Star.
London, England, 1807-03-16 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF CHANCERY, MARCH 14.

The cafe of Melia and Merryweather, v. ',fella
and others, came on for argument before the LORD
CHANCELLOR. The plaintiff, Either Melbas, was
the natural daughter of the defendant's uncle, who
left her 14,0001. and other claims on his eßate, which
(he fought to recover of the executors. Before an
anfwer was returned to her bill, the married a Mr.
Merryweather, and thereby rendered the procefs im-
peded, as her intereß in the property was tranfmit-
ted not only to her hu(band, but a deed was executed,
affigning the whole of her property to two of the truf-
tees. The fuit was then profecuted by the rruftees
in the form of a bill of revivor, to which the defen-
dant put in a plea, complaining that the plaintiff's
proceedings were imperfect, as the names of the
perfons who had an intereft in the plaintiff's property
had not been Rated. The Counfel in the prefent in-
Rance argued that the defendant's plea was informal,
and the LORD CHANCELLOR ordered the plea to be
amended, if it appeared imperfea.

EX PARTE JOHNSON. A BANKRUPT.

The Bankrupt, in this cafe, was for many years, a
perfon of great fmugglingnotoriety ; but, in confe.
quence of Tome important information he had given,
and tome etfential fervices he had rendered to Govern.
meet, he twice received His Majeßy's pardon. and, as
it may be remembered, was rrleafed from prifon, in
order to pilot the fhips compofing the expedition to
Holland, when his Royal Highnefs the Duke of York
commanded in chief. Johnfon latterly had the corn-
mand of the Neffin revenue cutter. Some time fince
he was arrefted for spool. and confined in the Fleet
prifon, from whence, by a finguhr firatagem, he made
his efcape, and went to fea. He was afterwards made
a Bankrupt, and a few days ago attended under the
Aft at Guildhall, in order to furrender before the
Commiffioners of Bankrupts, and go through his ex-
amination.

Mr. Nixon, warden of the Fleet prifon, and his af-
fatants, attended at Guildhall upon that occafion,
and rook Johnfon into candy, notwithftanding the
remontirance of the Commillioners, who informed
him of the confequences ; but in vain, Mr. Nixon
per-fitted in detaining his prifoner, and carried him to
the Fleet, where he now remains in cuftody.
In confequence of this tranfaetion, an application
was made to the Lord Chancellor to difcharge the
Bankrupt nut of cuftody, and that the Warden of the
Fleet, and his affiflants, fhould fland committed, for
a contempt of the Court, in arrefting the Bankrupt,
and detaining him in cuftody ; it being argued, that,
in proceeding to be examined before the Commit
!loners, the Bankrupt was under the protection of the
Court, from the time of leaving his own houfe, until
his return thereto again ; therefore, that the prefent
arrett was illegal, and the party entitled to his dif-
charge.
The LORD CHANCELLOR delivered his judgment
yefterday, to be, that he could not, under the circum-
(lances, order the Bankrupt to be difcharged out of
candy ; but obterved, that an application might be
made for an Habeas Corpus, from Atte Court from
whence the original proccfs iffued.

H•RRY V. SANDOM.

This eaufe came on upon demurrer to the Plain•
__ _ _ . .

tiff's Bill, which he filed for an account, and other re-
lief, in the premifes.
The Plaintiff had purchafed a hotel, belonging to
the Defendant, and it was agreed that the whole
fhould be valued by a regular appraifer. The
prices of the feveral articles were accordingly fixed,
and among the tell, a quantity of wine was valued
at 9501. and the quantity and quality afcertained in
this manner. A bottle was taken from one of the
binns, which contained the wine, and tailed by the
parties, and the Defendant Rated, that the whole of
the wine was of the fame quality. It turned out,
however, that much of the wine was very bad, and
of a very inferior quality, confiderably below the
value which had been fixed by the appraifer.
The Defendant demurred to the Bill,on the grounds
that this was a cafe for a Court of Law, but not of
Equity.
The LORD CHANCELLOR confidered it a very no.
•el cafe, and one which required Tome confederation;
and he accordingly poltponed his judgment for a fu.
tare day.

ROME CIRCUIT.

CHELMSFORD MARCH 11.

HABBIRTON V. ABRAHAM HEARN AND ANN CRAWL

This was an indiament again( the two defendants,
for ailkulting the profecutrtx ; &11, with an intent to
murder ; and, in a fecond count, with an intent to
rarifis.

