The Sun.
London, England, 1829-03-12 00:00:00

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

Yesterday after the usual business of the office was over,
Mr. Dvxa and Sir GEo. FA =ANT, were fir a considerable
time engaged in investigating the following distressing
case, which came partly before the Sitting Magistrate, on
Tuesday, in the following manner :
Upon the above day a Mrs. Novell° entered the office,
with a simple-looking country girl of the name of Matilda
Parker, about 22. years of age, whom she accidentally met
in a haberdasher's shop, inquiring for a lodging; at the
same time the poor girl stated that she had no money, and
was not acquainted with a single person in London ; that
she hail been brought away front her own home against her
will, by the captain of one of the passage-boats belonging
to Messrs. Pickfnrds at Paddington. Upon last Friday
she left her parents' house at Bromley, in Staffordshire, to
go and visit an aunt residing at a pace called Couston, near
Tantwortb. As she was to return in the course of a
couple of days, she took no money with her. As her
road lay along the canal, she continued to walk along,
when she overtook one of the canal boats, the captain of
which asked her where she was going ; she stated she was
going to Couston, when lie asked her to ride ; she refused
the offer, but finding that she was ignorant of the distance,
he told her that if she walked, she would not reach the
place of her destination by night ; he, however, succeeded
in getting her on board, when towards evening she went
down in the cabin ; shortly after the fellow, who is a mar-
ried man, came down and proceeded to take liberties with
her, when she called out murder. Her cries brought the
other fellow to the cabin, who, instead of assisting her,
placed himself on a scat ; on which the captain took her
up, and threw her down, and his companion ill-used her
in the same way. Ott the following day, on going on
deck, she attempted to jump upon shore, when the fellows
swore that she should not go, and caught hold of her
gown, and tore it in pulling her back, when she was very
much beat by the captain. No further violence was
offered to her person until Monday night, when they were
within a few miles from Paddington. About six o'clock
she w:-.ar;ti.i;;gflown in the cabin, when the captain came
down, and renewed his ill-treatment. She resisted, and
shouted out murder, as lung as she could , a4l on getting
from the villain's grasp, she ran upon deck, and stated to
the persons whom her cries had brought from their houses
Oat had happened to her ; on which the fellow told them
it was a iii---athen he up with his fist and knocked her
down into the calm!, and ka'4l%sther Ihady in various parts
(many of which she spewed to the Magistrates ~, and thei2
kept her until the boat arrived at Paddington, when about
four o'clock in the morning lie turned her ashore.
"YER.—Is it possible that so much depravity can
exist in these hosts?
Mr. Nanglo, the assistant Overseer of St. Giles, and
to which parish the poor girl has become one of the aa-
sual poor, informed the worthy Magistrate that, unfor-
tunately, it was almost a daily occurrence ; that there
was hardly an unprotected female who went by any of these
boats but that the was subjected to similar treatment; and

that the boatmen, instead of a.csiating tilt poor woman,
were mutually bound to protect each other.
Mr. DYER-But, young woman, how was it that you
did not make this statement yesterday ? I didn't like, be-
cause there were so many gentlemen present.
The poor girl was again minutely questioned as to her
statement, when she answered in such a manner as to leave
no doubt d the violence.

Warrants were instantly made out, and Ballard and
Goddard were dispatched after the miscreants.
The poor girl was taken to the workhouse.

LENT ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

SALISBURY, MARCH 9.

BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE.-FOOT V. OrTWAV.

Mr. Sergeant WILDE stated that this was a❑ action fur
the breach by the defendant of his promise to marry. The
plaintiff was one of four orphan daughters, and lived with
her brother. The defendant was a coach-maker, living
in this town. In 1825 the correspondence, to which he
should call their attention, commenced. 'I he plaintiff
stated that he was ♦ery anxious for the time to come
when he could call her his own ; and this correspondence
was kept up till the commencement of the last year, the
plaintiff living in the full expectation of becoming the wife
of the defendant; he had, however, since married another.
The defendant, amongst other things, had put on the record
that he was under age at the time of making the promise.
He regretted he should resort to such a shuffling excuse;
but he (Mr. Sergeant Wilde) thought he should be able
to chew to their satisfaction that, by letters subsequent to
his becomiug of age, he had ratified his promise by more
than one letter.

