The Sun.
London, England, 1826-06-13 00:00:00

SOVEREIGN'S COURT, BELFAST.

Mary Butterfield stated that she belongs to the neighbourhood
of Leeds; and applied a few day, since to the Sovereign of Bel-
fast, and requested that that Magistrate would take her informa-
tion against a person of the name of Neilly Ill'Avoy, who lodged
in the same house witk Mary Butterfield, in Hill-street, Bel-
fast. The charge Pliade. by Butterfield on this occasion was alarm-
ing enough, it being no less than that of an assault, which she
alleged was committed in a very violent manner upon her by
M'Avny early on the morning of the 27th of May, at her lodg-
ings, in the house of a Mrs. Conway.—The Sovereign, on her
;detonation, granted a warrant, and M'Avoy was committed ,
to Bridewell, whence he was brought up the following
morning. On• examination, ,it turned out that Butterfield
had left her, htfaband and three children in England, ac-
companied by a man of the name of Lacey, and took lodgings for
herself and Lacey as man and wife, having with her-her fourth
child. Lacey went off to the country to seek employment, and
Butterfield swore that in Lacey's absence the offence complained of
had been committed. It appeared, however, in the course of the
examination, that this very profligate woman, who thus came
forward to swear away a man's life, had actually invited the pri-
soner Itl'Avoy. The state of the lodging-house, as it was described in
the course of this extraordinary proceeding, gives a pretty correct
notion of the delicacy of all parties concerned. This decided the
question, and here the matter might perhaps have ended, if it
had not come to the ears of one Sovereign,, that two other
inthietebhoduypn;and worked so
sovereigns: had been resorted to as the means of preventing
any legal steps from being taken. Mr. Lacey, the osten-
sible husband of the injured fair one, having heard of the affair,
repaired to Belfast, but instead of running the offender through
hen t
h e proposedfears
utfe terms of
M'Avoy,
accommodation, ntutodaetxiotona,
condition
him
the
two sovereigns in question, on the express condition that
Mary Butterfield would- not prosecute. The Sovereign -of
Belfast said that although there were two to one against
him on this occasion, yet he, though alone, stood stronger thin
the two others. He was for the fair end just administration
of the laws, whereas, the two other sovereigns were used
for no other purpose than to compromise a capital felons,.
This ought not to be allowed; the prisoner was charged by
the prosecutrix with having committee! a capital offence, and if
there appeared grounds sufficient to commit him to gaol, he ear.
tainly should go in order to abide a trial for -his life; if, on the
other hand, it-appeared that the prosecution mot a false prosecu-
tion, got up for the pnrposeof extorting money, in that
oast he
would discharge NliAvoy, and commit the woman Butterfield for
perjury. On taking view of the evidence and all
the vireum-
stainuee''s
of this singular case, he Was clearly of opinion that Mary
Dutterfield lutd brought forward this false ch in order. to
extort money from the prisoner. There waft noact eedievidence
to warrant a committal, and he therefore discharged AP/W I
-he would commit Mary Butterfield for a 'which )"t
tiered of the most atrocious nature.
.Thus Cm, Mai-
upon Mary Butterfield, she was enonoirre(i the taßbrlaid Bridewell rut?,
night, and tte nett day vas sent ofd;guarded by 'de h etc mint 'of
the police, to Carrickferps gaol, in order to take her trial at the
next Assure.