Star.
London, England, 1825-10-15 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX ADJOURNED SESSIOLYS.

CURIOUS CASE....--DISPUTED CLAIM TO THE POSSESSION
OP A CHILD.

Yesterday, John Rearsky, the elder, Anne, his wife;
John Bearsky, the youn4er, and Sarah, his wife, and
Charles Cheshire, were indicted for
.unlawfully and
riotously assembling, in the pari.h of Sr.* Pancras, oti
the .sth of August last. There was a-second count for
an assault on Mt. James H

_ope.
The prosecutor, an appraiser, residing at Somer's.-
town, stated, that oo the day in question he called at
the governe-si, into whose hands had been. intrusted a
child, which he had every reason to believe his own,
for the purpose of seeing it. On asking for it, by the
name of Maria Hope, the governess said she had no
child of that name in the school, but witness see:rig the
child playing with its school-fellows immediately re-
cognized her, and called her to him, when lie learnt
that the persons who had got possession of her, had
placed her in the school under the name of Maria,
Bearsby. (Here the witness produced a certificate of
baptism for the purp se of shewing that the latter was
not her real name, but the Chairman declined mid;
in 4 it.) The witness proceeded to state that the
defendants shortly after came up to him, and in the
presence of the governess, and without receiving any
provocation, one of them (Bearsby.the younger) struck
him a violent blow on the face, which caused blood to
gush from his no•e. The defendants then qu ttessl the
house, but 'remained standing at the outside, where
they collected a mob by representing that witness had
gone to the school to inveigle :okay the child lir ani
improper purpose. The consequence was, that on hi.,
coming out of the house, he was followed and hooted,
at by the mob, who succeeded by their threats in
inducing several persons in Cromer-street, into whose
shops he fled for refuge, to refuse suffering him to
remain. A peace officer happening, however, at last
to come by, the mob were compelled to disperse.
Custaslits.—All this affray, if I understand you tight, arose ow.
the account of the child. Pray is there any dispute between you as
to who is it's father ?

Witness.—Oh no, Sir, it can't be his; for the child is eleven
years old, and he was only mar tied to its mother last Christmas.
CHAIRSIAL—That dogs not exactly follow; but pray whose
child do you consider it to be ?
Witness—Why, Sir, I have every reason to believe it is mine ;
and, besides, I am its godfather, and have brought it up ever since
it was sixteen months old, till about sig months since, when it was
obtained from nu: by stratagem. Its mother, Mrs. B. the younger,
at the time it was born lived with me as housekeeper.
Cross-examined by M,. Paittionsgassr.—Are you a monied man ?,
Witness-4 am. __ _

Mr. Pasonsamisv--Ilow long have you been married?
Witness—Seventeen years.
Mr. PassneacAsr—And yet you have the bad taste to come
forward and avow this connexion ? •

The •prosecutor's wife, who bad been standing by, listening to
the proceedings, here hastily exclaimed—" More shame for her,
knowing that he was a married man."
Witness-14y being married has nothing to do with this business.
Mrs. Ann Phelps, the school-mistress, said the child
was placed with her by Mrs. Bearsby. The prosecu.
tor called, and witness not knowing what to do, gave
the child her bonnet, and desired her to run home to
her mother. The prosecutor followed her, and shortly
after returned with her, accompanied by the defendants,
one of whom struck him.
The CHAIRMAN, in sumMins up, told the Jury this
was a case in which the question about the possession
of a child was wholly beyond their jurisdiction. He
Could readily suppose, that Mr. Hope, after having
brought it up, till it was ten years old, and feeling for
it, as lie says, the affection of a father, must be very
miserable in being deprived of it ; but that was a mat-
ter which they could not remedy. With respect to the
assault, there was no etsidence against any of the de-
fendants, excepting Beirsby the younger, and as re•
spected him, it would be for them to give such weight
to the testimony of the prosecutor, as, after the manner
in which it had been partially contradicted by his wit-
ness, they might think it deser,ved. . , .
The Jury immediately acquitted all the defendinis.
Mr. Hope left the Court, declaring his intention of applying to
the King's Bench, for a Habeas Corpus, to compel the restoration
of the child.
The child was in Court, and is a very pretty rosy-cheeked little
girl ; she was very ne.itly dressed, and appears well brought up.

By the orders of General Sic CHAntta DOlrLiu the
detachments of the infantry stationed in and about
Abbeyfeale, county of Limerick, proceeded every day
last week across the different mountains of that neigh-
bourhood, in order, it is said; to ascertain how far the
military could act in those quarters, in case of any
renewed disturbances. kis even hinted that he requires
a strict account of all the bye roads, rivers, streams,
and !midges leading to, and communicating with, those
mountains. Captain Woor.re, who commands the par-
ties, also proceeded across the Peale, into Kerry, for
the purpose of making a similar survey there.
It is said that an Englishman of rank has suddenly
set off post from Brussels for Italy; leaving word for his
wife that his life had become the object of a conspiracy.
A letter from Madrid of the 30th of September
states, that a commission has been appointed under the
State Junta, to inquire into the amount of money
actually received by the Government in consequence
of the loans negotiated by the Cortex.
It will be recollected that considerable interest was
excited in the Netheilands some time ago by the pro-
ceedings against several clergymen whose papers were
seized by the police. The prosecution against one of
them, M. Muynck, has ceased, it being found that the
charge was not correctly founded.
At Lambeth-street Office, yesterday, a man named
Knighton accused his wife of having attempted to poi-
son him, by putting oxalic acid into his tea. Mrs. K.
lets lodgings to single Gentlemen, and Mr. K. feeling
rather tender on a very nice subject, he laid in wait,
as he alleges, and detected one of the lodgers in an
Awkward situation. On the Sunday following, the dose
was offered to him, but which he got analyzed, and
escaped to tell his tale. Mrs. K. denied the whole
story ; but the parties, at the suggestion of the Magis-
trate, agreed to separate.
John Dunnage, a vocalist, was brought before the
Lotto MAYOR yesterday, on a charge of robbery. Mrs.
Franc and another female were standing at their own
door, when Dunnage passed, singing a song. The La-
dies would have him into the house, and invited him to
sing again. He accordingly sang to them till it was time
to retire for the night, and the Ladies went to bed; but
Mrs. Fiane had scarcely lain down, when the prisoner
broke into her room, seized her pockets,and stole 45.9 d
—The prisoner declared that the 4s. 9J. was his own
money, which he had saved from his hard earnings.
The fact was, Mir. Fratie would have him up starts
whether he would or no, to sing ; and after he had sung
he Pate of George Barnwell, and other songi that
,hewed what would be the consequence of a bad course,
he took his leave, and went home, leaving the utosecu-
aix and fri nd rather disguised in liqt.or.—KernAtided..