The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-12-09 00:00:00

LAW VIM LLIGENCE.
COURT OF RING'S BENCH. DSc. S.

Siilingt before Lord ELLENSOXOUGH and a
Special Jury, in If 'esintinster-11a11....

Calif. CON.
The reporter of this case, who has bail L
most a constant attendant in Courts of Jostler,
and not a very inattentive observer in their pro.
seeding, avers that the following Of which the
limits of a newspaper can afford only tlescrip.
live outlines) is by many dcgrees the must extra-
ordinary case of the specie that has appeared
during that period in any Court he has attended.

TAUNTON V. WITROURN.
This was an action fur erimieal conversation
between the Defendant and Plaintiff's wife, to
which the Defendant pleaded the general issue of
Nut Guilty.
The Arroatrey GENERAL opened the case, and
made some observations on the nature of cakes of
adultery, which he divided into four classes :
the first was—that of a case, in which the Plain.
tirs wife had committed the crime of adultery,
but in which the Plaintiff himself bad been indif-
ferent to the joys of domestic life, sought plea-
sures abroad, and left his wife open to the attack
of an adulterer ; that was a case in which, indeed,
the Plaintiff had a verdict, because he must have
It by the rules of law, on proof of the adultery,
but such was the disgust of the Jury at Isis mis-
conduct, that the damages they gave were al.
ways inconsiderable. The next was that in
which the Plaintiff was attentive to his wife, and
hail a friend, vs hu was &drained with confidence
in the family, invaded the rights of hospitality,
and betrayed friendship, in debauching his friend's
wife ; that was an aggravated case, and was al-
ways visited with heavy damages. The next
was a cue in which the Defendant, not con-
tent witlit seducing his friend's wife, abusing
the rights of hospitality, and betraying the sa-
credness of friendship, bat went the length of in-
(hilariously seeking out the little trifles in which
husband and wife may have had a few dis-
putes, w Ida the adulterer magnified into mighty
evils, and thence endeavoured to thew that
there was no domestic comfort in the family,
that, therefore, the damages should not b.: great,
where the less was so small, for the loss was to
be measured by the quantum of former happi.
miss ; and this being al:whitely false, fur it sp-
peered that the Defendant was the cause of all
the misery which had taken place in a family, of
ws:rli he hail been the ruin, and which family he
vililieci in or.ler to defend himself. This was the
must iniqe;tous case which had hitherto appeared
in a Court o's Justice. There was a fourth ease
ehicli had iiert-; byline appeared, and was the
case of this day, ewe profligate and abandoned
than the other three enired. It was a case in
which, out only the Defendant had committed
adultery, and that with his tviend's wife, had in.
railed the rights of hospitality, and betrayed the
sacredness of friendship, had ruirKil that friend
fer ever, had pried into the little score° of the
fainily, and endeavoured to turn them tipsiest the
person, whom he hal reined, by endcaviitsriag
to she* that the Plaintiff had lust all that
heestecaied valuable upon earth, fur the purpose
of merely screening himself from justice. Bet
who had gone still further—had Invented crimes
for the Plaintiff; nay, had invented crimes fur
the Plaintiff's connections, crimes, at' the commis.
siun of 4liich human nature shudders when they
are mentioned; and for the purpose of terrify.
ing the Plaintiff, had given it out that he and his
family shuuld he Accused of those crimes, if he
brought his cause into a Court of Justice. And,
lastly, had actually suborned a person to appear
as a witness to commit perjury, in order to sup.
part these false accusation.. Such was the case
of the przsent Defendset, which, for the horror
of its depravity, was nut equalled by the warm-
est iniaginaltun of any poet who ever attempted
to describe human depravity. He then proceeded
to state it ; the following is the outline :—That
,the Plaintiff was a respectable solicitor, who had
served his clerkship to a reputable gentleman is
the West of England, and hid come up to the
metropolis to practice fur himself. Ile became
acquainted with the family of Mr. Atkinson, a
reputable family, who resided in the Tower,
where he was the head of that family, mud held
a respectable station there. Mr. Taunton fell in
love with, and paid his Addresses to, Miss Hen-
rietta Atkinson, solicited her in marriage, to
which, after inquiries, the parents on both side!
consented, and the union took place between
them in ISt& ; and, to carry on business, in
which Mr. Taunton was diligent, and, at the
same time, to enjoy dime stir comfort, in which
be deligl.ted, Mr. Tsuutou soot a house in Es.
sex-street, iii the Straw!, where there was a pro.
per e.tnlil.shini•lit provided, and they went on in
it manner which it Was the lot only of virtuous
persons to enjoy; had three children ; they were
perfect paitettes of domestic felicity, until they
bed the misfortune to become acquainted with the
Defendant, who was a Ourrister, living in a house
near to them in the same street, she happened to
be retained lii some priges4ional Du.inees, became
segliaiiited with each ether, and dii intimacy arose
out of it between the two [dollies, who inter.
changed visits continually.-for the Defendant also
had a elle sad children. That In this sitvaiiiiii the
Defendant, by some art or other, gained upon
the affections of 'be Plaintiff's wife, and pre.
veiled upon her to be faithless to tier husband's
bed. It was a long time before they were sus.
peeled, although the Plaintiff perceived a declino
in bee affection ; but he would Lave setipected an
angel as soon as his wife, and therefore, he Was
imposed upon in etact proportion to the din&
deuce he reposed in her; and as the hilsbatid is
always the last man to hear of his wife's dishie.
*our, so Mr. Taunfon was the last to hear of the
criminal claim:cairn between his wife and the Do.
fondant. Itoavetet, he at last received an mosey.
moils letter that made him resolve upon ma king ie.
tiniry. lieeinployeil certain people to watch his wife.,
and they soon discovered that 'she went his • E a
sneau paltry bump in a mod tautest's' Line WE

Agi.,.30.- 1 -