The National Register.
London, England, 1818-11-02 00:00:00

WE,'"T KENT QUARTER SESSIONS.

John Curti., who hail been out on hail. appeared, charged
wills Wieners of a complexion too (task almost fur conception.
The indictment contained several c. 1111 l to, severally charging
him with an assault on Mary (Livia Turner, a child, with an
inteut to violate—with an assault, with an intent to gratify his
inordinate lust—to dal:, her I and injure her murals—
with all assault on her person—:end wills indecently exposing
his 1,..e.0n tit the said Mary Olivia Turner.
Mr. Adolphus addressed the Jury in this case. Ina speech
replete with feeling and energy. He stated the following
tact.: —Mir. Turner, who is a timber nsitater's il"ighintii iu
the Hoc k-yai d of Wooli. itili (which situation he has held /ill'
211 'rot's), hod Lag been in habits of the limiest intionac, wills
the defendant, whit was overseer isa the saw yard. the
latter, annul liner, year% ago. went to Alr. Tomer under very
distressin; circumstances—that is to say, sod wills irs,teet to
pibconiaiy matter*, trot as regarded his Wiling* as a lin.band
and a father. He had Iwo children, and his wife was at the
Point uflying.iii, and he could pruritic no h.abitation in which
he might place his family. Mr. 'lnciter, impelled by friend*
.hip, took him into his house, l Mrs. Cortis's arelluelw.
meat hod talon placo, Instead of being guileful fur this
act of 1411.114411 p, the defendant ;teemed a hoe of conduct the
most dia bobcat that can he courtiVell. Ile had not hero low;
in the Uou.m of his friend. before Miry (Livia, a elitid of Air.
*blister's, tinder 10 years of age, aiti acted his flatlet.. He
began by taking liberties with het prison, which lie runtime'
cu with crimmality I.lr snows. d. uf two years Hot..
lag 1110 period, the coddiact id the defelidasit ai. such as
we cannot pollute our column. by disci Ming ; and the st are.
lion of which, delivered by Mr. Adolphus with ..11 ei silently
painful F..igelienee, caoseil iii•ohisilai y YM.1411114,101,8. r
001 twiny of his astonished anti lilaw(.4101l healr•s ; we say
alto 's 'heti, because the recital was of that stature, Mal it was
den.e.ot to powwow the man exisied who violet devise and
Pf iiktrAtv suck atrocities. The chad, pH:rented by the de-

