The Sun.
London, England, 1802-10-23 00:00:00

OBSCENE PRINTS.

Joseph Harris, a most notorious and detestable
charafter, stood this day indiEted for publishing and
selling certain Obscene Prints on the 28th of Sep.
temper last.

To this Indiament the Prisoner)pleaded
He then was further charged with vending certain
'other Obscene Prints on the 4th of Oaober.
This charge he was considered as having traversed,
by his alledging that on that day he did not sell the
prints, for they were taken away from him. ,
Mr. KNApr, on behalf of the prosecution, then
addreised the Jury to the following effea
" Gentlemen, I come here instruaed by a respect.
able set of Gentlemen, who have associated them-
selves for the laudable purpose of the preservation
of the morals of society, and particularly for Ho-
teaing those of women and children from the bane.
ful effects of that variety of indecent and scandalous
prints which have been so industriously circulated
through the metropolis and its environs, and
wherever they could find a sale. To give effea to
their intentions, they found it necessary to employ
certain persons to detett offenders, and amongst
others a person of the name of Gray, whoni you
will find called before you, to dated the infamous
proceedings of the culprit at the bar. The Prisoner
was in the habit of keeping a stand, and cordrantly
selling ballads, in front of Privy Gardens, and while
only engaged in that occupation would certirinlynot
have been an objea of attention to the society. 'But,
besides these. ballads, he had also always a number
of these Obscene Prints about him, and it was his
practice to take women and children behind the
wall, whom he first entertained with licentious
stories, and afterwards exhibited these shameful re-•
,presentations for sale. Gray, in pursuance of the
information he obtained, repaired to the Prisoner's
station, and after some little difficulty succeeded in
buying the six prints, to the selling of 'which he
has now pleaded guilty. He returned again on a
future day with an Officers and .QP searching the

Prisotieir, folly i t6re Waits of,the tendeticy
were found upon filth. It titiuld lie necdlesr; for me
to take up any more of your time, but to prOend
with rtiY evidence of the faftst; to produce the hints
in question; hot for the 'general i0,,-0.!On of those
who may choose to look at them, but in otder to
convince the Court and the Jury of the undoubted
guilt of the Prisoner."
RoLert Gray deposed, that or+ ,the 28th of Sep.
telpher last, he went to Privy Gardens, and pur-
chased of the Prisoner six Obscene Prints for 16s.
(These Prints were then handed up for the inspec.
Lion of the Bench.). He also stated that on the 4th
of the Od. following, he made a further purchase
for seven shillings, and the Prisoner beirn.; searched
at the time, there were found upon him 4a other
large prints of the same description.
Mr. KNAPP here put in the Record of tv-d
mer vonvidions of this fellow, the one for an un_
natural crime, the other for an offence of a nature
similar to the present; for which he stood twice in
the pillory.
After the Magistrates had viewed the .wares of
this wretch with disgust and horror, the Chair-
man asked him what he had to say for himself ?
Prisoner—" There is no n'e in my saying any
thing here—where is the use in a Prisoner saying
any thing ? I know that I am now at your mercy."
Chairman—" Mercy ! I only wonder how a man
can work up his mind, how he can find courage for
the commission of such ads of bareness."
Prisoner—" Distress will often make a man do
'things he might not otherwise think of. But I
am at your mercy ; there is no use in saying any
thing."
The Jury immediately pronounced the Prisoner—
. The Magistrates then deliberated for a consider_
able time, after which, the Chairman delivered him-
self to the following purport _ _

