The Sun.
London, England, 1816-07-16 00:00:00

•
IitGIEVCOCIIT dr ':II.ISTICfAitY, EDISTCURGE.T.
Ott Friday carne an beffrre this Court, the trial
'a Niel Douglas, accused offaiSelloi4, 'fraud, and
iviltul imposition, by falsely jtretending to.bave
a great intimacy and influence With the (tight
lion. Robert Lord Viscount Melville, 'first ,Lord
a the Admiralty ; Robert William
Seeretai'y ; stud ‘Vitblaines Cobb,
Esti: Secretary to the East India Company;
and did give out and persuade t niiiniser of per-
sons, thne,:hy influence. will) these Gentlemen,
the pannel procure theirs places tinder Go-
vernment, or in the India . 'Company's service, and
for dOing 30 the:Num:l gut money Irons these per-
sons under false .p re t e ce s. The indictment stated-
'four MT,A•ent acts Of fraud, In obtaining money
in this manner.

Atter the indictment was read, the pantiel
pleaded Nut
Mr. MAITLAND, junior, counsel for the iiTi•
loner, admitted that the libel was relevant. He
stated that the paunel's mother itnd the late Vis-
count Melville were full cousins, being descended
from two daughters of Sir John Gordon of 6or-
donstoun, one of whom was the late Lord Ale,-
ville7s mother, and that the present pannel and
Robert, now Lord Melville, were second cousins.
He also stated, that the pannel was at times itt a
deranged state.
A Jury was then chosen, and the trial proceeded.

The. first witness called was sir William Rae,
who identified two declarations emitted by the
pannel, and also several documents, which were
founded on in the indictment. Said the pannel,
while before him, did not seem in the smallest
degree to be in a state of insanity.
James Currie, writer, Sheriff Clerk's Office, also
proved the declarations, Sic.
Robert William Hay, Esq. Private Secretary to
Lord Viscount Melville, said he did not know the
pannel, 'but had had a correspondence with hint
about three years ago, relative to an application
by him • for ;spinet under Government. That an
answer tVaitgiven him, but no hopes held nit of
success ; and that he had never received any ino-
ney from hint on any account. Being shown a
letter front Henry Switoston, datei Glasgow, 17th
December 1815', said he had received that letter,
Which was then read by the Clerk of Court.--4.
It contained a complaint from Swanston for not.
procuring him the situation of a messenger of
the Admiralty, for which
. he had given the pannel
IUI. which he said bad been sent to the witness.
Said he never received any money front the pan-
tei on any account, Mr. Hay identified several
letters, some of which were :addressed to himself,
and others to Lord Melville, All the patinel's
applicatioos were reNcted, both fur himself and
others. .A letter was next read front the panne!
to Lord Melville, soliciting a commission for a
Mr. nutrias Robertson. Thinks that in his ap-
irlications the pane 1 looked to a situation in
India ; he neve: rote him to say that lie had got ,
a situatio uc Admiralty.
.Ts,•• Secretary to the East India
r: ,npany, sad he never had a letter !root the
panne', but had one from a person of the name
of Thomson, to wthich he returned an answer,
which stated, that he knew of no appointment for
his sun, as the writer believed, and that he never
received the 501. mentioned, as no money either
was or 'Could be received. Said he never received
any application from Douglas, nor is there such
an office as a wettet's clerk in India, and lie never
! • inohey or a bill front either Thom-
stin or ijoughts. Believes there is a Mr. Caldicott,
a clerk in 'the India-house.