This was a very fingular cafe. The profecutrix
was a very pretty and decent-looking young woman,
and the Rory the told was as follows :-
44 That, not being very well, the had received to
leave London, to go to her friends at Stowmarket,
and on the 26th of July the took her place in the
waggon. The two priloners were alto patrengers in
the waggon; and Hearn, the underftood, was bro-
ther to the proprietor. As the night approached, the
made herfelf a bed in the fore-part of the waggon,
and at night went to fleep. Near Stanway, the was
awakened by Heaiii taking tome indecent liberties
with her ; the called out to the waggoner for MDR-
ance, who anfwered her to put her head back, or rife
the would fall out of the waggon : the drew back
and fainted ; but, when the recovered herfelf, the
found the Defendants taking her out at the fide of the
waggon. Crann Aced her to walk a little way ; the
objeaed, becAufe the had loft her thoes ; Crann, how-
ever, prevailed upon the witnel to accompany her
down a lane, but when the had got a little way, the
infifted on returning. Juft at that moment the re-
ceived a blow on the head from fome one behind,
and a kick in the back. A man at that moment,
whom, by his voice, the knew to be Hearn, took
her up in his arms, and dallied her againft the ground.
What happened afterwards the did not know, for the
became infenfible. When the recovered berfelf, the
found herfelf alone in the lane in the dark : the
crawled along upon her hands and knees until the
reached the high road, and then, as it Teemed to her,
the fell afleep, for the dreamt that the was in bed,
and pulling the bed•cloaths over her, which awakened
her, and the found the had a handful of graft: the was
too feeble to rife, and Taw feveral coaches pars, but
the could not make them hear; at hitt a Guard of

one of the coaches raw her, and took her np. She
wad carried to Colchetter, where (he wandered about
for fix hours, fometimes fenfible and fometimes not,
her fenfet, going and returning ; at length (he found
her way to Mr. Hedges, a Magißtate ; the did not'
remember bow, but the told him her Rory. He or.
dered her to be taken care of. The next day /he was
quite delirious, and remained fo for fix weeks, be.
fore (he recovered.
On her croft-examination, he faid the was ill
when (he left town, but the had never been delirious,
nor was the fo when in the waggon.
Abraham Hewett, the waggoner, Rated, that the
Profecuirix called out to him near Stanway, laying.
46 I'm interrupted by there vagabonds." He told
her to draw back, or elfe the might fall out of the
waggon ; the did Co, and he thought he heard her
crying. Before he got to Colchefler, he heard Hearn
and Crann talking in the waggon : he heard Hearn
fay he wished he had not done it. The woman re-
plied, " Never mind, it will be thought fomebody
elfe has done it." When they got to Colcheffer, he
miffed the young woman, and diced the prifoners
what had become of her ? They both laid they did
not know, but that the had been out of her teach in
the night, and probably had got out when they were
asleep.

The Guard of the Norwich mail proved he found
the girl in the fituation the defcribed, and that he
carried her to Colchefter.
Mr. Perkins, a furgeon, proved that he had exa-
mined the girl. From his teftimony, it appeared the
had been molt cruelly ill treated. Her head was
much bruited—enough, in his judgment, to have
produced the delirium ; her neck was feratehed ;
and there was a mark round one thigh, as though
from a tight ligature, with a rope, or fume limn
thing.
Ann Cram, in her defence, (aid, that the Profecu-
trix had (hewn evident figns of being out of her mind
on the road, and that the was much dilturbed juft at
dark : the perfuaded her to lie down and be quiet,
which the did at laft ; and when the thought that the
Profecutrix was gone to fleep, the herfelf alto went
to fleep, and never waked until they reached Col-
chefter. When they arrived, they mUfed the young
woman.
Mary Squirrel was called, but the completely con-
firmed Hewett as the converfation, and Rated,
that Crann, in the latter part of the journey, behaved
fo indecently with Hearn, that the witnefs rebuked
her for her conduit. She Rated further, that Cram
had talked of what had happened on the road, and
laid they had ufed a young woman very ill, and the
was afraid " bad would come of it."
The Jury, without hefitarion, found both the psi-
loners Guilty.
CROWN SIDE.—MURDFRS.
John Muskets was indieted for the murder of his
wife, on the 27th of September lag, at Colchefter.
Thomas King and his wife, the w:,neffes againft
the defendant, Rated, that he was a foldier in the ift
battalion of the 4th regiment, quartered at Colchef-
ter. The prifoner and his wife, and the ss itneffes,
were lodged in the fame room. About five o'clock,
on the day Rated in the indiement, the prifoner came
home, and (aid he would have fome dinner ; his wife
raid the would put the kettle on, and get him fome
tea ; he replied that he would not have tea always,
he would have fome bacon. His wife accordingly
got him fome bacon, and laid it on a (tool near the bed
where he was lying. He then grumbled becaufe he
had no potatoes. She immediately let herfelf about
preparing fome. He damned her for not making
more hafte ; the replied the could not handle the dir-
ty kettle, and iron the officers' linen, at the fame time.
He Paid he would have no half words and grumbling
at him, and immediately knocked her off the (tool ;
the gave him a fmall blow in return, on the thins,
with the muzzle of the bellows, upon which he kick-
ed her, and threw her acrofs the room. The witnefs
then interfered, and laid he Should not beat her any
more. He (aid he would, " the was his own wife,
and he would do as he pleafed with her, and he would
kill her as loon as not." He again gave her, feveral
violent blows on the head ; the poor won an attemp-
ted to walk acrofs the room, but was very lame, and
obliged to lie down on another foldier's bed. Her
hufband made her come from thence, and lie on their
own bed. She was very Fick in the evening, and he
appeared tarry for his conduit. The deceafed was
put to bed, and nothing more occurred until the wit-
nefs heard the prifoner calling in the night " Betty !
Betty !" and Paid his wife was only ill. The other
woman got up, and found her quite dead. The pri-
foner then, in a (late of remorfe, went down on his
knees, exclaiming be was a wretched man, for he had
murdered her.
The LORD CHIEF BARON told the Jury, that this
was a clear cafe of murder, and the Jury having found
him guilty, he was fentenced to be hanged on Satur-
day morning.
Thomas Butler, William Ward, Daniel yams, and
Daniel Baram, four countrymen, were inditted for
the wilful murder of Alexander Macdonald, a pri-
vate foldier in the 79th regiment of foot, on the 25th
of July laft.
John Ofborne and Henry Daniels, two lads, Rated,
that they were at Claxton fair on the 251 h of July
Taft, and were at the Blackfmiths Arms, where there
was a company of country people dancing until very
early the next morning. They taw the foldiers come
in, who infifted that they Should have the room to
themfelves and their women, and that the country-
folks Should not dance there. The countrymen
then went into another room, and infifled that the
foldiers (hould not come among!' them. Some of
the foldiers intruding, they were (Loved out by the
countrymen. The foldiers being (hut out, drew their
bayonets. The countrymen armed themfelves with
Ricks. A fcuffle enfued, and the foldiers being worft.
ed ran to their barracks at Weeley, and were followed
by the countrymen armed with Hick; ; but neither
of thufe witneffes law the deceafed until after he was
dead, and could not tell who knocked him down.
The principal witnefs was Samuel Bird. He Rated,
that the foldiers began the quarrel, and threw a bay.
onet at the countrymen before they had (truck a
blow. The countrymen then armed with Ricks, drove
the foldiers down (lairs, and purfued them towards
Weeley. Bird was among the party, and he threw
his faggot Rick, which hit the deceafed, and made
him fall. Baram immediately came up and gave
him another blow. Ward immediately jumped upon
his body, and Paid, 66 D—n him, if you had not
killed him, I would." Baram fhortly after laid,

