The Sun.
London, England, 1818-08-03 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

On Friday a case came on before the Chief Ba-
ron, which had been the subject -of conversation
for some time through this part of the country,
and the circntngtances of .which raised against
one of the parties the wildest rep wment, while
the other was viewed with the deepest compas-
sion, At an early hour the Crown Court was
filled to excess.

Michael Shipman, a dissenter, a man of pro-
perty, 4-sident in Hinckley, within 13 iniles 'of
-Leicester, was called to answer the complaint of
a beautiful girl, named Emma Dalton. lie took
his seat at the table opposite the witness's box,
and had frequent communications with his soli-
citor during the trial, which lasted seven hours.
The indictment charged him with having assault.
ell Miss Dalton, and administered laudanum, or
some other exciting drug, for the purpose ot pro-
ducing ut:consciousness, insensibility, or excite-
ment in that young; lady, with the view of ren-
dering her subservient to his passions. There
were other counts in the indictment, one of which
charged him with a common assault.
Mr. CLARKE opened the case, which he said
was the most aggravated one he had ever heard.
He made no other comment upon it than that the
evidence would be found incontrovertible ; ,that
it would disclose a system of villainy the most
depraved ; and that the honour of the sex -and
common humanity demanded an attention from
the Jury, incapable of being prejudiced by an ad-
dress to their teelings, unsupported by powerful
testimony. Ile • called the prosecutrix. Upon
getting into the box she trembled exceedingly.
—lt would be difficult to describe the effect pro-
duced by her appearance. ' In her countenance,
which wore the marks of thought and sorrow,
could be traced the evidences of former happiness.
The 'spectators turned AVii h horror to her abuser,
who presented- a.liiilitoos contlast,., His head was
covered with lank red, halt-. He now and then
grinned horribly a. ghastly smile," especially
is heti his Countsel was proceeding to draw lute-

truces Ito: i the evidence Which led Mm to enter-
tain a vain hope;
The following is the substance of Miss Dalton's
evidence :—I atw 21 years of age. Nly father was
a merchant, and resided at Birmingham hum
Irma the embarrassed state/of. his circumstances
found. it necessary some time ago to leave the
country. My sisters and 1, to, whom be bad
given it good.- education, remained at 110Me.''.
Eilly in September I went hito the family'of Mr.
Shipman, as governess to his three datighters,
the eldeSt of whom is nearly 14, the second 10,
and the third 7. On Friday the 19,b of Decem-
ber, 1 was violently ill with it pain in the chest,
and a heaviness, and I retired to my room about
seven o'clock. Between 11 and 12 time servant,
Clara Johnson, came to ask how I was. Having
receiv,ed no abatement of pain, I told her I,was
exceedhigly ill, and begged that she would ask
whether 1 should bathe lily' feet in warm water.
On her return the girl told ine that her mistress
Wad sent to her master, and he would be up
directly. Before I had time to express my dis-
approbatiot) of so extraordinary an intention on
time part of Mr: Shipman, he entered the room.
Having covered my head with the bed. clothes,
and made no reply to his inquiry how I was, he
pulled down time clothes, took both my !mantis, and
placed time by force, 00 my bask:,, desiring we to
look at him full in the face. Again he asked rue
wheat was the !natter with me? I said I had a vio-
lent pain in my chest. He asked me where my
chest was ; and I said he ,oust know, and that
he was trifling with me. He then desired Clara
to (etc!) smite brandy. - She went down for it.
The chiltheli were in the room, but they •were
asleep ; theeldest girl was in h«1 with me, When
Clara left the room, he put his hand over time
upper part-of my person, and told me the pain
was not in my chest, but in my stomoch.
endeavour to remove his hand was quite fruitless,
for l was_ extremely weak, and my breath was so
violently atiec'ed as to reuder rue wholly inca-
pable of remonstrating with hint. Tlre:first words
I. addressed to bin) when he entered the room
were, that I had not sent for him, hut for Mts.
