Star.
London, England, 1820-04-03 00:00:00

-DEPOSITIONS TAKEN AT PORTSMOUTH,

SITGAS LDWAILD CAIIITZT4 ISQ.
Anne Kirby deposed,. that about the beginning of!
the month of December last, she first became ac.
quainted with James Nesbet; he introduced himself
to her by the name of Watson, and stated, that he
hal seduced a young Lady in London, and was
obliged to leave that place on account of it, for she
was in a very superior situation his own, and he
was afraid to meet her friends. He continued with
deponent, on that occasion, not more than half an
hour; on taking his leave, he said he had lodgings
at.Southsea. It was at that time about one o'clock
in the afternoon. That about eight o'clock the same
evening Nesbet came to her lodgings, aid asked her
to take a glass of grog with him; she consented, and
went with him to the Red Lion public-house for that
purpose. He was accompanied by a young man,
whom he called his nephew, and also by a girl about
fourteen years of age. Nesbet afterwards asked her
if he could stop with her till the packet for Havre-
de-grace sailed? to which she assented, and he re-,
mained with her till the afternoon of the Monday,
following, when he went away. She did not see
him again till about seven weeks ago. His nephew,
William Difley, called on him several times at wit-
ness's lodgings previous to his going to Havre-de-
Grace; and he desired him to go to the packet-house
and ask if there were any passengers who had come
from London? as he was afraid of the friends of the
young Lady whom he had seduced ; Diffey made the
inqui: y, and there were no such passengers. Nesbet
had no trunks at her lodgings, all the time he Was
with her, and was very cautious lest he should be
seen; he never went out in the day-time. About
seven weeks ago, as she before stated, she ag,ain saw
Nesbet; he was in the stage-box in Portsmouth
Theatre, with a young Lady, whom he afterwards
told witness he had brought from Havre-de-Grace.
It was on Friday he appeared in the Theatre, but
witness di:l no: speak to him that right. He called
a: her lodgings next day, and then he told her about
the young Lady, and furtir;:r said, he had promised
h-r marriage. and that her name was Butler; that she had two
brr.i:ers, who were artornies S)utbanspton, and a sister, mar-
ried to a Mr. Booth, in Londe::. At this time, Nesbet was
6re;sed in nearly the same clsteme which ls..t wore when he
f-it saw her, having a close blue body coat and a blue great
cast. Instead of the hat he wore before, however, he now wore
a -ea:-skia cap, with a vld baud to it. He had a tuck suck
'with him, the same be had when she first saw him. He re-
mairild at Portsmouth, on this occasion, about three weeks, and
oocPsionally ca` :A iu to s'.:e witness. He called on her about a
'fortnight after she bad first seen him at the Theatre, and told
hr t. 13.. he 1113 s!nt his companion (the young Lady) to her
Iri:ndrat 3wthaatir.o.z; a:ld ft-um his visit; to vo itLess she knew

