The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-17 00:00:00

THE S( N, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 171_ 1845.

g. of the girl threw herself upon him in front, and saved her
froM the intended blow. The force, however, with which he
was making the stab, knocked the poor woman down.
The prisoner also fell, and when on the floor made many
attempts to wound the prosecutrix, the mother attempting
to save her daughter. Eventually, the girl got away, and
then the prisoner rose and went out. He did not quit the
neighbourhood, but sauntered up and down before the house
for some time. He was at length given into the custody of
a policeman.
The caso was clearly proved against him, and the jury
found a verdict of Guilty.
A former conviction was proved to have taken place in
1843. _ _ _

CHARGES AGAINST A CLERGY-
MAN.
CONSIS TORY COURT, March 14.

DIOCESAN COURT OF INQUIRY-..SIIELDRICK V. MONCKTON,

CLERK.

This was an inquiry instituted under the authority of the
Church Discipline Act (3 and 4 Viet., c. 80) by the Bishop
of London, who has appointed Dr. Lushington (Judge of his
Consiatorial Court), the Archdeacon Sinclair, Dr. Russell, and
Dr. Stone, to investigate the conduct of the lion. and Rev.
F. Smith blonckton, Perpetual Curate of the district:of St.
Peter's, De Beauvoir-square,West Hackney. It appears that
for some time rumours hare been spreading through the
neighbourhood reflecting upon the character and conduct of
Mr. Monckton, and at last Mr. Sheldrick, Mr. Lake, and
other parishioners presented a memorial to the Bishop, call-
ing his attention to them, and requesting an investigation
into their truth. The Bishop, thus appealed to, availed him-
self of the authority of the Church Discipline Act, and ap-
pointed this Commission of inquiry.
The Commission having been opened on Friday, the fol
lowing witnesses were examined:—
Mrs. Williams, examiired;by Mr. DOANE—Deposed that her
husband was master and she matron of the national schools
in De Beauvoir-square, and bad been so since 1843.. Had
visited the house of Mr. Monckton, with and without her
husband. They had been compelled to go there on matters
of business connected with the school. Mr. Moncleton at the
tithe resided at the Parsonage-house. She generally found
him in the kitchen. Upon the Christmas-day, 1843, Mr.
Monckton sang a song called " The Old English Gentleman,"
and imitated the death of the old gentleman by lying down,
and throwing himself about on the floor in the presence of
his servants. He threw witness's husband on the floor, not
to hurt him. He had three young servant girls, Sarah
Huggins, Anne Day, and Fanny Frowde. One day,
when witness was at the house in the kitchen with Dir.
Monckton, Ann Day being out, the bell rang violently, and
Mr. Monckton said Sarah was ill, and told witness to go up
and see what she wanted. She did so, and found her
-(Sarah Huggins) in bed, undressed, complaining!of the tooth-
ache, and of pains in her stomach. Mr. Monckton followed
almost immediately to the bedroom. There were several
flannel bags warning at the fire, and he took them from
witness's hand, and put them to Sarah's face, covered her up
in bed, and as she complained of pain in her stomach, he
rubbed pt. Sarah Huggins smoked with Mr. Monckton
many times. Witness had seen Mr. Monckton take a cigar
from his mouth, and hand it to Sarah Huggins, who put it
in her mouth, and when Mr. Monckton returned he took
it out of her mouth and replaced it in his own. She had seen
this many times. She had seen Ann Day and Sarah Hug-
gins sitting on Mr. Monckton's knee, and had seen him take
hold .of them in an indecent manner in the front of their
persons. -They did not resist, because they were used to it.
Had seen this often. At the Christmas dinner Sarah was
dressed for dinner," being the lady of the house. The
two servants were dressed alike, and both wanted to ba lady
of the house, and almost had a fight about it. When Mr.
Monckton came back from a dinner party, to which he had
been on that day, he waas drunk, violently drunk, bois-
terous, brawling, and throwing himself about singing whilst
on the floor. Witness was rather shocked.

The Learned JuDoE,•,after animadverting with severity
on the prisoner's conduct, sentenced him to be transported
for life.

The remaining criminal cases were disposed of this morning
(Saturday), but were of a trifling nature. The causes were
not commenced until this day, and were all tried by a quarter
past four; including a special jury; the dispute in that cause
being between old men, as to which was entitled to a piece of
land, about five square yards in size.
The civil business at Derby, for which county the commis-
sion will be opened on Monday, is also expected to be very
light. In this county, taking it as a whole, the business has
been lighter than for years past.