Shipman: %%Then the girl returned with the bran-
dy, he removed his liaod from toy bosom, and
obliged me to take some brandy, after which
entreated him to ljave the room, which. he at
first refused, but atterkvards consented to do, de-
daring, however, that
.Clara should go, and that
no one should ...ray wide the, whether I was well
or ill Both went away together. About five
o'clo'da in the morning I awoke -in great pain,
and was quite hysterical ; limy cries awoke Mr.
Shipman's eldest daughter,. who jumped out of
bed and ran to her parents' roost. Mr..Shipuman
came in a few moments . after his daughter, had
kft the room, hut said nothing, and went away
ininuoliately, Clara then atone, and said her
toaster had ordered her to dress and. take me,
down. 1 refused to go, saying to the, girl that
time bed was fbetter for me, as 1 was ill.
call-
ed repeatedly to kaow
.whether 1 was coating
down ; and 1, finding objections useless, told the
gni she might dress me and take‘ me•doWn, 11e 1
was at the bottom of time stalls' with a candle in
his hand ; he had on a night-cap and waistcoat,
but oir coat, and he assisted the gii.l in bringing.,
me hot) the room, where, before a large fire, there
%v-as a :ofa, on which he placed me. I complained
of.the eXcessive heat, on which he sent Clara for
the tra-thiogs-, and said the fire was not hotter
than I could, bear it. My breath grew worse,
and It,ll dreadfully ill. At that toomeut the girl
entered with coal and tea-things.. Ise insisted on
lay takitmg. tea., and raised me up for the purpose
Of doing so. Upon compulsion I took two cups,
and lie said I should have a third. There is a
cupboard itt the room, tvbete different kinds of
dtuga are kept, amongst which is lantanum. Be-
fore he brought the third clip, be, went to that
cophoard and filled it there. I refused to take
it. lie d 1 should, and- raised time tip, and
presented the cop to my mouth. I perceived the
smell was nauseons, and again refused. Ile de-
clared that I shotad, or he would drench toe to th
it : at the same time lie took hold of me by time
nose, forced it down my throat most violently,
imul threw the down on the sofa. He sat on the
sofa. One of my teeth was bloke!), hut whether it
was at that time or not 1 don't know. Clara came in
while he was drenching me with time (ea, and he de-
sired'her to take the bone out of my stays. 1 was in
violent agony, mid I motioned her not to do it while
be was in the room. lie weot Out. I thought I
was expiring. Clara on removing the bone re-
tired. 11e came and sat at time foot of time sofa,
and gave his hand more unrestrained liberties than
before upon my person. The servant came in,
and he removed his hands, with one of which Imo
had held both of mimic'. In answer to his inquiry.
she said she had come to prepare the room foe the
family. He desired her to remove time on the sofa
into the kitchen. As 'well as I could I told her to
carry me to lied, but he said it was nseless, for I
should not go, and lie removed me into the back
kitchen OD .the sofa, near the fire, and put the
shutters up ; Clara went to do her business, and
he sate- beside me and repeated the libertie,
I alluded' to. At that moment Clara came
in. There was a nauseous taste iu the' last
cup of tea I took, which was not in either of
the other cups, 1 have since smelt laudaimum in tea,
and it is toy firm.belref that laudanum was mixed
in the third cup. Niy illness increased, Kull Clara,
by his order, put me to bed, where I grew worse.
