The National Register.
London, England, 1817-04-07 00:00:00

STIfIREV.

KINGSTON, MARrit CB.—The Assizes for this County com•
menced this day, before Sir Hobert Dal K:it. who presided
in the Nivi Priux Court, and Mr. Serjeant Itusalitinet, who
nudertook the business of the Crown Court in the absence of

Baron Thompson.
The Calender contained the names of no less than 111
sinters, a great number of whom stand charged with capital
offences.
Amocious /WM:LT.-John Wright was first placed at
the bar. He stood indicted for assaultin! Mrs. Mary Taylor,
on the 21nd of May last, with intent to kill and morder her,
or vi ith intent to do her some grievous bodily harm. The
prisoner had traversed the indictment from the last Assize,
and had been in custody ever since.
The facts of this atrocious rase, which are perhaps still
fresh in the recollection of the public, are these. Mrs. Tay-
lor, and her daughter lived in a cottage, in Prospect Place,
Kennington-row. She was aegnainted with Mr. Tiller, a
eentliman in the neighbourhood, with whom she occasion-
ally exchanged Ilower.roots. The prisoner, who is a gar-
dener, was sometimes employed in this Imshiess. On the
morning of the as.antt, 6c went to mrs. Taylor's house at
half-past eleven, and asked if Mr. 'fillett had been there; lie
was answered in tin negative. Upon which he said, lie was
coming to get some dower roots, to replace sonic which had
been stolen from his garden. The prisoner then sat down,
and conversed on different topics fur half an hour. He then
rose, and expressed his surprise told Mr. Tiller did not conic,
adding, that he supposed he had stopped with sonic neigh-
bour on whom he hail called. The prisoner then Volt down
again, but took his scat near the tire. In a few minutes he
seized the poker, and without a moment's hesitation struck
Mrs. Taylor a dreadful blow on the head, which felled her
to the ground. The prisoner repeated his blows six times,
until she was senseless. Miss Taylor, who witnessed this
ontratte, cried murder, aad endeavoured to get the poker
from the cruel assailant. She did not succeed, however, and
lie struck her noir blows with the same weapon. She also

fell weltering in her blood. After this, the prisoner went
into the garden, threw down the poker, and was waiking
away. Some of the neighbours having been alarmed by the
cry of murder, now came in, and saw the dreadful condition
to which the two ladies had been reduced, and observing the
prisoner going out, they pursued and seeared him. In his
pocket wax found a large case knife. The only reason that
he assigned for his conduct was, that Mrs. Taylor owed him
four shillings, which she would not pay him, th, his way to
Union Hall, he said, he was d--d sorry he had not done
for them both. Mrs. Taylor denied that she owed him any
money, or that he had even asked for money.
The prisoner in his defence, said, he hail been attacked
first by Miss Taylor, because he called her mother a "d
old b—h," and that be took the poker out of her band and
struck the old woman. The knife Intimd in his pocket he
said had been pot there Ir^ some other person, for he had
struck it out of the hand of Miss Taylor when she was par-
suhig him into the garden.

Phis story was of course denied, and Mr. Scrjenut Ilasan-
quet having mooned up the evidence, the prisoner was
found
He as also fonifil guilty on a second inilicti,cat, charz.
ing him with a similar at,sanlt on Miss Mary Anne fasloc.
—lie was sentensed to be imprisoned one year for eat Is
offence.
Joseph Lock and Mathew Lock were capitally inflicted far
assaulting '.lr. John Towgood Kenthle, no the King's

way, and from his person a gold watch and other ar-
ticles. Itappeared from the evidence of Mr. Kemble, that
as he was walking in the neighbourhood of Camberwell, on
the 9th of January, he was stopped by the two prisoner*,
who were armed with bludgeons, and demanded his money
or his life. He fannd resistance vain, and delivered his
watch to Joseph bock, who is iW cars of age, the son Ma-
thew, 13 years of age, being present. In the course of the
day, by the assistance of other persons, he took them into

cuAtudy, and found bii watch in 3,14e11il Lock's posse,sion.
The Jury found the tither Guilty—Death; Kull the suit Nut
Guilty.

HEREFORD.

Sir J. titirrough, in his address to the Grand Jnry, con-
gratulated the county, that in the long catalogue of offences
to be investigated, nut one appeared to arise from any facti-
ons spirit or disaffection to the Government. After the
usual forms, the prisoners w err pia on their trials: in the
result no less than 19 unfortunate criminals rrceivr d tl a
awful sentence of death, among which were H. Undernood,
for the minder of W. Harris. at Ledlitity ; J. lfartiv,
fur burglary at Kilwyti-house, Cal mailhenhliire ; and 'l'.
Langslow, for cutting and maiming J. (het n, rt Kington.

