The Sun.
London, England, 1808-12-21 00:00:00

SMITHFIELD CLUB CATTLE SHED'

•
Yesterday this respe6table body held a meeting at
e
Freemasons' Tavern, at eleven o'clock, for wi"ct
up the business of the late shew, which was °CIL%
rously attended, his Grace the Duke of Bedford 1.
the Chair when the following ney, Members fa
eluted, viz.

Messrs. George Children, Thomas Fisher, --
OS/
David Sadler, Timothy Hutton, lames Ellis, Sarnilc' "'-
Jacob Harvey, Robert Wattle, and Benjamin Welstread.._
It was resolved, That in future the ludges be frarticuixjirii,w
instructed not to allow any beast, sheep, or pigs, be eejuli
bited for the premiums, unless the regulations of tle 010
respeding the certificates be strielly complied with by
candidates.
o°lls
Several Gentlemen were nominated as Pe ..tt
out of whom to choo, *he t)e
e three Judges, at tA.-,
meeting, on the 7th of -March. en'
The Officers of the Club were chosen for L.he, - '
suing year, as follows, viz.
President, his C race the Duke of Bedford, jc; gr.
Stewards, Sir John Seahright, of Beechwood Fah
John Warmington, of Plaistow.
Treasurer, Mr. Pane Giblet, of Bond-street.
Secretary, Mr John Farey,-of Westminster.
His Grace the President having left the Cbairf
Robert ISyng, Esq. was called to it, who)
unanimously resolyed;,
scf
That the Thanks of his Meeting be presented to his vAf
oid
the Duke of Bedford, or his able and impartial e 943"
the chair.
deaf
Adjourned to this place, on the secoe retl7,
Lord.Sorrierville's Spring Shew of Cattle, 0.111
at three o'clock.

„„ced,
- Though the Winter Season is so far ncl`t'a:h-•o0
(,:hel ten ham it seems is still the abode of 0-0-al 0
and gaiety. Lady MARY LINDSAY CRAUFO69 °,ooi
a grand fete a few days ago, which had a nULvehicot
and splendid concourse. of visitors, among ,W..gra°
was the French General BRENIER, who 141)4 -
tified the company by his musical talents.
The Theatrical Entertainments at the IVDrq„;"-,
gi
ABERCORN's are not to be resumed this se3sg'cjis•
Indeed all the scenery, &c. has, it is said, be'' dto
posed of; but .the ensuing holidays are exl)6l-2ncl
pass at the Priory with the usual splenclOr -
hospitality. f
As the preparations for laying the first stone°
reds
intended new Theatre are not sufficiently adv3Lici of
the ceremony, it seems, is deferred till the en to
next week. It will be an interesting sight, sloe
aE is to be performed with all the masonic ce.siireced
vies usual on occasions, and is to he v„. end
by the presence of the Prince of WAO5' •

many other per nn of high rank. • a d the
as-
The Earl and Countess of SuAtTEsatrreb this
Ladies LUDLOW, intend to keep open hThe
Christmas, at Cranbourn, in Dorsetshire., card.
Countess means to give balls, concerts, an bog
e, magnificentlyrpetual succession. The 105; the
parties,been
rechel perpetual
fitted up. ISij
neighbouring nobility and gentry will be invited.
Extra& of a Letter from Bombay, July the
consequence of the urgent necessity of adopting of
most prompt measures• to countered the
the French at the Court of Persia, General 1"1be
coLm, who from his accurate knowledge Of ',61
language and country, is far the fittest persolliod
be at the head of a mission to that Court, 'OO
set out before Sir HARFORD JONES, who had Vb.
sent out from England with a view to the sama,Yea
jeet, had arrived at this ace. We have rece'v ot
accounts of the General having landed in saftge
Bushire, and having sent on Air. PAsLEY to °
Flounce his approach.--Instead of 300 Frenchaleioa,
as had been reported, it had been ascertained vi'v,
there were only 30 at the Court of Persia. ‘,ve
they are, or of what rank or description, " 1110-
riot been able to learn ; out from the known
,ed
trigues and activity of their nation, it is to 1c31,6
it will he matter of much difficulty to counter
to
their influence. It is clearly the policy of Persia
keep on good, terms with the Tower at the 'ead
iry
of affairs in India, without making itself 3 Pe' iv,
in any contest of rival Europeans. Stdl alert by
considerable apprehension that the baits held 0,". be
the French, though delusive; may at first bigritGe..
so alluring as to procure a co•operation. 1° ticug
nerat IVlALconm's ability we trust tor re10°16:1,,,0a
that such a co-operation; if successful, w°l-""
only, ds it has invariably 2tine :in Europe', to
:coo
Wish a Power, which wo dd evince its grAt by
"
to thole who had' assisted to its elevation, 001 Y,.. -
making thein the fiat objeclr of hurniliai" ai)ti 0
p9ssion," •

