The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FUESDAY EVENING. AUGUST 18, 1863.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

WESTERN CIRCUIT.—BRISTOL, Aug. 15.
(Before Mr, Justice Willes and a Special Jury.)
LSAT V. STOGDEN,

This cause, which the learned judge admitted was one of
the most extraordinary that had ever come before him, ex-
cited an unusual degree of interest. The court was densely
crowded throughout the day, and up to the late hour of
night at which it terminated. Ladies were requested to
withdraw.

Mr. Coleridge, Q.C., and Mr. Stock were for the plain-
tiff; Mr. Kerslake, Q.C., and Mr. Montague Bere for the
defence.

The damages were laid at £2,000.
_ _

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don he could cast upon her—that on repeated occasions she
had acted unchastely with him. If anything could add to
the unmanliness, the baseness, and the cowardice of the de-
fendant's conduct, it was the fact of his having been on
terms of long intimacy with the plaintiff, and having been
engaged to marry her. Miss Leat was a young lady about
25 or 26 years old; she was a fatherless girl, and lived with
her widowed mother, who had carried on a farm in Devon-
shire, but who had now retired and lived at Topsham. The
defendant Stogden was a person of some 30 years of age, who
lived in the same place, and carried on the business of a
farmer. An intimacy commenced between them, and in
1858 he became engaged to be married to Miss Leat. The
courtship was continued till a time in 1862, when it was
broken off. The defendant had taken to habits of intoxica-
tion, and he came on one occasion to the house of Mrs,
Leat whilst in that state, and behaved with such violence
that Miss Leat and her mother were compelled to order
him out of the house, and send for some member of his
family to remove him. Miss Leat refused to have anything
farther to do with him. Afterwards a young man in the
neighbourhood named Pidgley formed attachment for Miss
Leat, and became engaged to marry her, and things went
on without interruption until the 27th February last, on
which day Miss Leat was in Exeter with her mother, Mr.
Pidgley, and a young lady or two, when, as they were
walking down the High-street, Stogden came up to them
and wished to speak with the plaintiff. She declined to
have anything to do with him, and moved aside, upon
which he used the slanderous language complained of, and
subsequently repeated the same offensive expressions. An
opportunity had been given to the defendant to withdraw
the calumny and make an ample apology, but he refused,
and had had the audacity to put upon record a plea of jus-
tification, alleging that the words were true,
Miss Mary Leat, a pretty and modest-looking young
lady, was then called and gave a narrative confirmatory
of her counsel's opening. She gave her evidence with a
propriety of demeanour which at once gained her general
sympathy, and once or twice she was affected to tears.
There was not, she said, the least foundation for what he
had said respecting her. Never on any occasion had there
been improper intimacy between them ; that she solemnly
swore. The engagement with him was broken off in March,
1862, in consequent of his being tipsy and violent, and
calling her mother a liar. She had seen him in that state
frequently before, and she therefore resolved to break off
the match.
Mr. Kerslake cross-examined the plaintiff, and put into
her hands some letters written to defendant from Topsham
in April, 1862, in which she signed herself " affectionately')
his, and proposed places at which she would see him, and
in one of which she asked him if they were to part to let
them meet and part as friends. She stated that those
letters were in answer to letters from him, and the meet-
ings proposed to prevent his coming to the house, to which
her mother objected. She did meet him at Topsham, but
he was not then an affianced lover, They were not to have
been married at Lady-day, and she did not engage a ser-
vant named Buck. Was not in the habit of walking with
him late at night. He never slept in the house but once
—on the night of his brother's death. She always slept
with her mother. There wero always servants in the
house. Never sat on a sofa with him after her mother
had gone to bed. No doubt she had sat in the room alone
with him.

Mrs. Charlotte Lear, the mother, Miss Mary Hodge,
Mr. Maher, a former of East Brent, and Mr. Charles
Pidgley, farmer, of Heavitree, were called in support of
the plaintiff's case.
Mrs. Leat said her daughter always slept with her. She
was her only child. Defendant had never been in the house
after half-past nine o'clock unless they had company.
Mr. Pidgley said he had declined to marry Miss Leat
unless the slander was cleared up. He had continued his
suit on that condition.

