Star.
London, England, 1803-08-19 00:00:00

TRIAL OF HATFIELD.

On Monday, Aognft :5, the trial of Yaps liatista
for forgery, &c. came on at Carlifle, before Sir
AL.... THOMPSON, Km. one of the Barons of
the Exchequer.
Three feveral indiaments were preferred againn
the Prifoner.

The fir( charged him with Aiming the name and
title of the Hon. Alex. Aug. Hope, and pretending
to be a Member of Parliament of the United King•
dom of Great Britain and Ireland. and with having,
on or about the month of Oflober lan, under the
fame name and charafter, drawn a draft or Bill of
Exchange, in the name of Alexander Hope, upon
one John Crump, Efq. for the turn of twenty pounds,
payable to George Wood, of Kefwick, in the Paid
county, at the end of fourteen days Irom the date of
the Paid draft or Bill of Exchange.

The fecond indiElment charged the Prifoner with
making, uttering, and publifhing as true. a certain
falfe, forged, and counterfeit Bill of Exchange, with
the 'name of Alex. Aug. Hope, falfely fet and fub-
fcribed, drawn upon John Cramp. Efq. dated Oftober
t, t Box, and payable to N. M. Moore. Efq. for thirty
pounds Reding.

The third indiament charged the Prifoner with
having affumed the name of Alexander Hope, and
pretending to be a Member of Parliament, and bro-
ther of the Right Hon. the Earl of Hopetown, and
.a Colonel in the army, and under that fiaitious cha-
raacr, at various times, in the month of Otlobe!.
forged and connterfeited the hand writing of the Paid
Alexander Hope, in the fuperfcription of feveral let-
ters or packeu, in order to avoid payment of the duty
of poßage.
The Prifoner pleaded Not Guilty to the charge.—
The three feveral indiQments being read, Mr. Scan,-
car opened the cafe in an add-refs to the Jury,
wherein be Rated, at great length, the enormity of
the crimes for which the Prifoncr Rood indieed. He
obferved, that the Prifoner was qualified to aa a con-
fpicuots part in focicty, by the gentility of his man-
ners, And by the extent of his information. He was
lorry to obferve, that a man fo qualified flionld be-
come each a dangerous and fuch a difgraccful mem-
ber of fociety. It was well known, he Paid, that the
crimes tingly with which the Prifoner was charged,
met with the ponifhment of death ; but here was an
accumulation of guilt, which, he milled, he should
be able to prove by a chain of evidence, which would
challenge the Rriaeß inveßigation. The Prifoner at
the Bar, be laid, had been long known to the world,
the tranfations he had been engaged in intereßed
many. He was extremely lorry that the painful duty
Monist be his, to point out more particdlarly the Rai
gitioufnefs or his offences ; but, however painful his
lineations were, he trufled that neither his humanity
nor that of the Gentlemen of the Jury, fhould ,n-
-duce slam for a moment to forget the momentary
duty which their country had impolid upon them-
It became them, h: laid, in their capacity, to wave

