The Sun.
London, England, 1831-12-09 00:00:00

OLD BAILEY, DEC. 8.

Thomas Hogue, a Yorkshire farmer, respectal4
attired, was indicted for wilful and corrupt perjury,
he having sworn that George Van Drury was in-
debted to him in the sum of 5001. for goods sold
and delivered, &c., whereas in truth and in fact the
prosecutor never at any time owed him any sum of
money.
From the high respectability of the parties and the
peculiar features of this extraordinary case, the Court
was crowded to excess, and the trial lasted nearly
seven hours.
Mr. ADOLPHUS detailed the facts of the case.

Mr. John Davis, was a clerk in the office of W.
Windham, Esq., the signer of writs in the Court of
King's Bench, when the witness produced an affi-
davit of debts sworn by the defendant at that office
on the 4th of February, 1831, wherein it was de-
posed that Mr. Drury was indebted to the defen-
dant in the sum of 5001. " for goods sold and de-
livered," and thereupon process issued.
A gentleman of the name of Mayhew, produced
a warrant to apprehend the prosecutor (then on a
visit at Portsmouth) upon a debt of 5001. alleged by
the warrant and latitat accompanying it to be due
from Mr. Drury to the present defendant. Witness
is clerk to the Under-Sheriff of the county of Hants,
and recognition was taken of the documents.
George Van Drury, Esq., examined by Mr. C.
PHILLIPS—I am the prosecutor of this indictment,
and am the nephew of the late Sir George Vandi-
put. I spent my life in India up to 1806 ; I re-
turned to England, and married a lady of family in
Yorkshire. After my marriage I returned to India,
and did not visit England again until 1813. I lived
after that at a villa near Skelton, in Yorkshire,
down to 1830. I know the defendant, who lived
in that neighbourhood. T was arrested by him in
1829, for 130/., and put in bail. In 1824 he was
agent to his mother, who was a farmer near that
place. Since that a suit (the subject of the present
indictment) was instituted for 5001. Excepting the
purchase of a little straw, I never had dealings with
him, nor did I ever owe him a penny.
By Mr. BARRY—I paid the demand of 1301. and
costs. The mother of Hague is dead, and I believe
the farm, consisting of about 200 acres, has become
his own, or divided between him and others.
Mr. ALLEY—You say you settled the 130/. af-
fair, and paid the costs. Pray did you demand a
receipt in full at the time ?
Mr. ADOLPHUS objected to this question ; but the
witness answered that he had heard that such was the
demand.

By Mr. ALLEY—I paid him money at various
times, some in 1825 or 1826. I paid him 2001. at
Abberford. I deny that I ever sat down on my
grounds with the prisoner's brother, on a day in
1824, when the prisoner says he saw us. I sent,
the next day to that the prisoner causes you to
allude to, to the defendant, and a•e had an inter-
view. I had heard of an an abominable accusation.
A Bible was on the table when he came, but I do
not know who brought it there. The prisoner swore
upon the Bible.
RECORDER—What did he swear to? Witness—
I was intimidated by threats, and he swore that he
would never mention thereafter any thing which
would devise for money, and that he would make
no more demands for money.
By Mr. ALLEY—After this I went to Scar-
borough, and met the prisoner at Abberford, about
four miles distant from my seat. In the presence of
my lady, the prisoner took an oath never to divulge
any thing to my prejudice. He received money.
My niece was not in the room. I never, in my life,
paid him any money but what he extorted from me
by threats. If ever he threatened to arrest me, I
never said " Don't state the real cause of demand,
but swear that it's for goods sold and delivered."
A receipt was here put in to prove the receipt of
1301.. and costs of suit, and several letters partly
addressed to the prosecutor, and some to his lady,
which contained oblique threats, unless certain de-
mands were complied with. They were all ad-
dressed to his residence—" Fairfield Villa, near
Skelton, Yorkshire."

