The Sun.
London, England, 1827-02-23 00:00:00

collected the Colonel coming on the 29th of August; apart
when they went away ; the Colonel rung. and asked for a glass
of water ; the boy was coming out as witness went in to answer
the bell.
Cross-examined by Mr. DENMAN.-They were rather lam than
the usual time.
Stephen Withers was recalled, and stated that the bills Were
printed for a general subscription among his friends, to enable
him to carry on the prosecution ; they were not distributed in
shop windows, but only among his friends. It was against the
advice of his attorney. If it bad remained and been tried at the
Sessions it would not have cost him so much.
The COMMON SeaGEANT then addressed the Jury for the de-
fendant. He declared that the duty 'he had now to perform was
one of a most painful character. His learned friend had truly
stated, that in such prosecutions, if there was any doubt, the
defendant ought to have the benefit of that doubt; but for-
tunately this case was left without doubt, and no rational mind
would entertain a doubt of the issue of the investigation. There
has nothing in the prosecution that could produce any injury to
his client, but the weakness and indiscretion of his Counsel. He
(Mr. Denman) confessed that he felt an anxiety on this occasion,
which he had never before known in the exercise of his profes-
sional duty. An officer had told what were the feelings of Col.
A.on the night this dreadful charge was brought against bins, and
he put it to the jury whether the feelings evinced by that Gentleman
were not such as would have found a place in their breasts, if they
were unfortunately placed in a similar situation. There were
means of compromising charges of this kind, and when a Joao of
fortune, rank, and distinguished honour, came forward publicly
to brave a charge like the present, it furnished a strong presump-
tion of his innocence. But he would not be satisfied with an toe.
quittal for his client upon such a principle, he looked for an ac-
quittal, from the conviction of tie Jury, that there was no foun-
dation for the horrible charge which was now harrowing
up the feelings of the defendant and his friends. In this
great metropolis, where a variety of trades were carried on, it was
but too notorious that many schemes of deep and dark villainy
were daily planned. Amongst those, one of the safest and most
successful was the getting up of charges like the present; and
could there be a more likely person to raise such a charge against
sinister purposes, than one, who like Colonel Archdale, lived as a
bachelor, after having served in the army, and contracted habits that
perhaps were not very applicable for domestic life. The lettere
Col. A. were alluded to, as proofs of his guilt ; but he (Mr. D.)
contended, that they were demonstrative proofs of his innocence.
'Was it within probability that if Col. Archdale had the wicked in-
tentions ascribed to him, he should have been so absurd and in-
cautious as to write the letters which were produced, to a boy who
had not been long enough in his service to have made it possible
he could have known any thing of his principles? But
whet did those letters contain ? One of them was addressed " Dear
Frederick," certainly a curious mode of addressing a servant, but
what did the letter contain, nothing but advice, certainly very
prolix and very grave advice, but nothing which did not properly
come under the character of advice. In the letters, there-
fore, there was nothing intrinsically important; but it had
been well observed by an Italian who once swayed the Coun-
cil* of France, that all he wanted to ruin any man was two
words in his handwriting, for he could found any tale
however atrocious and improbable upon those two words. It had
been said by his Learned Friend, that charges of this kind were
easily made, and hard to be refuted. He (Mr. D.) said it was
impossible to refute such a charge; for it might be made against
any man who heard him, and who had chanced upon any WM-.
sion to have business which detained him for twenty minute!, in a
room with another man. Then who were the persons who had
brought this charge ? certainly persons not of respectable character.
'I he brother of the boy was confessedly a bad character, and the Jury
would estimate the respectability of the father by the manner in
which he had given his testimony. The Learned Counsel than
adverted particularly to the details of this horrible charge, which
he contended were utterly inconsistent and improbable. Colonel
Archdale, it was clear, was unacquainted with London life, or
with the character of many persons who reside here, or else he
would never have taken the boy into the bathing-room with him,
or offer to treat him to a bath. In Dublin, perhaps, or in tether
cities such a transaction might pass without notice, though, as ha
before observed such conduct was certainly calculated to excite
suspicion in this country. The conduct of the boy, after the
transaction was most important, for what did he do? He did
not tell the waiters at the bath ; he did not tell any person be ow
in the street ; he (lid not tell the servant at the lodgings, but be
went home to lay the cloth for thinner, according to his maeteee
command. He allowed three days to pass without stating the
occurrence to any person, and at the end of that period he men-
tioned the matter for the first time to his father although he had .
been previously sent on errands, which allowed him an opportu-
nity of communicating with his fatter. Altogether the cake was
incredible. Colonel Archdale was represented as being in a via
lent passion with the boy, and treating him with great sharpen
and severity, between the period at which the transaction. at the
bath was alleged to have occurred, and that on which the boy ins
said to have communicated with his father. Was it likely that Col.
A. would have evinced so much illetemper, if he knew he was at the
mercy of the boy, or that the boy would have borne so much in-
temperance, feeling that he possessed such a secret against his
master. The boy was evidently extremely acute and sensible, and
such a line of conduct was any thing but probable. He charged
his elder brother with instigating this charge. He it was that
told the boy his master was in his power, he it was that remanaa
bered his tailor's bill, and said we will make the Colonel dub up.
He thought the Jury could have no difficulty in coming
to the conclusion, that the whole charge was a speculation,
to raise money between the father and his eldest eon. The jury
could not doubt that extortion was the only object of the pre4es
cution, and they would be further assured on this peiut by the
evidence of witnesses, who would contradict those for the proses
cution in many important particulars. Ile should also produce
witnesses to the character of the parties. He should prove that
the principal witnesses were not to be believed upon their oaths,
and if the Jury believed this, the whole charge must fall to the
ground. They could not take away what was more than the life,
the honour of a respectable man, upon such testimony, merely be-
cause lie weakly evinced too much confidence in a person whom
he did not know. Witnesses would also prove that Colonel
Archdale was a gentleman who had gone through life
with the most unsullied honour. They would hear from the
illustrious Commander who sat on the Bench, (the Duke of Wel-
lington) that this gallant officer, had served with honour te,
he was an
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The Duke of Wellington examined by Mr. ileonrelcx said—
lie
commanded the 45th regiment. From what I knew olfslbtis.
pri-
rate character, I had a high respect fos him. He sonaetiates
dined with me. lie was a man of manly courage, and frequently
distinguished himself.
Sir John Osborne.---A ksiow Col. Archdale, and have knows
him for many years, I believe him to be a man of manly courage! I
and of open generous character, and as unlikely as any man
know to be guilty of the charge now imputed to him.
SUN OFFICE, Five o'clock.
Several other witnesses were examined to Colonel Archdale 'e
verdict of
After five minutes nwedouald not be-
lt
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