The Sun.
London, England, 1830-12-08 00:00:00

FUTURE sirrnias.

In the course of the morning his Honour stated that he
had had some conversation with Lord Lyndhurst when he was
Clsncellor,relative to the eitting of the Court, in consequence
of the alteration of the terms by the new Act of Parliament.
Lord Lyndhurst had agree with himself that it was not
necessary fur the Court to sit at any other than the usual
times. The Act had passed without any communication
with the Equity Judges, and his Honour was not at all
disposed to have the duties of his office, or the duties of
the Court of Equity, extruded. Quite labour enough was
thrown upon the Equity Judges without having it extended
;n consequence of any enactment to assist the proceeding of
the Common Law Courts. In their laborious profession the
Equity Judges had not more leisure than was required for
the due discharge of the duties of their offioe, because it
must be remembered that they had a great deal to tin
while the Court "was not sitting. His Honour intended to
confer with the present Chancellor upon the subject, but
he did not feel inclined at present to deviate from his usual
course.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH.
TU KiNG V. JP.HIS.

In consequence of this case being appointed for this
morning, the Court was much crowded with military
officers. On the Bench were his Royal Highness the
Duke of Cumberland, Lord Mill, and Sir Robert Peel.
Mr. WILLIAms opened the pleadings by stating, that
this was a cri►r►inal information, which had been filed
against the defendant fora series of libels on Colonel Sir
Robert Hill.

The defendant pleaded that he was not guilty.
Sir hoax* SCA MATT (with whom was Mr. Sergeant
Russell) stated the case. It was, be said, a prosecution
instituted by Sir Robert Hill, who had been a Lieutenant-
Colonel in his Majesty's service, from the year .1784 to
the prevent time. At the battle of Waterloo Sir Ro-
bert Hill was Colonel of the Oxford Blues ; he was
an officer of very considerable distinction—high
reputation and unsullied honour, and had by his conduct
obtained the gratitude of the public, and the confidence
and friendship of his Sovereign. He (Sir James Scar-
lett) had thought it right on the outset to state thus much
rot he was about to introduce a series of the most aggra-
vated libels that had been published by the defendant, who
had also been an otlicer in the same reg►ment as S►r Robt.
Hill, during the time the defendant was in the regiment.
He should say nothing of his cowling es an officer, or
otherwise, as such would not now exteouate or aggravate
the offence which was now the subject of inquiry. It
was, however, necessary to mention that a court martial
had been held on Captain Jobb, and he was discharged
f►orn the service, without having obtained permis-
sion to sell his Commission ; front this t►me it
was supposed he had indulged his rancour against Sir R.
Hill. Sir R. Hill left the service some time since, he
however retained his rank of Lieut.-Colonel, and it was
not until after this time, that a series of anonymous letters
were addressed to various distinguished persons. At first
they were disregarded, and it was found they began to
multiply. One was sent to Sir Robert Peel, others to
Lord Hill, and others to the Magistrates of Shropshire
(for which county Sir Robert was also in the Commission
of the Peace). Another was sent to the Secretary of War,
In all of whirls were contained the most base and scan-
dalous libele. It was not necessary to enter into details,
as the libels themselves would be read► and ho should l►e
able meet clearly to prove the handwriting of Mr. Jubb.

