Star.
London, England, 1818-08-17 00:00:00

GLOUCFSTER ASSIZES.

We have already stated the fict, that Wednesday
was the day appoimed for opening this commission,
and have also alluded to the anxiety which Mr.
Baron GAtßow expressed to perform that duty lin.
fortunately his Lordship w..s unable to effect his
object, for though he travelled with all the expedi-
tion his horses and the hilly roads would permit, he
did not reach the Court-house at Gloucester until
after midnight. Long antecedent to this tins' e Mr.
Tommes, the de kof indictment., had arrived in the
town, and, attended by the Under-Sheriff, the Mayor
of Gloucester, and several other Gentlemen, had pro-
ceeded to the Court with their Commissions, in order
&at they might he opened the moment his Lordship
should arrive. These Gentlemen remaiaed in anxious
suspense until the hour of twelve approached, when,
apprehensive of the consequences that would follow
the non-arrival of the Judge at that hour, every
watch was drawn forth and compared. Time still
lolled on—his Lordship did notgarrive, and the hour
struck. The second 'quarter after twelve had been
completed, . when his Lordship was announced, and
the commissions were opened in the vistoma-y way,
subject to what was then conceived to be an insuper-
able bar to their effect—namely, their not having
been read on the day which in their own body was
directed and appointed. _ _ __ • _

Matters rested thus until the arriegl of Mr. Pugh,
the Clerk of Assize, who entered the town at ten
o'clock the next morning, and immediately had a
conference with Mr. Baron GA RROW. The result
of this interview was a determination on the part of
.his Lordship to go into Court after divine service,
and to have the names of the Grand Jurors for the
county and city called over ; but to take no other
step until Mr. Justice floartovn, with whom he was
desirous of consulting upon so nice a question, had
arrived. Mr. Justice Houtorn, who did not leave
Monmouth till nine in the morning, was expected
at two. Between twelve and one, Mr. Baron GAR-
ROW proceeded from the Cathedral to the Court-
house, which was crowded to excess by persons of
all ranks. Among others who had been, summoned
as a Grand Juryman was the Right Hon. Charles
Bathurst, who was formerly a Barrister on the Cir-
cuit. Mr. Bathurst was in Court, and with him the
Learned Judge had some conversation on the di-
lemma in which they were placed. Mr. Bathurst,
we understand, fully agreed with his Lordship on
the propriety of waiting for Mr. Justice HOLROYD,
and after the Juries had been called, an adjournment
of the Court took place till two.
On Mr. Justice lioutoro reaching the town, Mr.
Baron GA R RoW communicated to him what had oc-
curred, and they both applied themselves to the.con-
sidera4on of the difficulty which had arisen. Reference
WAS had to all the authorities which it was thought
might bear upon the subject, but nothing was found
calcula:ed to assist their Lordships' deliberations. In
thisstate of things, and both of the Learned Judges
entertaining doubts of the legality of proceedin.
upon a commission which had not been opened on
the day appointed, it was resolved to dispatch Mr.
Wilton. the Under-Sheriff, express to Lon Jon, with
a letter to the Loa CNA NC ELLOR, explaining what
had happened, and soliciting his advice as to the
course which it would be proper to pursue. Mr.
Wilton was immediately called in, and having re-
ceived directions to prepare for l.is journey, he soon
'afterwards was furnished with the letter in question,
and set off in a post-chaise add four for London, in-
tending to reach the Lord Chancellor's house as
soon as possible.
It was then resolved that Mr. Baron GARROW
should go into Court. and have the Grand Juries
sworn, so that they might go on with their business
in finding bills.
In the interim the utmost perturbation prevailed
among the astornies engaged, both in civil actions
and criminal prosecutions; twenty-one causes were
entered for triad, of which seven were understood to
be undefended, and the calendar presented the names
' of seventy prisoners. This amount of business, al-
though inferior to what has been known on former
occasions, had collected together from distant parts
of the county an immense -lumber of persons, either
in the character of witnesses, plaintiffs, defendants,
prosecutors, or prisoners' friends, all of whom were,
of course, deeply interested in the delay which now
seemed unavoidable. To these might be added the
Petit Jury panitels, containing the names of not less
than 100 persons, who had been summoned to attend
the assize, at a great expense and at considerablein-
conveilience. If it should be considered necessaryAo
issue a new commission, it was understood that alf
the usual steps takes under the old commission Most
be renewed. New Juries would have to be sum-
moned, fresh notices of trial iven, and, in fact, all
that had alicady been done with a view to the trial of
causes, would be superseded. In such a state of
things it is impossible to describe the sensations which
every where prevailed. The trumpet having sounded
to announce that the Learned Judge was about to go
into Court, an instant rush tool: place, and in a mo-
:cent the Crown Court was crowded in every part.
On his Lordship's arrival on the bench, and the con-
fuilon which arose having sub sided, he addressed the'
Grand 3ury, of which the Marquis of Worcester was
forernsp, to the following effect:
" Gentle men of the amid Jury—lt may be proper that
I should explain to ytese the coarse which, in the very distressing,
and to nee very bitt, circumstance in which erg Learned
Brother and myself are placed, we have thought It most expo.
dint to take. It is now, Gentlemen, perfectly well knoimi to
you MI, that in COliSt qucnce of the great pressure of business at
the last county from which we have come, notwithstanding
every rus,iblr dispatch was used, I did not active in this place ,
till some minutes after tnidnight. The commission under whiah
we were appointed to assemble here required that we should
souunence our duties on the Wednesday. It has been the usual
course to open the commission on that day, and, generally, no.
thing more has been done; the Court adjourned to the following
day. On the present occasion, the commission, from the tan.
hreseep and umreoidable circumstances to winch I have alluded.
site sot opened within tlst dots stigdatod, *sad a difficulty LAI

