Star.
London, England, 1818-03-31 00:00:00

DEVON.

A CHILD MURDERED sy ITS MOTHER.
Frances Ciruke was iadicterfor the murder of her
child, George Lakeman Clarke, by adniiiiisteiii7 to
it, by the instigation of the devil, a portion of oil of
vitriol, from the effects of which it died. The child
was three weeks and one day old. •
William Vesey, a labourer, residing at Buckfast-
leigh.—l know the prisoner at the bar ; she lodged
at my house on the 24th of October ; she was deli-
vered of a boy three weeks before; his name was
George Lakeman Clarke ; his mother said he was
called George Lakeman, and Clarke came of course.
She slept in the room within that in which I slept:
on the 24th of October I saw the prisoner bring the
child into her own room ; she left it there and went
down stairs ; on her return she had an apron on her
arm ; she went into her room, and in half a minute
I heard the child strangling, the same as if it was
choking. Prisoner called out that the child was dy-
ing : I asked her what was the matter? She replied,
the child was dying, and went down stairs in a great
hurry, squeezing, the child up in her arms.
Susannah Vesey, wife to the last witness.—l saw'
the prisoner ou the 24th of October .with the child
in her arms. At two o'clock in the afternoon she was
sitting by the fire; I desired her to carry her child,
up stairs and lay it on the bed, because she had it
the whole forenoon asleep on her lap ; she ran up
s.:airs with it; I went into the garden, where I stayed
t-eo minutes, and on my return she was down stairs
with the. child is her arms. The child was in a very
dreadful way. She said the child was dy :lig. I said,
how could it be dying, when it was very well when
I parted from her;" I desired her to let me have the
child. She would not, and she went up stairs; I
followed her up stairs, but she was not in the same
room as at first. She came down stairs, and I took
the child from her and carried it to the window. I
saw its month open, and the stuff that was given to
the child was boiling in its mouth ; I mean by stuff,
it of vitriol. The child was shrieking and crying.
I sent after the doctor. I said to the prisoner, " What
lave you done this for?" The answer she gave me
was, that "it was her mother's fault." I observed
there was something on the child's whittle, and
thought it was blood, but it was not ; I rubbed my
finger to it, and put it to my tongue, and found it
was oil of vitriol. I asked what she had done to the
child ? I said she had given it oil of vit• ion, and I
did not know where she could have got it, for we
have no such thing in our house. She made no reply.
I stopped her, and said, " You hussey, you have mur-
dered your baby, and I'll have you took up imme-
diately." She did not answer. On the 28th of Oc-
tober I found a bottle in the fire: there was oil of
vitriol in it. The bottle was broke in taking it out
of the fire, and vitriol was spilt upon a stick. The
child died on the 25th, the day after the stuff was
given to it. The child was, before this, as well as it
was possible to be.
Cross-examined by Mr. D,ONICIN.—George Lake-
man, who is the reputed father of the child, is a
gentleman farmer. The parish put the prisoner in
my house to lay in : no other person lodged with me.

NEGLIGENCE OF A MAIL COACH DRIVER.
MORISH V. FOOTE.

Sarah Maddock, eleven years old.-4 know the
prisoner; I live with Susannah Vesey. Richard But.-
cher keeps a shop at Buckfastleigh, and sells vitriol,
amongst other things ; I went for a pennyworth of
oil of vitriol for Frances Clarke a fortnight before
Buckfastleigh fair, which was about six weeks before
;le was taken up. She told me to go to Mr. But-1
cher's after a pennyworth of oil of vitriol fur her ;
she told me not to tell it was for hcr, but for the
people in the house. I went and got it, and carried
it down to her; I told her not to drink it, if she did
it would kill her. I told her so, because Mr. Butcher
told me to say so ; she said, " No, no ;" she told me
not to tell Susannah Vesey of it. She promised me
a penny at the fair, and afterwards a habit shirt.
Richard Butclr.x.—l keep a druggist's shop at
Buckfastleigh. Sarah Maddock came to me, accord-
ing to my recollection, six or eight weeks before the
death of the child ; she came alter vitriola penny-
worth ; on my inquiring, she said it was for Fan
Clarke. I gave the vitriol to her, it was oil of vi.
triol. I sent back a very strict charge. that if she
drank it it would kill her.

