Star.
London, England, 1808-08-04 00:00:00

CROWN SIDR.

George Folider was indicted for stealing a bay gel-
ding, the property of George Palmer, Esq. on the
27th of May last. The prosecutor, Mr. Palmer, stated,
that the prisoner came to live in his service as his
coachman, but having reason to be displeased with
him, he had determined to part from him, and gave
him warning. On the morning of the 27th of May,
the prisoner was found to have left the house before
the other servants had risen, and one of the coach-
horses and the best saddle was also missing. The
prosecutor and his groom
,traced the prisoner as far
as Stansted and Royston, and there they lost all
traces of him. A few days afterwards he received
intelligence that his horse was at Walth•arnstow, and
he Sound it at a small public house there.
The landlord and the ostler of the Nag's Head,
deposed, that the prisoner came to that house on the
morning of the robbery with the horse in question,
that he was very hot, and the horse appealed to have
been hard ridden ; he said he came wide of Waltham-
stow, and wished to leave the horse there—Verdict—
Guilty.

AUGUST 2.—George and Thomas Slupherd and Brit !
liam Freeman, were indicted for stealing, on the 12th
of July, three silver tea-spoons, a silver punch ladle,
a glass pepper castor, and a wine-glass, from the
Pindar's Arms Public-house, on Hertford Common. I
Mr. CURWOOD, as Counsel for the Prosecutor, call.:
ed for the serious attention of the Jurr, inasmuch as ,
this case was attended with singular circumstances,
and it would be a question of the intention of the pri-
soners, for of the fact of their taking the articles
there could be no di k:bt. Of the three Prisoners at
the Bar, Frecnian was the son of a respectable trades-I
man—the two were brothers, the eldest of!
whom was not more than 18, and the other 16 years
of agc. ; they were the sons of a gentleman of great
respectability and of large fortune, and were nearly
allied to persons who had held most exalted rank in
the country. In pity to the agonized feelings of
their relatives, he could not be expected to state more
explicitly their connections ; flu:), were, under -their
father's will, though neither of them was the Wiest
son, to inherit a fortune of 20,0001 each on coming
of age. He did not state this with any view of pre-
judicing the Jury in their favour—British Justice was
impartial to all, and shone with equal rays on the
rich and
. on the poor, nor would the Learned Judge.
suffer any such attempt to pass uncensured. But it
was important to state it upon this occasion, inas-
much as it repelled the pr2sumytion of those motives
which induced men to the perpetration of crimes such
as`was imputed by the present indii:trnent. The facts
of the case were very shut. On e 20th of July
the three prisoners left London as early as five o'clock
in the morning, on horseback, and took the road to
Hertford. They called at several public-houses, and
drank at each. The wholeoftheirconduct, inhard rid-
ing and drinking, was notthatofpcisonsdecorously pur-
taling their plea,,tres in a manner befitting their sta-
tions in hfc, but rather that of persons giving way
to the unrestrained pursuit of their irregular caprices.
They arrived at die house of the Prosecutor some
time in the forenoon, where they had some ale, and
bread and cheese, an.l soon after departed. Imme-
diately they were gone, the landlady missed the- arti-
cles stated'in the indictment, she gave the alarm to
her husband, who pursued them, and they were ap-
prehended in Waldmii Abbey Marshes. They were
searched, and the articles found upon them. With
respect therefore to the fact, there could be no doubt,
but the question would be, with what intention they,
took the articles. The Learned Counsel said it Was
not every taking against the will of the owner was a
felony, but it must be done with a felonious intention,
with an intention of secretly taking 4-om the owner
with view to convert it to thence of the taker, with
no design of ever accounting with the, owner. If
the Jury believed they acted with 'that intention they
must find them guilty. But if, fortunately fee the
prisoners, they should think they aid it as a mad fro-
lie, in the wildness of momentary whim, with all in-
tention of returning The artier, it would be no. fe-
lony. But it would be a lesson of dreadful severity
to them; to guard their future conduct, end would
require a life of undeviating rectitude to wipe away
the stain which this act RILLS; cast upon their charac-
ter. The landlord of the PiadaricArnaircre4 the

