The Sun.
London, England, 1837-01-26 00:00:00

MARYLEBONE.

Yesterday Richard Buquet, driver of Warburton's (the
new Company's) Paddington omnibus, No. 158, was charged
before Messrs. RAWLINSON and HOSKINS, upon a summons
obtained against him by inspector Bell of the B division
of police, for having furiously driven along Oxford-Street,
and thereby damaged the phaeton. of Mr. M`Nab,.surgeon,
St. Martin's-lane, who, with a friend, narrowly escaped
being killed. •
Mr. RAWLINSON, after observing that omnibus racing
had increased to a frightful extent, and desiring the inspec-
tors to keep a sharp lookout for offonders, fined the defen,
dant 405., in addition to 71. ISs. the amount of damage.

MURDER in RATCLIFFE-HIGHWAY.

Yesterday John Pegsworth, who stabbed Mr. John Hal-
liday Ready, a tailor and draper, in Ratcliffe-highway, on
the evening of Tuesday, the 10th inst., after he had been
summoned for a trifling debt to the Tower Hamlets Court
of Requests, was brought before. Mr. BALLANTINE, the
sitting Magistrate at the Thames Police-office, for final
examination on the charge of murder.
At eleven o'clock the prisoner was put to the bar. His
demeanor, was very different from that displayed on the last
examination, the day after the murder. He then exhibited
the most cool indifference, and appeared to think that he
had only exercised a just revenge. Yesterday he appeared
very penitent, and frequently shed tears. He evinced by
his conduct that he was fully sensible of his awful situation,
and that he had committed a most dreadful murder, owing
to his having given way to the effects of sudden anger.
The depositions (which fully proved the facts as they
have been already before the public) having been read over,
Mr. BALLANTINE asked the prisoner if he wished to
say anything ?—The Prisoner—No, Sir ; I have nothing
to say.
Mr. BALLANTINE then said it was his duty to commit
the prisoner for trial for the wilful murder of Mr. Ready,
and he hoped he would make as good use of his time in
New,!ate as he hail done in Clerkcnwell, and prepare him-
self fora file which most probably awaited him.
The prisoner, who covered his fact with his hands, and
trembled excessively while the wonhy Magistrate was• ad-'
dressing Lim, at the conclusion of Mr. 11.faLANTINE's re-
marks endea6nred to regain his composure, and after Ile
had wiped away a tear took a paper. from his pocket, and
said, " Will your Worship allow"—he here paused—" will
you, Sir, allow this to be read?"
Mr. BALLANTINE—If you wish it I can't refuse it-; but
what you do put in will be evidence.
p:isoncr—Thank you, Sir; I know it. I am pre-
pared, Sir, for the worst, and am sorry for the crime I
have committed. I mean to plead guilty before a jury of
my country. If you will allow it to be read, I—the un-
happy man here appeared to be quite overpowered with
hii feelings.
Mr. BALLANTINE—CertainIy, it shall be read.
The paper was then handed to Mr. Symons, the chic'
clerk, who asked the prisoner if the haudwritiog was his?
Prisoner—Yes, Sir, it is.
Mr. Symons then read the document, during which the
prisoner often cried, and.leant his face on the bar. When
his wife was mentioned his anguish was excessive. The
statement was as follows :
I wish to address a few ,words if your Worship will
permit me, and have committed them to paper, as my
memory is very absent through the state of excitement I
have been in. It has been rumoured thnt this dreadful
occurrence was committed through jealousy. I now de-
clare most solemnly that•nothing of the kind induced me
to commit the dreadful act, nor had I any idea of it. I
state this in justicn to my wife's character, whose conduct
is,beyond reproach, and in justice to the memory of the
unfortunate deceased, whom I hurried into eternity. At
the same time it has been stated that I was perfectly cool
mild collected and sober at the time. I declare to God, at
,chose bar I must. shortly appear, that .I was not sober, and
can say, to the best of my recollection, that I did not think
of the horrid act at all until about twenty minutes before
it was perpetrated. Mrs. Cadman, who sold the knife,
made a mistake in stating that it was about 4 o'clock. I
ilia not leave the St. Katharine Dock until half-past four.
I then went straight to my house, and I believe I
had some tea ; but I don't exactly remember whether
I had or not. I certainly meant to call on the de-

ased in the evening, tc.> 'tell him, as I fancied, of his
ingratitude towards inc ; :and it was stated that I did not
show the least remorse for -the horrid deed that I had done,
which I fear may have an ,effect on the minds of the public
at large, and particular]. I young persons, by thinking that
murder is not so monstre ,us a crime as it appears. I should
wish them to know that I feel it very deeply. I do sin-
cerely hope, by the assisf ;ance of my Redeemer, the A lmighty
God will pour upon me. the spirit of prayer and true repen-
tance for the innumera' ale sins I have committed, and hope
that He will, by His c' wine Grace, abundantly pardon me,
without which I knows I shall be a lost man to all eternity.
I shall now give up, all thoughts of worldly matters, and
shall, with the Div; ne assistance, prepare for life eternal.
John Pegsworth, January, 1837."
The witnesses having been bound over in the usual form
the prisoner wr.sthen removed to the surveyor's room, and
afterwards he, was taken in a hackney-coach to Newgate.