Star.
London, England, 1802-05-29 00:00:00

DUELLING.

•
:110MBAY, JULY tfl.
• The Quarterly Seffinns commenced here on the
t4th init. before Sir WILLIAM SEE', Recorder,
and his Affisciate Jidges.
The Recorder having addrefred the Grand Jury
in a very eloquent and impreffive fpeech, eluci-
dating the Law, as applied to the various Bills
that were to be brought before them, and parti.
cularly upon the fubjeft of duelling, the Grand
Jury retired, and the Court adjourned until the
following day at ten o'clock, when the Grand Ju-
ry returned a True Bill againft Lieut. G. B. BEL-
LEsis, and Capt. C. W. 13111 e, for the murder of
Mr. A. A. FOIL BE s MITCHELL, and no Bill againft
Lieutenant MITCHIE, whole name flood in the
fame Indiament. _ _

Mr. Downs swe Lt., as Advocate for the Crown, I
then moved that Mr. Mitchie might be put to the
Bar and tried upon the Inqueft of the Coroner,
with the view, as he declared, of bringing Mr.
Mitchie forward as an evidence upon the trial of
Lieut. Bellafis and Capt. Byne, which being op-
pofed by Mr. MOR LEY, as Counfel for thofe Gen-
tlemen, and the Court having heard the arguments
adduced for and againft the Motion, they were
pleafed to rejed it—upon which Lieut. Bellafis and
Capt. Byne were put to the Bar.
Mr. DowngswELL, having addreffed the Jury
on the part of the Profecutton, evidence on both
fides was heard, and the Prifoners, both of whom
addreffed the Court, having finiffied their defence,
at nine o'clock at night the RECORDER fummed up
.the whole of the Proceedings with his ufual per-
fpicuty and accuracy, and delivered his Charge
to the Jury in a manner which refleded the higheft
credit on his abilities and impartiality. The Jury
retired at midnight, and at half paft one o'clock on
the morning of the 16th, returned their verdift—
Guiliy, but recommended the Prifoners to mercy.
JULY ao.—The Court having this day met at
t o'clock, purfuant to adjournment, Lieutenant
Gamma BRIDGES BELLASIS, and Capt. CHARLES
WILLIAM Byes were put to the bar, and being.
afked, in the ufual form, what they had to fay why
fentence of death fhouldnot be paffed upon them,
they feverally addreffed the Court in a few words
—throwing themfelves upon its mercy.
The RECORDER then addreffed the prifoners in
a long and very affeding fpeech, wherein hi reca-
pitulated the leading eircumftances of this melan-
choly cafe, and took occafion to admoniffi the au.
dience, to take warning from the unfortunate ex-
ample before them, of the danger of /bit* in the
face of the laws, and aduated-by falfe notions of
honour, feeking the lives of their fellow creatures
or raking their own, by that molt barbarous prac-
tice of duelling.
The RECORDER then informed the prifonersthat
in confideration of the Jury having recommended
them to mercy, the Court had determined to avail
themfelves of the late gracious at of his Majefty,
which enables the Courts in India, to award fen-
tence of tranfportation inßead of execution
offenders in certain cafes, as they (hall fee fit ;
and further, that from fome favourable oirenm-
fiances which had appeared on the trial, affeding
the cafe of Captain Byne, as well as a reprefenta-
tion which had juft been put into his hands from
the officers of the 86th Regiment, flatting that up-
on a former occafion of this nature Captain Byne
had interfered and happily prevented a duel in
the Regiment, the Court would be induced to re-
commend him to his Majefty for pardon, but that
the cafe of Lieut. Bellafis appeared in a very dif-
ferent point of view, and he muft not wed the
fmalleft remiffion of his puniffiment.
The RECORDER concluded by laying," It there-
fore only remains for me to pronounce the fentence
of the law, as the Court have determined to apply
it—which is, that you George Bridges Bellafis,
than be tranfported to the slattern coat of New
South Wales, for the term of fourteen years—and
that you, Charles William Byne, (hall be tran-
(ported to the fame place, for the 'term of (even
years."