The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-12-08 00:00:00

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HERTFORD6IIIRE WINTER ASSIZES.

The Assizes finished on Fridey evening, at a late hour.—
None of the cases In the Calendar were of very general in-
terest. Though there were several commitments for capital
offences, but two convictions took place. Toe only cosies worth
menlooing were the following:—
Wes. Dean was indicted on the Coroner's Inquisition for
felestoesly lilting and staying George Gravestoek, at Great
Gaddestion, on the 13th of September lest. It appeared that
the prisoner and the deceased had had some angry words at a
/*bile house, and immediately adjourned to an orchard to
settle the dispute by a pugilisticeombat. S I rounds were
Ilateght, and In the contest the deceased appeared to be the
better man.—The prisoner at length declined fighting any
ismer, as he complained that the deceased had hit him several
foil blows, and had struck him whilst on the ground. lie was
retiring from the ring, and had called for his clothes, when the
deceased said. " Curse hint, he has not had enough yet," and
followed him to the edge of the ring, and struck him a blow on
the back of the neck, The prisoner immediately faced about,
and had another round, in the close the last blow took effect
upon the deceased's neck, under the left ear, and he fell dead
ou the spot.--After the fatal event, the prisoner was deeply
affected with grief, and since then was stated to be inconsola.
Me. Both were described as having been warm friends before
the fight ; had been school-fellows, and were much attached to
each other. The prisoner received an excellent character for
mildness of disposition. The witnesses deposed that the de-
ceased had struck the prisoner some foul blows, and they consi-
dered the drill was at an end when the prsoner was followed
and struck by the deceased in the manner above mentioned.
Mr. BRODUNICIL for the prisoner, submitted that his client
was entitled to an acquittal, the fatal blow having been struck
as defendendo.
Mr. Justice HALROTo inclined to this opinion, and directed
the Jury to find the prisoner Not Guilty.
A verdict of Not Guilty was accordingly recorded.
[Before Mr. Justice PARK
James Lowe was indicted for assaulting Thomas Butter-
worth, at East Barnett, on the 29th of July, putting bim
in fear, and stealing from his person 21. Bs. in money, and a
silver watch. The prisoner and the prosecutor were
labouring men, and had been employed by the gardener of
a gentlemen named Wyatt, of East Barnet, to work in the
garden. Fro :n motives of kindness, the gardener allowed
them to sleep in a shed or outhouse, attatched to the pie-
misc., whilst their employment lasted. On the night of
the 29th of July the prosecutor retired at an early hour to
bed; about eleven o'clock he was roused by the prisoner
who introduced a strange man into the shed, and desired
that the latter might be allowed a night's lodging, having
no place to go to. The prosecutor offered no objection, and'
the stranger remained. Shortly afterwards the prisoner
went out, and presently brought in anoihrr stranger, and
begged for him a similar favour. The prosecutor re-
monstrated against this ; upon which all three fell upon
him and began rising his pockets. He cried (or help; the
prisoner stifled his voice by putting his hand upon his
mouth, and held him down whilst the strange men stripped
him of the property above mentioned. The strangers and
the prisoner then decamped, followed by the prosecutor,
who next morning succeeded in witting the prisoner, who
confessed that his conduct was improper, and begged to
be forgiven. The prosecutor had experienced a good deal
of personal violence in the strugglo.—fbe prisoner offered
nothing in his defence, but simply urged 114 innocence.
The case went to the Jury under the Learned Judge's
directions, and they brought in a verdict of 0 inky of aid-
ing and a.sisting in the robbery.
Mr. Justice PARK informed the Jury, that if they were
of opinion, that the prisoner took any guilty part in the
transastion, he was a principal felon, as much as the man
who had actually taken the property. The Jury then
found the prisoner Guilty—Death ; but some of them said
they wished to recommend the prisoner to mercy,
The Learned Judge said, that such a recommendation
oast be noanimous to be effective.—The FOREMAN said,
the recommendation certainly was not unanimous.—Mr.
Justice PARK then incrired of Mr. Wilson, the Governor
of the gaol, bow the prisoner had conducted himself
' while in prison ? and being informed that be had behaved
in a most exemplary manner, his Lordship said be should
recommend hire as an object of !limey to the Crown. la
the mean time, judgment of death was ordered to be re-
corded. The other capital conviction wea destitute of
public interest.