all confiderations as to the feelings of humanity, and
confider this queflion •as -it. materially affeaed the
happinefs and welfare of fociety.
Mr. SCARLET then, with a great deal of modera-
tion, drew an outline of the Prifoner's conduit, from
the time he became known to the world, in the af-
fumed charaaer of Colonel Hope. He had, he laid,
committed many crimes, under cover of the name of
a molt. refpeaable Gentleman, who belonged to a
noble and an ancient family. He came into this
country to refide, in autumn tall, in his own carriage,
but unattended by a ftrvant ; this excited forn. de-
gree of furprife among the inhabitants, but lie cleared
up this by Paying, he had given his fervant leave to
go away from him, he bein,g much terrified with the
tremendous mountains of Kefwick and its neighbour.
hood. During his refidence in this county he partly
lived at Kefwick, partly at Buttermere, where he
amufed himfelf with tithing and other innocent di-
verfions: during this time his behaviour was always
correa and proper ; he was conflant at public wor-
fhip, and appeared in every refpea with the manners
and charaaer of a gentleman. After refiding fume
time in this neighbourhood, he cultivated the ac-
quaintance cf Mary Robinfon of Buttermere, a
charming and an interefling young woman, whom,
after a fhort courtfhip, he married. About this pe-
riod he cultivated the acquaintance of the Rev. Mr.
Nicholfon, the Chaplain of Lowefwater, to whom, af-
ter his departure from Kefwicn, be addrefred feveral
letters, all franked with the name of A. A. Hope.—
From there letters it appeared, that he departed from
Buttermere with the alledged intention of vifiting his
eftate and houfe in Scotland, which he called Cattle
Douglas, being about feventy miles from Dumfries.
It did not appear that . this journey was ever accom-
plifhed, but that after fome flay at Longtown, in this
county, the parties returned to Kefwick, where the
condua of the Prifoner became fubjea to fome fur-
miles. He was anted by the Chaplain of Lowefwa-
ter if he was Member ofParliament for Haddington-
fhire or Lintithgowlhire He faid he-had been
Member for Linlithgowthire, but now he was Mem •
ber for Dumfriesfhire. He complained much of the
freedoms that were made with his name, and in one
of his letters he mentions his with of correaing all
the fianderous reports that had been circulated againft
him.

Several paffages of his letters were read by Mr.
Seaai.ST ; thefe cont.' fled chiefly of letters written to
the Rev. Mr. Nicholfon, from Longtown ; in one of
thefe he defcribes particularly an affeding fermon
he heard from the Rev. Mr. Graham, brother of Sir
James Graham, Bart. of Netherby, and in the fame
letter copied an infcription from a tomb (tone in Ar-
thuret Church-yard. In this letter he fpeaks with
great affeCtion of his beloved Mary. Indeed it was
allowed upon all hands that the Prifoner concluded
hinsfelf with fingular propriety, and always made it
a point to attend public worfhip.
After his return to Kefwic k, it feems Judge Hardinge'.
who was on-a tour to the Likes, and who was pre-
vioufiy acquainted with Colonel Hope, thought it
proper to folicit aninterview wi the prifoner. Mr.
H. afked him to dine with him •th this the prifoner
thought fit to refufe ; but he called upon Mr. Har-
dinge after dinner, when he fupported the deceit
with great plaufibility ; but fufficient doubts having
arifen in the mind of Mr. Hardinge, he thought
proper to detain tho prifoner's bodes. Thus cir-
cumflanced the prifoner complained heavily to the
Rev. Mr. Nicholfon, that he had done nothing con-
trary to the laws of his country. that if he had,' a
hair would hold him.' When he faw himfelf and his
adions likely to become fubjed to public inveftiga-
don, he planned his efcape ; he told this to his friend
Mr. Nicholfon, to whom he appears to have been
much attached—he told Mr. Nicholfon that as he
could not be allowed to go home to Buttermere with
his own bodes, he lbould fail acrofs the lakes, and go
over the mountains to that place. Mr. Nicholfon ac-
companied him to the water-fide and faw him into the
boat; this was the Jail time the prifoner was fees in
the neighbourhood of Kefwick. The prifoner landed
at the head of the lake, and afterwards made his ef-
cape from the hands of juflice. Gentlemen of the
Jury, Paid Mr. S. after the ample detail which I have
given you, I feel the molt perfed confidence in your
candour, juftice, and integrity; painful as the talk
affigned me is, I feel an inward fatibfadion while I
thus difcharge a duty which I owe to my country,
and its liberties and laws. I (hall now call evidence
in fupport of what I have advanced, and I reft my
claims of juftice on your unbiaffed verdid."

