Star.
London, England, 1824-01-30 00:00:00

" TO MRS. LAING.

" Charles-street, August 5, 1823.
" How shall I address you, my unhappy daughter, and be able
to convey to your mind a sense of my affliction, without breaking
my resolution not to reproach you for that which must, at any in-
terval of reflection, weigh heavily an your heart. Consent, then,
to listen to the dictates of your conscience, and fly from the presence
of him who has sought your ruin, and rest assured you will, in the
bosoms of members of your own family, find a refuge, where no-
thing shall ever be said or done to add to your sorrows, but all will
contribute to your comfort. Harry (one of the lady's brothers)
will receive you. Let me again earnestly entreat you to avail your-
self of this only hope. Fly to some spot where I can see you alone,
and acquaint me with it ; and thus prove you still retain a degree of
regard fur the peace of mind of your too heavily afflicted mother."
To this letter the defendant sent this heartless answer:
" Madam—l have this day received a letter from you directed to
Mrs. Laing, which, having her authority so to do, I have opened.
In reply to it, I beg to inform you that it is her fixed determination
not to do that which you request. I assure you, that in returning
so positive an answer, I am only conveying to you Mrs. Laing's
sentiments, and were I to give you any 'hopes of an alteration in
her sentiments. it would only be deceiving you. I am, Madam,
your most obedient servant."—Signed John Delantare, and addressed
to Mrs. Steele, No. 21, Upper Charles-street, Northampton-square.
This was the letter of a married maa, the father of a
family of children, to the mother of the woman whom
he had betrayed to infamy and ruin. After some fur-
ther observations, Mr. Scarlett concluded, ex presing l'is
satisfaction to leave this case in the hands of the Jury ;
and, though well aware of the powerful effects cf the in-
genuity and arguments of which his Learned Fi lend
was so great a master, yet he had no doubt that the
feelings of nature and honour (all which were inlisted
on his side) would repel the effects of Mr.l3:oughain's
zeal and eloquence.
Mr. Dodd, of Aldersgate-street, knew the plaintiff
and his wife were mutually happy till this affair.
Miss Isabel Steel, sister to Mrs. Laing, was next sup-
ported into the Court, bathed in tears. Having sur-
mounted her horrors, she deposed, that she visited them
frequently, and they lived happy, and have now living
five fine children; Mrs. Laing was much attacked to
her children, and educated them upon strict principles.
Mr. Laing was frequently absent on voyages; during
that time she displayed the same pains in instructing
them, and always expressed great pleasure at receivieg

a letter from her husband. Witness's brother became
candidate for the Stewardship of I lertford College. and
it was there Mr. Delaware got acquainted with
Laing; witness's mother is 63 years old ; three of-the
children are with her, and two at school. •
Miss Ann Steel was next supported into Court, but
her affliction was so great she fainted, and was taken out.
Mr. Robert Steel, brother to Mrs. Laing, deposed,
he was the means of introducing Delamare; his sister
married in 11312; the day after they came to the house
of witness's father; Captain Laing is about 33 years
of age; there appeared one uniform affection existing
between them, he went several voyages, and she con-
ducted herself with the most strict propriety ; Mrs.
Laing's conduct as a wife and mother was always cor-
rect until this affair. The letters produced are of the
hand-writing of witness's sister.
Cross-examined by Mr. COOPER—Neither his father
nor mother knew of her marriage with Captain Laing,
until after it took place ;they had never seen Mr. Laing
before the union.

Mr. Manning knew Mr. and Mrs. Laing, and had
for seven years ; has been in the habit of seeing them
daily almost; always saw mutual happiness ; Mrs.
Laing, up to the time she saw Delamare, was a tender
mother and affectionate wife ; he generally acted as her
husband's agent ; she grossly abused witness's con-
flience about going to Epsom Races; she first promised
to go, and then rejected, bat afterwards went with
Delamare; witness remonstrated with them both after.
but the intimacy continued notwithstanding Delamare
had promised to discontinue his visits.
S +rah Petty lived ,:ervant with Mrs. Lting till she
(pitted her house ; on witness first going she appeared
to pay the most strict attention to her children, two of
them slept in her room, and one in witness's: she fre-
quently received letters from Mr. Laing, and was vi-
sited by people of fashion; she has often heard her
mistress express anxiety about her husband ; Delamare
slept there the night of Epsom Races, once soon after ;
on which night witness heard him come up stairs from
his own bed-room, and enter her mistress's; about
half an hour after they both came out ; they appeared
to scuffie, and witness thotT,ht her mistress had hold
of the bannisters of the stairs, for she said, 66 Oh, my
GOD ! I will not go down."
They then both went over the stairs, and entered
,Ir. Delaware's bed-room, where she remained all night.
The next morning, about eight o'clock, when witness
went up to dress her, she appeared to have been crying.
Mr. Delaware came to the top of the stairs, and asked
witness if she wanted to make his bed befoie breakfast ?
Upon her answering No! he said, 16 For I feared you
would dust my cloatlis." This excited witness's curio-
sity, and she entered the room in the interim. Thete
appeared to have been two persons sleeping itt the bed.
After breakfast Mrs. Laing went up and removed the
sheets. After this a carelessness took place with regard
to her children ; her former nurturing had vanished.
When she went before the Lord Mayor, Mr. Delaware
seemed to controtil her ; he said she must go as his
witness ; he used to open her letters, and had the general
power ; he gave me directions when they left the house,
to give the children to the next friend who came, and
let them take their chance: on leaving, she exclaimed
to her youngest daughter, " My dear little girl, I
shall never see you more." Delaware would not let
her see the children after.

Several other witnesses were called, who spoke to the

exalted situation of the defendant, and that he had a
marriage portion of '2301. per year with his wife; and
that, soon after, a sister died and kit him 2501. per ann.
more, besides much other property; he kept a regular
retinue of servants, a carriage, and stud of horses.
Mr. Jenkins, the Gentleman who was taken before

the Lord Mayor, spoke to the origin of the quarrel, and
that he then used his greatest influence to keep it from
the public eye, in which he partly succeeded, that she
might not be exposed.
Mr. BROUGHAM here made a very ingenious speech
to the Jury, in mitigation of damages; he contended
the law never intended a Jury to deliver out punishment
and cruelty, when the action called upon them for ade-
quate compensation only ; the Jury could not take this
upon themselves he was sure ; no man would hold up
that commercial men ought to be protected more than
him, and no man lamented his fate more than his client;
for by it he had been ruined, and banished from his
country ; he was no longer a Solicitor, and had left a
wife and four children, who would be punished by
whatever damages might be given by the Jury, for it
would fall on them; the wife had the property; it was
her's, and not her husband's; therefore he trusted the
Jury would not send them to distress and disgrace by
visiting them with excessive damages that they were
unable to pay; the law did not give that province; that
something was due he admitted, and with these obser-
vations he left it to them to decide.
After an asldre-,s from the Sheriff, the Jury were
locked up for nearly an hour; on our return they had
found a verdict.—Damages 2,0001.

During the time of Hunt being placed on board the
Justitia hulk, at Woolwich, on Wednesday, two con-
victs contrived to make their escape from the ship ; one
of them has been retaken, and strict search is making
after the other.

LOOKING-GLASSES AT REDUCED PnicEs.—The No-
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