The Sun.
London, England, 1824-01-19 00:00:00

OLD BAILEY.

ALLEGED MURDER.—On Saturday John Webb
was indicted for the wilful murder of Charles Gibson, and in.
another count for killing and slaying the said Charles Gibson.
—The factsof this case have.already been before the public.—
The deceased, Charles Gibson, was killed in a pitched battle,
at Bethnal-green, between him and a youth named George,
who, with his master (ivho seconded him), a master baker,
named Faucett, was tried last Session for the offence, were
both convicted,, and sentenced to different periods of im-
prisonment. The facts proved against the • prisoner were
these :—A fight having been agreed upon in November last,
between .two youths named George and Gibson, for a leg of
mutton and trimmings, in consequence .of .a dispute about a
sack, which Gibson would not give up to George, though it was
his property, which sack had beenused at some wake or festival
at Bow, at a race and jumping in sacks; it was subsequently
agreed that the fight should be for a sovereign, and was to take
place on the Monday fcillowirig. About Seven hundred persons
were present at the fight in Stepney-field, near Bow, and the
prisoner Webb was second to the deceased Charles Gibson.
The evidence having been gone through, Mr. Justich Butt.
ROUGH said, in summing up, that the casein no shape bore the
ingredients essential to a charge of murder, viz. malice afore-
thought, and it was for them (the Jury) to say, under all the
circumstances, whether the prisoner had contributed to the
death of the deceased. Fights of this kind were certainly un-
lawful, but it appeared that, on this occasion, it was a very
fair fight. The prisoner7s youth and indiscretion led him to
take a part in it; and though it was improper, yet the transac-
tion did not evince on the part of the prisoner a badness of
heart, - and all the witnesses who have given him a character,
spoke of him a civil, well-behaved, humane young man. If
they were of opinion that he aided arid comforted in the fight,
though it had been sworn he advised the deceased to give over,
a circumstance greatly in his favour, yet lie was guilty of the
crime of manslaughter, and the Court .would deal with him ac-
cording to the favourable circumstances of the case.
The Jury retired, and returned, after an absence of above
two hours, and delivered a verdict of—Not Guilty.

HYDE PARK.—About three o'clock, yester-
day, there was a very numerous display of Fashionables, as
well equestrian as pedestrian ; and the crowded scene be.
spoke as it were the already brilliant commencement of the gay
season of Fashion.

li UNT,
THE ACCESSARY TO TUE LATE MURDER.

Considerable interest has been felt, and now
exists in the public mind, as to the ultimate fate
of Hunt, and this feeling increases as the time
fixed by the Sherif for the execution draws
nearer, especially as* the general impreSsion is,
that as promises of favour were held out to Hunt,'
which induced him to discover where the body
was secreted,. life ought to be spared : how-
ever, no respite has been as yet transmitted, and
unless a reprieve arrives at Hertford on or before
Wednesday next, at noon, he will undergo his
sentence. The Petition, of which we subjoin a
copy, was last week. presented by Mr.HAttmEtt,
at the Secretary of State's Office, on behalf of
his client, and we. understand it was forwarded
to his MAJESTY, at Brighton, together with,all the
original documents which are therein referred to,
and which Mr. Justice PARK himself had himself
deposited with'the Home Secretary. This Petition
is now under consideration, and the determination
on the prisoner's case will probably Ge made
known in the course of this evening, as'hiS MA
JE§TY holds a Council at Brighton this day.

To the Right Hon. ROBERT PEEL, his MAJESTY'S
Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department.
The humble PETITION of JosePh Hunt, a Prisoner
in the County Gaol at Hertford, under sentence of
death,

SHENVETH- That your Petitioner was convicted at the As.
sizes held at Hertford before the Hon. Sir James Allan Park,
Knight, of having aided and abetted one John Thurtell to
murder William Weare, and he was thereupon sentenced .to
suffer death.

