The Sun.
London, England, 1824-07-30 00:00:00

with the family. Some time before Christmas last, Mr. Peter
was engaged in an arbitration of a difficult nature in town ;
Hancock urged by letter that Air. and Mrs. Peter should
make his house in Bread-street-hill their home, while he
should be engaged in the arbitration ; -and said if the did
not comply he should blame the inmates of the Wood-street
rectory (Mr. P.'s father) for it, and dlr. Peter must therefore
prevent the coolness which that would occasion. Mr. I iancock
had written some poetry in the letter, which amused the ladies
exceedingly, and it must have been very good, as they are
allowed to be the best judges of poetry.—(Laughter.)—They
came to his house in Bread-street ; and it happened shortly
after that they went to (hove Cottage, Moulsey. Mr. Peter
was obliged to come to town early in the morning, and came by
the stage. Mr. Hancock was to have followed him, and to
carry Mrs. Peter to town with him in his own carriage. The
children were to come by the stage. Mr. Hancock, instead of
coming to town in a short time, remained with Mrs. Peter till
five in the afternoon. This was on the kb of January. The
coach did not come so early as expected. They canto in the
evening to Mrs. Hancock's mother's house. Mr. Peter thought
nothing of their stay in the country, so confident was he of the
affections of his wife, and the disinterested friendship of the
defendant. A few dsys afterwards Mr. Peter had occasion to
go.to the country—he was then happy—most happy in the en-
dearments of Ms anlinble wife. On his return to town, Air.
Peter, on going into the house of Mr. lianeoa, was met by a
person at the door; 'who hastily put a note into Li, hand, and
hurried away. The note was to the following effect :
" Captain Peter—You little expect the intrigue that's going
on between your wife and Mr. Hancock ; look in the little
trunk, and you will see the letters passing from them daily ;
they sleep together when you are from home."

—He azted upon this suggestion. It happened that Mr. Han-
cock pressed him to take a dressing-box into his bed-roorn which
he did not want, but his wife prevailed upon hint, and he took
it. He went abruptly into the bed-room, where there were two
servants at the time, he opened the trunk with great agitation,
and found the parcel of letters ; he then opened the dressinK-
box, and found enough to, convince him that his future happt-
nees in life was blasted. Thus the Jury would see that he
had laid the guilty secret before them. He did not know what
could give a higher colouring to the case. Those who knew
life, knew ton well the insidious arts, the professions of ar-
dent vows, and the unconquerable passion of love, by which
persons like the defendant endeavoured to seduce the ob•
jests of their illicit desires. The Jury would find it
insinu-
ated in some of the letters that Mr. Hancock had an early at-
tachment for Miss Beckwith, but if such were the case, what
could have been more easy than for a (lentlentan of his wealth
to obtain her. He and r. Peter were of the same age, and it
would be too much to suppose that if any affection had sub-
misted between the defendant and Miss Beckwith, that she
would have refused hint. lie (the Learned Counsel) would
produce letters from INlrs. Peter to her husband while abroad;
expressive of the tenderest aKction, and he would also pro-
duce witnesses who had seen them both abroad, living in
the utmost hartnonv. He would defy the other side to'
show that the plaintiff had any doubt of the affection of.
his wife till the calamity burst all at once on his mind--;
The correspondence was carried on in the house—a proof of
the caution and decorum with which the parties conducted
, -themselves in the presence of third persons--he was so con-
summate in the arts of hypocrisy and treachery. In the se-
veral letters to Mrs. Peter, the defendant endeavoured to
persuade her of her husband's wart of love. and of his own
unconquerable passion. The letters were written with great
warmth of affection, and in A Vod
style. He addressed
Mrs. Peter its "JI dearest Jane"---"'Prue affection, my
Jane"—" I have no other tie on your Affection but your re-
liance on my truth and honour"—" William (her husband) has
constant access to you ; but !me you only s:fe ate as a whisper-
ing, deceitful, hypocritical, wretch." No words could give a
better description of him than his own. The sßbsequent pails
of the letter expressed the utmost ardour fur her; a bride.
groom in the arms of his bride could not picture up love more
Passionately. In another letter front the dressing-box, he said,
" I would sooner forego chic ecstatic pleasure of Saturday end
Sunday (meaning his visits to the Grove Cottage) than the
hope of going with you to the theatre." lie said that her
mother was the cause of the doubts which had been cast upon
her reputation. " A woman's fame is like the bosom of a peace-
ful lake, let It be ever so calm a breath will disturb it " The
defendant was Indeed " a detenta,de fellow." according to his
own worth.— -
4r the lotnre lot of his
-.tents of eatanc sec.