Dr. Brent, of Woodbury, stated that ho had been in
practice twenty years, and had had great experience, and
that he attended the families of plaintiff and defendant.
Miss Leat had required him to examine her, which he did
in the presence of her mother. Was perfectly certain that
sho never had improper intimacy with any man.

Mr.Karslake then addressed the jury for the defence. He
admitted that the charges against the plaintiff had been
grave and serious, and Mr. Stogden, who had used them
in a moment of jealous irritation, regretted having used
them at all ; but he adhered to their truth, and re-
fused to retract them, and, having put a plea of justifi-
cation on the record, he claimed his right to come there
and support it. The defendant would pledge his solemn
oath that he had over and over again had criminal inter-
course with the plaintiff, and he would call evidence in
confirmation of his statement. If the publicity which the
case has gained was painful to the plaintiff she had herself
to blame for it in bringing that action.
Robert Stogden was called, and swore, in the course of a
lengthened examination, that he formed an illicit connec-
tion with the plaintiff within a month of his engagement to
her. It was commenced in the yard outside her mother's
house, and repeated constantly afterwards down to March,
1862. The witness denied that the engagement was then
broken off, but admitted that there was no improper con-
nection afterwards. He said he had meetings with Miss
Leat down to about the time of his exposure of her, but
was not aware she was to be married to Mr. Pidgley till the
day in question, when he met her mother, who told him so.
Upon cross .examination by Mr. Coleridge, he made very
contradictory statements.
The learned Judge said he hoped there was a shorthand
writer putting down his evidence. He also directed, at the
close of the examination, that he might not be allowed to
leave the court.
Upon re-examination, the defendant admitted that a
judgment had been obtained against him in the county
court for money he had had of Miss Leat, but which he
said she had given him to purchase things for his farm at
her mother's sale.

James Lang, who had lived servant at Mrs. Leat's for
six weeks in 1861, deposed that he had repeatedly seen an
immoral intercourse between plaintiff and defendant ! but
upon cross-examination he said it always occurred in the
front kitchen, the door being ajar, and he being in an ad-
joining kitchen with the door open. He never mentioned it
to anybody till lately.
The Judge ordered this witness also to remain in court.
Mina Berry, a girl of 17, also deposed to having wit-
nessed an impropriety in 1861, which she saw through the
keyhole of a door. She had never mentioned it to a soul
till a Mrs. Room had asked her about it.

After a witness, whose evidence was immaterial, had
been called,
Mr. Kerslake summed up bis evidence, contending that
it afforded ground upon which the jury might arrive at a
conclusion favourable to the defendant.
Mr. Coleridge replied la an able address, in which he
strongly denounced the conduct of the defendant, quoting,
in the course of his remark, the well-known speech of
Emilia in " Othello," which ends with an invitation to
" Pleee in every honest hand a whip,
To lash the rascal naked through the world !"
The speech was received with a loud burst of applause,
which the officers of the court found difficult to repress.
The learned judge summed up with great ability, stating
that if the jury believed the plaintiff, and the evidence of
Dr. Brent, and that the defendant had foully and vilely
slandered her, and had made against her a charge which,
if not disproved, must have embittered her life, the jury
would then have to say what sum, if any, could compensate
her for the anguish she had suffered.
The jury retired to consider their verdiet, and after a
lapse of twenty-five minutes they returned into court, and
and found a verdict for the plaintiff, damages, £6O.
His Lordship—Where is the defendant?
The defendant stood up just behind his attorney facing
the bench.
His Lordship—Robert Stogden, the verdict of the jury
has branded you as a man who has committed wilful and
corrupt perjury, and the Court has anxiously considered
whether it ought not to commit you fortrial for that offence.
If there were a criminal assize in this city, where the trial
has
where p la your trial for perjury could have taken
place your crime crime has been committed, and if the
taken
witnesses were not put to any trouble and delay by going
to a new place, to the city of Gloucester, where the case
could not have been heard before the next assize, and
where new counsel would have to be instructed; and you
might after all have slipped through the nets of criminal
seeing
f
justice, the Court wouid have committed you for trial
that offence. Upon consideration, however,
the disadvantages under which that trial would take

