The National Register.
London, England, 1818-08-17 00:00:00

AUG. 17

L.4W INTELLIGENCE.

COURT nF C.'I4NCEItY, Tztunsmtv, Auo. Is.
3311rif Y. SIB IVATICIN LEWES.

On a former slay Sir S. Hominy moved for an order to restrain
retain annuitants on the property of Sir W. Lewes, from proceeding
to the sale of one of his estatesin Wales. lie now observed. that
the portly about to be sold was situated in the centre of the pusses-
sions of sir W. I.ewes. It had been put up to:tuition on a former
occasam, whin it was bought by Sir W. Lewes, as he expected that
le ,Itould be able to produce the money on the day it was male
parable by the conditions ; at that time, in consequence of a proceed •
ing in the Exchequer, a perini of the name of Morgan bud been
directed to pay to Sir W. Lewes a sum exceeding 4,(P01., and mother
large stint hail been decreed to him by this Court, th-e latter beyond
the amount for which the estate had been sold. It was of course
very important to Sir W. Lewes to become the purchuser, and there
was no prospect th it, if the sale took place as early as was advertised,
he should be able to produce the sum necessary. Under these cir-
cumstances it was submitted that, as but a short delay would be
regnired, it woad be conceded by the Court in consideration of the
difficulties with which Sir W. Lewes had to contend.
Roupell, on the other kap!, urged, that the various annui-
tants for whom he was counsel oug it not to be kept out of their um-
,v, of which they had been so long *deprived. and which now ex.
c‘ided 5,0001. The first sale took place some time ago, and it was
afterwards found that Sir W. Lewes had become the purchaser
merely for the purpose of delay ; for when called upon to pay the
sum which the estate had produced, he had none to give; he had
placed the profits of his office of High Bailiff of Southwark, and the
money he expected in the Exchequer, in the hands of his creditars,
ris a security far the completion of the contraet of sale ; but it was
soon discovered that the first could not be available under the tern:*
under which it was held, and the latter was not forthcoming; of
course the first sale was set aside, and the objet now was to enable
Sir W. Lewes to proceed just in the same manner with regard to the
second sale, which by the advertisement was to take place in a day or
two. The matter 110% before the Court had been long under its
consideration, for a bill hail been filed as early as 1804. 'floe learned
Cotinsel trusted, therefore, that his Lordship would not aid in the
defeat of hone. 4 and suffering creditors.
Sir S. llotoilly, in reply, obietved, that if the creditors of Sir W.
Lewes were sufferers, they could not be more grievously so than he
had long been, in consequence of the cruel disappointments he had
met with, and the expensive suits in which he had been involved.—
Ile contended that there was nothing in this application toshow that
Sir W. Lewes was desirous of deti:ating his creditors ; on the con-
trary, he was most desirous to pay them, and it was not his fault
that they had not long ago been satisfied ; the short delay now re.
quested would itself facilitate that object.
The Lord Chancellor asked why Sir W. Lewes bad not come to
Court earlier? Why this application had been postponed until within
a day or two of the sale ?
Sir S. Hominy appeared not to be prepared to give a satisfactory
answer, and his Lordship refused the application.
EXCESSIVE FEES TAKEN BY COMMISSIONERS OF
BANKRUPTS.

On a previous day the case of cx -parte Oxnam, of some singularity
and importance, was mentioned, in which it appeared that certain
Commisstoners of Bankrupts in the West of England had received
excessive fees for their attendance, and had besides chart-led travelling
expenses, and charges at the inns where they dined; also one of them
had bought a horse at the sale of the bankrupesetrects. The Lord-
Chancellor postponed his dezision, that the parties whose misconduct
was brought before him might answer the matter in additional itili-
?.avits.

Mr. Home now appeared in behalf of the Commissioners, and
stated that the whole sum received by them was 401. and the sta-
t Amble fees to which they were unquestionably entitled amounted to
531. o that there was only an excess of 71. which had been charged
to the amount of travelling expenses.
The Lord Chancellor observed, that although only 401. had per-
haps been actually reeeive.l, the sum charged by the Commissioners
exceeded 901. while the expense in London would nut have been
more than 181. In the tirst place each Commissioner charged two
guineas or 21. fur every attendance, instead of 11. the fee of the eta-
znte : they had also required the payment of travelling expenses, and
tlisir bills at the inn, so that every meeting cost more than 91. This
aas clearly illegal.
Mr. Home added, that it was undoubtedly the general practice of
country commissioners to charge and he allowed more than the sta.
tutelilt: fees, and the Commissioners in question had fallen into the
usual error. _ .

