Star.
London, England, 1826-11-21 00:00:00

up stairs, where they locked themselves in. Mr. Webb,
sen. and his son, the former armed with a cavalry
sword, and the latter with a sword-stick, then sallied
up stairs. Mr. Webb, however, threw aside the sword,
and said, ,the would give the intruder a d—d good
thrashing with a stick." The door was then broken
open, when Hooper and his companion made their
escape, but not before the former had received a few
severe blows from the injured husband. This was the
only evidence to establish the fact of adultery; but it
appeared that Mrs. Webb had been suspected of having
been criminally connected with a person of the name
of B iyntun, formerly a clerk is the service of her hus-
band, and also with two other professional Gentlemen.
It was also attempted to be proved that she had been
in the habit of going out in man's clothes, but there was
no evidence to establish this. It was elicited, however,
that the plaintiff, since this unhappy affair, had stated
that Hooper and Smallcombe had met Mrs. Webb, and
a servant of the name of Backer (who had been deli-
vered of a child), and that Hooper had then connection
with the one, and Smallcombe with the other.
Two or three moat respectable witnesses swore, that up to this
affair Mr. and Mrs. Webb had lived together in the utmost conjugal
happiness and comfort.
Mr. LUDLOW (with whom was Mr. PALMaR) ad-
dressed the Jury in mitigation of damages. He did not
profess to cast the slightest stigma upon the character
of Mr. Webb, whose conduct, on all occasions, had
been that of an upright man and affectionate husband ;
nor did he mean to defend the crime of adultery,which,
so far as he could judge, was as little prevalent in
Bath as in any other city in the empire; but he did
think there were circumstances of mitigation attend-
ing the present case, which ought to induce the Jury
to give merely nominal damages. If this had been
one (if those occurrences which were, alas ! but too
common in this country, where the seducer enjoying
the confidence of his friend and the regard of his family,
basely employed these as the means of debauching
his wife, and destroying. his friend's happiness for ever,
then he would admit that the heaviest damages the
Jury could allow would not be more than the offence
demanded. But when it was not proved that the parties
were previously acquainted—when it was not even shewn
that Hooper knew Mrs. Webb to have been a married
woman, he did think these facts ought to weigh well
with the Jury in awarding their verdict. There was
certainly no accounting fer tastes, but he thought the
introduction of the son, as a witness against his mother,
displayed very bad taste indeed, to say the least of it.
In some cases, propter necessitate*: on account of the in-
dispensable necessity of producing such a witness to
prove the case, it might be overlooked ; but here) when
the facts to which he had deposed could have been as
easily established by the servant, Ann Backer, his at-
tendance might surely have been dispensed with. With
respect to the evidence produced to shew that Mrs. Webb,
up to this unhappy affair, had conducted herself in all
respects as a chaste and virtuous woman, would it not
have been as well to have called in some of the neigh-
bours, instead of resorting to persons living at Bristol,
and others who had little communication with the par-
ties, to shew that she lived happily with her tusband ?
Could the Jury believe that a woman, who had con-
ducted herself in a way that would scarcely be ex-
hibited in a common brothel, where they met promis-
cuously—could they, he repeated, believe that she, upon
the Bth of December last, should have been the most
chaste and virtuous of wives, and that her husband
should not have suspected her ? Was it likely that she
should have risen at nine o'clock on the morning of that
day, one of the most exemplary of women, and that at
half after three in the afternoon, she should have sunk so
low into the abyss of infamy, as had been proved ? Mr.
Hooper must indeed have been a powerful man to effect
such a change in so short a period. There was a very
excellent and just Latin motto, Nemo repente fuit turpis-
simus, no one ever became very base all at once—it was
done by steps, and, therefore, it was not probable that
Mrs. Webb had descended by one step only. In his
opinion, also, the circumstance of the plaintiff throwing
aside the sword, and threatening to give the defendant
a good thrashing, chewed that his suspicions had been
aroused, and it was, therefore, for the Jury to say, under
all the facts, what injury he had sustained in the loss of
such a woman; it was certainly better to get rid of her
at any price.
The Jury, after a long consultation, assessed the damages at 1001.
The case excited very great interest, and lasted for some hours.

DOVER, Nov. 19.—Yesterday his Grace the Duke of
HAMM]. and BsAunow, who had been detained at the Ship Hotel
on account of the badness of the weather, sailed in his Majesty's
packet the RIM
13111011 TON, Nov. 16.—A ball, at the Old Ship Rooms,
upon the plan of Almack's, took place on Tuesday evening, at which
about 300 fashionables attended. The Duke of BIDIPOIID took an
airing on horseback this morning, and his usual bath at Molineux's j
his Grace's health obviously improves.
Lord FITZWILLIAM left Wentworth-house en Tuesday
for London, to attend his Parliamentary duties in the House of
Peers; and Lord Muson and his family left Wentworth for
Milton, about a fortnight ago.
Tile " Tales of a Voyager," announced for publica-
tion, are rep•rted to be written by an " experienced hand,"
though the Author is determined not to avow himself. We think,
however, that when his work becomes known, he will have not a
little difficulty in maintaining his incognito. The stories, we un-
derstand, are not aU nautical, though a ship is the place of their nar-
ration. They embrace a great variety of subjects, and are said to
be written with singular vigour.
A kind of hurricane passed over Paris in the night of
the 19th to the 14th instant, which extended its ravages
far and wide. In the environs of Troyes, it threw down
and uprooted, immense trees, and in the Commercial
Dock at Have, six vessels ran ashore, after experiencing
considerable damage.
Poor Barnard, late of Drury•lane Theatre, is now
walking barefoot through the Metropolis—he is ragged
and houseless. We know the calls that the Ladies and
Gentlemen of both Establishments have on them, but if
any of his former friends would interest themselves, a
few pence, weekly, front each performer, would be suf-
ficient to remove this unfortunate from perishing in the
streets ; and really, from his appearance, we cannot pre-
sume he will long be a burden on their charity.
VINTRY WARD.—A legal question has been started,
as to whether the new Lord Mayor or the late Lord
Mayor should preside at the wardmote, to be held for
the purpose of conducting a scrutiny into the votes taken
by the latter at the former wardmote for the election of
an Alderman. By custom, it is understood the Lord
Mayor for the time being presides at all wardmotes for
the election of Aldermen. The question was submitted
to the Solicitor General, the Recorder, and the Common
Sergeant, who have unanimously declared, that, upon
the late Lord Mayor giving up the minutes and other
documents. relative to the election to the present Lord
Mayor, the latter will be qualified to continue the
proceedings. This opinion was reported to his Lordship
yesterdebond he issued a..precept for a wardmote on
Friday, to ctimmence the scrutiny demanded by
. Mr. IVilde.