marred its our minds, w to wtentser it may be st; ;Ay correct
ito proceed with the Maim:se of the Assize. Since L had the
nlr•,:tr or communicating With you h..fore, my Learned Ike-
ther hew! given our bst co.--id 'ration to this cress
hut i.nportart question ; and opt/it the whale, *e are of opinion,
that th • most prudent course will he, to charge you, Gentlemen
of the Grand Jury, to make lc quiry into th • smilers which shall
be submitted to you in the ordinary waY, and to atljourit from
time to time, to receive such bills as you mar !in.!. In the id-
iot:h. we shall omit nothi:,3 to remedy th” ticrmvehience which
has arisen. A messenger bas been Zispatched to the Lord Chan.
calor on the subject, whose judgment we have thought It pro-
per to consult. If, unfortunately, It shall ba found necessary to
Issue a new commission, then nothing will have been dune of an
important or injurious nature. We abstain front taking
any trills until after the answer of the Tiordctianc4-ir has been 11
recciv,d. When you are sworn, therefore, we shall adjourn. as
I before said, to such time as shall appear toitt convenient for 1
the reception of your bills • and it Is now to' lit spdersood, that
neither in this Court nor In the other arc any trills BS be pro.,
needed with until Saturday morning. It is impossible, Gaulle- I
men, that I can refrain from ezpreaslng the deep and heartfelt
regret which I feel at the disappointment, iticonvanience, and
additional expense, which must result to the parties from this ,
painfid occurrence. The only consola•ion I f :el is, that no pos-
sible blame is imputable either to my Learned Broth •r or to my-
self. I came here with uncommon advantages of travelling, and
with all possible dispatch. I left a Jury behind me locked up,
and had the misfortune to leave several cases untried. The ease
is as singular as it is unfortunate, and is to me most afilicting."
Mr. PUGH now read the proclamation against pro-
faneue,s and immorality, and Mr. Iticumws, his
Lordship's Marshal, proceedeJ to administer the usual
oath to the Grand Juries, both for the city and county
of Gloucester.

