The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-07-07 00:00:00

L'YION HALT..

James Wilkinshaw, a poidica» in respectable bug.
ness, residing in the Borough, ►►as brought to this
Office ou a charge of having violatod the raw) of
his servant girl, 15 years of age. In the course of
the evidence, the fact was fully proved, and that the
trisoner had twice endeavoured to succeed in the of.
fence, before he effected purpose. lie was cow.
!pitted to prison to take his trial.

ASTRONOM WA!, CHA NG ES Iv TU' PO.
LITli, 1.. 14:311.1•11 E E.

It bee hitherto been the opinion of Astronomers,
, that the Northern Poet was a fixed star, that bor.
I rowed no lustre from other Suns ; but like a great
I central mover of a system, shone from its own na.
the brig' tress. But it becomes the more (mired-
! enced observer of changes in the heirJrnly bodies to
Icontradict these opinions of the ancients, since it
i appears, ti.at our• Northern Pole not only possesses
changeability a place ; . but, like other planets,
I .
ruses and sets according to the changeful vicissitudes
lof the pelitical.year. Ms situation was first oh.
I served to be it► the tail of the Little Bear I and not
: far from the Great Bear! Both of which conFtella-
-1 (ions aeeine.l to be much under his influence; antl their
I revolutions appeared tope particularly affect d by
our Pole. But in consequence of a Comet some
time since appearing in that part of tie! Heavens, car.
rying terror and dismay along with it, and Lighten.
ing all lelore it with its flaming hair and wild-Irish-
man-like appearance, he has thought proper to make
his final exit from the rational horizon, without
attracting more attention than Would a common star!
Opinions are serious respecting his singular pheno.
menou. Some assure us, that he was never a fired
star, but only a satellite to a new planetary hotly of
the third magnitude, which first appeared in, or la-
ther seemed to issue out of, Car• Ctsroli, or tharlcs's
Heart; that it revolved like a lunar orb round its
primary, and performed all the duties of a satellite.
It did move, for it sometimes increased to even the
magnitude of its prime Mover, at its full, and never,
till its last change, %as entirely invisible. The
direction of this eccentric body in its tnotiou, was
first from the South to the North—its right as.
censinn and declension for a considerable time in-
creasing—afterwards, it became more variable, and
its aherations more numerous : its right ascension
and declension increasing and decreasing according
to certain circumstances• connected with its pre.
gress amongst the fixed stars ;—to-day, it was said,
to describe a circular medium—to-morrow an angu-
lar. Its greatest altitude was discovered frOm air.
ferent observatories, to be right over Dublin ; from
which city, it has re' urned to the southern hemi-
sphere, rapidly decreasing as it retires in lustre and
magnitude! The Greenwich observers, mention,
that it was no longer discoverable, after the promul.
gallon of a change iu the Cabinet in Westminster
/fall, from which it seemed to set like a meteor, or
dissolve like a body of electric fire into common air.
Its nudes, to minute observers, even when assisted
with telescopes of the best• magnifying power,
seemed always inconsiderably small and indi4inet:
this must have been greatly owing to the length and
luminosity of its coma, whose unremitting . corusca.
lions much obstructed the power. of, vision, and
thereby defeated the curious Astronomer's wishes!
It can scarcely be ascertained whether this nomitati
Pole was a bearded or tailed comet, as it frequently
had the appearance of both—now drawing its swere,
ing appendage after 'ite—aud now darting on the
sight, in all directions, its electrical vapours to a con-
siderable distance. It is thought by political Astro•
nomers, that, this singular •comet will never return
again ; but, that it may retain a dame among tfie
other moveable bodies, they have thought prOper to
term it (as spelt monstrous appearances are generally
called) the Polar Dragon! •

COURT OF KTNG'S BENCH, GUILDHALL, Jacr 6.

