Star.
London, England, 1820-04-01 00:00:00

MALTA GOVE•RN~IIENT GAZETTE, FEB. 2.

TRIAL FOR THE LATF. PIRACIES IN TIIE
I\IEDITEItRANEA /4.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27.
Charles Clzristepher Delano, Thgmas Thompson,
Benjamin Wilcock, John Smith, John Lewis, Reuben
Marshall, John Kbb, and John Cuttis, were put to
the bar, charged with having feloniously and pira-
tically assaulted the brig Helen, on the high seas ;
with having forcibly entered into the said vessel, put
the Master arid mariners in fear of their lives, and
with having taken therefrom sundry bale goods, and
other articles, as specified in the indictment. The
prisoners all pleaded Not Guilty.
The CROWN SOLICITOR, having stated the case for
the prosecution, produced his evidence, which con-
sisted principally of two seamen belonging to the
brig Helen, and who were on board when the piracy
was committed; of Lieutenant Hobson, and a 3lr.
Midshioinan, under his command, who went
in search of the WilliAm to Smyrna, and who seized
her on her being identified by the two seamen ab-we
mentioned, who pointed the William out instantly
on seeing her aniongi ozher vessels, as the
pirate which had plundered the A-Men ; of various
written confessions made by the prisoners on the
voyage down from Smyrna, and while in quarantine
at Malta; and, lastly, of two of the accomplices in
the piracy, who had been allowed to turn King's
evidence.