D

.!!EP6117.

COURT OF ni NG's BENCH,
Insoles LORD ELLENBOROUGH. k" A SPECIAL JURto

PARR V. BENSON.
Tlll.l was an adiou against the Defendant for Cri-:
mina' Conversation with •the Wife, iii
Which the damages were laid at teo,oool.
M. PARKE, for the Plaintiff, in a very able speech
°Pelee' the case at considerable length. The Plain-
tiff and Defendant were both of them Merchano of
the first respectability at Liverpool ; and the De-
fendant, the. son of a Gentleman of the first consi-
dination there, at whose death he had come into a
very large fortune. 'The Plaintiff and Defendant .
;vett together upon terms of the greatest intimacy.
▪ Maintiff was married to his wife, a Miss Wood,
I,vhe was a very beautiful-yoking woman of 18 or 19,
In 1798, and bad five children by him, of whom, as
Well as of his wife, he was remarkably fond. He
resided at a village called Everton, about a mile from
Liverpool, and was absent from home generally '
from ten o'clock in the morning till his dinner time
at four o'clock, during which time the Defendant, it
~,Nt'tlld be proved, had frequently visited Mrs. Parr.
'be Defendant himself was a married man, and
I,lseretore had committed a double adultery. He
nitnell had also a fatnily-es.he had two sons by his
NlVei from whom he was now separated. The
tittrift was himself a very convivial man, and had
lie&ndant constantly to dine with him, where
lice
was treated with the. greatest confidence; and
altiongst the aggravatienia this case, it would be
Proved that the Plaintiff had, upon finding his wiles
WI:Idiot) estranged from Min, which
ceived in the year 1805, or .1800, fallen he first pera
hit° a me-
-5 hnily and desponding state, which had increased
07,1°;`' to such a degree, that in 1807, be was
A;Tra to be sedt to Dr. Chute, who kept a Lunatic
y um
in Lancashire, where be now remained.
ttritaplaceof adultery
1805,deher
ywould be clearly proved to have
but the Plaintiff's brother, Mr.
relwardParr; •who was a most respeaable Attorney
tit Liverpool, upon whose instructions he could rely, ,
91d who now martaged the Plaintiff's affairs, bad
40t sufficient evidence upon which to found his,
action till August last, after it was too late to pro-
'Zed at the last Lancaster Assizes, or the attion
"IN have been commenced earlier, and the cause
probably have been tried in the County of
ancaster. - The Learned Counsel made some ob-
7,erivations upon the usual topics in this sort of casee,
,"" tetteltided, by stating it to be a case which
weilld impress itself strongly upon their feelings, and
llvhich called for very considerable damages, although
6 by do means recommended them to give ea-
i;ages by way of punishment for the moral.offence ;
t ut Only as a
just compensation for the injury sus-
:dined by a husband who had been so grossly injur-
b and whose feelings were sa new, that he had
(7rl, driven mad by the affliation of his wife's in-
e,litY. Upon that subjea, if the madness were ac-
baily attributable to that cause alone, it would be a
considerable aggravation ; bet be admitted that. it
tpight probably, in part, be attributed to a brain
Y.e.ver which had been caught by the Defendant in
itti,s over exertions during an eledion, in which, as a
arsieted to General Tarleton, he had been so aetive'
