The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-03-23 00:00:00

MIDLAND CIRCUIT.—D cam

LOVERS QVARRELS.
'HITT V. TAYLOR aid arcurrucw.
Mr. DeullAN opened tins case. It was an action
bronght by Miss Ann Britt, who was a minor,
through the medium of her father, to recover the
value of certain property which she had &Toltec!
in the care of the Defendant and his wife, and
which they had refused. on demand, to deliver up.
Mr. SetYenta VAUGHAN addressed the Jury. His
Lamed Friend had explained the nature of this
ruse, which was an action to reenter certain articles
that had beets lodged iu the hands If the Defend-
ants by Miss A ibis Britt, a young woman of respect-
able family and considerable personal attractions.
The Plaintiff was an inse.keeper in the town of
Chesterfield, said the Deteisitant, Taylor, carried
on the business of a slater in the same town. It
was his usizanni wish to hare *elided stating the
circumstances which Ise had to disclose in • public
Court of Justice, but he had no option, and was
therefore forced to proceed. It would appear that
the young female, whose name he had mentioned,
had formed • very improper connection with a
young mall of the name of Thirkill ; by inipro.
per, he did not mean any thing of an immoral ria
tore; site had. in fact, in clefiance of the wish of
her father, come to a deter iii i t lotion to marry this
her favoured lover, who held the humble situation
of horse-keeper, at • neighlsonsing Inoue of public
resort. Mrs. TA) 1.. r, one of the Defendants was
the confidant of both parties, and in fact lent every
encouragement to the pioposed connection : her
house formed the rendezvous of the young couple,
neither of tvlium muds excreded fifteen years of
age ; and, in fact, thingt wrist so far; that Miss
Britt, in the anticipations of her wedding, purchased
a great number of articles, sudi as wearing apparel,
silver spoon., &e. which site deposited its the cus-
tody of Mrs. Taylor, until the match should take
place. As the young lady grew older, howevec,
either from the effect of her father's exhortations, or
from • consciousness of the imprudence of the con-

lieclion which she cooteniplaied. she altered her
o►iud. and resolved to abandon Mr. Thirkill. Al.

_ .
ter this prudent revoke, she communicated to her
father the amount of the purchases which she had
made, and the manner iii wli she had disposed of
them. An applicaiion was, iu consequence, made
to Mrs. Taylor to restore the property left iii her
care, but she refused, and hence arose the necessity
of the present action. The total value of the
things sought to be recovered, among which were
silver spoons. which were esigrived with the con.
joint initials of the intended bride and bridegroom
(namely, "J. A. T." John and Ann Thorkih),
was about :23/. The only difficulty which he
should have, would be to prove this value.
Mr. George Wright. linen-draper, was then
called. He proved that lie had sold to Miss Ann
Britt linen-drapery goods to the amount of 61.
Betty Beard proved that she hid been sent to
Mrs. Taylor to demand some things for Miss
Britt. and among others Miss Britt's picture,
which had been taken fur Thirkill.

John Short also proved that he was present
when a written list waa drlir•rrd to Mrs. reybar,
the contents of which were demanded as the pro-
perty of NIU4 Britt. She said she had not got
them, but They knew where to find them.
Some other witnesses were called to the same
effect, when—.

Mr. Ci.sexx addressed the Jury for the Defen-
dants, and expressed much surprise at the wanner
an which this action had been brought. It did not
appear Mr. T. had any participation whatever in the
cosidoct imputed to his wile; nor, in point of fact.
was Mrs. T. in the slightest degree to blame. His
Lemmas! Friend (Serjeaut Vaughan) had, indeed,
with his usual ingenuity. and with that happy
facility which lee had of converting the most
trifling occurrence to the most important, amid
the most important to the most trifling. thrown
about the case a sort of romantic veil which shut
out from the eyes df Isis auditors every tiling
which might look unseemly, or detract from the
graces which lie had bestowed on the respectable
and amiable young heroine of his tole. It was his
business, however, to draw aside this magic curtain,
and state facts as they really righted ; to &hew
who the young womaii,was, amid who was the young
man to whous.. she lad acted the part of au un-
kind and cruel jilt. The beautiful bliss
Britt was neither more nor less than the
chamber-Maid and waiter in her father's small
Mu. Mule she waited upon her fathei's cus-
tomers within doors, her amended husband waited
upon the horses at a oeinlibouring home without.
In what the superimity of The one over the other cos.=
therefore, die was at a loss to imagine. The
young couple had known each other from their