Mr. a gentleman whore name we did not
diftinflly hear, being called and (worn, faid, he knew
the prifoner at the bar, by the name of Hatfield. He
entered into the firm, in t Bot, of" Dennis, Hatfield,
and Co." faw the prifoner in April, tfloa, when he
left Taviflock on pretence of tranfaeing (nine of
the Company's concerns. The next time he faw him
was in Gaol, in Brecknockfhire, in Decem-
ber, 1802. The deponent (wore pofitively to the
band-writing of the prifoner, both in the letters pro.
duced and in the bills of exchange.
Rev. Mr. Nicholfon called. —He became acquaint.
ed with the prifoner on Sunday Sept. 12, 18os, on
which day he attended the chapel of Lowefwater, of
which the deponent is chaplain—was introduced to
the prifoner by Mr. Skelton ; foon after be under.
flood him to be the Honourable Col. Hope, brother
of Lord Hopetown ; when afked his name by de-
ponent, he faid it was a comfortable one—Rope--he
aid at the fame time that he would be no way ,
averfe to telling his name, but did not like it to be
inquired after by inquifitive people. About a week
previous to Otioher a, deponent accompanied the
prifoner to Whitehaven, to procure a licence for his
marriage to Mary Robinfon of Buttermere, who was
fpoken of by the prifoner .; a lowly girl. Did not fee
any films of intimacy previous to thu marriage; the
prifoner lived partly at Kerwick and partly at But-
termere ; he had a handfome carriage, but no fer-
vans ; after the marriage, the parties let off for Scot-
land, and flayed fome time at Longtown, during
which time the prifoner wrote feveral letters to depo-
nent, all franked by the name •• A. A. Hope ;" in
lame of thele he appears aware of the contlrth9ion
that had been put upon his mode of life, and he
tells the chaplain of Lowerwater that he would, on
his return from Scotland, chaftife all thnfe who cir-
culated reports to his prejudice. On his return to
K•lwici, Mr. G. Hardinge being then of a our to
the Lakes, defired to have an intervkw with the
Firmer, ailed him fevcral cochleas about his fa-

=

. •

mils, &c. &c. of his adventures in Egypt, where Ise
fail he had been wounded; anted him why he figned
his name A. A. Hope. when Colonel Hope's name
was only Alexander ? Prifoner did not leen) dircon-
certed, but after the interview was over, Mr. Har-
dinge fent for a Magiltrate, and defired to hale the
prifoner fecured. Hatfield, when informed if this,
Paid, he had done nothing to offend the laws of his .
country—if he was confcious of guilt, " a hair would
hold him." Mr. Hardinge then defired Mr. Wood,
the innkeeper, to fecure the priioner's inures ; when
the prifoner complained to the deponent, faing,
that they would not In him have his honks; he
of courfe mull go by a boat across the Lake, and
fo over the mountains to Buttermere :—accompa-
nied the prifoner to the water-fide.—Remembers the
tranfaftion taking place for which the prifimer Rands
charged—raw him take a (tamp out of his pocket,
and draw a bill for 301. on John Crump, for which
he received cafh from Mr. G. Wood, inn keeper, in
Kefwick.

Mr. Nicholfon (wore to his being the perfon who
married the prifoner to Mary Robinfon, commonly
called Mary of Buttermere, on the zd of oElober,
18oz—that after his marriage, he was on terms of
intimacy with the prifoner—that the prifoner made
him his confidential friend, told him of various con-
cerns that happened to his family—that he met the
prifoner on a certain day between Lowefwater and
Buttermere, when the prifoner told the deponent, he
had been much hurt with a' converfation that had
happened with the curate of Buttermere, wherein the
curate had made free with his name—came with him
after that from Buttermere to Kefwick, dined with
the prifoner—was a witnef, to the converfation that
paired between the prifoner and Mr. Hardinge. After
this converfation the prifoner thought proper to with.
draw from the neighbourhood, under pretence of
fifbing upon the Lakes. The deponent accompanied
the prifoner to the water fide ; after this the depo.
nent never faw the prifoner till at Carliffe. He made
his efcape over the hills of Borrowdale : previous to
his departure he ordered dinner at the Qneen's-head,
in Kefwick, Mr. G. Woods, at which houfe the above.
mentioned converfation took place ; the prifnner de-
fired the deponent to pay for the dinner at Wood's,
which he did, and departed that evening from Kef-
wick to Buttermere, where he arrived at the bottle
of Robinfon, about eleven o'clock.

