Star.
London, England, 1805-09-26 00:00:00

MURDER OF lifß: BLIGHT:

...t

We yefterday Rated the ottdines of this ntha (hock-
ing murder : we are now enabled to lay. tsefore our
readers further particulars. In our report of yeller.:
day, we were miflaken in mentioning the name of
Scan's, it fhould have been Smelt.
A Core net 's Jury of the molt refpeetable chitafters
in the neighbourhood of Deptford, &c. was yetlerday
morning (worn in before Mr. jassiaos, at the Acorn
Inn, near Greenland Dock; after viewing the body
of the deceafed, they proceeded to examine witneffes,
the firß called was,
Hefter Kitchener—the Rated, that on the 27th of
July left, the went to live with the deceafed, and that
ort Thurfday morning lea he left home to go to his
family, who were at Margate, and that on Monday
Morning,. at (even o'clock, be returned; that he
employed hindelf during the Monday as he ufually
did : he rode out • and that a Mr. Graham dined
with him; that Mr. Graham left hide about three
o'clock, and that her *matter (pent the remainder of
the day as nfual. He came in to his tea, it was then
dark ; Mr. Spatch took tea with him, and they were
together all the evening alone.
[Mr. Spatch was formerly foreman to the deceafed,
but on the 16th of July laR, he purchafed, according
to his Ratement, the whole of Mr. Blight's Rock, yard,
leaCes of buildings, dwelling-hoofc, and furniture,
but on condition that Mr. Blight was to keep poilef:
lion of the houfe for a certain time, and that ha was
to be an inmate.]
About eight o'clock on Monday night Mr. Spatch
came to her in the kitchen, anted for the key of the
counting-houfe and a candle, and that he went to
the privy ; the knew he went there, lite heard the
ti counng-honfe door. through which he had to pals,
!hut; the alCo heard him *hut the privy door after
him, and at the fame inllant the beard a pillol go off
in the ;nage of the houfe. (Here the witnets was
reminded that the was on her oath, and to be careful
what the (aid.) She Paid the (creamed out when the
heard the piaci). Her mailer came into the kitchen,
leaned on the drefer, and (aid, " I am a dead
man." She ran and thus the Rreet door ; the had
jun done fo when Spatch knocked ; the let him in
he ran immediately to the deceafed, and (aid, " 0
my dear Blight." That they led him into the par.
lour. Spatch then defired her to go for affiflance,
which the refuted, faying that the was afraid; Spatch
told her to take hold of her matter's hand, and that
be would go. She would not let him ; but tan her.
Pelf into the kitchen, and jumped out of a window,
eight feet from the ground, and then ran and told
Mr. Froft the publican what had happened, who with
tome other people that were in bishoufe, immediately
ran to the deceafed's bottle, and the with them ; the
never went to bed as long as the deceafed lived, but
was almoti conftantly in the room where be lay; ne-
ver heard him fay he futpeeed any one.
Ryfflionfrom a
.7uryman—How long was Mr. Spatch
gone trom the houfe, until he returned ?—A. Two
minutes, not more, if fo much, I am fore, I will
take my oath of it.
1:1:_ How long after you heard the privy-door (hut,
did you bear the pith)l go off?—A. I taw the Rath
before I heard the report ; the privy door Shut, and
the report immediately followed, at almolt one and
the fame time.

The witnefs laid. The never knew of any fire-arms
being in the houfe ; that the never knew Spatch and
Mr. Blight to have any words; and that when the
murder was committed the knew no perfon to be in
the houfe but herklf, Spatch being in the privy.
The witnefs was now called on to hate what fhe
knew of Mr. Spatch being fired at on the Thurfday
night preceding the murder, when the hated as fol-
lows :—Mr. Spatch and I were alone in the houfe,
Mr. Spatch complained of being ill, and Paid he
wouldgo loon to bed; he fat in the front parlour, with
his head on his hand ; be defired me to (hut the win-
dow fhutters, he never did fo before ; I Phut the win-
dow (hotter' in the room where he fat, he then defir-
ed me to go and bring him fix-penny worth of uy-
hora—l went ; on my return.- I found Mr. Spatch