By Mr. ALLEY—I have never seen the prisoner
to speak to him for three years and a half.
By the COURT—Altogether he has extorted some
thousands of pounds from me.
Mr. Deverell examined—l am attorney in the ac-
tion for the defendant, entitled " Hague v. Drury."
The cause stood for trial in the county of York, and
at the proper time I went down to have the issue
tried. The day was fixed on a Monday, and a
special Jury summoned. On the Sunday Mr.
Thompson, the brother to Mrs. Drury, received a
letter, written by the defendant, intimating that it
was possible to effect a compromise without going
to trial. Witness took no notice of this, but to his
great surprise he found on the day fixed that the
record was withdrawn by the defendant. On the
day subsequent to:this (July 29th last) Mr. Thomp-
son received the note now produced, in which the
defendant said he should issue a Bench warrant that
day for the caption of Mr. Drury, and he (Mr.
Thompson) after that intimation might use his dis-
cretims. One of the letters, addressed to Mrs.
Drury, demanded of her to send some money to the
post-office, York, on or before,a day named.
To a further question, Mr. Drury admitted that
on one occasion he took the prisoner's note of hand
for 1401., money obtained by way of loan. It was
never paid, and the note was lost. Upon his oath
he never said, that if the prisoner would keep the
secret, he would become his friend, and also intro-
d►►ce him to the company of gentlemen.
Thomas Cown keeps a public-house at Clifton,
near York, which is near to Squire Drury's and
Farmer Hague's. He never knew the latter to be
able until lately, if now, to supply goods and money
to any one to the amount of five hundred pounds.
He owed witness two pounds for some time, for he
checked him from going further, and it took him
eleven years to pay eleven shillings off a two pound
debt.--(Laughter.) He was either without " brass,"
or having it, his principles must be bad.
Mr. ALLEY—Then you stopped at two pounds.
I suppose the Act of Parliament checked you, in-
stead of your checking my client, for you, I dare say,
are aware that you cannot recover any more for an
ale score.

The witness intimated that lie was far enough
north to know that bit of law.

It may be recollected that this misdemeanour
stood for trial at the last session, but the Recorder
would not try it, as there was a civil action pending
in the Court of King's Bench. He said it would
be premature for a verdict of " Guilty" to be re-
turned upon criminal evidence, when, perhaps, an-
other Jury might consider that the debt was just.
His LORDSHIP to-day said, that as the action had
been non-grossed, no such objection now existed.
This closed the caq! for the prosecution.
Mr. ALI,EY then addressed the Jury at great
length. He laid great stress on the fact, that thou-
sands had been extorted from the prosecutor, and,
surrounded as he was by his friends, he had never
dared, or at least he had neglected, to institute a
prosecution against the defendant, who, if there was
any ground for his accusation, had been guilty of a
capital offence. He submitted that there was an
insufficiency of evidence. With respect to the
charge made against Mr. Drury, it appeared a
strange story that, if unfounded, year after year
should have been allowed to pass and no step be
taken; but the Jury had heard the evidence, and
they would judge of the facts.
The RECORDER was proceeding to sum up the
evidence when a young married couple came for-
ward and spoke favourably of the prisoner's cha-
racter. His Lordship then, at great length, reca-
pitulated the evidence, and remarked at, length,
upon some important parts of it as he proceeded,
and gave, as his opinion, that the case was proven,
inasmuch as the prisoner had not brought forward
evidence to show that he ever had any trans-
action with the prosecutor, whereby a debt to
the amount of 500/. had accrued. It had been alleged
by the prisoner that improper liberties had passed
between Mr. Drury and his (Hague's) brother.

Where was that brother—why was be not brot.,
forward ? for although the party was not accused
extortion but perjury, yet if there had ever been
pretence for any thing of the kind, why had not
party been produced ? The Jury would consid,
the circumstances of the case fairly on one sit
and on the other.
The Jury, without a minute's hesitation, return
a verdict of Guilty.
The prisoner, who had stood all this time on
floor of the Court, was taken into custody and plat
at the bar.
The RECORDER then addressed him to the f'
lowing effect :—Thomas Hague, in the experic
of nearly half a century in courts of justice, I Inc
know that I recollect a more aggravated case. fla,
the prosecutor been guilty of the horrid offern
which you have imputed to him, instead of till'
your own pocket, you ought in duty to the pr
to have given such information as would have rid,
the country and the gentry residing in it from
dishonourable a person : but you know there
no ground for such a charge. Unfortunately
him, in this instance he yielded to your diabol.
insinuation, and experience tells me that when
person does that, the first time is not the
Justice has overtaken you, and nothing remains
that the sentence of the Court should be pas
upon you, and that sentence is, that you, Thor
Hague do stand in and upon the pillory for
space of one hour ; that you be imprisoned in
House of Correction, and kept there to hard lal
for the space of six calendar months ; and tt
the expiration thereof you be transported be
the seas to such place as his Majesty, by the acivi,
of his Council, may direct and appoint,
the term of seven years."

THE MARKE'

;N MAR

NV heat.

S. to S.

49 55
- 62
56 64
58 67
52 62
54 60
50 72
52 60
58 69
49 60
58 66

.ETS DU

Barley.

S. S.
- 38
28 84

s. to s.
25
16 21
21
16 22
18 25
16 23
17 22
18 24
25 30
28
17 30
20 23

38 42
30 40

23 34
30 37
28 40
40 48
30 39
30 35

65 70
52 60
52 62

36 38
32 38

22 28
20 26
20 2I