His Lordship afterwards addressed the Petit Jury,
And requested their attendance on Saturday morn-
ing, at eight o'clock.
The Court was then adjourned to the lodgings..
On the adjournment of the Crown Court, Nlr.
ron GARROW entered the Civil Court, and the Crier
having opened it in the usual form, his Lordship
'poke to the liar, many of whom were assembled, as
fellows :

" I am extremely sorry to meet you under the very distress-
circunntances in which I am now placed. You are suffi-
ciently aware of the nature of the business at the last place from
whence we cone. You know the anxiety which I felt, not
alone to perform my duties there, but to take measures to en-
sure my early arrival there, and were witness to the order.
which I gave, to make preparations for my d:•parture from Mon-
ir.outh the instant my presence could be dispensed with. You
are also aware of the lateness of the hour to which I was de-
tained. I lust not a moment in setting WI for this city ; but in
despite of the dispatch and speed which were used, I did not ar-
rive uadl after midnight. 'this delay has given rise to doubts
which my loaned Brother and myself think it expedient to
submit to other authority, before we proceed to the business of
the Assize, ior r:asians which your own experience will naturally
suggest. We have x. ta Mr. Under Sheriff with all possible ex-
pedition to the Lord Chancellor, for his advice as to the course
which it may lx. proper to pursue, and hope by Saturday mom-
ing to receive his Lordships answer. Until that day we do not
propose to settle any trial. This is a delay whhh I most sin-
cerely lament ; but which cannot now be avoided. The coo-
sclousness that it is not attributaLle to any want of zeal or exer-
tion upon my part, is the only consolation which I have in a case
so novel, and involving so many important consequences."
k.:ourt was then adjourned to the lodgings.
In this iituatiun of doubt things must remain unil
the return of Mr. Wilton from London, which cannot
be expected before Saturday morning.
The case being perfectly new, there is ofkourse ne
precedent upon which to act. The importance of
saving the commissions, by opening w ithin the time
stipulated, has always been telt, and in no instance
'has this importance been illustrated more decidedly
than upon this very circuit We allude to an occur-
rence which took place.at the Lent Assizes in 1706.,
Mr. Justice Buller was then one of thecommLsioners.

He had been detained very late in Court • at Worces-
ter, on the commission day for Stafford, and having
barely time to accomplish the distance before mid-
night, he set off with all possible speed. The night
was extremely inclement, a heavy fall of snow came
on, and by the time he reached Wolverhampton, the
country presented one pure surface of white, the
roads being scarcely distinguishable, and the progress
of the carriage being of course greatly impeded. At
Wolverhampton, one of the bailiffs for the count! of
Stafford, as was customary, met his Lordship, to re-
ceive his commands, and to know at what time and
place the High Sheriff should come to meet him.—
Mr. Justice Buller, upon looking at his watch. found
that he had not a minute to spare to save his com-
mission; calling for his horse, therefore, he mounted
it, acd sending the Lailiff forward as his guide, rode
full speed to Stafford, where he arrived just in time
to open the commission before midnight, and thus
'saved all the inconveniencies which are anticipated in
this city. The anecdote goes on to state, that the
poor bailiff, from his being extremely lusty, and un-
accustomed to such violent exercise as he had under •
gone with the Learned Judge, took a fever and died
in two days.

Such was the rapidity with which Mr. Baron GA it-
now travelled, where the road would permit, that he
was frequently in imminent danger of being over-
turned; and some of the Banisters who were upon
the road before him narrowly escaped a similar tate,
from their carriages coming in contact with his.