NORFOLK ClRCUlT.—Aylesbury, March 14,
CROWN COURT—(Before ➢lr. Baron PAnals.)
TIIE REV. ➢IR. DAY. _

William Day, aged 33, described in the calendar as " clerk,"
was. arraigned on an indictment charging him with having
feloniously tat and wounded James Batchelor on the sth of
February last, with intent to maim him and do him some
grievous bodily harm.
Mr. Birch conducted the case Tor the prosecution, and Mr.
Sanders defended the prisoner.
The rt.v. prisoner is the rector of Hawridge, in this county,
and, as may be remembered, was tried in this place, exactly
a year since, on a charge of maiming sheep, of which he was
then acquitted. He now stood again at the bar on the more
serious charge of maiming a fellow being, under the follow-
ing circumstances :—On the day named in the indictment
the prosecutor (James Batchelor), a highly respectable
farmer of Hawridge, in which parish he now fills the
office of churchwarden, was at the Rose and Crown Inn,
in that village, when the rector came in, and, passing
through the tap, invited his friend, for such he was, to
join him over some bread and cheese and ale in the pri-
vate parlour. They sat thus engaged some little time, till
the prisoner repaired to the tap-roum and joined the company
there assembled over their pipes and beer; la-the course of
the evening the landlord 'deemed it prudent to get rid of his
reverend customer; but, not knowing exactly how to deal
with him, he persuaded the churehwarden to undertake the
office of mentor. The prosecutor accordingly went into the
tap and asked the rector whether he would not be going
home soon; but receiving no answer he went away. As
soon as he retired the prisoner was seen to take his pen-
knife from his pocket, to open it, and afterwards replace it.
Not long after this the prosecutor made another attempt to
remove the rector, who thereupon instantly sprang up and
pused or knoched him " bang over the form," striking at
him with something which he had in his fist. In
attempting to ward off the blow, the prosecutor raised
his hand up to that of the prisoner and received a
slight wound from a penknife blade in the finger, after which
the prisoner made several cuts at his smockfiock, which he
succeeded in ripping open in three places, and marking in
various others where the blade could not penetrate through
the folds of the garment. At this stage of the affair the
company interposed, and the prisoner dropped the knife on
the floor, when he called for a light and quietly hunted for
his lost property. It was, however, soon taken from him,
and the churchwarden, sending for a constable, gave•him in
charge for assaulting and cutting him and 'injuring his
smockfrock. When cross-exainined, the prosecutor admitted
that he had always been on good terms with the prisoner,
as, indeed, was evidenced by his Invitation to join his repast.
Mr. SANDERS (the Learned Judge having intimated that
the felonious charge had failed, as it was evident that the
wound in the finger was the result rather of accident, and
was too trifling to support the indictment) then submitted
that there was no assault even in point of law. The whole
cam went to show that the object of the prisoner was the in-
jury of the garment, not of the person of the prosecutor, for
his action was described to be just that of a man wishing to
slit the dress with the knife.

Mrs. Julia Smith, wife of Mr. John Smith, was the next
witness—She had told Mr. Monckton in hip g irden of the re-
ports about his girls in April last. From that time she and
her husband had gradually withdrawn from his house. She
told him on that occasion of the reports she had heard, and
that people talked of his keeping such young girls and not
having any housekeeper—that, from what she had heard, the
girls had very much disgraced him. Sarah was twenty-three
years of age, Susan twenty-one, and Ann twenty-one. On' the
following evening witness and her husband supped with
Mr. Monckton and Sarah at the same table. When they
went into the kitcheis Sarah was sitting on one side the fire
and Mr. Monckton at a table on the other side, in a flannel
jacket, smoking a pipe. Something being said of an inquiry
on the part of the clerk "what sort of a man the minister
was," Sarah burst out in a passion, and said she wished
people would mind their own business, and Mr. Monckton
made use of profane language, and said he would kick any
man's behind. She (witness) had then said that Alin Day
(who was sitting by her) had told her that Sarah and he
( Mr. Monckton) slept together six nights out of the seven.
Mr. Monckton made no answer at all, and Ann Day only
said that she (witness) had asked her questions about her
master. She lived next doer to Mr. Monckton for fifteen
months till three months ago. The back of the house com-
manded a view of his garden. Had seen him working there,
and his female servants there with him. His demeanour to

