Star.
London, England, 1820-09-22 00:00:00

OLD BAILEY.

• Wednesday, John Dian&le, a youth of genteel ap-
pearance, was indicted under the Statute commonly
called 1.: :rd Ellenborough's Act, for maliciously point-
ing and attempting to fire a loaded pistol at Mat-
thias. Mitchell, with intent to' do him some bo.lily
harm ; and Mr. Seabrook, an attorney, and Joisu
Green, s carpenter, were charged with aiding and
abetting him therein. -The circumstances of the case
were therm :

M... aters, of the Opera-House, had let on lease
t.l Mr. Dintsdale, the father of the prisoner, a cottage

n: Grove-green, Kingsbury, of which, under pretext
of a violation of the lease, he again took possession
Ti April last, the cottage being left unoccupied at
the moment, but a woman, named Fuller, having
the charge of it. Mr. Dimsdale regained possession
on the 10th of June, and placed his son, the prisoner,
ia charge of it, who was, the same night, blockaded
therein by a party of people placed round the
haute, for the purpose of, as the witness termed it,
cutting off the correspondence, and after three days
of such bioc!cade, Mr. Waters fitrcibly entered, and
tornaMr.Dimsdnle and his party out. On the 13th
cf July, the day of the act charged in this indict-
ment, Mr. Ditnsiale, jun. accompanied by the other
two prisoners, proceeded to the cottage, for the pur-
pose of regainiag possession, and, forcing the hall
door, entered the house ; Mr. Waters having been sent
for by Mr. Mitchell, the prosecutor, who was in pos-
session in his name, came, and a dispute ensuing,
ordered the prosecutor to turn them out. He ac-
cordingly, as he says, having a loaded pistol in his
hand, pushed Mr. Dimsdale on the arm, and told
him to go; he would not swear that he did not point
the pistol ; whereupon Mr. Dimsdale . presented a
pistol ar him, which missed fire, but was afterwards
examined and found to be heavily charged with shot
and a bullet. The prosecutor admitted that he had
before threatened to shoot them, and that Green had
replied, " we can shoot as well as you ;" but he did
not remember whether he pointed the pistol and
threatened to shoot at the time of pushing Mr. Dims-
dale or not.
Mr. Justice RICIIMIDSON, in this stage of the pro-
ceeding, only. one witness having been examined, di-
. rected an acquittal, as if the death of Mitchell had
ensued, the legal offence would not have been mur-
der, as requited by the statute under which this in-
dictment was framed.
John Napper, a youth of very respectable appear-
ance and connexions, was capitally indicted for steal-
ing on the 30th of August, from the house of Mr.
John Wells, the Half Moon public-house, Clipstone-
street, Mary-la-Bonne, twelve silver spoons and other
articles.—He was found Guilty.
Thomas Weak fur sacrilegiously breaking and en-
tering the parish church of Enfield, and stealing sixty
yards of black cloth, &c. anti Henry Todd, for steal-
ing £l6 in Bank notes, the property of Henry Over-
ton, in his dwelling-house, were capitally convicted.
Yesterday, Thomas Fuller Harnett was 'put to the
bar, under a charge of having, on the 2‘.1 of August
last, knowingly uttered two `fort„,e‘l acceptances of
Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon for LW each, intending
thereby to defraud T. Thompson, of the. parish of
St. Martin in the Fields. The prisoner was a gen-
tlemanly-looking man, twenty-seven years of age,
and had been formerly a Captain of Dragoons. lie
VMS himself the drawer of these bills of exchange,
and they were made payable at the office of Cox
and Greenwood, the army agents, Charing-cross.
There was no Counsel for the prosecution.
Mr. Thompson is a linenahaper, and the bill was
paid for some goods purchased of him by the pri-
soner. Some doubt having been entertained of the
validity of the bill, which purported to be accepted
by Colonel Gordon, of the sth Dragoon Guards, ap-
plication was made at Cox and Greenwood's, where
it was made payable, when it was ascertained that
it was not the acceptance of Colonel Gordon.—
When the prisoner purchased the goods, he spoke
of paying for them by a bill on Colonel Gordon, and
desired Mr. Thompson to go to Cox and Greenwood's
to know whether a bill of P2O, accepted by Colonel
Gordon, would be paid.
Humphreys, the Officer, who arrested the prisoner,
wits then called. Ile found the prisoner in bed at
the Bull and Bush Inn, near llampscend. Witness
told him he was going to take him up for having
*heated Thompion. isoner then asked for some
laudanum, which he put into water and drank off.
The prisoner then talked of going to Ireland, and
sending back money to take up the bills, if he re-
ceived the change of the second bill. This witness
gave very unconnected and unsatisfactory evidence,
which, he said, was owing to a hurt he had received
recently in his head.
Thomas Thompson was in the room when the pri-
soner was arrested. When the Officer told him for
what purpose he was come, the prisoner said, " oh
GOD, I'm undone ! My friends, by not relieving me,
nave ruined me." This witness said, it was in a glass
of gin he Look off the laudanum.
The prisoner being called upon for his defence,
said, he should content himself with offering an ex-
planation as to the laudanum, which, if it went un-
explained to the Jury, might probably act to his pre-
judice. The fact was, he had been in an ill state of
Health for some time, having burst a blood-vessel,
and for that reason he was recommended to make use
ef small quantities of laudanum occasionally. Upon
this occasion he took no more than thirty drops.—
His defence he wished to leave entirely to his Conn-
taipbut he regretted that the suddenness of the pro-
secutiou had disabled him from referring to asanany
friends as he otherwise would. There was, however,
one Gentleman in Court, to he would appeal
foi- a character, who had known him long, and served
iinithfsame regiment with him.
tigr. Lewis, a Paymaster in the Army, was then
worn, And said he had known the prisoner for fif-
teen jtars, and served in the same ILegiment with
him.' He *as a Lieutenant in the 82d Regiment at
that time. Believes him to be a man of the strictest
honour, and witness was at this moment 1.:300 in
advance for hint.
Under these circumstances, the case went to the
Jury, who, after some little hesitation, found the
prisoner—Guilly, Death ; but strongly recommended
him to mercy.
The prosecutor also entreated that as much mercy
as.couid be sliewnrshould be extended to the prisoner.
Alr. Justice -131:st said, their recommendations

