The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-03-10 00:00:00

THREATENING LETTERS

Bow-sTuEsx.--The Chancel)°, accom-
panied by his private secretary, Mr. Dawson, and Mr.,Maule,
attended, on Wednesday last, at this court, to swear an in-
formation against, and demand a warrant,which was instantly
granted, for the apprehension of John Dillon, 157, Stra-
late officer in the navy, for having, on different ow'
threatened, by letters and otherwise, to take away
The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Goulb,•
to having received the letters subjoined. Hr

of the Exclie(

deposed
ed such

isoner, whose name

..nation with the person whose
several letters, except in his official capacity
letters referred to, and he had every reason to
John Dillon would do him some grie'
also stated that he did not lay the
from any malice he bore to the said John Dill
from personal apprehension of danger, ani
the information were true.
Mr. Christopher Robert Pemberton,
the complainant, being sworn, the follow'',

nerd that

von bodily

irate se

read :
" I have received letters from John Dillon in my official
capacity, some of which have been answered and others de-
stLoyed. I have seen the letters produced this day, and be-
lieve them to be in his handwriting. I have had several
in-
terviews with him, and on one occasion he said he
to some remuneration from the Government, w'
• '

plainant, who was the person that preventro IL
ought to give him, or he had better look (
occasion, when be culled, I observed he was

:h the com-
nr+ nrimtiba

One one
Ty much ex-

The following information of John Walsh, colourman, 8,
Bernard's-inn, was next read
" I know John Dillon, 157, Strand, and saw him one day
last week in a coffee-house in 'Westminster, when he com-
menced a conversation with me respecting M'Naughten. He
also referred to the case of Bellingham, who shot Mr. Per-
ceval, and said there was a wide difference between his case
and that of M`Naughten, as Bellingham had received a bond
fide injury, by which he was driven mad, whereas the other
bad received none at all. Ile contended that Bellingham was
perfectly justified in shooting Mr. Spencer Perceval. He
continued this conversation with two strangers present, and
told them he had a.claim upon the Government, and unless
it was given to him be would Lave a pop at some of them,
and if he did shoot any one it should be Goulburn. This oc-
currence took place late in the evening, and be appeared to
be quite sober, and determined to put his threat into-execnr.
tun, saying, When lam tried not plead insanity, but
Injustice.' One of the st rangers observed, `Why not petition
the House of Commons upon the subject, and wait for a reply
to your petition after it will be laid on the table.' He replied,
Before I can receive any answer to any petition that I may
make, I'll have taken Mr. Goulburn's life and a swing for
it.' "

The warrant was ordered to issue immediately, and the ap-
plicant, with the other gentlemen, left the court.
The following is the substance of the letters referred to :
" February 22.

` ` Sir,7l have received a Treasury letter of this day's date,
written in the same style as the former ones—that is, showing
a determination to overrule all law and justice.
" If you are under an impression that you can baffle me
over on a board whose members have heretofore informed me
that my case rests solely in your hands, you are mistaken.
" I beg to refer you to my letters addressed to W. H. Ste-
phenson, Esq., dated the 21st and 2d instant.
" Sir, there is no man on earth abhors the net of an assassin
more than I do, but your injustice is sufficient to drive me to
auch an unjustifiable action. I would prefer the most igno-
minious death by the open hand of an enemy than I can live
drawing on a miserable existence, in debt, out of employ-
ment, and brooding over a case that law and justice have long
since commanded should have been finally and favourably'
adjusted in my behalf. The late King,who knew my charac-
ter, did caution his Ministers not to trifle with me, but insti-
tuted an inquiry into my case, which has taken place.
" You admit the correctness of the report under that
agreement, and why not do me justice on the faith of your

o-ivn admission?
" 1 am, Sir, your most obedient, very bumble servant
" JOHN DILLON.