Sir Robert Hill, at he before said, finding that the
letters began to multiply, and that there appeared to be a
regular system of underhand attack, deemed it necessary
to apply to the laws of his country, and in a Court of
Justice vindicate hie wounded honour and reputation. It
was not necessary to enter into the motives of the author
of the libel., but when a criminal intrmation was applied
for it would not have been granted, unless Sir Robert had
distiney denied upon oath that the charges against him
were false,. 'the letters were not only anonymous ones,
but some of them bore the defendant's own signatory,
and they charged his gallon client with committing
offences of the most aggravated nature, and which,
if true, must necessarily expose him to the censure and
disgust of every honourable mind. The July would
think with him, that the character of honourable men
was not to be attacked by anonymous libellers with im-
punity. If it were good character would he held on a
very slight tenure. It was part of the duty of Sir R.
Hill, as Colanel of a regiment, to purchase horses on the
best terms fur the itublie service, and those who knew the
Royal Horse Guards, knew that the very best horses had
been purchased ; indeed it was the pride of that regiment,
as they often bad to attend his Majesty, that the soldiers
should be well mounted. It was also part of the duty of
the Colonel of a regiment when a horse was worn out to
sell him for what was termed a " Cast Horse." An order
was iaaued during the time that Sir R. Hill was Colonel of
the regiment, to sell all the horses that were not wanted. Now
it was the practice of Sir R. iiill to purchase young
horses, and keep them until they were old enough for
service; by this means a considerable saving to the public
was effected, even if they had been purrhand at the time
of a horse dealer. It did happen, however, that some
of the horses that had been gold by Sir Robert, under
the order to which he hod alluded, were subsequently
bought at a public auction by Colonel Hanwell for the
same regiment. This was the ground on which the de-
fendant charged his client with fraud, in having sold
horses as "cast horses" for 10 or lb/. each and upwards, and
repurchasing them at 30 and 35/. each. Another charge
was that Sir Robert returned to the War Office a fictitious
numbs r ofeffective men, and particularly alluded to acorporal
named Turner, who was returned as on regular duty
when, it was stated, he was at the time keeping a public-
house ; and the libel went on further to state, that the
reason of this was to prevent Turner from giving pub-
licity to the fact of Sir Robert Hill being detected in
stealing wine belonging to the officers of the regiment.
Now the real fact was, that Turner was entitled to his dis-
charge in three months, and wishing to do something to
maintain his family, he applied fur, and obtained, per-
minion of the proper authorities to open a public house
three months before he left the regiment. This was the
t;round of a charge of fraud. There was another
charge against Sir Robert, and that was one of a moat
serious nature. One which, if true, would sub•
ject him to the execration of mankind. It was one of
attempting to commit an act of beastiality, and that when
he was threatened to be knocked down stairs and exposed
for it by a subaltern, he quietly submitted to the insult,
thereby, as the writer said, acknowledging his guilt. He
would not disgust the Jury with entering into the details
of this charge. He was sure they would do their duty to
the public, to Sir Robert Hill, and to their own con-
sciences, by ending the defendant guilty. After some
further remarks, the Learned Counsel called the following
witnesece:—

Sir R. C. 11111 examined--In the year 1810 I w&, CO.

lone) in the Royal Horse Guards, the Blues. I com-
manded that regiment until the year 1820. 1 have since
retired from the command, but retain my rank as Colonel
in the army. It was part of my duty to buy horses for
the service of the regiment, and also to sell those when
unfit for service, such are usually called " cast" horses.
It was also part of my duty to make returns of the effec-
tive men in the Horse Guards. In the year 1820 there
was a corporal in the regiment named Turner.
Lord Hill examined.—l received the letters now pro-
&wed. The one dated April, 1828, was delivered to me
at the Horse Guards. I believe it was said that it came
by post. The one dated July 1828, was received by me
in Connaught-place. That also came by post. His Lord-
ship then identified the other letters produced, and added,
all letters addres,ed to we at the Horse Guards are opened
if I am in the country, and sent in that state to me unless
they are marked " private."
Sir Robert Peel examined—The letters now produced
were received by me.
The ArronNtv-Gexenat, for the defendant, admitted
the hand-writing of the letters bearing Mr. Jebb's signa-
ture, but denied that the anonymous ones were written by
him.

