Star.
London, England, 1823-10-16 00:00:00

KINGSTON SESSIONS.

At these Sessions, yesterday', after some conversation•
interesting only to the parties concerned, the licences of
the Cobourg and Astley'c Theatres were renewed, as
was also that of Vauxhall Gardens.
• Amonsst the Reports handed in was one presented
by the Visiting Magistrates of Brixton jail, where the
celebrated mill was first erected. It stated that thnpri-
soners enjoyed a good state of health generally ; that
they were kept tegularly, at work, but by no means in,
such a manner as to cause any injury to health. The
prison was not intended when it was built to receive so
many inmates as were constantly sent to it, and the ex-
cesshad rendered an increase of the classes from sir to
ten necessary. Much had beer; said in opposition to the
labour of the tread-mill, but not one Of the objections
enumerated had any application to the Brixton mill ;
and, doubtless, the defects of other mills, built upon the
same principle, were also much exaggerated. In fact,
health, cleanliness, and good order prevailed in the
highest degree, and were attributable to the excellent
discipline, superintended by the Governor, Surgeon, and
Chaplain. The duties of the Surgeon were represented
as extremely severe, and his salary as greatly dispro..
portioned to his labour, perseverance, and skill. One of
the difficulties under which he was said to labour, was'
that of distinguishing between those prisoners who were,
realty and inevitably ill, and those who endeavoured to.
be so, in order to avoid the penalty of labour. The pet-,
' sons who came under the professional care of this Gen-
t eman amounted to no less than five hundred -in one
year. The Visitors represented the necessity of increas-
ing his salary, as his labour was double what it used to
be, or what it wps intended to be. They represented,
that notwithstanding- the great benefits derivable from
the Brixton jail discipline, it would still be an evidence
of enthusiasm to suppose that the majority of those who
underwent the punishment prescribed would abandon
their evil habits.
A desultory conversation took place amongst the Ma-
gistrates, who seemed to consider the. subject one of the
utmost importance. It was universally admitted that
the health of the prisoners was a paramount object. A
complaint had reached the Bench that the wheel at
Brixton was so constructed, or rather so defective in its
construction, as to occasion a painfll jerk, and that the
prisoners found this defect a considerable obstruction to
their efforts, and a rigorous addition to their punishment.
Several of the Magistrates inqaired a Nether this de.
fect actually exited ; and why, if it did, the person who
made the wheel had not been informed of the fact?
It was replied, that the constructor had been wiit;en
to upon the subject, notwithstanding which no remedy
had been applied.
Mr. Teorran, who occasionally takes the Chair at the
Sessions louse, Kennington, said it was pat ticularly ne-
cessal-y to guard against any complaint of this kind, as;
should accidents happvn, exaggeration may be expected.
Another Magistrate observed, that the complaint
about the wheel had been made by a person who after-
wards contradicted it. The general opinion of the
Bench, however, appeared to be, that the Brixton wheel
was • liable to the objection of inflicting an unnecessary
and rigoroui degree of punishment.
Mr. DENISON, the Member, expressed his surprise,
that the maker ok.the wheel, who was under obligations
to pi event it from becoming oppressive to the prisoners,
had not remedied the defett. It was, be added, neces,
sary to-Rive the contractor of the wheel notice, and if
he .continued to pay no attention to the direction, to
sue him for the penalty.
In this (minion the Bondi unanimously acquiesced,
and Mr. Lawson, the Clerk of the Peace, was directed
to wtite to the nuntifacturcr to the above effect.

In the Report concerning the County Prison, it was
represented, that the plan of putting the priioners in
irons being dispensed with, the facilities of escape. were
increased, and it therefore became necessary to have
gratings thrown over the airing yards, out of which
even a pr►so►►er in irons contrived to escape; of course
isoners with free li albs could find less difficulty in be-
coming their own matt/is.

Thttrsday morning, about four o'clock, Mr..l. Ait 1-
lam,. grocer, in Kirkgate, Huddersfield, walked out of
his bedroom window, three stories high, into the street,
and was so dreadfully bruised as to occasion his death.
It is conjectured that tue deceased, was under the in-
fluence of that delusion which is professionally called
the delirium trenens, and that he supposed he was
walking out of the door.
TIIE RESToIIATION OF CliFilttles IL—There is a tra-
dition in Scotland, that a dram 6f brandy produced the
restoration of Charles 11. The messenger from the Par-
liament of England had brought letters to Monk, whilst
he remained at Ediaburgh. This messenger was at
length entrusted with dispatches to the Governor of
Edinburgh Castle, a circumstance which he mentioned
to one of Monk's servants, while on his journey. The
man {a Serjeant), saw something unusual in' this, and
prevailed upon his fellow-traveller to drink a dram of
brandy with him at a neighbouring alehouse, where the
messenger became ultimately so drunk, that the Ser-,
jeant was enabled to take the papers from his custody
without detection. This done, he posted to his General-
with the•packet, who, on perusing its contents, found an
order for his arrest and detention in the Castle. Policy
and resentment at once directed the eyes of Monk to
Charles Stuart, and his restoration succeeded. " What
great events from trifling causes spring F'
Tint DISGUISED Couvicr.—On the 26th of Septem-
ber, a gang of convicts was brought to Rochefort, and among the
number was one described is a foundling, named Joseph, and aged
23 years. This convict had been sentenced by the Assize Court of
the department of Lot, to bard labour for life, for the crime of aid-
ing in a highway robbery, and was in consequence branded with the
mark T. P. (Travaux Perpetuth). Iris customary, before placing the
convicts' dress upon the condemned criminals, to make them strip,
to ascertain whether they are stibject to any cutaneous disorder.
This convict was, like the rest, ordered to undress ; but Joseph ex-
hibited great reluctance to comply with the order, and at length,
finding resistance useless, claimed the privileges of thel fair sex. The
convict proved in fact to be a woman, who resigned the name of
Joseph for that of Maria. On this discovery she was plated it the
disposal of the Procureur of the King. This woman states that she
was brought up at the hospital of Figeac,- upon leaving which she
adopted the male dress, and worked as a journeyman tailor.' In this
character she was compromised in the highway robbery for which
she was condemned, but in which she declared she was not an ac-
complice. She remained thirteen months in prison, with many
other prisoners, and during that time her sex was never discovered.
In a female dress, Maria does not appear a very pretty woman;
but she has blue eyes and a veal fair skin. It appears that when she
was branded, she prevented the discovery of her sex by the precut-.
dons which she adopted. It is argued by some persons, that the
description which' accompanies the sentence of the criminal Joseph,
is in no way applicable to the individual Maria. This case,•we
apprehend, must be classed amongst the number of those which
have net been foreseen by the framers of the criminal eade.—
Frenek Paper.
Waars.—No leis than 873 wasps' nests were de-
steeled within a short distance of Whitcomb House Gloucester-
shire, the seat of Sit Wet. Mess, Bart. in one mank: The Insects
had been most desanctive.