" To the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer."
" 28th of February, 1843.
" Sir,—l have already expressed my regret at a note I
wrote to you on the 22d, under a feeling which I cannot-de-
scribe. I trust, for justice sake, you will order to be laid
before you my letters written under my cool dictation, ad-
dressed to the Lords of the Treasury, which I handed to Mr.
Leake, who read 't in my presence on the 25th instant ; also
my letter of the 17th inst., addressed to Sir George Clark,
which I placed in the hands of his private secretary, who
read it also in my presence. If these letters are not attended
to, I assure you, without the crime of an assassin, I prefer
to be placed in the same situation as that villain MaNatighten,
than draw on the miserable existence 1 am now suffering—
out of employment, in debt to those friends who had confi-
dence in my honour, with an estate which had been over 200
i years n my family, now enjoyed by Lord Templemore and
Mr. Maunsel, of Galway. Every article I have is in pledge.
The late King, who knew my character, and my late friends,
Sir Herbert Taylor and Sir Robert Spencer, requested of
Lord Althorp not to trifle with me, but to give me a fair
trial, which has taken place by his lordship's own suggestion
as to my judge. It is that trial by your own admission I
stand—all I ask is for justice.
" I have the honour to be, Sir,
" Your most obedient, very bumble servant,
" JOHN DILLON.
" To the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer."
- .

" March 4, 1843.
II Sir,—Under the following statement I appeal to your
power :—You will please to remember that you were the
accusation, and
Chancellor of the Exchequer when I renewed my claim for
the capture of the Peru, after the final condemnation of that
vessel. The reply was, that a charge of cowardice was al-
leged against my appeal. I remonstrated ag a Was answeredn i
ainst such n
reply by the then Secretary to the Treasury,by, their lord-
prayed for en inquiry. I wa
ships' directions, that, if I could remove the charge of
cowardice, the claim should be allowed. 'Your successor,
Lord Althorp, reiterated the same charge as the only objec-
tio, and far tbc moiniut sheltered himself under the usual
o metal ...hulk of injustiec—[Lac iu, %A had deco cluacu uy
his predecessor under the charge of cowardice, and that it
was laid down by the Treasury not to re-open a case which
had been closed by their predecessors. Having no alterna-
tive, I had a petition presented to the House of Commons,
on which a notice of motion was given on the 24th of May,
1833, and abandoned, under a special agreement on the part
of the Crown to submit the case to Sir Edward Codrington,
for his opinion, whether I was censurable for my conduct as
an officer, and that the negative would beanmmediate
carri ordder
for the payment of my claim. The agment was
in e,
and the report was made, that I was highly justified my
a lapse of ten years, re-
conduct in not having boarded the Peru, and that I had done
my duty. I am satisfied that my claim would have been
then Mr. Spring
turned to the office;
paid, but for the prejudice and unfouncird observations of the
Rice; you. after
you admit officially the charge of
cowardice which was brought ag
satisfactorily refuted,ainst me having been most
I appeal to you, is not such injustice sufficient to drive a
nod still withhold my claim.
starving situation, you
man in my situation to take a pistol and send a ball through
you ? lam afraid, by Your keeping me in my present almost
will drive me to such an action.
I am, Sir, your moat obedient very humble servant,
" JOHN DILLON.

in the vas
" To the Right Hon• &C.
It was stated in the court, that the accused was
sages in the House of Commons, on Monday evening, making'--
anxious inquiries after the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

eGc
toi uo lb uornf , hi ard.
Inspector
laid p
ehci
tscrHaynes,
of
for Dillon information'
and the warrant had been issued ‘ 's apprehension,
the lmmediately
police,
under
aftert
the
edi
r. n
the A division,
were put into the
i most active requisition, in
order to discover bis retreat, and
n the course of Wednesday
evening, the inspector discovered that he had been, the dav
previously, arrested for debt, and lodged in Whitecross-street
prison. As he is of course,under these circumstances, vir-
tually in the custody of the
sheriff, a . writ of habeas corpus
must be obtained for the purpose of bringing him up
before
Mr. Hall, the chief magistrate of Bow-street, to answer the
charge contained in the information of the right honourable
gentleman. A detainer has been lodged against him. In
yesterday's Times appears a letter from Dillon, in which he
expresses bis " regret that he should have alloaed his temper
to have overreached his cooler judgment, and for which he
begs most fully and amply to apologise."
It appears that he formerly commanded the Preventive
Coast Guard station at Millcove, in the county of Cork.
When out with his boat on duty on this station h. d
an American smuggler the( brig Peru of New Yo,Pkursauned
prevented her from effecting an intended landing. in t.he)*ha
bour of Glendoti• The sea was at that time running high, and
Dillon, fearful lest his boat should be swamped, de'sist,d from
the pursuit, as the brig rounded the Old Head of Kinsale,
under an idea that she must have put off to sea, and
with the satisfactory reflection that he had foiled her project.
The Peru, however, put into the harbour of Kinsale, where
she was boarded by Mr. Masters, the Cust
and condemned a • oms-surveyor of
the port, seized.
£ll 000 S alawful prize. Masters
received upwards of , as his share, Dillon only £5O.
The latter, feeling that he was most unjustly treated
ill-proportioned distribution of the prize-money,.by this
' ly but unsuccessfully, petitioned the clif
Eve , . has succes-
sively, erent Chancellors
of the Excnecluer from Mr. Rice to G
t some suspicion of cowardice,Mr. oulburn. It ap-
pears that arising from the fact
that be aid not pursue the smuggler further
has hitherto stood in the and seize her
himself, way of
his
claims. This
ii
suspco
n—together with disappointment, and hope deferred
—has at last driven him to an act of mischievous
complicated with the most deplorable wickedness,
WI
infatuation.