SOMERSET ASSIZES—FORGERY.
Robert Fry and George Nuitycombe were indicted
for feloniously forging a certain 11l promissory note,
purporting to be the promissory note of Messrs.
Stuckey and Co. partners in the Firm called the
' Bristol and Somersetshire Bank ; and in another
count were charged with feloniously uttering the
-tame on the 24th of June, 1818, knowing it to be
'forged, with intent to defraud John Foster. The
facts were clearly proved, and the Jury in a few mi-
nutes found a verdict of Guilty against both prisoners.
Mr. Justice PARK immediately proceeded to pass
sentence of death upon them, which he did in the
most impressive manner, and with a deg; ee of feeling
which occasionally suspended for a se..ond or two,
the course of his otservations. They had been con-
victed by a Jury of their country of a capital offence,
after an impartial,laboi ious. and painful i.westigat i on ;
and it was impossible that any Jury, attentive to the
evidence, and mindful of their oaths, could have pro-
nounced any other verdict. The fate of one of the
prisoners, who not long since bore the character of
an honest industrious man, he sincerely deplored.—
He had, however, participated too largely in that
guilt, in the mysteries of which the other plisoner,
appeared to be deeply initiated, to be encouragedl
with any hopes that human mediation could avail
him. They had embarked together in an evil design,
which might, if its progress had not been happily
aisested, have scattered mischief and ruin through
an extensive district. For a crime so destructive in
its consequences to the interests of society, the law
required the forfeiture of the offender's life; and he
intreated them not to suffer their minds to be buoyed
up, as had been in too many instances, by a false

expectatkm that inert? could be extended to them in
this world. Ile implored them to spers4,the small rt.
:training portt;n of theirpre ent existence in api,lying
where ttarqugh the me. its of their might
yet be foun4 and to endeavour bypcni to ob-
tain that &ram. which was denied them b.- the
lated Laws of their country. Semtnee of death was
then promuneed id the usual rostra, an heal heard
by both prisoners with apparent compossaieaud resit
nation. fhey were lef‘for execution. • - .

.
" Mils Tactile, awl the Lihestie gf Ai Nese •
now am ;fig the distinguished times it aII populist'
emertaiiimetas.

The lodgings of a Dandy were lately robSed Of a
pair of 4tais, a smiclliag-bottle, two.pair of artificial
ege-brotss, and a white surtout, in a.prcket of which
there were three love-letters, written to himself, ia
his own hand-writing I
There was a very fashionable assemblage on the
Brighton Race-Grt,ind. on Wedn.sday, to vier► a
donkey-race. This novel amusement was on oc-
casion of the Birth-day of die Palace lteortvr.
The first race was for a sad:lle, the seconu, fur a bri-
dle. and the third for a whip—the distance was a
mile. The sport w.ts of a very laughable description.
and appearei to diffuse general satisfaction. A Rot-
tingdean donkey apfeared on the ground. bu: he was
not allowed to enter the lists, because he was a fo-
reigner. The stranger, however, to shew his superior
breetiLng, gallopped•before the winner cf the saddle
the while of the race.