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01 those condemned sixteen wet e reptived, and 1.31111 Cr•
wood, Langslow, anti Hardy, were ordered for execntion.
In passing sentence. on Underwood. as soon as the Judge
began to expatiate on the peculiar atrocity of murdering his
benefactor, not only in the midst of a friendly conversation,
but even whilst that benefactor was in the act of relieving his •
wails, the prisotie•r fainted; and, sinking on the floor, re-
mained insensible itea.ly live minute.; whell
hum. title observed, that what he said was Lot intended to
wound farther the feelings of Underwood. bin to make a due
impression nu all who heard him. It u ill be recollected, that
Unferwood confessed his guilt almost immediately on Ilia
apprehension; and during the period of his confinement, he
never tailed to rejoice in has its not only relieved his mind
taunt feelings scarcely to be endured, by making that confes-
sion, hut iu ehe farther licre, that by so doing be shrub' bet-
ter qualify himself for merry hereafter. Under a care and
attention from the Chaplain and his assistants which ereld
not be exceeded; he uniformly devoted himself to acts of
fervent prayer. devotion, and repentance, in which he was
joined by the assistant clergyman even on the scaffold. Ile
frequently expressed the deepest horror and campenction for
the crime he had committed, and fully trek nowle•dged the
justice of his fate. He buffered the senteree of the law at
noon on Alottelity, in presence of an ittuncese conconrse of
spectators; on whose unlink it is hoped this awful spectacle
will produce its just effects, soul convitice them and others,
how rapidly the eloliluii4tWfioii of one crime leads to anothi r,
and terrniextes in misery. When Unite' wood concealed
himself in the loft, los only object was the ploinder of his
friend; hut haring suffered evil them:Alb; to take possession
of his mind, tht idea of murder itself soon became Mind,.
mired, and nolarttinately executed. Every etiort was made
by the visiting magistrates, and all concert: id, to add solem-
nity to the melanelioly occasion; the wretched victim to the
offended laws of God and of Ids country appeared in moorn-
Mg on a scaffold, so elevated as to cause a complete exposure
of his whole person to the multitude, and (with the exceptive
of the cathedral) minute bells tolled during the ceremony at

APRIL 7.

-sorry, however, in saying so, to excite such large expects,
Lions as the Right Hun. Gt utlensan seemed to entertain.
Mr. Brown), stu observed, that his Right Hon. Ftieud
had not intimated say such hope; nor slid he (Mr. It.) eider•
lain such saugnine hopes as his Right lion. Friend, that any
practical good would result from the Committees of Finance
and Espenditore. With respect to the Seditious Meeting
Bill, the Oa we in it which re,tricted the electors of West.
/Muster from meeting within a certaia distance, the bill did
not go to prevent them from meeting trilhin Westminster Hall,
nor from petitioning for the lentos al of Ministeis. The
clause only went to keep sacied the sitting of Parliament and
the Courts of Law. While they were not sitting the electors
might naiad, as he already observed, within half-pistol shut of
the two lloa.es. The lion. Gent. hoped, that after the recess
the House would apply itself to the consideration of the state
of the•nation; and he trusted nothing would be done by Mi-
nisters (hiring the reress in respect to South America, to
commit this canna against the independence of that part of
the world.
Mr. BATIII;RsT was aware that the speech of the Hon.
Gentleman would be by Le hoimbittiot, of west.
nituster with pleasure. The bill, now, roe, did not apply to it
case of the sort, for they might meet at any plat-, fr
mesa was not sitting.
Mr. CURWEN hail', the country expected much froth the
House. It was the duty of Ministers to meet the distresses
under which the people labour, by retrenchment in every re-
spect, as to places, pensions, and jobs of all kinds.
Sir J. IN sweeter contended, that nothing could be so fatal
to the tranquillity of the country, as holding the language
which the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Canning) had held.
He agreed wills those who thought little had been done for
relieving the burtheus of the people.
Sir M. W. RIDLEV asked a question respecting Extents its
Aid, and whether the Chester Judges were not now at the
Cornwall Assizes, whither they had gone on special retainers,
and put the business of their own assizes off.
The SOLICITOR GENERAL said, it was impossible for him
to contradict the rumour, becanse he did not know the fact.
It was true, that they had set off some days since ter their
circuit.
Sir M. W. RIDLEV asked the Hon. and Learned Gentle-
man, whether he had not moved for leave of absence for
them.
The SoLicrron GENERAL replied in the affirmative.
Mr. Vsuserrater, in answer to the question respecting the
extents in aid, said, the hitless of one of the Judges of Ex-
chequer had prevented the return being made.
Mr.Cm.cssre adverted to the labours of the Committee
of Finance, and hoped the House would not raise their ex-
pectations too high ; he was but a young member of it ; still
he had sat in it loog enough to know, that not one word had !,
been said of the state of the finances. He thought, that as
the House had very libel ally strengthened the bawls of the
rulers, the case of those ruled would be taken into considera-
tion.
Lord BINNING, in reply, conceived the Hon. Gentleman
was lint little acquainted with the Committee ; for the ques-
tion had undergone some discussion before lie Was a member :
two reports had been made ; the state of the ordnance, army,
navy, and trade, had been discussed, though no report in
that respect had been made.
Mr. S. ROLDNE defended the Committee from the insinua-
tions of neglect; and after some observations from Mr. I'.
Lewis, the motion was carried.
In answer to a question from Mr. Brougham, it was ad-
mitted by Mr. Vansittart that a negociation was going on
with Government for exclit intim; the patronage of Mary-le-
bousie.—Adjourned till Mouthy fortnight.

