Star.
London, England, 1822-08-28 00:00:00


VATASIInreht..."- -
About four o'clock in the afteennen of Monday, the village of
St. Nicholas, in the Isle of Thanet, was visited with one of the
Gust tremendous storms of thunder and lightning ever krum n
in the memory of the oldest inhabitant, in the course of whi is
two labouring men,
.named. George Bedingfield and. Richard
Johncock, who were at work in a geld, near the village, set.re
instantaneously struck dead by the electric fluid, whiciN was ob.
served to descend to the earth to within two feet of RedingFed,
whose clothes were torn to pieces. and hie body rendered a
shocking spectacle, his head being dreadfully burnt, as also one of
his legs : the body of Johncock was also muck discoloured a-d
blackened. They were both married men, and besides a wife.
Johncock has left six children, and what adds to the calamity,
his wife had been delivered of the youngest only a ft* hems.—
Two other persons were knocked down and injured at the sane
moment. The bodies were conveyed to the Church to emit a
Coroner's Inquest. and the sensation occasioned in the village by
this dreadful occurrence is indescribable.—lemisk Gauze.

TRIAL OF CAPTAIN ROCK.

CORK ASSIZES, 'AUGUST 27..

The Trial of Walter Filen:luring, alias Oplain Rack, who had
been transmitted from Limerick, Patrick C!alloghan,J An Sheehan,
Valliant l'ierney, John Ready, William Coddle, and' Done! Rms.
ttakan, was called on, for the abduction of Miss Goold.

Mr. Jacrwan stated to the Court, that an affidavit was pre-
paring on the part of Walter Fitzmaurice' to poopone his trial
till the next Assizes, on account of the absence of Mr. 'Renner-
basset, the Magfavrate to whom he had surrendered. -
The affidavit being produced and read,
Mr. QOM, Counsel for the Crown, opposed the postponement
of the trial; and
The COURT, under all the circumstances of the case, did not
conceive there were sufficient grounds laid to warrant it in post-
poning the trial. -The trial must go on.
Mr. JACKSON..—" Then, my Lord, if such be your Lordshi?'s
determination, I ant instructed to plead guilty on the part of
Walter leltzmatirice, who throws himself on the clemency of the
Government."

Mr. Qcor.-0 My Lord, before that plea is recorded, we, for
the Crown, wish to have it publicly and distinctly known, that
it is put in without oar knowledge and without any understand-
ing with us on the subject; and we now caution the prisoner
against the consequences'of what he offers through his Counsel."
Mr. Jackson admitted that it was without the knowledge of
the Counsel of the Crown, but said the prisoner was decided.
COURT." If the prisoner pleads Guilty, I can only look to
the indictment against him, and his plea. I cannot interfere, or
take into consideration anything that has happened heretofore;
and am bound to pronounce judgment, and on that judgment sen-
tence of execution. Any application to me after that would be
perfectly useless. Let these things, therefore, be communicated
to the prisoner before the plea is fully recorded."
The prisoner was formally made acquainted with what hzd
been stated by his Lordship, hut persevered in pleading Goi:ti.
The Clerk of the Crown said—" Walter Fitzmaurice, are pa
guilty or not?"

Piisoner—" Guilty, my Lord. I throw myself on your Lord-
ship's mercy."
COURT.--•" Not on mine. I have no power. I can only look
at what passes in Court, and act accordingly."
Prisoner.—" My Lord, you know I gave myself up, and it is
a hard case when I surrendered myself to Government."
COURT.-•-•" I know nothing of it, prisoner."
Ills Lordship then observed to the prisoner's Counsel, that the
man ought not to place any dependence on a remission of pu-
aistunens. The persons concerned for the Crown had thought
he should be brought to trial, and that there was nothing in his-
case that should arrest the usual course of justice. fie wished
the prisoner to be warned of his plea, as he still might be al-
lowed to withdrzw it.

Mr. JACKSON." My Lord, I have put the matter in every
way to the prisoner, who perseveres in his determination."
The Couftr.—" The situation of the prisoner, and the plea he
has put in, are so momentous, that I find I can, without preju-
dice to the Public or the State, postpone this trial till to-morrow
morning, which will afford him time to consider the subject.