sot being
evidence of any thing. The French could never be so unhappy
as to have all their law contained in an actavo volume ; and no-
thing would be easier than to buy one of these works and in-
troduce any interpoluted passage to answer any purpose
whatever.

The Counsel for the plaintiff replied, that exactly the same
species of evidence of the Spanish law was received by Lord
Elicnberougb on the trial in Sir Thomas Piciton for torture to
Louisa Calderon where the Attorney General of Trinidad aas
admitted to prove that the books produced contained the lawsl
of the island.

The Lord Chief Justice thought that, on the authority of this
cue, be smut receive the book as evidence of the French law,
though he should have greatly hesitated to do so if this prece-
dent had not existed. If then, he received this evidence, the
wan clearly of opinion that the marriage, void by the law of
the country where it took place, could not be recognized here.
This had been decided in the case of Prilrymple v. Dalryin, le
try Lord Stowell, and therefore he was bound to hold the mar-
riage_ void, and the plaintiff entitled to recover.
'flue Jury thou (as the amount was not disputed) found a
verdict for the plaintiff—Damages 4161. 17s. tip.

The late storm will, it is said, probably cause a
loss to the Liverpool underwriters of nearly oue
hundred thousand pounds.
u KOLA AND RollettßY,—A dreadful murder
was perpetrated in the village of Llattheder, in North
on Monday night. Jane Williams, an aged
widow, many years a respectable shopkeeper in the vil-
lage, and who was generally ihoualit to have amassed'
a little wealth, was found Itretilbehind her counter on
Monday morning. A little granddaughter, said she heard
her grandmother, in the night, cry " Murder 1" two or
three times, but was too much frightetied to stir. Three
persons are supposed to have beets concerned—they had
dragged their unfortunate Viellin from her bed ; the shop
drawers, &e. were WI/ken open, and several articles
stolen, as well as what money she might have had itt
them. We have nut heard ul any clue being yet aliord-
cil by which to trace the wretches.

- - • - -
LONDON: Priuted and Publ;Ahed by the P►oprietor, JOHN
TWIGG, at the OP►r, 76, fket-,Sheet, teheoe ail Lotto,. hi
the Editor, (pod pout) tuu.l be uddreat.d.