place, and feeling that some persons might think it
would be keeping the plaintiff's right to recover, in
abeyance, the Court calls upon you to enter into your
own recognisance in the sum of £2OO, to appear before the
next Gloucester Assize, to answer this charge if called upon
to do so ; and the plaintiff will take advice as to whether
she will put this in force—whether she will renew her great
grief by punishing you for the evil you have committed.
His lordship next dismissed the grand jury. He thanked
them for their assistance, and he said that he trusted the
serioro grievance which interfered with the administration
of jmlice would soon be removed, and they would have a
criminal as well as a civil assize at Bristol.

Mr. Gurney (the associa' e) then formally bound over the
defendant to appear, if called, at the next Lenten Assize for
the county of Gloucester.

His lordship advised tho plaintiff to forget the prosecu-
tion, and trust her vindication to the opinion of every right-
thinking wan.
As ►.he plaintiff left the court with her friends she was
loudly cheered by a crowd in and about the hall.

THE GREAT EASTERN.

(From the .Yew York Herald, August 4.)

Seven hundred feet of flush deck, never wet with spray
in any ordinary gale ; 1,200 people sprinkled about the
monster, making no more show than the ordinary comple-
ment of a common steamer for society.
The four 18-pounders peel out their parting salute to the
crowded docks at Liverpool, and notify us that we are under
way, a fact that is hardly indicated to a close observer by
any jar of the engines, or any motion of the ship,even when
she is going at speed in smooth water.
Below decks the ship looks most unostentatiously plain,
but substantial to the highest point, and with the hammer-
ing she had in the terrific gale when she lost her rudder,
and afterwards when she struck a new found rock in mid-
channel, off Montauk Point, not the slightest sign of strain
can be found upon her.
Her arrangements for passengers are the first step in
that reverse of old qaarter-deck rules which steam must
sooner or later bring, in order to avoid coal smoke and
other nuisances. Her forecastle for the crew, to speak
Hibernice, comes next the taffrail ; then the quarters of the
steerage passengers on the after part of the two decks,
with air ports which can be kept open all the time. Price
of passage being about what a labouring man can earn
during the 35 days that he will save as compared with the
crowded twist decks of a sailing ship. Forward of this
comes the intermediate steerage, where at a low rate a few
passengers get very fair quarters in rough state rooms,
which most people would prefer, for U days, to a cabin of
a sailing ship for 40. These arrangements for the crew and
steerage passengers take up less than a quarter of the ship's
length.

Next comes the second cabin, whose occupants share the
remaining three-quarters of the deck with the captain,
officers, and first class passengers.

Below decks they are only separated by an iron bulk-
head and a curtain door from the first cabin, and yet prac-
tically all the advantages of the first class. Good air, for
state-rooms, good, substantial food, and a fair half of the
delightful music which the band discourses at meals in the
first cabin.

We now come to the more aristocratic part of the ship,
which is generally plain as a pike staff, and owes its at-
tractions more to its ample light and perfect ventilation
than to any attempt at eleganoc or ornament, excepting the
grand saloon and ladies' cabin, which shines with gilt and
mirrors. Those who have smothered for a fortnight in the
little air-tight state-rooms of the little three thousand ton
steamers, flavoured with sea sick reminiscences, can but
appreciate the luxury of an open port 15 inches in diameter
in each state-room.