" There are cases in which a Court finds itself at
a loss how to apportion punishments to the enor-
mity of some offences. That crime, of which the
Prisoner has been conviaed on his own confession,
and for which he has pleaded poverty as an excuse,
is one, than which I know of none more odious or
more mischievous. The human mind cao scarcely
frame to irself.anyothing of a worse, or mere per-
nicious tend...ocy. ...This is the third time that he
has been eon viaed of most abominable crimes, and
his perseverance in them, shews he is incorrigible.
The extent of the mischief he has. done, it would
be impossible to calculate. The case is quite dif-
ferent with offences of another kind. When a
robber commits his depredations on the property of
people on the highway, there is an end to it ; and the
Law being enabled to see the extent to which they
can reach, has sometimes applied positive punish_
ments to them, and in other cases, left them to the
discretion of Courts of justice. Here, however, is
a constant course of life, a regular profession of de-
bauching the minds and morals of youth of every
description. God only knows, how maoy may,
grow up to be men and women, having their prin-
ciples and habits corrupted and tainted by these
seeds of vice, so early implanted in them ! Women
who have nothing but their virtue to recommend
and adorn them, and who would otherwise retain is
nmsunted, being thus early debauched, are liable to
be led into every species of iniquity. .It is, there_
fore, necessary, that a rigorous punishment should
lr inflikled, not with a view to correeling the Pd.
soner himself, who is incorrigible, and never can
.Le expeled to amend, but as an example to others
who may have similar occupations, in order that
they may be induced to turn away from courses so
vicious and detestable. The sentence that I am
direded by the Court to pronounce upon you,
Joseph Harris, is, that you be imprisoned in the
House of Correaion for two years, and in that
time, stand for one hour in the Pillory at Charing_
Cross."

The Prisoner is a very ill-looking elderly fellow,
and exceedingly well-known to the frequenters of
Westminster-Hall, and ail tinit neighbourhood.—
His apparel was always very shabby ; he has but
one hand, and kept.his,stanii at the dead wall of
Privy Gardent, VeySy:oluse to the Duke of RICH-
MOND'S House.

.• • -
•CRUELTY TO AN INFANT CHIMNEY 'SWEEPER.
William Pang, a Journeyman Chimney Sweeper,
was indielzd for wantonly and cruelly beating Peter
Cavana, •a child of eight years of age.
Mr. SILVESTER. opened the case by observing,
that
.a more shocking instance of brutal inhumanity
than the present, had never come within his know-
ledge. •
The child, on being asked if he had ever been
told the consequence of telling an - uotruth, or of
the obligation of an oath, answeeed so satisfatio-
rilY, that the Court allowed him to be sworn. • He
said his father was •a blacksmith, and lived near
Sloane-street ; and that from his frequently beat-
ing him, be had run away from lionie,• and sob- •
sisted, for a day or two on charity. Being seated
'aia door in Swallow-street, crying, he was taker
into the house of a Mrs. Bridges, a chimney::'
c)Feeper, where at first he was employed in going
or errands, but after being there some time, was
ordered by the Prisoner to learn to climb up
chimnies ; and on his not doing it with the readi-
ness expected, he was most severely beaten by the
Prisoner, who on these occasions stripped him
naked,-and flogged him round the room with birch
rods. He did not like to be a Sweep, and his
knees and elbows were extremely sore by his „re-
peated trials to climb chimnies. His Mistress also
beat him several times.

This evidence was corroborated by another boy,
who bought the rods to flog:Peter with, and which
he saw frequently done, till the cries of the pocr
child called in some of the neighbours. The poor
child, when it could not mount quick enough, was
goaded by the Prisoner (while in the chimney) in
the legs and thighs, by a needle put into the end of a
stick, who d—d him for being lazy.
The Defendant took him to St. George's Church,
Hanover-square, to climb up on the outside of
it, and thereby learn his business. The boy was
very much afraid, as he certainly would have
been killed if his foot had slipped. There were
spikes immediately below the place where he was
climbing. He was .taken down by the inter-
ftrence of several people, who gave him money;

some a some sip
ence,anti etTlers
pence ; the Lail of there went to the DA-endAnt;.
When he went home he w:ia :,hut up in the cci!ar
"ds they ~`ere preparing to whip him., he crie,l out
that he would kiss them all if they wOtild ;:p;:re him ;
hut his cries h.ld nib c.frea, and he Wlis beaten three
different tithes with rods, which the dei-cndant ot-
dered the witness to 'ouv.'