Mr. Baron PARKE (after a communication with Mr. Jus-
tice Patteson) bras clearly of spinton that the case amounted
to an assault. To attempt to cut any part of a man's dress
on his back was as much an interference with his person as a
blow on the back would be, where no part of the person
should be touched. There could, therefore, be no question
for the jury, who should return a verdict, as they might
under this indictment, of guilty of an assault.

them was familiar and indecorous. The position of one of
the servants when stooping to weed was not decent, her dress
being elevated more than was proper before her master.
Harriet Rushforth, aged eighteen, examined—Went to live
with Mrs. Pearson, in Windmill-street, Gravesend, in August
last. A person named Mrs. Huggins was there, and Sarah's
sister Susan. Sarah Huggins was delivered of twins about a
month after witness went there. Susan came backwards
and forwards before her confinement, and remained with her
after it took place. They went away in October. Witness
waited on them most of the time. A woman brought them
wine, stout, and fruit. Huggins passed as a married woman ;
she said her husband was a seafaring man at sea. A gen-
tleman came down to see her two or three times. Ballard,
the officer, took witness to a church last Sunday, and the
clergyman in the pulpit was the gentleman who came down
to see Huggins; the
.gentleman was now present. The girls
addressed him as their brother. He took tea once with them,
Sarah being in bed at the time. He smoked. The
last time he came the children were dead, and the bodies
were in a closet in the bedroom where he and Huggins
were.

The jury having so done,
His LORDSHIP addressed'the prisoner in most suitable and
emphatic terms, commenting on the gross impropriety of his
conduct, which was such as to reflect indelible disgrace on
his sacred calling. It was impossible not to see that he pos-
sessed a most ungovernable temper, which was little suited
to the position he occupied in society. The jury had ac-
quitted him under his direction of the felony of which he
stood charged, but he had been convicted of an assault, and
for that, seeing that he had been already imprisoned for one
month, the sentence of the Court was, that he should be
further imprisoned for six weeks.
The prisoner then bowed to the Court, and retired from
the dock apparently but little sensible of the demraded posi-
tion into which he had been brought by his conduct.
William Archer, aged 35, was indicted for feloniously
cutting and wounding John Dayrell Reid, with intent to
murder him, to maim him, and to do him some grievous
bodily harm, on the 26th of August last.
Mr. O'Malley and Mr. Power appeared for the prosecution.
From the evidence of the prosecutor, who is an attorney,
at Brill, in this county, and the other witnesses in the case,
it appeared that the prisoner, having formed an illicit con-
nexion with one Eliza Turner, had on some occasion fallen
out with and assaulted her. For this outrage lie was sum-
moned before the justices, and fined 21., Mr. Reid being the
legal adviser of the complainant. Ever since that event tl:e
prisoner, who seems to have been a sort of monomaniac, im-
bibed the notion `'that Mr. Reid had supplanted him in the
affections of his paramour, and he commenced and sys-
tematically carried out, a series of attacks on that gentle •
man, whom he took every possible opportunity to in-
sult and to tax with this unfounded charge. Unfortunately
teasing
thebours poured fuel on his flame, for they
cis rtioaioke friends
delightfioir cii andn Reid inhas taken to carrying a stick to beat him. poor .man, by telling him to take
This being often repeated, induced the prisoner to carry
about with him an old bayonet, which he mounted on a
handle, and which he vowed if Mr. Reid ever struck him he
would stick into him. This fact came to Mr. Reid's ears,
and he summoned him before the magistrates, who refused
to interfere. Oii that occasion the prisoner renewed his in-
sultsin the passage of the house at which the justices bad
just met, and Mr. Reid, losing his temper, dealt his tormentor
a blow with his walking- stick. The prisoner did not return
it; but, continuing his annoyance, was again summoned,
when the magistrates again declined to bind him over to keep
the peace, advising Mr. Reid to protect-himself with his stick
in the event of the prisoner ever using any more dangerous
weapon than his tongue. Matters went on as before till the
evening of the 26ta of August, when the prosecutor, on
coming out of a':public-house, observed the prisoner standing
by the door. Wishing to avoid him he went into the
middle of the road, but the prisoner, as soon as lie saw
the prosecutor come out, said out loud, " Where is Eliza?
I am going to meet her at Gingell-wood ;" a form of
speed' which was ra Mar aimed at the prosecutor than
the party to whom it was ostensibly addressed. After this
he placed himself before Mr. Reid, who said, " Why am I
always so insulted?" on which the prisoner denied having
spoken a word to him. The prosecutor then, according to the
bystanders' account, struck the prisoner ,across the thigh
with his stick, and had hardly done so when the latter pulled
the dreaded bayonet from his breast, and made a rush and a
blow at the prosecutor, who, raising his arm, received a slight
Wound on his elbow. After this a struggle ensued. They
both seized the stick, and while contending for its possession
the prosecutor received a 'wound in the abdomen from the
weapon of his antagonist, which immediately caused him to
faint and fall against the wall. On being examined, the
wound was found to have penetrated the waistcoat and band
of his breeches, and to have entered nearly two inches into
his body. By a miracle, however, it took a course which was
harmless, and, though serious apprehensions were at first en-
tertained by the surgeon who was called in, yet, by skilful
treatment and care, he recovered in a fortnight, and is now
not at all the worse for the injury. As soon as the prosecutor
fell the prisoner took himself off home, where meeting a
neighbour he said, I have been pricking a lawyer," but
added that " he hoped he had not hurt him." After this he
showed the weapon to his friend, and then buried it in his
garden, where it was found on the following day, when he
was taken into custody by the constable, to whom he ex-
pressed his sorrow and hope that he had not seriously injured
the lawyer.
Mr. DASENT, addressing the jury for the prisoner, con-
tended that the wound in the abdomen might well have been
an accidental one, received by the prosecutor during his
struggle with the prisoner, who, however unjustifiable the
preparation and carrying of such a weapon must be admitted
to be, had certainly abstained from using it until he was
himself attacked by the prosecutor. Under all the circum-
stances of the case, therefore, he submitted that, taking a
charitable view of the prisoner's conduct, the jury ought to
dismiss the felony, and find him guilty only of an assault.
his LORDSIIIP having summed up the evidence to thejery,
left it to them to say whether they thought the wound
arose from design or accident ; and, after some fifteen minutes
spent in deliberation, they returned a verdict of Guilty on
the third count of the indictment.
Mr. Baron PARKE then sentenced him to be transported
for 15 years.
With this case the Bucks assizes terminated.