' Rae;ling at eft Yard gate, talking .to. a man and
(T be Meta-W. been Ant at ;we mat
bP the ?G&W teietber, found. after,fatne•feareh.
tball lying on the flooriseiaslyabont the place where
is, wafter Only fat, the bennit,of the window were
feastetedabout the room, addlfr. Spatch told me a
piece bid lit one fide of his Ilea- I',he examination
this witnefs clokd here ; it lafted.twe hour,.
A gentleman next came forward, and fajd there
weak .witnkfs below, who -could • relate fomething
leached taken place between Mrs. Blight and Mr.
ipatch about five orfix weeks ago; but.the Coropet
:laid he could not.hear it, unlef, it related to the caufe
of the death of the deceafed ; nor could we learn
what was alluded to. .
Richard Frog (worn.—He Rated, that he kept A
:pnblichoufe very near to the houfe of the &ceded
that on the night above Rated the fervant maid of.
Mr. Blight came to his houfe, and Paid, " they have
done for him at laft—the villains have flint my ma(
,ter ! will yru go directly He went immediately,
:and found the deceafed fitting on a chair, fupported
.by Spatch. Spatch alked him to go to Mr. Junes,
the Surgeon, which he did. On his return, he was
often in the ronnr where the deceafed lay: he near
beard him fay he fufpeited any one • the deceafed
was in his perfea finks. Being ailed as to the
Thurfclay:s bufinefs, he related the Rory as he
heard it 'from Spatch and the maid (errant, with
thii, addition—that, Spatch and the maid (errant
tattle to his bottle after it had happened, and told the
Rory. The deponent afked Spatch what he meant
to do ? Spatch laid he meant to go to bed : he afked
' bim if he had any fire-arms to prote& himfelf? Spatch
laid he .had, but had no ammunition; he, the depo-
nent, offered to lend him powder and ball, which
Spatch refuted, laying, they would come no more
that night, as it appeared they did not want to break
.into the houfe. •
Mr. Wm. Jones, Surgeon, fwnrn.—He Rated, that
he lived at Deptford ; that he was fent for on this
melancholy occafion ; that be found the deceafed
lying on a bed on the floor in his parlour ;he took
the deceafed by the hand, who Paid, " Doetor, it is
of ;to ufe, lam done for." Mr. Jones wifhed to fee
the wound ; the deceafed requefted bim to della, and
(its. Jklr. Jones Bated. to ufe the deceafed's own
words) " tri let hips die in peace." ;Mr. Jones, how-
ever,: examined the wound, and (mind a,hall had en-
tered the.belly and palled through h' and had come
Out four inches from his back bone ; he thought the
wound to ¢c mortal. Mr. Younger, another Surgeon,
loon came;. they had a .confeltation, after .which it
was agreed to fend for Mr. Aftley Cooper from Lon-
don: Mr. Jones %Imlay him.,, .On Mr. Cooper's arri-
val,the deceafedwaaremored up flairs,andhis wound
esamined. It was found to be in loch a flats. as to
render any furgica affillanie unneceflary.. It was
fintP)•y covered with .2 gees of linen. Mr. Jones
never Mk ,fhe ,deceafed anti( he died, whieh was
ihmit five miaiites before three o'clock oh the Tuef.
day. Mr: Blight Was perfe&ly fenftble until two
hours before his death. Witnefs feveral times afked
Mei, if he fafpeffed any perfon ? and was always an-
fwered in the negative,. This witnefs was prefent
when Mr. Cooper opened the 64, and was fure
his death was caufed by fomething being forced
through his body, which he had no doubt was a
leaden ball.
Richard March (worn.—This witnefs depofed, that
he had been employed to (earth the privy of the de-
ceaftd's houfe. That in it he found the ramrod of
an ordinary fazed piaci. which was produced. That
he found the ramroad Rending upright. that it could
not have been in the Privy long, for in the fituation
it was placed in whey be found it, it malt have been
'in a different Rate had it been long there. He could
find no piftol, but Paid the privy was many yards
deep, and thought if a piftol bad been thrown in
' with force, it would have funk too far for him to find
it, ostlers the privy was quite cleaned out ; but that
the ramrod being light, could not. be forced out of
light. •
A convocation here took place as to the propriety
of examining Mr. Spatch, when the Jury Room
was cleared. On its being re-opened, Mr. Spatch'
was called in, and (worn. He was firft afked, as to
the piflol being fired at him on the Thurfday;
which he anfwered, as well as to all that has been
Paid of the murder, exactly in the fame words as has
been Rated. Nothing new whatever came out on his
examination, except that he had become the Pule pro-
prietor of all Mr. Blight's Rock, &c.
The examination occupied fix hours, after which
the Jury were locked up for about a quarter of au
hour, when they returned a verdia of Iffiyid Murder
againft Tome perfon or perfons unknown. A farther
inveftigation, we hear, is to take place before the
Police Magiftrates.
Late on Tuefday evening an inqnifition was taken
before the fame Coroner, at Mr. Hart's, the St. He,
lena-Gardens, on the body of Thomas Halfay, carrier,
a young man, who died on Sunday morning lag at
China-hall, Rotherhithe, in confequence of being
nabbed in the belly by John Starling in the fame line
of bufinsfs, the day preceding. as has already been
mentioned.—At a late hour, and after a long exami-
nation, the Jury found a vescliek of—Wilful Murder
ogaelli &arras:.