hould not be unattended to.- The prisoner, lie saw.
had been an Officer in the Army, and had served his
country—he had therefore some claim upon it, and
he was sure his country would not be found ungrate-
ful to him in the day of his distress.
Joseph.Ellenger was indicted for assaulting, and
with violence taking from the person of Thomas Aird
and upwards in Bank notes, on the Ist of August.
This was one of the robberies committed on the open-
ing of the Reviles Canal, which for atrocity has not
been equalled by anything of a similar nature for
many years ; the prisoner formed oile of a gang of
nearly one hundred. The property was found upon
him, and the case in other particulars was dearly
made out. The prosecutor. an elderly' infirm Gentle-
man, was used with great cruelty. On the person of
the prisoner was found two £.5 and three £lO notes,
making the amount charged in the indictment. Ile
made no defence, but called four witnesses, v. ho gave
him a goo 1 character.
Mr. Justine licsr recapitulated the evidence, and
the Jury found him Guilty—Death.
The prosecutor recommended him to mercy, but
Mr. Justice BEST Was fearful it could not be attended
to, as the protection of _the public imperiousti de-
manded that the law should take its course.
George Edwards was indicted for rubbing Henry
Berridge of his watch, on the highway.
The prosecutor met the prisoner and others in the
Edgemue-road. The prisoner had a dog in a string,
which he endeavoured to entangle between the prose-
-cutor's legs. He then accused him of having trodden
on the dog, and struck him on the mouth, which
knocked him up against a shutter. The prisoner then
came up to him, snatched his watch from his fob,
and handed it to his companion. He ran away, but
was pursued and taken. His companion escaped with J
the watch.
Several witne;ses gave the prisoner a good charac- '
ter. Guilty—Death.
John Kelly was capitally convicted of stealing a•
piece of cotton cloth, privately, in the shop of Eliment
Sharp, of Berners'-street.
Some witnesses appeared to the prisoner's charac-
ter: the first of them, after giving him an excellent
one, prevaricated so much that Mr. Justice BEST or-
dered him to be instantly committed to Newgate.
The following were also convicted of felony:
J. Breece, for stealing four brass sheaves ; J. Adlan, for
stealing.a handkerchief (to he transported for life) ; J. 1)oyle,
for stealing two coats ; and L. Kelden, fir stealing copper.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS, SEPT. 19.

