Star.
London, England, 1809-12-12 00:00:00

pence: to . she had been MA. _ -was •
absolutely hopeless, At the time she was met by Co-
lonel Wardle, she was absolutely pennyless. iWright
was an upholsterer, who was under an obligation to
her for former employment and recommendations, and
would have been happy to have served her ; but at the,
same time, it would. be ridiculous to suppose that bq
would trust her with £2ooo, when :,healreadgoweditim
shove £6OO, which he had very little prospect of ever
getting. At the same, time, however, that it was im-
probable that Mr. Wright would have trusted her, it
was not at , all improb able that Mr. Wardle should
have giiren her credit. Colonel Wardle was a man,
who at that time certainly expected great renown
from the course he was pursuing, if he had no further
personal objects. His whole mind was then fixed
on one single object, which was the card by which
he steered his course. At that time it was not known
by those who took a part in the investigation, that Mr.
Wardle had given 1100, within the first three days
that he ever saw Mrs. Clarke ; and if the circumstance
had been then known, it would have excited the utmost
degree of astonishment. When it was considered
that Mrs. Clarke had excluded herself, from the mo-
ritent that she joined with Colonel Wardle, from the
aclantages she once enjoyed and might still hope to
enjoy, it could net be supposed that she would make
so great a sacrifice, without sufficient pro Mises and
inducenients. Whether the promises were defined
or not, still it must be supposed that she etpected
him to do something for her. As to Colonel War-
dle, he considered him implicated up to Me chin, as
far as any man could be by influence and interest,
without becoming an incompetent witness. As to
Major Dodd, he knew that nothing could be more
distressing to h:s master, than that this
investigation should be proceeded in against the
Duke of York. Knowing this, as Major Dodd
must have known it, what could, have been more
indecent than Major Dodd going from the Duke of
Kent to Mrs. Clarke and Colonel Wardle, without
ever apprizing the illustrious Prince of these visits
Coeld it be supposed that Major Dodd, as well as Mr.
Wardle, was not actuated by some corisideirations of
great personal advantag,e to themselves ? Mr. Glennie
was the next witness, and he would appear to be as
much interested As any of the test, and lie said that
it was by mere -accident that he happened to make
the party to go down to look nt the martello towers;
and yet it appeared that he took notes not only of mi-
litary affairs, but even of these things, which it would
be supposed no man would with to register, the secrets
which Mrs. Clarke chose to divulge reSpec:ing the Royol
Family. As to Colonel Wardle, there was no inipro.
bability at all in his pledging himself for the money.—
Mrs. Clarke was so material a witness to him, in the
cause which he had so much at heart, that he could
have done rtothing without her. He could not even have
opened his case without her. 1% hat should have
brought Mr. Wardle into the shop of Mr. Wright,.
unless for the purpose stated ? He had evny reason
to keep away, and yet he was found spending half
an hour, or three quarters of an hdur, in the shop, at
one time. Nothing could be more probable than the
account given of this by the defendant. Francis
Wright said, that lie would not have trusted goods
out of his shop, unless the person on whom he could
rely far payment had been introduced. This was a
good reason for Mr. Wardle's being seen in the shop
of Mr. Wright, and it was the only good reason.
As to the note of Mr. Illingwarth, it appeared alto-
gether a juggle. There was no reason for the circui-
tous round-about course that was taken, but that it was
absolutely necessary to c onceal the names of Major D
and Mr. Wardle. If they hadgiven their no tes directly to
Mr. Wright, it would have been impossible to conceal
the degree in which they were connected with Mrs.
Clarke. The receipt which had been produced, ap-
peared to be in itself contlusive of the cause. It
ran as follows :—" Received from Mr. Illingworth,
an acceptance of £5OO, which, when paid, will be on
account of goods delivered to Mrs. Mary Ann
Clarke, at her house in Wcstbourne-place." How
did that receipt, which was in their possession,
agree with the story which they had told, that the
JE:.500 which Mrs: Clarke wanted was on account
of the 1600 of
.01 debt, with which she had been
pressed by Mr. Wright ? His Learned Friend (Mr.
Alley) had taken great credit for his lrnagna-
niraity in allowing the answer of Francis Wright to
be read. The fact was, that instead of nragna-
nimity this was contrivance ; for if the answer -had
not been read, Mr. Francis Wight might imme-
diately haire been acquitted for want of any sort of
evidence against him, and then he might have gone
into the bar as a witness. It was the reading his
answer that so far implicated him as to prevent his
being a witness. He should say but little of Colonel
Wardle personally, but he would sas of his situation,
that he was a man against whom a verdict for above
£lOOO grad been lately given, and who had a hope or
expectation that a Court of Equity would protect him
from the payment of it. It was iznpossible to con-
ceive any person more interested than Colonel War-
dle. He was not interested merely by the pecuniary
consideration, but by his character, which was deeply
involved in the transaction. Major Dodd was also
deeply interested ; who, from his attachment to his
new friend, had sacrificed all his hopes from his old
friend and benefactor. The story itself was in the
highest degree improbable, th:tr a tradesman would
lend property to the amount of two thousand pounds
to a person who already owed him £5OO, and from
whom he had no other chance of payment but lend-
ing her 'money. It was certain that the Wrights
more hail for Mrs. Clarke, but then they run no risk,
as they knew she could plead her coverture. By his
going bail, Mr. 'Wright shewed a disposition to be-
friend her, but by no means to give her credit. It was
curious, however, to see how the testimony on the part
of the plaintiff in the late action was endeavoured to be
shaken. It was strange to see Mr. Wardle impeaching
the evidence of Mrs. Clarke. When she was his wit-
ness, she was all sincerity, simplicity, and truth ; but,
as soon as she gave-evidence which touched the pocket
of Mr. Wardle, then she was every thing that was
foul and abominable. When by the assistance of
Mrs. Clarke, he had contrived to ruin the character
of another, it would be too hard that he shoulck
allowed to redeem his own by impeaching her test t-
mony. Throughout the whole si)f the investigation
he did not find any period to doubt her veracity; but
now when her evidence goes to prove him liable to a
debt which he legally contracted, then she is every
thing that is false and foul. There was another wit-
ness against whom there was nothing like impeach.

which

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had been accustomed, tad