A good sort of .a woman, of the name of Wilstm,
hating been constantly alarmed by the cries of the
bor. and often heatinn. him say, '' Don't beat me,
William, and 1 will L. it ; pray don't beat me;"
took the boy from the clutches of these monsters,
and sent for the 11.4eadie ;I the Parish; who stripped
and examined the chill, and found his body, urtri;,
and legs wailed tvitli the bearings he had rcceive,l;
The Prisoner said he afted entirely under the di;
re'ion of his Mistress. He was found C.;-,,i/ty, and
szntencL:d to six months imprisonment in the House:
of Correthon.

The Duke de MORTIMER, and Mr, WatonT, a
Solicitor, of Duke.street, Manchester.square, who,
went in quest of a person who had defrauded the
former, took the Irian they were in search of, on
Monday, on board the Bonaparte packet, in Shore-
ham Harbour. It now appears, that he had not
altered the figures of a draft, as rumoured, but de..
camped from London with near 001. of the Duke's
property. The poor wretch was dreadfully alarm-
ed when taken, and made all the restifirtion in his
power, by restoring the whole of what remained of
the sum he had made so free with, viz. . •
At Brentwood Fair, on Friday and SaturdaYilast,..
there was a large shei.V of Irish oxen, and Scotch and
Welch runts, but the high prices being held up by
the drovers, very few of them were disposed of.
On Tuesday evening a man of a, very suspitiOns
appearance went into the shop of Mr. CeRT“,,
Surgeon, of Whitechapel, and requested to speak
to him in private ; and seemed particularly anxious,
to wait till he was alone.. When questioned as to
his business, he Said he wished for employment In_
the medicine way; Mc. C. in order to "get. rid ot.
him, desired him to leave his address, and refetted.
him to the young Cc. otle.nan in the atinting..
house. He there wrote down a fiditious address,..
shut the door, and begged money of the young
Gentleman, who endeavoured to gain the door. The;
man followed him quickly, and pressed forward.to..
wards the surgery. Some one coming in at that
moment, he haatily made off. There can be no,
doubt but this fellow is one of the many who infestl
the Metroplis at present, gaining- admittance upon
any pretence to private shops and houses for the..;
purpose of robberies.

Wednesday night a most daring robbery was
committed in the Bishop's Walk, Lambeth, at eight
o'clock, by three footpads, armed with large bud
geons, who knocked a Gentleman down; and most
cruelly heat him, after having robbed him of every •
thing of value. The warchman, alarmed at his
cries, came to his assistance, but too late, as the
villains had escaped. The Gentleman remains
dangerously ill of the blows he received, at a pause
just by the spot where Ole robbery was committed,
PUBLzc-OrFIcE, SHADwELL.—Thurstfay the
Captain of a Ship was convided of carrying away
more goods than his papers justified, or that he could
properly account for. The Ads of Parliament re.
gar&ling such cases were most favourably interpreted
by the Magistrates, but they infliCted the penalty of
fifty-four pounds upon him.
PUBLIC OFFIcE,HATTow-GAttnnt.—OnThurs_
day night a man of the name of Harding, professing
Astrology, in Charter-house-lane, was brought to
the Ofike by Mr. Hancock, an Officer, with his
books of astrology, an otrery, and some other appa-
ratus, besides several manuscripts in the same sci-
ence, written Ly the Prisoner since the year 1494,
calculating nativities arid fortunate events in the
Lottery, particularly noticing one Office, which no
doubt he was an :idive agent to.—He was
charged, his books being first ordered to be dc,
stroyed.