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Iv? stopped in Portsmouth a week after that time. On several of
his visits to her, he shewed her a brace of loaded pistols, which;
he said, he always carried about with him. She recollected that
the present King was proclaimed on the Thursday following the
Friday on which she saw Nesbet. He said he expected a letter
requiring him to go to London to receive some cash, and he
went away from Portsmouth for that purpose. Witness believed
he was absent at this time about three weeks. The next time
she saw him was on Saturday, the 4th of -March, about eight
o'clock in the. evening, having, as he said, arrived at Portsmouth
by the coach, from London. Ile was dressed nearly the same
as before, only wearing a hat instead of a cap.. She went to
drink withl him, avid he th:n said he was going to see his nephew
William. Ile joined her in half an hour afterwards, and they
went together to the lied Lion public-house, where they slept.
The neat morning an old barrow-m.en came, whom witness knew
Neshet to have employed before. Nesbet took out a £lO note,
and desired him to take it to Mr. Coles, on the Point, where he
had before lodged, and pay him £4 15s. which Nesbet said he
owed him; he also desired him to fetch his trunk from thence.
The barrow.man went away accordingly. During his absence,
Nesbet's nephew came. The barrow-man came back with the
trunk, x,hich was a large hair one, and Nesbet desired him toll
carry it up to his room. This be did, and witness, Nesbet, and
his nephew, followed him. After the barrow-man had gone
down, Nesbet desired witness to follow him, and bring up two'
glasses of grog for him and his nephew, and to fetch also a pen
and ink. She complied with this request, and, by Nesbet's de-
sire, she left him and his nephew alone. In half an hour Nea-
bet and his nephew came down, and she saw the latter put a
letter in the crown of his hat, which Nesbet desired him to make
baste and put into the Post Office; witness slept with Nesbet the
three following nights, but did net continue with him in the
day-time. Ile did not appear to be so apprehensive of being
seen as he did on the former occasions to which she alluded.
During the four nights she had slept with him at the Red
Lion public-house, he appeared restless, and was scarcely able
to sleep. When he did go off to sleep, he appeared to be moth
alarmed by dreams, and several times soddenly awoke, and has-
tily rising in the bed, caught hold of her, crying out—" What's
that? what's that ?" as if something dreadful appeared to him.,
In consequence of this behaviour of Nesbet, she declined sleep-
ing with him any more, and left him for three or four nights.
He, however, afterwards prevailed on her to sleep with him
again ; he entreated her to comply with his request, for he could
not sleep alone, and made her several presents by way of induce-
ment. She at length complied, and slept with him several
nights afterwards, but not every night. Ills conduct and alarms
were just the sante as before described ; and on one occasion, he
said he could tell her a secret, but he did not dare, for that he
had trusted her with too much already. She was therefore in-
quisitive, and desired to know the secret he alluded to; upon
which, after making her promise not to divulge it, he stated that
he had killed two men and a woman, but that the met he had
killed in duels. Witness asked Edna how ire had killed the wo-
man? hut he refused to tell the particulars, observing only, that
he struckler, and enjoined witness not to ask any more about
her. When dreaming, he often called out some woman's name,
either Betsy or Sally. In the course of conversation, in his last
visit to Portsmouth, Nesbet told her, that the Friday night he
came away from a place 15 miles the other side of London to
come to Portsmouth, he sat up all the night with a lot of his ac-
quaintance, drinking and carousing at some public-house there.
That in the morning, when he looked at his watch, he found it
was six o'clock, when he and another man took a horse each,
and rode to Mousehill, where they took coach, and came down
to Portsmouth. Ile denied to witness that be had a wife, but
said he kept a woman at Woolwich, by whom he had six children.