infancy, hod it was net unnatural they should
have formed an attachment. to which the lady
tirst proved false. Previously, however, she
had purchased the articles alluded to, and gave
them, not to Mrs. Taylor. but to Thirkill him-
self. directing him to keep them until they
were married. He did keep them until he set out
in the hope of obtaining a permanent place at Lin-
coin ; and 'baring his absence he intrusted them to
Mrs. Taylor to take care of them o►► his account.
She lila take care of them ; and on his return, un-
successful from his journey, she gave them bark to
him. and consequently could not meet the Plain.
tiff's demand. During the absence of Thirkill it
was that Ann Britt prOvedlalse, and perhaps fillll
ing somebody she liked better, abandoned all those
vow* which she had before made, requiring even
the resto►ation of the picture %%Inch she had had
painted fur her lover, to which at least he was
entitled.
Mr. Baron G A attoW--The picture, as well as all
letters. are invariably ritarned when lovers quarrel.
—Marls laughter among the ladies.)
Mr. CLARKS 6441, he should call young Thirkill
to prove the facts he had opened.
Jolla Thirkill, a decent-looking young man.
about lg. wee then called into tl* witness box,
and attracted general attention : his appearance was
not that of a despairisig lover.
Mr. Baron Gsaaow here suggested the expe-
diency, on both sides. of vtithdrawing a juror, and
having the articles restored' to the Plaintiff.
This was agreed to, and a juror was withdrawn.
The picture of the young lady was then de-
livered to Mr. Selma Vaughan, as au earnest of
the intention to give up the rest.

THE POOR LAWS.

•
REPORT. FROM THE SEI.ECT COMMITTEE ON

THE POOR LAWS.
The Select Committee appoiutrel to consider of the Poor
awl to report their Observations thereopuo from
time to time to the Wow, herr, pursuant to the Order
of the Mow, eoliemirred the same scrosilingly, sod weed
to the following Report:—
The Committee appointed by the House in the
last Session of Parliament, having in their Report
presented to the House such to comparative view of
the assessments fur the relief of the poor at uhf
ferent firs-hob., no the materials which they then
possessed enabled them to form, have stow to snake
some important additions and corrections to such
statement. For they have been furnished with
some Returns, 'roads in pursuance of the Orders
of the House, of the assessments in the years
1748, 1739. nod 1750 ; which were not known to
exist, till they were discovered by the researches of
Mr. Speaker into the Records of the House during
the reeves. And though those accounts, from all
the counties except fsair, appear to have been more
or less deficient, yet it will be found, by a reference
to the Appendix, that such deficiencies have been
supplied by the assiduity of Mr. Rickman, one of
the Clerks Assistant. in o way that will probably be
thought to render them sufficiently accurate for the
purpose of costiparison with those of subsequent
years. Nor is. this the only advantage to be derived
from those documents; for it has suggested a more
summary method of obtaining similar information,
if it should be required by the. House, through the
prompt and effectual means of the Post-office.
The House hove now also, at length, in their
possession, the returns made tinder the Act 55
Geo. 111, of the assessments for the yearvynthsig
25 March, 1813, 1814, and 1815. embracing an
abundant and valuable mass of informatiors.---
From these it will appear, that the obstruct of the
assevsment for the year ending 25th March, 1815,
which was returned to the Committee in the last
Semion, anti printed in the Appendix to their Re-
port, was materially incorrect, in consequence of
mistakes made in preparing it, and deficiencies
existing at that time in the returns, which were
wholly u licerl. The whole sous raised by as-
sessment iu that year was stated to amount to
7,068,9991.: whereas it was really 7,457.675/. ;
the sum expended on the poor was stated to he
5,072,028/. instead of 5,418.8451.
The result of the whole of these additions and
corrections, will afford the following Comparative
View of the Sums raised by Assessment, and the
Sums expended 011 the Poor, at the different periods
to which those authentic documents relate.
Teal Expended
rah. d. on Poor.
Avenge _1748, 1740, 1758.. t 730,135 .... Y 499,011