" There lies the Scatfman-1 have killed him ;"
and Butler faid he had given him his gruel. Butter
and Baram both hid their flicks amonrt fame nettle,
and as they were coming back they &id they mutt
lay nobody could tell who did it.

Mary Bacon, a young girl, Rated, that Ike alto
went to Claxton Fair, and that the faw Butler with
the mob who followed the foldiers ; the law the dead
foldier ; and when the came back to the public houfe
Butler laid, he feared he had killed the Scotfman ;
(he replied, fhe feared that he had, and afked what
he would be done to for it ? He replied. nothing ;
there was no law for killing a Scotch f Idler.
Several whey witneffes were called, who crntra-
dieted the fad that Butler was among the rn,b who
followed the foldiers. Powell alfo adde,l, that he
was lute the witncfs, Amy Bacon. was not near the
dead body, for the was not out of his company, and
the was of a very prole character.
The LORD CHIEF BARutl rimmed up the evidence
with great dillindnels, and defired tie Jury particu-
larly to confider who were the aggretrors, and cau-
tioned them not to rely on the evidence of the accom-
plice, when it was not ct.r.firn.ed ; at the fame time
obferving it was unconfirmed, except by Mary Bacon,
who appeared to be of had charader, in what the
had Rated r.f Butler
a„nd Bar:tm.
The Jury, alter a fhort hefitation, acquitted all
the prifoners.
Peter Soderoty was inllidcd for the murder of Jacob
Sanlltom, on board the Ihip Memphis, on the i3th
of February lad.
By the evidence of the Captain it appeared, that
the prifoner and the deceafed had been quarrelling
the whole of the day of the accident, and when they
were both alone in the forecattle, the Captain heard
a loud cry as if of one in pain. He went down below,
and faw the deceafed fitting on a cheß, with a wound
on his right breaß, and the blood running from it.—
The deceafed laid. " See what the Carpenter has
done ;he has flat:shed me." On the 14th of the
month he died at Tilbury. Verdid—Guilty of Man-
flaughter.

A reprieve arrived on Friday at Reading gaol,
from Sir &mu:nu LAWRENCP, at Worcetter, for
Aaron Medwin, who was under lenience of death
for [hooting Wiliiam Hatch, at Cookham.
At Northampton, William Loin, for highway rob.
bery t yob: trek, for [beep ftealing ; and William
Hickafon, for burglary, were found Guilty, received
fentence of Death, and were afterwards reprieve 1:
Robert Stafford, tor adrniniftering poifon, with intent
to kill his vice, was alto capitally convitled (after a
trial of eight Lours) and left for execution.
The prifoners who received lenience of death, at
Winchefter, are all reprieved.