Star.
London, England, 1809-10-10 00:00:00

SWIPE?' MSSl6l►fs,

Yesterday the Adjourned Sessions for the County
of Surrey Commenced at the Sessions-house, Horse-
monger-lane, before Mr: Serjeant Chscow, and a full
Bench of Magistrates.
Assancr.—John Vining Simfuon, a surgeon and
apothecary, was indicted for assaulting Joseph Bery-
man. It appeared from the statement of the Prose-
cutor, who was formerly a baker in Tonley-street,
but since retired from business, that the Defendant
formerly rented a house of him which he quitted up-
wards
of twelve months since, leaving rent tb the
amount of £lO unpaid ; the Prosecutor had not seen
him from the time of his quitting the house, till May
helast,when he met him one evening in Tootey-street ;
stopped him and asked him when he intended to
'settle the rent he had left unpaid ? the Defendant
made him no answer, but knocked him down several
times.

The Defendant, who undertook to conduct Ms own
cause, addressed the Court in a speech of considera-
ble length ; is which he denied the assault, and also
the charge of having left his house without paying
the rent that was due, he having left fixtures in the
house worth more than twice the sum. He observed
that whilst the Prosecutor was in business as a baker
in Tooley-street, he hid several times been summon-
ed before the Magistrates for selling bread short of
weight, and that m the course of the morning he had
told one of the Officers of Union Hall, that he had
been obliged to swear roundly to get the Bill found
by the Grand Jury.
The Jury found him Guilty.
The CHAIRMAN reprobate'd in strong terms the
conduct of the defendant, in endeavouring to discre-
dit the testimony of the prosecutor, by the attack he
had made on his credit and reputation as a tradesitan;
and the broad insinuation which he bad thrown our
of Ms having sworn roundly, or, in other words, per-
jured himself, when before the Grand Jury. A very
violent assault had been proved against him, and
were it not for the inconvenience which might result
to his patients, the Court would certainly feel inclined
to inflict the punishment of imprisonment upon him.
His profession, however, not admitting of that, the
sentence of the Court was, that he shonl.l pay a fine
of 1.51. and be imprisone}l till it was paid.
The prisoner then addressed die Court, and ob-
served, that tile' sentence just passed would operate
on him as a sentence of perpetual imprisonment, it
being utterly cut of his power to pay such a sum
he therefore entrea:ed the Court to alter the sentence
to imprisonment for a limited time.
Upon this statement the Court re-ccnsidcied their
i judgment, and changed the sent, nee to six weeks im
'prisonment in the House of Correcti in in Home-
monger-lane.

LEEDS, OC7VBER 6.

TRIAL. FOR SEOPiTIOUS WORDS.

James Asquith, blacksmith, of Mirfield, was charged
with littering seditious words. The indictment con-
sisted of two counts. The first charged the pristner
with uttering these words, with the intent to stir up
his Majesty's subjects to cedition and hatred of his
person and government. The second stated the words
to have been used in contempt of his Majesty's person
and government.

William Brooke, Esq. stated, that he was a Deputy
Lieutenant, and that, on the 31 st May last, the pri-
soner appeared before him at the Court-house, at
Wakefield, for the purpose of being enrolled in the
Local Militia ; that in administering the natkto him
he recited it sentence by sentence, the prishner re-
peating the words after him ; but when he had got to
the words " bear true ;allegiance to his .Majesty," the
Prisoner said, " damn King George." The witness
being shocked at the expression, laid down the book,
and, after cnnsulting with the Gentlemen Who were
with him, the prisoner was committed. The prisoner
did not appear to be in liquor, but said the words de-
liberately, and appeared rather serious. On being
cross-examined by the Prisoner's Coansel, he said,
the word di:ma was introduced into the oath, after
Majesty, as thus, " you shall hear true.allegiance to .
his Majesty, damn King George."' Mr. Brooke in- !
advertently added, that he recited the above words, :
and the prisoner repeated them after him. This mis- -
take excited a general laugh, which the CHAIIM AN
severely censured. The witne;s said, a great number
of persons manifested some reluctance against taking
the oath.

