The Sun.
London, England, 1829-08-31 00:00:00

SATURDAY.

John Charles Bayntun was placed at the bar,
charged with having set fire to a rick of bay, the
property of Mr. James Emerson, of Bath-Easton,
in this county. The prisoner was also indicted for
setting fire to another rick of hay, belonging to Mr.
Broad, of the same place.
The circumstances of this case, as they appeared
in evidence, were not very remarkable, but matters
connected with the prisoner's history have reached
our knowledge which are of a singular and some-
what romantic kind. It appears that Bayntun is a
person of highly respectable connections. He was
well brought up, and at an early period of his life
became master of a considerable fortune. He re-
paired to London, where in a very short time he
impaired his resources materially by indulging in
various acts of extravagance. Only a few months
chivied ere he had squandered away 4,0001. He
quitted London, and retired to Box, in Somerset-
shire. During his residence there, he met with a
young lady to whom he became fervently attached.
The passion which he conceived for her has given a
colour to the subsequent circumstances of his life.
After having resided in the country for a short time,
he returned to the metropolis. There, however, lie
found it impossible to remain at rest, separated as
he was from the object of his affections. He
quitted London, thereby incurring considerable sa-
crifices, for the purpose of rejoining his mistress.
His friends exclaimed against such conduct ; never-
theless, lie persisted in his determination. He found
the lady disposed to favour his addresses, and in-
dulged in the most sanguine anticipations of happi-
ness. These, however, were doomed to be disap-
pointed : the lady's friends opposed the connection,
and at her father's instance she sent Bayntun a let-
ter, requesting him to abandon all thoughts of uniting
his fate with hers. Naturally of impetuous passions,
the unfortunate man was powerfully excited on
receiving a dismissal in this manner. His first
idea pointed to self-destruction. Subsequently he
abandoned that intention, or, more properly speaking,
modified it. Reluctant to put an end to his life by
his own hand, lest, according to his own expression,
" he should destroy body and soul," he neverthe-
less determined to commit an offence which should
render his life forfeited to the laws of his country,
and (as lie supposed) cause him to perish on the
scaffold. He communicated his resolution to the
young lady in a letter couched in the most pas-
sionate terms, at the same time bidding her an eter-
nal farewell. This communication is of a very re-
cent date, and he had no sooner forwarded it than,
providing himself with implements for the purpose,
he proceeded to the hay-ricks in question, at two
o'clock in the open day, and set them on fire.—
Having done this, he went to a constable, told him
the offence he had committed, and voluntarily sur-
rendered himself. This occurred so recently as
Tuesday se'nnight. The constable took the prisoner
into custody, and brought him before a Magistrate,
to whom he confessed what he had done in the
most explicit manner,—admitting the motives which
had actuated him in the course he had taken. The
prisoner disclaimed any malicious feelings towards
the owners of the property which he had set on fire,
and protested that so far from being influenced by
such inducements, he did not even know their names.
He stated that he was " tired of life," and baring
been grievously disappointed in his dearest expecta-
tions, acted as he did, in order to free himself from
what he felt to be an intolerable burden.
The facts connected with the commission of the
offence having been tleiirly. proved by the evidence
adduced by Mr. Gunning on the part of the prose-

cution,
The Jury, without hesitation, found the prisoner
—Guilty. Judgment of death was recorded, but
the actual sentence was not pronounced.
The place of Mr. Justice Burrougb, who still

continues unable to fulfil his public duties, was sup•
plied to-day by Mr. Serjeant BOMPAS. The Learned
Gentleman was engaged the greater part of the
morning in disposing of an ejectment case connected
with the occupation of some quarries in the neigh-
bourhood of Bath. _ . •

We understand the convict Reed has been sent
to Ilchester for execution.
The commencement of the Bristol Assizes has
been postponed till Wednesday, but it is rather
doubtful whether the business in this town will have
been completed by that time. If it be not, a fur-
ther adjournment must take place.

OXFORD CIRCUIT—GLOUCESTER, Auc. 29.

Simon Hickey was indicted for haring, on the 7th
of January last, burglariously broken and entered the
house of the Right Hon. the Countess of Bantry,
and stolen therefrom a silver tea-pot, ten silver table-
spoons, seven dessert-spoons, two silver butter-boats
and covers, 'and several other articles of plate, the
property of the Earl of Bantry.
Mr. Se►jeant TARDY having summed up the evi-
dence, the Jury found the pr►soner Guilty.—Judg-
ment postponed.
James Ball, an awkward scraggy-looking lad
(whose intellect seemed to be only sufficient to di-
rect his stare alternately from the Judge to the
Counsel), was capitally indicted for having assaulted
Prudence Ivons on the 3d of August last.
Verdict—Not Guilty.
Thomas Ball was indicted, charged with assault-
ing Margaret Edwards, the wife of John Edwards.
Verdict—Not Guilty.

RIOTS AT BARNSLEY.

(From the Leeds Mercury.)

The town of Barnsley has this week been in e
state of great agitation, owing to a difference be
tween the master manufacturers and their workmen,
relating to the rate of wages. Some time ago,
list of prices was determined upon between the two
parties, and the list has been adhered to up to the
present time; but last week, some of the masters
signified to the weavers, that owing to wages in
other places being lower than at Barnsley, they
should be obliged to set aside the list and reduce
the wages. This proposal the workmen have stroughl
resisted,' and two public meetings have been held
during the present week, for the purpose of aseer•
taming the disposition of the weavers generally on
the subject. Though the town has been much agi-
tated, no symptoms of riot had manifested them-
selves till night-fall on Thursday, when the weavers
appear to have formed themselves into several divi-
sions, for the work of destruction.

The house of Messrs. Cordeux and Sons, princi-
pal manufacturers, and that of Mr. James Coe, a
manufacturer and shop-keeper, were surrounded, and
their windows and doors assailed with stones, and
shivered to pieces. From thence the rioters pro-
ceeded to the residence of Mr. Thomas Jackson, of
Keresforth-hill, about a mile from Barnsley, where a
large body of them rushed into the house, piled the
chairs, tables, and books upon a heap, and set tire to
the pile—also breaking and destroying every article
within their reach. The terror of the family, who
had only a few minutes before returned from a jour-.
ney, may be more easily conceived than described.
Not being prepared for such an outrage, and Mr.
Jackson being still from home, they were defence-
less, and before the military and constables could
reach the house, the rioters had accomplished their
outrageous purpose, and had made good their escape.
At nine o'clock the trumpet sounded out the troop
of the Third Dragoons, now stationed at Barnsley,
and the confusion in every street became most alarm-
ing. Fortunately no lives were lost, and the fire at
Mr. Jackson's house was subdued before it had ex
tended beyond the library, the contents of which
were destroyed. The well-known benevolence of
Mr. Jackson's family aggravates the delinquency of
the assailants, and excites a strong sympathy on the
minds of the inhabitants towards the sufferers.

COUNTRY CORN MARKETS.

DURING LAST WEEK.