THE MEETING
ON THE SOMERS.--The court of inquiry
has given an opinion in this case, and the substance is as
follows:—The court finds that a meeting did exist on board,
and tbat Spencer, Cromwell, and Small were ringleaders
in
it, and have acquitted Commander AVlCenzie, being satisfied
that he had been kind to his crew, and attentive to their
wants and their comforts ; that he was studious to promote;
their knowledge of their profession, and that no punishments
were inflicted greater than were rendered necessary by the
discordant nature of the crew, and the proper discipline of a
man-of-war.

CONSPIRACY AND ROBBERY.---The following most extra-
ordinary historrobbery, on they
poarft allegedo f a
m master
rcohf oaf
vessel, trust, conspiracy,
givenspi r ac yi
a the
Limerick and
C
Limer. 7 •
ink C trontcle of Wednesday last:—Theschooner
Native, sc ooner
Native, of Limerick, John White master, and the property
of Mr. Francis Spaight, took in early last November, at
London, a valuable cargo of teas, sugars, tobacco, and spices,
consigned to traders in this city. The vessel sailed for her
destination, but having encountered bad weather, was obliged
to put into Ramsgate, where she underwent extensive re-
pairs to the amount of £450. Tbe master set sail again after
Christmas, but was exposed to a return of adverse gales, and
compelled to put into St. Helens, where it is alleged a most
nefarious plot was framed to plunder the cargo and scuttle
the vessel, for which purpose the Native was moored to the
Motberbank, near Ryde, Isle of Wight. Captain White, it
is said, privately covenanted with certain persons for the sale
of near sixty chests of tea, and engaged with shore boatmen
to remove them out of the v
esseld for the
the sum of
maste £lOO, and
the
as if on duty, so as
which were accordingly land by nigt, :r, in
interim, taking the crew to Portsmouth,
not to observe the opening of the hatches, but leaving the
mate, Joseph Younghusband, on board. It appears that the
mate was paid £5O for his share of the plunder, the captain
remaining
him be had only £5O reaining for himself. Mr.
Spaight, the owner of the vessel, has recovered out of the
proceeds of this nefarious traffic a receipt for bills on tito
Hampshire Bank to the amount of £247,
and a receipt tor
£76 from the captain to the buyers of the tea. The re
(hut,
next sailed for Lymington, on her passage to Limerick
which port it was intended she should never reach, as the
deficiency would be found), and in the creek of the, former
place was secretly bored, five auger holes being made in her.
bottom, which were plugged up immediately after. Ti
The Na-
tive finally put to sea next morning, when the plugs were
drawn, the boats hoisted out, the master, mate,
deserting the vessel, which sank in a few min
and crewutes after, and
they landed at Poole, in Dorsetshire, the vill
anous
having been so far successful. In about a scheme
arrival in Limerick, Mr. Spaight receivedweek after their
oath which led to the arrest of the captain information on
the lost vessel, who are now in the city and the mate of
cations have been addressed to the gaol, and comm •
collectors of Portsmouth and Co Board of Customs,-
oo the tea packagesCowes, with cop' •
surreptitiously d' i"
of
the
En
li
on ixtquiry after the missing isposed of, ar
S
property, to i •
deuce of the otharguilty and to institute
parties. procure evi-