Colonel Bowton, who was also a Deputy Lieute-
nant, deposed to the same effect.
Mr. 1-lEywooo, Counsel for the Defendant, said,
a great deal of pains had been taken to crush a worm.
Two Justices of the Peace, and two Deputy Lieute-
nants, attended to give this trumpery prosecution
the greater solemnity ; one of whom, to make his
testimony more impressive, had written the words
down, and read them to the Court. That the words
were spoken was proved—but that was not the point,
the issue the Jury had to try, was, the intention with
which they were spoken—it could not be with an in-
tent to stir up his Majesty's Justices of the Peace, and
Deputy Lieutenants, to hatred of his person and go-
vernment : the first count rhust of course be laid out
of consideration—and as to the second, he thought it
could not be supported; the man was out of humour
at having the oath to take, having got it into his head
as great numbers of persons had done, that taking it
would subject him to go for a soldier. The words,
he admitted, were very indecent, and if they had con-
tented themselves with the week's imprisonment, he
had received, at Wakefield, it would have been well
enough ; but to make it the subject of a grave prose-
cution was ridiculous. This prosecution would cost
the country 2001. which they would have to pay ;
but when he considered the rate at which those who
were last week at the head of affairs, spent the money
of the nation, this was not to he wondered at. Mr.
eywood adverted. to the inflammatory paragraphs
which had appealed list neighbouring newspaper, all
tending to prevent this unfortunate man from having
a fair nul ; but the folly and nonsense of these para-
graphs, was, he thought, a sufficient antidote to their
malignity ; among other observations equally absurd,
it was -stated that the prisoner's grandfather was a se-
ditious character I believe," said he, ‘‘ that some
other person's grandfathers were guilty, not only of
sedition, but attainted of high treason, during"the re-
bellion in favour of the Pretender, and thitt they were
indebted for the recovery of their estates to the mag-
uanipity of a Whig Administration. On the grounds

nf; titis attempt to !tette preltidice, f alight five
moved to remove the trial ; but I was convinced het
a Yorkshire Jury had the good s2nse to treat these i i-
ilammatory writings with the contempt they justly
merited, and, uninfluenced by malignant thisrepre.
sent,itioa, would give an honest verdict between the
country and the prisoner at the bar."
M. A. Tamort, Esq. the Chairman, said, the
words laid in the indictment had been clearly proved
to have been used by the Prisoner ; the question, and
the only question for the consideration of the Jury,
related to the intention with which they were spoken;
and, he thought, that, considering the circumstances
of the case, they might lay nut of their consideration
the first count of the indictment, which charged them
to have been used with an intent to stir up sedition'
and excite hatred of his Majesty's person and govern.
ment. It was to the second count that he would call
their attention, which states the words to be words
of contempt. To judge of the intention with which
they were spoken, the,Jury would consider upon what
occasion, where, and in what connexion they were
used. It was during the solemnity of an oath, before
an assembly of Magistrates, and was introduced'even
into the oath of allegiance ! These were certainly ag-
gravating circumstances, and the jury had the testimo-
ny of Mt. Brooke, and the other Deputy Lieutenant,
that the prisoner did not appear to-be in a passion, er
in liquor, hut spoke them with apparent deliberation
and seriousness. If, from these circumstances, it shall
Appear to you (said the Chairman) that the prisoner
deliberately used the words in contempt of his Ma-
jesty, it will be your duty to find him guilty on the
second count of the indictment. But if it is your be-
lief, fli:it the words were the result of a sudden im-
pulse of anger, or spoken thoughtlessly, without any
evil intention, you will then find him not guilty ; but
that the words were highly indecent and reprehensible,
th:l-e could he no doubt. The Jury, after a few mo-
ments' deliberation, found the prisoner Not Guilty,
and he was immediately discharged.

