The Sun.
London, England, 1803-04-21 00:00:00

bey (the .Prosituttati and die Witness Mow ley) sere
standing at their door, and he observed them hoot-
ing the Lady : - when she had gone the distance of
abou'‘ twenty yards, she returned back the same
way, and the Parties began to hoot her again, call-
ing her tag.eng and. bob-rail ;he observed her go
.
into a Fishmonger's shop, within a door or two. 01
Shag's, and soon after -a Gentleman carne out with
her ; about this time the Prosecutor_ had left the
door, and the boy went into his master's house.
Capt. Piers , and Miss Johnson went. into the
Butcher's shop the former knocked with his
cane, on which Mrs: Sharp came out into
the shop. Captain Piers" Said - sane of her
people had insulted the Lady, to which ate
reply was its effect,- that
,it maid not be her
(Mrs. Sharp's) boy, as .he had just come out of the
yard. Miss Johnson on seeing the boy, said,
" That's Captain Piers then took hold of the
boy by the coat, shook him, and asked him, how
he dared insult a lady., ,‘ At this time Cobb came
into the shop, and caught hold of Captain Piers by
• the arm, on which the latter turned round, and bid
him take his hand away. Some very high words en-
sued between them. Capt. Piers went into the street,
and called the Watch. Upon the Watchman coming
up, he gave charge Of Cobb. Shortly after, the Lat-
ter charged Capt. Piers, and said, they should `both
go together. A moment previous to this, however,
as Capt. Piers was turtling round to speak to the
Watehmsin, Cobb jumped down, the step, swore
and used abusive language to Cart. Piers, which he
continued to do while the charge Was giving ; and
he heard him say, ". Let me at him, and I'll give
him his gtuel." Sei'eral people 'Came .up to, the
place. He obseived Capt. Piers and Miss Johnson
going away. Those near him, endeavoured to re-
strain the impetuosity of Cobb, but without effed;
he broke through, ran towards. Capt. Piers, and
'mask two or three blows at hire. Miss Johnson
stepped in between them, and 'apparently ender'',
vouted to keep Cobb*Off from Capt. Piers. Cobh
made Another attempt to strike him ; at this time'
the persons assembled presksl very close, and the
Witness endeavoured to get out of the crowd ; at
this time he heard the report of a pistol.
On being questioned,, rather particularly, as to
the points, the Witness stated, that Cobb and Mor-
ley were in the habit of standing at their door, and
of behaving rather rudely to those who passed by
he had experienced treatment of that nature froth
them himself. His father resides a few doors from
Mr. Sharp's, the butcher. He had no knowledge
whatever of the Prisoners ; nor had seen them be.
fore the period, in question. The, appearance and
demeanour of Miss Johnson, at the time, was per..
fealy unexceptionable and decent, nor had she the
least appearance of being in liquor.
The Prisoners being called upon for their defence,
confided it to their Counsel, who met the . charge
by Witnesses of respectability, nut only to charac-
ter, but to fads of importance to the case.
James Missling, a lad, who lives with Mr.
Lowe, a linen-draper, corner of Marf-lesbonne.
street, stated, that he had occasion to go to the Fish.
monger's above-mentioned, on the night the affair
took place': he saw Miss Johnson Walk in jtiSt be.
fOre him into the shop. He had previously passed
her near Sharp's shop, where he heard the boy, who
was then on thesteps, hooting her as she went by.
When,she came into the Fishmonger's,- Capt.' Piers
was cheapening a lobster. 'She spoke to the Cap.
tain to this effeet : " 1 wish you would step Out,
some boys have much insulted me." He afterwards
saw the two. Prisoners go into Sharp's shop--Capt.
'Piers knocked with his cane, 'on wine!), Mrs. Sharp,
.followed by the boy, came into the shop : he heard
some words pass about the boy having insulted the
Lady, Cobb then came up ; he beard him say, the
boy had not insulted the Lady.- He heard high
words between the Captain and Cobb, the former
called the Watch ; several people came up.
He afterwsids saw the Prisoner going. away:
and Cobb break away from the Watchman,
run after Capt. Piers, and strike at him;
Miss Johnson got between them—it was dark at
thc time : he could not see exactly what passed, but
could perceive several- attempts by Cobb to strike
Capt. Piers, and he soon after heard the report of
a pistol. There was nothing he described in the
appearance ordemeanour.of Miss Johnson to excite
Insult : there was a considerable number of people
colleited on the occasion.
Mr. Reid, a Carpenter, was present at, the begin.
ping of the tray: he saw the Prisoners going away,
and'when 'they had got- to the distance of about six
or seven yards, Cobb, extricated himself from the
Watchman and followed Capt. Piers. From the
darkness of the. night, he could not see what exaftly
took place ; bht he saw Cobb iTi the attitude of fight.
ingrand it was while Cobb remained in such a
posture, that the pistol was fired.
Several Witnesses of great respeaability, among
wham were Captains Duncan, De Yonge, and Er.
skine ; Messrs. Moreland, Green, and others, gave
captain Piers a' very favourable char:teter with res
spraao his general demeanor as a Gentleman, his
evenness of temper, and amenity of manners.
Two women of respe4taßle appearance spoke in
very favourable terms of the chars ier of Miss
ohnson.
Mr. Justice HP Ant, in anexcellenr and impar-
tial -Charge to the Jury, recapitulated the evidence.,
and laid down the Law As applying to the case he-
fore them. He pointed their attention to what Was
contradidtary in the evidence, and adverted to what
were the probabilities of the case. The Learned
Judge took occasion to panegyrize the institution
of Trial by Juries, as singularly felicitous for this
Country, and likely 'to* prove of most especial be.
nefit in cases of such a.nature as that before them.
The Jury, after consulting two hours and a guar-
ter, pronounced a serdift of—Not
- 14 appeared in the Course of the evidence for the
Defence, that
.a Captain
in the I t 3th Regiment of Foot, which was reduced at
the cOnclusion of the War, and that he is now on
the itstf.psy List. Caps. Piers is a tall, handsome
mans apparently about 30 years of age, of a gen_
tlemanly and fashion Johnson
is ; Miss
isa very young Lady, of a delicate make, small
size, anti-beautiful and interesting countenance.