HUNT, PROBER r, AND TM/it-PELL
#Poriitei ieniarki on their personal lipearsece
before the Sloan on Pride! lait. .
Himr.—This ea •on was ntly dressedip black said!'
the worse for the wear; his linen was very deem, and he
wai ilosiq shaved. The reoeral idea communicated by
hit figure is mental, and one would almost nay. bodily in.:
significance. His features ate smelt and effemirietv,and
as far as we could jndge, there is no peculiar mesa!
diretion in the formation of MS head. It givei yea tli,e
ides of what you calla constitutional one wbs
would codtleicend to any thing rather than exert himself.
Perhaps you would he disposed to say, that his cbara,ter
wore timidity—nay, even cowardicit; and it waa pretty
lapparant that upon this occasion be hittput on an lii of
firmness to which he was by no means aceostomed, end
whirls accorded hot ill with his internal feelings. NO
could bear to look at the same iodividuel for a considershl•
time, and we were favonred With his eitchtsive observation

for the space of at leant two minutes ; but his eye. though
fixed, said nothing and indicated nothing, farther thau that
it was A forced look pat on for the occasion.
PROM? is It much stouter man than Hsnt. He looks
older in person than in years ; his hair is thin and grizzled&
his eyes, which are very full, are black but dull, and
out expression; and we know not that we ev.r saw a

month or Tire so perfectly expressive of seusnality. AI.
though we knew nothing at all of him, and with certainty
we do know nothing, we should say at once that he wit
a person disposed to enjay the present hoar without carleg
much about the means which led to it, or the consequence
which might follow in the next. In strength of character,
he is certainly superior to Hunt, hat all the intellectual de-
velopments of his head are deficient. lie was dressed in e
style pretty similar to Hont, and preserved, during the
time he wits in Court, an uncha..ged and; as we should
say, unmeaning expression of countenance.
TntleTtzt. 'oaks considerably younger thin Probert, is
not jest so tall, but perhaps a stronger man. There is
something pecnliarly stupid and vdlgar in the air of his
head. The forehead is almost the lowest we ever S4W. Aid
it is so deficient in breadth as to give his long brown
visage very lunch the shape of a brick. His brows
have a constant expression of solkinen ; and Ids eyes,
which are not unlike the eyes of a ferret, look out from
their puny and swollen lids wills a very a .onl.nz and sinie-
ter cast. His head is remarkable for the fulness of the
posterior and lateral regions ; and we have seen few men
in which the measure from ear to ear svuoil he greater.
The expression °ibis mouth would puzzle Gavotte himself; •
it is sensual, though not grossly so, and it is ill tempered
without being firm. He was rather genteely dressed in ft
blue coat and drab vest end trowsers. Ilk character seemed
to he more natural than that of Hun', and the feelings
of his mind at the reading of the indictment, ant also of
the affidavit, were strongly depicted upon his countenance,
which changed through all the shades of brown, red, and
purple. But though different feelings, were thus strongly
indicated, no one could tell the class to which those feel-
ings belonged. The scowling brows, the convulsed not's..,
the quivering lip, and the head bent al ern'itely to this
side and to that. told you that strong feelings were at
work within ; but when we looked at the eye, there was
nothing there to hint what thooe feelings were.
PIERCE EGAN'S INTERVIEW WITH TBUITELL.
It was nearly ten o'clock on Thursday morning when 1
sent tily card into Mundt. He immediately sent an an-
swer that he was dressing, and should by reedy to see me
in a few minutes, and presently afterward I was ushered
into the office. Thurtell entered. He advanced towards
me with a cheerful step and smiling countenance. Me.
Wilson, the tiovernor, was present. I never saw Thurtell
look better • in fact, his personal appearance was allure-
I titer considerably improved. He was fashionable attired
I in a blue coat with gilt buttons, a yellow se/blows', sod
dark trowsers. His irons, which are rather heavy, were
tied up wither silk handkerchief. His shirt and bandits,.
chief white as snow ; his pin tastefully displayed; and his
collar and wristbands corresponding with style of the pee-
• sent'period. —The following dialogue took place the mordent
he petered :