MSTURBANCES AT MANCHESTER AND

CARLISLE.
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We are sorry to learn from Manchester, that Saturday was
a day of great alarm to the peaceable inhabitants in that town
and neighbourhood. Nothing short of a conspiracy existed
to commence the perpetration of acts of treason and rebellion
in that place. On Sunday night accounts reached at the
same time from Carlisle, communicating the distressing intel-
ligence of more disturbances in that vicinity. The following
letters contain ample details of these occurrences.
" MANCHESTER, Martell 29.—Fur some time past, the
better informed class of society here has had reason to look
with an eve of jealousy upon the state of morbid quiescence
into which the public mind had apparently sunk, since the
prompt soppression Of the 1:INt meeting by the military. Itn-
monr and conjecture have ht en active; but knowledee of the
real state of the case was strictly confined to those holding
olivial situations. I refer sou to the declaration of the Ma-
gistrates in our papers of this day, tor the circumstances
which have occurred, so far as they are officially disclosed I
feel assured that you, Sir, will be little prepared fur sneh a
discovery, and that it will atfect 'you deeply ; and your feelings
will be consonant to those of esei y one to whom 1 have this
.alay conversed. By this time (time o'clock) the alarm has,
in a great degree, subsided ; but every one is struck with
est liment at the diaholical nature oh' the conspiracy, and
at the secresy with a herb it has been eonducted. The eleven
deputies, mentioned in the declaration as having been appre.
.heited, were assembled ill a small public house OR A vac% kb
'Green, misted one mile from the Excaange ; seven more, in a
cellar in Chureh-street, were apprehended under the same
circumstances, and arc now in custody.
" All Orme people had their papers about them, but whe-
ther or not those papers were important 1 have not learned,
as the examinations have been private. Our active deputy
constable, Nadin, has jest now passed nu Sc inflow, escorted
by a party of the Ist dragoons, having in a coach five prison-
ors, whom he had taken up in Middleton, w here similar Inca-
&tires hate been contemplated. One oh' them is Bamford, the
deputy from Middleton to London at the late assembly or
those worthies. Nadia observes, that so active and clever
were the sign ds made front hill to hill, at liddlcton, during
leis short visit, that neither he nor any of his party could com
prehend them.
" I will now cndeavaer en give yeti ua aceount of the plot
which has °eta:dotted so much limporary confusion. The
signal tir cuuamcuexvuent was as socket, which was to have
&wended from near SL Peter's Oierele. The factories in the
netsLuas were to hive been desu eil by mesas tif rockets,
%strait were to be ejected from a long brazen inetrunient,
which was formed to introduce them at the windows. These
circumstances would naturally attract the civil and military
farce town! do the outskirts, and die mob was then to 114“:
attacked the banks, and ultimately the New Bayley and bar-
racks. Tres plot has extensive ramifications ; Nutmeat: ell,
Birmingham, Derby, and other considera hie towns were to
be rotative(' at the bailie time; I wish the police of those
Wens may be as successfully active as ours have been. It is