Star.
London, England, 1828-04-10 00:00:00

OXFORD CIRCUIT—GLOUCESTER, Aran. a.
Csowx Sum—Before Mr. Baron VAUGHAN.
Lewis Jones was indicted for having, on the 11th of
February last, assaulted Judith Carnet Teed, with intent
to commit a rape.
Mr. JUSTICZ conducted the prosecution, and stated
the facts to the Jury, as subsequently detailed in the
evidence.
Judith Carnet Teed, a very modest interesting girl,
said-1 am 14 years of age. and am in the service of
Mr. Barry, who resides at Westbury, near Bristol. My
father resides on the Stapleton-road. By consent of my
master and mistress, on the 11th of February last, I
went to see my father. The road from Westbury to
where he resides, is through Bristol. I left my father's
house to return at a quarter before four o'clock, and
purchased in Bristol some things for my mistress, which
I put in a hand basket. When I came to Rudiand-
green, I saw the prisoner, with a shovel on his shoulder,
and a little black dog following him. I passed him on
my way to my master's house at Westbury. Shortly
after he came behind me, and asked if be should carry
-my basket? I thanked him, and told him I could carry
it myself. I did not speak to him again till he snatched
the basket out of my band, and ran up a bank and over
into the fields with it. I called out " Stop thief," and
followed him through four fields; he then jumped over
a stile, and put the basket down on the ground. The
'place where I came up with him was about three quar-
ters of a mile from the road. He caught hold of me
by the shoulders, and threw me over the stile, and
knocked my bonnet off with the handle of his shovel.—
He then pulled me into a ditch, and taking a pocket
handkerchief from his hat, tied it over my mouth, and
wi h his neckcloth tied my hands behind me. I cried
out and made all the noise I could, ani he swore he
would murder me. He struck me with the shovel
several times, because I made a noise, and once put the
edge of it across my throat, swearing he would murder
me if I did not stop making a noise. (The witness here
went on to describe the conduct of the prisoner, which
left no doubt of his intentions). Just at that moment
the prisoner was alarmed, and ran up the bank to see
if any one was coming. I had torn the corner of the
handkerchief struggling, and the prisoner then pulled it
off my mouth and got over the stile, and saw a man
about forty yards off in the next field. I took up my
basket and rani as fast as I could towards Westbury.—
I did not go to the man in the field, because t heard
the prisoner whistle to him. When I had got about
two fields off, the prisoner came up to me again, and
wanted me not to tell any one of what had happened ;
he said it would be I that would get hurt, and not him,
if I did. He offered me 2i. and said he would give me
more another time. He wanted to take me another
way, but I refused to go. My bonnet was all torn to
pieces, and my gown covered with dirt. When 'I got
home, I told my master and mistress of what had hap-
pened, arid the prisoner was taken up.
The witness then underwent a long and severe cross-
wirtamination by Mr. Sergeant LUDLOW, which failed to
e any thing tending to shake the credibility of her
testimony.
Mr. Richard Barry, the master of the last witness,
corroborated her evidence respecting her having been
to her father's, and her having immediately related to
him and his wife what had happened to her ; he de-
scribed also the disordered state of her clothes, and the
marks of violence she exhibited on her hands and neck.
She was, when she arrived at home, greatly exhausted,
and in the greatest agitation; she however gave a cor-
rect description of the prisoner, who was in consequence
apprehended the next day.
On cross-examination he stated that the prisoner lived
at Durdham Down, and had a wife and family.
Mr. Sergeant LUDLOW then addressed the Jury for
the prisoner at considerable length, contending tkat she
was unworthy of credit, as it was impossible such an
occurrence could have taken pl4ce so rear a public
road, if the prosecutrix had exerted that resistance that
she said she had. The Learned Counsel then concluded
by calling a itnesses to the character of the prisoner, but
they did not appear.
Mr. Baron VAUGHAN said, that this was one of those
cases in which character signified not one farthing. Th-
Learned Judge then summed up the evidence to the
Jury, who, after a few minutes' consideration, returned
a verdict of Guilty.
Mr. Baron VAUGHAN, after commenting on the
cruelty and enormity of the offence of which the pri-
soner had been convicted on the clearest evidence, sen-
tenced him to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour
in the Penitentiary of this place for two years.
Isaac Powell was indicted for h tying feloniously as-
saulted and ravished Mary Hewlings, en the-night of
the 29th of February last; ihorana Sinigar was indicted
for assaulting the said Mary Hewlings, with intent to
commit a rape; and 1 Iromas Bendall and Davidßicketls
fcr assaulting the said Mary Hewlings, and aiding and
abetting the said Isaac Powell and Thomas Sinig tr.
The prisoners were none of them more than eighteen
years of age. •
Mr. JUSTICE, with whom Was Mr. CHICHESTER, after
stating the case to the Jury, concluded by cautioning
them, in this case, to examine x ith the greatest caution
the evidence of the prosecutris, as she did not come
before them untainted, and as her intellects were not
quite perfect.
Mary Hewlings said she lived at Cam, in this county.
She does not know her own age, nor the distance of
the factory in which she worked from her mother's
house, nor the day of the month or week on which the
offence of which she complained was committed. She
then proceeded to detail her meeting with the prisoners,
who, she said, forced her into an orchard. She roads-
all the noise she could, crying cut for 6. IA sake to
come and help her. She then skated that Powell el
fected his purpose, and that Sinigar was only p-eveirted
by her mother and a woman named Mary Workman
coming to her assistance.
On cross-examination by Mr. CARRINGTON, she said
she was not married, but she had had a child some
years ago. She had nut agreed to meet the prisoners.
:Saran Tallboys, the mother of the last-witness, ale
scribed the state in which she found her daughter, sur-
rounded by' the prisoners, who ran away ou her ap-
poach. Pier daughter was '2l years of age. She went
to work' the next day as usual, and was only ill from
the fright. Her apron was much torn.
• Cross-examined by Mr. MACLRAN—She does not
know any thing against her daughter's character except