Thurtell—(Holding ont his hand, w'th great good hn-
moor.) What, Pierce Egan ! how do you do ? This it
kind, and I am very glad to see you ; (and immediately set
himself down in a chair.)
B.—You look %ell, Thartell ; nay, you look as if you ha 4
been in training.
T.—Yer, thank GOD, I was never in better health awl
spirits. But yon are come down to Hertford to take a few
minntes about me, I suppose (smiling.)
R.—Yes, to cast my eyes roaod to report what is ping on.
You know my forte.
T.— Yes; I have often read many of your sporting ecenunts
wito great pleasure; but I suppose you, like the rest of the
Press, have lashed me ly.

E.—No, upon say word. I have not written a single line nt
present about you to the public.
T.—Well, I feel obliged to you. But what a piece of work
this affair has made, an't it?—(feeling for his snuff box* and
looking down at his fetters.) What* parcel °flies the papers
have inserted against me end in addition to which they scy
am sullen and dejected. Du I appear dejected?--(Laughine:l
Those who know me well, know that I have done nothing to be
dejected about.
E.—Yon have seen the newspapers then?
T.—Yes, lam wits' reading the whole of them. It Is toe
bad : the paragraphs are all false.--I never committed any
serious crime in my life. My friends know it fell well. Ydu
may believe me, hlr. Wilson, I nevi r was before .a Magistrate
on a charge is my life till the present. I do the mime for wMch
I ern charged indeed!—(lndignantly.)
E.—l saw Mr. Waste at Doncaster RACOS.—('rye name of
Wear* did not make any impression although hle eyes met
Mr. E;s.)
T.—There again is another direct falsehood among L(11
others; 1 never was at Doncaster in the whole mese of My
life: and I declare to you I he. nut been in a gambling hotoc
for upwards of two years; it's also near three pars ago
since 1 was at a prize fight—not since Sanders and Israel
Bassett fought. 1, indeed, killed Weare, and take bp
money! It is well known that I have been more duped
than engaging to dope others; and when 1 first entered int
sporting world, no person behaved more honourably than
did ;or spent his blunt more freely. Th •re eas but ore
iedividual who stood to he shot at like myself, and that
was the late unfortunate Elliott. Did not 1 tusk• a fight
at Norfolk for one hundred pounds a side. when I cool
only Collett seven pounds, although 1 was surrounds
by all the swells in the metropolis, and thirty-five thoos..h
persons were present. (The recollections of this circum-
stance seemed to give hint great pleasure, as be autried.
and was quite animated.)
E.—l suppose you mean to read your own defence?
• T.--No, no; I shall speak for myself —(and with Mach
energy)—and I will give some of the papers pepper for whoa
they have said falsely against we. Bit I shall not be trial
now. 1 want three) witnesses to romp'ete my defence;
but so much prejudice has gone forth to the world, tliejg •
ve afraid to come; they must put it off without they mess
to murder me. But Ido not like you understand
?
8.-1 eoderstand you wished to have Mr. C. Pearson to
.condurt your defence ?
T.—Yes, yes; indee he is a clever fellow; hot he
is in too much di.fienities to appear in Court fur me. %Yuen
did you see bin last ?
E.—About a month since at Brighton.
T.—(toughing.)—At Brighten! Aye,
appear sosse.tiese since en the stage as Rif
there. Thor ell.—(ltecollecting himself,
his neat with the greatest indignation.)--Ceeld
be more cruel, unmanly, or diabolical, thee
play-bill at the Surrey Theatre, that the
should be exhibited in which it is said

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