John Sturgess, examined by Mr. ERSTINE—I have
heard from the defendant that he came of age on the 11th
or 13th of December, 1827. I know the plaintiff, she
lives at Charlton, in this county. I knew her father and
mother very well, they are both dead. Mr. Foot was a
filmier, and farmed his own estate ; be, on his decease,
left three sons and four daughters. The father died last,
in the summer of 1823. The defendant lived some time
in the same place as the plaintiff. The plaintiff's brother
carried on the business of the farm. In the latter end of
December, 1826, or beginning of 1827, she paid me a
visit. The defendant saw her there. 1 received him as a
friend at first, but afterwards as Miss Foot's suitor. I heard
from himself that he is married.

The following portions of letters from the defendant
were here reed :

" Bath, Sept. 2, 1825.

"My dear Love,—l received your letter on Saturday.
Can I help writing immediately, of bearing as I did in
your letter concerning of hearing falehoods is my heart in
paying addresses to another, my dear love?
" Don't give way to such lying and deceitful tonguea,
in this world God knows my heart to be true, or what
would he the good to me to deceive you and keep com-
pany with another ! No ! rather than I would do such a
thing I would be gulatined.
" So from your true, constant, and admirinz lover,
" RICHARD HAWKINS OTTWAY."
" Bath, May 22, 1826.

"My dear Martha,—l now sit down to fulfil my pro-
mise, hoping this will .find you well and happy, and in
truth of love. I write to inform yon that we arrived safe
home ; but I was full of grief and pain, and am to this
hour in the tooth ache. I have been but one hour ago to
the doctor, and I had it pulled out. Uuto this lam not
able to work but this morning the 22d.
" My dear Life, I hope 1 may say for ever, I Lave no
heart for work, nor for nothing else, here in Bath, for I
have set all my hopes and comforts to you from my heart,
Iso waded on that sweet bosom of yours which I hope I
never will be moved till death do part us if it is not E 0
never will have another as long as I am in this world.
" (Please to take cure of yourself.) (By the return of
post. )"
" My dear Martha—Take this all from the bottom of
my heart, and I hope this will come to the heart of true
affectionate lever.

" I hare got your hair and your sister's hair, and your
likeness, I keep looking at it, and I have a great deal
more to say to you more than pen ean possibly eon
express.

" My dear please to excuse this bad scrawl for I am in
such pain owing to my tooth being pulled out.
" So from your true absent and ever sincere lover.
" RICHARD HAWKINS OTTWAY."
" Bath. Sept. Ist, 1826.

. .
" My dearest love---I arrived safe to Bath on Friday
morning at mix o'clock. After I left your brother Joshua
I went to Frome with Thomas Foot. I left Lim at Frome
at seven o'clock that night, went so far as Beckingto❑
that night, slept there ; I arose in the morning at four
o'clock and walked to Bath. I did not (my dear Martha)
like to walk by night, for it lightened so much that night
my dear life I could not sleep all night, I thought so much
upon you. My dear I did intend to bring one of your
dear curls to finish the ring, but having so much on my
mind and my time so short I did not know what to say for
the best.

" Do send me some of your eurls in a letter, as coon as
you can, for I do long to Lear from you, dear Martha.
" I have got a pair of your scissars I brought away, but
I wish I had brought your heart away instead.
" My dear love, so I conclude from me to you i❑ tender
love and joy.
"So from your ever true and everlasting lover anti'
death, " RICHARD HAWKINS OTTWAY."

" (Sunday), Bath, October 7, 1826.

" Mv delr Martha,—With all duty, love and respect, I
address myself to you, my dear, in these lines, hoping they
will find you in perfect health, as leaves me at present,
thank God for it.

" My dear, I received your loving letter, and was happy
to find the curl in it. I have made a beautiful ring with
it, and shall keep it as long as it lasts for your sake, my
dear. I wish the time was come for me to come and see
you, but, my dear, you are always in my thoughts every
day. I hope that you have not forgot me because lam so
far away from you. I shall soon come again ; at Christ-
mas I will come, if please God. I hope that you will make
your mind and he happy, and believe what I say to you
with a contrite heart. I nuw tell you my mind from all
flattery.
" My dear Martha, if you will wait till time will per-
permit, I hope that some day that you and me shall be
more happy than we are at present, by the blessing of God,
if you think that you ;should be happy, if not I shall be
very sorry to offer you, my dear, my hand and heart—it is
for you, if you will accept of it—my heart is so fixed on
your breast that it cannot be well moved from it, though
it must be, as you do prefer, if you think it worth while to
accept of such an offer.
" I conclude, wishing all that may agree to your mind
for the beat,
" From your ever true and affectionate lover,
" RICHARD HAWKINS OTTWAY."
" Happy new year, try dear, to us both."
" Bath, Dec. 31, 1826.