Thursday fifteen persons were brought to the
Public Office, Hatton..garden, for lying in the
open fields' at the back of Bloomsbnry-square, iy
the night time ; two of whom were found sleep-
ing on the top of a brick kiln, while burning,
and must "have been burned to death but fat
the vigilance -of the -Officers. The account they
gave of themselves was various ; they appeared in
general to have been sea-faring men, driven to their
last shifts. One of the tmost deplorable was asked
what ship he had belonged to, end what money
had when he was paid off; he said 391. which Listed
him near three months. They were mostly passed
to their respenive parishes, and others were taken
to work on the.buildings.
• A very curious circumstance occurred at Bit-
minghern, a few evenings ago : As a G em.einQn
was passing through Sr. Philip's Church-yard, be.
tweets si:e and seven o'clock, his attention was ex-
cited by two women who were a little distance from
him, and who were, apparently, very much alarm-
ed. Upon his approaching them, and inquiring into
the cause of their agitation, they told him they
had stood there some time, listening to, and much.
affrighted by a noise resembling that of a human
voice, in a very plaintive tone, issuing from one of
the graves. Naturally wishing to ascertain the
reality of so singular and so strange a thing, led by
the sound, he•drew near the grave from whence the
noise seemed to issue ; but which on his nearer av-
proach, ceased altogether. Suspeaing, from the dis-
continuance of the sound, some imposition was in-
tended, he instantly proceeded to remove the earth
and turf from what appeared to bins to be a newly
raised grave ; but what must be his surprize, on
discovering a boy, about sixteen years of age,
lying at full length, with his face downwards,
under the sods of earth. By this time a number of
people came round the grave, and the boy, who
seemed greatly intoxicated, was, with much diffi-
culty raised Up ; but was quite unable to give any
account how he came there, or how long he had
been lying in that situation. He was led away by
some of the bystanders, who seemed to know him;
and it is greatly feared' that some thoughtless per_
sons, for a mischievous joke, had placed him in
this perilous situation, where he might in a short
time, had he not been fortunately discovered, have
been suffocated,

k


c AOSSI2VG THE LINE.

Ast.Aaion has lately been tried in the second
Term 18oz, at Bombay, .before Sir WILLIAM
Sysß, Knt. Recorder, &c. brought by Lieutenant
Castleion Maw, against "Messrs. Learmouth, Ray-
mond, &c. Officera of the ship Scaleby Castle, for
an assault. It appears, that in crossing the Line,
in the passaT 're to Bombay, the usual ceremony per-
formed by Neptune and his attendant deities took
place, which consists of shaving and ducking all
those who have not before crossed the Line. 'fills
Lieutenant Maw firmly resisted, and made
:many
offers to give an equivalent either in money or
spirits, to be excused from suffering such indignity.
After making repeated offers to the Men, on con-
dition of their not molesting him, and finding them
contemptuously rejeaed, he shut himself up ,in his
cabin, the door of which he barricadoed with his
trunks and boxes, the beet way he was able, using
the farther precaution of lowering his port, to pre-,
tent intrusion from without. After remaining
some time in this state of imprisonment, without
light or air, and that under the Line, and during
the hottest pJrt of the day, the party whose ,cha-
rdeters had all been cast beforehand, came to his
door, and with oaths and imprecations insisted on
immediate admission. This he resolutely refused
to grant, hut with thesaMe breath again, intreated
them to take his money, and leave himunmOlested;
a proposal on his part which was strongly eq.°. !laid
by Mr.Pattersott, the Fourth Mate of the ship,
with the additional assurance that he, their Officer,
would be~ answerable for the Plaintiff's supplying all
of them with spirits, on the ship's arrival at. Born.
bay. Neither to be won by intreaties, however,
norintimidated by threats, the gang 'immediately
began attempting to force open the door ; but not
succeeding in this so easily as they expeaed, they all
with one accord, went on deck; as if on purpose for
farther orders and fresh instruEtions. Mr. Raymond,
accordingly, the Third Mate, desired some of them
to go below, and to take the door off the hinges;
and suggested that others might make their way
-in at the port. While one party went down with
therCarpenter for the first of these purposes, a sailor
of Abe name of Edwards was le: down the side of
the, ship, brandishing a naked cutlass in one hand,
while he held a bludgeon in the other. By the as_
sistance of the latter weapon, the Plaintiff's port,
which he was not sailor enough .to know' how cc;
fasten properly, was lifted up, and Edwards' tretch.
. ing the arm which held the cutlass into the cabin,
made'thrusts 'therewith in every direftion, which
/silt% Maw for some time parried with his 'sword ;
and though he could, at thisperiod, with great ease,
have either stabbed or shot his assailant, he abstain-
ed from-doing him any injury. Indeed the pistols
with which he had armed himself, and which he now
fired off, in hOpes of protefting himself from farther
outrage, were loaded with powder only. No sooner,
however, were they both discharged; than Edwards
made a leap into the cabin, his associates at the
same 'instant rushing in at the door. The whole
armed gang now pressed round the Plaintiff; and
after wresting the sword from the only hand,he had
to hold one, tore and dragged him upon deck.
Tnere he clung for some time to the post of the
caddy-door,' and seeing no hopes of proteaion, but
the contrary,"-from the. First and Third Mate, who
were upon deck, called out in the loudest and most
anxious manner for the Captain of the ship, who,
from the unfortunate circumstance of the dour of his
.
apartment being shut .at the moment, joined to the
great noise Which prevailed without, heard nothing,
as he afterwards declared, of this appeal to his
proteaio,n, which othersOae„ there could he no
doubt, from his'disapprobation of the'proceedings,
when informed of them, would not have been
made in vain.