Mr. CURWOOD, for the prosecution, said the prisoner,
who was of respectable appearance, was indicted for
larceny ; she had surrendered to take her trial, which,
generally speaking, was a mark of innocence; but this
was a case of such a singular nature, that the July
would do well to attend with the greatest attention to
the evidence, which was mixed up with circumstances of
great art on the part of the prisoner. S:.e was a
ner, residing in Albion-streer, Cheltenham, and the pro-
secutrix was an old maiden Lady, small income, who
had gone to reside with her as the means of procuring
payment of some money which the prisoner owed her.
They slept in the same room, and are at the same table,
and were on such terms of intim icy, that it was impos-
sible for the prisoner to be ignorant of the state of Miss
Davis's affairs. Part of Miss Davis's property consisted
of an annuity of 201. per annum, allowed her by a
nephew, who resided at Merthyr Tidvill; and on the
15th of-October last she received a letter containing a
101. note, in payment of the half year's annuity. In the
evening of the next day, the 16th of October, an alarm
was given that the house had been robbed, and on exa-
mination, a pillow was found in the garden, as if it had
been thrown out of the window; another was found
suspended from the window, and the trunk of the pro-
secutrix, containing her 101. note, and the various arti-
cles of clothing described in the indictment, was gone
from the room in which they slept. Some property
belonging to the prisoner was also missing. Another
person who lodged irs the prisoner's house came home
about this time with her brother, and on examining the
garden through which it was pretended the stolen pro.
perry had been conveyed, no foot mar ks could be found,
and some scarlet beans that covered the wall, over
which the thieves (if any) must have gone, were found
undisturbed. So little did Miss Davis suspect the pri•
sorter, that, at her instigation, she was very near
searching several other houses for the property she had
lost ; but by chance she discovered a petticoat of hers,
which had been in the trunk she had lost, concealed
between the bed and bed-sacking of a bed in the pri-
soner's house. She also found, on looking into the
prisoner's reticule, a steel purse which she knew to be
hers, and which had been in the lost trunk. In conse-
quence of this discovery, she left the Frisoner's house,
and shortly after procured a search warrant, when seve-
ral more small articles were found. The prisoner was
taken before the Magistrates, and after some examina-
tion discharged. Some time after this Miss Davis re-
ceived two netts, written in a disguised handwriting,
advising her to search certain places for her pro-
perry; the notes were accompanied by some trifling
articles she had lost, that were thus returned to her;
' and soon after Miss Davis was, at the instance of the
prisoner, taken up charged with the robbery, and the
evidence in support of that charge was a letter addressed
to Miss Davis, which the prisoner had opened, and thus,
as she alleged, arrived at a dew t, the real offender.
On that charge Miss Davis was committed to prison,
and after being detained for three weeks, liberated. At
the time of the 'robbery Miss Davis wrote to her nephew
for the number of the note, in order that it might be
stopped. He (the Learned Counsel) should be able to
prove, that on receipt of his answer, the prisoner
undertook to go to tire banks at Cheltenham to give the
requisite notice; that she told the prosecutrix that she
had been, when in fact she never had. He should prove
that she wrote a letter to the nephew of Miss Davis, to
persuade him to say his aunt was not right in her mind,
and that the seal affixed to that letter was stamped
from a seal which had been taken out of Miss Davis's
trunk. He should establish the fact of the prisoner being
found in possession of the articles of clothing lost by the
prosecutrix, and that the notes and the letter, charging
her with the theft, were in the handwriting of the
prisoner.

