Star.
London, England, 1821-12-14 00:00:00

hozicC.

Bow-stem.-1 ease which occurred Yesterday excited con-
tiderable interest, in the course of the following investigation be-
fore the Sitting Magistrate, Sir RCNAILD Waster—A woman,
who gave her name as Hannah Bagley, was brought from St:
Martin's watc6bnuar, under a charge by the driver of a hackney
chariot, who stated, that while standing with his chariot, on
Wednesday evening, on the rank in Blackfriars-road, the pri.
loner came to him, and asked if be was hired? he replied in the
negative, and she ordered him to drive to the Queen's Palace,
Buckingham-gate, as quickly as possible. When he was about
halfway on his journey, she put her head out of the windovr
and told him to drive faster, which the coachman. stating that
he bad a good pair of horses, did; but when they got to Buck-
ingham-gate, the prisoner told him to drive to Charing-cross, u
the had forgot something. When he had got there. a Gentle-
man's carriage happening to be passing, she desired him to fol.
low it, which the coachman did as fat as St. James's-street.
Prisoner thee told him to drive to the Haymarket. Jar*,
suspecting that all was not right, was determined to get his fare,
and when he arrived in the Haymarket, just as she was going to
older him somewhere over the water, be said—" It is quite
time, Madam, that you pay me." M he was relating his charge,
Sir Banana) Baste Interfered. and said it was unfortunate for
him that he had not found another time for asking for his fare.
The coachman said he ought to have done so, but she looked
somewhat more respectable than her present appearance. Sir
RICHARD BIZAZ asked him to explain, and the coachman said
she had a large silk scarf on, and her pelisse was in better con:
dation when he took her to the watch-house. The constable of
the night said she talked very incoherently, and he had no doubt
from her conduct that she was deranged. The Magistrate said,
the account which site gave of herself fully indicated it. Sir
liscuaao Boum then got up, and asked where the watch.houU
keeper was? and complained of his never being at the Office;
and immediately sent for him. Sir ilicuaan Maus said We
must make good the loss of the scarf. It must be observed.
that there were four wretched females of the lowest order locked
up in the same place with the prisoner. The prisoner said that
she knew nothing at all about the hiring of the coach; that she
lived in Artillery-street, Blackfriars-road, and had escaped from
thence by jumping out of a window, from a young man who
had seduced her, and that she did not recollect being in the
watch-house. The lout women alluded to were immediately
searched, but nothing could be found on them belonging to the
prisoner. The prisoner appeared to be in a starving condition,and said that she bad not tasted a morsel of food for three days.
Sir Bantam Runs told the coachman that the woman was
liable to be committed for non-payment, but it would be of no
use te sand a poet creature like the prisoner to jail under such
digressing circumstances. The coachman said that he was only
a driver. and that he was accountable to his master for it. sir
Blouse Bum said, that if his mister would call at the OMee,
be would satisfy him in that respect. The worthy Magistrate
dos ordered the jailor to give her every nourishment which she
wadi take, and that he would pay foe it out of his private
pate.. The pone creature was so weak as hardly to be able to
staid, her clothes toru or her back, and entirely destitute of
isaway. Sir RICUARD Bourn desired the Clerk to snake out an
eider for bar admission into the workhouse, in order that she
=be taken proper care of until some of her friends coad
sod, which was accordingly done.
--.naoV4ilu-sTarsr.—A fashionoo- •