Nicholas Churchill, a surgeon, residing at Buck-,
iastleigh, was called in on the 24th of October, to
see a child, which a woman said was roisonel I
went to Vesey's house. The child was in the lap of
Susannah Vesey, breathing with great difficulty, and
incapable of swallowing ; the mouth, tongue. and
lips, acted on and destroyed by a strong acid, which
supposed to be sulphuric acid, or oil of vitriol,
:ammonly so called, from a mark on the side of the
ilse, and the under lip, which was blue, or livid.
J:her acids cast a difietent colour, some yellow, and
some white. The colour of the whole body was not
natural, but such as is occacioned by obstructed
re,iii-ation. I saw the child again three hot:1-s after;
it was much worse. Another surgeon had already
administered all I thought necessary. On the
saw it again at nine o'clock in the forenoon ; it ap-
peared to be dying. On the 26th I saw it at the Co-
roner's Inquest, and formed a judgment that it had
died in consequence of sulphuric acid or oil of vitriol
being administered to it. I did not open the child—
(the witness looked at the spoon)—l wolld rather not
give an opinion as to the effect of oil of vitriol on the
spa .0, for such an application is not made profes-
sionally by medical men.—(The prkoner's a-,ron was
put into his hands)—l can say that this linen was
burned by some acid.

LEICESTER.
PLATEL, GENT. C. FRISBY, ESQ.

A bottle was prod uced.—S sann ah Veser.—l found
that bottle in the prisoner's box—am sure it'is the same.
Mr. Butcher looked at the bottle. There is the ap-
pearance of vitriol about the bottle ; but I am nut
certain ; the battle is almost clean.
Sarah Maddock looked at the bottle.—That is like
the bottle I got the vitriol in. I got the bottle from
Fiances Cho Le. _

Mr. Butcher.—lt is impossible to SM ea to bottles,

in my opinion, furnished by druggists.—Mr. Roe, a
a surgeon, could not say whether there had been sul-
p• auric acid in the bottle.
. .

Mr. Churchill, surgeon.—l shall examinethe cork;
it appears to' have been acted upon by some strong
metallic acid. I beg leave to correct part of my evi-
dence: cork acted upon by sulphuric acid turns black:
by nitrous and other acids, white and yellow.

Mr. DONKIN requested that the statement of a
chymist from London, who was in Court, should ►e
received in evidence. He then called

William Haller., a chymist in London many years,
who said, I think it impossible to say at the present
time what had been in that bottle ; I think it had not
what is called vitriolic acid in it ; had there been vi-
triolic acid in this phial, and had the phial not been
washed or clean wiped, the acid would be pungent,
and almost corrode any thing applied to it. It put
into the fire (it being of a fixed and not volatile qua-
lity), it would not be much affected.
Cross-examined.—l am a wholesale druggist, and
a practical druggist 30 years. I'll not swear there
was not vitriolic atid in the phial. I cannot discover'
whether it has been in the fire, from the taste or
smell. It is nearly tasteless. There is some colour,
but it is impossible, to collect by what that has been
occasioned. 'There is some dirt in the bottle. I can't
discover of what the dirt is composed ; I can say that
on iron vitriolic acid will produce dead blackness.
The spoon is iron plated. Oil of vitriol put into the
iron spoon will cause blackness.
Mr. Justice HOLROYD.—WiII you undertake to
swear, that vitriolic acid, put into that spoon, will not
produce that whiteness you observe?
Mr.. Hallet.—No, I will not swear it.

Mr. gum—Will you undertake to swear that oil
of vitriol was not the last thing put into that spoon?
Mr. Hallet..—l will not ; all acids will produce a
whiteness, but most of them more than vitriolic acids,
on iron spoons, plated with lead. This is plated with
lead. On colourless linen, the ♦itriolic acid will
cause a black stain, and burn it ; the mark round the
hole would be white; the eff:ct of it on woollen
would be nearly the same. Here Mr. Hallet exa•
mined the linen apron : " It appears," said he, " to
be destroyed by acids." He also examined the whit-
tle of woollen: " That also may have been burned
by acids." Mr. Hallet was by accident in Court ;be
had not been summoned to attend.

Mr. Justice Ilot ROTD, in summing up, made very
few comments upon the evidence.—The Jury imme-
diately returned a verdict of Guilty.
The prisoner received the verdict without any ap-
parent emotion. She is about two or three and thirty
years of age.
Mr. Justice HOLROYD then stated to the Jury, that
the indictment charged the prisoner with the murder
of George Lakeman Clarke, whereas, in the course
of the evidence, it appearel that the child had been
christened George Lakeman only. Upon this sub-
ject there existed such a doubt, as to induce him, al-
though he thought it right to proceed with the trial,
for the purpose of ascertaining the prisoner's guilt or
innocence, to reserve the point for the consideration
of the judges. Sentence of death, of course, was not
passed.—This trial excited much interest; many re-
spectable females who had gained admission into
the Court, were obliged to retire, previous to the
verdict being given.

