The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-05-20 00:00:00

THE SfATESMAN.
the drover raised a large stick with which he 'had been
previously beating the cattle, and struck him with It
over the breast and then across the head. The coin-
, plaioant was stunned with the blow, and became wholly
unable to manage his horse, and if his friend bad nit
Caught the reins, and protected him from further attack,
the consequences might have been of the very worst
kind.
It was proved that the drover had, with characteristic
brutality exulted at seeing the blood flow from the com-
plainant's wounds, one of which was near the temple,
and said, " D—n my eyes, I've given him a rem cat."
•The defendant said he could 'not bear to see his beasts
struck, nor could be bear a blow himself; and ,both he
andlhis beasts had suffered before he took his and their
part.
Alderman Avictxs ordered the defendant to find bail.
Yesterday, a middle-aged and decent looking worn: n,
named Sarah Ward, was charged, by Mr. Alderman
Ammo, under a peual Act of Parliament,.with having,
used a false and forged character, for the purpose of
obtaining a situation in his family as a cook.
Alderman Atkins stated that his two last cooks, whom
he had taken into his service upon "Undeniable" charac-
ters from the country, had turned out to be persons of a
most profligate anti infamous description. When a third
applied to Mrs. Atkins to fill the situation. and offered s
country character. he determined to scrutinise it strictly,
as he suspected, from the frequency of these country
characters, which, from the distance of the parties, few
examining their authenticity, gave a great opportunity
for fraud. The prisoner. when she applied. stated that
she had before lived with a person named Griffith, re-
siding at Leatherhead, from whom she had received 25
guineas a year. Mrs. Atkins agreed to give her tbesame
sum, provided the character proved to be satisfactory;
and a letter was written, addressed to Mrs.
Leatherhead, requesting to know the prisoner'', cheese-
tzr. An answer was received, as from Ales Griffith, giv-
ing the prisoner a most superlative character, as honest,
sober, skilful, dutiful, diligent, economical, clean. well-
behaved, and peaceable, and one who well deserved her
wages. The lady added, in a " Nom bene," that her
only reason for " departing" with so good a "errant was,
that she, at the time left her house at Leatherhead, and
" didn't" want her any longer.. The Worthy Alder-
man, neon examining the letter, immediately concluded
that, at this time, when the epistolary style was so much
studied by every lady. it could not have been written by
a female who had any pretensions to that rank, and hr
requested a friend who resided at Leatherhead to make
inquiries upon the subject. 'This gentleman, upon in-
quiry, found that there was hut one Mrs. Griffith at
Leatherhead, who had never had a cook in her life, but
had cooked for herself as well as others for many years.
Upon an investigation, it turned oat that Mrs. O. knew
nothing at allot the matter, and had neither received the
letter nor returned an answer; but that the prisoner
herself had been down at Leatherhead, and waited at Mrs.
Griffith's door on the morning of the delivery of Airs.
Atkins's letter, and had taken it from the postwoman.—
Upon this detection of the fraud, the worthy Alderman,
believing it to be a system now regularly established, by
which bad characters were introduced into families, and
knowing from experience the evils attendant upon it,
thought it his duty to caution the public by prosecuting
the prisoner.
Mrs. Atkins corroborated the statement made by the
worthy Alderman, and added, that the prisoner had re-
presented herself to be a single woman, when, in fact•
she was married.
The prisoner admitted that the letter was not written
by Mrs. Griffith, but by a young man. She said she
had formerly been In service but had quitted it to take a
shop, and failing in that, she tried to return to her for-
mer mode of Hess a servant, and adopted the mode of
doing it she hail stated, in order to avoid troubling any
of the respectable persons with whom she had formerly
lived. And she thought it no harm to dos*, fur all she,
had stated in the letter about herself was the truth. She
supplicated forgiveness from the Alderman in the must
ardent limner. ••
Ald. Atkins ores inexorable.. She had been guilty of
the most culpable falsehood, even in her defence, and
had shown so much skill and practice in deception, that
public justice rendered it necessary that she should not
escape.
Mr. Alderman Cox did not wish to convict the pri-
soner upon her own confession, and as the forniality of
proof required that Mrs. Griffith should be sent fur to
prove her ignorance of the matter, the prisoner was re-
manded.

BOW-STREEt.A WI/LONG WITIIOUT A REeEDT.—An
innocent-looking, flaxen-haired. respeetably dressed.
soft-spoken young man applied to the Magistrate yes-
terday for his advice in a case of great delicacy.
He had married a young woman -he said, one
whom, at the time he so married her, lie believed to
be "porit3t itself;" but—and here his thoughts seemed
too big for utterance—but at the expiration of the
fourth month after their marriage she had given birth
to a baby' thereby making it manifest that he had been
most shockingly deceived by her in some way or other,
though how he knew not.. It was, however, a circum-
stance that he could not overlook; and he declared his
intention of separating himself from her, but her pa-
rents who were " much more powerful people" than
himself, had also declared that if he did separate him-
self they would compel him by law to support his wife
and child. He thought this an " extremely hard case,"
and wished the Magistrate to 'inform hint what he
must do.