ife. lie hail done this for some, few niotn,
light, which he knew would be short—for the seducer finds
but a short gratification, and turns away with disgust from
the victim of his seduction. In another letter he alludes to
the possession of her person in his own house —" It wakes
me distracted to steal to those embraces which shall in fu-
ture be mine—mine alone—and from which no
." But he would read no more. The Jitry
would find that the plaintiff* and his wife were happy—happy
in themselves—happy in the friendship of the defendant, who
had professed a fervour for the husband which was romantic
and sznthnentaL What case could call fur more damages?.
The plaintiff was deceived and misled-in every thing. On the
other hand, what could palliate the guilt of the defendant?
He had known the Lady from infancy-.she was the,friend of
his father-the daughter of his father's friend, and the fond wife
of a man for whom he had 'expressed the purest affection.
He sought, by a base and hypocritical .paision, to seduce her
front the arms of a tender husband, the extent of whose atiiction
had since affected his Mind. Rut no damages, could alleviate
his loss—on returning to the bosom of his family, he foUnd his
fond wife seduced, and his infant daughter an orphan—r.ll
caused by the friend of his bosom. But the Jury would ex-
press their deep sense cf the injury sustained by the amount of
the damages.
Alexander Indeman produced the marriage register.
Joseph Lee, parish clerk of St. Albatt's, Wood.street, was
present at the marriage—knew rs. Peter front a child.

Miss Peter, sitter of the plaintiff, examined by Mr.
BROUP fIAM.—Her brother was a Lieutenant in the navy at the
time of his marriage—since commanded a merchant vtrssel
plaintiff's family lived at Devizes—ln 1818 witness last
saw them at Holston, in Cornwall—her broiler caine there to
place his wife under his father's protection, on his going to
South America—witness was in company with them every
day—she accompanied witness afterwards into Wales, and then
she went to reside and at her fsther't; in London—they
appeared to live on the most affectionate terms—witness and
she corresponded—the produced letters are Mrs.. P.'s hand.
.writing.
Captain Wright went out to Buenos Ayres in the ship corn.
mantled by the plaintfl'; Mrs. Peter went with her husband ;
they seemed very much attached ; never saw married people
live more affectionately together.
Wm. Crozler'wits mats of the brig Indian ; Capt. and Mrs.
Peter were at Valparaiso, from whence witness came passen-
ger with them to Rio 'Janeiro ; witness was forty or fifty days
on board with them. The Indian was sold, and they came
home in the bard Cathcart together. It was impossible any
couple could live More affectionately together ; saw them at
Mr. Hancock's, in Bread-street, London, also at Mr. Beck.
with's, the Lady's father's living on the same terms. • ,•
Cross-examined by the TTOR 24 EY•G EN EltAl..--Mr. Beck.
with has sons and daughters beside did not know of any
quarrel, or of: plaintiff's leaving his wife rit ValparaiSo—does
not know of their having had a quarrel since in London, but
has heard as much.

By Mr. BnotrottA Nl—There Was some quarrel between.him
and the Governor of Valparaiso—remembered- 'seeing M
Peter -in Wood-street after this affair—when she mentioned
that Peter bad left her, witness said to her '6 never mind, he'll
come back to the cottage."
Mt. liaise, solicitor of St. Ives—Knew the Rev. Mr. Peter,
minister of that place, plaintiffs father— also knew Mrs. Peter
—whilst living there she was received Into the first fatnilles_
saw nothing incorrect in her conduct. • .
Mr. George Dickson lived at Buenos Ayres—Plaintiff and
wile lived with witness there, and seemed perfectly happy.
Mr. Hetfield, auctioneer at Truro, knew ' plaintitrs father,
who died in 1819, when plaintiff came down as his father's ex-
ecutor, and staid there about two mouths ; witness sold his fa..
titer's effects.
Air. John Joseph Miley, was executor of defendant's uncle ;
he is a wholesale grocer; always considered him. in good cir-
cumstances ; his uncle left hits NOM , besides a fourth of the
residue when his younger brother comes of age,(now fifteen);
that frill amount to 'SAW/. more; the rent of the landed estate,
which he takes the whole ot', amounts to 840/. a year; he sue.
ceeded his father as partner in the wholesale grocery,busineas,
which is very extensive. Being shown several letters, proved
plaintiff's hand-writing ; Mr: Hancock's age is about twenty.
seven or twenty-eight.--.(Letters from Mrs. Peter to her hits.