AMT.—Wednesday afternoon, about 2 o'clock, a firs
' • Nike Out Nina the farm belonging to his ::ajesty,
sithated at Hilsea, near Portsmouth, in the occupa-
tion of Mr. William Fidlin, a tenant to the Hoard of
Ordnance. It was discovered by Mrs. Bartell, •as
she was passing by in her chaise ; and she immedi-
ately gave notice to some labourers, who ran to the
spot- :tad used every effort to extinguish i: ; but it
soon communieatea:to the barn, and so rapid, irresis-
tibk, and destructive was its course, that in leas than
an hour the whole of the stock and premises, consist-
ing of wheat ricks, hay rick:, pea and bean ticks,
dwelling house, barn, stables, and oth?r buildings,
were calmly reduced to ashes. About thirty sacks
of old wheat, a cart, a waggon, and a cart colt, were
alone saved. It is not yet ascertained to what eaten:
Mr. Fidlin will be injured; nor can the original cause
of the calamity be :ascertained. It is coojectured to
have been occasioned by some treason vho had beep
smoking near the premises having thrown the re-
mains of his pipe into the yard. When discovered it
bore so little of that threatening appearance which it
soon assumed, that the n:en endeavoured tc extinguish
it by distributing it abrmd with their pr,.ngs, and
trampling upon it. A puff of wind blew the embers
towards the barn and a rick, and in a few minces
these two, at the distance of thirty yards apart,
blazed with all the fury and strength of the moat ig.
cited stater al. Mr. Fidlin had only just obtainedpos-
seision of the farm. Ile was no: ii,sured. The loss,
it is supposed, will not prove to amount to less than
£3OOO. Had the wind blown from an opposite ci-
section, it would have proved impossible to have pre-
vented the destruction of Hihea tlarracks. and all the
houses and property in that guar ter. Llrd
Sir Lucius Courts, Bart, and Colonel FaitutntAn-
sON, and the aricers of the 25th Re imrot, stationed
at Hilsea Barracks, united their praise-worthy ex-
ertions and endeavours to suppress the flames. ..
A TrRAY.—.I serious affray v.ok place on Saturday he SD
Comb Down, Sontersetshite. A person of the nun. of Mint,
whu tesides thereon some small independent property, bad ft*.
quint di- puteS with the cpll4ll7i,lcll in then neighbourhood, a
party of n hum were that evening regaling them's:Nes at &bean
feast in their master's garden, adjoining prarr.ises:. He
hod been down in Bath. and returned, sore rwliat ilfiamed with
liquor, .about the time the party wear breaking tip, when trey
gave their master duce farewell shouts. Plant coacadvaitie
uproar to he meant in derision of him ; and after some :Iberia
ti .t took an did blunderbuss and bred it in the air by way of hs-
timidation, threatening to shout &h. m if they did not depart im-
mediately; On, the aim disregarded, and began abusing him arid
attacking his house ; pen which Mr. Plant went out, levelled
the. gun at the part). actually put his threat Into execution!
Iwo of the men se,— wounded, and the others fell
th, azzrtisor, and beat him most immereVully. This was
done so instantaneously as to prevent their observing that etsnt
had already received due punisomeut in the very act they were
avenging fur the piece hail burst, and mangled his arm it. a
most shucking manner. The neighbours humanely rendered
him prompt assistance, and dispached a messenger lair surgical
aid; when it was deemed necessary to amputate the arm. Tte
unhappy man has been ever since in a moot dangerous state ; 161.-
fering severely from the blows he had received, as well as trees
the accident oecadonenhr his own violent conduct.
THE HARVEST ON THE CONTINENT.
(From the Foreign Journals.)
" The harvest in the Northern Departments of
France is nearly finished, and is eivally remarkable
for the line quality and the abundance of the graiu.
The prices have therefore greatly declined ; and in
those parts which have so long suffered for want,
abundance is now general. As a proof of the un-
common heaviness of the corn this year, it may be
mentioned, that the wheat, the average weight of
which in other years is generally 170, at the most
pounds per niudden of Utrecht measure, is this
.year t.P.1`2.”

CORN-MARKET, At ARK-LANT., AUGUST 17. .
Our market was very thinly supplied this morning
with English wheat, for whir li there was a deman4
and. sales were readily effected at au advance of 2s.
per quarter. Fine foreign wheat, particularly Danti.
zic, is 2s. tier quarter dearer ; but there is no advance
on the inferiGr quality. The barley trade con:ila:ce
exceedingly heavy, having lade arrivals from abroad,.
and but very few buyer. ; beans are 2s. per quarter
dearer, and white peas sold freely at the same is.
vance ; oats are Is. per quarter' dearer than on thii
day wed:, but not brisk in sale at that advance.

:es ♦Y IUNDLA:

Small Brans 7ll
Tick ditto • 65 ifs
Outs, Potatoe ese
406
Fecd ......... —.zee Ms
Flour, per Sada... 7l;:s Ids
ILapested, pia Lag 444 aft:
raft Lkat.
Wheat, lkiutzic. 7ss Ms