Such was , now the. agitation of the Plaintiff's.
...mind, that he aftually made an. attempt to escape
4cim farther outrage, by throwing himself overboard,
;.,and wz,:,ld have effeeled his fatal purpose, if it had
not been for the atlive humanity of his friend, Mr.
Patterson. But neither the pain he had already un-
dergone, nor his evidently preferring dea,in itself to
farther indignity, had the effect of procuring him
any respite or release. He was torn from his hold,
dragged along the quarter-deck to the waste, and
forcibly fixed in a boat half full of filthy water,
which had been placed there fo; the business of the
day. His eyes being bandaged with a dirty nap.
kin,
.a nauseous composition of tar and pitch was
rubbed over his face, and taken .off again by the
means of a rusty hoop, serving the purpose of a
razor. He was then pushed back with violence
into the boat, and there held struggling for some
seconds, with his head beneath the water. In
consequence of this treatment, the Plaintiff kept
his bed the whole remaining part of the day, and
next morning, finding his sores and bruises still
extremely painful, bad recourse to the Surgeon of
the ship for assistance, who informed the. Court in
what state he found him. Mr. Dowdeswell, on the
part of the Defendants, considered the whole as a
jcfrke., and spoke in mitigation of damages.

The Recorder, as well as the Jury, thought these
jalei rather too severe ; and the Court awarded
po rupees damages.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

NEWMARKET. SECOND OCTOBER MEETING.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER ZI.

A SubsCription Plate of Sol. for 2- y r olds, carrying 7st. 41b.
and 3-yr. olds, gst.—.-Two-yr old Course.
Mi.. Robon's b. C. Pic-Nic. 3-yrs old - -
Mr. Cresswell's b. c. Gulliver, 3-) rs old - - 2
The Judge could only place two.—Even betting Pic-Nic
and Gulltver against the field.
• Sir C. Buubpry's ralb. beat Duke of St.
Alban's f. by tuzzaid, out of Rose, 6st. tolb. Two-yt old
C. cogs. -h. 11.--7 to 4 on-Whirligig.

The Lord BISHOP of LONDON has been pleased
to appoint the Rev. JAMES COMPTON, of Islington,
to one of the Preacherships at the Dutch Chapel
Royal, in St. James's' Palace, vacant by the death
orthe Rev. Mr. SHRO ED ER.