Star.
London, England, 1819-09-18 00:00:00

OLD BAILEY SESSIONS.

TRIAL OF STENT.
Henry Stent was this day put on 'his trial, charged
with haring stabbed his wife, Maria Stent, with in-
tent to kill her. There were three counts in the in-
dictment. Maria Stent was called.

Mr. ALLEY objected to the evidence of the wife
against the husband. He knew no case in which
such testimony was admitted, except that of Lord
Audley.
Mr. Justice BEST said, if there had been no deci-
sion on the case, he should take the evidence, for the
protection of married women. The case of Lord
Audley was a most powerful one, which had all the
possible legal assistance that could be given.
Mr. Baron GRAHAM considered a dying declara-
tion from a wife, evidence, and could not hesitate in
taking the evidence of the wife in this case.
. .

Mr. Justice RICHARDSON was of the same opinion,

Maria Stent.—" My Lord and Gentlemen, I hope
you will not ask me to give evidence." (In great
agitation.)
Justice 13EsT.—I cannot help it. I shall ask you as
few questions as possible: it is your duty to answer."
She then stated that the prisoner was her husband;
that she had gone to France twelve months ago, and
teturned the sth of August, on which day she sent
a letter to her husband in Pimlico ; she saw her hus-
band in the course of that day, at the Saracen's Head,
but had no recollection of any thing after she saw
him; she did not recollect that he did any thing to
her; the first thing she recollected was her being in
St. Bartholomew's Hospital ; she had wounds upon
her person.
Cross•examined by Mr. ALLET.—She had no chil-
dren ; her husband was an excellent one.—Mrs. Stem
was asked no further questions.
King, the Waiter at the Saracen's Head, stated,
that the prisoner arrived, and was introduced to the
room where Mrs. Stent sat. Mrs. Stent got up to
meet him, and witness shut the door, leaving them
together. In ten minutes he heard a shriek, and on
going into the room saw Mrs. Stern on her back, and
the prisoner standing close by. A knife was lying
on the floor, and it had blood upon it. The woman
was wounded : she said she hoped no harm would
happen to him for what he had done—that she had
been a very base wife, and he was the best of hus-
bands. An Officer was sent for.

Pithouse, another person employed at the Sara-
cen's Head, deposed, that he saw the prisoner stab
Mrs. Stent in the neck. After' which Stent said, " I
have accomplished my purpose, and wish for nothing
more. I know I shall suffer for it." She said, " You
have, you have, Henry, and I freely forgive you, and
11 hope the law will take no hold of you—kiss me,
kiss me." He kissed her twice, and she said he had
been the best of husbands, and she had been the worst
of wives. She then said, " she highly deserved all
she met." Witness took her to the Hospital—when
witness entered the room, she cried out, " take him
away, take him away, he'll murder me." Stent
dropped the knife. The knife was produced, and
identified by Pithouse.

Turner, a waiter, was the first person who went
into the room after the shrieks. Stent had his knees
upon his wife't stomach, and stabbed her in the neck.
This witness then repeated what the other witness
stated. He said " You are a rash man, and have
signed your own death warrant," Stent said he had
cause, for she had been a base woman. She said,
" Indeed, indeed, I have." At her request, Stent
kissed 'her. She said she freely forgave him, and
hoped her fate would be a warning to all bad wives,
or women.—He was taken into custody ; he made
no resistance.

The officer who apprehended Stent deposed that
he said "I am the man." There was a letter and a
razor case in his pocket.

Mr. Benwell, surgeon of Bartholomew Hospital,
stated, that Mrs. Stent was brought into the Hospital
on the sth August ; she had wounds--one had pene-
trated the windpipe ; it might have been the cause of
her death. Though she had not had surgical assistance
she might have done well, it was probable—she had a
wound in the front of the breast, a superficiM cut;
another on the right breast, which was likewise su.
perficial—it might be the eighth of an inch. She had
a wound on the right side, and the right lung was
wounded it was a dangerous wound, and much
bitiod came from her. The wound of the lung might
have occasioned her death. She continued in dan- I
ger several days. The knife produced would inflict
these wounds.

Mr. Justice Barr-0 Now is the time to speak in
your defense Henry Stent."

