The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-28 00:00:00

EXT

'RAORDINARY OUTRAGE ON

A FEMALE BY A RECTOR.
LEEK, STAFFORDSHIRE, FRIDAY.—More than ordi-
nary excitement has been created in this town during
the week by the figuring of the Rev. Edward Powyss,
the rector of Bucknall and Bognall, whose living pro-
duces a yearly income of more than 1,0001., at the
Borough Police-court, on Wednesday, on a charge of
having committed a most cruel and unprovoked assault
on a poor woman named Ann Clewes, aged 64. The
reverend defendant, who is well known in this district,
and is possessed of great wealth, was defended by Mr.
Cobbett, a barrister, of Manchester. From the evidence

it appeared that the defendant was the owner of the
tithes of Bucknall. The husband of the poor creature
rented a small farm in the village, at a yearly rental of
50/., subject to tithes. They resided there for six years,
but left in April last, and they now paid ls. 2d. a week
for the cottage they live in. The tithes were paid in kind,
the defendant taking every tenth strike of corn. Four
years back the tithes were commuted, and the sum the
husband had to pay was 41. 7s. yearly, and she had
paid the defendant the rent-charge in full, without de.
ducting the property-tax. It was usually defrayed by
the tenant, and afterwards deducted from the amount due
to the owner. On the Bth of May the defendant called
for his year's tithe. She asked him to step in and wait
while she got some change. He said, " I have had no
dinner," and jumped on his horse and rode off. She
then had the money. On the I Ith he sent two of his
servants, but she did not pay them. The reverend de-
fendant shortly afterwards came, and said that he had
heard she was going to America, but that he had stopped
her. The poar woman denied ever having bad such an
intention. The Reverend Gentleman then demanded
his tithe. She said, " I hope you have no objection
to paying me the Queen's tax?" He asked for her
receipts for that tax. She showed him them, as also
three receipts which he had given for tithe before. He
put them in his pocket, and refused to return
them. She begged of him to give her papers
back, and she would pay him the tithe in full, whe-
ther he deducted the Queen's tax or not. He still
refused, and she, thinking he would come upon
her for the three years' tithes, the receipts of which he
had got, again begged their return. lie swore by his
God that he would not, and that ho would return them
to London. She got to the door so as to prevent him
leaving with the receipts, when he struck her on the arm
a violent blow with a large walking-stick. With pain
and fear the poor old creature began to cry, and she
went to him with the view of getting the receipts from
him. He said,--" I swear by my God I'll not give them
back." He then raised the stick and struck her over the
head. She fell to the ground insensible, and remained
in that state several hours. Blood flowed over her
bead, and Mr. Laste, a surgeon, on examining her,
found a wound on her head of about half an inch in
depth. The scalp was separated to the extent of half
an inch.