fact as stated. When he pursued the prisoners, in
company with the coostabit. they war fotuid to Wal"
, dram Abbey Marshes • they were there walking their
horses backward and forward. He addressed them,
and said they were the persons who had taken his.
spoons. They replied, he did not know they had
them. He said he would be certain, for he would
starch them. They did search them when they
got to Waltham, and he found his three spoons, at
glass, pepper-ben, a wine-glass, and a punch-ladle]
all of which was his property: He told them at first.
that he did not believe them to be thieves, but if they
would give up his goods he would take no further
notice of them. They said they had often heard of
persons who had made such promises, but who were
the more severe afterwards. After the articles were
found upon them, they were carried before a Magis-
trate, and committed for trial:
The prisoners being called upon fOr their defence,
Freeman put in a written paper, in which he stated,
that he had no intention of committing any illegal
act; that on the morning of the 20th of July, the
Other two prisoners came to his lodgings and knocked
him up, telling him they had hired a horse for him,
and he must go and ride with them. They accord-
ingly all set off together. They breakfasted at Kings-
I land, and afterwards drank at several public-houses,
Until they came to the Prosecutor's at Hertford
Heath ; that when' they were there, they saw the
articles in the cupboard, and they proposed to take
them away to frighten the landlad', and to send them
back by the stage the neat day, with a note to her, to
beware of strangers in future. He concluded by so-
lemnly denying any design of stealing the articles.
Several witnesses were called, who g.sve the pri-
soners an excellent character for honesty.
Mr. Alexander, an eminent Solicitor in London,
stated, that he was the trustee for the two young men
indicted by the name of Shepherd, and that their for-
tune, on coming of age, would be at least .20,0001.
each. He further added, that their father was re-
cently dead, and since his death, being left withont,
proper controul, they had behaved with great irregu-
larity, and committed many wild excesses.
Another Gentleman,. their father's late Agent,
stated, that their father,- during, his life time, allowed
them fortY shilli.igi a week for pocket money, and he
continued the same allowance, until the Lord Chan- F
cellor should make an order what was the proper sti-
pend to be paid them during their minority.
The Loan CIi:FF Banos, in summing up, said
that their rank and fortune ought not, and would not,
with the Jury, place them in a better situation than
the poorest culprit they had tried. On-the contrary,
if the Jury thought they had an intention of stealing
the articles they had taken, it was an aggrava.ien of
their case, that they were not tempted by want, which
frequently urged on those of the lower orders to guilt.
It was a singular case, and therefOre they would at-
tend minutely to the evidence. His Lordship here
summed it up, and observed that, many parts of it
were very hard against them. He chiefly commented,
on their conduct when they were apprehended, which
he thought marked rather guilt than a youthful troll
but it was for the Jury to decide with what intention
they took the goods. If at 'the moment of taking
they intended to convert them to their tet.n use, they.
were guilty of felony, and any after intention of re-
storing could not wipe away theoriginal offence.
The Jury deliberated a considerable time, and then'
found a verdict of—Not Guilty.

. .
A singular shooting match took place on Saturday
last, at Little Chart, near Canterbury, between Mr.
DAVI9, of Pluckley, and Mr. HArcu of Westmell, far
five guineas,- to shoot at 23 potatoes thrown up in tbrl
air, which were all hit by the sportsnkit, and the
wager consequently not decided.
Oa Tuesday evening while Mr. MEREntrn, of Pim_
ten, was returning hcane across Westniinster-bridge,
he was bustled by a gang of pickpockets consisting
of four fellcois, genteely dressed, who contrived to rob
him of a gold watchh-and chain, value 50 guineas.