.. _v.
Fanny Frowde examined—She went to live with 11Ir.
Monckton in September. On one occasion they wanted
witness to take off her things in the kitchen, which she re-
fused, and Sarah told Mr. Monckton to take her (witness)
upstairs, which he did, by taking hold of her arm, and led
her to the bedroom. She was rather giddy. Sarah and
Ann went with them. In the bedroom they told her to take
her things off. She would not till they left the room. They
remained in the bedroom wanting her to undress for half an
hour. Mr. Monckton was going to untie her things. He
tried to unloose ter frock. Witness told them as plainly as
she could to go along. He said he would see her in bed
before he went. During the time witness was at the house
Mr. Monckton had gone into Sarah's bedroom in the evening
whilst she was in bed, and read the newspaper to her.

This concluded the first day's proceedings.
On Saturday morning, at ten o'clock, the Commission re-
assembled, and the following witnesses were examined :
Mr. Williams, master of the national school, deposed to
the impropriety of Mr. Monckton's conduct. Had been pre-
sent in the kitchen on Christmas-day, when the, Rev. Gentle-
man had sung "The Old English aentleman," and had laid
upon the floor. Had been present in the drawing-room with
Mr. Monckton and his three maids, when they alternately
sat upon his 'knee. Had frequently dined in the kitchen
with Mr. Monckton and his servants. They all sat at the
table together, on a perfect equality. Ribald jests were con-
stantly passing between Mr. Monckton and his servants.
His conversation had a general tendency to ribaldry. Mr.
Monckton would frequently cry out, in the presence of his
maids, "All realities—no formalities—dull you can never
be." Mr. Monckton was constantly asking for beer.
In April, 1844, witness and his wife went together
to the parsonage, and complained of Mr. Monckton's impro-
per conduct with his servants. He was very angry, and
said that no one had a right to interfere with bins or his
household. He did not care a for any one. He would
do as he liked, and if any one interfered with him he would
kick his backside. After this dispute Mr. Monckton had
asked witness and his wife to stay supper, which invitation
they had accepted. The maids supped with them, and all
joined in 'the prevailing jocularity. Supper over, rum was
introduced, and two glasses were mixed. Witness drank
with Mr. Monckton, and the women out of the other glass.
Mr. Monckton had proposed a toast, " to their better under-
standing," which they all drank, and another, " Here's to
the waitress's good health," meaning thereby one of the girls
who had assisted in serving them. .
By Dr. LUSHLNGTON—I was disgusted with the conduct of
Mr. Monckton, and so was my wife, but we did not say so.
Examination continued—ln conseVence of Mr. Monck-
ton's conduct, witness and wife had kept away front the
parsonage as much as their duties would allow them. As
master and mistress of the school, they were sometimes com-
pelled to go. When that' were invited to tea by Mr. Monck-
ton, they went; but they never went without an invitation.
There had been an examination of the schools in August,
and a distribution of cakes and wine to the children. Sarah
Huggins assisted on that occasion. She was then four or five
months gone in the family way.
Cross-examined by Mr. WARREN—She was padded for the
purpose of concealing her condition, but any one using his
eyes could discover it. He and his wife had taken tea
with Mr. Monckton since Sarah had been in the family
way. He believed that Sarah was Mr. Monckton's
mistress. He had taken tea with Mr. Monckton, because
he was a poor man, and was compelled. Mr. • Monekton
had not the power of turning him out of his situation,
but he thought at that time that he could do so