Here you can get quarters in rooms varying from 20 feet
square at corresponding prices, but all having the one thing
needful for health—namely, fresh air ad libitum, and some
suites of rooms with baths and water closets attached. We
have now surveyed the comforts of the ship. The luxuries
consist of a good table, attention, service, and a most ca-
pital band, of 15 pieces, which sounds the reveille in the
morning and the retreat at night, announces the meals by
bugle calls, accompanies the dinner below, and then amuses
the world above for an hour or two about sunset, giving
the steerage and other passengers a chance which they
often wait for to dance upon the broad and even deck.
But, asks a timid friend, how about safety with all this,
comfort, luxury, and grandeur, and how about sea sick-
ness? Let us weigh our good ship's qualities in the light
of prudence and experience.
Once at sea all admit that she is the safest ship that
floats. She is built with wonderful strength and skill, and
has stood more tests than any ship now extant,
Any ordinary collision with other vessels could only re•
suit in her favour. She is nearly fire-proof, and her fire
engines have lain nightly along her decks, reducing her
danger to almost nothing. A gale of wind at sea is merely
sport to her. In case of breaking down one set of engines,
she has, besides her sails, either her screw or her paddles
left. But how can she be safe in approaching the shore
with her unwieldy bulk and great draught of water?
Let those who saw her go into Queenstown inner harbour
before a gale of wind, and turn in her own length amid the
shipping, under the guidance of Captain Paton, as a steed
obeys his rider, say whether she is docile.
In truth, the advantages of handling her in narrow water
by turning the screw one way and the paddle the other,
makes her, under skilful hands, more manageable than ordi-
nary sea steamers. _

This brings us to her one admitted fault, counterbalanced
by so many virtues—that she draws sft more water than a
steamer of 3,000 tons, and may thus pick up a new ledge of
rocks or an old sand-bar when the other would go clear.
True, she may again, as she did off Montauk, and what was
the result then ? With six holes in her bottom, one of
them 100 ft long, and one 40ft long, she resumed her voyage
into port, and delivered her passengers uufrightened, her
cargo undamaged. She has, in fact, double bottoms 3ft
apart, besides a great number of compartments, some of
which could be filled by ruptures in both her bottoms with-
out the ship sinking.
It would be a long story to tell the patience and inven-
tion which enabled Captain Paton and his officers to repair
her bottom without the help of any dock ; but the same
qualities which then got her out of difficulty gives the
best guarantee for her future safety while he walks "the
monarch of her peopled deck." How about sea sickness ?
There is absolutely no pitch to her in any ordinary gale,
an angle of six degrees being the greatest her decks ever
attain fore and aft. Here is one half the motive cause of
sea sickness taken out. She rolls with an easier motion
than most ships, but still she rolls at times about as much
as smaller ships- On the passage we have had racks on
the table to secure the plates part of two days. Very sen-
sitive people will still sometimes be sea sick on board ; but
with freedom from i
P-tc—ing and from bad smells, and with
the abundance of fresh air, it is difficult to imagine any
better security against nausea than she furnishes. Out of
1,200 passengers a few have been sick, but a great majority
of those who are usually sea sick are entirely free from it.
Let. us now leave these dry details and revert to the scene
which enlivened the good ship on the 4th cf July, 1863.
The sky was bright, the sea was blue and smooth, and most
of her passengers were on deck.

About noon certain mysterious bundles were seen rising
to her masthead, and at a signal from Captain Paton these
unrolled and displayed the glorious Stars and Stripes upon
one mast and St. George's red cross on the other, while
our cannon thundered forth a national salute, and the full
band gave us the inspiring " Hail Columbia." The salute
ended, two standards were handed—one, the American, to
a fine !looking Englishman, and the other, English, to a
stalwart American, and the passengers, steerage and cabin,
marched three times round the ship (nearly a mile), led by
the band, playing national airs. A few speeches, good for
the shortness, if for nothing else, cheers for the flag, for
the Queen, for the ship and for Captain Paton, closed this
harmonious festivity.

At dinner the best feeling was manifested by all, and
much interchange of courtesy between the Americans and
English occurred ; but there was no formal celebration, our
energies being reserved for the evening.
At eight o'clock the band called us to the main dining
saloon, which was found cleared of its tables, decorated
with British and American flags, makings beautiful dancing.
hall. And here the young and old kept up the dance until
the small hours, winding up with an old-fashioned country
dance and a light supper.
Thus ended one of the pleasantest celebrations of the
glorious Fourth which it has been our lot to witness. How
much may be done by the commander and his officers on
such occasions to make a crowd happy and to extend good
feeling between people of different nations. Since then we
have been rushing through endless fogs on the Banks, occa-
sionally hearing the fog horn of some fishermen, and once
pulling up short in the midst of a fleet of fishing vessels,
one within 20 feet of our side.