James Thomson,' jun. at lllllhead, near Patrick,
'said that he knew the panne' and had some Cow.
MUniitltiollS with him relative to procuring a place
for his son as a writer's clef k in India. 'that he
had beard lie had !uncured such a situation 'for
some persOn, but who it was lie could not
That Douglas 'read a part of a letter, which tie
said he had 'received from 'Lord Melville, which
appeared 'cbiiiplimentary. That he applied to
Dougialt 'for his *soil', and be said he would do
something for hiM, as lieumlerstood be, the witness,
was au old aectuaintaiteeof his father's. Witness's
ion was sent for from Paisley, and the Pantiel read
.16 hint a proposed letter, which Was to be
'sent to Mr. Cobb, applying fin' his 'si) ; and also
anotherictter to the Directort,thanking them for
his own typointnient. Has heard that the pannel
was to marry Lord Melville's daughter. That he
gave the punnet tt guinea to pay for postages,
which wit': never returned to him. That in eon.;
*acquenee of it 'note froth Dongla's, 'they met at
witness's house, when he read a printed letter,
appointing his sun a writer's clerk, and it vEts
'signal by Mr. 'Cobb ; and there was atso a 4ritrett
letter on the same piece of paper, which the pan-
nel tore off, and took it with him'; arid thinks
thitt he 'read the Written part to him ; recollects
it mentioned Something about a Charles Gowan
to go out as a servant with the i)annel, That
some time afterwards the pannel culled on hint,
and said he had paid 101: for stamps for his sot's
commission, whiSh Mr.:Cobb butt wrote him- he
Lad received. Thivt he afterwards paid Douglas
the 101. in thel,iwati Tavern in Glasgow. It wa's
atterwirrds tutiMated to the witness, by the pan..
nel, that It was necessary to ,giv'e Mr. 'Cobb
present, and he :thought bOl. would du, which
the witness agreed to with great satisfaction.—
That lie bought a bill for 501. from a Banker's
in Glasgow, whett• Douglas wrote a Aettei to
Mr. Cobb, in presence of die witness, 'and Mr.
Gibson, son-in7law, in which the bOl. bill
was incloved. That it Witt hest scaled With
wafer, 'which the panne! said was rather 'Ais-
le-pi:Wu' to Mr. Cobb not to seal it With Wak,
and in con3egnence they went into
housei when it was sealed with was. The lett&
was in the bands of the witness at the time, but
the panne! snatched it from hint, and said, be
wotsh put it into the Post`Offiee. That they botit
went to the iVolt Office, when the panne' put itta
letter into the office, but, having a suspicion it
was not' properly bone', they went back to the
0114 e, but got no satisfactory answer, as the mail
'was just going off. That he afterwards wrote to
Mr. Cobb, and received an attswer, which he iden-
tified, and else the bill. That he understood the
panne! was a leiation of Loa Melville, as he hall
often heard 1t mentioned. That. they frequently.on this boinen4 and he Was situ! to treat him,

not like i 5 golo as be had a tate*.
mother, Which was the occasion at going t > pub-
'Etat lie had Mentioned this, 'trans-
action to 'a Mr. MacMillan arkfa N r. AndieW Reid.
Belot; tAked, it he thonOt there vie:, any thing
like itisanty Munn. the patina, said, ltrr thoitght
he was rather .flighty and unstable in his manner,
arid has.heard 'there wits toinbthing of the kind in
the family, but, at the time of this trantiactidn,
thought the panne' capable of doing business.
That be had a sister, %Vito had contined for
mildness in the Lunatic Asylum, Glasgow, and
saw her this. day itt the witnesses' rbout. Thinks
her name isleaoDouglas.
Itimes.Thomson, sou ortlie preceding witness,
sitid, that, in September lest, sae., 'hemit:l
at his lather's, whO sail, he was a relation of
Lord Me!vines. That lie was intimate with Mr.
Cobb of the Intlia-lanete, and he was Slim he
could procure for the 'l,VittieSS 'a writer's Clerk's
plate in India. -That, he read some letters as from
Lord Melville, which seethed very
That the pound 'said, it would not
.00 for Mr.
Cobb to pay the 'Postage of the letters, and
his father then gave Mitt ii guinea to paY frit
them. That he afterwards met the pannel at the
Swan Tavern, when he said the witness was Apr,Vint,
ea a writer's clerk in India, and added, that 101.
must be sent to Mr: Cobb to pay for the stamps.
bonietinie atter, the patine! said, that -a present
must he sent to Air. Cobb, other vile: would do
nothing fat thee in the business, raid added, that
sortie gave 1001. but bethought 501. would do,
That the witness wince it fett(ir to Mr. Cobb,
thauking him for his gOodness for obtaining his
appointment. That he expected Mr. Douglas and
several other yomig men were 'to go' rout Glas-
gow to India along with Masi. '
James Gibson, brother-in-law •of the last wit-
ness, said, he saw Dcinglas atMama, who
said he corild procure a place for the preceding
witness as a writer's clerk in India. 'That Dou-
glas said he Wits going to ivottld
several young men in histinit. Remembers bear,
ing of 101 being spoken of fur stoup, ana'also
that 501. should he given to Mt. Cobb as a pre-
sent, and'he saw a bill bought, which was
payalde to hint (the witness) and Idatrk
S3tV a letter wrote by l)uuglas, in which the bill
was enclosed. .