o de rive himself of rest fqr eight nights suc-
eessiaelv.
The,' -
marriage being proved in 1708.
Dixon, friends
67.!'earas and Mr. . of the Plaintiff,
evii7e c'diled, who proved that the Plaintiff'. and hie
iivi.;e by very happily together, and that the Plabt-
A...1.1'as Very food of his children.
%earns Said, that
upon cross-examination 11, Mr. G.ARROW, Mr.
called upon his own marriage, Mrs.
rett:ll4 ane left her card with Mrs. Parr, who
age'tirrred the visit, and that they were much of an
a but that they did not visit. It appeared also,
tittedthe Parties at the Plaintihovef's hoe chiefly con-
zed 11i°E Gernknaen. But Mr. Cams said, he
compasn;:ife lived very retired, and saw very little
Mr. \iv,.
ilad been also 3
perk to the Plaintiff, and who
a very confidential servant of the Plain-
s fat hp
--ra spoke to the same fads.
_ several
immediately after dinner, when
341 rs., Parr retired. Mr. Benson usually handed' her
to the. door, and very often followed her shortly al-
tearowards, and that upon some cccasions Mr. Parr
dr.:" ,t" the Defendant, " Come, Ralph, come, and
0.11:4 Your wine, and leave Mary to herself." On
to °!. these occasions Mr. BEDSOII said, be must go
,Write a note up stairs.
,r. Dixon spoke also to the affedion of the mar-
betcouple.. On his cressseeamiaatiou it was asked,
her he had not accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Parr
to the seat of a Mr. Inc:, some distance from Liver-
Peol, when the husband ?liaise, an went with a Lady in a
d Mrs. Parr Mr. Benson rode on
and
11Zsebak thither, and walked round the walks
natnes but it appeared that
nothing of an improper
re Was observed between them at that time.
calle
Ir. E. Parr, the brother of the Plaintiff', was
d to prove the same point, as to the afl'ettion of
the husband and wife, and said that his wife visited.
The Plaintiff had five children. Mrs. Parr is now
23 years of age, and both Parr and Benson are be-
yeen 35 and 40. It was on Saturday, the 18th of
anuary, 1807, that Parr was taken ill ;
he was at
length obliged to be sent to Dr. Chute, at Liverpool.
Airs. Parr went away on the 14th of February fol-
lowing, without his knowledge where, and aeainst
his consent. She left four of her children behindl
her. His brother had been home two or three
times,, and was sometimes master of himself, but
tow remains at Dr. Chute's.
_,,Upon his cross-examination by Mr. Gatteow, he
4‘itu not appear willing to'confess that his brother had
;leen mad at any time before January 1807, although
he. had been depressed in his spirits in
.1805. He
(lid not recollea the name of Holmes ; but-at last,
on a sudden, did recoiled that in 1791 his brother
!lad teen in London, to visit another brother in 3,r-;
3_lunro ea, nett-inn, and had been under the care of Dr.
whoA had placed him with a Mr. Holmes.
Jane Hughes lived as cook with the Plaintiff' at
Overton, and also at Liverpool. The counting-house
vas:..
er 00l nearly a mile from the
Plaintiff's residence iti
p, and was still further off while at Ever-
tun,
the. She came in 1e04,. and letsi-in 1807, when
Plaintiff was taken ill. The Plaintiff used to go
into
at ten o'clock., and
,returned at four, and in ale
• the i;efcndani used often to visit Mrs. Parr,
• away ere lI rt:t.urned, _On our d y, whil%

