The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-09-13 00:00:00

tHE INTERFERENCE OF THE
REJECTED BY A SHERIFF.

At all times the employment of military in
streets has raised the indignation of the people ;
in the best period of our history has been successf
resisted. The fcllowing, short narrative will show
liiely. interest which an honest Sheriff of London took
in preserving:hie fellow-Citizens from this dreadful en-
croachment
• " A house of ill fame in the Strand teas torn and
'despoiled of its furniture by a mob, in resentment for
some ill usage a seaman had received in it. Amongst
the number. was a sailor named Bosovern Penlez, a
Cornish man, a fellow of good character, who was not
originally in the riot, but passing whilst it was going
on, and being somewhat heated by liquor, ran into the
house, and was detected with a bed on his hack, which
be was bringing out, to throw into a bonfire, made
before the door, of the furniture. At the next Sessions
at the Old Bailey, he was convicted on the Riot Act,
itsrd received sentence of death.
" As the young man was of a good family, his fa-
ther beingit'Clergyinan in Cornwall, great interest
was made, and sundry'petitiona piesented to his late
Majesty, to 'spare tit life ; but the'evil consequences
of rioting were so 'many, and struck 'Government in
Such a forcible light, that it was deemed necessary to
strike terror by a Toddle example, and Pcnlc2 was in-
cluded in the death warrant.
"On the day of execution, Mr. Sheriff Janssen at-
*ivied its his chariot, with near two hundred of his
officers and city constables, and proceeded with Pen-
lea and some other criminals to Holborn-bars, the
boundary between the cities of London and that of West-
minster (through part of which the criminals are car-
ried to the place of executioh)—withont the Bars a
posse of seamen, to the number of near three thousand,
were assembled, for the purpose of rescuing their bro-
ther sailor; to prevent which design, as Government
had information of it, a very large party of the Guards,
under the command of tl:e present Lord Barberry
(then the lion. Colonel Evans), was drawn up, and
ready to join in the cavalcade, as soon as it should
cmiat out of the city.
i• Mr. SheriffJanssen no sooner beheld the Guards,
than he stopped the melancholy procession within the
Bats, and sent to know of the Commanding officer,
for what purpose such a number of soldiers were as-
iemb!ed. Colonel Evans came to him, and told him,
he was sent by Government to assist the Sheriffin the
execution of his office, as a rescue was apprehended ;
and pointed oat to the crowd of sailors; who stood
armed with short dabs without the bars. The Sheriff
replied, lie was obliged to Government for its kind at-
tention to his safety and the execution of the Civil
Power, but that be would not bring his prisoners out
of the city of London till the Military was withdrawn,
as whilst he was Sheriff he would never enrage a mob
by the interference of the soldiery.
" It was in vain that Colonel Evans represented to
him his danger, and that he rushed to certain destruc-
tion, if he proceeded without the assistance of the
army. Mr. Sheriff repliel, he would touch rather sa-
. crific3 his own life than degrade the Civil Power
whilst he was intrusted with the execution of any part
of it, and pe-sisted in his resolution. The Guards
Orli marched off, and the mob gave shouts of joy at
their departute.
"'F he Sheriff then got out of his chariot, and mount-
ing one of his Officers' horses, with no other arms than
his wand, he rode through the Bars into the midst of
the sailors, and having desired to he heard, he told
then, that the unhappy criminal had been justly con-
demned for a breach el the laws of his country—that
he could have wished mercy could have been extended
to him, but Government:having concluded otherwise,
lie bad been brought out to die, and die he should,
thang•li he himself perished with him,--be re-
whaled the sailors that tro a of them bad served their
country and fought in its defence, and he hoped they
would not disgrace their former good acts, by endea-
vouring to oppose the execution of those laws which
they had bled to support—that he had been tender of
tteir own lives. for they saw lie bad sent away the
military which co hi have easily quelled double their
number of men undisciplined on shore.
" l have in my hand (added lie) the Riot Act,
which, should I read to you, and should you not im-
mediately disperse, every one of you who remains
would be liable to the same punishment your comrade
will soon undergo ; but I will not r. ail it, I will put
it up, and trust you will behave like honest men and
good subjects,—follow me to the place of execution,
disturb not the dying moments of the unhappy young
scan—see the law executed, and I will deliver his body
to you for decent interment. I will only add, that all
attempts to save him most be in vain, for the first hand
lifted for the purpose of a rescue, I have given orders
'to put him to death, and the taking away my life will
nos relieve his. Come, said he, turning to his officers,
bring on the criminals.
" The carts were brought on. The seamen, struck
with the intrepidity of Mr. Sheriff Janssen, and con-
vinced by his reason, confirmed by the departure of
the soldiery, attended quietly to Tybern, and suffered
the Civil Power to execute justice without military as-
sistance. The body was given to them, with which
they peaceably departed."

CORONER'S I:VW:EST.—An inquest was held on
Monday in the Board Room of Middlesex Hospital,
before Thomas Stirling, Esq., Coroner, on the body of
John Petit, aged 22.—1 t appeared by the evidence,
•that the deceased was a single man ; be resided in
Princes-street, near the spot where. the late fire took
place ; lie lodged on the third floor ; latterly was ob-
.served to be very unwell ; be was afflicted with an ex-
traordinaiy complaint—imagining that he saw forms
.in the air, which he would catch at, and on finding
himself deceived would fly into a rage ;• be was fre-
quently observed doing this. On Saturday last, whilst
be was in his apartment he imagined that be saw some-
.thing flying in the air," and prOeeeding•to the window
be 'was observed by smite persuas in the street endea-
,vinting-to catch at whatte thought be • hot in
consequence of over reaching Limon be wits precipi-
.
'tided from the third floor wiadow.bito thnstreet head
foreapost with great violence.. He was picked up in a
dreadful condition, and carried to the Hospital, where
be died of th! injuries he received. The Jury re-.
• arced a verdict—That the deceased ease to Isis death
by accidentally falling from a' three pair of stairs
• 'Hallow.

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