Ye5r....1778 ........ 1,790,310 .... 1,830,804
Averaae..l793, 1781, 1785.. 2,107,746 .... 14.104.237
Year ....1803
Arerage..lBl3, 1814, 1815, 8,164,490 .... 6,119,144
Your Committee have placed in the Appendix •
summary of these latter Returns ; but to the vo-
luminous details contained in these Returos, they
feel it unnecessary to refer, except to express their
apprehension, that the eighth column, which ►tates,
the °somber of persons relieved from the Poor Kate
permanently, not nee/labile the children of such
persons, must be, in a couside►able degree, calcu-
lated to Ind to an erroneous conclusion, from the
prevalence of the practice of atrording relief no-
minally to parents, though it be really ou •ecouut
of their children.
Your Committee, upon their appointment in this
Session, proceeded to consider which of their former
sugeesti .... s it might be expedient to submit to the
House, for the adoption of Parliament, without fur.
titer delay. No time has been lost in putting such
measures into the form of legislative cinicintepts,
moil they have instructed their Chairman to more
fur leave to bring in • Bill, or Bills, on those sug-
gestions (us the first instance), which, as far as they
can judge, are moat generally upprovtd, and tend
to amend the administration of the existing laws;
while they are proceeding to reconsider other pions
of the subject, in which snore doubt and difficulty
muy naturally be expected to arise.
hard 10,1818.

On Saturday last the remains of Frederick
Rymer, who cut his throat 111 the New Prison,
elerkenwell, were interred in this new burying
ground, St. laws, Claketawell, in s moat re-
spectable manner. He was attended to the gave
by the turnkeys of the prison as einef mourners,
followed by an inroteuse concourse of spett.settrs.

ILBANic

PAPERS RELATING TO TILE OEWERAL

TENTIARY AT MILBANK.

Ordered, ►y tho House of Corps, to be Priem!,
Mara 2, 1218.

Report of the Committee of the General Penitentiary at
Milbank fur the reception of convicts, made hi pur-
suance of the 68 Gen. 111. cap. 83, sec. 39 ; speci-
fying, The state of the buildings, the behaviour and
conduct of the respettive Officers, the treatment and
condition of the convicts, the amount of. their cant-
ing., and the expenses of such Penitentiary.
There are at present iu the Penitentiary, 11111 male, and
118 female convicts.

