The Sun.
London, England, 1817-11-27 00:00:00

HORRIBLE SUPERSTITION.

Extract of a Lptter Irons the Rev Hots AT! BAR-13-
a • Mi,lii•oi;rry.• -I fieUrkited,St uttS,
'ahrteil Feb 8, 1817
.
Whither we shall ever see, the fruit of our
iaborrs. or . not , uuly knowo ; and we are
wit:tog to leave it in his hands. 11 any; good is
done anioiig_this people, surely the excellence of
the povver be acknowledged to be.ot God ';
for the strength ,of super'stition and idolatry is be!.
yond desctipt ion NVit bin a mile of our house
there are prob..rbly.'3Q temples con,cerated to idols.
Almost 'every hOur to the day fitly he heard the
prayers and supplications of the multitude to these
godi of wood and stone..
A few weeks ago 1 witnessed the swinging of
two persons; as it Is called; suspended by hooks
thrust through the fleshy part ot, the back. The
Machine consists of i perpendicular post about
twelve fept bigt!. At the top of this was sit
'pivot that sustained a horizontal pole : at one
end of this the hooks were fastened, at the
other end ropes were. 'flied to raise the
books. The whole twchine was placed upon
wheels.lust before the first Person was sus-
pended, an old Man., girded with a belt strung with.
little hells, and deformed with numerous badges of
horrid. superstition, seized a young kid that swas
presented to hint, tore open. the j,.gular veins with.
his teet ti, and like a monster sucked the blob&
while the little was struggling in death.:
This sacrifice being made, a procetsiOnthenformed
and marched, a number of times round the car.—
They at, length
,stOpped, and a man aboitt'3o years
of ag.e was quickly suspended on the hook-s; and
'the car was, then drawu by the people a number of
times round the Yard, attended by tomtomS and
shootings orthe Multitude. After being drawn
itOund about ten minutes, he was let down,
and a woman suspended in the saute manner.
Neither of these persons discovered the least
signs of pain, but seemed wholly at ease.--
When they were let down, the multitude
pressed round to touch them, as though some
peculiar blessing or virtue was communicated.
This painful ceremony was performed before a
small temple, in consequence, and as the perform-
ance 'of certain vows voluntarily made by the per-
sons Who were thus tormented. The next day
two other persons were suspended in the same

tVay,"

NATIONAL SOCIETY .—Yesterday the half yearly
examination of the Children (present 814), et the
Central School in Baldwites-gardens,.took place,
in the presence of his Grace the Archbishop of
CANTERBURY ; present the. Bishops of Lo
NDOt(
and CARLISLR, Sir JAM-ESLANGFIAM, Bart., Right.
lion. Sir JOHN NICHOLL, and other Metnhers of
the Committee, together with the most nit:nerous
assemblage of visitors we ever before witnessed ;,
a proof of the growing interest which the pane
take in ,this Institution. The minner.in
sebicli
the children acquitted themsekes.was most grati..
lying to the con)thy, and we really think much.
surpassed what they had done at any of the pre.
`ceding examinations.

ST. DUNSTAN'S IN'TIII2 EAST.—Yes!erby being
the day appointed for the ceremony of laying the
stone of a splendid Church, %villa, is to be
re-built under the direction of Mr. LAING, the
architect, about eleven o'clock the Archbishop Of
CANTERBURY arrived in his carriage, and pro--
ceeded to the plaiforn► erected for the purpose, ots
the site where the old church stood, attended by
the Rev. Mr. ESCUTT, the Rector, the Church-
wardens, and the Building Committee, and a
number of Gentlemen, parishioners ; when, hav-
ing deposited in the stone prepared for the pur-
pose a number of the present coin of the realm,
and offering np an appropriate prayer to the Al-
mighty, imploring his blessing on the church
which is to he erected for hi 4 worship, the stone.
was lovveted into its place, and the ceremony was
concluded by a peal from the old spire, which re-
mains, and to which the new church is to be built.