Edward Hunt, the Keeper of his Majesty's Jail of
Portsmouth, deposed, that having some suspicion
that the prisoner Nesbet had murdered Mr. Parker
and his servant, he, accompanied by Thomas Hill,
one of the Constables of the Borough (by order of
Edward Carter, Esq.) about eleven o'clock on the
night of the 23d of March, went to the Red Lion public-house,
with the intention of apprehending him. Ile had seen him re-
peatedly before, and knew that he went by the name of Wat-
son. On going into the public-house, Hill followed him. He
found the prisoner in a parlour adjoining the bar, and, on enter-
tering the room, he was sitting on a seat opposite the door. The
moment witness made his appearance, the prisoner took a pistol
from one of his waistcoat pockets, and, on presenting it towards
witness, he sprang upon him, and seized the pistol. A struggle
followed, and Hill immediately afforded his assistance towards
securing the prisoner. Whilst struggling, the prisoner let go
the pistol which witness held, when witness was thrown some
distance, but Hill continued to hold the prisoner. Witness im-
mediately got up, and observed that the prisoner had got ano-
ther pistol in his hand. Witness joined Hill forthwith, and with
the assistance of Heath, the landlord, the prisoner was finally
,secured. The pistols were afterwards examined, and found
loaded to the muzzles. After they had overcome the prisoner,
he was handcuffed and searched. Hill took some keys out of
his pocket, and handed them over to witness ; there were three
in number, small keys • witness afterwards went to the pri-
soner's room, and found there a large hair trunk, which he
opened with one of the keys found in the prisoner's pocket; in
the hair trunk he found a small red box, which he opened with
the smallest of the keys found in the prisoner's pocket. After
having viewed the contents, witness shut and locked these boxes,
and carried them away with him. The prisoner was afterwards
taken before Mr. Car ter, and was committed, and had since de-
clared the hair trunk, the red box, and their contents, to be his
(without threat or promise). He also requested to be furnished
I with an inventory of the same. On examining the trunk and
J red box, the contents of the latter were found to be one pair of
old fashioned silver sugar-tongs, marked M. H. one silver sauce
ladle; two table, and six tea-spoons, which appeared to be plated
and new; a gold watch, with a tortoiseshell case (maker's
name, James Vick, London), and various gold rings, neck-
laces, ear-r.np, brooches, pins, and ornaments of different de-
scriptions, and several knee-buckles. In the hair trunk there
was a child's silver coral, with the mark filed out; a small file,
which appeared to have been used in filing silv.2r, and cor•
responding with the marks made with the file on the coral; se-
veral pairs of boots, and other articles of wearing apparel. The
prisoner said he bought the red box in High4treet, Portsmouth.
Teomas Hill corroborated the testimony of the last witness,
and added, that he had taken from the prisoner's person one
metal watch, maker's name " Jno. Sampson, I.ondon, No. 538;
with a gold chain, a gold seal, and a metal key attached to it.—
One gold seal, with T. P. engraved on it; one gold ring, with
a diamond in the centre; one gold breast-pin • and two plain
rings, one of which appears to be gold, the other metal; one
pair of silver spectacles, one silk purse, with steel springs, one
powder flask, containing gunpowder and leaden bullets, seven
Bank of England notes for one pound each, and nine banker's
notes for one pound each, of the firm of Grabt and Co. Puts-
mouth. Witness further said, that on the evening of the pri-
soner's apprehension, he charged him with being concerned
in the murder of Mr. Parker, of Woolwich, and his house-
keeper, to which he replied, " Sir, you know but little about
that yet, but. you will know a great deal more." Witness was
also present when the prisoner claimed the property in the trunk
and red box as his.

Joseph /risk of POrtsmoutb, watchmaker, deposed that he
knew the person of the prisoner; he saw him on the loth. of
March, when be left with him a repeating watch, having an
embossed outside case, to be cleaned and repaired. The priso-
ner said, " I am going to France, and must have it.on Sunday ;"
witness cleaned the watch, but did not repair it. The prisoner
called on the Itlontlay morning, and received the watch back,
and paid witness for cleaning it. He then asked witness the
value of it, witness told bins he considered it not worth more
than five pounds in its then state. The prisoner expressed his
surprise, and said, " Is it not gold then?" Witness answered,
" No; I thought it was gold when you first left it with mc."
The prisoner replied, " I thought it was gold : it has been in
my family upwards of 100 years ;" and he added, " it was given
to me by my uncle, or left me by my uncle." 1111 then left the
shop. He called again the same day, and said the watch had
stopped, and he would leave it with witness three or Mut days.
He left it, but called again and received it. Witness had since
seen in the possession of Barnard Solomon, of St. Mary-street,
Portsmouth, the vine witch.

Barnard Solomon deposed that be also knew the prisoner.
Ou Wednesday, the 910. d of March, he called at his shop, and
' produced a repeating watch, which he said was a gold one, and
he wished to sell it. Witness examined the watch, .and found
I the outiide case to be silver gilt, and the inside box he con.
sidered to be gold. The prisoner asked ten guineas for it,
but witness said be would not give more than ,65, which he con--
sidered the utmost value of it. The prisoner persisted it was
gold, and said it bclongrd to its deceased father. and had been
a great many years in the family, and that his father was $4
' years old whta h.: died ; that he himself lived at Paris, and had'
to use for it, and tbe:afore should stli it.- He Oldie had also:

soniebld elite and silver spoons at home' (the Ceoree Inn), and
then took the watch, and went away with it. Lie returned the
next day, and brought the watch, together with six or seven
silver table-spoons, and about as many silver tea-spoons,, several
having marks upon them; witness purchased the wisole far
,eft. 6seGd. : witness sold the spoons to one Ezikiel Emanuel,
but he got back three of the table-spoons, two of tlwm marked
W. M. P. anii the other T. P. M. and alio four of the tea-spoons
each of them marked 'l'. P. M. which were then in witness's
possession. The prisoner afterwards acknowledged in witness's
presence that he had sold the articles in question ; witness also
had the watch in his possession. The prisoner said, when he
sold the spoons and Watch, that his father's name was James
Page, which induced the witness to believe the plate was fa-
mily plate.
Thomas Jackson, of Walthamstow, in the county of Essex,
watch-maker, deposed, that about 26 years ago he intermarried
with his present wife, Mary, daughter of Thomas Parker, jewel-
ler, who then lived in Wilderness-row, Goswell street, London.
Lre had then been acquainted with Mr. Parker about nine
months, and from that time till his death in March last, he had
been on intimate and friendly terms with him. That about 24
years ago the said Thomas Park er retired from business, and
went to Woolwich, and took up his residence in a house situate
in Mulgrave-place, in which he continued to reside up to the
time of his death ; that witness and his family were in the habit
of visiting Mr. Parker at Woolwich, three or four times a-year;
the last visit witness paid to him was at Christmas last ; that
about seven years previous to his death Mr. Parker kept a ser-
vant, named Sarah Brown, and she was the only person v±ho
inhabited the house besides Mr. Parker; that from frequent
visits, anchhabits of confidence, witness became acquainted with
some of the articles which helot:gal to him ; that Mr. Parker
more than once had intrusted hint to repair a metal watch,
maker's name Sampson; That witnessehet day had seen the
same watch in the.possession of Thomas Hill, the constable, and
that le was positive it was the same he had so repaired, and that
the same was the property of the deceased. Witness had also
seen Li the possession of the said Thomas Hill, a pair of sliver-
mounted spectacles, in s. red ease, which be had no doubt was
also the property of Mr. Parker. That witness had also seen,
in the possession of Edward Hunt, a pair of silver tongs, marked
M.H. a silver sauce-ladle, and a quantity of jewellery ; that he
can speak positively to the sugar-tongs, whicn he had repeatedly
seen, and which was remarkable lions its old fashioned form,
and that he verily believed the other articles were also the pro-
perty of Mr. Parker. He had also seen, in the possession of
Barnard Solomon, throe table-spoons, marked T. M.P. which he
was likewise quite sure were the property of Mr. Parker. Ile
knew them as well by using them, as by the marks. That on
the morning of the 4th.of March he was apprized, by a messen-
ger, that Mr. Parker and his housekeeper were murdered at
Woolwich, and he immediately proceeded to that place. On
entering Mr. Parker's house he found that the same had been
set on fire in three different plates ; that the drawers had been
drawn out and searched, and the remains of Mr. Parker and his
servant were laid on a table, and covered with a sheet, whiCh
circumstances4led witness to believe that they had been mur-
dered, and that the house had beets robbed and set fire to liy the
perpetrator or perpetrators of such murder and robbery.
John Jackson, the son of the last witness, deposed that he had
frequently been at his grandfather's, and that day saw in the
possession of Barnard Solomon, a gAd repeating watch and four
silver tea spoons, the latter marked T. M. P. that he had also
seen in the possession of T. Hill a metal watch, maker's name
Sampson ; and -had likewise seen in the possession of •E. Hunt
a pair of silver sugar tongs, marked M. H. which several arti-
cles were the property of his said deceased grandfather. He
had often had the said articles in his possessidn in the lifetime
of his grandfather, and from their peculiarity, and the attention
he had paid to their make and the marks 'on them, he was
enabled positively-to identify them.

It further appears, and evidence to that effect is ready to be
produced, that on the 19th of February the prisoner borrowed
of Cole, his landlord, the means of carrying him to London, and
that on the sth of March he returned with plenty of money.
The nephew of the prisoner will also prove, that his uncle
told him on the S;h of March, that hehad just come from Wool-
wich, although, when apprehended, he told Hill, the officer, he
had not been there for four months.