The portion of IM • prisms now completed, was originally
intended to contain 200 prisoners, and was represented in
the Costner Report of the Committee, to be calculated to ac.
cosnutudate that number. In consequence, however, of au
alteration which was made last spring in the manlier of
lodging the prisoners, the present buildings will he found ca-
pable of receiving nearly 300, instead of '2OO. Io the first
distribution of the prisoners, they were all placed in differ-
rut cells by night, from those which they occupied by day ;
No that two cells were 'Betted to each of the prisoners of the
first clam (who are by the 56 Geo. 111. to be kept separate
from each other during the hours of labour, as well as by
night), but owing to the facility afforded to emstilation by
the coostruction of this prison, it has heels found practica-
ble, without inconvenience, to make one cell serve both as
• night cell and a day cell fur every prisoner of this
deseription.
The Committee reported at the commencement of the last
Session of Parliament, that It would he necessary to adopt
measure, fur giving addif I stability to some parts of the
present buildings; ocecirdingly means have been used for
that purpose, mid taro towers have been takes, down to be
rebuilt un a better fonudatiun. The Committee are in-
formed that it may be necessary to take down two more
towers, but they understand from their architect (Mr.
Sasirke), that there is not any enure foe apprehension in
regard to the other ports of the buildings. ' •
The officers behave wish mildness to the prisoners in eon-
' fortuity to the directions given by the Comsuittee ; and no
instance has occurred of any complaint made by a prisoner
of harshness or ill usage. The conduct and demeanour of
the female poisoners is highly decorous; the male prisoners,
many of whom are boys recently received from Beeville,
and for the present without employment, are less orderly,
but even in these much improvement has taken place since
their arrival. The opinion of the Chaplain on the general
state of the Penitentiary, will best appear from the following
extract, takes, from she C.llitilielolll of his Journal fur 1817;
at which time the prison had sot beta open to male offenders
for one complete year, vie—
" Is the course of she year one of the female convicts lies
hcem baptised, and 17 males and 46 females have beets con-
firmed by the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of London, at a
ealpfirmation held by his Lordship in the Chapel. Sixty.
ththe females sod ten males have received the Holy Sacra-
ment, but id' this number of communicants the Chaplain
thought it neenesary that three elsonid not give their atten-
dance al the admiuistratioa of that solemn ordinance ou
Christmas day, and on Sunday loaf; and he has always con-
sidered it es a duty to explain very fogy to them, that their
attendance at the Lord's Table will not be marked by any
forum.; but that it will rather cause their conduct lobe
more strictly serutinited and watcbed. 1.4 •
" The convicts who were first swat to the Penitenliao),
bare inset of them conducted themselves in an exemplary
manner; and indeed the general behaviour of all has far ex-
ceeded the-oxpectal of the Chaplain, when he reflects
that many of them came b. re without education, and from
the haunts of vice. From what be has already observed, be
trusts that the system of moral and religious instruction
adopted in the Perlin utiary, will be the means of reclaim-
ing many from the paths of vice, by breaking their con-
nexions with profligate and abandoned companions, and of
restoring them to the society of their friends, and making
them honest and industrious members of the community."
Sufficient time Ina nut yet elapsed since the Penitentiary
has been in operation, for the Committee to report any of
the convicts Gr the Principal Secretary of State for the Hume
Department, seder the 25th section of the 56th Gee.-111,
as proper objects fur their merit in the prison, Ip, be WOWS-
waded to the Royal mercy; several have received pus
Majesty's pardon, founded on circumstances unconnected
with their behaviour, since they came nnder the care of the
Committee; but is, every such instance, it has bred ascer-
tained by previous infinity from the Committee, that the
conduct of the convict to the Peniteatiary, though nut the
ground of his pardon, has nevertheless been such, as in no
degree to dinaiiiish his claim to the mercy of the Crown.
The general health of the prisoners appeari to have been
good since the bat Rsport, especially whenit is considered
how prevalent fevers have been In Loudon, and in many
parts of the country. Foar female prisoners have died since
the prison was opened fur females, in June, 1816, and one
death has °cell, mil among the males since the first reception
of male contacts, iii February, 1811. Of the four deaths
among the females, three were occasioned by disorileis
which were contracted previously to their admission into
the Penitentiary ; vin, two by consumption, and one by
eimpsy.
The female prisoners have full employment, chiefly in
needle-work. Their earnings during the last year will be
stated separately from Mom of the males, at the cud of this
Report ; but of the male prisoners many are yet unem-
ployed, and the whole earnings is that part of the prison are
not very considerable.

tl to übvions, that some time must elapse, before it can
properly be a►certniurd what trades can be carried on with
advantage within the prison; end even the trades in which
the arrangerneuts of masufactere on be must easily recon-
ciled with the discipline of a Penitentiary, cannot be ex-
pected to be immediately productive, as almost all the bands
employed are to be taught their trade before they eau make
ai ticks 61_ for sale.