After a lengthened examination, the Rev. S. Sneyd,
the chairman, said it was clear that a gross assault had
been committed upon the woman, and one perfectly
unjustifiable, and the Bench considered it a fit case to
indict the heaviest fine allowed by law, viz , 5/. and costs.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—IIis Royal Highness
Prince George of Cambridge honoured the performances
on Saturday evening with his presence. There were
also present his Royal Highness Prince Henry of the
Netherlands, accompanied by his Serene Highness Prince
Edward of Saxe Weimar. In attendance upon his
Royal Highness Prince Henry were his Excellency the
Count Schimmelpenninck, Admiral Lucas, the Baron
Von der Capellan, the Earl of Denbigh, and Captain
Taylor. The Princes and suite occupied her Majesty
the Queen Adelaide's box. His Royal Highness Prince
Leopold of Naples, Count of Syracuse (attended by the
Chevalier Colonna) also honoured the theatre with his
presence. Her Majesty's box was occupied by the Earl
and Countess Listowel and party. Amono the visitors
were his Grace the Duke of Wellington, the Duke and
Duchess of Cleveland and Lady Augusta Paulet, the
Duke and Duchess of Leeds and Miss Lane Fox, the
Duchess of Richmond and the Ladies Caroline and Cecilia
Gordon Lennox, his Excellency the Russian Minister,
the Baroness Brunnow and Mdlle. Olga de Leaner, his
Excellency the Swedish Minister, and the Baroness
Rehausen, his Excellency the Austrian Minister, and
the Cotintuaa C!.lnrpan, hia Excellency the Neapolitan
Ambassador, his Excellency the Danish Minister, the
Countess Reventlow, and the Countess Hilda de Revent-
low, his Excellency the Minister from Costa Rica, M.
de Berg, the Count and Countess de Kerson, the Count
de Vielowsky, the Marquis of Worcester, the Marquis
and Marchioness of Ailesbury, the Marquis and
Marchioness of Douro, the Marquis of Clanricarde, the
Marquis of Huntly, the Marquis of Donegal, the Earl
of Shelburne, the Earl and Countess of Malmesbury, the
Countess of Glengall, the Earl and Countess of Wilton,
Lord Egerton and party, the Earl of Lonsdale, the Earl
of Bective, the Viscount Clifden, the Viscount Canti-
lupe, the Viscount Somerton, the Viscount Enfield, the
Viscount and Viscountess Maidstone, Lord Ward, Lord
Gardner, Lord George Paget, Lord William Lennox,
Lord Arthur Lennox, Lord and Lady Ernest Bruce,
Lord Cranstown, &e.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA, COVENT-GARDEIN.—Her
Majesty's box was occupied on Saturday evening by the
Marquis of Breadalbano, the Earl and Countess of
Sefton, Lady Louisa Molyneux, Lord Ossulston' Lord
and Lady Eddisbury and the Hon. Miss Blanche Stan-
ley, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert. Among the visitors were,
his Excellency tho Peruvian Minister, the Earl and
Countess of Oxford, the Earl of Besbnrough, Earl
Grosvenor, the Earl of Cardigan, the Earl of Durham,
the Earl of Belfast, Viscount Mandeville, Viscount Ex-
mouth, Viscountess Maynard, Lord Templemore, Lord
Archibald St. Maur, Lady Caroline Murray, Major and
Mrs. David Murray, Lady Rendlesham and the Hon.
Mrs. Thellusson, Lady Stanley of Alderley, Lord
Sandys and Mr. Montgomery, Lord Henry Lennox,
Baron de Sternberg, the Right Hon. Sir George Clerk
and Lady Clerk, Sir Henry Webb, Sir George Army-
tag©, Sir F. Booth, Sir John and Miss Burgoyne, Sir
G. 11. Smythe, Sir Charles Monk, Lady Jodrell, Miss
Compton and Mr. Watson, Lady Shelley and Miss
Cavan, Lady Morgan, Lady Woodford and Miss Wood•
ford, Sir Richard Armstrong, Sir Wyndham Anstruther,
Sir George Carroll, the Hon. John Fortescue, M.P.,
the Hon. Sidney Pierrepont and Mrs. Pierrepont, the
Hon. Craven Berkeley, &c.
REPRESENTATION OF SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE.—
BIRMINGHAM, SATURDAY.—Lord Guernsey is still the
only candidate in the field for the representation of
South Warwickshire, although it appears that had his
Lordship been less prompt in his movements, Sir J. E.
Wilmot, of the Midland Circuit,
' bon of the late Lieute-
nant
Conservative
1;
ewould d
p r speedily
ote
ntmheelba
•
tionist interest. " Finding a candidate tho field of
superior pretensions to his own, the Hon. Baronet
have •
a Gnonvoeuruncoerd of
himself Van
!ie I).
states "ho will not interfere with his chance of success,"
but intimates than when an opportunity occurs he
shall come forward to solicit the suffrages of the
electors. The election is fixed for Thursday, the 7th
of June.