The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-19 00:00:00

rich broche lavender and white satin, lined with gros de
Naples, and tastefully ornamented with tulle passementerie
and nceuds of ribbon, embroidered blonde petticoat, trimmed
en tablier, with tulle and ribbon, blonde, berthe, and sabots.
Headdress, feathers, lappets, and diamonds.
THE HON. Miss GEORGINA lunv—Train and boddice of
azure blue morie, ornamented with roses, clematis, and tulle ;
dress of white glace silk, richly flounced with lace. Head-
dress and ornaments, ostrich feathers, pearls, and diamonds.
MRS. CHARLES LUSHINGTON—White satin dress, richly
embroidered in gold lama; train and body of white and gold
brocaded satin, trimmed with beautiful gold blonde lace ;
Court plume of white ostrich feathers, tipped with mara.
bouts and gold; blonde lappets; a magnificent diamond
tiara ; diamonds, earrings, with a superb emerald and diamond
necklace, and emerald and diamond stomacher.
MRS. HOWARD ELPHINSTONE—Train of rich pink poult
de sole trimmed with point lace and nceuds de rubans ; slip
of white satin, covered with Honiton lace with deep flounce.
Headdress, plume, lappets, wreath, and diamonds.
Miss REYNOLDS.—Court costume, composed of a white
tulle (tress and tunique, over blue glace silk, trimmed with
bouquets of mixed hollyhocks ; train and body of rich white
watered silk, trimmed with tulle and bows of blue ribbon ;
body and sleeve's ornamented with blonde and flowers. Head-
dress, plume of feathers, blonde lappets, and diamonds.
Miss DOUGLAS HALFORD.—Court costume, composed of a
tulle dress and tunique over satin, trimmed with bouquets of
mixed sweet peas; train and body of rich pink watered silk,
trimmed with blonde and ribbon. Plume of feathers, blonde
lappets, and diamonds.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
NEW COURT.