Stent.—" I leave the case entirely to my Counsel."
Witnesses were called.
Charles Edward Clark, of Pimlico, knew prisoner
well. He bore the best of characters—was kind-
hearted and good-natured.
James Lee knew prisoner eight or nine years; al-
ways thought him harmless, mild, and inoffensive.
Thomas Glandon knew him eight years, to be civil,
good-hearted, and industrious.
Thomas Shaw knew him nine years, and be is an
excellent husband.

1 , Thomas Baker knew him to be the most mild and
humane man imaginable.
- Several other witnesses were called, who said he
sras'alltayi kind and affectionate to his wife, and very
44ritable n°Pers°4.“4l(l be lAttet disposed. Sumie
• • • 0-.+c- -4.14 : • •• •• • -

of these witnesses knew him 12 and 11' y(
oae of them knew him 20 years. This mail
was the best son and husband that could he
any where. The body of the Court was
with witnesses to the unfortunate prisoner's ,
Twenty-five relpectable men were examined.
Mr. Justice Best—A most painful task
latdves on me. We cannot but be sorry to
man, who has sustained such a character,
into the commission of an act of which
bye and by, determine, whether it arises fre!
ferocity which comes within the meaning of
The Learned JUDGE here proceeded to nass
,eulogium upon Lord Ellenborough's Act.]
made allowance for the infirmities of hur
and determined that, if a man should is!unge
ger in his wife's breast,fingrante delido, whi'
perpetrating the crime of adultery, he was ,
of murder. But the great principle of the Chi
Religion was forgiveness of injuries--and if
reflection intervened, nothing could excuse
lence which led to the destruction of the objt
vengeance. It was well known haw dangerous
to trust a man to the guidaace of his own
Whatever the crime of the prisoner's wife
it was evident that she had repented. If her ,
was capable of redemption, the humanity
exercised did that effectually, for she called
self base, and kissed the hand that
It appeared from the conduct of the prisoner
too felt some compassion, for he stooped
kissed his wife; but it was to be feared, that wi
malignant passion was once gratified, the perm n
laboured under it fell back into all the former
derness and affection by which his comiuct
tinguished previously to the commission of the
violence. There was no excuse; there were •
cumstances which were calculated to reduce ,
fence below the crime of murder, if death had
lowed. The Learned Judge then read over
dente.

The Jury retired, and were in consultati
two minutes, and upon their return, they
a verdict of Guilty.
There was a general expression of sorrow
Court. Several ladies were in team STENT,
was not in the slightest degree agitated dtnini
trial, received the verdict with perfect indi
He spoke to several of his friends.
The Jury recommended him to mercy, in o
quence of his previous excellent character•
Mr. Justice Bear—,, Gentlemen, that .
dation shall certainly be forwarded to the p,
quat ter."

WEST-EXI) FAIR.
• •
Yesterday, Thomas Brown, a wretched-1
boy, was indicted for putting in bodily tear,
violently robbing, a person named Walte,s.
The prosecutor, on returning from that
Fair, had his hat knocked off ; he pursued the
low who did it, and knocked him down. " '
him 1" cried another of the gang, and straitwat
Walters was surrounded by about two dozen
knocked down, robbed of his money and
handkerchief, and left senseless. The my

the prisoner was seen to pry about the spot;
being asked by the officer what he was doin7?
swered, that he was looking for a murdered i,.
The prosecutor's handkerchief was found upon him.
Justice BEST observed, that there was proof that 3
robbery had been committed, and that the prisowe
bad been connected with it ; but it was not quite
plain that the prisoner had perpetrated any par:
the violence, the evidence which it was necessary to
establish clearly, before the prisoner could be carp
victed of a highway robbery. Verdict—Guilty of
stealing from the person, but not violently.
Henry Lovell, aged 16, was indicted for violently
assaulting, on the 27th of July, Michael Bedding-
ton and taking from his person a snuff-box, a hat, a
handkerchief, and sixteen shillings in money, g
West-End Fair.