The history of public eaecutious can scarcely pro-
duce an instance as here men have met death with
more apparent firmness, not to say insensibility, than
Thompson and Temple, at Chester, on Monday,
the 15th ultimo. They walked from the Castle to
the cart at Glover-stone with a firm and fearless
step. In their way through the city, they surveyed
the immense crowd with a smiling countenance, and
an eye of seeming curiosity. On their arrival in the
city gaol, before mounting the platform, they con-
*versed freely together, and Thompson sucked two
oranges. It was agreed between them that Thomp-
son should let fall a handkerchief as a signal for the
fiital drop to go; but he observed to Temple,
" when you feel ready, put your foot upon mine."
This the latter did the moment they were tied up;
--Thompson then threw the handkerchief from him
in a manner that would indicate that he meant it as a
challenge ! They instantly dropt— Temple scarcely
stirred a limb ; but Thompson was convulsed for
about three minutes, owing to the noose slipping to
the back of his neck. Temple, who was a Roman
Catlialic, died with a key upon one of his fingers.—
Neither of the above unfortunate men uttered a
word at the fatal drop—they both seemed impatient
to quit this sublunary scene of care and sorrow.
Thompson, it is said, has left some important dis-
coveries in the hands of Mr. Hudson. A crowd of
ideas force.themseives upon us from the above awful
circumstance. When men meet a violent death with
such indifference, does it not strongly prove, what
we have frequently advanced, and which has been long
our confirmed opinion, the inefficacy of taking human
life. Surely some other punishment; more dreadful
than death to the idle and the vicious, may be resort-
ed to ; and a thousand times more salutary in point
Our correspondent from Ileckital informs us, that `no
example to society. In this we are sepported by
I
on Saturday the 20th ult. about eleven o'clock hi the , no less a character than the great and good Sir Samuel
evening, a great part of Hucknal Torkard was alarm- I Romilly, and others of the wisest Lawyers that ever
ed by the report of a gun, which was followed by (,adorned the Bar or the Bench.
the loud and reiterated shrieks of a %wane, who, I With• pleasure. we state, that on Wednesday
in the greatest agony, cried out, " My husband is . morning a further respite was received for Green-
shot ! they have shot my husband I" &c. On the • /sough, Lowndvs, and Haywood, now under sen-
iiihrbitants enquiring into the cause of the tumult,' tence of death in our county goal, during the plea.
it was found that Mr. R. Ceuta had been shot at in ; save of the Prince Regent.—(Chester Herald.)
his garden, and under the impression that .he was ac-i About seven
tually shot, he ran vociferating as he passed, " I am' ba years age, a man was gibbeted on
shot! lam shot! lam a dead man!" Providential. i • zelby Moor, for the murder of his wife. In his
ly, however, on examination it was found the con- . mouth has recently been found a bird's nest, with
tents of the piece went through the loose part of his • young, and what its more remarkable, the same specie
coat only. This horrid attempt at assassination is season.
of bird (a Willowthiter) built her nest there the last I
supposed to have been occasioned by Mr. Ceuta hay. i • .... .
On NVednesday afternoon as Robert Watson, en- I
ing given a deposition against a frame-breiker.
; gine-keeper to the Dock Company, at Hull, was en- ! scription, who were in the Pitt of the Opera House,
Vetovius, which had been quiet for several years, . Two well-dressed young women, of a certain (ie-
deavouring to rectify something amiss in the opera- i on Tuesday last, having qtlitlTE'lltA, high winds arose:
has suddenly broken out. At nine o'clock on the
morning of the 12th ult. loud reports proceeded from gof the etagitie employed at the south-west angle : and one of them was so affected by something uttered
the other, that sitefell
the bosom of the mountain, which was followed by • the New
• ' •
-r" ;of Dock in grinding porcelain for mortar, iby ' - into strong convulsions,
an eruption of cinders and smoke... After this the : and, is said, actuallydied
his clothes being caught by a wince attached to one it ' before she coeld be re-
ef the whpels, he was drawn into the works with so ,
mountain remained quiet for an hour. At eleven "
much violence as almost to be trashed to pieces. Of such horror by what she had occ•a-kl:chl, that She alga
o•Clock two fresh reports were heard; when the era. It. J-At 1
bin iiuraimui condition no person was aware till the . was taken out in the most alarmiilg "-ht ..
ter vomited forth fire and smoke, which completely allow ! I I
• -suddenly stopped, when, the attention of the • Messrs. If. and J. I,tvtmc, mere.:autc, of Greet
covered the horizon. On the 13th and 14th, the
' people, in other parts of thebuilding, being drawn to
mountain was calm, but the volcano wasugain in ac. •
' thespot, ha
presented a spectacle which totally over- • a
•hanees
charge of having negiaciated forged bills of exc.
~.).
tion and its clatter is covered with an immense co-
of {came the feelings of his fellow workmen, and pre- . Prescot-street, hare abgcntnle,l, in conseque.tee of a
A reward of 290:. is ofiered for their appfeliensieG
luau smoke.
The Post-office, whatever may be the tailing of' in ,
i vented them for some time from pursuing. the peeps-. —They were' late partners in the tirin of Llvia s
saea means of releasing his dead body, which had be. ;
any other branch of. the public receipts, fully main.; come so twisted and entangled amongst the seer asta i A parsop has-been punished in a town in Wee'
tamed its last year's incteased revenuealy the very ; require the machine to be taken to pieces. Ile was.. Dowers, and CO. '•
phalia, by twenty-five lashes, tied the pillory, for I
skilful arrangemetit and coaduct of • ate various de.: a moat respectable man and .valuable servant'. laid ' - • '
.' l• •He bed talon II?
,' , crime of rather a stop at nature. .
partrnents. seal
- • what renders the accident aery singdlar, had atteddoil from the grave the 1104 of a Jew, in. order to s.
Last week was married, at Wisbech, Mr. Clifton,' upon this engine, nt least, eight years.! ft has been his clothes, which be had the impudence to put qn a
aged 60, to Miss Mary Ann Briggs, aged 12. The ; quaintly and foolishly said. that misfortune isantailed i flaw dies after;- slid' td appear' with them in publ.ie.
bridegroom, instead of repeating the words " from ;on some families; of this poor man's, tbe.fact, that . boastk .thateeee 'lied done no more than italeefse.,
this day forward," 'would say only.•aa from this day :it his been peculiarly unftertuuate, le but too true , . himself for .tboaimpositions which the deceased (tad
fortnight ;" the Clergyman, in consequence, left the for, not many months ago, hiedanghterlad an arm , practised ea,hini.ta• a.,,,, s Les;i .
sitar; but after some little &eel he was solicited to ' amputated in consequence of •an accident at tbejea4 e
retain, tbs. btadegroOlfilallving posieeti to roost the ..ereirtte; 'and, sheet 4etel Yeti/ aio hell/40401 'itrial ---- p • 0 put 1- pm/ I. I) I,,,TELL, at . I'l
~ . .
LON DUN : ;anted tit tIS . __, • • , proper we*. '
•a . ... „ •. . .140 dinar . ..! ..: .i, -.7 *, .: a:: SAL "14'.`:.4 • ••• • •• ST e.roniiellificr. Zi;. ilse-Atrcet