(Before the RECORDER, Aldermen HUNTER, GIBBS, &c.)
William Read was indicted for that he did incite and pro-
cure one "William Simpson to feloniously and maliciously cast
away and destroy a certain vessel, called the " Colina," on
the high sea, within the jurisdiction of the Admiralty of
England, and also of the Central Criminal Court, with intent
to prejudice divers persons as part-owners of, or under-
writers to, the said vessel. There were several other counts,
varying the form, in one of which the captain (Simpson)
was charged as a principal in the felony. The prisoner
pleaded not guilty.
Mr. CLARKSON stated the case to the jury, and then pro-
ceeded to call witnesses; but as the case was so recently
before the police-courts, and was then so fully reported, it
will be only necessary to give the evidence of 'Simpson who
had pleaded guilty.
Captain W. Simpson was then brought into Court in cus-
tody, and conducted to the witness-box. He stated that in
1840 he entered the employ of the prisoner first as a mate,
and then as commander of the Colina. He continued—After
making a voyage and returning to Ipswich, I told Mr. Read
that the vessel was leaky, and I had left her at Harwich for
repair. After that I went out in her again, and being still
leaky, she was put in the prisoner's ship-yard, and again re-
paired. When I told the prisoner about the vessel, he said
" It's a bad job you did not sink her." To that I replied "If
she bad gone down we must have gone down with her."
(The witness gave his evidence in a very rambling manner,
so that he was at length placed on a bench near the Judge.)
The prisoner afterwards said, I must make a voyage to
Newcastle to take a cargo of coals to Rotterdam. I told
him she was not in a fit condition for it. The pri-
soner determined on her going. I sailed from the north
towards Rotterdam. When we neared the Brown Bank the
wind was S.W. by W. On Monday morning I saw several
fishing smacks about three miles from me. After I had been
some time in my berth I got up and went into the cabin. I
cut away a piece of plank and bored two holes with an auger,
and the water ran in. After I had done this I waited half an
hour below. I called the mate and told him the vessel had
sprung a leak, and that the water was running under my
bedstead. I ordered the men to the pumps, and they pumped
half an hour. I told the mate we had better leave her, and
we put out the long-boat. The crew took their clothes, and
I took mine. After we got into the boat we lay to near the
stern of the vessel about an hour and a half. A foreign vessel
bore down upon us and took us up, and then we were put on
board a smack, to the owner of which I gave the long boat.
We were conveyed to London by the John Bull steamer.
When I got to Ipswich I told Read all about it, and he told
me not to give the particulars to Mr. Alexander.—The Court
then adjourned.
SECOND DAY, APRIL 18.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant SHEA—The letters pro-
duced are in my handwriting. I wrote two of them while
the Colina was in the Tyne (river), and one of them from
Shields. The Colina is registered at 156 tons of coals. I
think the freight of coals for Rotterdam would be about 901.
or 951. The provisions and stores of the vessel might be
worth 301. When the vessel sank she was about sixty-nine
miles from Rotterdam and about eighty from the Texel.
The mate and a boy slept in the cabin with me, but they
were on the deck when I bored through the timber of the
vessel. I will not swear that the boy was not in his berth at
the time. I believe he was not. My reason for that is, be-
cause that night he was the mate's watch. Ido not think
that I told anything to anyone until March, 1843. In 1843
Mr. Page questioned me as to the fact of the Colina having
been sunk on purpose. I said to him (Page) that there was
no truth in the story, for it was quite accidental. The vessel
was rather deep in the water, in consequence of her heavy
cargo.. I bored the holes about four or five feet under water.
It was done with a trenail auger. lam unable to say what
diameter such an auger would produce, probably about an
inch and a quarter. I do not know that the size of these
augers vary according to the tonnage of the vessel upon
which they are employed. I called the mate down to find
out the leak. He did not call me down, nor was lon
deck. When I was at Glasgow I believe that I threatened
to be revenged on Read for dismissing me from the Ranger.
I must have been intoxicated at the time if I said, " Read
shall never build another vessel at Ipswich if I can help
it." This (a letter handed to hint) is my handwriting. [Put
in and read.]
"Newcastle, Jan. 4, 1844.
" Sir,—l received your letter this morning, dated the 28th.
You wish to know the particulars of what was stated. I
can assure you that I never said to any one that I was paid
to lose the Colina, nor that I had lost her purposely, or that
I had been uncomfortable ever since. This must have arisen
from the letter sent from Barking ; but, Sir, I can clear you
of the report, and myself likewise. I expect to leave next
Saturday, and if so, I am in hopes that I shall be at home in
a few days, and get all these false reports settled, and proved
to be false. " I am, Sir, yours, &c.,
"To E. Page, Esq., Ipswich. "W. SIMPSON."
Cross •examination continued by Mr. Sergeant SHEA—I did
say that I had sunk the Colina purposely to Gardener, and
afterwards wrote the letter which has just been read.
The case for the prosecution having closed,
Mr. Sergeant SHEA addressed the jury for the prisoner,
and proceeded to call evidence.
James Hudson—l am surveyor of the port of Stockton.
In June, 1840, the Colina was in a yard there for repair. I
examined her, and gave directions as to the repairs, as well
as a surveyor. When complete I certified that she was in
good repair and seaworthy for four years. She was a better
vessel than most of her kind that I have been in the habit of
seeing. Her timbers were good, and her tonnage 150. I
valued her at 71. per ton. I made a report at Lloyd's respect-
ing her. I have been connected with ship-building more
than forty years. I examined her thoroughly, and considered
her sound and seaworthy.
Henry Sadler, the mate of the Colina when on her last
voyage, deposed that he was on deck when she sprung a leak
near midnight. The ship had been pumped in the cus-
tomary way every four hours. She made about three inches
of water in four hours. At the time she sprung a leak there
was a " cross-grained" sea, which would try a vessel very
much. Finding the water gain fast I called the master. who
was in bed, and told him that the ship was making water
fast. lam sure he did not call me. There were seven of
us on board, and we all worked at the pumps, one of which
got choked. Captain Simpson gave the necessary directions
for working and saving the vessel. The men worked at the
pumps without intermission till one in the morning, when
we found there was no hope of saving her, so we hoisted out
the long boat. We lay to near the vessel a good while. No
galiot was near us, but we were picked up by the Sarah
fishing smack, and transferred from her to the John Bull
steamer.

The five seamen and Chaplin, the apprentice, who were on
board at the time, confirmed this witness.
Many witnesses were called as to the character of the pri-
soner, who were seated on the bench, and in different parts of
the Court. Among them were—William May, Esq., the pre-
sent Mayor of Ipswich ; John May, Esq., his brother ; and
several 'Aldermen of that borough ; as well as merchants,
shipowners, and gentlemen of the highest respectability.
it r CLAKSON replied.
Mr. Justice Miwuz summed up. He told the jury that the
prisoner stood indicted for being an accessory before the fact,
of a felony alleged to have been committed by one Mr. Simp-
son, or in the terms of the indictment, he was charged with
procuring and inciting Simpson to commit the said felony.
Having made some prefatory remarks, his Lordship read
over the prolix evidence, and remarked, as he proceeded
upon the prominent features of it, and pointed out the many
contradictions. His Lordship in conclusion, made many re-
marks favourable to the prisoner, and left it the jury to say
whether a person of such a character was glltilty of such an
offence as that imputed to him ?
The jury without a minute's consultation, pronounced a
verdict of Not Guilty.
Plaudits proceeded from the audience on hearing the de-
cision.

The prisoner Simpson was then brought to the bar, and
asked whether he had anything to say whvjudgment should
not be passed upon him according to law
The prisoner replied, I have spoken nothing but the truth.
The Learned JUDGE told him that he stood convicted on
his own confession of a very heinous offence, and he had
aggravated it by an attempt to implicate and jeopardise the
lives of others. You are either guilty of the crime of perjury,
which is not so punishable as that of casting away a vessel,
or you have in reality sunk the ship.
Prisoner—l did so, my Lord.
Mr. Justice Maule—Your case is one in which I can see no
mitigatory circumstances; the sentence of the Court, there-
fore, is, that you be transported beyond the seas for the term
of your natural life.