This robbery was committed by a part of the ge-
neral gang, amounting to about twenty or thirty
The prosecutor saw them corning towards him, and
getting through a hedge. On approaching him, the
prisoner came up boldly, and knocked off his hu
for which he returned a blow, which felled the pzi-
soner. A cry was immediately made of--" Stall
bins !—stall him r by the prisoner : this was re.
echoed by the gang, which now amounted to atleatt
fifty. The prosecutor was so dreadfully beaten thst
he fainted away, and remained senseless for a day
and a night. The prisoner was described by the pro-
secutor to the officers, who, assisted by a body ei
special cons:ables, took him, and about a dotes
others, from a booth. The prosecutor recognizedthe
prisoner immediately among, the others, when 'lel
were taken to Bow-street.
The prisoner put in a written defence, in which he
denied the charge, and described h imself as getting his
living by going bout with a drum and Pan's-pip%
He also said Liar he had lost his mouth-organ std
drum in the confusion. Guilty—Dcath.
CHARGE OF MURDER.
Thomas Francis was indicted for killing and slayir
Maria, his wife, by inflictin upon her body divers
J
mortal blows, on the 29th of uly of which she died.
Mr. Guise, a surgeon, examined the body of Me.
woman shortly after she died, on the 28th ofJuly, and
could find no marks of violence upon the body w
would warrant a supposition that she had met her,
death by violence. There was no mark of external
injury which could justify an opinion that she had
Met a violent death in any manner.—The Jury .
stantly returned a verdict of Not Guilty.

BTATH.
On the 16th instant, the Lady of Major (byword a raugb
ter, at the Cottage, near Great Marlow,

bianday. at
Esq. formerly
-r--

DIED.
Bury, in the 896 year of his age, William Sm.
of Wurrigne, where he shone as the eritio
e, in the Comedy of The Sobel fir ScendaL____..-

1.4,01110 N Printed and iniblidmid by Lyn Ku" rid°
Place, Tenlide-liat.
. • I.• •
• •

nle:sycohats,ar:
asisminenkidt
b.gee nos f
a44d
was crow it
sorry to k.,1
ctee, surpri3O
rhich C4,11,4'4 :NI
rises frcrn
Ling of the
.11,.
to pass a
al?
c t.] The Li FIE
human natk., or'
Viet:
1, while ~heti' ICI
an
was no: gui, .r
tiss
f the Chtiskt .• erio
and if time,.
excuse tile
if the objerti
mgerous it ill
own passiutt
liE
wife might lc sro
.
If her ctist it
er
humanity'
he c:Illed
stabbed her.. mot
arisoner that '2
aped down al the
iced
d, that w1.?:2 thet
the person
:he former te,
m‘iuct was es• .
on of the ac' ncee
th:
re were ac
reduce Ile r.
death had i.
Id over the e.. 2ny
ce o
ii tat ion men. lut
!fey pronouccti he
S.A
sorrow in to li,
. STENT, tth L,
ated dining ti rat:
!ct indiffemict
tercet, in to :a. m•o: 4
icter• Lull
that recomnte›
to the plop:
xi]
retched-1944r
)dily fear, ani Ax
eed
n that unlucky
mrsued the hi
down. " Sri
d 01
straitway Ms
•'
dozen MT=
ey and packet•
e next morniril
the spot ; aal Pot
vas doing ? art. Ipl
xrdered man.— :we
Ind upon hint. y 0
ras proof that 3 °fit
•
at the prisoner vil
was not quite
red any part ci
ras necessary to
could be care
Licit—Guilty of
ently.
ed for violently
:had Heddint
rie
iff-box, a hat, a
in money, g
ti
e
he
oa
k ttl
tcs tpceafhyaedr
felled
tnlooesgrdithinfofhthim,ti
51 ige:
hIL on
• •pa u
de of—" Stall
: this was re-
tested to at lean
Illy beaten that
!less for a dal
xed by the pro-
by a body .)
about a dozen
recognized the
abt
ers, When tel
ce, in which he .74
If as getting his
nd Pans-pips'
uth-organzed
ing and !,layirg
er body divers
which she died. 1:
to body of the
th ofJuly, and
he body WLiCS
had met her
trk of external
that she had
-The Jury ia•
).:
3 &Ugh' t:
17"1"
r, William tit
ne as
s,
KV;
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