On Thursd.ty and Friday the General Quarter
Seisions of Potts:mu:lt were held before Samuel

Spic'.r, Esq. Mayor ; lures Burrough, Esq. Re-
corder; the Rev. George Cuthbert, John Godwin,
Esq. Wifliam Goldson, Esq. and Joseph Smith,
E q. Justices.
SINGULAR FRALTD.--John Booth was tried for de.
frauding Messrs. Smith and Robinson, of Portsmouth.
of 850, to which he pleaded guilty, and was send
tencecrto be imprisoned three months. The circum—
stances of this fraud are somewhat singular. The
prisoner wrote the following letter to Messrs. S. and
R. under the fictitious name of Robert Anson:
" Gentlemen, London, August PA: Iso9.
" You are strangers to me ; but, by my relation Mr. Michael
Medcatf's desire, i have made bold to trouble you to settle some
business for me, at Portsmouth ; the purport of which is, to find
a man of the name of J. Booth. He is in the capacity of Look in
some transport. The last letter he sent his friends, he wrote to
direct for him at Mr. James Sandercomb's, Waterman Chapel-
street, Gosport, where, I think, you will hear some intelligence of
him. Mr. Henry Booth, of Oak Farm, near Beverley, In the
Fast Riding of Yorkshire, his uncle, is deceased, and has left him
his executor. I want to purchase Oak Farm for my son, and I
wish you to lose no time in seeing John, to agree with him
for it; for know two or three that want to buy it, but lam in
hopes you will see him first. I mean to go as•far as three thou-
sand pounds for the purchase; but I have mentioned in John's
letter, that I have commissioned you to go as far as £1,500. Get
your attorney to draw out a proper article; whenever sum you
agree for, pay John 10 per cent. deposit. If you purchase it for
.e.. 2,500 I will give you £2OO fur your trouble; for every £lOO
above that sum, I shall deduct 101. from the /2200 I hcpe yeti
will spare no pains, nor delay any time aPer the receipt of this
letter ; I will pay all expences, besides the be'ore-mootiorred com-
pliment. If yuu should have the success to succeed in the busi-
ness, write rue word, and I will either rouse over immediately
myself, or semi a draft for the sum agreed for, and remain your
ever obl:::vd servant, " ROBPAT ANSON."
", N. B. Pirect tor Ar.sor. and :ihaw, ropernakers, Stepney-
Green, .ondon."
In censeeponce of the above letter, Messrs. Smith
and Robinson applied to Booth, and treated with him
= for the purchase cf an estate therein mentioned ; of
course, without the slightest suspicion that he was the
writer of the letter. They agreed to give hint £2,800,
and advanced him £.50, on account of the pure has ;
but previously recommending him not to sell t .e
estate, unless he was satisfied the worth of it ws,
fcred. In a few days al'A.st•wards, Booth apple f -
more money, but Messrs. S. and R. being fro In m
Mr. Hart, solicitor, of this town, who had br ea-
gaged to prepare the writings for the estate, advance I
him £lO. Messrs. S. and R .now wrote to their supp
ed employer, to inform him of the terms being agr,:ed
upon, when it proved that the whole transaction was
the invention of Booth, who, it appears, had only been
discharged from the convict ship a fortnight (where
he had been confined seven years) when he wrote th
letter.

The eldest son of M. Saunders, Esq. was mortally
wounded, last week, by a fowling piece having gone
off, wh:ch he had presented towards him., with the in-
tention of drawing the ramrod. He lived just Itsug
enough to take leave of his truly-disconsolate parents.
Early on Saturday se'nnight Alexander Baron, a de-
serter from the 94-th regiment of fc;ot, and William
belonging to the Edinburgh Glass Works, effected
their escape from the tolbooth, Leith. It appears that
they had wrenched one of the bars from the grate of
the fire-place, with which they contrived to make a
hole in the wall, and, by tying their blankets together,
let themselves down into the market-place. The
height from which they descended is upwards of four
stories.

The present will be the first State Lottery that
ever was Drawn in One Day. Thirty-two Capital
Prizes, besides the numerous other Prizes, amounting
to two Hundred Thousand Pounds, must be gained
on the '2oth of the present Month. At SWIFT and
and Co.'s Offices, No. 11, Poultry, No. 12, Charing
Cross, and No. 31, Ahlgate High-street, the Tickets
and Shares are on Sale in great variety cf Numbers.
There is no amusing grime introduced but what
may induce the player to extend his purse beyond
all bounds of prudence, except the Lottery ; by ad-
venturing a few pounds in the Lottery, you lose no
time, nor are you honied to extravagance beyond
what you are inclined to sport : an adventure of this
kind is voluntary, and 11 it did not meet with the
good humour of the public to promote it, some other
mode must be devised to make up the deficiency of
the • revenue, and the adventurer deprived of the
chance of realizing a fortune ; therefore, it may be
csider ed that
ri sBo RnNoh:s is sustained,
Co.and have
ashouldvriet he
enter-
prize fail.
kets and Shares on sale at the lowest
No. 26,
aty of Tic-
Margaret'seek. Hill, Borough. The
C drawing°rnhii' beginsV d
nextSt week.