'lite Lord Chancellor hoped and believed that the error was not
usual : he had known many instances of the contrary. Sometimes
sane barristers refused to attend as commissioners for the reinuaera-
t;on assigned by the act, and other country commissioners had been
suhstitatial, but his Lordship had always taken care that no more
commissions should be directed to such barristers.
Mr. Horne further remarked, that the 901. had only been charged
not paid to the Commissioners, and the charge he did not apprehend
fell within the statute.
The Lord Chancellor was clearly of a contrary opinion, and re-
ferring to the act, he observed that if the money had not been paid,
the payment had been ordered by the Commissioners. and that order
rendered them incapable of sitting upon that commission and upon
any other. The regulated fee was H. and though it might be hard
that Commissioners should not be paid their travelling expences, the
law was otherwise, and his Lord hip could not alter it.
Mr. Ro,e (against Mr. Home) reminded his Lordship, that these
Commissioners, one of whom was named Edmonds. had been sent
for from Truro, when the commission was sued out in Penzance, and
there were several Commissioners who had not been employed.
Mr. Horne said, that these Commissioners were must respectable
men ; one of them had, it was said, purchsaed a horse at the sale of
the bankrupt's effects.
The Lord Chancellor remarked, that that was comparatively a
trifle, though it was clearly illegal for a Commissioner to become a
purchaser of any part of the effects of the bankrupt.
Mr. Home assured his Lordship, that the Commissioners were
quite ready to obey his Lordship's directions as to any part of the
money they had received.
Mr. llosc refetred the Court to an order upon this very subject,
nual•! by Lord Hardwicle, iu 1739, *lnch was to be found in 7
fa. Abr. _ _

The Lord Chancellor directed that the Secretary of Dankr•ipts
should bring the record of that order into Colin, on the sight of
which his Lordship would probably give his fuither orders.

POWERFUL EFFLLT OW CoNscit.reep.—A few months ngo,
the body of a %ming WOOI4II Waft discovered in the writer near
Bar:ming, in Kent, is ith marks of violence, which seemed to
indicate that site had been murdered. No•liiiig, however,
transpired which could tend to fix the guilt oil any nth Wool ;
and all fortiorr inquiry 11111) the rircniaistrtices hod erased,
when, on Monday last, a young man declared himself to be
the emit deter. Hr s dif that ever since the execittion of
NI inst. , the horrible thought of his own guilt had rendered
his life a horde,' tit hi it ; that he moil., lied rio rest Mehl M.
(lay ; and that he had, at lasi, come to a n. 64,1111101) to deliver
himself ,is 1,, the bonds of justice.
The premisis of Robin t Itup cat, Esq. of Exeter, situate at Red
Loft estate near lloniton, rour,isting of tie farm house, barns,
stables. granaries, and other °dices, were on Friday consumed by
fire, together with a large quantity of grain, in stack and store, hay,
Ote. 'flue fire was entirely accidental.
A fire broke out on Wednesday morning in the upper story of the
Des.He of Mr. (indium, goner. on Ludgate-hill; but owing ma plea-
':.'.:
s.:pply of water. and the prompt assistance of the firemen,
ANA 'ivy taws af:et o.srair.c F.rt cf roc:"

THE N REGTSTEU.

HUSSEY'S CONFESSION.

THE REVEREND MR. RUDGES STATZMENt.