ENNIS, Nov. 22.—Wednesday, conscvence
of some opposition given to John Nl:dully, Esq.
High Constable for the barony of Tulla, he took
out a few of the 93d regiment stationed at
Scariff, and proceeded on his levy. He was soon
orposed by a vast multitude, and at length
compelled to order the soldiers to fire.—
This "dreadful alternative was not resorted
to until Mr. Molony and his small party had
been surrounded by upwards of 200 enrag..
eel assailants. The consequence of this
ifle-
psi resistance has proved fatal. The army were
compelled to fire, and we are concerned to close
this article by stating, that three men were killed,
. and two dangerously ‘vounded I.—(EnOsChronicle.)

EXP.EDITIOUS WAY OF TRAVELLING.--SOllle
of the passengers who left the canal boat at Lock
16, nu Friday, went to Grangethouth, and em-
hatked the Tug Steam boat ; were landed at
Newhaven, and arrived in Edinburgh before two
coaches which started at the same hour, fur the
trifling expellee of 'one shilling.— (Edits. Courant.)

SUICIDE.-011 FriILI evening last, Mr. Issel,
for many years A respectable builder in Plymott:h,
put an end to his existence, by sh9oting himself
in an outhouse ;:t the back of his premises, io
Britonside. The pistol .was. charged with bits of
&c., which penct rated the heart, and caused,
instant, death. laboured under a dQues-
slot) of spirits some time previous w this melan-
choly event.

- ____.......,_
Sunday last the remains of the lamented Conn"
tess of ALBENARLIi passed through Derehatn, oil
their way to the family Yank at Quiddenham,
Norfolk. • ' ,
The•acconnt which appeated in most of theiNlorn•
log Paper's yesterday, stating, that Geo. Chenne(l.
.ilin . mm! Choletuft 0 liti-nre eh arged!wit li t he initrcW
of G. Chentiell, sett. the father of the formrr pri
sorer, at Gothilmine), had arrival at Horsemon-
ger-lane Gaol, is incorrect ; tlicy had not at riv ed.
late last nights—(Morning ('O, ronicle )
JORNSON, the celebrated Yorkshire jockey, (Ilea
a few days eleo at Richmond. Ha rode the winner
of the Great St, Leger Stakes at the last Doncaster
Meeting. His di is suppOsed to have been oc-.
casiotted by a tall from his policy, on the lott.l
between the ;11)0'41: Lees.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF CHANCERY, Nor. 26.

The business of the Court to-day was totally
uninteresting,. Several Bankrupt Petitions were
heard, and dirfretions given respecting some de-
nurrers. His LorOship imitated, that on Friday
he. kvould dispose of the case of Gordon v. Gordon,
having read all the affidavits and papers put in by
hoth parties, besides those which had been sent to
him from Scotlaud.
PRIVATE HEARING.

The LORD CHAvcru.Lott further intimated, that
had read the affidavits latterly filed in the case
1,1 Procter v. Procter, and would dispose of it to-
tiorrow. He %Tonid at the same time give his
.judgment in the case of Colebrook v. Lee, as he
trldetstood nothing more was to be addressed to
Lint. If convenient for Counsel, be would be
eery glad if they would attend hint in his private
room . to-morrow, before he came into Court. He
had other judgments -Which he intended to have
given this morning, but his- time bad been .so
much occupied by public matters -last night, that
he had not had an opportunity of reading a single
paper.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, N0v.26.

MONOPOLY OF OIL.

CRIMINAL INFORMATION.

Mr. SCA.IILF.TT moved, that a criminal informa-

tiun be filed against two Gentlemen of the names
of Herman Gerard Hilbers and Stephen Cleasby,
oa the ground that they were engaged in a con-
spiracy, by illegal means, to raise the price of
MOce than one individual had already
suffered the punishment of the law tor an offence
of a similar kind in regard to other species of mer-
chaodise, and the affidavits now produced distinctly
brought home the charge to both the persons
ahoVe-named. It appeared that their object for.
the last two or three months had been to get into
their hands all the whale-oil in the kingdom, or
to persuade those who would not sell to them to
hold the,commodity until the value in the market
hall'heetaitgmented from the usual average of 301.
or 40!. per tun to 601. or 701. per tun. The
Court was aware that this summary application
had been previously recognized in the case of the
King v. Waddington, the question there arising
whether hops, the article engrossed, were or were
not a victual.
Lord ELLetsßoaouGn.,---There was a prior case
of an agreement to raise the price of coals.
Mr. SCARLETT observed, that in the King v.
Waddington the subject had been much discussed ;
and in the result it was decided that the crime
was not confined to victuals, but that at common
law the engrossing of any article of general mer-
chandise and consumption was an offence. Lard
Kenyon had held that hops were a victual, but
that circumstance had not determined the case.—
The affidavits in the present instance stated, that
the purchases of Hilbers and Cleasby had already
been so considerable, that they had obtained pos-
session of nine-tenths of the whole quantity of
whale-oil in the country, The first applied to the
- instrumentality of Mr. Cleasby, who, it was sworn,
had strongly recoinmenued to one of the deponents
to retain some oil he would not sell, stating, that
lie would soon be able to dispose of it at a very
a,dvdneed price ; and when the deponent objected
that the speculation might not be ultimately be-
neficial, as the rise in the market would prevent
the exportation, Cleasby replied (anti his answer
disclosed the whole secret of the project), that if
he and Hilhers could sell Lut half the quantity
they held at the price to which they should raise
oil, they could afford to let the other half run to
Ayaste into the sea.