A RUMOUR is circulating to the effect that Miss
Pyne and Mr. Harrison have absolutely the intention of
attempting Le Prophets' in English We can hardly,
exclaims the Athencpunt, fancy so huge a mistake possible.

Full benefit of reduced duty obtained by pur-
chasing Horniman's pure Tea; very choice at 3s. 4d. and
48. "High Standard "at 4s. 4d. (formerly 4s. Bd.), is the
strongest and most delicious imported. Agents in every
town supply it in packets.
The French duty on steel goods was almost prohibitory,
hut they long since removed every possible obstacle to tan
introduction of Herring's magnetic brushes, &c. pr. Hassel
reports "I regard them as the most perfect brushes hitherto
made, as respects their mechanical construction and their
magnetical action." They are the remedy for grey hair,
neuralgia, rheumatism, &C. N.B.—Counterfeits are being
made, Offices, 32, Liasinghall-street. London.

LANCASHIRE DISTRESS.

CENTRAL RELIEF FUND.
The usual weekly meeting of the Executive Committee
was held at the Town-hall, Manchester,yesterday. The Earl
of Derby presided, and there were present Sir J. Kay-
Shuttleworth, Lord Egerton of Tatton, Lord E, Howard,
Colonel Wilson Patten, Major Egerton Leigh, Messrs.
Kay, Stern, Heywood, Roberts, E. Ashworth, Goodair,
Hugh Mason, Platt, Ross, G. L. Ashworth, Hutchinson,
Rawlinson, R. M'Clure, and Commissioner Farnall.
Mr. J. W. M'Clure, hon. sec., reported the balance in
the bank of £314,59G 12s 11d, and that £513 3s 2d had been
received during the week. Two small parcels of clothing
had been received, but none sent out.
Mr. Commissioner FARNALL presented his weekly re-
port:—

" I beg to inform you that on the Bth inst. there was an
increase in the number of persons receiving parochial relief
in 27 Unions in the cotton manufacturing districts, as com-
pared with the number so relieved in the previous week, of
91. This increase of 91 is explained as follows :—There is
an increase at Burnley of 23, at Bury of 231, at Chorley of
18, at Clitheroe of 44, at Garstang of 9, at Glossop of 25, at
Haslingden of 28, at Leigh of 25, at Preston of 501,at Prest-
wich of 38, and at Rochdale of 13—making a total increase
of 955. But there is a decrease at Ashton-under-Lyne of 94,
at Barton-upon-Irwell of 42, at Blackburn of 49, at Bolton
of 107, at Chorlton of 132, at Lancaster of 18, at Maccles-
field of 9, at Manchester of 263, at Saddleworth of 6, at
Salford of 107, at Stockport of 28, at Todmorden of 5, at
Warrington of 1, and at Wigan of 3—making a total de-
crease of 864; so that there is a net increase of 91; and,
since the 6th of December last, a total decrease of 126,134.
There were, on the Bth inst., 145,849 persons receiving
parochial relief in the 27 Unions adverted to; in the corre-
sponding week of 1861, 46,874 persons were so relieved;
there is, therefore, an increase of 98,976 persons in re-
ceipt of parochial relief, or 211/ per cent. In the corre-
sponding week of 1862, 118,824 persons received parochial
relief. The total weekly cost of outdoor relief on the Bth
instant was £8,930 12s 7d ; in the corresponding week of
1861 it was £2,240 18s 8d; there is, therefore, an in-
crease of £6,689 13s 11d, or 298'5 per cent. In the cor-
responding week of 1862 it was £6,609 9s ld. The
average percentage of pauperism on the population of
the Unions on the Bth inst., was 7.4 ; in the correspond-
ing week in 1861 it was 2.4. The amount of money in the
hands of the treasurers of the above Unions on the Bth inst.
wan £73,929 15s. 4d. I take this opportunity of stating
that the provisions of the Public Works Act will shortly
come into operation in most of the large towns and in seve-
ral of the parishes of the cotton manufacturing districts ; I
am therefore justified in anticipating that a great number of
able-bodied unemployed operatives will soon be removed
both from the poor-rates and from the charitable funds."
Mr. MACLURE, referring to the increase last week and in
the previous week in recipients of relief from the guardians,
expressed an opinion that to some extent it arose from the
closing of the operations of various relief committees, a re-
sidue of whose recipients of relief were now transferred to
the guardians. The usual monthly returns at the end of the
month would show the exact number of the recipients of
relief from all sources, and what change had taken place in
the numbers.

