Star.
London, England, 1811-11-05 00:00:00


'authority was
'given to the Commissioners of the Cos-
I.' Wats to bring any offender of this description to trial
Itn any county which they might think best calculated
to answer the ends of justice, and therefore it was that
Ithe prisoner, although the offence imputed to him was ;
committed in the county of Kent, was brought to be
tried in the City, of Londen.
1 The facts of the case were shortly these :—On the
night of the 13th of September last, as Henry Smith,
la deputed mariner on board the Rattlesnake revenue
lugger, was in one' of the boats of that vessel, off the
coast, near Deal„lie observed a smuggling boat near
'the shore ; he immediately Isere down on it, when she '
was run on the beach by the crew. Smith immedi-
ately followed, and on coming up he found the boat
I had been deserted by the crew, and contained 100
half Rakers of spirits, whic't he immediately seized.
He now observed a crowd assembling on the beach,
and apprehending some danger, he made a signal to
the other revenue boats, but, before they could-come
up to his assistance, the mob gave three cheers, and
/rushed down upon the seized boat from which they
proceeded to take the spirits, and succeeded in getting
away sixty half aniiers. Smith then went to the bar-
`racks, at Walmer, for assistance, ..,nd procured a de-
tachment of the 23d Light Dragoons, when'. mutual
firing took place between the mob and the military
ifrom different places. One pf the soldiers, having
I expended his ammunition, drew his sword and rushed
1 to the spot from7whence some firing took place, where
Ihe found the boat that had been seized and three men,
1 one of whom he struck with his sword on the left
' shoulder, and who said, ~ Have mercy on me, I am
a man of Deal, and have a small family." Upon ex-
amining the boat, however, and the man he seized,
he could find no lire-arms or other offensive weapons..
This man was then consigned to the care of the ser-
fjeant of the party, who! placed him in thca.charge of
anc.ther private, from whom he escaped, and jumped
1 on board the seized ltoat, in which Smith and some of
the Rattlesnake's crew were. This boat was thus
ytt4}esi off, and the mall, who bad so jumped in, be
gan to complain of the manner in which the soldiery ,
[ had,treated him, saying they had almost. out him to I
pieces. He was afterwards conveyed on board the
Rattlesnake, where a cut was discovered pn the left,
shoulder. This man proved to be the prisoner at the
bar,4and was kept on board the Rattlesnake for five
days.
Sir SIMON LE BLANC summed up the evidence in
the clearest and most satisfactory manner. He said,
under the Act upon which the prisoner was indicted
it was not necessary to prove that he had actually as-
sisted in discharging fire-arms himself ; if he was pre-
sent, aiding and abetting resistance by his presence,
.his guilt was the same as if he bad committed an act
'of violence in person. If the Jury were satisfied that'
he had hem so aiding and abetting they would find
him guilty of the c.ffence imputed to him. If they en-
tertained any doubt of the facto they would of course
let,biusi)ave the benefit of doubt.
' The Jury, after a short consideration, returned a
verdict of Guilty.

11 Henry Crawley was next tried on an indictment
'charging him with being at large in this:country, he
having been sentenced to seven years transportation,
before the expiration of that period.
This is the man who conducted himself so outrage-
ously, on Thursday last, when brought up for trial.
On this occasion he behaved more peaceably, hut,
during his trial, eat an immense quantity of rue which
[ was ►n the front of the dock. He was attended by
I three keepers to prevent his doing any mischief, to
which he seemed much inclined. The usual forms on
such trials being gone through, and tbe prisoner being
1
recognized as a felon under sentence of transportation,
he was asked what he had to say in his defence ?
He said he left his case to Jesus CHRIST and the II
Twelve Apostles, and then shewed his head, on
which were two wounds, which he said he received
on board the Triumph, of 74. guns, in Lord Duncan's
victory. Guilty—Death. When the prisoner heard
the verdict pronounced he gave three cheers. The
Jury afterwards recommended him to mercy, on ac-
-1 count of the evident marks of insanity he shewed.
The following were also convicted of felony, viz.
Mary Hickey, for stealing three IZI Bank-notes ; G-
Float, for stealing a watch, &c. ; and T. Rawbone,
for stealing a pair of shoes arid a piece of bacon.
One was convicted of a misdemeanour, viz. Richard
Denton, for having in his possession a plate of the Fleet
Bank-notes.
The following were also acquitted, viz.—W. Sa-
vage, Sarah Remmington, J. Grange, Eliz. Thetford,
and Mary Thompson.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS, NOV. 4.

Edceard Lowe was brought to the bar, accused of
assaulting David Eggleton, and extorting from him
one shilling.
Mr. KNAPP, on the part of the prosecution, called
on the gentlemen of the Jury to consider attentively
the developement of several most extraordinary cir-
cumstances, contained in the evidence, then about to
be laid before them.
Mr. David Eggleton was 'called and sworn. He
stated himself to be an apothecary and surgeon in
Chelsea, that on the evening of the 29d of September
he had occasion to go on a professional errand to the
house of a lady, residing in Ryley-street. Passing
in that direction, he found himself opposite the Man-
in-the-Moon public-house ; the night was dark, he
heard somebody hurrying al ing, and presently the
prisoner staggered against him, he stretched forth his
hand to ward him off. The prisoner laid hold of his
hand, asking him if he would have any thing to drink,
he'said he wished for no drink ; well d--n you, said
the prisoner, if you won't take drink you shall give
i me some, he gave him a shilling, being in much ter-
ror, and passed up Chapel-street a few yards, to shun
him. The prisoner soon returned and called stop, he
then ran 150 yards in Chapel street, and leaped over
• some pales ; the prisoner and two men overtook him
in the field, and laying hold of him the prisoner ac-
cused him of solicitation to commit with him a most
detestable and abominable crime ; from their hands
he was freed, by the arrival of some friends, and got
safe home to his lodgings. C

William Curtis and Ann his wife, of Holmes•place,
Little Chelsea, gave evidence as to their rescuing the
prosecutor fro►ti the hands of Lowe, who clamour.
ously accused him of the attempt.
Daniel Herd and John Lee, tke two persons who