Star.
London, England, 1818-07-28 00:00:00

began to talk of Mr. Bowditch's great regard, saying
he was to be sure too low in life, but she had never
seen any body so resolute: desiring her not to men-
tion it to her uncle or aunt. Elizabeth Snell the
housemaid often spoke to her on the same subject.
On Monday Snell found the witness crying, and told
her not to vex herself. She replied she was quite
miserable, and to relieve her mind she must speak to
her uncle and aunt about it. Elizabeth Snell ex-
claimed, 44 What ! and be murdered ; I would not
for the Indies in gold." Mary Whitby the nurse-
maid sometimes spoke in a similar manner. On Sa-
turday the 20th September, when walking alono.in
Taunton, having been sent by her aunt to the mar-
ket, she was met by James Bowditch and Mrs. Mul-
raine. The latter said, " Come with us as I want to
tell you something." Witness refused, when J. Bow-
ditch waved his hand, and, with a menacing look,
cried out, " Go, go, you know what I have declared
—there is no occasion to repeat it." Mrs. Mulraine
said, " why not go:" and Bowditch added, " Aye,
and I'll do it." Witness followed them up a court
in East-street, and they led her into a house, where
the only person she saw at first was Mrs. W. Bow-
ditch. They took her into a parlour where Mrs.
Mulraine produced a paper, and observed, that they
wished her to write something, and terrified her into
s;gning it. The substance of the contents being that
she would comply with all that James Bowditch
might wish her to do. Immediately after this a man
entered with W. ilowditch whom he had since seen,
and knew to be Mr. Oxenham, of Taunton, an attor-
ney. He had a large paper in his hand, written in a
character that looked to her like Greek. She was
desired to sign it, and he placed her hand at the brit-
tom of it as she trembled a great deal. James and
William Bowditch stood on each side of her, and
when she left, Mrs. Mulraine told her that she would
not now be molested: The next day was Sunday,
and when returning from church with her aunt, the
latter informed her that she was to go in a day or
two to a boarding school at Chelsea. The elder Mrs.
Bowditch was with them at this time ; witness was
much surprised, but felt the greatest pleasure at
hearing she was soon to leave Taunton. In the course
of that day, Jane Marke brought her a 'note from
Mrs. Mulraine, saying, that James Bowditch was
de-
termined to take her away at the end of that week,
'or the beginning of the next; she went to bed be-
tween nine and ten o'clock, wholly unaware of what
was to happen, and feeling quite tranquil and happy,
at the thought of going to school, and getting tree
from danger. Her bed-room door was shut, and het
,little cousins slept in the same room, which was ad-
joining to that of her uncle; she soon fell asleep, and
the first thing she reCollected was that of being awoke
-by Jane Marke, who came without a light, and in a
long black dress, saying, " Get up, they are all wait- •
ing, and you know what Mr. Bowditch has said."
Witness was then lifted out of bed, but was unable
from terror either to speak or cry ; Marke threw
some of her clothes over her, but without lacing
them ; she was just able to pronounce in a low voice,
" Oh, Jane," as she hurried down. She saw her.
uncle's study window and door open ; and when taken
-through the window, she saw James and W. Bow-
ditch and some others in the garden ; the two formcr
took her by the arms, and she could rernember.no-
thing further till she found herself sitting on a step,
Ismd Mr. Gibbon: putting on one of her shoes. Mrs.
Mulraine said, 04 Only think of her walking so far'
without her shoes." She was then taken to W. Bow-
-I,ditch's house, and thence to Holway Farm. She
went up to abed-room, where she saw a Lady, named
Mrs. Owen, and exclaimed, " What will become of
me ! Oh, that I was at my uncle's!" Mrs. Mulraine
said, " You had better not let Mr. Bowditch hear yon
say that; however I have had nothing to do with it."
Mrs. Owen remarked, " That it was a most'scanda-
lous and abominable thing, that so young a creature
.should be kept in this situation." Old Mrs. Bow-
ditch then said, " You must come with me directly;'
and led her into the kitchen, and forced her to
drink a cup of something black and bitter like
medicine. James and Mr.' Bowditch afterwards
led her through a field, and placed her in a gig.—
Before they drove off she was obliged to drink an-
other cup of the same liquid, which she was sure was '
not tea, but which caused her to fall into a stupor.
She could remember nothing further, till she heard
James Bowditch in the middle of the night asking
what o'clock it was. They soon after arrived at
Thornford, at the house of Mr. Paul, one of the de-
fendants, who was married to a sister of the Bow.
ditch's. Paul walked up and down, and said, in an
exulting manner, " We shall now hear all the bells
in the parish ringing." Mrs. I'aul asked if they had
not had a tiresome journey ? James Bowditch said,
" Yes, I could hardly keep her in the gig ; she was
one minute laughing, and another crying all the
way." They afterwards conducted her into a room
where a tall man was sitting at the window, reading
some papers very earnestly. He asked her age ?
She said sixteen years ; and he asked'her whether
she had the consent of her parents or friends to be
married ? and she said " No. He then said it was
Plain the marriage Could not be lawful. James Bow-
ditch gave her a severe look, but said nothing. The
other said, " never mind ; you may be married just
as well." She felt ready to fall, and was carried up
stairs, where she remained till dinner time. A Mr.
Templer, a clergyman, dined that day at Mr. Paul's.
She was induced much against her will to sit down
'to dinner, but she could net eat any thing. Being in
the kitchen that day, she did attempt to write a let-
ter, but James Bowditch came in and snatched if
'from her, called her a little —, and said nobody
could blame him if he used her ever so unkindly.
In her Cross-examination by Mr. CASBERD, she
'said she was born in the West Indies, and came to
England about six years ago ; she had heard her
mother married early in life ; when at Holway farm
she used to ride on a pony, and James Bowditch oc-
casionally assisted her on and off, as she was a bad
rider. She walked out twice with him at her aunt's
desire, but he walked behind her, and they had no
conversation. They were accompanied by her aunt's
servant, Whitby. The letters now produced were not
in her hand-writing.
Mr. Tuckett was again called, and said that Min
Glenn was the most affectionate creature ever known,
and was devoted to her mother, as she was to his
children.. He saw Bowditch talking to his servant,
Whitby, on the Sunday previous ; he looked red in
the face, touched his hat, and went away. He hid
Secii, him two or three times paiiiz and rtpa.,sing,