Col. WILSON PArrzx inquired whether measures were
being taken in the places applying for loans to show even-
tually what number of men had been employel upon public
works, and the number taken off the reliaf committee books.

Mr. FARNALL said he should take care to see these men at
work, and report to this committee as to the number of previ-
ously unemployed operatives who were included among them.
Mr. GOoDAIR, in reply to an inquiry from Mr. Farnall as
to the cause of the increase of 501 persons in receipt of
parochial relief in Preston, said that during the past week
two mills had been reduced to short-time working, and that
the local relief committee were throwing off their books a
certain number of persons who might possibly be finding
their way on to the books of the guardians. In answer to
the Chairman, Mr. Goodair also said that in the present
state of the market for cotton and manufactured goods it
was:impossible to predict with any degree of certainty how
long these mills might continue upon short time.
Mr. RAwLIWSON stated that the after-named towns had
sent in applications, accompanied by plans and estimates,
for loans for purposes here stated :—Blackburn, 178,300,
for main sewers, for cleansing river, deepening, forming,
and paving the beck through the town, for forming and
paving streets, and for other works (a further sanction is to
be asked for during the winter) ; Preston, £28,500, to form
public parks and recreation ground, and to complete sewers
and streets and paving and repairing footpaths on the banks
of the Ribble, and for other works ; Dukinfield, £2,000, for
main sewers and other works. These applications had been
reported on and sanctions would be granted. Blackburn
would have a first instalment of £lO,OOO, and additional in-
stalments as the work proceeded. Preston would have the
same, and Dukinfield would have the £2,000 asked for, as
it was thought of £lO,OOO being asked for when plans could
be got ready. Denton is preparing plans for main sewers,
and Wigan has given notice for £50,000; Bolton was about
to apply for a sanction to borrow £lOO,OOO for waterworks,
extensions,cleansing andimproving river, sewering, forming
paving, and completing streets, recx cation grounds' exten-
sion, markets' extension, and new town hall. The plans
and specifications are in course of preparation. Stockport
was about to make application for some £50,000 for forming
sewers and streets, cleansing river, and other works. Most
of the boroughs and towns in the distressed districts would
apply for loans as soon as plans and estimates could be pre-
pal ed.
The CHAIRMAN (Lord Derby) asked if the public works
carried out under the new act in places named would absorb
a large amount of unskilled labour.
Mr. ItawLiNsoN replied that they would. At the present
moment something like 550 unskilled labourers were em-
ployed at Blackburn. At Bolton a large number were also
at work. At Dukinfield public works had been commenced,
in anticipation of obtaining a loan, for the purpose of find-
ing employment for applicants to the relief committee, there
All the men were employed in gangs and paid for measured
, work.

The CHAIRMAN suggested that in the event of a larger
amount than the million and a half at present appropriated
to public works being :applied for and granted, the Poor
Law Board might exercise a discretion in limiting its ap-
plication to such works as would employ the largest amount
of unskilled labour.

Mr. FARNALL said he had no doubt that, under the cir.
cumstances mentioned, some such discretion would be exec
cised.

Grants were then made to various towns to the amount
of £3,955, including £l,OOO to Blackburn.
The CHAIRMAN asked Mr. Rawlinson what steps had
been taken there to put the new Public Works Act into
operation ?

Mr. RAWLINSON replied that Blackburn was the first
place to accept the provisions of the act ' • and as regarded
the preparation of the necessary plans and specifications and
the carrying out all the other preliminary details, that town
might serve as a model for the rest of Lancashire, for no-
thing could be more complete and perfect. He begged also
to remark that in Blackburn they had forestalled the act,
in setting men to work for wages in the way provided for in
the act itself. They certainly deserved the warmest praise
of the committee and of the country.