young insa of

highly respectable connections, was charged with stealing a oilier
table-spoon: He had called for a bacon of turtle soup at a con-
fectioner's in Sidney's-alley, and substituted a pewter for the di-
ver spoon; this, however, was discovered, he was overtaken,
and the spoon found in his pocket. The prosecutor wished to
let the case drop; but the Magistrate said it was a clear case of
felony, and be could not suffer it to be compromised. The pri-
soner was remanded.
Woasure-rmairr.—Two men. named Cascara and Turner,
were charged with stealing forty-one pigeons from the dove-cot
of Mr. Collins. of Stamford-hilt. On the birds being missed, un
Tuesday morning, Mr. Collins dispatched his servant to Spital-
fields, to make inquiry among the pigeon-fanciers there; and
while doing so at the shop of a Mr. Bailey, the prisoners came
in to offer ten pair for sale, and were given into custody. Gab-
coigne said he had bought the birds for 15s. that morning. The
other prisoner said he had merely accompanied Gascoigne to
sell them. They were both remanded.
Mairsam-House.--Yesterday, a boy of most diminutive makes
and apparently not more than six or seven years of age, was
brought before the Leos Maros, on a charge of being a house-
, bresher. It appeared that he bad been for some time employed
by housebreakers, who, after making a small aperture, put him
Itbsough for the purpose. of letting them in. He was delivered
me to the Philanthropic Institution, where be will be kept for
I a emiderable period, and taught a trade.
Users-Hats.—Yesterday, a poor player, named Wilson, jest
salved from the country, applied to the sitting Magistrates
(Canalises and Aerates, Esqrs.) for a little temporary relief.
He led a adios by birth upon the parish of Lambeth ; and,
observing that this his first appearance at the Office had made a
hvourable impression upon the Magistrates, looked forward to
sere permanent testimony of their indulgence. He ventured to
hope, that they would enable him to change his profession alto-
gether, for an employment not subject to such afflicting vicissi-
tudes. The unfortunate man had, when a boy, fallen into the
sepany of amateur actors, and been led by them to neglect the
Swede to which his father had bound him, before he received any
, bunt& from the instructions of his master. He was asked by
Mr. CHAMBEILS, whether be bad ever applied fur work, or was
merely indebted to the comic poets for the means of subsistence?
The player replied, that the tragic muse was his only friend : he
never could get out of her power.
Mr. Cuauseas—Have you played lately in Tragedy?
Player.—l am now performing in Tragedy, Sir.
Mr. Cnausaas.—lndeed I am sorry to see that you are, but
I mean to ask, whether you have lately pretended to be in dis-
tress when you were not in that condition?
The Player replied that he bad not, and observed. that the
more real misery an actor felt, the less able was he to prove to
an audience his claim to applause. He had tried America, but
even in the barbarous state of the Stage there, his exertions were
overlooked. For nine years he laboured in Holman's company,
but ever as he began to 0 strut hie hour upon the Stage, the
audience obliged him " to fret" much beyond the ordinary
usage of the poor player. He should be happy under these cir- •
cumstances to be" beard no more," and was most willing to
apply himself to any sort of labour ;he Magistrates might please
to assign to him.
Mr. Clietaitas expressed some surprise that the applicant had
not made some efforts to get au engagement in the metropolis.
Poor Wilson said, he had gone to one of the great Theatre
about a year ago, to see whether there was room for him, but he
was again disappointed, for the 0 heavy line" was his line, and
he saw that be should have every one in the Theatre for a rival
in that department. He was glad at one time to engage with a
Mountebank celebrated for eating lire at the country fairs, and
performed in a still heavier line than before, being obliged to
assist in carrying from place to place the appendages of the
booth, and " to carry coals," as well as to till his character.
But be never could prevail upon the manager to teach him to
blow smoke through his nose and eats.
Mr. Cuaanutas regretted that one so industrious should have
undergone such distress, and after holding a conversation with
the keeper of the workhouse, told the player that he could make
a weaver of him, and have him supplied with food and lodging
until he should attain a knowledge of the trade.—The player was
delighted with the proipect before him, and bowed most reapedr
fully to the Magistrates.

Coate Escruncis, Mate-triir, Dec. 14.—The overwhelming
supplies of Wheat we have had for several weeks past, having
occasioned a very considerable reduction in prices, and Flour nut
laving fallen as was expected, bas produced a general opinion
thkt Wheat has now seen its lowest; and several millers acted
epos that opinion this morning, by purchasing tolerably freely at
a vadatelawat 2.. per quarter for the middling and inferior qua-
fides ; and prime samples at Monday's quotations. The Barley*
trade is extremely heavy, and although the finest samples were
offered at a decline of Os. per quarter from Mondars prices, a
very small proportion of the supply was disposed ot, and the in.
feriar sorts were quite unsaleable. Oats are is. per quarter
lower than on Monday, but fine fresh corn met a brisk sale at
that abatement. Beans are front is. to 2s. per quarter lower.
&lsvunlLn Maistrr, Dan. 14.—There was a good supply
this morning of all descriptions of Cattle, particularly a good
chew of prime Beef, which obtained a higher price, which is
usually the case before arbutus; all other descriptions are oc
minal.—Corrent prices:
Beet 2s. lid. to 4s. Od. per stone of albs.; Mutton, Os. I&
to Zs. ,gd. Veal. 21. 6d. so 4s. 4d. Pork, 2s. Od. to 46.04.
Cattle at Market Beasts, 870; Calves, 110; Sheep and Lambs,
5,200; Piss, 110.--.llay awl Straw per load, day, 31. 10s.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, DErEMBER 13

THE BARNSTAPLE CASE.--PERJERY,--THE KING V.

