The Sun.
London, England, 1822-08-17 00:00:00

pears Ito be in the head, you, can apply it pretty high in the pole.
Witness'spread the blister, and left it.
Did you not go in to visit the man ?—No ; I am sorry to
say, I did not. •

n his Journal, which was produced, was the entry :
" November 21, 1820.

" A blister to the head for Thomas Gardiner."
He did not make this entry at the time.
Mr. Bridle asked me whether I had entered that blister for
Gardiner's head ?—I told him not. He said you had better.

Upon that I made the entry. I did not hearson the 21st of No-
vember, that Gardiner had had a straight jacket on. It was
on the 53d that I heard of it.

By the JUDGE. You said you were sorry that you had not
visited Gardiner; did you ever visit him never did.

This was the case fo-r the Crown.

Mr. WILLIAMS rose in tears to address the Jury on behalf
of the defendant, and said, that after all that his persecuted
client had suffered—after the course of calumny and artifice
with which he had been visited, he was not ashamed that
his feelings overpowered him when he rose to address them
in reply to the wretched case that had been offered to them,
for he knew that there was scarcely a person in Court who
did not sympathise with his feelings. The Learned• Counsel
(still continuing deeply affected) gave a history of the life
of his client, from his first entering the Somersetshire Fen-
cibles, to relieve an aged father of the burden which his
continuance at home would occasion to his parents, of his
promotion to be Serjeant Major, until, in less than twenty
months, from his extraordinary merit, he was appointed to
a situation on board , the Hulks ; and from thence, out
of twenty candidates, to that of Governor of Ilchester Gaol.
He would show, from testimony of the highest character,
that there was not a single transaction of his persecuted client's
life that was not characterised by integrity, benevolence, and
the highest Christian charity. He asked them whether they
would admit the testimony of a felon like Gardiner, who was
mature in guilt, and black to the core, before he had arrived at
manhood ? The Learned Counsel commented upon the evi-
dence for the Crown, and contended that such confinement as
had been visited upon the felon, Gardiner, was such as the dis-
cipline of the gaol required ; and it 'would be an insult to the
understandings of the Jury to suppose that they would not
agree that a most rigid discipline was necessary in such a gaol,
or how could he stand up in the midst of 300 felons or murder-
, ers ? The practice of putting men in strait-jackets who were
refractory, and giving them, when they shammed illness, what
was called the black dose, was perfectly well known in the
army, and even in the Bluecoat School ; where boys shammed
illness, the practice of administering what was called the black
dose was common. He concluded a speech of several hours
length by saying that he trusted that by the evidence which lie
should adduce, hr should rebut the foul calumnies that had
been circulated in every part of the country by the vilifying
papers, and render this a day of triumph to Mr. Bridle, for
malice had not been proved.
The first witness called in behalf of the defendant was Elia-
Somers, who stated that in November, 1820, she was a pri-
soner in Ilchester gaol. She recollected a quarrel between
Mary Cure and Elizabeth Smith, and recollected Mary Cure
going into solitary confinement. She recollected going to the
cell where Mary Cure was confined.. There was a fire-place
in the cell, and fuel in it. Mrs. Hobbs, who went with the
witness made an offer of fire to Mary Cure, who replied, she'd
be d—d if she would have any, for her time was not long, and
she did not mind it. She had a basin in her cell.
Cross-examined by Sergeant PELL.—She was in the gaol on
suspicion of robbery. Was tried and sentenced to be trans-
ported for life. Mary Cure said she was ill when she came out,
but the witness did not believe her. She and her child ap-
peared lively and well when she came out, and both appeared
as if they had been well fed. The weather was cold, and the
cell was damp. Never tried the effect of being four days with
bread and water only. Mrs. Smith had a young child, and
she was let out on the same day as Mrs. Cure. It was not cus-
tomary to, confine women with suckling children in solitary
cells, unless they were reprobates.
Mrs. Thomas, the wife of J. Thomas, the innkepeer of Ilches-
ter, deposed that she saw Mary Cure some time after her re-
lease, when her child appeared to be in good health. She has
known Mr. Bridle for eleven years, and had never heard but
that he was a very humane kind of man.
John Traghnza, the Master of the new House of Correc-
tion at Bedford, was then examined, and said he had been for
three years the principal turnkey at Ilchester. When the wind
was in a certain way a little rain might beat against the doors
of the cells. Was principal turnkey at the time Mary Cure
was there. He knew her there as a prisoner, but cannot call it
tddris recollection as he had never heard of it. Persons in so-
