Star.
London, England, 1820-09-11 00:00:00

ZANCASTER ASSIZES, SEPTEMBER 4.

Mr. Justice BAYLEY has been pleased to reprieve
all the prisoners capitally convicted at these Assizes,
except William Hall, convicted of a highway rob.
bery at Liverpool, and Henry Houghton, convicted
of forging a bill of exchange.
BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE.
BEATTIE V. PEARSON.

This was an action brought to recover compensa-
tion in damages for a breach of promise of marriage.
The parties being persons of the highest respectability,
an unusual degree of interest was excited by this case.
The Court was filled to overflowing ; and there was
arrayed in the seats opposite the Jury an assemblage
of female beauty, congregated to witness the exem-
plary punishment which Lancashire Juries never fail
to inflict on faithless swains. Mr. LITTLEDALE opened
the pleadings, and Mr. SCAELETT stated the case on
the part of the plaintiff. The plaintiff in this cause,
Mrs. Beattie, is the widow of a medical Gentleman,
who at the time of their marriage resided in Liver-
pool, but who afterwards went upon the Continent as
a Surgeon in the Army. She had been married at the,
early age of eighteen, and her husband died in the
month of May, 1815, at Colbeck, in Scotland, where
he had been settled some months, and was interred
on the very day on which Mrs. Beattie was to have
joined him, she having been residing some months
with her mother at Mottram, in Cheshire. One
' child only was the issue of this marriage. It was,
admitted, on all hands, that the connections of
this Lady were of the highest respectability, and
Mr. Scarlett described the plaintiff as a Lady of
great personal attractions, possessing every female
accomplishment, with a well cultivated mind, an
excellent judgment, and an amiable disposition ; and
he very ingeniously produced as his witness a lady
of uncommon beauty and pleasing manners, who
was said very much to resemble the plaintiff,
and which was probably not without effect upon
the damages which were awarded by the Jury.—
The defendant, Mr. Samuel Pearson, was stated to be
a Gentleman of great opulence, at the head of an ex-
tensive silk manufactory at Macciestield—he was a
widower, and thirty-six years of age, had been twice
married, and had a family of three or four children.
This was the situation of the parties. In the month
of April, 1819, Mr. George Kent Pearson married a
Miss Lees, the niece of the plaintiff, on which occa-
sion Mrs. Beattie was invited to spend the honey-
month with the new-married couple, and her visit
was extended to two mouths. It was during the lat-
ter part of this per lad that the defendant began to
visit Mrs. Beattie; his attentions soon became marked,
his visits frequent, and it was not long before he
made her an offer of his hand, which was not de-
clined. After this he introduced her as his intended
wife, and he introduced himself to her relations as
her future husband ; consulted her upon choice of
furniture; and finally fixed the day of his marriage,
which was to take place on the Thursday after Isis
return from London, to which place I.e was going to
attend the East India sale of silks. He was accom-
panied by his cousin, Mr. George Pearson, and in the
course of this journey he informed him that he was
in
i a state of do6ht, and did not know whether he
should be married to Mrs. Beattie or not. His cousin
remonstrated with him, and he admitted he was much
to blame, and deserved to be handled ; and if an ac-
tion was brought'against him, he expected he would
have to pay 1:5000; but he said he had not treated
Mrs. Beattie so ill as he had done a young Lady in
London, upon which occasion the licence and ring were
bought, the day fixed, and the party assembled.—
That, instead of going by the mail, he sent a letter,
stating that he had altered his mind ; and the shock
had made such an inroad upon her constitution, that
he did not expect she would survive it. The defendant
returned from London, but he never visited or wrote
to the plaintiff, or assigned any cause for Isis change
of mind. The effect upon Mrs. Beattie was most ca-
lamitous: after suffering months of anguish, she be.
came distracted, and was obliged to be placed in a
lunatic asylum at Manchester. Fortunately the ef-
foits made to restore her reason were effectual ; she
was returned to her friends with her mental powers
restored, but with an enfeebled and shattered consti-
tution.—Serjeant Cams made an ingenious speech
in reply, in mitigation of damages, Int he- called
no witnesses, and made no satisfactory apology.
After Mr. Justice PARK had remarked upon the evi-
dence, and made some observations as to the grounds
upon which they were to estimate the damages, the
Jury, after a short consultation, and without retiring,
round a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages, 1:4,000

With regret we hear there has been a slight return
of the discontent manifested a iew months ago among
the colliers in this County, from the same cause, viz.
dissatisfaction with the rate of wages. Warrants
have been issued against a number of them for as-
saults; and Robert Hodson, Allen Pickering, Ed.
Pooler, IV. Pooler, and T. Jarvis, have been com-
mitted to our jail for riotously assembling, and for
an assault upon three overlookers belonging to the
Lilleshall Company, who were abused and thrown
into the canal by the rioters. The Cavalry were or-
dered on Tuesday to be in readiness ; but the com-
mittal of the above. mentioned men to prison, has re-
pressed the colliers from doing farther mischief.—
(Shrewsbury Chronicle).
MELANCHOLY DEATH OF A WHOLE FAMILY.—

LIMERICK, SEPTEMBER 2.—A most melancholy ca-
astropbe has just occurred in this neighbourhood.
The Rev. Mr. STERLING, Rector of Athlone, his
wife, and two children, were ona visit at his sister's,
in the county of Tipperary. Previous to their ar-
rival, the governess had died, said to have been of a
most maligant fever, caught from the clothes of her
husband, who had fallen a victim to a similar disease,
about six months before, in Dublin. Some time after
their arrival Mr.STERLING's son caught the distemper,
and died—the daughter, in a few days after, shared
the same fate, which had such an effect on the patents
that they became distracted and inconsolable. Mr.
STERLING then complained of illness, which was then
considered only the effect of grief; but the disease
made such rapid strides, that in a few days lie was
also removed from this mortal life. Finally, Mrs.
STER.LING complained of illness, and, after three
days' confinement, died on Tuesday last. The entire
family were thus swept off within ten days. Mr.
STERLING was a most respectable and highly es-
teemed clergyman, brother-in-law to Sic GEORGE
TGITE, Bart.—Limerick Chroxicle.