Star.
London, England, 1807-07-09 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

SHERIFF'S COURT. JULY 6.
CRIM. CON.
CAMTBILL, 111111211 DAN, !SQL
This wa. an atiion to recover a comperfation in
dx age-, the Defendant having been criminally ac-
ntiaint•el with the Plaintiff's wife. To this aaion the
Defendant offered no defence, but fuffering judgment
to go by default, the Sheriff this day fummoned a
Inry to affefs damages.
Mr. Waitasa addreffed the Jury at confiierable
length, and hated the cafe with great feeling. The
Defendant, he laid, was a young man highly fpnken
of in the fafhionable world, and the fnn of a Gentle-
man diltingniflied for his el, quenee and his talents.
The Plaintiff wa. the Inn of a ,Gentleman of large
property in the Well Indies, and married to a lady
cf great beauty and accomplifhments. The marriage
took place in the year 1790, the Plaintiff at that time
tieing only 22 years of age, and the lady fcareely 16.
From that period till the year 1802, they lived in un-
interrnpted trarquillity. In March,tBot, the Plain.
tiff went to the Wen Indies, to fettle Come pecuniary
concerns, and before the year expired, he returned
again to hie family. During his abfence his wife had
mixed in all the faftdonable ditfipations of the town.
The Plaintiff reprefented the imprudence of her con•
dolt. and in the following year prepofed a journey
to Scotland. At Edinburgh the Plaintiff became
'acquainted with Mr. T. Sheridan, who was then
Aid du Camp to Earl Moira, and he was admitted
into the' family upon the moil friendly fooling. In
the month of February, in the following year 5804,
the adulterous intercourfe took place, while the
Plaintiff was abfent en a journey. He loon noticed
a change in his wife's conduit, though he was igno
rant of the cattle ; and on their return to London the
lady propnfed a feparation.confeffing that Mr. Camp-
' bell had 101 l her affection, Though the admitted he
was an excellent man. The Plaintiff ufed every ef-
fort to difTuade her from reparation ; but at latt he ac-
ceded to the propnfition, and they parted. In April
lac the difclafute of his wife's incontinence was made
to the Plaintiff by an old female tenant, who out oil
kindnels to Mrs. Campbell had kept the fecret dote
locked up within her boom for three years; note did
it appear what was at lag net inducement fordifclofing
it. This woman in her evidence depofed, that the
Defendant virited her miftrefs one evening, and about
ten o'clock the heard the hall door fhur, and believed
him gone ; bat having put her miaters to bed, as the
was returning down (lairs, the heard a door open,
and, looking back, &claw the Defendant go into the
chamber the had juft left. The door was immediately
fattened within fide, and Mrs. C. refuted to open it.
The next morning the Caw the Defendant come out
of her miftrefs's chamber, when fie told him, if he
did not immediately withdraw himfelf from the by ufe,
°eV he attempted again to return till Mr. C. came
back, the w'vld (hoot him. The Defendant, to ufe
her own words, " flew down Itairs, and made his
efeape out of the hook." Witne(s then went to her
rnifirefs, who laid the hoped the thooW find a friend
in the witriefs. The witnefs replied, (he would be her
friend in every thing that was tight, and nothing that
was wrong.
Mr. SCIALUTT, the Bat rifler, (poke to the affee.
tionate terms on which the Plaithiff and his wife
lived, previaus to the Plaintiff's going to the Well
Indies.
Mr. Gutmann made a very able fpeech in miliga.
ti.nt of damages. He laid the plaintiff had been
defetibed as a man of fortune • h':t his client, the
defendant, was the very reverie of that, as be had
an fortune. It was true ton, that he was the fon of
Mr. R. B. Sheridan, and that he inherited Come por-
tion of his talents, his wit, and his genius; but that
was all his inheritance. Therefore, if the Jury (of-
fered their prejudice (and that prejudice, in a cafe
like the ptefent, might refult from the bell feeling)
to carry them beyond the bounds of difcretion, and
live euelfive damages, it would be the means of
'hutting ap the defendant in a prifon for the re-
mainder of his days. Surely it was not a cafe of
aggravation. Mrs. C. was moving in the aril circles
of diffipation when the defendant unfortunately met
her; the was giddy in the whirlpool of pleafure, and,
With all that attraction the Lady was defctibed
to
poles, it was no wonder that his imagination thould
be heated, and that he (Mould fall a vj rim to her al-
lurements. The Learned Counfel then exclaimed,
in the words of Shakfpeare,
" Go, knock at your breaft,
a Aft your own heart what there is found
" Like to this young man's fault r'
And concluded, by haling the the Plaintiff had
lolt the affeElions of his wife before Art Defendant be-
came acquainted with her ; and bY impreling upon
tht- Jury the Defendant's incapability to pay heavy
damages.
The Chairman (Mr. Biacmact.),quoted the older.
rations of the late Lnrd Kenyon, and laid that the
Defendant had no tight to fbield himfelf under his
poverty. The law would not admit of loch a defence;
and it the party could not pay in his purfe, he mull
in his perfon. If it were otherwife, the poor man
might inflict the deepeft injury one can commit
againft another with impunity, by laying he has no.
thing to pay.—The July found for the Plaintiff—
Damages—Fifteen Hundred Pounds.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, JULY 8.
WILLIAMS V. HUDSON.
Both the parties in this. caufe are engaged in the
wine and fpirit trade. This was an aainn againfi the
Defendant for criminal converfation with this wile c.f
the Plaintiff.
Mr. Gamow Paid, that cafes of this kind had of
late years to frequently come under the conlideratinn
of juries, that they were all of them acquainted with
the law upon the fubjea. The plaintiff was exten•
lively engaged in the wine and fpirit trade, and 'a ad
formerly 1-ad tranfaaions with the Defe7lant in the
sway of his kufinefs, but no friendfhip fublitled between
them. The Plaintiff, about so or t t years ago, was
martied to a young and then virtuous woman, of the
name of Holbrook, whole parents refided in the
county of Chefter ; and from that time until the fatal
tonne inn between his Lady and the Defendant,
they lived together in a (late of perfea harmony, and
there could not be the lean pretence to fay, that the
Plaintiff for a moment had forgotten what he owed
to his wife, or deferted his connubial dnty. He did
not mean to fay that difputas had not arifen between
'hem, but opus the whole an ardent mutual affeBion