" My dear Martha,—l received your ever loving affec-
tionate letter. My dear love, I ion better than I was when
I left you, but whets I departed from you I thought
should have died ; my heart is torn in pieces, soy dear life.
I am so low separated ; I have no heart for anything upon
earth ; I have no companion to spend my time with, but
it wont Ia lung, it is only for a gloat time, if, please God,
before I shall return it is only five clear months. I shall
long to embrace you in in y arms, my dear, again : the time
will fly hest, make yourself happy us wed as you can, and
I will endeavour to du the same, my dear love, with a true
and contrite helot; and then the time will fly pleasant
towards us both. I know that your tender love awl hap-
piness alone depend on ore, that I will always be the same,
till death shall part us all my studs, shall be to snake you
happy in this world. My dear Martha, I have put all the
blessed truths, confidence, love, and sincerity of heart, that
this world can boast of in you, soy dear life. I leave re-
ceived every satisfaction from you that heart-can wish fur,
I do believe that you think the' same of me, lac.
66 My deer Martha, God has not separated us for any
long time, he will appoint a time for us to Inert again, then
will our happiness return, and our joy revive, von have, my
all my lure happiness in your bosom, and my heart is
‘o
your breast that it cannot remove, it is like the
of
that stand on the mountains where the rain falls nod
life, all
on
vinsis blow, and cannot be shaken.
'' My dear, you say that Charlton is very dull ; do not
think it dull, you have the sweet country air that is better
than Bath. I think Bath is duller to me than I ever
knew ; it is after spending so many cheerful and comfort-
able hones together, I am like a bird in the forest-, waotlet'e
;Lig about, can find no place to rest its head, and stript of
all its comforts for a time, fur when I go home at night I
kuow not what to do ; if I go to bed my mind is disturbed
by dreams, when I awake my thoughts are with you all the
day long; all my pleasure and enjoyments are gone till 012
day approaches Illy that happy return of our love.
My dearest Love—now beginning the new year today
with Jove and happiness from this time forth, and as long
as we are in this mortal world, by the blessing of God
grant that we may come to his blessed Communion, where
he shall appoint a time for us, required by God himself
that the promises of marriage shall not he broken by either
of by keeping our words till the day appointed by us. 'lt'
dear Martha I hope and trust that you will take this to be
a true and faithful prumitc of marriage to you my dear

Martha. I hope that this will settle your mind and make
yourself happy, as I do intend to do as well as we can till
the return of our tweet and affectionate love.

" Afy dear Love, I long to embrace you in my arms fo
receive x sweet kiss ; must I lay my pen aside, I can write
to you my dear love and sweet life.
" So from your own true and sincere affectionate lover
until death,

" RICHARD HAWKINS •OTTWAY.
" Adieu for the pr,:sent."
" Salisbury, October 30, 1827.

'lbis letter he wrote to inform her, "That he must
be separated from her for another twelve months,
that he never shall be happy till the day arrived for them
to join in that honourable state, matrimony."
Letter dated " Sali,bury, Dec. 25, 1827," wishing to
borrow 51 ; and another of Dec. 27 (after he became of
age), in which he states that it was a long time for them
to be away from each other, but he Loped it was the last
time.

31r. Sturgesa's examination resumed—l believe the de-
fendant was married in August.
The marriage of the defendant was admitted.

Mr. Sergeant 31ERIZWYTHER, for the defendant, con-
tended that the plaintiff ought to be nonsuited, because
there was no ratification of the promise after he became
of age.
Mr. Justice GAzitLRE summed up.
Verdict for the plaintiff—Damages 1001.
MARCH 10.
DOR, OW THE DIC.MISE OF TAYLOR, V. TAYLOR.

This case occupied the attention of the Court for the
chief part 'of the day. It was an action of ejectment
brought bygone brother against another to recover posses-
sion of certain premises in this county, and the only
question turned on the validity of a will, upon which the
defendant founded his right to retain possession of the pro-
perty.—The plaintiff was nonsuited.

CHELMSFORD, MARCH 11.

The Assizes commenced yesterday, before the Lord
Chief Baron ALEXANDER and Mr. Baron Gazuow; but
no case of the slightest interest occurred either in the Civil
or Criminal Court.

PAUL V. CORP, 'SILLS, AND ♦NOTHER.
This was an action brought by the plaintiff, a stage—
coachman, to recover compensation in damages from the
defendants for an assault. Verdict for the plaintiff--
Damages 251.
Leyh Douville Halsted, alias James Dines, alias Dines
Jones, was indicted for stealing a mare, the property of
E. B. Bulwer Litten, widow.—Verdict, Guilty.
The Court ordered judgment to be recorded against him.