The Sun.
London, England, 1809-08-03 00:00:00

CROWD SIDE.

Robert Girdler was capitally indied, under the
Statute of the 20th Geo. it. for plundering a wreck
on the isle of Sheppey.
I‘.lr. CORWOOD having opened the inditiment,
Mr. COMMON SERJEAUT stated the facts of the case.
He ob,ierved, that the Prisonef was it di,!-.ted under a•
very wholesome statute, which made it a capital fe-
lony -to steal from any vessel wrecked. Tile cir-
cumstances of the present case were, that on the
night of the loth of January last, it being a very
rough wind, a boat was driven ~shore on the Mawr
el Minster, iu the Isle of Sheppey.. The bailiff, oT
his agent of that Manor, put his mark upon it as :A
wreck, which of right belonged to the Lord until
the owner,appeared, but in the course or thar night
the boat Was totally broken to piecei, and several
parts of her were, shortly after found in the posses.
sion of the Prisoner at the Bar. This prosecution,
he observed, was instituted by the Lord of the Ma-
nor, to put an end to such piratical depredatiens in
future, and not with any desire of wishing a severe
judgment on the Prisoner at the Bar. Sew rat wit-
nesses were then called to prove the Plaintiff's case,
but none of then) could say that the Pi isouer. broke
the boat up, or indeed that it might not be beaten
to pieces by the waves dashing it against the beech.
The LORD CHIEF BARON said, this was a qwestioq
of the right of salvage, which ought to have been
tried in a civd a6tion, and reprobated this mode of
indidment for a capiial off,:tiee. rlie Jury found
then Prisoner 4170 t Guilty;

•
~A singular occurence took place qt the Carrickfar-
gus Assizes. Alexander- .111`Coy, who was charged
vt ith a rape on Catharine M'Gawly, gate notice of
his intention to surrender himself to he gaoler, and
abide his trial at the present assizes. Accordingly he
was returned in the calendar.. On the prisoner being
arraigned, he pleaded as Alexander /Vl`Coy ; butt
when about to be given in charge to the:fury, the
Cotmsel for theCtoWn mentioned'to the Court, that
he understood Alexander M'Coy was not in custody,
but that his brother Daniel had personated him.—
This appearing to be the fact, Daniel was ordered to
remain- in custody; and to be prosecuted for the in-
tended imposition.
On Saturday a Gentleman passing over London-
bridge, by some accident dropped a checqUe on a
Banker, which he had recently received, lOr
This, it seems, was found by a. person fppareutiy
above the common rank of ide, who lost not.itne in
presenting it for payment at the house, upon which
it was Orawn ; fortunately for the owner, the Gen-
tieniati who drew it bad indorsed upon a the firm of
the house of the Bankers of the person who lost it,
who consequently refused to pay the money to any
-person unless to their house. This unexpected check
revived the embers of bottom in the. breast of tire
finder,,. who then returned the checque under a
blank cover to the rightful owner. ,
AN INSTANCE Of HONOUR AND HONESTY.—In
the year 1787, Mr. Thomas Leishman, baker in
Paisley,' had the milfOrtune to become insolvent; he
got a settlement •at that time with his creditors, to
whom he paid 4s. in• the pound, which was all the
estate could afford, and was accordingly-discharged.
Last week he called a meeting of these creditors, and
atter suniptuoasly entertaining them at dinner, paid
them the balance of his debts, with intere.it. Such
an insta;;ce of strict-integrity, so laudable and praise-
worthy,. reflects much honour on himself and on
his family, and-for the sake of human nature engirt
not to be concealed. The gentlemen immeOiateli
voted hint a valuable piece of plate, with an appro-
priate inscription, as a small testiolly of 21“,ir
teem-and regard to a charaCter so highly meritorious.

-rot.