That your Petitioner will not presume to deny his guilt, or
offer any observation in extenuation of its enormity, but most
humbly rests his claim for mercy on
.the ground of his having,
under promise of favour, furnished the only means and ground-
work of the prosecution against himself and his companions.
That your Petitioner, previous to his making any disclosure;
was faithfully promised by the Magistrates, that if he told all
he knew, and made a full and ample confessiOn he should be
admitted as a witness for the Crown ; but if he would only dis-
close where the body was to be found, his lif.t should be saved.
That your petitioner, partly.froni shame, but more from the
hurry and confusion of the moment, and the state of exhaustion
in which he was at the time of the confession, omitted to state
some of the circumstances attending the horrid affair, still,
your P however, el.' disclosed -to the Magistrates where
e Ct. rto .
the body was secreted, and by that disclosure alone, as your
Petitioner humbly submits, entitled himself to theTerfortnance
of the latter promise, namely, the saving of his lift-. •
That your Petitioner was never admonished by anyone as
'to the necessity of stating every minute .particular within his
knowledge, • nor was he, after the Coroner's: inquest, once
called upon or questioned by any person.c.oncerned for the pro-
secution- If he had, your Petitioner would have readily dis-
closed every thing as he has now done to,his own Solicitor; but
the prosecutor; without any previous intimation that theywere
dissatisfied with your Petitioner's statement, or applying for
any further information, discarded him,,and.acirpitted Probert,
who, as your Petitioner most solemnly asserts,. was even more
deeply implicated in the crime than your Petitioner, and who
had not intitled himself to the least claim to merciful conside-
ration, inasmuch as he denied all share in the guilty transac-
tion until after he learned that your Petitioner confessed, and
even then he only admitted himself to be an accessary after the
fact ; and it was not until just as he wirts-.013 the eve. of being
put upon his trial that Probert, ftn- the first time, stated any
knowledge previous intention to destroy the deceased ;
and in the evidence
tended ignorance of the wicked scheme ; but had.he spoken:
of the
given by hint on the trial, he has falsely
pre
share
he niust haVe admitted taking a principal
and arranging the murder,-and acknowledged
e wihno
planningle t ru
that your Petitioner only obeyed his and Thurtell's orders and
directions in purchasing the pistols and the sack, and hiring
the chaise.

Tau' your Petitioner most respectfully.solicits a reference to
be made to the affidavit; of Mr. Rooke the. Coroner, Mr. Noel,
who acted in tbe first ,instance as solicitor for the prosecution,
and also the affidavit for your Petitioner, as to the promises
held out to him, both before, and after he had made his con.
fession, and discovered .the ' ...
body. And, on which affidavits
your Petitioner's COunsel applied to the Hon. Mr. Justice
Park *to postpone the trial 'until your. Petitioner was admitted
as a witness for the Crown; but the beamed Judge, although
he refused the application, stated, that the circumstances de-
tailed in those affidavits might with propriety be urged in an
application to the Crown for mercy, where due attention would
be paid to them.

Your petitioner, therefore, in accordance with the humane
suggestions of the Learned Judge . before whom lie was tried,
most respectfully solicits that a reference may be made to the
before-mentioned affidavits, by which it ,will manifestly appear:
that he was induced to make that confession which alone ren-
dered him amenable to justice,.under a solemn promise of the
Magistrates that his life should be spared ; and he also humbly
requests that the observations and arguments urged by your
petitioner in his defence may be also referred to. And your
petitioner prays .that the peculiar circumstances of his case
may be laid before his most gracious, just, and merciful Sove-
reign, in confident though humble hopes, that his Majesty, in
his great regard for the due and honourable administration of
justice, will consider that even with the most atrocious offender
Magisterial promises and public faith ought to be held sacred
.and inviolable. And that his Majesty will therefore most
mercifully deign to spare the life of your Petitioner.
And your Petitioner will, as in duty bound, for ever pray.