Mr. James 'llutnbull, one of the partners of the
hok4se ut James and Robert Watson, bankers in
Glasgow, identified the 501. bill, which returned
from London paid.
Mr. Williant Gardiner, surveyor of taxes, Glas-
gow, said, that in the beginning of October
met the pannel and his own brother in a house in
Gallowgate, Glasgow. That Douglas said he was
short of cash, as he wished to go to 'Green'Ock,
and offkred the 501. hill, when the witness oh-
served it was H foolish thing to discOnat such a
bill, drawn at so short et date, on the same (hy it
!. was drawn. That Douglas was pressing for cash,
and he went nut and got the Monti' for the bill
from Mr. King of the Falkirk Mink. That he
gave the punnel nnly 201., us a Mr. Ainnro said
be woold spend it all in his Greenock journey.
The pannel came back some days after, and re-
ceived the other 301.' fie bas heard that the pan-
' stel7s sister was in the Glasgow Asylum, and has
beard he was rather flighty, but he has not knotivn
him long.

Mr. ,ioltn Gardiner, irtititnoniter, Glait,OW, said,
fie rel.Wilibers being in company with the panttel,
his hcother, the preceiting witness, and Others, in
Forrester's, in GallOwgam, when the bill was
produced. He corroborated his brother's testi.-
tunny, as to the bill discounting. Thinks the pan,.
ncl rather flighty, and drank a gond deal. Has
beard him any be Was a friend of Lord Mel'iille's,
and that ha expected it situntion throngh hiS•in-
Thience. -

Mr. James Xing, itih. Agent 'Mr the •Falkirk
Uanking tossipanSr, said, that lie ifisenttated the
,501. bili slow shOwo 'and gave all.tife tnotityi
but the premium to Mr. 301 m thirdiner.
The deciatatiOns of the i)itairiel ivee'tbeil
Mr, James ‘Thimson, jun. ealiediis 'again,
and being shown two letter's, said he had received
them from Mr. Douglas, They were read by the
thin*, Whiel concluded the proof faille:Crown.

axcoL P AttritY PROM

The Counsel for the tiiintiel, then 'firOthieed
certificate of marriage anal a .ttelioOtiOn from Mrs.
Douglas to MI husband, the Rev. Mr. Neil 'Dou-
glas, the panties father, to prove that Mrs. Doti-
glas and the late Lord Melvillewerectinsins, and
there were also lei ters from Lady Arniston, ne-
kridwledging Mis. Doilies as her niece. These
were not read.

Miss lane 13otiglas, sister to the pittrnel,
'that. list •year the iffinnel wits in bad health,
°that she
,canie to blinbtirgh to see him, and
fatind hint in Leith ; that he wiu in a poOr state
Of mind, and thought lihr;‘ deranged
•that her fit-
ther wrote to Mr. James Laidiew, W. S. about
tier brother, who advised the witness to send him
to Glasgow, which Was done; andthe witness and
Mr. John Donglatv, teacher, went with hint; that
after his arrival in Glasgow. he was confined (Or
'some time, and 'was never suffered to 'go out by
himself ; Wiff sometimb lit a very high state
of mina, and at other times quite-10*,spirited ;
that lie otten 'talked of his high prospects- front
Phis csitmeetion with Lord Melville, and has heard
Of one Swanston applying to hiM to procure him
a plate.: It was, in ApriF, he came to Was-
tow, and he was ill Aunt four motAhs. •
Mr. James Laidlaw, W. S. said be hnows the
and his father, the Rev. Mr. DOligiati•, was
Opirried to Miss Itabeita Miller, only daughter of
Mr. Miller, of Star, Laidlaw ithen
pro4uced a letter which ha sent to .his uncle, Mt.
Miller, describing the partners Situation, which
he considered as that of a deranged person, and
proposed that he should be confined. The letter
was read, in part, to the Court and Jury ; it was
slated March 20, 1815, wild at-that time he thought
the pannel behaved very ill, slid from what pass-
ed in conversation with him; about places in the
Admiralty and in India, 144 thought him :in a de-
ranged

John Douglas, 'reacher, Edinburgh, said, that
he itnovvs the panncl, and had teen him in Fe-
bruary, 1815, In the Crown Hotel, where he re"
iieved him from a small debt, lie afterwards saw
WA ift Leith, and at tttrit time lie appeared nut to
be in a solid *rate of minds which he inferred