TRIAL Ol SAMUEL WEAT, FOR FRAUD.

Mr. ADOLPH US opened the case to the Jury.
G. Sewell being sworn, stated, that he is collector
for the western division of •London, for the " Be-
nevolent, or &rangers Friend Society," and in that
capacity he received a letter from Lord Milton, con-
taining a petition, &c. sent by the prisoner to Earl
Fitzwilliam, his Lordship's father. His Lordship
desired that the alleged distressed state of the prisoner
might be inquired into. Witness made some inquiries,
and found that some parts of his petition were not
true; that on the 23d of June last deponent called at
Earl Fitzwiiliam's, in Grosvenor-square, and met the
prisoner theie. Deponent inquired if he had a wife
and six children, as set forth in his petition? He
answered, " Yes." •
Was all your furniture sold for arrears of rent, in June last?
—lt was.
Have three of your daughters had the typhus fever, and been
ill for nine weeks?—Yes.
Your petition states that you are in treaty with a person for a
school, for which he asks 201. for desks, forms, &c.—Yes, I am.
Do you think he will take the twenty pounds ?—Notf paid
by instalments.
But suppose it were paid all at once, how much do you sup-
pose he would take ?—Perhaps fifteen pounds.
How much have you towards that sum?—Nearly ten pounds.
Are all those signatures on your petition ?—Yes.
Where is the school situated?—ln Charles-street, Hattori-
garden.
Well, I am sure your Petition is respectably signed : I will
give you this pound note and take care of your Petition, and
make further inquiries to see what may be done, for I belong to
a Public Charity.—Thank you, Sir.
Mr. Butler being sworn, stated, that the prisoner
rented a small tenement of him, contiguous to his
own dwelling, consisting of two rooms ; that he has
not a wife and six children ; that he never seized or
sold a single article belonging to him ; that he had
not three daughters ill with the typhus fever ; that
he was intoxicated every day, and lived voluptuously
on the spoils he had made on the Nobility and Gentry
by fabricated Petitions. He and the woman he coha-
bited with were a nuisance in the neighbourhood.—
Deponent had often got oat of bed to quell their
riotous conduct.
Mr. Roberts, constable, being sworn, produced the
El note, which the prisoner had obtained from G.
Sewell. _ _

Here the case closed.—The prisoner had no wit-
nesies to call, but attempted to deny what Mr.
Butler had alleged against him.
The CHAIRMAN addressed the Jury, recapitulating
the evidence and lamenting the frequency of such
cases, the Jury immediately pronounced him—Guilty.
The COURT on passing sentence, observed, that
the prisoner had committed an offence for which he
merited to be transported for seven years wherever
his Majesty, by the advice of his Privy Council,
thought proper ; but, from his age, the Court in-
dulged a distant hope that he would amend. The
sentence of the Court was, that he should be further
Imprisoned One Year.
The following signatures were attache-d to the pri-
soner's petition :
W. 'Wilberforce, £l, Lord Dudley and Ward, £2, Alexander
Baring, £l4 Sir Geo. Stauuton, 41, J. J. A. £l, Harrowby 42,
R. Ryder, 41, blanvers, /1, Countess Dowager Manvers, £l.