.t
L.. . .
,ney were al. .1.-..iverton, the was dr-Avii the
Underneath the breakfast parlour, getting some pci,.
tatoeS,, when she .overheard her mistress say,
!‘ Don't, -don't, Denson ;" upon Which her suspicions
were exched, 'as she bad had ierne previous Wl-
matiOns of impropriety in Mrs. Parr's conduct from
MattheW Owen, the man servant. She went tip
stairs, and asked her mistress if she should take any
light cakeS fur tea. 'Upon 'opening the door she saw
her mistress lying at length on the sofa, and Benson*
in a situation Which too plainly indicated that the
adultery had been committed. He immediately
withdrew and 'stood by the fire, with his back to-
wards her. She went down stairs, and shortly af-
terwards the Defendant followed. her, and finding
her crying, asked -what she cried for; to which she
answered, that he knew what she cried for, and he

was a dirty ,villain.
Upon her cross-examination, it appeared to'be
well known in the family. That she told Mrs.
Edward Parr, the Plaintiff '5 brother's wife, who
was the Attorney, and the Witness examined for the
Plaintiff, in the parlour in 1807, just after the hay
harvest. •
Mary Cooper, another servant, was present, and
confirmed her in the statement, that she remem-
bered Mr. Parr and Mrs. Parr going with Benson to
Shrewsbury Races in 1806. She was certain that'
she told Edward Parr before the corn harvest
in 1807.
Jane Edwards lived .as nursery-maid with Mrs.
Parr, and went with ,her to Mr. Brain's, at the
Heath Cottage, near.Shrewsbury, after she quitted
Liverpool. They arrived there on a Saturday, and
on the next Wednesday Mr. Benson came, and used
to ,visit very frequently, three, four, and five tiae:s a
week, though his house was 16 miles off, at Lang-
stone-Hall.
Brain, who owned this cottage, also spoke to the
same facts. And
Mrs. Mary Wooton, who liied servant with Mr.
Benson, at Lutwyche Hall, proved that Mrs. Parr
came there to reside for some time, and brought her
child with her. That when Benson was there she
slept with him, but at other times in the nursery. •
Mr. Joseph Daultry, an Attorney at Liverpool,
proved that Mr. Ralph Benson was a man of large •
property, and lived in the first style at Liverpool,— •
That he had also seen Mrs. Benson in Gloucester-
place, who lived in the first style there also, and had
two sons.
Mr. GARROW made a most able address to the;
Jury, remarking very strongly upon the manner in ,
Which the case had been overstated, and on the in-
consistency between that 'statement and the evidence'
of Mr. Edward Parr, who had stated, that he could
not procure evidence earlier, which: was the
,only
reason for not. trying the cause in Lancaster, where-
as it was clear that he had abundant evidence of adul-
tery from Jane Hughes,, whose evidence could' not
be disputed, in 1807. He,observed alSo upon Mr.
Parr's reluctance to state the actual commencement
of the Plaintiff's insanity, of which, as brother, At-
torney, and in feet Plaintiff, he could not be igno- ;
rant, notwithstanding he had instructed Mr; Park to
attribute the husband's madness to his wite's
He admitted that his client was guilty, and
the only question would be as to daMages and upon
that sub jed it'had already appeared, that even upon
the testimony for the Plaintiff, he had allowed of '
very great familiarities with the Defendant, and his
own wife. Some part of it might be attributed to
the manners of Liverpool ; ;but it was hardly to be
accounted for upon any principle, that a husband-
should see his friend constantly following his wife •
upstairs, although he was food of his bottle, and the
same husband, gently chiding hier, and telling him
to stay and drink, and leave Mary (his wife) to her-
self. In addition to this he should give such testi-
mony as would shew, that although the husband
had not actually laid the pillow for
,the adulterer, he
had concluded himself so carelessly towards his wife
that he could not be entitled to more than slight.
damages. It would have appeared if Mts. E. Parr
had been called, that the husband's conduet.was such
that ladies did not visit, in the family. He also stated
some aCts of strange familiarity which passed at the
Races at Shrewsbury, so that the waiters observed
that Benson seemed most like the husband, and that
it was strange that during that excursion the Plain-
tiff slept in a different bed from his wife, who was
permitted to sleep on another floor, in a room con-
tiguous to Mr. Benson.
Mri. Catharine Jones and Mr. Jones, the latter
of whom was a Shoe-maker, at Shrewsbury, proved
that the Plaintiff and his Wife and the Defendent
came to Shrewsbtiry Races ; and that the beds at the
inn being occupied, they took a lodging at their
house. That at first they offered the party two, bed-
rooms only ; but'Mrs:' Parr said she roust have three,
for Parr- was ill and ,would sleep alone. She then
gave Mrs. Parra small bed-room on the-second floor,
contiguous to that.of Mr. Benson, in which the cur- ,
taints of the bed had been taken down. Both Wit-
nesses spoke to some freedolns bet ween the parties,
in presence of the husband. They used to stay late,
and had the key to, let themselves in.. Mr. Jones
remembered going up- stairs when Benson's room-
door was open as -well as Mrs. Parr's ; he could see
them both. They were each dressing, and about
half dressed. Mrs. Parr had not a gown on, but
they could not see each other.
was
said, however,
that Mrs. Parr's brother, who an Attorney in
the town, constantly visited them. Mrs. Parr and
Benson sat on the sofa, and Parr at the window.—
Parr wore a green shade, but he did not appear to be
unwell ; he went to the Races and Bail every day.
They were then nine days together.
Phillips, a waiter at the White Lion, saw several
personal familiarities pass in the presence of Pan r ;
and while they were waiting for dinner, Benson
walked up and down the room with his arm round
Mrs. Parr's waist. lie thought them too`
Benson paid all the bill, except Mr. Wood's por-
fion, Mrs. Parr's brother.
; Mr. James Penny, a Merchant in Liverpool,
knew both parties, Benson very lung ago, and Mr.
Parr first about six years ago, in 11302, when he was
introduced there. by Benson to supper. The Wit-
ness sat on the left of Mrs. Parr, and Benson on her
t. right. Next to him was Mr. Parr ; and old Wei-
kinson had the bottom of the table. He then
ob-
served something very improper.. First Mr. Bensen
.and Mrs. Parr exchanged very significant', eayaitio-
rous elancee. Af terwarda Weiso,epUt his, hand up .n
her-1;:reete•ll anatheu laid ;►is
bond. t27ju 11 3 cirXho6 still luGra iadviendy.. Parr