Lord ELLENBoRAtJGH•—Have you any instance
where the Court has granted an information in
consequence of a conspiracy to raise the price of
an article clearly not a victual ?
Mr. SCA RLETT again referred to the king v.
Waddington : it there happened, that the article
was deemed a victual, but the decision of. the
Court was general, that it was an offence at com-

mon law to engross, any article of general con-
sumption, for the purpose of raising the value of
it. Oil was a most important commodity; it was

used in families from the highest to the lowest in
all parts of the kingdom ; and if the scheme of
these speculators, or more properly conspirators,
answered, there was not a contractor in the whole
realtn'who would not be ruined.

lo answer to a question from the Court, Mr.
ScA RLETT added, that in the King v. "Wadding-
ton, flit first trial did not embrace any before-
Inpud har,gain ; for that the defendant was fined
500/. ; but the second, before Lord Kenyon, at
Guildhall, did include it, and the defendant being
convicted generally, was fined 5001. and impri-
soned for three months : all the particulars were
detailed in 1 East, 167. Lord Ellenhorough was
at that time Counsel for the _defendant.- The
question whether hops were or were not a victual,
was under Stat. 2 and 3 Edw. VI. repealed by a
bill brought in by Mr. Burke in• 12 Geo.lll. ; so
that any device of this sort to enhance the price
of any generally merchantable commodity was left
to the common law punishment.
Lord ELLLNBOROUGH.—CIeasby is, 1 believe, a
broker.

Mr. SCAnLETT.—He is a broker, but on these
affidavit's !)e appears to be a party other Wise in-
terited in the event of this contrivance. Cleasby
andlbers are not general partners, but in this'
instance all the purchases seem to have been made
jointly. It is also sworn, that besides the very
large stack of oil in their hands, they have entered
into contracts with the owners of ships still at sea,
fur whole cargoes, SO as to keep the market tip for
a long time ; and they have also purchased all the;
pilchard oil of Devon, in Cornwall, which ordi-
narily sells at 251. per tun, at the rate of 401. per
tun, in order that the Public may not obtain any
subStirute for whale-oil, and may be compelled to
buy of them at the prices they shall dictate.

Mr. Justice BAYLEY.—Are there no instances
staters in which these persons haveendeavOured to
prevent 'other dealers from bringing their oil to
market ?

Mr. SCARGETT answered in the affirmative ; but
this p.,rt of the charge more particularly applied to
llilhers. Although the affidavits. did not
any positive declaration on his part, heard