" A !mintier of contradictory statements having appeared
respecting Hussey's • cunfession s' it has been judged ad.
visable to give, in an authentic shape, the whole ltf what
really passed from his lips in the cell on the morning of his
execution. It lutist be admitted that the Niturii int in which I
was placed %silk respect to this wretched man, was one of
great difficulty, and of peculiar delicacy. I had been rt.
quested by a number of reseeetahle persons to go down to
Maidstone. He hail himself strongly urged me to see him.
I was sensible, that if any confession acceptable to the people
at large, and satisfactory to the inhabitants of Greenwich in
particular, could be made, much would depend ilium the
manner in which the conversation was conducted, and the
questions were put on my part. That there was smnething
which btirthened and troubled his tuind, I had every reason to
conclude, from what I discovered at lily first interview iglu
I: on the day (Sunday) previous to his execution. I went,
for the first time, accompanied by the Chaplain and the gaoler
of the prison. When the humane and worthy Clergyman had
concluded the prayers and reading a sermon, he and the
gaoler retired, !ravine me alone with the prisoner. In the
course of a long and iuteresting conversatior., chiefly on re.
listions topics, I saw enough to give force and strength to
the conviction, that if lie were lint the actual perpetrator of
the horrid deed, he was possessed of Coat which wunld be of
the Inmost importance to have counnonitated to the public.
I had reconrse to every means of persuasion ; I rowed dis
closure as a matter of religious ditty—as one of personal
favour : but they had no avail ; and I saw the time was not
yet arrived in which I should succeed in carrying my point.
One observation which he made, in reference to the murder,
was remarkable, and heightened extremely all my anxieties
on the subject. • What good will it do for me to disclose any
Thing of the untriler, now lam going to suffer for it? The
secret hail better die with me. You must not—must
not press me further. I am innocent of it !' In the course
of this day I was frequently with him, but in company with
the Chaplain and gaoler. On the Monday moruing we settled
with him to administer the Sacrasitent of the Lord's Slipper
at an early hour. On some person coining into the cell, and
entering into conversation, lie told me he had slept little in the
night, and that eomeilline so troubled hire, that he could not
compose himself to rest. It had a reference to the Sacrament,
for which he thought himselinot duly prepared, I botigh he said
he was in charity with all men, and had made, he hoped, his
peace with that God, before whom he was shortly to be sum-
mooed. I thought it might now be productive of good, if,
after having shortly explained the nature, and pressed the
importance of this ditty enjoined by his dying Saviour, I was
to avail myself of the opportunity of urging hint to disclose
the state of his mind, and make a frank confession of any
finite which either interrupted his peace or troubled 145 COO'
science. The words, as far as I can recollect, in which I
addressed him, were those : • And now, Hussey, before we
commenicate and take this Sacrament to our comfort, I re.
finest you to declare as a dying man, for the satisfletion of
the public at large, and of the inhabitants of Ur eentvich in
particular, (lid you, or did you nut, perpetrate this horrid
ntorder ? Or, if you did not, do you know who did ? Tell
me as a matter of personal favour.' Ills answer was, us
God is my judge, and you are my witness, these uplifted
hands were (lever stained with the blood of Mr. Bird, or his
servant.' lie was now on his knees, and ;zit ing me a keen
and expressive look, Ise added, in a tune scarcely audible—
' I know—but—more presently
" After the sacrament had been administered, %%bid' ...as
(lone by the Rev. Mr. Argles, with great solemnity, the Chap-
lain and gaoler took their leave, and left me alone with him.
We were together upwards of an hour. Immediattly as the
door of the cell was closed, I entered into a religions conver-
satinn with him—discoursed on the state of the soul after
death—on a future judgment, and on such other topics as
were calculated to affect his heart, and to produce wtiltin him
true repentance before God, and faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ! I thought that my endeavours seemed to be pre-
eminently blessed. Hassey himself said that this was the
happiest moment lie hail yet experienced. I seized the fa-
vourable symptom, for I saw that the heart was disposed to be
communicative. Alter exhausting almost every other topic
of address, I descanted upon the comfit' t of possessing a true
friend, to whom we could unbosom our heart, and reveal our
sorrows. ' You,' said he, • are that friend that I ought to con-
ceal nothing from— I never can make you any return for all
your goodness to me !" Yes, Illusory, there's one return
which you can, if you will, make; it will be a aufficierit me.
ward—tell me all you know!' He eau a look- at the door,
and listened fur a moment, and then began to address me in
the following words, to which I have st irtly adhered, g iving
the narrative, as far as my recollection will enable me, in the
very same language in which it was related. 'flue scene was
a melting one ; amid be teas occasionally so agonized, as to be
obliged to take a little breath, and give vent to the feelings
with a rich lie was agitated. There was a moment, indeed,
which I almost despaired of his being able to proceed, such
Was the difficulty he experienced in embodying in language
the horrid narrative."

CONFESSION OF HUSSEY TO MR. RUDGE IN 1115
CELL.

'• All along have i resolved never, even to my dearest re.
!Minns, to divulge the Perrot, but to let it die walla me. Your
tette) staggered any resointion bad I got over the difficulty.
I am not the murderer, bad I planned anal instigated the
robbery. The Almighty gives me the power to declare this,
and to say, that in the blood of-Mr. Bird, his servant, or any
one else, my bands were never imbrued. A MIMI of the name
of A. with one B. did it. We had accidentally met in
Greenwich, and we became intimate with each other. We
had learned that Mr. B. was very rich, and that he some.
tones went to London to receive large awns of money. It
happened the same day as I was hitting with A. and drinking
at the Tiger, we observed him sitting in one of his rooms, at
a table, ;hereton was a good deal of• gold, and a numbea of
what we thought were bank-notes. I observed, this would
be a lisle job. This led to something Anther being said, and
proposed the robbery, saying, let us meet this evening, and
we will see what can ue dame. It happened, however, That
nothing was attempted that night, nor was any thing finally
settled upon, we not being agreed as ill the pacts we sl Id
take in the robbery. We again met ; it may be about a
week atter, and nay advice was, that we should try that
very evening. Mill tha: I had provided a hammer to open the
door with, We went all three, about half past 11 ; but boil
mg that no answer was returned to our knocking, and a•
01, re w.r, a great many people passing and repassing, we
heroine disheartened; anal recollecting what any washer.
woman had said about :qr. Birds early hours, we; al: agreed
. rte
•