The re-opening of the Winter Theatres has in tome
meafure dillipated the gloom that hung on the pub-
lic mind but the performance that commences on
Monday next at Cooper's Hall, will far exceed in
intereit and effe&, the moll fplendid efforts of the
Drama. There, a fortunate ikaator, may in an
inftant be railed to opulence and independence by
the magic of 4, Twenty Thonfend Pounds principal
Money,' accompanied by the harmonious notes of
'Abraham Newland, which have hitherto fucceeded in
rendering the Lottery the moll popular of all the
I public entertainments.
The avidity with which Tickets and Shares of the
enfuing Lottery are purthafed, can only be attri
buted to the unprecedented excellence of its Scheme,
in its difplay of numerous Capital Prizes, and the
powerful attraBion of 3000 Benefit Blanks, which
will completely fecure to the Purchafer a benefit of
sal. for the brit three days of drawing at leafi, and
as Monday next will be the fiat day, no time thould
be loft—Adventurers, therefore, kalle and buy, you
may have the greateff choice both of Tickets and
Shares in all the varied Thoufands, and at the lowers
prices, at J. Joussoa and Co.'s Old and truly Fortu-
nate Licenfed State Lattery-Office, No. 3, Pope's-
Head-Alley. Corabill, London.

.. ,

OLD Loan - - •

Tuefday forty-fix prifoners were tried at the Oa
Bailey, thirty-one of whom were convitted of felenics.
viz. G. Henfhaw, for Dealing a pair of boots ; Re-
becca Piper, for Dealing a quantity of printed cot.
ton; W. Richardfon, for Dealing a quantity of wear-
' iog apparel ; Sarah Williams, for Dealing a paper of
finch ; D. Barry, for Dealing a cotton petticoat;
G-Cluignary, for Dealing two brats knockers; Su.
fanny& Davifon, for Dealing a blanket; Sarah Duke,
for Dealing &baffler, and other articles ; W. Barret,
for Ruling two flirts and i pair of Rockings ; W.
Wyattvfor Dealing a quantity of kerfeyinere ; Mary
Sultivap, for Dealing ,two frocks; B. Skell, for Deal-
ing caepentei!s tools; Eleanor Townfen,, for Deal.
ing a koullin gowns Mary May, for Dealing a gown
I Jane Moe,e,riflge, for Dealing a gown, !cc. Martha
Luke, for /loafing and !flipping a child; J. Lemont.
for dealingto.pieces of callico • T. Norman, for
flealir.g a tin tea-kettle; Mary awe, for Dealing a
quart pewter pot ; Mary Ann Jones, for Dealing a
pinafore ; E.Hawkins, -for Dealing two pots ; Lucy
Foley; for Dealing five Dieets; J. Hoford, for Dealing
a .quantiry of. rope.; R. Hirt, for Dealing 6lbs. of
pewter ; Bridget Janice'', for Dealing 25 yards of
printed cotton; Elizabeth Connor and Eleanor Mews,
for Dealing feveral articles of wearing apparel ;
Morgan Reece, for Dealing five filk Rocking'; Ann
Mafon. for Dealing a piece of printed cotton.
Mows Camp, for receiving certain rums of money;
the property of his mailers, Meffrs. Eldridge, Swam,
and Co. and felonioufly embezzling the fame,
Thomas Pearfila, clerk to Herr. Eldridge and Co.
brewers in Holborn, depofed, that the in-doper was
drayman to the profecutors. Having reafon to fut.
pea his honefty in not making a proper return of the
money he received, or the beer he delivered, prfot to
the 27th of Atiguft, the witnefs (poke to Mr. Palk, s
cuflorner of the houfe, who lived at Walwotth; and,
on that day, the Prifoner went out with,' quantity
of beer; when he returned at night, be give an as.
count to the witnefs, from his memorandum book,
of the different perfons he bad left beer with that
day. The name of Pafk was not them. and
the Prifoner raid, he had not received-soy Motets
The witnefs, the next day, went to Ik. talc, and, ft,
confequence of what he told hist dui "Wanes. was
apprehended.
Being crofs•ezamined by Mr. Outset, be Paid that
the Prifoner had accounted for all the beer he reesis4
ed in the morning. but that he did not account for the
money paid by Mr. Pafk, placing the calk of beer he
delivered to him, on credit to tome other cuftomer.
_ _