Dr. WsrsoN.—Are there arty other witnesses present to give
oral testimony with respect to the charge preferred against the
prisoner, in addition to the depositienswhich have been just read?
It may be necessary here to state, that the Magistrates were
already in possession of a great volume of evidence taken by
them immediately after the discovery of the murder. This
went to explain all the circumstances connected with the first
discovery of the fire in Mr. Parker's house—the subsequent
discovery of the half-consumed bodies of' Mr. Parker and his
housekeeper—the state of the premises, and a description of the
property lest. There was also the testimony of some persons
who had seen •Nesbet in Woolwich just before the murder—it
was suspected on the day on which he arrived from Portsmouth.
—These persons accounted for their not stating this fact before,
from their disinclination to be considered informers against a
man whose life they might, by such means, be instrumental in
sacrificing.—No person having answered Dr. Watson's inquiry,
he immediately addressed the prisoner, who had been permitted
to sit while the Portsmouth depositions Were read, and who had
kept his head reclined against the bar, and said, the next step
would be for the prisoner to say anything which he pleased, and
which the clerk would write down. There was no compulsion,
however—he was its liberty to speak or not, as he thought pro-
per. Let the prisoner say anything he wishes to inform us of.
Nesbet now stood up, and, with his eyes cast towards the
ground, said, " The depositions are all right, except that of the
girl, and she has sworn false ; sht knows. that it was a £5, and
not a £lO note I gave to pay Mr. Cole. I have nothing to
-say about anything else; but I can bring plenty of people to
snake their affidavit that what she has sworn is false."
Dr.WArsor4.-If yen are able to do this, it will be very valu-
able testimony on your triad.
The worthy Magistrate then consulted with Mr. Wm, and
it was resolved to commit the prisoner forthwith, upon the de-
positions which bad been takes, to 11aidstone gaol.
Mr. Jackson was then called, and having answered, he ac-
knowledged that he had signed the deposition bearing his name,
at Portsmouth.

Dr. Wserson.—lt will be recessary that we have Messrs.
Diffey and Crawford.
Nesbet now again stood up, and in some agitation said, you
need not send for any person ; nobody in Woolwich knows any-
thing at all about my doings.
Dr. WATSON.—'!'here are persons 41 Woolwich who know
something of your transactions lately.
Nesbet.—You have no reason to call for them, for they know
nothing of me since I ran away from Bampton (the Constable
from whom he escaped in-Ashall's cue). Nobody knows any-
thing of•my doings but myself; and it is hard they should suffer
for me. Neither my own fimily nor anybody else know any-
thing of what I have done; anything I did myself I'll stand by it.
Dr. Watson, was then proceeding to make some farther ob-
servations, when

Nesbet said—May I speak again ?
Dr. WATSON.—Certainly.
Nesbet.—The.woman that swore against me at Portsmouth is
a common prostitute, and it is bard her affidavit should be taken
against me ; it was all through vezanon,becattse she lost a fancy-
man through mo.
Dr. Wsrsox.—To all these facts it will be important for you
to produce witnesses on your triaL
Mr. Jackson was then bounti over in a recognizance of £5O,
to prosecute the prisoner for the treble crime of murder, an"on,
and burglary; and in another sum of vCSO, to arniwcr for the
amt.:trance bf his son, who is a minor, to attend and give
dente on the trial.
_ _

Nesbet begged to know if he might have the money and
wearing apparel which had been taken from him?
Dr. WA4.OON said, that whatever was riot necessary to be pro-
ducej in evidence should be given to him. In the interim he
should he provided with everything necessary.
NeAnt said, he was only anxious, if anything should happen
to him, that his wife should have his property.
The prisoner was then reconducted to the rootit fromwltence
he had been brought. lie was much agitateti. He said to a
Gentleman who entered into conversation with him, that he
knew the property to be Squire Parker's ; but he bought it
from three felluws. He had nothing to do with what was
alleged against him.
The Gentleman said, that it would be most fortunate for him
if he could prove the truth of this statement.