itiust have ;ken .1i it he had, loehea thiit ivay, hui
the Witness_could Fidt say that he did. . Upon re-
tirhig`With Benson tO gO Emile; the Witt.43ss told
him he theiight.hii condo6t was very inapt:Niel-, and
that if he was her husband he, shoUld have kicked
him out of doors. nenson said .he had known her
very long; and .She was . like his sister ; to which
the Witness replied, that he had sisters, but he never
used thedi so. -He afterwards visited at.Parr'S Etc
did not know Whether he ,told- Benson he was a
dartined scoundrel; btit he believed he used strong
expressions to him, being a married man himselt.
His wife never visited Mrs. Parr.

Mr. ItichrhOnd knew both parties for '26 years,
and observed Benson often follow Mrs., Parr up
stairs, and remembered Parr saying, Ralph, come
and drink your wine, and leave Mary to herself.—
He also met Parr once in the Streets with one of his
sons, when Parr said, Syl, don't you think that boy
damnably like Ralph ? Upon which the Witness
turned the conversation, and Said, what thd devil
are you talking about.

Two Military Officers spoke of dining at Parr's,
when Benson and Mrs. Parr seemed fo think there
was nobody else present; and upon Mrs. Parr's go.-
ing out of the room, Benson stood with her at the
door, looking upon her as it were with gloating eyes
for some time.--Parr must have seen it, for he af-
terwards told Benson to come and take his wine.--i
One Gentleman spoke to 1085—the other to the
year ism?. It must ,have been .observed by Parr.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH asked the last Witness, if
he, being a inartied man, visited in a house a second
time where
,the husband appeared so little care-
ful of his wife. The witness excused himself
upon his being a military man, and not wishing to
.pass strictures on those who treated him with hos-
pitality.
His Lordship then said, that Mr. Penny had be-
haved like 'a man of stria honour, but he should\
not make any observations upon the other witness,
the last who was Called. -

•hir..PAßK,replied very ably.
Lord ELLENBoRoUGH, in summing up tne. case,
desired the Jury to lay out of the case the aggrava-
tion derived from the Plaintirs malady. He re-
marked also upon the contradiaion that Mr. E. Parr
had received from Jane Hughes in a material point,
and said he thought, even from the Plaintiff's own
Witnes,,,s, there appeared some familiarities to be
allowed by the Plaintiff.. The question would be,
whether he courted, his own dishonour,' in which
case there typist be a verdid tOr the Defendant ; or
Whether suspicious were lulled en/irely by his
fr iendship, in Nine!) case he was entitled to consi-
derable damages ; or, whether he had been negli-
g,nt- Of hi; wite's charaaer, and allowed of free-
doms which led to iinoroper consequences, in
which CaSe,, the damages Must be materially diL
minished.

The Jury withdrew for about a quarter of an hour,
and returned a Verdi& for the Piaintiff.--6Dim3ges

The Cause lasted from nine o'clock till half-past
three.