Mrs. Shipmair came in on' heartng me scream,
and Mr. Shipman made tie take castor oil. Whet
occurred from that time lid 4 in the aft troormir I
was wholly turcooscions lit. Ou Sunday I felt,
better, and contrived to shit) dimmer, after wind)
Mrs. Shipmatm proposed to her husband to
.go to
chapel... I went lip to toy own room, Mts. Ship-
. man went to chapel, and. Mt. Shipman came to:
me while I was lying on the bed, nod iodated on
lie y going down. I told would cry murder
if he persisted in removing inc, for 1 was 4rcall-
h-I,IIIY id. He used all the persuasive argionents
he could to induce me to go (tow.. ; said lie had
riot gone to chapel on, my aecoupt, anti all the
rest were out. 1 said he was a bati
nod supplicated him to leave, me.,, • Finding
that 1 was bent spun _not going down, lie
lsrn,rtghl pp a lam ge,goblet full of brandy tool
water. I said it is at riot broody, and refimaed to
take any. He J hreat cued io -diencb me with. it;
and stood over me till drauk it every drop. 1

n 141 tqf
'then iu itOterrgi t teatir fits of c ,
and lust all.. recollection of what occurred,
the 'following "mtirftFliet was `awoke''b Mf.„
Shipman's kisses. He fad me how Much 11-
wife and chilffren•loved me, and tlnit he loved
more ten times. I complained of the insultJlel.3' •
(offered me, and said I Should ihrolin Mrs. Sh'r
man. of his vile condoet. I infOrmed Mr's.
man of it. My illness contintieil With unallate"
%iolence ; and though I expressed a avistll to see
I Mr. Po‘ver, the surgeon, and anothc ole`licBt
t
man, I was denied by Mr. and Mrs. SitiPtinio• '•
lengih 1 5.1 w• Mr. Power on Tuesday; told
they had given me different kinds of medicipe;:
_that I had requested to see him, but had been r.ei •
fused ; that I was sr ry unhappy ; had been 1T
very ill, but had neither time nor power to tell
more. I continued defiriotts for a fortnight ;
last thing 1 remembered was Mr: Power's comin4'.
Flom Mr. Shipman's I was removed to'the
rage ;in a sedan, until I got better. In tny-hed; ,
room there was nn bell. 'There was; 1 believe,
key in the door, but Mrs. Shipman begged‘ •
%you'd never lOck• the door, through tear of "re: '
or the illness of the ebildren.• 1 stayed a week 31'
the vicarage, front whence Iwent to, my aP6( 5
lodgings at Birmingham. Before the Friday she
had-taken salts and calomel, and other drugg; for
a cold, by desire of the prisoner.—fn her cross;
examination by Mr. Denman, she merely repeale"! •
itr forayer statement-. The object of the Learneill
Counsel was to- obtain some admissions whie,o
might leave au impression a hat the pristwel
conduct ,was dictated by a feeling of compassiotli;
whirr) was mistaken for love'. The vtitness34li.
stated, ,that all resistance was impossible; ", •
'breath as well as strength having been affecti.
and an unnatural sensation having, in conseque°
of tile clrtigs, pervaded her.
Clara jason deposed, that she lived 45 °ler;
hn
vane to Mr. :Shipman, and'gave an accoant u.
conduct of her master perfectly confilatatorY,
__a-
far as it went, of that given by Miss Dalt° _
She described the state of- health of the-r",,,',
lady as most deplorable, and- remembered
when she told her master how ill she was, be sA%l(g
that was just what- be wanted. She added, itts,
when her mistress went to Chapel of:
her master came to her and sew. her out •
child before shehad time to clean herself; t 1".