The prifoner was found Guilty upon the 6ril and
fecond indiaments, and ordered to be brought up
next day, Wednefday, to receive judgment. •He ap-
peared perfectly calm and unmoved when the Jury
brought in their verdiet, and left the Coon in.a poa-
chaife, which conveyed him to the gaol.

The trial 'ailed from eleven o'clock in the fore-
noon, till feven o'clock in the evening, during the
whole of which time the Court was crouded to fuf-
focation. Never, perhaps, did a caufe come before
a Court and Jary that excited fo much interefi. La-
dies and gentlemen, within a diftance of twenty miles
round Carlihie, crowded to the town, to gratify the
curiofity, which the (tory of poor Mar, of lisaterrear,
and other circumflances conneßed with the hiflory
of the prifoner, had excited. The pretfure was fo
great, and the heat TO intolerable, as to render it al-
moß to take a note of the proceeding, or
even to remain in Conn during the whlle of the
trial." The fidelity of the above report may howeVer
be relied upon. -liking a cafe of great intereft and
expeilatiou, we base thought it more advifable to
give it in this brief (tate, than to wait until we lhould
be able to report it more in deal

The tirifoner was neatly dielTed in Mack. and by
the gentility and eafe of his deportment interefled an
fpedators in his favour. During the trial he teemed
perfectly calm and olleded, and employed himfelf
with writing notes upon the evidence, and imbue.
ing his Counfel.

STAFFOID ASSIZII, AUG. rc.—Before Mr. jullice
LAWRISCS and a fpecial Jury, William Olbouse
againtt John Gough, Efq.
The caufe which bas been before the public in ano-
ther thane twice before, was finally difpofed of at the
:above Affizes. It was an anion brought by Mr.
Olborne, a refpetlable farmer, in Great Barr, agiiria
Mr. Gough, of Perry Hall, a Jullice of the Peace for
Stafforaire, for having wilfully and malicioully and
contrary to Isis duty as a Magiftrate, caufcd Mr.
borne(wbo was charged before him with a trilling af-
rsult on his Mr. Olborne's fervant boy) to be kept
in cullody of a conflable for three days, and after-
wards to be committed to and imprifoned in the houfe
of correction for two days, more for want of fureties
for his good behaviour, and refuted to admit him to
bail, though fufficient bail were repeatedly tendered.
The trial bled about fir hours and a half, when the
learned judge &mined up the evidence, and told the
Jury that if they were fatisfied that Mr. Gough had
not aged from malice towards the plaintiff, but had
refuted bail merely from an error in judgment, they
ought to find a verdict for the defendant. But if they
were (misfit& that he had mired private refentment
with his public duty, and bad refuted to bail Mr.
Otborne from motives of revenge, then they ought to
find a verdict for the plalatiff. !'he Jury in a few mi-
nutes found a ferdia for the plaintiff. Damages tool.
Counfel for. the plaintiff, Mr. Damsons, and Mr.
Assorr. Attorney, Mr. &mama*, Birmingham.
Counfel for the defendant, Mr. Mitts. Mr. Cair-
n:MN and Mr.JOMNSTOIIII. Attorney, Mr. WIILTI.
us,, Birmingham.

GEIIIIIII,AL DEVIIICI Acr.--Yeßerday wag ap.
pointed by the Magifinites of the county of Middlefer
for hearing appeals againa returns made in virtue of
the General Defence Ad.—At a very early period
of the forenoon the Set Eons Heide. on Clerkeriwea
Green, the (lairs, the hall, and every avenue leading
to it, were crowded by di; people who attended foe
the purpofq of Rating their appeals, and claiming their
esemptions. On the arrival of the Magittrates the
Court was cleared, and the introdudory arrangement
of fwearing.in conliables was commenced. The re-
eeral pari(hes of St. Giles and St. George, and fit.
Pancras, were then called; but from the great ntun•
ber of perfons who inßantly filled the Court-room, it
was found impracticable to proceed in hearing the va•
rinus appeals thole individuals had to offer. It was
tt laft determined that the hearing of the appeals
thould be referred to the refpedive veftries of tlkele-
veral parithes, and days were appointed when MOM
of thole ve:lties were to offerable far the perpeiV:

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