ROBERT KN ILL.

This was an information filed by the Attorney- I
General against the defendant, for wilful and corrupt
perjury, committed by him at the bar of the House
of Lords, where he was examined as a witness on the
23d of June, 1820. •
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL now stated the case to
the Jury :—The transaction on which the perjury was
alleged arose out of a contested election for the
Borough of Barnstaple, on which occasion there were
three candidates—Sir M. Lopes, Mr. F. Ommaney,
and Sir Henry Thompson ; the' two first were re-
turned, and Sir Henry Thompson, the unsuccessful
candidate, petitioned the House of Commons against
the return. His Petition was referred to a Select
Committee. The defendant, who is 2 freeman of
that Borough, was examined before the Committee,
and then swore that he voted for Sir M. Lopez, in
consequence of Mr. Gribble, the agent of that Gen-
tleman, having proasisA him satisfaction. A Bili
was afterwards, in conseque:ice of the Report of this
Committee, brought into the Hothe of Commons to
disfranchise the Borough, on the groirods of corrup-
tion, and in due course went to the House of Lords,
and the defendant was again examined as a witness
at their Lordships bar. Here he swore that, on his
requesting satisfaction of Gribble, he turned away
without giving any answer. His motive for this con-
tradiction was apparent: in the first instance he was
desirous, from interested motives, to have a new elec-
tion ; but, is the second instance, he would have
been sorry to have had the Borough disfranchised.
—The offence which the defendant had committed
was a most serious and aggravated one, and the Law
Officers of the Crown had considered it their duty to
prosecute him.
The Journals of the Lords were then put in, and
Mr. Gurney, the short-hand writer, re.td his notes of
the evidence given by the defendant at their Lordships
bar on the 23d and 25th June, 1810.
The Speaker's warrant for the election, and Sir H.
Thompson s petition were also put in.
C. J. Green, assistant to Mr. Gurney, proved that
a person, answering to the name of Robert
was examined before the Committee of the House of
Commons, and witness afterwards saw the defendant
attending as a witness at the bar of the House of
Lords. Witness read from his notes the evidence
given by Knill before the Committee of the House
of Commons, stating that Gribble had promised him
satisfaction.

Mr. ADOLPHUS, for the defendant, now submitted'
to his Lordship that here was no case to go to the Jury.
He could find but one solitary case at all parallel to
this, and that was one tried at Lancaster about sixty
years ago. No offence was, in the present case, im-
puted to the defendant in the iniormation. There was
a long narrative of the proceedings before the two
Houses of Parliament, and then a statement of what
was alleged to be the offence; but the tithe, the place,
and a competent jurisdiction, ought to have been pre-
viously alleged ; but iu the present case none of these
things were stated.
The Cutts Junior thought the offence sufficiently
particularized in the third count, but the opinion of
the Court on that point might be taken, if necessary,
in arrest of judgment hereafter.

The ATTORNEY-GENLRAL contended that the first
and second counts were good, upon the authority of
the King v. Booth, tried at Lancaster, before Mr.
Justice Yates (in 1764). The defendant in that case
swore, before a Justice of the Peace, that three women
were concerned in the destruction of a windmill,
during a riot which had taken place. Afterwards,
at the trial, having been tampered with in the inter-
val, he swore that they were not concerned. The
Judge, on that occasion, was ofopinion that this was
perjury, and the Court afterwards confirmed that
opinion so given.
Mr. At:rot-mos contended, that the doctrine thus
assumed by the Attorney-General was laid down too
largely. By such a doctrine it was assumed that the
facts stated before the Lords were false, and that the
first statement was true. Now the contrary was more
likely to be the fact, and that in what he first stated
he might have been mistaken, and that What he after-
wards stated, at a subsequent period, corrected by re-
collection and reflection, was the truth. To find him
guilty the Jury must assume that the first was true,
and the last not true. He (Mr. Adolphus) contended
that all which had been proved on this occasion was
a discrepancy in the statement before the Lords and
Commons, but no wilful or corrupt perjury had
been proved.

The CHIEF JUSTICZ said, he was glad this discus-
sion of the subject had taken place. His Lordship'
then entered at considerable length into his _view ofl
the law of the case, which the Jury might put en-1
tirely out of their consideration ; they might find on
the fact. If they believed the fact sworn at the bar
of the Lords false, they might find defendant guilty
generally, and the question of law might come before
the Court hereafter in arrest of judgment.
The Jury, after a short deliberation, found the de-
fendant—Guilty.