Some of the prisoners are employed as tailors; and the
Commissariat Department, with a view of giving them work
in this line, has sent iu a quantity of cloth to be made into
great-coats.
The Committee have reason also to believe, that there will
be no difficulty in finding employment for men, of the male
prisoners in store-making, as soon as they shall be suffi-
ciently instructed to be able to make articles that are sale-
able; Node, ibis isn premie% a perms has been lately hired,
in addition to the ordinary turnkeys of the prime, fur the
purpose of teachiag this boldness.
There are besides several male prisoners, who work at
different trades, wart of which may be found advantageous,
mid may be taught by them to other prisoners, such as
earpet-making, turning, friuge-asaking, the manufacture of
glom beads, Sic. he. ; aud although the collective earnings
of the male prisoners during the first year after the opening
of the prison, have not been considerable, owing to the
causes which have been stated ; there are some among the
tailors whose work Is sum worth from eve to six shillings a
week, at the moderate prices fixed on their labour in the
prisms ; and others who can earn from tea to fourteen shil-
lings weekly, as shoemaker', who had never worked at those
trades before they tame iuto the Penitentiary, and iu regard
to whom, it may be doubted whether they bad heels long ',s-
played its any holiest way previously to their imprisonment.
The Committee see no myna to doebts that when the
system of manufacture within the Penitentiary shall be
fairly brought into operation, most of the male prisoners
will earn a sufficient sum to defray the coot of their food and
clothing.
The present charges of superintendence are, of course,
very high, owe** to the °enmity °flaring a complete esta-
blisher:teat of superior °filar', while the prisoners ouster
their rare bear only a small proportion to the uumlier
which the prima will coutain when it is finished.
Na complete sew building has beets added to the Peni-
tesitiary in the cerise of the last year, but the foondation,
and • part of the brick-work for the portion of the prison
which is eventually to be occupied by females, ars muted ;
and the Committee suilenitand from The Supervisors, that it
is intruded to raise sod cover is the whole of that building
(calculated to curtain 400 &mak prisoners) before next
winter.
In this case the Committee will probably he able is the

•
count of the string of 1810, to rtmove the fernaleivri,:otie,
from the portion of the prison which they WOW °mom, and
to comply to their member to 400, taking in at the same time
ISO inswe teals prisoners.
. The Committee cannot couclude this Report without
eargeatly recommending 'AA this plao should be proreeded
In'Odtbourdelay, at their expeclatlna of advantage to the
public, as well is regard to the produce of the work of the
pritioners coafined in the Pesitentiary, se in respect to the
moral effect. of such confinement on their habits and be.
haviour, has beau increased by the experience of the last
year,
EARNINGS OP THE FEMALE PRISONERS
From the Ist January to the 31st December, 1817.

To the amoant of work received

L. r. d. L. s. d.

from sundry pervons 341 1 71
To the ammo of Prisoners' aro-

imp fur work 110 a e for the lase
of the establishment
To the amount of earnings by Pri-
soners acting Wardsmen, and
in the Wash-house, Laundry, ke.
calculated at 64. per diem each 187 12 0
519 17 tl
EARNINGS or THE MALE PRISONERS
From their reception, which commenced in February, larl,
to 31st December 1817.
_ .

To the amount of earaisgs for snaky L. s.
sent out of the Prison
To the amount of earnings fornork
done for the establishment
To earning. by Prisoners actin( as
Wardsmen, Bakers, Cooks, &c
466 6 A
Total amount of smutting' ..... 976 3 6%
EXPENSE.
To the amount of all expenses incsrred he.
tweet) the Ist January and 31st December, 1,. s. d.
11(17
Of the above rum there has been expended, in
fittings up and a:lerationa of the Prison for
the temporary occupation of the Ft male
Prisoners, the sum of 2,022 4 41
Expenses of the Establishment L 9,303 10 S
CHAS. EDMONSTON E.
GEORGE HOLFORD.
CHAS SHAW LEFEVHE.
W. MELLISH.
DAVIES GILBERT.
Dated this 2d Mardi, 11119.

I