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i,

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SPORiING lATELLIGENCE.

WREXHAM, OCFOBER 3.
TILZSDAT—The Town Purse of L5O.
,ott's gr. h. Lichfield, by Gouty -
tlers h. c. Tyger - -
ice's PArvula - - -
Sweepstakes of l Sits. each.
Egerton's b. c. Cestrian, by Gohanna - -
Iton's b. f. Berenice - -
Skveepstakes of t Ogs. each-7 Subscribers.
Terby's b. h. G dadine, by Sutton -
ice's g. g. Banker - - - 3
venpott's ch. m. Silverlocks . - S
:s DA V—A Silver Cup, value 501. given by Sir W. Wynne.
iflith's ch. c. by Edwin - i I
ishury's b. g. by Gayman 2 2
oberts's br. h. by Speculator - 3 9
Sweepstakes of 10g4. each-5 Sobscribers.
;lynn's b. e. Parmazan, by Cheshire-cheese I
.enson's b. f. Playthi .;, - - 2
, W. Wynne's Devana - - 3
{DAT—Handicap Stakes of Sgs. each, with 30gs. added by
the Race Fund.
..loyd's br. b. Artiehokt, by Don Quixotte
Hilton's Berenice
rice's b. f. Parvula -
Ilynn's Parmazan -
inlife's hr. e. Malibeus -
ices Snitterfield c
tanmer's Psalm-singer ..
Sweepstakes of 2Sgs. each.
. Wynne's br. c. by l'ityrus
Glynn's b. c. by Cheshire-cheese

1 1
2 2
3 dr.

1 1
1 2 2
3 3 3
7 4 4
2 5 dr.
4 dr.
5 dr.