" As you were married so recently," said the Magis
trate, " doubtless you recollect the words of your vow ?'
"Indeed,Sir, I do—perfectly," replied the young man'
with a deep sigh.
" Theo you recollect," continued his Worship, "that
you took for better for worse, to love and to the-'
pith, until death shall von part ant very sorry for
you, but really I can affOrd you no redress."
The hapless Benedict sighed again, and slowly with
drew.
AIARLBOR011:01( STREET.--A man named Bellamy, in
the service of Mr. Evans, a smith, in Wardoar-mews,
was put to the bar under the following charge :—Mr.
Spenser, living io Warner-street, said, tbat when be
got home last Saturday afternoon, lie learnt That his
son had been wounded severely by something which had
been let • off with gunpowder by some men in Mr.
Evans's shop. The pour lad was passing through the
Mews at the time of the explosion, when the contents of
the instrument carried off part of his left cheek.' Ile
was conveyed to the Hospital with his face shockingly
lacerated.
Alexander Barrie said, he lodged in Mr. Evans's
house. Last Saturday afternoon, he, in his way up
stairs, saw the men busy in preparing gunpowdsr to let
off a tube which hail a square bore, and which was
placed on the ground beside an anvil. On reaching his
apartment he opened his window, and looking out, he
observed a piece of red hot iron advanced to what he
conceived the touch-hole of this tube. He drew. his
bead in, and immediately heard a loud report. On going
again to the window, he saw that a lad had been severely
wounded.
George Knox, a lad living in the neigboarhood,
said he was, is the Mews at Shit, time of the accident.
He saw the' instrument aboie alluded to ; and
the prisoner Bellamy actively esigar„ed in preparing it.
Bellamy said, that last Saturday'he was criebyating
the birth-day of his son, .who on that day was al years
of age.
,His.cotweades were, therefore, aterry-snaking ;
anxious to increase their mirth, he hall takes Ow anvil
used .ia the shop, and applied that part which has a
hole for the .tontenionne of turning it routid, for the

Pexpue aftnakiag a repott. This not answering their ee-
pectiationa, be got tbe Icefof a kitchen range, and after
making a toitch-hole in the kev-pait, which he supposed
to be abolit six inches long ranimed the square hole
with powder and wadding, and produced several explp.
lions. On the unfortunate occasion in question, he stuf-
fed the barrel with leather cuttings, cone of his com-
rades having any more waste paper. He professed-him-
self extremely sorry for the melancholy consturettee ;
and said, having been naturally. anxious about the boy,
he went frequently to the Hospval, where he left the in-
strument of mischief with the surgeon.
The Magistrate enquired into the state of the poor hall
Spenser, and being informed that he laid in a dangerous
state, told Bellamy that although there ma% no appear
ance of wilfulness, he should order him to be detained
until the surgeons Certificate could be obtained, when he
would be admitted to baiL
Queen-sow' ',Torn ILVIELDS Fa te .—The Magistrates
at this Office being determined to suppress this Fair, on
Sunday night the whole of the officers, a party of the Bow-
street petrol and parish constables, were ordered out; a
vast number of people collected, showman, stall-keepers,
&c., who pitched their tmts, but the officers informed them
of the danger thryesposed themselves to, and the rescrution
the Magistrates had come to of convicting them according
to law, unless they departed. They all in consequence
qhitted the ground, nod thus the fair was put an end to.
LAMBITM-STREET.—Ypsterday. two Chinese, belonging
to Mr. Gould's establishment at Shadwell (for the purpose
of keeping together all Chinese and Lasears brought to this
country until they are sent home), were brought up In custo-
dy of Somers, a constable of St. George's, cliorzeil with at-
tempting to murder snottier Colnese, on the same esta-
blishment.
It appeared that on Saturday afternoon the prisoners
created& disturhance among the inhabitants of Mr. Gould's
barracks, and the person wounded was threstened with
violence: he retorted, and then ran away: bet the prisoners
drew their knives, and ran after him; having overtaken him,
they stabbed him in several places, and no doubt would have
murdered him on the spot, had not assistance arrived. when
the prissners were taken Into custody, and the p'or fellow
released from their grasp: he was taken up in a dreadfully
wounded state, having received several deep wounds, and
was conveyed to the London Hospital, where he now Iles In
such a dangerous state that but little hope Is entertained of
his recovery. Somers produced the knives, which were
about 13 inches lone. and very broad and sharp. with
handles like those of swords; they were covered with blood.
The prisoners could not speak English, and the interpre-
ter to Mr. Gould's establishment being at the London Hos-
pital with the wounded man, no further information could be
elicited. They were remanded until the man should be de-
clared out of danger.
WORSHIP-STREET.—MATeRNAL !NMI:MA:um —Yes-
terday Mary haridge, a woman advanced beyond the
middle age, and whose aspect denoted something extra-
ordinary, was brought before WM. BENET?, the
presiding Magistrate, charged with horrid cruelty to-
wards Mary Davidge, the younger, her daughter.