The following account of a pugilistic match is ex-
tracted from a Dublin Paper of Thursday last. We
would recommend the 'last paragraph to the attention
of the amateurs; • •
PVOlLlSM.—Wednesday morning two celebrated
pugilists, Newman, a sailor, and Jahn Smith, alias
oysaidihg Jack, met in the demesne of Templeogne,
Rathfarnham, pursuant to challenge for one hundred
gOineas a side, play or pay. A vast concourse of peo-
ple assembled frons city and county, when a spacious
circle Was formed, and roped in. to prevent the pees.
sure of the spectators. It requires a perfect adept in
the science of boxing to describe the agility and dif-
ferent evolutions displayed on bothsides t for eighteen
rounds they knocked each other dowlealternately, and
on the 19th round Newman received a blow from his
antagonist, which split his eyebrow and uheek.--the
blood flowed abundantly. Bets were now ten to one
in favour of Smith. _ In the 20th round Newman made
his last effort, " resolved to set his life upon a cast,"
changed the system, rallied, and fought rather infu-
riate ; at length, pressing on his adversary, he planted
a hit on the jugular, which laid him prostrate, and
terminated a fierce ad bloody conflict. Smith was
'immediately carried to the antienr . and venerable
mansion of the demesne,wherc a vein was immediately
breathed, which saved his life, and he is now in a fair
way of recovery. Dick Flanagan was second to New-
man, and Lawless the Grinder to .Smith.• bottle.
holders, Wade and Doran. It is allowed on 41 haPds,
particularly by the Lads of the !Shuttle, the Ckatier,
and a number of amateurs in this &irate and r • •
amusement, that this was the most obstinateand well-
fought battle they ever witnessed. A remarkable cir-
cumstance took place at the above battle between a
sporting pawnbroker, and Michael Byrne, a farmer :
The pawnbroker betted 501. to 51. on Smith, which
was accepted and won by the farmer, who.very
libe-
rally distributed his winnings among the indigent and
helpless poor of the neighbourhood." .
TuesdaY afternoon a desperate pitched battle was
fought in Tothillzfields, between a Tallman and a
Butcher.- They has 19 rounds, which lasted for
three-quarters of an hOur, when victory was declared'
in faithurriftlierbllinah. The Butcher iias severely,
Iseaten, And was carried off to a coa,ch, , The
Man also !.reCeived • maul. desperati' bloeos.They.
fought for a purse of 10 Itineast which was backed
with 6 guineas inore-bY !eacr of -the parties.' 'Jones
was second to the Tollman, and another Well-knOWn
hand on the Turf-was second to the Butcher. Apro-
digious multitude were present.
•

hfonclay Tot-fling the,portico at the fiance of the
Alien Office, in Crown-street, 'Westminster, fell in.
Mr. Wood, oue u the me.-sengers, had notentered the
office a minute before the accident happened.
Monday, about eleven o'clock, a hu-geconcourse of
farmers and wool-buyers assembled in the ancient
market house.in Hounslow, and begail.thcopai„g
and inspecting of about 70Q tods of wools, of, the,
South-Down, Wiltshire, and Dorset breeds. sheay,
Which had been brought in and pitched for silela
the farmers residing withiusa, circuit of six or se4e4"
Miles round the town. -
' The Wool fair at Lewes never was morelstow.- •
rOusly attended, both by sellers and buyers; chalk it
was last week.
Portsdown Fair, which excites such general mien. •
eon in Hampshire, did not produce either Cheese or
Horses equal to former fairr. The ehregrsa ;ass
high, and it was not, generally, very good. .'rte
were but fewliovms, and 'they- weer of I;4e,t
breed. The second day of the fair was remarkahler
for the torrents of rain which fell s'incrsie ar'elhrrt
to notice several accidents which happened in coasei
quence hadhilshOuider dislocateaTa
man living in Lake-lane, broke her arm ; another ivo.
man had her leg broke, And, what is stiff: more me:
lancholy, an infant child_lost
.ita..life in its in thwa
arms, owing,to her wrapping it up too close, ut We,
serve it from the rain. The same eveninz; and did
following morning, presented a scene trulyludicrOos,
as well as painful :--The vast number of persona that
attended tai; fair on that day, made it impossible that
tiny could all find conveyances to bring them hcrite •
.:n1 such was the unceasing viokiit rain all the
evening and night, that the females friar:yid it home
the next morning, with every appearance-of having
borne with the Fiting of the
.pitilesl storm.