it•-
,ilat when Mr. Power came to see Miss D"'
Mr. Shipman flung down his hat in a great tenet
and said he was undone. ;ed
In Iter, cross.examination she but incres •
t 55
the evidence against the prisoner. She heard -af
4,1
Dalton say in her delirium, that her master I(ft
broken her tooth and while she was tleprive`l)fie
her senses, Mr. Shipman put his hand report'
person. Misc
Alartlia licy,
,the nurse, who attended ha
Dalton on Wednesday night, deposed, th3f- sfel
was quite delirious, and that Shipman had ''c in
while she was so in the manner described. J'baic,
he came, and asked whether Miss Dairon bld
ed for him ? to which witness replied, " tic`'( , be,
had in her delirium." " Ah, poor girl," ,t'i6
" she always asks for me.'" • i!ea
Mr. Power, surgeon, of Hinckley, said be ost
e„,
M'rss Dalton on'Tuesday the (2..0 ot DeectlYoll
when he found her very faint. She had a
and het-pent pulse, and'complaitied of a r;"..'1,el
the head, and coldness in the feet, and -I°u
ov,
excessively ill. Site made the cominuttiocati,v ef•
him which she bad stated to the COlart. ba‘t
e
nesday' morning she was Mitch worse : sl'
el
spent a delirlitus pieta, her pike had iticre° :I,er
a 0 .ion, and the n ness reeointnn etled bas
opinion to be taken. She was very deliri°l"fols'
her compktiot was attended with lucid i" epaato
-Witness was not prepared to say that 13e 0041
would produce libidinousness—a small Hoye
produce excitement—a large one stupor• I°.
Mr. DIIIC,MiON, for tl:e defence, attetorr dle
show.that Miss, D,tlton must' have coitst"
%visit:to render medical assistance jot° tree
ce'.
else than love, and the application of the
nary medicines for the correction Of a tta'"risa the
order into the administing of philters
force of mighty in igic, Ile showed how
tl et
ous it was to allow the child t(s sepaKjul, at“
perilous an age from her natural pro'ec"i 1 eat'
oi)
attributed the madness of the girl to the
ous chrreat of the passions.
art ao•
1 'he Judge summed tip the eVidence, al" („int•
laid hefore'the Jury the several in.:qui-lie' 0
Ile 01
there had been such abundant pr 601.
„vile 3 1
cidarly dtvelt Upon the example to, „ oat'
children in the comnlicated baseness of t3c
conduct to
.an'helpless and
all
Unprotected. I°l°.
The Jury returned a verdict of—GaillY: tarps
~ The Judge immediately passed sOteliciV a
atal-)'
delight of the Court. -Mr. Shipmin was
ed for .
to pay_ a flue of 1001.,' and to be iinPri"l:lltecestill;
calendar months. This was the °DIY
case during the Assizes.
• .
• On Fliday morning, about four „f it is
alarming fire broke out on the pienti,Vieseg,
tie
Esq. M. P. Bosh Hill, iew.19401
commenced in one of the stacks serer(?of
hay, which quickly communicated l„,,aatfi
of
-others, which were totally consumed. s:'arcityl,,
the dryness of the weather and (het 9 o"cluec.
water, the flames were not aubdoell e.6siit
iii
Several London engines were sent to
tort /11
tioguisliiitoz the flames. . charks
LONG! VVI'Y.—It is stated in lbe city a
zone, that there is now living
Man, at the adeanced age-or I.IS'Ye6I:"
11400
Bin 4,IJY -
On the 31st ult. in Mmitagu-slitare, thea on•
We-Miry of Wyefields, Ess"7
•m
;V
MARRE• .INr"
" deer
, On th •e
Ist lust. at St. Mary's, T. t. of
DeCey„ of Mark-rime, loCharlotte, e'lit". j
•
late William Gunner, Esq. of the Nent-roa t
,o‘
----------
• -
e
•
DIED. „
On the Ist i:l6..nft,r an iducss of only • .
Old vibe o;o;t.ea
Essex, ofthe Strand. ,oth
`On the 271 h ult. at Streatham, to the:,
.t),4„ ,
‘ir. ,
Ennita Drary, youngest dm:Oat:l. of SP "..
'`t • rt.t,
On Friday last, at. 111 1.- •
Cut?rer, in the tiad yea, t.)(11. Age• • fs ;!1$
,'l4'
• .
• 13. cAps'l\igS,,4l,oo.joli
LONDON: !'tinter) byJ. „al; 0
Orniiitid;srKee; 3"'
SCRIPPS, of No.-7, South Nloly"'*,,,tiWt'e
Other, No. lie, t.itrtinit ; where A 1144-65,01.
Letters, Ace, be nAll