It was stated by Mr. John Coulson Porritt, an: two
other parish officers of Shoreditch, that they had re-
ceived information of the prisoner haring kept her dough-
._
ter in a state of confinement for upwards of a year. They
accordingly proceeded to Still-alley, the prisoner's re.t-
dence, and there they found the wretched young girl con-
fined in a miserable apartment. She was completely
naked and seated on the floor, and presented a spectacle
of such human misery, that the officers, In relating what
they had s.en, seemed to feel all the horror which cool i
be excited by such a sees- cruelty. The poor victim of
inhumanity was in a state of starvation.
Mr. Crock-yell, one of the parish ofilurs, sail the poor
girl had become Insane, end was In a state altogether he
could not describe, but he seemed to shudder at the recollec-
tion of it.
The mother stood at the bar apperently unmoved, and said
that her daughter was well taken care of.
It was ordered by the worthy Magistrate, that theivrison-
er should be held to bail for assaultine and iii-treating her
daughter,audl that the latter should he immediately rewoovohl
from Still-alley to the parish workhouse, there to receive
every atteetion due to her nti within situation.

Coaoreaes' Dequases.—YeaterdAy afternoon an Inqui-
sition was held in the Penitentiary, Mil(bank, brtore
G. H. Gel', Esq on the bedy of Mars Vonahles, aged 2J,
one of the unfortunate persons confined therein.
Mr. Benjamin tlaapmaii, the Governor, prodneed the
register, by which it appeared that the deceased seas
tried. at Warwick on the 27th March, i 9, bond guilty
of felony, and sentenced to fourt. en yea's transportation,
which was, however, afterwards- commuted for seven
Years confinement in this Penitentiary, where she was
brought on the 9th of July following; the deceased was
then in a good state of heaNi.
Mr. John Pratt, surgeon to the establishment, stated
that the deceased was removed into the Infirmary 011 the
tat of April last, complaining of violent pains in her
head, accompanied by drowsiness ; and which pain con-
ti nusd more or less until Saturday last, when she died.
The deceased was attended daily by Messrs. Roget and ,
Latham, and witness visited her several times a slaw:
every thing was done that could be thought of fer the
restoration of her health, but nitSiout success. The me-
dicel gentlemen suspected there was a considerable efru-
%ion of blood upon the brain ; her appetite was pretty
good.
Foreman—Has the deceased not been blistered
Witness—She has had several blisters upon the back
of the head and temples, and leeches were constantly
applied.
Coroner—Was she ever in the infirmary before.
Witness—Yes, once, in consequence of havincc semen.
lons eyes. The deceased at length went off rat Ti-r sed•
denly, and witness's opinion was that she died of apo-
plexy. Verdict—Died of Apoplexy.
An inquisition was held on Saturday night, before
Thomas Stirling, Esq. at the Prince Regent, Mecklen-
burg-square, on the. body of en elderly Gentleman named
Henry Stewart, who died on Thursday last.
The deceased, it appeared, had been a gentleman of
property formerly resident in the North of England;
of late he had been so much addicted to drinking, as to
bring himself into a state of great distress. About a
fortnight previous to his death, he was returning home
on the outside of one of the Greenwich coaches, and
being then much intoxicated, he fell off and injured his
bark very much ; of this he always complained, and on
a person entering his room on Thursday hit, he was
found sitting in a chair quite dead.
M'Dunnell, a surgeon, was sent for, and he was
of opinion he died a natural death, which might have
been accelerated by the fall from the coach.
Verdict—Died by the visitation of GOD.
INQUEST IN THE FLEET Pnfsorr.---This morning au
ioqucst was held before Thomas Shelton, Esq. the Coro-
ner for the City of London, on the body of Mary Peters
a prisoner in the Fleet Prison. It had been rumoured
that the unfortunate woman had met her death in conse-
quence of great and indecent violence having been shown
her by some of the male prisoners, when in a .state of in-
-toxication. But by Aite evidence adduced by a surgeon,
named Bates, and by the testi,nony of the respectable snr-
geon of the prison, It was satisfactorily proved that the
unfortunate woman had died of inflammation of the brain
brought on by excessive dritking. 'lt was proved also
that she was at times subject to delirium. The Jury re-
turned a verdict of—" Died by the visitation of lion."
LAMENTANGI Sutctoe..—On Monday last (12th inst )
a respectable youth of 19, named Simpson, of the ar-
nacittrers' department in the gun-wharf here, having on
the previous evening had a dispute with a female, to
whom be was attached, resolved upon self-destruction,
which he accomplished by placing a loaded musket
against his breast, and discharging its contents by touch-
ing the trigger with the ramrod. The ball passed through
the heart,. thus producing instantaneous death. The
coroner's JUT returned their verdict—Temporary boa-
sity.:—(Plyrnowth Gazette.)
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