Mr. Hurst examined—l have been for many years
Paymaster of the Blues, and am so at the present time.
My appointment took place in the year 1812. During
great part of that time I was acquainted with Mr. MA,
and have frequently seen him write. I have no doubt
that the anonymous letters now produced are in the hand.
writing of Mr. Jobb.
Cross-examined.—l have not seen those lettere before,
neither do 1 know their contents.
Mr. Jos. Spec examined—l was for some years in the
Regiment of Blues ; 1 was Quarter• Master. Mr. Jebb
was in the regiment about 14 or 15 years. I was clerk
to Mr. Jebb'a troop for Kix years, during which time I
became well acquainted with his hand-writing. I believe
the letters now produced to be Mr. Jehb's band-writing.
Cross-examined—l entered the service in the year
1798 as a private, and was promoted in 1814. Mr. Jebb
entered the regiment in 1808.
Mr. James Wnt. Pile examined—l am a clerk in the
house of Cox and Greenwood. I have frequently seen and
aeted on Mr. Jebh'i band-writing. I believe the letters
to be his writing.
Mr. Samuel Buxton, attorney, of Gray's-inn, Mr. John
Wells, clerk to the last witness, and Mr. William
Pitcher, collecting clerk to Messrs. Stultz, the emi-
nent tailor, gave similar evidence as to their belief of the
letters being in the handwriting of defendant.
The libels, eight is number, each of which formed a
separate count in the indictment, were then read, which
in substance stated that Sir Eyre Curate had been dis-
missed the service without being allowed to sell his com-
mission, for charges not near so bad as those against Sir
Robert Hill, who was charged with a crime too hor-
rible to mention, and that he had, likewise, sold
horses for 10/. and ifil. and bought them hack again at
the full price of :W.—that he was guilty of forgery and
fraud—that his conduct was more culpable titan that of
a convict named Montgomery, who was sentenced to be
executed for forgery ; and also charging him with return-
ing corporal Turner as an effective man when he was at the
time keeping a public house ; because he (Sir Robert) was
afraid he would give evidence which would convict him of
stealing wine belonging to the officers of the regiment. There
was another letter also charging him with consenting to the
paytnalter of his regiment overdrawing the public money
to the amount of several thousand pounds. Under welt
circumstances), therefore, the writer argued that Sir
Robert must have used some undue influence with the
Duke of Wellington in order to obtain his Grace's consent
that when he retired from the army he should sell his
conunitution.
The ATTORNXY.-GiNEKAL addressed the Jury at consi-
derable length. He said ho never in his life addressed a
Jury under greater feeling of anxiety than on the present
occasion. Ile was then in the most painful situation an
Advocate could be placed in, for if he could not justify, it
was his duty, 83 much as possible, to palliate the
steps taken by the defendant. Sir James fkarlett,
had said in his opening that a criminal information would
not have been granted, unless Sir Robert Hill had denied
upon oath the truth of the charges against him, and there-
fore the defendant had had an opportunity of knowing how
to Awe his defence. If he had had an advantage
of the denial of the facts, still be was labouring under
great disadvantages by this mode of proceeding, as
by law, if he were able to prove the truth of every
assertion, it did not amount to a justification. The
Learned Attorney-General then made such obser-
vations as the circumstances of the ease allowed of, and
afterwards said he knew that a verdict of guilty must
pass against his client as regarded three counts, as the
letters, farming the subject matter on than were signed
by the name, and admitted to be the hand-writing of Cap-
tain Jebb. But be was instructed to say that the
defendant totally denied any knowledge whatever of the
anonymous letters which had been produced, and that
the probability was they were not his, for he was a man
of impetuous temper, and more likely to attach a person
openly than under-hand. He hoped, therefore, the;
the Jury would only find him guilty on three counts,
and not by returning a general verdict send him into the
world branded with being guilty of publishing anonymous
libels. Sir Robert Hill had dime every thing that was re-
quired to vindicate his character, and it was sincerely to be
lamented that he should ever be called on so to do. The
Learned Counsel then called the following witnesses -.
Col. Keeley examMtal-1 have been in his Majesty's
service between 20 and SO years; I have known Captaio
Jebb many years, but not intimately of late. Dui Mg the
time that be was in the regiment, he was considered
honourable man, and of the st detest integrity. Ho wee in
the Greys about two years, and afterwards went to the
pluses
Mr. C. T. Williams, K.C., examined—Many years age
I was very intimate with Capt. Jebb; of late my ee..
quaintanee has been limited, 1 Issuer however, been pro.