NOV t

fendatit's injosuctions,at first mentioned (beanie to no one ex-
slept Miss NI uskett, a young female companion, a little cider
than herself. 't hat young lady. tit the expiration of two t cars,
made inquiries of Mary Olivia Turner as to whether the de-
fendant continued Ins abominable practices; and being
informed that he did so, she, being; by her own advanced age
become aware of the evil tendency of the defendant's en urine!,
told the story to 4 woman, who very properly commuilica!od
it to the child's purents.—The father was at first inclined to
bush up the matter, to prevent a public exposure of his child;
but it being known to two or three persons, the *wry soon
became a general theme of conversation. The Dock yet d wits
placarded, and the defendant was universally execrated as
the nionteer of the age. The father, by this unfitritinate pub.
licity,feltmouipelled to bring the matter into a Court of Jus-
tice, thonab it was with the greatest pain he did so. In the
course of his narrative, the Learned Gentleman made many
observations no the several parts of the case as they arose.—
lie said, that he was addressing an assembly of- Christians ;
lie need not tell them, that man is born in 'in. but regener-
ated by baptism. By that Holy Sacrament,.a child is tenth:r-
ed pure, and washed front the original sin in which it a as con-
ceived and born. The man who could step forth to coma-
miuste a child so regeirrated—to defile its pure mind—to
break down the moral principle—was guilty of* crime of the
must diatiolical allure that could be imagined. It was the
act of& demon. The defendant had been guilty of that crime.
In many other criminal cases, the remembrance ola man's
guilt might die away, but the wickedness of the defendant's
euntlect was stick, that nothing could obliterate it—even the
flood of time could not wash it away. His offence was
attended by every possible aggravation. He was a married
man, and had two children of his own—he was in the house of
his benefactor—the object of his brutality was the child of
that benefactor—he hitch by a series of acts, doting a long
period, dune all in his power to defile the mind of all infant-4:
to underotineerery feeling ofmodesty, propriety, and more.
lity, which it is for the welfare auti happiness ofsociely should.
be inculcated i,t the mind of a female. He could not tell
what defence would be set lip for the conduct of the defends
ant. It might be said that the behaviour of the child was
improper—that her keeping the matter so long a secret int-
plied consent on her part. It might be attempted to show
that she was guilty of levity. Bat suppose all that was proved,
how could it extenuate the conduct of the defendant ? If she
had been guilty of improprieties, who was the cause of those
improprieties?—the defendant; he who had by his nac,aeous
criminality poisoned her mind, and led her into the paths of
immorality. As to her consent, what could lie drawn from that
in favour of the defendant? In law she could not consent ;
she was an infant under ten years of ave. She knew not
right from wrung, and could not be sensible of the evil ten-
dency of the deleuilattes acts. !here was a man in years
seducing a child to conseut to ants, ,he criminality of which
her tender years prevented her limn conceiving. The Learn-
ed Gentleman said, lie remembered an observation minute by
a late Judge, whom he always quoted with pleasure and ho-
nour, not more on account of his legal knowledge than for
his exquisite acqnaiiitance with the human heart, and human
affairs—lie meant the late Chief Baron Alacdonald. The
observation lie alluded to was made in a ease of seduction.
where the defendant was an officer, and the victim of his St.
duetion a female allow 14 years triage. It was attempted to
be set up as a defetice., that the girl had been guilty of great
levity of conduct; amongst other things, Ili. owing stones at
the defentletit's window. His Lordship said, that such a
defence was a very oinjustijiable one. 'lke girl was but a
child : her acts ought to have been considered by a man as
those of a playful child; and he' ought not, as a Wall, to have
condescended to agree to her seduction. In the case he hail
just alluded to the girl was 14 years of age ; iu th- present
instance, the child was under 10 years of age ; she could not
consent in the eyes of the law, and her silence could be no
palliation of the defendant's offence. Mr. Adolphus, having
concluded Its address by smite animated observations on the
criminality of the defendant, called
. . . .

Martha Oli via 'limier, the object of tine defendant's bruta.
lily. She was an interesting child, about 13 years of age, and
gave her testimony will' great precision ; and from her an-
swers, evinced a clii,ideralde degree of intelligence. Iler
evidence went fully to prove the facts stated by Mr. Adel.
phew ; they were so inconceivably disgusting, that, as we be-
fore observed, a repetition of them is impossible. It appealed,
that the defendant did not perpetrate the actual criine fur
which so many men have suffered the extreme puilislimen t of
the law : but his conduct towards her, from the age of 10
years up to Judy last, was, perhaps, more demoralizing—more
pernicious to the mind of the child, than an act, the repetition
of which, by its speedy detection, wouid have been prevented
by the punishment of the offender. To add to the guilt of
Curtis, it appeared that he lead not confined Isis criminality
to Miss Turner, but had moue occasion scand.ilously exposed
himself to her, in company with his own children.

Miss Musket:, a young lady of 17 years of age, was mat called,
and deposed to the coonnuaication of Curtis's conduct biing made to
her by Nlisa Turner, two years ago; and of her inlimning the child's
parents of the circutiretunce in July lust.

Mr. 'Turner, a very respectable looking man, the hither of the
child, was next called. He ilcixtsed that, previous to this horrible
discovery, he and the defendant were on terms of the closest Mend.
ship. they huvt.;i: formerly been wo bet vice together. Ile was informs
ed of the defendant's vile conduct on the evening of the 6th of July.
The next day he went to his house, and charged him with his crions
sanity. The defendant acknowledged that he had acted improperly.
too expressed great contiition fur what had passed, offering to make
any reparutam in ,his power. Witness told him, that the injury he
had done to him by the dotruction of his child's purity and inr.ocenct,
was buyond the reners of reparation. After loading him with re.
proaches, be left the house. and had not spoken to tile defendant since
Chet day. Witness, in toe first ia,tienee' resolved to bring the 06.
tender to Justice. but his vsita prevailed unhisis to a'oandod his 'men.
tion. she being at the time in a state of great nervous debility (to
which she was occasion.slly subject), and declared that, to have her
child exposed in a Cour: ssfJustice, in such a case, would deprive het
of reason. The matter has since become so public, that he was is..
ducat to take the necessary steps for the punishment of the offender.
The Jury deliberated hsr a short time, and returned a verdict of.—
Guilty of the assault with intent to violate—which was. in tact, a
sensict of guilty on all the counts of the indictment.
Tue Karl of Koniney, the chairman, in passing thesentence of the
Court on the defandant, ohs Teed. that he had been found guilty of
an off ice of 4 far more criminal nature than Ordillialjy rattle before
a Court of Quarter Sessions. As a legal offence, it was one of a
most serious nature, and in a moral point of view it was almost the
worst that could lie committed. lite conduct was attended by every
circumstance of aggravation; he had injured his benefactor, and.
having a fasnily of ids own, he hail endeavoured to elict the de-
struction of all moral principle in the mind of the child art him who
had ever treated lam us a friend. The innisiinient which the Court
had it in as power to raffia was very inadrapiate to the defendant's
guilt, but his Lordship ho,setl, that toe mipnsonment lie would u.
dergo. would brio.; him to r.O: coon add repentance of his csiinc.—
Ilia Lordship two acids:need lain to—two year.: imprisonment .0
Maidstooe Gaul

ll

0

MW. 2

OLD B.IfLEY.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 23.

These Sessions began before Mr. Justice Dallas and Mr.
Baron Ouit row.
John Brett was indicted fur potting in fear and forcibly
taking from the person ot John Litchfield, a canvas bag con-
taining 30s. in silver.
The prisoner is a comatryman, and told his tale with much
simplicity. He was coining to London to the funeral of his
son, wed met the prisoner on the road, near Barnet. The
I "
tri" wwi• said lie would accompany 111111, as he 5150 Was gain.
to London. They had proceeded ou the road a short distance
when the prisoner pulled out of his pocket a handkerchief,
which he wanted to sell for a shilling, saying, that he had no
money, and was almost broken down. Witness agreed to buy
it fur a shilling, and pulled out the bag. contailling the 305.,
with which he hail provided himself for his journey. The
prisoner remarked at the time, "CI , you have got ;lone h I -
ve r there, have you ?" They went on to a place called Col.
nee hatch, and the prisoner proposed to put up for the night
et a pvldie house on the road side, where, lie said, a comfort-
able lodging could be obtained. Witness, however, war
desirous of proceeding a little further to Hampstead, over
l'ilichley common,. and the prisoner said he knew a short way
over the I 'Amnon. -1 hey proceeded for a [tont a mile farther,
and in getting over a able, witness, by accident, tell back-
wards into a ditch. Bef.ore he could getup, the prieonel began
pullUng and rolling him about, and used threatening language,
such as " your money, or your life," and snch like express
-Cony. He then put hie head to witness's pocket, and having
pulled out the bag containing the motley, run off. As soon as
witness recovered hiu:self, he told his awry to a horse patrol,
and gave au accurate description of the man. Tue patrol
immediately welt alter hini, and witness saw him again at
the Reheat/lan public house, cud recognized him, although
in a different dress. The prisoner had a smock frock on
when he ran away, but had none when he saw him at the Wel-
lington.
Rice, the patrol, stated, that in consequence of what the last
witness had said to him, lie went after tl:e prisoner, and came
up with 1,1111 about two utiles on the road. 'Die prisoner had
then 119 smock flock en, and had a bundle under his arm.
Witness asked Win what he lot done with his smock frock.—
" What do you. ineatv:7" said the prisoner: " I have no
smock frank." Witness alien asked him what he had in that
boodle. " Oh," said he, " this is soune of my linen." After
'eri oaating kiln us to where he came from, witness was:
satisfied lie was the man ; and, fearing lie might throw the
money away, said, "If you put your hand to your pocket,
will blow your brains mit." 'Fhe prisoner was then taken to
a public house, the sigh of the Welliegicie, by the side of the
road ; and the property was found upon him, as well as a stick
which belonged- to the prosecutor. Litchfield was immedi-
ately sent for to the Wellington, and was told to go up to the
prisoner, and shake hands with him, if lie saw him. Fie
Was introduced into a room, where. there were six or seven
persons, among whom was the prisoner, aid, as soon as lie
enteredohe walked up to the prisoner, holding out his baud
and saying, " You did not expect to see me again so soon, I
suppose.' In the bundle which the prisoner hail nailer his
arm was a smock frock, which he acknowledged was his
own.
The prisoner, in his defence, denied all kno\vledge of the
.prosecutor before be saw him at the Wellington. The Jury
found a verdict—Guilty.
George Beck was convicted of the offence of returning
from transportation before the expiration of his term. In his
defence he at first• said that lie had been improperly traiis.
ported, and. afterwards stated, that hi proceeding to New
South Wales, ashen opposite Rio Janeiro, a subtler in the
ship fell overboard; and in endeavouring to .save him, he
himself fell into the water, and remained there for six hours
sue! a half with an iron upon • his leg. When at last he aid
get on shore, lie was usable to stand,- and remained iu the
woods of Rio Janeiro for three or four days without clothes
or vielnals. The captain who could prove this was now at
sea; but upon a reference to the proper office, all would be
found to be true. '
Mr. Justice Dallas observed, that the prisoner had had
abundance of opportunity of seating ter the papers, Vim had
thought proper.
HURSDAY.
Thomas Morris was iudicted for stealing a Bank-note for
the payment of 401. the property of Mr. Andrew Hiscock, in
the dwelling house of John Gunter, Esq.
'Flo prosecutor is coachman to Mr. taunter, and the pro-
perty iu question was placed in a trunk in an out house be-
longing to that geatleman. The prisoner lodged ir. that on.
house, and was a carpenter by trade. Oath.. 12th inst. the
wife of the prosecutor having occasion-to go to this trunk,
and not being able to get it open, asked the'prisoner to open
it for her. The prisoner complied, awl a shilling was taken
-cut by Mrs. Hiscock. In about a week afterwards, ll4Villg
0131/4011 agaiu to go to the lox, site ;Waged the 401. note in
ion.
Junes, a salesman, living in Holyviell-street,Strand,stated,
that on the Smidey after the 12th inst. the prisoner came 1,
to his shop and purchased a quantity of wearing apparel,
amounting to SI. In payment he tendered a 401. saute, giving
the name and address of " Wallis, Fulham." 'Flits was
written upon the mute ;but witness suspecting something was
wrong, asked the prisoner if he knew any one in town. The
prisoner referred him to some ene in St. Clement's, lot refased
to go there with the witness. 'fhe prisoner was then ullowed
to go away with the 401. note.
James atones, brother to the prisoner, staled, that on the
rith of October, he was sent by the prisoner to get change
of a 101. note, but did not obtain it.
Mrs. Simmons deposed, that tier husband kept a woollen
draper's shop iu the Strand. On the lath lust. the last wit.
• :less came toiler shop :ur change fur a 401. note. It.
suspected that it was a haul note, and promised to send her
young man to the Bank toe change. To this the prisoner's
brother consented, and Cie young Hata went to the Beek ob
twined cheiuge fur the note, sad himself auseunded with the
motley.
The note was produced by a clerk of the Bank, anti was
completely identified.
The piisonei, who appeared to be a very respectable man,
said nothing in its defence, tan laid himself toms the mercy
of the Court.
A great her of witnesses of reepectobillty gave the
prisoner an eaccioesit character for huuesty ; some of them
haul known Win for 515151,11 years.
Mu. Baron Garrow said, that the capital part of this charge
was done away with in this case. The property Misstated in
the indictment to have been stolen wan mit house,
If
to Nlr. Gather, attached to the dwelling-house. It this were
really the case, the capital charge would be made on; ; bin
-it appeared Sisal the builthug, ceded an out house, *45 ItO