Mary Davis was then called, and detailed the fact of
the robbery as described by the Learned Counsel. Site
then said, that on the day she received the letter from
her nephew, apprising her of the number of the lost
note, the prisoner said she was going out, and would
take the letter.to the banks, and stop the note. On her
return, she said she had seen Mr. Pitt, the banker, and
lie had promised.to write to Bristol and Worcester and
stop the note. The witness then proceeded to describe
her having found her flannel petticoat concealed under
the bed, and her steel purse in the prisoner's teticule, as
well as several other articles, on the search being made.
The articles were now produced and identified by the
witness. The seal on the letter to her nephew was also
examined, and she stated it was made from a seal that
had been lost out of her box. Some mirth was excite.;
by the impression, which was said to represent his Sa-
tanic Majesty shaving a hog.
The letters were then put in and read, and the witness
said she believed them all to be in the handwriting oh
the prisoner.

Mr. WATSON, who appeared for the prisoner, cross-
exAmined the witness at considerable length. A tailor
who had lodged in the prisoner's house had left it at
the time of the robbery. He did not think that the
prisoner ever lost any thing.
William Pitt, Esq. banker at Cheltenham, said the

prisoner had never seen him, as she had staved, respt ct-
ing the note that had been lost.
William Shortall described the premises immediately
after the robbery, and gave it as his opinion that the
robbers had not escaped by the garden.
George Russell, the chief of the police at Chelten-
ham, proved searching the prisoner's house, and Anding
the articles now produced.
Cross-examined—He went there immediately after
the robbery, and Miss Davis told him the prisoner'had
been sitting with her all the evening.
Several other witnesses were called, to prove the
articles of clothing being the property of the prosecutrit.
M-. WATSON, for the defence, then called
Mr. and Mrs. Tovey, of Cheltenham, to prove that
some of the witnesses were actuated by malicious mo-
tives against the prisoner. Mr. To rey stated she was
the " most brightest character of woman."
Mr. Baron VAUGIIA N then recapitulated the evidence
to the Jury at length, when, after considering for a few
minutes, they returned a verdict of Guilty.
The Learned dorms then sentenced the prisoner to
be transpoieed-for severs years.
The trial 1 isted till half past eight o'clock at night.
MIDLAND CIRCUIT.—WARWICK, APRIL go
Stephen Bennett, aged 25, was indicted for having,
on the 16th of March last, at the hamlet of LittleWol-
ford, in the parish of Great Wolford, wilfully, mali-
ciously, and unlawfully administered to Sarah Bennett,
Iris wife, a certain deadly poison, consisting of white
arsenic, white lead,. and sugar of lead, with intent to
murder her. In a second count, the prisoner was charged
with having administered the poison with intent to cause
and procure her miscarriage.
Sarah Bennett said—l am the pi i.oner's wife. We
were married two years ago. I lived, both before and
since my marriage, at Little Wolford, at the house of
Wm. Edgington. The prisoner lived at Long Compton.
We did not come to live together on our marriage. I
have had one child by him, which was born on thi2d
of July last. The prisoner lived with Mr. Webb, 'of
Long Compton, publican, as carter. In some time sifter
Michaelmas, I met my husband by chance neat some
trees, called the Clumps, which are about a quarter of
a mile from where I live. 1 became pregnant after the
meeting- in the Clumps. I first suspected that in a
month after the meeting. On Sunday, tire 9th of March,
I requested Susan Print to write a letter for me to my
husband. ,I cannot write myself. When she had stfritten
it, I gave the letter to Jane Hall, 'and told her to get
Baker Wheeler to take it to Mr. Webb. I saw my tees- •
band on the following Tuesday. He came teNhearduse
where I live, at about eighto'clock at night. I had never
seen him there before. He asked me what I had tent
that letter for? I made him no answer. He was very