The examination lasted two whole days, and the
Court adjourned each 'night between nine and ten
o'clock, when the Petty Jury were shut up in the
tapestry-loom of the Palace, which had 'been pre-
pared for the occasion, and proper officers were
placed in attendance over them, to prevent every
species of communication.
On the third day, about noon, the evidence on the
part of the Crowe closed, when the prisoners were
put on their defence. The Captain, in his defence,
although warned frequently by the Court of the folly
of such a proceeding, persisted in acknowledging
the fact of the piracy, but stated that he had been
an unwilling agent on the occasion, having been
confined the whole time in the hold of his vessel by
his own crew. ..
The Mate and the crew banded in written defences
for their Counsel to read, which consisted in denying
the fact, and in asserting the insufficiency of the evi-
dence produced against them.
The only witnesses called on the part of the pri-
soners were to character.
The defence of the prisoners closed at about two,
P ht. when Mr. WRIGHT, at the solicitation of his
Excellency the Governor, and the other Commis-
sioners, summed up the evidence, and made a
charge to the Jury en such points of law connected'
with the evidence as required explanation.
The Jury re.ired about seven, p. m. and, after a.
consultation of three hours, returned a verdict of
Chtiitje against all the prisoners at the bar.
MONDAY, JANUARY 31. •
At nine o'clock this morning the prisoners were
again brought to the bar, and the sentence of the
law was passed upon them.
We subjoin the concluding part of the Judge's
Address to the unfortunate criminals :
" To you, Charles Christopher Delano, I more
particularly address myself, in the name of this
Court—to you, who have been the guilty mover of
this dark conspiracy. We should be loath to aggro- The teeter Theatre, lately destroyed by fire, is
rate the bitterness of those feelings which you must to be immediately rebuilt, upon a new and improved
suffer when you look upon these unhappy victims of plan. The company, until it is completed, perform
your criminal artifices; but we feel it our duty, in in the Subscription Rooms, which have been neatlythese last words which we can ever address to you, fitted up as a temporary Theatre.
to awaken you to a sense of the nature of your guilt. Floss in "Z 14' Fc'it'—.The "tavtiag is a cornet ac=
•, --Actuated by motives of revenge, and goaded on count of the dreAdful fires that have lately taken peace in the new
by desperation, to retrieve that property which you Forest, in pants ;-I,ast week' the fires that have so long creased
terror In the minds of the residents itr the• New Forest,•llr.rts,
' had forfeited by a former act of delinquency, y increased to an alarming degree;' five large incbsures were all
forsook the paths of honour and rectitude; youou
burning at the same time, and considerable damage his been
abused the confidence reposed in you by those friends done to the young oaks and hollies, Last Sunday, two fires, cf
wii.hadlcindly lent their aid to retrieve youf broken intmene size, were first observed by Mr. Botactes family, who
Gi.veSthsuLeicLabr "nand rheth„el' tkenefEterhesiftiornitlb: wnho e going
small
alarln f
of
Lacy
ofOrtune, and perverted the means which their good-.
ness had placed at your disposal with that view, to as it had the .trilearance of being close to rolitiefteadn Vona.—
t"ti
the most nefarioss purposes; and thus have brought At Linwood, damage hat brew done to the amount of .cite xo,
both yourself and these unhappy men to the dreadful silver desert
Eanns,ratt committed ter stealing slit
slisitviearnde.srearvtiorrp,ia..need thlliectielvneit
on pretence
tbie heus.e of CA
situation in which you now appear before us. Deep
anacelt.::ichtarrtying ticvel
has been your guilt; let your contrition be in the a pair of Lietee seees to Mrs. Bemirre
same degree lively and sincere. There are some was' up stairs %Vial lOLA, he cos/tainted, the ..obitcry.. 13-A
the servant, misiing the:uncles, ithinedtately pursued .14M, r.--'d
others among you to whom we would particularly -had him taken. Be had played a sitniftr trick at the tic--se
address our admonitions, if we could distinguish of Mr. Va.t.tw, in G.e#:Jan.o.-street, Bedford-rt.w.
them from the rest ; but as we are not enabled to do . " , . .• • VOYING.
so from the evidence before us,` the application of Monday list, a. pitched battle for .Z2O a-side, half-rnirr:te
time, was c
these admonitions must be left to the consciences of o.uebe at IL:rola-gate,. near Brentwood, between .f.
such of you as must knew and feel themselves to be ;74Z:01-41=ttiLl 1
iciiler, and P. Beckwith, a Otat:cr
,bpcit
.:rnceoe. i c ..tax
tinotnhee
ob,colaricrit
the individuals alluded to. In the name of the Court list, but each living
*One. litl
as
I speak to that man, whoever he may be, who stood . .....c- ...S 15CC7174, mere ettendot by Joshua /Judson,. who oEC i-. 5.4., .1 h;
twidoi. his s4altins into .the ring iu. due form, and was irrnne-
sentinel over the imprisoned crew of the Helen, just •diautelly f.oullifiawa.:4lntby.l,llea eksivii:l.t.
tAt setting-to both men appeared
before the period when your vessel was cast off tioin
isgraegerca,uartiTs
naletclir :me.
her, and who in that dreadful moment could unfeel- t.;ilteAmYli'rsteappe:l the'sgiv'et 117 agn.th.
ingly endeavour to lull those unhappy sufferers into 6th round. Aker the meat determined lightingl for abountt.in
hour, tare issue was very .!,.tibtful. Antra bled profusely at the
a fatal security, which had nearly rendered in vain
tnhose.,7otahnd Is,:dk‘tvhithba's
kentuffia-taill W. 15 much vieereel. Aetna
every effort fur the preservation of their lives—to
opponentsou w,as
gcaiiiingt.stzety;iynridrp. remids of wtesksuess, while
that man who, in the act of abandoning then' to hise
their fate, could. cruelly mock them in their agony odds were offered 10 to I is favour o' faiVbri:lll, but nolgt takers.
with a promise of speedy liberation, on condition.- of —contrary to the advice of his friends, li.:ekwitli stood p ten
their passive continuance nutter that confinement moreff rounds, but without the shades,/ of anew i ; and, front the
unablet Lcts
veerelycpawr
.•r T.
which was intended Vensure their destruction. Toof acottmcienetnoettniims
eblowiibiur thweaninteirt;tir: round, he was
ithat man also, ehose ferocious spirit first suggested congnetor. limb men left the graotind maser. severely
! the thought of destroying the crew of the plundered
1
vessel by scuttling her, and abandoning them in that
coudieton, deprived of every means of escape, and
every hope of preservation. • Aud to all, who con:i The fight lasted one hour and fifty mi.nnes. It is computed
that upwards of lOW personas were 'she) r-!sent. .
valpAurninliil:t , conamstomtnlyratees iltwitas.... :•!agtha.inpintnhino ten f Fest% mie
Llielnitford, on Tuesday nem, got' 20 swims away. 14" "I