Star.
London, England, 1817-09-15 00:00:00

. , .
eommard;ng. the party more than once desire the
people 'n keep back, for the sake or for it own live
Cross- xamined.— When Bell Nic••l was gr
with the in n, Isobel Shim wes also there strueeting
with ante lee. Bell Nicol was nn the ground. and or t
of the cutter's men on the ground also Witness
assisted in carrying the whisky up the country to:-
wards the muir ; it was the property ef the deceased,
Daniel M.Kinnon, and two others. Witness thiaks
the yeason the people followed the party w :e-to get
back part of the whisky, if they Would give it, or to
take a. When the ten first shots were fired to inti•
midete them, he heard the people saying the parts
had no balls, and could do no injury.
Peter Jenkins, mariner on board the Prince Ed-
ward cutter, was oae of the party that landed on the
Island of Arran in quest of the cargo of a bo it the
cutter had graced—there were twelve men and tie
mate; two men were left with the boat; Mr. Jeffrey
and the rest went up the country., Found four easiee
and set off on their ratan to the shore. The cfiliiitry
people annoyed them, and wished the whisky wan
then[—they inereastel as the parry proree I i, and
sad they would like thei: lives btf ire then •h
take away the whisky. Mr. Jeffrey told them hr would
net give it up, and that they knew the consequence.
The people told him they knew the law as well as
he ditl. They th:ew stones, and James M.Culloch
war twice struck on the back. when earryine a cask ;
one of the stones was two pounds eeight. N. a k
fence, about halt a mile from the shore, thi y were
ann,:yed very much, when two blank shots wen' fired
oerr the people to frighten them. It had no rtarct ;
they followed them over the fenc met kept pu.; inc;
treen the party. Two women laid mild of the wh-
itey, es also some men, and threw him down. They
bruised the witness with their hands and knees, and
one-man struck Lan on tee head. Witness lay two
days, wed fur ten could do very little duty. IViiness
fired his musket while on the ground. They tried
to take it from him, and carried of the bayonet,
which was never recovered. There were others thing
at this time by Mr. Jeffiey'e orders; he thinks about
'right or nine shots were fired in all. Witness was
upon the ground, and, upon getting up, saw Mr.
Jeffrey Asp rising. Same men had held of him.—
Witness saw another of the party, A'ex. M'Queen,
down, and a good many people about him After
the firing, the mob dispersed. Winless saw two men
and one woman lying on the ground. Sterne of the
mob also took his cutlass from him, whets he was
upon the ground.

Cross-examined.—At the latter end of the fray
there were in all about 200 persons ; about 20 or 30
women, and the remainder men and boys. Mr. Jef.
frey repeatedly told the people to keep off; some.
times they spoke to him quietly, and sometimes with
insolence. When the two shots were fired they gave
a hurrai and came over the fence When •he two
women laid hold ot se itness, he struck rnic with his
musket and another with his fist; he had no intention
at that time of tiring his piece. As soon as Mr.
Jeffrey got upon his lett, he called to cease tiring, as
the people were dispersing, and the party. en i.te the
best of their way to the beach with the s-imtre.
Several of the party complained to Mr. JeTrey i the
annoyance they received ; he told them not to mind
what they said, as long as they kept eleir 1)41.ds off
them. He was quite cool to the last, and not in a
passion. The people told the party 1;:ot they had
beat better cutters' crews hcforc them. Mr..letircy
told them that if they did not !;:,r) off he would be
under the nccessity ot tiring vpen them. Witiiesc is
positive that the smallest in crowd was a boy of
about 15 years of age.
Alexander *Queen. mariner. eorrnborated
testimony of the preceding witness in every particular.
Witness lt.st his hat in the ; he tired twit.,
and loaded a third ti e; but Mr. Jeffrey called to
him to tire no more unless they CAM' bask.
The declaration of the prisoner was them read, in
which he g.tve the same account of the transaction
as the two preceding witnesses.

Mr. SOLICITOR-GENERAL.--" From What I am
now to state, I trust it will not he foond necessary to
detain your Lordships and the Jury laid' the conside-
ration of any farther evidence. I consider that, by
the investigation which, by the direction of is Ma.
jesty's Advocate, I have this day conducted. his
Lordship has perfurnied a very important um( t his
public duty. In all cases, Wllel:Cr in a public or
private affair, where the lives of any of his Majesty's
subjects have been lest, it is necessary that those
means should he Atm, by which alone, in 4 clear,
authentic, and constitutional manner, the public
can be informed of the circumstances in which
the unfortunate events have occurred. The r salt
of the present inquiry has been clearly to shew, that
the character of an useful officer in the public service
stands unimpeached, and that he h is done ills duty
with it manliness and discret,on that does him credit.
And, in the next place, the te.ult of the investi4 ',ion
has been, or, I. trust in your opinion said be—to
she a. those lawless pet suns, who trust to Impunity from
their remoteness from the seats of justice, that it is
impossible, with safety to themselves, to assault or
endanger the lives of public onicers. I hive no
doubt that the manly and decided conduct of the
prisoner, going out to the world with the approbation
of your Lordships and a Jury, will be a correction as
efficacious as any decision %%hie) a Court of Law
could have pronounced on their misconduct. In a
word, I submit that the Jury are bound to return a
verdict in every rtcpect favourable to the prisoner."
The Jury, without leaving the box, immediately
returned an unanimous verdict of—Not Guilty.
Loin) Jusucc John Jeffrey, I have now
the satisfaction of announcing to you, that after a
lull investigation of the whole circumstances as to
your conduct upon the mitortunate day charged in
the indictment, a most respectable Jury of your awn.
try have pronounced you Nat Guilty of the critne
with which you were charged. Alter that evidence
which has been vuslicly given in this Coin!, it is un-
necessary for me to add, that the conduct u Lich you
exhibited on the occasion in question was that
WAS to be expected of an officer who had tilled an
honourable situation in his Majesty's Navy. I have
only to say, that while you conduct yo7uselt as you
appear to have hitherto always done, according to
the same rules of humanity, propriety, and proper
public spirit. titeie will be little probahtlity of a eimi.
lar charge being ever preferred against rm tit airy
Criminal Court."

The pri.oncr !Javecd '., the C.”..11,