I
s

followingie is an extract of a letter from Cap-
.
'razer Smith,.late of the ship Neptune, of Gree-
dated Lima, April 2.5, 18(X9, and received at
;pool : •
We had a tedious pa-sage round Cape Horn,
an American whaler, and gave two broadsides
'ortuguese man of war, who we thought was a
:hman. We put into several places along the
of Pern without molestation ; but one morn-
is we lay at anchor in a creek, we saw a priva.
a.nding right in upon us. We immediately
:he anchor up, and prepared for action, and an
;ement ensued, that was kept up with great spi.
• four hours. We were much hurt in our sails
igging ; but finding us too strong for him, he
advantage of his superior sailing, and left us.—
got Our damages repaired, and from that time
:ember last) till the 4th of February, we remain.
idisturbed. .On that day, however, the said pri-
paid us another visit, accompanied by the Hero
indon, a prize to her. Though these made two
me against tie, I trusted to the strength of my
1, and to the courage of my crew, and I am
to say, that in the result I was not disapp'in-
The firing began when we were within 'pistol-
if each other, and was continued with destruc-
ffect during the whole of the action; they played
I with grape shot froni their 24-pounders
.unmer-
Ly, and would hay* swept away many of my
crew had they armed more at the hull of the
; but their fire was direc:ed, chiefly to our sails
igging, and I am sorry to say they were toosuc-
.l in injuring those materially ; indeed, they
tered the vessel almost unmanageable. We, how-
paid them back in their own way, and succeed-
bringing down the privateer's topmasts and
They stood out for, upwards of four hours, but
tg us too many for them, they put up their helms,
set off, leaving us the field, though the victoryt
learly bought, the vessel having suffered great
and four of my seamen were dangerously
ided. Since I came here lam told the priva-
had 18 men killed, besides _several wounded,
t I readily believe, as our fire was directed lower
theirs, and their decks were crowded with men.
rot our damages repaired as well as we could,
pursued the objects of my voyage, pretty confi-
that we should meet no further interruption. In
however, I was unhappily mistaken, for, on the
•of the same month, I had a new and more power-
temp to encounter. A large privateer, mounting
las and 170 men, appeared in the offing, under an
Tican flag. We soon saw he was an enemy, and
' his neutral flag was intended to deceive us.--
trepared to tight him at the same time that we
moored to avoid him ; we perceived that hi
well, and whenever I found that be gained on
gave orders to slacken sail, that we might the
T bring on an action there was no avoiding.
About midnight we were nearly alongside of
other, and immediately exchanged broadsides ;
tction then went-on, supported on bath sides by
tcessant and destructive fire. After fighting for
!y three hours, neither of us could gain any as-
incy, and the pause th it ensued between then
day-light was employed by both in repairing
tges. At day.l;ght we renewed the action, and
tit desperately ; still, however, so equally we
ted matched, that neither could compel the other
Id, the daring attempts of the one being con-
ly defeated by the valour of the other. You will
:ely believe that we actually maintained this ob-
te and long contest from Monday at midnight
liursday at noon. The pauses that ensued be-
!en our numerous actions were employed by both
instantly preparing for a renewal of the combat,
no sooner had the one cleared away his wreck,
he again manoeuvred, and again renewed the
of destruction. At length my ammunition got
and when we struck, there was not another shot
he locker. My crew were worn out by excessive
lie, tor none of us could sleep long during our
iordinary conte,t, and we had little time to spare
nod. Besides the loss of my vessel, I have to
!nt the fall of Mr. Adisson, my Chief Mate, who
killed on the second day of the action ; as well
tat excellent young.snin, my boatswain, carpen- '
gunner, and four valuable . seamen, were also
in the course of the action, and myself and
of the crew wounded. When the flag that had,
after day, and night after night, bidden defiance
he enemy, was at length struck, the vessel was an
ire reek, and literally knocked to pieces ; our
in-to -mast and main-yard shot away, 01l our sails
tere,l to rags, . and not a single shroud left stand-
,—The Neptune has been condemned, and with
I have lost every thing ; but I hope soon to make
ip again, for I have now got such information of
trade of this extensive and rich country, as will
of the uttn.,st benefit to me.
The privateer that took me was once the W-
m Captain Christie, of London ; and thpugh ex-
?ding yell armed and manned, was given up to a
,g,cif three guns, without firing a shot; so to this
7urostancel may attribute toy capture, and all
a has followed."

Arf,
Mr. t)yott'!
Astley'
Z Ir. Price's
•
Mr. Egertoi
Ld Witton
5
Mr. Apoerl
, Mr. Price's
Mr. 11, yen]
WADNESDA
Mr. Grin)
. Afr. Eilisbn
Mr. Robert
Sir S. Glyni
Mr. Bensor
Sir W. W.
THURSDAY
Mr. Lloyd'
IA Wilton'
Mr. Price's
Sir S. Glyni
Mr. Cunlifi
Mr. Price's
111 r. Hantni
Sir W. Wy
Sir R. Glyi
The fo
tain Fraz
rock, da
Liverpoo
,c We
spoke an
to a Port
Frenchm
coast of
ing, as v
teer qan
hove the
engageni
rit for fo
and rigg
took adv
We got
(Deceml
ed undisi
vateer pa
of Londi
to one
metal, a
happy to
Led. TI
shot of e
tive effec
• on us wi
cifully,
brave cre
vessel,
and rigg
cessful i
rendered
-ever, pall
ed in bt
yards. '1
finding u
and set c
was dear
injury, ;
wounded
teer had
- which
than thei
We got
and pur
dent thai
this, how
20th-oft
itd eneni
22 guns
Americ:,
found hi
We prep
endeavoi
sailed w
us, I ga.
sooner b
Ab
each oth
the actic
an inces
nearly tl
cendanc
snd day
clarnagei
fought
seemed
1 to yield,
stantly
scarcely
stinate ;
till Thui
tureen 01
ip const:
and no 1
than he
work of
low, an,
in the 1:
I fatigue,
extraord
for food
13ment
was kin
as that I
ter, gut
1; killel it
sine of
day aft,
to the
entire
main-te
batters
her I
it up a
the tra
A be of I
• “
tore, 4
ceedin
. bisig c 1
Pcircun
that h
•