The Sun.
London, England, 1807-03-24 00:00:00

CROWN END.

Thomas Jewett, of Old Malmo, in the North
Riding of this county, aged 24 years, was charged
with violating the chastity of Eliz. Stabler, his mas-
ter's daughter, under the age-of ten years.
The Counsel for the Proiecution stated, that the
Prisonerwas servant to Wm. Stabler, blacksmith, at
Old',Dnalton, and lived with the family. On Sunday
2ryth July last, Mr. Stabler and his wife went to CaS.
tie Howard, leaving the care of his family to the Pri-
soner. The family consisted of five children, the
eldest of which was the child on whom the injury
was done, and was at that time under nine years of
age The two eldest boys went to the Sunday school,
leaving this girl, the Prisoner, an apprentice, and
two children under four years -of age in, the house.
The apprentice bq was sent for some water, . and in
his absense the Prisoner committed the unmanly
crime for which he now stood at the Bar.
We shall briefly state the substance of the evidence
without entering into any-details of thetestitnony,of
the witnesses. - • •

As soon as the Prisoner had got the apprentice out
•
of the way, he proposed to Elm. Stabler to go.with
him into his lodging-room, and he would give her a
glass pf gin. The girl acceded, and the Prisoner gave
her a glass of the liquor he had promised her, which
she drank ; he offered her more, which she refused.
The Prisoner then placed the child upon the bed, and
completed his criminal purpose. The child did not
complain until the following Wednesday, when, upon
being examined by her mother, she related the' whole
transaction, and whose evidence materially corrobo-
rated the child's testimony. The following day a
surgeon was sent for, who examined the child, but
whose evidence we cannot notice farther than that it
placed
.beyond all doubt the truth of the previous
testimony of the girl, and proved the perpetration of
'the crime.
`Re Prisoner, when charged by Mr. Stabler with
the injury done to his child, at first doled tit, but
afterwards begged forgiveness, and in a few days
thought proper to deny it again, which so irritated
his master that he had.him apprehended.,
Many witnesses were examined for the Prisoner,
who gave him an exceeding gocid chat titer, but
whose evidence-na farther affected the charge. than
to 'prove that the girl had nut been to much insured
as 'to prevent her attending school the following

week.
His Lordship, in stating the law, said, " That the
statute which took tic benefit of Clergy from per-
sons convitled of rapes, had made it a capital offence
for any wan to have what. the law calls carnal know-
ledge of a female child under the lige of ten years,
and that without any reference to consent or non-
consent of the child." His Lordship then recapitu-
lated the whole of the evidence.

The Jury, after consulting a few moments, found
the Prisoner Gilt f, but recommended him ft/mercy
on account of his general good ehara6ter..

His Lordship, with the most impressive solemnity
said, " Gentlemen, I always listen with pleasure to
your recommendatibn when I can do it consistently
with My public duty brat lam afraid I should hand
over the young and innocent part of the female sex
to the lusts of the depraved part .01 the other sex if I,
shnnil in this instance yiAl to your suggestion, and
it will be my painful ditty to leave the Prisoner to the
unmitigated severity of the law:"
When his Lordship passed sentence of death upon
the Prisoner, he repeated the above sentiment, and
added, " It would be in vain that the law protetted
female youth and innocence with its heaviest penalty
no-AinstAhose who outraged them, if the Ministers of
the law had not courage fully to execrate theal." '