litary confinement take their own vessels with them, or they
wire fetched. The county allowance to persons in solitary
confinement was bread and water. There was a shop book
which went round. Witness considered Mr. Bridle as very
kind. -He had done many things he had no occasion to do un-
less he liked. The solitary cells had one story over them. The
solitary cells were upon the ground, but about seven or nine
inches above the yard floor, and were entered by a step. They
were arched.
Jane Morgan was examined by Mr. ERskiNE—Her hus-
band was -a serjeant in- the Somersetshire militia. She was
under sentence of transportation at Ilchester gaol in 1818.
Remembered Mary Cure fighting Smith, and Cure in conse-
cpience being confined. Witness remembered her taking a
basin with her and going into the pantry to get cheese and
bacon. Witness saw Mary Cure suckle her child on the morn-
ing that she came out. Mr. Bridle always behaved like a hu-
mane man and a good Governor.
John Poole, who was a constable in 1819, recollects Tho-
mas Gardiner, and having some conversation with him, when
d. the latter ---.1-d the Magistrates and Mr. Bridle too. Witness
advised him to humble himself to Mr., Bridle; Gardiner said,
he'd be d. dif he'd humble himself to Mr. Bridle or the
3agistrates, and d—d the whole to hell. He was always
damning and blasting until he had the blister on his head, and
then he was quiet. He was always swearing at every one
about him.
Cross-examined by Sergeant PELL.—Hq was himself in
the gaol a prisoner for buying smuggled liquor. The
blister was put on by the witness and a man named Car-
ter. In the morning the strait waistcoat was put on, and
at night it was taken off, and put on again in the morning.
Witness had been in goal a year before he was confined for
smuggling. Witness attended Gardiner from the first day to
the last of his confinement. At the farthest, Gardiner was
not confined more than eight days. Witness did not know of
airy other strait, waistcoat. Gardiner hard a cap to keep the
blister on. He was obliged to kick at the door when he wanted
to eat or drink. Witness did not like to go near him, he was
so abusive. He told witness that he should like to have the
skinning of him alive. Witness was told by Carter to assist in
shaving (iardiner's head. Witness did not know from whom
Carter received the order.
Re-examined.—Mr. Bridle was always too good and kind
and indulgent to the prisoners.
Charles. Marshal deposed, that he was two years in Ilchester
gaol, and was the master of the work. Gardiner had d—d all
the magistrates and the witness, and said he would do for the
:thole of them. Witness had seen him seize the mallet, and
threaten the life of his fellow prisoners. Mr. Bridle was very
humane and kind to all the prisoners. Witness did not be-
lieve that Gardiner had ever had a blister on his head.
Robert Gibbs was a prisoner 'in llchester Gaol in 1820, and
recollects Gardiner there. Remembers Gardiner sticking a knife
into the knee of Beachem. It was not a mere • send ; it went
almost an inch into the knee, and blood flowed immediately
it was drawn. Gardiner was a bad resolute young man ; they
were sitting quietly, and had no words.
The High Sheriff was then examined, and depoSed that he
remembered, in September last, Gardiner was in solitary con-
finement.
Sergeant PELL objected to the reception of the evidence of
any circumstance which took place after the commission of the
offence imputed to the defendant.
Mr. Valentine stated that he was with Mr. Bryer, the sur-
geon, in 1820, and used to attend the gaol for him. Witness
was his partner. In November he was called upon to examine
into the state of health of Gardiner. Gaidiner complained that
ne was sick, but he appeared to witness to be in perfect health.
Has known Mr. Bridle for three years ; his conduct appeared
to be that of a humane and kind-hearted man.
Sir T. D. Ackland had been forty years a Magistrate of the
county, and for sixteen years chairman. In 1808, Mr. Bridle
was appointed gaoler, and from the opportunities which the
witness had, in his constant attendance, the witness had known
him to be kind and humane, and exercising every Christian
virtue towards the prisoners. He was forbearing in his con-
duct to all the prisoners. It was the constant habit of the wit-
ness, because it was his duty, to go into all the wards of the
prison, and ask the prisoners whether they had any thing to
say against the officers of the prison, and if they had he would
hear it in the prison. From the result of all these inquiries, he
was enabled to say that the defendant was, in his opinion, a
most humane man, and of an excellent disposition.
Cross-examined by Mr. GASELEE.—He formerly resigned
in July, 1818, as Chairman.
- By the JUDGE.—For two years previous to July, 1818, in
'consequence of his declining health, his attendance had not
been so active as it had been.
F. Poole, Esq:, as a Magistrate of the county, had had fre-
quent opportunities, for the last eight years, of learning the
character and witnessing the conduct of Mr. Bridle ; and, Trom
what he had seen of him, if the situation of gaoler were vacant,