Mr. Palk (aids that be got a (mall calk of beer
from the prifoner, on the 27th of Augull, and paid
bim 1.4. 9d. for it. The prifoner refilled to give
him a receipt for it, raying, that as he had paid
ready money, there was no oceafion.
The prifoner made no defence; and after the
Learned Judge had commented on the offence of a
fervent robbing his mailer, who had placed confi-
dence in him, the Jury found a rerdid of—Gailty.
Mars Waller, for (haling a (cadet cloak, a check
apron, and a then, the property of John Lewis, on
the r ith of July. The prifoner was a lodger in
Lewis's houfe, in St. Giles 's t and on the morning
of the day mentioned in• the indiament Mrs. Lewis
went out, when the prifoner availedherfelf of her
' abfence, to carry to the chop of • Mr. Page, pawnbro-
ker, in Liquorpond-greet, the (cadet cloak, which
the pledged for cos. 6d. It was claimed the fame
day by Mrs. Lewis, and given op to her by Page,
who fecured the prifoner the following Saturday,
when the came with fume other articles to pswo.—
The Jury found her guilty.

And 53 were acquitted, among whom was
jofeph stringer, for Reeling a 301. Bank of England
note, from a box belonging to John Hendley,
groom, on the 25th of June.
The profecutor, it appeared, was groom to a
Gentleman, whole ftables were in Stratford-place,
where he Ilept, and where, on the evening of the
25th of June, having occalion to leave town, 1:e ktt
the box containing the note. He left the key in the
lock. He was acquainted with the prifoner, a foldier
in the Foot-guatds, and he law him the foilowing
day, but did not mention to him the loft he had Cur-
tained, as he had no furpicions that he could have
taken the note. As he did not know the number of
the note, he applied to Templar's banking•hottfe,
PALMA, from whence it had been allied, and, on
afcertaining the number, he flopped payment at the
11-ink. The profecutor had got the note from a
fiend, alto a servant, to be applied to the payment
of hock.
The note was produced and (worn to by a parrot
named Pergufon, as having been changed by him
with the prifoner, who raid he had got it from Ser-
jeant Needham.
Mr. Juftice MUTH obferved that the evidence vas
very defective, as neither the banker's clerk, wh6
had giVen the profecutor the number of the n,te, or
&leant Needham, who it was Paid had ;riven the
Filmier the note, were called. It was a caie merely
tatintpicion, on which the Jnry, with its ufual
;eminent, would decide—Not GuOty.
Demi: Di'ke was indicted for the wilful murder of
Michael Leaman, by linking him feveral violent
blows on the head and brealt, of which be languiOsed
and died.
It appeared the% the prifoner and the deceafed
were both tailors, and had been very friends.
On the sift of Jane Taft, they were don hg together
at the Jew's Harp public houfe, when an altercation
having taken place between them, they inßantly
went out into the nearer field, and fought. The
battle lifted for upwards of an hour, and did not
terminate until Lenman was unable to rife from the
ground. Shortly after this, he died, and the ;mi•
loner was taken into colic*. The furgeon who ex-
amined the body, raid the deceafed had leveret
flight wounds about his head and breaft, Inch as
were ufually received in boxing ; btu he could not
take upon him to (wear that they were the occafiott
of his death.
Mr. Juftice HaATK oblereed
there was no evidence to convict the
der. The parties, he Paid, on afr
went out to box; and, having ft
derable time, one of them died at .
rind after. They were to confider,
, there circumftances, they could
formr guilty of atanfLughter ?
The Jury iartantly returned a