The National Register.
London, England, 1820-07-31 00:00:00

fully " stalking abroad" throughout the laud ; for this
must be the surest test which can possibly throw the
negative back upon the tongue of the slanderers.

SURREY SESSIONS, July ti.
...10...

B►GAMY.—An old decrepid man, who is so deformed
that he has been from his birth unable either to drew.,
or undress himself, having neither hands nor feet,
stood indicted for unlawfully intermarrying with one
Mary Staggs, in March list, at Christ Church, in this
Borough, his former wife being then alive.
Hercules Manning, the parish clerk of Plunistead in
Kent, proved the marriage of the prisoner with Mary
Johnstone, at Pluinstead Church, in June 1808 —Tne
ceremony was performed by the Curate, the Rev. S.
Watson.
Mary Johnstone,the prisoner's first wife, came into the
witness& box, and Mr. Manning swore that she was
the woman the prisoner married in 1808.
Mary Johnstone's appearance excited a great deal of
merriment: she was attired in the costume of the last
century, and appeared at least 80 years of age. She called
to the prisoner, " Oh ! you naughty Order
being restored, Mary Staggs, a decently dressed woman,
was called. She said she was 70 years of age. She was the
lawful wife of the prisoner. She was married to him
last march, at a church in the Borough. She did not
know the name of it. _ _ .

Prisoner—l only married her to dress and undress me.
Witness—You know better, you left toe.

Chairman—Was you married-by banns or licence t
Witness—By batons.
Priqnner—" My bold, have mercy—l am a itoor help-
less old man—qmie a cripple-1 can do nothing—l was
born at Brecknock—the women know 1 ant an inno-
cent man, and never clues any thing to any body."
Chairman—" You will be allowed to speak in your
defence hereafter."

Mary Savage being sworn, stated that she was at the
marriage of the prisoner with Mary Stages at Christ
Church, in the Borough, on the 2d of March last.
Chairman—Now prisoner, what have you to say in
defence of your conduct.
The prisoner then put in a written defence, composed
by himself, but written by a fellow prisoner in form of
an affidavit, as follows:
" I. Win. Thomas, do declare, that I am unable to
cut my own victuals, I having no hands nor feet : nor
an► I able to dress or undress myself without help. 1
married Maty Staggs, but she did not long bide with mo
before she robbed me of every thing only what I can
stand upright in, and she, Mary Johnstone, aided and
assisted in it, she living as housekeeper with me; she
has since threatened to hang me because I would not
give her money. I gets my living by selling tins about the
country. Now, I pray you, gentlemen, to do what you
can forme, for Johnstone tells me she has hung one and
transported two, and will hang me. I hope God will
forgive all my wrongs and you too, for 1 decay daily, and
tnu►t soon die of old age.
(Signed) " WM. THOMAS."
Horsemonger Lane, July, 1820."
The Chairman then recapitulated the evidence, and
said a more extraordinary charge had not been recently
before the Court. _ _ _

The prisoner interrupted the Chairman-- My Lord,
I was pressed to marry; I did not want to marry. %Vita'
could I do? She knew I only wanted her to undress
me at night and dress me in the morning ?
Chai aaaa an—The case is completely proved ; it is an
unaccountable transaction; you will consider your
verdict.
The Jury immediately returned a verdict of Guilty;
but strongly recommended the prisoner to mercy.
Chairman—Upon what grounds?
Juryman—His great age and infirmity.
Another Juryman-Ihe prisoner was not able to
dress himself ; it was necessary that he should have
some person to attend upon bins as he has no hands
or feet. We hope the Court will deal mercifully with
. _ .

shall be attended
The Court sentenced the prisoner to three month'
imprisonment in the House of Correction. Thr prisoner
is possessed of property in tile funds to the amount of
near two thousand pounds.

Chairman.—Your
to.

According to letters from Stockholm of the 11th
inst., Mr, George, the British Charge d'Aflitirs at
that place, on the arrival of a courier from England,
set out to join the King of Sweden on his progress
into Norway. Within the last few weeks the prices
of corn and all kinds of provisions had materially
declined in Stockholm.

EXECUTION.—On Thursday morning, pursuant
to their sentence, James Gardner, Henry Brown,
and Peter Miller, for forgery; Thomas Camber, for
sheep stealing, and Wm. Wilkinson, for extorting
money on the King's highway, suffered the awful
sentence of the law opposite the Debtors' Door,
Newgate. The behaviour of the three unfortunate
men who had been convicted of forgery was decorous
and becoming. They were all well dressed, and
were fine respectable looking men. A general opi-
nion had gone abroad, that the sentence of the law,
as fitr as it regarded these prisoners, would not have
been carried into effect. This opinion was founded
on the belief that the Capital Felonies' Repeal Bill
had received the Royal Assent; and it was hoped
that these unfortnate men would be the first object
of clemency.—After hanging the usual time, thew
bodies were cut down, and deposited in shells, pr-t-
-paratory to their being given to their friends for
tinterment.