The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-12-12 00:00:00

NOVEL CASE.

Richard Eyre: stood indicted for that he or the 28th day
of October last dirt feloniously cot off and carry away the
tails and manes of several hones, the property of John Lane
and John Watts, at the manor of Hatcham, is the parish of
St. Pull, Deptford.
Mr. Tolson stated, that this prosecution was carried on
by a subscription among the marketitaoeners, horse-dealers,
and others, who had suffered from similar depredations, and
us the offence was committed in one county, and the appre-
hessian took place in another, by the 13th Geo. 1111.ehap 31,
sec. 4, the Prosecutor had the option of laying the cense in
either county. The Learned Cosoirel Bees' proceeded to state,
that for more than Iwo years the gentleenea in the counties of
Kent and Surrey, and such others whose business required that
they should keep a horse, were annoyed most grieviously by
some one corning in the night, and rutting off the tails and
mattes of their horses ; and this was in some instances so clum-
sily dune that the flesh was lacerated, and the poor animals af-
terwards died of a mortification. It was in vain that the
'offerers employed watchmen to guard their paddocks; the
depredations were continued with the same •iornr; and
they might form some estimate of the losses, when he as.
awed them that no less than faro hundred horses had been
so dueled Ire the last 12 months. However, what defied the
most nneessiug vigilance was ai length effected by accident.
On the morning in question, Henjamia Cole, a constable of
the manor of Hatcham, and David Herring, • Bow-street
patrol, whilst un duty in the Kent-road, saw the Prisoner
emerge from • spot called White-post-lane; his pockets
seemed bulky, and the rotatable., suspecting he had com-
mitted a robbery, stopped him and searched his pockets,
when Cole found three manes and three tails in one pocket,
and a sharp clasp-knife well suited to the purpose—and
Herring found in the usher pocket five tails and three
manes, which it would be proved to them was the exact
gleartity lost by the prosecutor Watts. The Primmer
flayed ow emotion, bet when asked by the Row-street patrol
where he got the horse-hair, gave • singulars and, an far as
regarded ihis proaccatiow, an insportsal answer—a" Oh !
It's all right,'• said be, " you've no proof, fur you did
not act ow cut them ar."—Ttsta was the answer of a


teas, who, there was ittiia reams to itelivee, had for some '
years carried s. • system of pleader is lboie counties,
which, in point of novelty and dexterity, was never
equalled. As if Provdeoce hat &doted it so, the to.
lour of she hair which the Prisoner had in his possession
woe of a very settee descriptio•' being what is milled steel
grey, so that the Prosecutor had as difficulty in swear-
ing to its brier his 'property. Of the Primmest his chests
knew nothiag certain; but there was reuses I. believe that
be was a chair or sofit ntaissfartorer, end if as, be leek
a very good mode of supplying the public on cheap teems.
The Learned Gentleman added, that he bad onticipatei an
objection which the Court might entertain, as to whether
this ems could be brought within the drooneinstion of
'amity. He had searched the reports, and in Batts P. C.
chap. 16, see. 49, p. 616, he found Marlin's case, which was
decided about 30 years ago by Chief Justice Bashorst.
There the Prisoner was indicted fur palling wool dtf the
bodies a 16 live lambs, and a doubt wrote whether it *as
larceny, which was at length referred to the Judges, who
were unanimously of opinion that where larceny weight be
committed of she Suing itself: it might also be committed
of the produce of that thing.
The Learned Counsel dm' called a number of witnesses,
who folly proved his statement in all the particulars.
The summed up, admitting that his owe *pi-
Moo of the law was chanced by she care just gamed, and
the Jury immediately fumed the Pi-sumer Guilty.
lie was immediately sentenced to be trausported for neve.
years.