Mr. WILD stated, that this was an action brought
to recover '2Ol. the value of a mare, which had been
killed in consequence of the improper conduct of the
driver of the Bath and Exeter mail coach, of which
the defendant is proprietor.
Mr. MOORE said, the case was one in which the
public were most.deeply interested. The plaintiff had
.lent his servant, Richard Howe, with his waggon, on,
the road from Exeter, on the '2d of January last. At
five o'clock in the morning, Howe saw the mail-
coach approaching furiously upon the wrong side of
the road ; he called out to the coachman, but, though
the morning was light, no notice was pken by the
coachman, and the horses continued their rapid pace
until they reached those of the waggon, one of which
was killed on the spot by the pole of the coach.—
Whether the coachman had been asleep or not at the
time precaution was so necessary, he could not tell,
but he was willing to suppose so, for it was the most
favourable way of accounting for such an occurrence.
The waggoner had been so cautious upon seeing tile
approach of the coach, as to take hold of one of his
leaders,- in order to give the coach ali the latitude
possible, but his care was ineffectual ; for in order
to save himself he was compelled to let the horse go,
and immediately after the violence took place, which
gave rise to the present action. A little boy who
attended the waggon made a similar effort to avoid
the coach, but he also was obliged to move away as
fast as he could, to avoid the consequences of a col-
lision which would probably have thrown a more
dangerous responsibility upon the driver. It was in
evidence besides, that the waggon had been on the
right side of the road, and that it could not be got
more out of the way of the coach.
Verdict for the plaintiff-201. with costs.

Mr. ItEs-Noi.us opened the declaration in this case
in the usual form. It was an action to recover the
value of a horse sold by the plaintiff to the defendant.
The defendant pleaded, first, that he had not pro-
mised to pay; and next, a set-off. Upon this issue
vts joined. The trial proceeded, in which nothing
particular transpired, except what follows :
Air. Davenport, a surgeon at Waltham, was called for the
defence; and was afterwards cross-examined by Mr. Cir Rae.
Have you been examined as a witness before ?-1 have.
You know then the religious obligations of an oath ?—I do.
Do you consider the oath which you have taken as binding
upon you to speak the whole truth 7—l do.

Do vou believe In the Holy Scriptures?—l believe in %in.
I ack you, Sir, do you believe in the Holy Scriptures upon
which you have ji.st sworn to speak the truth do not be-
lieve in every part of them.

Do you believe in the divinity of Christ ?—Witness to the
Lc: rated Judge—My Lord, 'am I obliged to answer that question?
Mr. Scijeant VAVGIIAN—My Lord, I apprehend
the witness is not obliged to answer such interro-
gatories?
Mr. Baron GARAOW—As you have taken the Ob-
jection, it is my duty to say he is not. I should not,
however, have prevented him from giving an answer
if he had chosen, because the answer might have
vindicated him from the imputation which the ques-
tion conveyed. But, whatever might have been his
answer, whether he declared himself to be a believer

tin every part of the Holy Scriptures or not, I should take them into enstody. A smile ensue&
in my address to the Jury have said, that his belief defendants got away. but were suhselutntl
' or:disbelief in these matters should not impeach his' hended. Ou making inquiry afterwards,
testimony. He might be equally disposed to tell thecerta.ned that Kingston. the man charged A-
-truth, whatever were his religious opinions. ing the hay, never mentioned the name of I;
The witness, on being again quesioned, said he tutor, nor did he even know him. Thnce
believed in a future state, and in rewards and punish- facts of the case, and he (Mr. Arabin) was
ments hereafter. that when he should have proved them i•

Mr. Baron GARROW repeated his opinion, that the
testimony of the witness was unobjectionable.
Mr. Baron GARROW, in summing up the case to
the Jury, observed, that no doubt could exist that
the horse in question had been warranted sound at
the time he was sold by Mr. Platel, and the single
question which the Jury had to decide, was, whether
that warranty had been well founded or not ? To
enable the Jury to come to a just conclusion on this
point, his Lordship then recapitulated' the whole of
the evidente. In adverting to the testimony of Mr.
Davenport, his Lordship observed, that a difference
of religious opinion did not constitute a ground upon
which to come to a conclusion that that gentleman
was incapable of telling the truth. If, however, Mr.
Davenport had the misfortune not to entertain the
same opinion as they did, he would advise him in
futureto be more sparing of his declarations on that
subject ; as such opinions, delivered from a person
:idiom it must be supposed had passed through a re-
gular education, might have a very mischievous
effect upon the minds of ignorant persons.
The Jury, after some consultation, found a verdict
for the defendant, declaring it to be their opinion,
that the horse, at the time he was sold by Mr. Platel,
,was unsound.