by the very persons deposing, yet the evidence was
still so satisfactory as to leave no doubt upon the
subject. Persons interested in defeating this sys-
tem, bearing that Hilbers had been at Hull, dis-
patched their attorney, Mr. Knight, thither, and
he discovered that all the dealers in oil had been
collected at a meeting, where Hilbers had told
them, that it • they would follow his example and
advice they would be able to bring the quantity
remaining in their hands to a very advanta-
geous 11131ket. How many persons were present
did not appear, but Hilbers proposed to them a
contract for pu'rehasing one half of all their new
whale oil, at 3JI. per tun (the average price being
then only 351.), stipulating on his part that be
would not sell any oil in that town before the Ist
of December at less than 501. per ttm, and they
on their part agreeing not to sell any at a less
price than 451. per tun. Hilbers also under-
took to purchase at 441. all the whale oil remain
ing in their hands on the Ist of December. This
was the mitute of the engagement, though Mr.
Knight could not persnitde any of the parties who
had entered into it to. make affidavit, lest they
,should be considered patties to the criminality.
A Mr. Jones, however, who was well acquainted
with the oil trade, had distinctly sworn to his
knowledge, that Hilbers did enter into large con-
tracts at Hull and other out-ports, to purchase
oil for the purpose of augmenting the price. to 60/.
per. tun ; and •convtrsations were sworn to with
.Cle4sby, - on 'Change, who asserted that he and
Hilbers had engaged for 800 tans in London,
and declared, with an oath, that their object was
to augment the value to 701. per tun: They had
already so far
.succeeded as to force the market to
.631. per tun. .
Lord ELLENBOROUGH.—To what ports do
ships engaged in, the South,sea fishery come
Mr. SCARLETT.--1 believe they are confined
chiefly to London, and the Greenland-Wien go to
Hull.

Mr. Justice IlaYLEY.—Some of the ships put
into Poole, and some to Whitby,blit they. are com-
•paratively a very.small number. A great majority
of the Greenland-men go to Hull.
Mr. SCARLETT continued.—The great object of
the Devisers and Executors of this Scheme, was
to make their purchases in the winter, and the
Contracts for lighting the lamps of the different
parishes of, the metropolis, and in the principal
towns in the country, having been made in the
summer, when oil was comparatively cheap, •itie-
vitahle ruin must await the Contractors, and the
article must be had at any price these parties
think fit to put upon it.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH—Has net gas, in a good
measure, limited the use of oil

Mr. SCARLETT.—I hope that it soon will super-
sede it ; but at present the expense of gas is ra-
ther higher than that of oil._

Lord ELLENBOROUGH.—Have you any affidavit
to show the extent to which this system has'been
cart ied already ?
Mr. SCARLETT said., that in October, Cleasby
bad declared that he and liners had engrossed
nine-tenths of the oil of the kingdom ; adding,
with an oath, that the London merchants should
be obliged to come to them at any price. Among
'other documents, the Learned Counsel was pro-
vided with a letter, written by Cleasby to a party
who, it should seem, had refused to fulfil one of
tlte contracts made by Hilbers with hint: it was
dated the 31st October, in ‘vhich Cleasby obsery
ed, " I have seen Mr. llilbers, as your Mr.
H---- wished, on 'Change : he will riot listen to
any thing but your, fulfilling the contract by de-
livering the oil, or paying the difference to him
of 601. per tun, at which it was sold this even-
ing : be will not receive -any deficiency at less
than 631., though he would rather: have the oil
itself, according to the contract. if an answer
he not sent to-morrow morning, this will not be
binding, and he will insist upon 631. per tun."
Mr. Scarlett submitted, in conclusion, that the
case was as strong as it could possibly be against
Cleasby, and that no specific declarations by Hil-
bers were sworn to ; his positive acts, spoke for
themselves, and were sufficient evidence for his
purpose.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH.—Take a Rule to show
cause.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE'.

MANSION HOUSE.

EXTENSIVE FORGERlES.—Yesterday Timothy
Macnamara, Thomas Buttery, John Hourkins, Thos.
James, and Anne Wilson, alias Priscilla Gough,
underwent a final examination, charged mrtli be-
ing concerned in forging and littering as true,
divers wills, purporting to be those of seamen in
the service of the East India Company, with in-
tent to defraud that establishment.

The only case gone into was relative to one
Benjamin Mann, belonging to the East India
Company's ship Barkworth, when Buttery had
described the woman, Wilson, is the sole execu-
trix of Mann, who, he added, died on board the
tibove-mentionedship in his presence, and he, ac-
cordingly, since attested the deed. However, the
brother of the prisoner Mann now swore to the
latter as being in his house, at Mount Neigh,
Suffolk, on the identical 5t5 of January, ISI6.
Anne Wilson, alias Priscilla. Gough, confirmed all
the leading points.
Buttery and Macnamara were fully committed
to Newgate for trial. Hawkins and James were
discharged upon their own recognizances to ap-
pear upon the trial ; and the female prisoner was
ordered to be detained in Giltspur-street Conipter
to give evidence -at the. Sessions. •