angry, and said he would go and have that woman in
spite of me. I told him that he could not.He said he cou'd,
and if I did not mind myself, he would put me on the
other side of strong walls. I told him he could not.
He said, " if I'd go out of doors he would drag o e
through the pool." I made him no answer. Mrs. Edg-
ington was present. I saw a letter in his hand. lie
put it on the fire, and said, " There's your love letter."
He slept with me that night, end went away at four
o'clock next morning. I saw him again on tire follow-
ing Saturday night at about nine o'clock. I met him
near the Dog public home, opposite Long Compton. He
told me if I would meet him at Whitiands next morn-
ing, he would bring me nine shil:ings. We did meet
there next morning. Whitlaeds is on Wolfordfieith,
between Little Wolford and Long Compton. - i'seas
there at nine o'clock. He came in about half anittinc
after. He inquired if I had had my breakfast ?I' s.tid
I had. He told me he had brought me a picce•of bread
and lard. He took it out of his pocket and gave it to
me, saying," Though you have had your breakfast, you
can eat this." I ate a bit of it, and put the rest in my
pocket. There was lard on the top of the bre id mingled
with something brown like treacle. When I put it in
my pocket, he swore that if I did not pull it out again,
and eat it, be would kill me outright on the spor. I
then ate it ail. I durst not do otherwise. He told me -to
go to the brook and drink. I would not go to the brook,
because I was afraid. The stuff he gave me tasted very
sweet and very gritty. He then told me to make haste
home, and went away towards Long Compton. 1 *art
into a house that is on the heath belonging to Bet lasi-
reit. I stopped there half an hour, and went harm.
After I had got h..me I became very dry, and drink
off two tetcups full rf w 'ter. As soon as I hiadritak
1 fell a vomiting. I continued vomiting until three or
fur o'clock. Mr. Coils er, the surgeon, came about
four. Iv. as then in great Fain, and worse than'l had
been in the mot ning. He ordered me something that
relieved me. I believed, on the Tuesday, that I be-
came pregnant in the Clumps; but I was not certain
then, nor was I certain when I was before the Magis.
(rates. But lam mot certain.

Cross.examined—l made a deposition before tl,e
Justice on the Wednesday after I was taken ill. l'told
Mr. Collyer on Sunday that it was on Saturday the
prisoner gave me the stuff. I also said I would be glad
to hang my husband if I could. 1 got better when I
took the powders which Mr. C4lyer ordered. Thiswas
about six o'clock. On the Tu :Jay evening when my
husband came to me, he was very fresh. There is a
foot road through Whitlands, and it is about two lands'
length from the great tut npike toad leading from Ship.
ston to Oxford. When my husband threatened to kill
me if I did not eat the bread, I did not cry out for
assistance. I was able to do some washing on the Friday
after.

Re-examined—When I told Mr. Collyer th it was
on Saturday my husband had given me the stuff, I was
very ill, and did not 1-tow what I said. I relitsed to
let him use the stomach pump, because I was as lief to
die as to live. I never expressed a wish to hang my
husband until alter he gave me the stuff.

Frederick Collyer-1 am a surgeon, residing at Ship.
ston on Stour, which is about three miles from Little
Wolford. On Sanday, the 16th of March, I was sent
for to see Mrs. Bennett. I found her in bed with ber
clothes on. She complained of a violent pain in her
stomach and bowels. She was vomiting very frequently,
and brought up each time a small quantity of bile.
From the symptoms which I saw, I attributed her ill.
ness to a bilious disorder. They were such symptoms
as might -happen to a pei son who had been quite well
in the mottling, in consequence of a bilious attack. I
proposed the stotnach.pump. She refused. I urged St
strongly, I have never known the stomach•pump used
in a bilious case. it would be by no means a proper
remedy in such a case*. But I suspected the truth of
her story, and I thouelt she would not submit to it