The National Register.
London, England, 1811-12-01 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

►IIZAL7'Y SESSIONS.

Friday, an adjourned Sitting .of these Sessions was, held at
the Old Bailey Court-house before the Right Hon. Sir WIL-
LIAM SCOTT, Baron GRAHAM, and Mr. Justice )4AILEY.
VHARGE OF ASSAUi.T.
The first defendant called was Captain Richard Stevenson,
who stood indicted for an assault alleged to have been corn-
Witted by him on Mrs. Mary Poppkewell, the wife of-Mr. John
Popplewell, on the Pith of April; in the 50th year of his Majes-
ty's reign, upon the high seas, within the jurisdiction of the Ad-
miralty of England.
Mr. Serleatat VAerHAN, Counsel for the defendant, intimated
to the Cotirt that there was no evidence againc the prisoner,
upon which Baron Graham, in addressing the Jury, observed;
that the defendant stood charged with a very serious and aggra-
vated offence, in support of which, however, no proof was ad-
duced; and of course it became their duty to relieve hint from
the imputation which had been cast upon him, by their verdict
of acquittal.
The Jury, without hesitation, returned d verdict of Not
GI, 10y.
Captain WillFant Porter, a man of genteel appearance, was
'next put to the bar, to take hi: trial on an indictment, charging
leim with having received and harboured certain deserters from
Ihis Maje:tv's ships of war, and with having secreted such de-
serters, well knowing them to belong to the Royal Navy.
The ATTo R N EY-GENER t. stated the case on the part of the
prosecution fully, and proved the prisoner's guilt.
Wr ScoTT then sentenced the Difendant " To pay
a file of .3ifo!. and to he imprisoned twelve calentlar month, in
hi,- Majesty's Jail of Newgate"—a sentence which he hope!
would operates an example to deter others from the commis-
sion of a like offence.—The Court then adjourned.

LAW REPORT.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH.

MONDAY, NOY. 25.
JUDGMENTS —CONSPIRACIES.
TIII KING V. DAVENPORT SEDLEY.
The defendant bring brought up for judgment, for a conspir
racy to cheat and defraud the Marquis of Headfort of consi-
derable sums of money, as mentioned in former Papers,
presented a petition to the Court, stating that the several letters
relating to thi, transaction were now In Court, and requesting
their Lordships to compare them, in order to ascertain the truth
of some of the facts stated against him; stating also, that he had
already been imprisoned nine months; and praying that their
Lordships would send him to the King's Bench prison, in pre-
ference to Newgate.
Mr. Jus rice GRoSE then proceeded to pass the judgment of
the Court ; and having stated at length the nature of the offence,
and the propriety of the verdict, he considered this offence one
of the worst misdemeanors in the law; and ore way of obtain-
ing money under false pretences the more criminal—as, in nego-
tiating bills of the description on whiff i this prosecution was
founded, the innocent and unwary were defrauded. The most
aggravated circumstances in this case were, the diabolical means
used to compel the Noble Marquis t'> pay these bills, by holding
him out to the world as being connect, d with a roan guilty of an
unnatural crime. In passing the present sentence, the object of
the Court was, that the defendant's name and person should he
known to the Public; and, taking all the circumstances into their
consideration, the Court ordered and adjudged, that the said
Davenport Sediey should be imprisoned in his Majesty's jail of
Newgate for the space of two years, and within that period tb
stand once in the pillory, in the front of the Old Eaiiey, for one
hour, between the hours of twelve and two in the forenoon.