The Sun.
London, England, 1829-07-23 00:00:00

LONDON SESSIONS, JULY 22.

INDICTMENT AGAINST DAVID LATOUCHE, ESQ.

Davkl Latouche, Esq., a member of a most re-
spectable and wealthy family in Ireland, was brought
up by habeas corpus from the Fleet prison, to be
tried upon an indictment charging him with having
assaulted Mrs..Tane Phillip, the wife of a person
who is also a prisoner in the Fleet, with intent to
commit a rape.

Mrs. Jane Phillips deposed as follows:—She was
told by Mrs. Sharp, who was in the service of Mr.
Latouche, to call at his rooms in the Fleet prison,
and receive an order for a straw hat. She did so,
but upon her knocking at the door she heard a voice
say that Mr. Latouche was engaged with his attor-
ney, and that Mrs. Phillips must call again. She
said she would come when sent for. Next day, while
she was at dinner with her husband, Mrs. Sharp called
and accompanied her to the door of Mr. Latouche's
room, but left her as soon as the door opened. Mr.
Latouche, the moment witness was inside, locked
the door, and shut down the window. " I," said
the witness, " remonstrated with him, and said it
was a very hot day for closing the window, and he
said it was not. I told him I was the person who
was recommended to make a straw hat for him, and
asked for the description. He gave it me; bat as I
was ledving the room he seized me round the waist,
dragged me to the bed, held my hands, threw me
down upon it, and detained me about three
minutes. I screamed aloud for assistance,
told him I was in the family way, and
begged he would not hurt me. He said he would
not have the least compassion upon me, but would
do just as he pleased. He loosened one of his hands
from under me, I suppose with intent to disorder
my dress, but I forced myself away, and threw him
against a table filled with glasses and bottles. I
then flew to the door, upon which he seized a glass
decanter, and said he would injure me more with
that than with what he intended to do, He put
his hack against the door, and squeezed my hand
by jamming it. There are two doors, and he jammed
me between them. My hand was black for some
days. He told me he would not let me go till he
had done what he pleased with me; and I said that
I would rather die than submit to his wishes. I then
flew to the window, opened it, and screamed as loud
as I could, but no one was walking on the ground
at the time. He.then said he would let use go if I
would promise not to expose him ; and he let me
out. I never saw him before; and he and my bus-;
band were never acquainted. I went to Guildhall,
and was advised by the Magistrate to indict.
Cross-examined by Mr. PHILLIPS—I swear I
screamed as loud as I could.
Mr. Pittuurs—How far is the windoW of the
room from the Warden's house ? Mrs. Phillips—
I cannot tell.

Mr. PHILLIPS—You can't tell ? You can form
some judgment, surely ? Mrs. Phillips—The War-
den is not always in his house. Besides,the Warden's
windows are not always open.
Mr. PHILLIPS pressed the question as to the dis-
tance, and Mrs. Phillips at length said that the dis-
tance from the warden's house might be half or the
whole length of that court (six or twelve yards).—
The hour at which this violence was offered to her
was half-past two o'clock, and still there was not a
creature in the great court.
Mr. Pmuirs called Mr. Samuel W. Dart, soli-
citor, of Red Lion•square, who deposed that he was
in the habit of visiting Mr. Latouche professionally,
who was in a very shattered state of health for many
months, and whom the surgeon of the prison at-
tended. On the 4th of June he was with Mr. La-
touche, when Mrs. Phillips knocked to take mea-
sure for a straw hat. Mr. Latouche was lying on
the bed at the time from decided debility.

Mr. Dart swore that he never saw a decanter in
the room in his life.

Mrs. Phillips—lt might have been a bottle he
took up in his hand for what I know.
The RECORDER summed up, and the Jury imme-
diately found the defendant Not Guilty.