Some of the other witnesses who were present in the Justice:-
room wcre subsequently bound over to give, evidence on Mr
Among those was Mr. Patten, the surgeon, who declares
the wounds visible. on the persons Of Mc. Parker and his housn-
keeper might have been inflicted by one mid the saute instru-
ment, and by one and the sane .hand.
Duriug all these preocectliep d. in -front.of

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continued to increase, and at kngth became Se Oppressive' m 1...
a guard of artillery so:diers was called out to preserve order.
hlr. iiidout finding there was no cli..nce of the populace di ..
persing while the prisoner remained, he resolved to remove
st once to the watch-house., whole every necessary accommod...
tion was provided for him. The handcuffs were then put ape•
his wrists, and he was conducted on foot to his place of confine.
'meat he was guarded both by a civil and eniatary force,
was followed by the crowd it an overwheltniug mass, seal wes
with great diaculty safely lodged iu prison. It WU a L....,
hour before "the throng •clispersed. Then all 11,as quiet, Mr.
Moore, the Clerk of the Magistrates, called a! the warch-houst,
to see that every necessary precaution had been adepted. 11.•
prisoner recognized him, and a:id he was innocent of what wa.
laid to histharge. Mr. Moore said he should be most happy if
he was able to prove his words.
Nesbet then said, that he should not' be in llsidstor.e
three weeks.
Mr. Moore asked what be meant ? and remitded him ft..;
the offence imputed to him was not bailable.
Nesbet said, he knew that, but he would write to Mr. Moore
within three weeks, and make some disclosures which wool'.
astonish hint; and at the same time prove his own hinocenoc.

Mr. Moore sincerely hoped this might be case, and left him,
During thenight Mr. Itidout, Campion,and Bampton, remairw,:
with the prlsoner. affording him every refreshment he required.
Having expressed a strong desire to see his family btfure
went to prison, Dr. Watson humanely deterinintd to gratffy
;um : and as he was to set off for Maidstone on the ensuing
morning, at seven o'clock, he desired that his family might at-
tend at his Louse at that hour, fur the purpose of haviaig an
interview. •

They all attended at the time apro:nted. Mrs. Nesbct, vOlo Is
a food-looking woman, bearing an eacdlent character' did 7.et
seem so sensibly affected by the situation of her husband as miiht
have beer. anticipated. The children were all dissolved in an ager y
of grief, and the prisocer I..4insslf was gre.aily affected.
Soon after this tneetir.g he set of in a pcst-chnise, accompa-
nied by the High Constaltle, Carakisn aid Hampton, fbr "vtaid-
stone, where he safely arrived i.i the middle of th. day, and was
dehvered, with proper precautakm, to the gaoler. In takirs lecre
of Mr. Ridout he wa: mud:if 4itated, and prorui.ed to
write to him at Weawiel.

Unremitting zeal ihts been displayed by Dr. 'Watson,
&ace, and Mr. Webb, throughout the whole of their pa'nful
duties. The property which h.:a devolved upon lir. Jackson, it
is said, exceeds sEIS,CGO.

CLERICAL INTELLIGRACE.

OXFORD, APRIL 2.

In a full Convocation holden on Thursday, it tens d -creed,
for the purpose of recording the Eratelul sense enler:l_Lied by
the University of the many acts o: favour and mu ifice.: vhich
his Majesty has biten gzaciously pleased to confer upt i!, that
a Term should be granted, to be considered and cu,.. :r .a sta-
tutably kept fur any one Degree for which the Cand.d,[e may
wish to claim it, to all those who were actual Member of the
University on the 2!lth of Jativary, being the day of kis Ma-
jesty's Accession to the Throne.
The Rev. Joseph Bardgett, M.A. of Merton College, is al
pointed Proctor in the Vice. Chancellor's Coutt.
March 22, the Rev. T. Loveday; M.A. Veneer, of Magda'...-1
College, was admitted Bachelur in Divinity.
March 27, the last day of Lent Term, the following Degrees
were conferred: