Star.
London, England, 1831-07-05 00:00:00

SURREY SESSIONS.

TRIAL Or THE REV. ROBERT TAYLOR.

Yesterday the Rev. Robert Taylor was indicted
for blasphemy : there were seven counts in the in-
dictment, to which the defendant pleaded not guilty.
Mr. TH ES IG E ft, on the part of the prosecution,
said that the doctrines promulgated by the defen-
dant, at the Rotunda, were of the most mischievous
kind, tending to revile the Christian religion ; he
quoted the portions of the discourses delivered by
the defendant, and which formed the grounds of the
indictment; and trusted that the jury would mark
their sease of the offence, and stop the contagion
which such opinions were calculated to dissemi-
nate amongst the community.
Joseph Stevens, a short-hand writer, was present
at the Rotunda on last Good Triday and also on
Easter-Sunday, on each of which occasions he
heard the defendant address the auditory, and took
a verbatim account of what he said. The witness

described that that portion of the Rotunda from
which the defendant spoke was decorated with the
paraphernalia used in the ceremony of the holy
sacrament. The business of the evening com-
menced by a young man, who read an extract from
Volney's Ruin of Empires, which he gave out as the
first lesson for that evening's service; and after read-
ingextracts from the above work for half an hour, his
place was taken by the defendant, who, dressed
in the canonicals of a bishop, stood forward, and was
loudly greeted by his audience. He then bowed
to the persons present, and turning to a cross which
was suspended over the platform, he also made an
obeisance ; then placing his hands over his eyes, he
affected to be in silent adoistion. In pronouncing
the word " holy," the defendant repeated it several
times in an ironical manner, which elicited great
laughter from the audience. The witness under-
went a long cross-examination by the defendant,
but did not vary from his evidence in chief.
The defendant, in a written defence, which oc-
cupied nearly five hours in the delivery, deprecated
in strong language the conduct of the Society for
the Suppression of Vice, whi.ch society had insti-
tuted the present proceedings -against him. The
society consisted chiefly of the clergy, who were
determined, if they could, to crush him to the
earth. They were a set of priests who were
unable to controvert the tenets which he pro-
mulgated ; and as an instance of their ignorance,
they were afraid to come forward and enter into
theological discussion with him, be having given,
a public challenge to the whole of the priests, and
had that challenge placarded at the different col-
leges in this country, as well as on the Continent.
Persons had endeavoured to throw obloquy on him,
to traduce his character, and had given him the
nick-name of the Devil's Chaplain, a name AWL
was calculated to impress people with the nodes
that he was either the Devil himself, or some emis-
sary of his. He had no more to do with his Satanic
Majesty than other people ; but the name p'.ainly
indicated the spirit of malevolence which ex-
isted against him. He denied that his dis-
courses were calculated to revile the Christian
religion, and he declared that he had as high a ve-
neration for the beautiful and pathetic language of
the Scriptures as any man upon the face of the
earth. He concluded by trusting that the jury,
by their verdict, would pronounce An acquittal,
which he was entitled to, not one of the counts in
the indictment having been sustained. The de-
fendant concluded his defence at half-put twelve
o'Clock.

The Chairman summed up the evidence, and
the jury brought in a verdict of Guilty ; and the
Court sentenced the defendant to be imprisoned
two years in the County gaol ; to pay a fine of
2001. and enter into his own recognizance in the
sum of 5001. for his good behaviour; and find two
sureties of 250/. for the next five years.

OLD DAILEY,'JuLy 4.
STABBING A POLICE NA N .—John Cromie,
aged about .50, was indicted for maliciously stab-
bing Thomas Fuller, a policeman, on the 26th of
April, with the iuteut to murder, disable, or in
another count to do him some grievous bodily
harm.

Thomas Fuller stated that he was on duty on
the 242 d of April at Red Lion-street, Holborn. Had
three or four times taken the prisoner into custody.
The latter had repeatedly declared that he would be
revenged on witness, saying to him, " You shall
not be here long—l'll do for yon." Prisoner
passed witness several times on the above day
without saying any thing, but he subsequently be-
gan to abuse him. He came behind witness, and
struck a knife into his left side. Witness felt him-
self wounded, and tried to get away, but the pri-
soner followed him, and struck him several other
blows with the knife, at the time exclaiming, " I'll
do for you ?" Witness drew his staff, and tried to
defend himself; but the prisoner put one of his

arms round witness, and continued .ftbbing him
with the other hand, thereby wounding bim in the
breast. Witness, after a severe struggle, released
himself, and endeavoured to escape towards Hol-
born ; but the prisoner followed him, and stabbed
him again in the back as he ran ; witness then
staggered across the street, and fell front exhaus-
tion ; prisoner went down Holborn towards Gray's
Inn ; witness was confined from his wounds for
five weeks, and expected that he should lever be
perfectly recovered. The prisoner was sober at
the time.

Mr. John Wood, surgeon to St. Bartholomew's
Hospital, described the wounds. One was on the left
side, between the fourth and fifth ribs, under the
breast bone ; also two others, one lower down, and
the other a slight one between the shoulders. The
wound on the breast was a very dangerous one, as
it penetrated the lungs. Considered his life to be
in danger for about a fortnight or three weeks. The
other wounds were not dangerous
The prisoner, in defence, went into a statement
of the number of masters he had worked for, and of
the persecution which he appeared to think he had
suffered, in being previously taken up by the pro
*locator, adding that the latter had called him an
old cuckold before his children, and had got him
committed to prison for an assault. Witnesses were
also called, who gave him a good character for hu-
manity. The Jury• returned a verdict of Guilty,
but recommended him to mercy on account of his
previous good character.
PLURALITY OF HUSBANDS.—Charlotte Mar-
garet English was indicted for intermarrying with
William Hands, her former husband, Michael
English, being then alive. This case, from its
singularity, created an uncommon degree of in-
terest.

William Hands stated that he married the pri-
soner 20 years ago ; she bad borne him two chil-
dren, one of whom was at this time 17 years of
age. About a year after he had been married to
the prisoner, he heard that she had another hus-
band living ; he, however, made no enquiries about
the matter, and 'continued to live with her. Did
not think it a crime to live in a state of adultery.
Did not know the real facts of the case until last
week, when she prosecuted his sister for an assault.
His object in wishing to get rid of the prisoner
was not that he might be enabled to marry some
other woman.

The prisoner here interrupted the prosecutor.
Sbe said that upon learning some time ago that her
first husband, Bill English, was alive, she and the
prosecutor " consulted the advice of a solicitor,"
who informed them that as so long an interval as
fifteen years bad existed without any intercourse
taking place between her and her first husband,
that marriage had become invalid.
A person of the name of Farley, who, it seemed,
had promoted the prosecution, produced three cer-
tificates, one to prove the prisoner's marriage with
English in 1798, another to prove her marriage with
Hands in 1811, and a third to prove English died
as late as 1822.

Mr. Sergeant ARASIN said this was the most i
singular cue he ever beard ; it was hard to say
which was the most culpable person of the two then
before the Court, the prosecutor or the prisoner.
The prisoner here said that the prosecutor bad
been cohabiting with another woman for the last
five years, and he now wished to marry her, al-
though he must know by doing so that he would
illegitimin the two lawful children which she her-
self had borne him.
Mr. Sergeant AAASIN said that the prosecutor's
intention of marrying again were pretty evident,
but that circumstance did not in the slightest degree
operate in her favour : the law, and the facts of the
case, he was sorry to say, were against her. The
Jury must find her guilty.
The Jury consulted for a considerable time, and
the Foreman at length, with great reluctance, pro-
nounced a verdict of Guilty.
Mr. St-41MA ARABIN said, that the smallest
punishment that it was in ihe power of the Court
to inflict should be awarded. The prisoner should
be immediately discharged upon paying a fine of
Is. to the King.
Loud plaudits followed this sentence, and it was
a considerable time before the Court could again
resume its business. The Court in strong terms
animadverted upon the conduct of the prosecutor
and his companion Farley, and refused to grant
them their expenses. This caused another tremen-
-1 dons bunt of applause, and clapping of hands.