Star.
London, England, 1803-04-28 00:00:00

VYFORTUMATS FRACAS AT PO AAAAA D.

Mr. Jetty's moved for writs of bake:: colas to
the Jailor of Dorfet, to bring up the bodies of Mr.
Wood and Mr. Hafting:. who flood charged on
the Coroner's Inqueft with murder ; and alfo for
writs of certiorari to remove the depofitions taken
before the Coroner, and the examinations before
the Magifirates. he gentlemen on whole behalf
he made this motion, he Rated, were officers of
his Majelly's (hip l'Aigle ; and the cafe arofe out
of the unfortunate tranfaflion which took place on
the ad of April lag, between part of the crew of
that (hip and the inhabitants of the ifle of Portland.
—ln the inqueß which had been taken before the
Coroner on the view of the bodies of the three men
who had unfortunately fallen, the Jury had re-
tained a verdia of wilful murder, not only againa
the Lieutenant of the prefs gang, but alto againft
the Captain, and all the perfons of the crew, who
were prefent. He founded his motion on feveral
affidavits which he would detail to the Court. He
accordingly read the affidavits of Lieut. Halting%
of L'Aigle, of Capt. Wolfe, of Lieutenants Smith
and Salmon, and of feveral of the crew ; but as
they aU agreed in Rating the fame outline of faEb.
without detailing each affidavit, we Mall Rate the
particulars as given by them alL—Lieut. Hafting'
depofed, that on the IR of April he received or-
ders fret% Capt. Wolfe, to board the' Chips in Port-
land Road, in order to imprefs feamen ; that fet-
ing a boat and fix men leave one of the finis% he
purfued them on 'bore ; the men in the boat went
to the village of Chain, he followed them, they
were there joined by 3s or 4o of the inhabitants ;
Tome of them came towards him, and alked him
what he wanted He rephed, to imprefs (earnest.
They (wore he fltoold not do it, and ufed a great
deal of infulting language. Finding that he had
not Itrength fuffiesent to cope with them, he re-
turned on board his Ihip, and told Capt. Wolfe,
that if he fent a fironger party, it was probable he
would get as many (cameo as he wanted. The de-
ponent then went to Weymouth to get an Imre&
Warrant from the Mayor, and having procured it.
he went to the Hall, where he was tad. he would
find fix conßables to affilt him, but he found only
one. and he was fo drunk as to be incapable of any
(orrice. The deponent went again to the ifland of
Portland ; but the mob threw (tones at his boat's
crew, and finding he could do nothing, he returned
on IsCrard. Capt. Wolfe gave him diredions to be
ready again the next morning. He went on (bore
the next day; the Captain and a party of marines
alto went on &ore. They proceeded to the village
of Chifhill. Here he heard two guns fired ; the fea-
men retreatedto the village °Mallon, and the prefs.
gang followed them. At Eaton, the mob bad af.
fembkd in the middle of the village. A ccmftable
came forward. and a&ed by what authority they
came there ? He bowed the conftable the warrant
which he had obtained from the Mafor of Wey-
mouth. and pointed out to him that part. by which
all conftables were required to lend their affiAance.
The man replied, " he &could do no fuels thing."
and refuted his affiftance. Capt. Wolfe repeatedly
told them, that he wanted only the feamen, and
advited the inhabitants to retire. At lalag,theCap-
taia felted one man, who was armed with a poker,
which he took from him. He neat (sited soother,
who had a (word; and in the &mile. the pidol
which the Captain held in his letEUad acciden-
tally west of, bat the (hot did no sikeie4 the

inurale being pointed to the ground. Immediately
the mob fired, and fit of their men were wound-
, ed ; the marines re'urned the fire, and unfortu-
nately three of the mob were killed.
John Forte/cue Morgan, matter's mate of l'Ai-
gle, gave the fame account of the tranfaetion.—
When they got to E4flon, the mob had ail-milled
to the amount of between 2 and Soo, armed with
guns, fwords, bludgeons, &c. and laid they would
murder the gang if they advanced. Health flared,
that it was immediately after the accidental firing
of the Captain's pillol that the mob fired upon
them, and wounded feveral of their men. Before
the firing took place, the mob tiled many alts of
:violence, feveral of the clew had received Mcws ;
and there was a cry of mark the Captain—" give
it to the with the Ihoulder knot."

Captain Wolfe, Lieutenants Smith and Salmon
alfo concurred in &piling to the fame effect ; to
which the latter added this important fad, that
upon entering the village, a gun was fired from •
window, by which one of their company was
wounded, and they had not proceeded tar before
another (hot was alfo fired from a window.

Mr. Jaiv is hated, that all thefe material fads
were corroborated by affidavits of all the crew pre-
fent, and one from the Surgeon, Hating that the
wounds their men had received were gun-ffiot
wounds. The Court granted all the motion', both
as to bringing up the prifoners, and for removing
the proceedings taken before the Coroner, and the
depofttious before the Magiflrates.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.