if be chose. Witness had taken his mother to Mr. Monck-
ton's house. His mother wanted to look at a member of the
aristocracy, and so he took her. He believed Mr. Monckton
to be a profound hypocrite. He was always very kind and
affable in his manners. He had tried to make witness's wife
bad. He had on one occasion tried to force her on his knee.
That was on New Year's•day, 1844. He had done so with
the design of corrupting her. Mr. Monckton had endea-
voured at the time to pass it off as a joke, but witness had
taken care not to let his wife go near him again that night.
He knew that it was done with the intention of corrupting
her. It was the first stein, He was indignant at the time,
but did not remonstrate with Mr. Monckton. A poor
man was compelled to wink at many things he did not like.
He and his wife had frequently taken tea with Mr. Monckton
since that transaction, but his wife had never gone alone ex-
cept on business. Ile had taken his mother to Mr. Monck-
ton's house also since that time. He swore positively that
the three girls sat on Mr. Monckton's knee. Mr. and Mrs.
Huggins were present at the time when their two daughters
sat on his knee. Witless had been compelled to apologise to
Mr. Monckton for having spread slanderous rumours about
the parish respecting him, but it was a " sham " apology.
Witness had not meant what he said. He had taken the
sacrament from Mr. Monckton since his insult to his wife.
Witness had been dismissed from the Infant Orphan Asylum,
where he had been tutor, for sending an indecent message to

POLICE. INTELLIGENCE.

the matron.
Re-examined by Mr. DOANE—He had been unfairly dis-
missed. He had never sent any such message, and Dr. A.
Reed, the secretary, had subsequently given him an excel-
lent character. He was still the master of the National
School. His mother had only remained a short time on her
visit to Mr. Monckton. Had not stopped to tea, but only
had a glass of wine.
Mr. IL R. Ives deposed that he is a member of the school
committee. Had spent whole evenings in Mr. Monckton's
kitchen, the maids laughing, and romping, and joking, and
taking their meals with the rev. gentleman. Oa one occa-
sion Mr. Monckton said, that if witness would stay all night
Fanny Frowde should sleep with him (witness). Would
swear to that fact most positively.
Mr. A. Rayson, a member of the school committe, deposed
to having seen Mr. Monckton come into the committee-
room the worse for liquor.
Ths case was then adjourned, but the Court could not fix a
day for resuming it.
Mr. Monckton was present during the whole of the pro-
-1 ceedings.

SUICIDE By A LADY.—On Saturday evening Mr.
Wakley, M.P. held an inquest in the Marylebone work-
house, on the body of Miss Eliza Chace, aged 37, a lady who
lived at 21, High-street, Camden-town. The deceased, who
was in independent circumstances, left her residence at five
o'clock - last ThursdAY evening, having previously ordered.
her servant to keep tqc her fire. She proceeded to the sus-
pension-bridge over the ornamental water, liegent's•park.
Having deposited her bonnet, cloak, reticule, and boa on the
bridge, she leaped over it into the water. The deceased's
brother stated, that about 13 years ago she had been in a
private lunatic asylum, and that she was always e.wentric in
her habits. Verdict—" Insanity."
CILIANCERY.—It was expected the Equity Courts
would have risen in Lincoln's Inn on Saturday, Friday being
the last day specified in the Seal paper. it appears, however,
the Courts will sit up to Thursday next, and rise on that
day for the Easter holidays. There is a considerable amount
of business now before the Courts, and it is stated they will
resume their sittings for one week before E'ister Term, and
that Tuesday, the fitth of April, will be the first Seal day of
those sittings.
•