Sittings at Nisi Prius before Lord Chief Justice
ELLINEOROUGII.
WALTER, V. BENNETT.

This was an action for a breach of covenant,
brought by the armourer of the privateer Lucy,
against the Defendant, the owner. In 1805, the
Lucy was fitted out with letters of marque and re-
prisal against France and Ilolland. Before she sail-
ed from Portsmouth the Spanish war broke out, and
the vessel was also furnished with letters of marque
against Spain.
The conditions between the crew and the owner
wek, that they were not to receive wages, but to
have a certain proportion of prize money, and the
owner to equip the ship with ammunition, provisions,
&c. for twelve months, which he failed to do; and
the privateer, after being out only eight months,
was obliged to put into Port-Flu-Prince, St. Domingo,
for want of supplies. She had made several captures,
but might have made many more. She was sold at
St. Domingo ; and the Plaintiff was four and a half
years before he could get a passage to England.
It was proved, in evidence, that the regular salary
for a person in the situation of the Plaintiff was 61.
per mc,nth. In defence it was proved, that the Plain-
tiff had received 101. of the Defendant.

Lord Er.r.v.rao%oucx observed, he was sorry the
wi.ole crow had not filed a bill in equity, as they
had been deprived of their prize-money ; but direct-
ed the Jury to find a verdict for the Plaintiff for
four and a half yeaist wages, at 61. per month, de..
ducting the 101, received.— Verdict for the Plaintiff,
31t1. 10s.

lIERSCIIEL.