the Jury could not hesitate to find the c.
guilty, and the Court, by the pur.ishme:
awarded, would, he hoped, convince them
a gross violation of the law and of the :ilJe
subject, could not pass with impunity.
The facts, as stated by the Learned Cr,
then fully proved in evidence, and the
having briefly charged the Jury,
hesitation, found the defendants ullty.
The ltacoftriza having consulted wit!} t
trates, addressed the defendants as lc:1A ‘‘,.
have been found guilty of a very grievoi-, ^!
you certainly merit severe punist:roent. 1
possible that you might have acted more
ranee than from badness of heart, the c
agreed to be as lenient with you ass poN
are each sentenced to pay a fine of 51. anu
prisoned until such fine be paid."

laity

Tlle following is a correct abstract of t'.l
entri.s of burials ha the parish chur,l;
canonby :—Dinah Taylor, aged 85 years; N
yen, aged 80 ; Margaret Nicholson, aged
Tinnion, aged PS ; Jane Story, aged su;
Sibson, aged 76 ;—making a total of 503 yr

Friday, the Lady of the Rev. Junes Rao, of tverde
or a son.

At Portsmouth, on the 2.,"1 inst. the L. •!y
nan, of the Royal Engineers of a daoghtri.
Sunday aennight, at Leeds, the wite of Wm. w„.
dical .umber-seUer, of a hue boy, and nest
who are both likely to do well The u..i rt
appearance indicated the birth of a third chiLi, 0?-27
second birth a few hours, having her distress-Ai
children, five of whom, from their wider yeas, c
earning any thing towards their support.

MARRIED.
March 23, at Hawick, the Rev. Robt. Shaw, IfiLisu
to Mat y, daughter of the Itev.W. M.•
Dec. 13, in the Bermudas, Sir Charles J
Captain of his Majesty's ship Harrier, to Jane He',
the only child of Gilbert Salton, Esq. Collector a.' t.S,
Thursday, at St. George's, Blo.omabury,
I)eva, 11. N. to Charlotte Mary, da....,•hter ct El 7 .:
Ilan-street, Bloomsbury-square.
March t 3, at Kingston IDElturcb, Por:sea, Lieut. G
mas Smyth, R.N. to Catherine, secoad daughter sf e
lain Steven, R.N.
Wednesday, at Killethandra, the Rey. Sear uel Map
garet, eldest daughter of Major Frond,

DIED
March 21, at Idstone, Berks, aged EP,
Tarrant, Lae of the Royal Eng:necrbin

56th litioi

Friday night, Colonel Norton, of :I,
brother to Lord Grantley.
Friday, at Sunbury, at an advanced age, Mrs. a
relict of the 'Right Hon. William Dowdesvo.n.
March to, at Lancaster, aged 70, William niter, E
troller of his Majesty's Customs at that part.

Nov. 22, at his Mak. sty's Naval Yard, Bermuda, of ,
matiou in the lungs, Mr. Win. King, clerk in that astab

Soddenly, at the house of Mr. George, in Southami
at work there, Mr. John Steele, aged 57. The decease 4
many years in the employ of Mr. D. Sil!ey, of that town,
Tuesday, when the Regulator post-coach arrived at t
Inn, Stafford, a young man was found dead in the insi,
arms of his grandmother !
A few days since, in Dublin, Mr. James, only sem
of Sir Walter James, Barr.

Wednesday night, Matthew Mark, a warder in hit
Dock-yard, near the Queen Charinne's Head, Hader
Portsea.—And on Saturday morning a 111:611 named I
labourer in his Majesty's Duck-yard, Portsmouth.
March 23, as two seamen, attendants at the Admit
were removing a small boat, belonging to the queen t
from the Sally-port to the Tuwn Quay, one of the men
rope) was seized with an apoplectic fit and expired.
March tt, at Stockholm, aged 54, Count Fortran
Fersen; he was considered as the rizhcst private pe.
kingdom, and was the only brother of Count Axel F
was murdered in a popular remelt, in isio.

NEWGATE 4110 LE 41DENHA LE. MARKETS,
(By the Carcase.)
.96 @LI to 44 6d I Veal
.4s ad to Ss 4d I Pork

Beef....
Mutton

PRICES ur HAY AND S'

Sl. J•lUCi.f.

.46

Si od

TRAW YENTERE

waITICHAPLI

Hay _3l 131 od to 31 195 od I Hay... 41 Is, Od to
Straw 111 yds Gd to 31 Os 6d Straw 155 Od to
Clover 41 Oh Od to til Gs Od Clover tl7 Cs od r.

NEW SAGS.

PRICE (

Kent 051 Os to 251 10.
Sussex Os to .251 Os
Essex ......001 Os to 00s Os

IF HOPS.

NEW