The Statesman.
London, England, 1824-01-22 00:00:00

STEALINU DEM) BODIES.

Thonvis rargluts stood indicted at Maidstone Sessions
on a charge or steatitic the body of Mary Bacon, from
the chnreb yard of Mai.istone, on the night of the lit o
Nov. MI.

Mr. MARSHAM stated the farts of this case to the Jury.
Henry Hickmott examined-1 married the daughter of
11147 Bacon, Mary. Bacoa died on the 23d of October
1821; I Paw her in her coffin from the 24th till it was
screwed down on the 28th, on which day she was buried
in Maidstone church ysrJ. On the sth of November,
1 saw the body again in the workhouse of Maidstone.
Wm. Wellard examined-1 am a waggoner to Mr.
Ure.C. Ai &raj WON* OnAlsOlat ;of No:amber I was
'going thence to Elthrsok I met a oast awl hem; with
three men in ft, at the bill this side of Eltham; 1 think
the cart was then empty. Next morning I was going to
Foots Cray. About ten or eleven o'clock, the same cart
and horse, and men, passed me; prisoner wse one of the
men; I took pirtieuhr notice of him; I had seen him a
week or fortnight before with the other two men at Seven
Oaks, in custody. On the 2d, 1 thought there was some-
thing in the cart. _ .

Cum-examined by Mr. PoLu►ctt.-1 raw the cart nn the
Ist, between nine and ten o'clock, in the broad day; I
cannel say I saw any thing in the cart, bat it appeared
heavily loaded on the 2d at Nov.

- Richard White Wellard-11 was a Custom House officer at
Foots Cray. Between ten and eleven of the 2nd of November.
I was on my duty, and sew a cart and horse with three men.—
They passed my door.—One man was in the earl, one a little
distance behind, and one a little before.-1 'perched the cart
just heyord the turnpike gate ; 1 told the driver what 1 was.
and that I must search the cart.— I do not know that the pri•
goner was within hearing.—lle was behind the cart.—ln the
cart I found four dead bodies in sacks, end en infant in a Woe
apron,-1 called for snsiatence at Siilc•ep, and returned with
several persons.—On going again to Foots Cray, 1 found the
cart in nearly Messina place where I had left it. I met prisoner
and asked him if he had seen a horse and cart with a man in
11.—He said there was a horse and cart nn one side of the
road, but there was no man in it.—lle then went on towards
London —I went to Foots Cray, and then returned to the cart,
which I had left in care of I persims.—l found it exactly
the game as Heft it.—Tae same sacks were left at the Red
Lion, Chislehurst. _

Cross eslmined—There was only one man in the cart when
It passed my house ; soother matt passed some distance before,
and atsuthrr behind. I never saw the three together ; rrisoner
was one of the men with the cart when I saw it firvt.—The titan
in the cart was gone when I went back to it, but prisoner was
walking in the road.
Re-rassuined—Prisoner was about thirty or forty rods from
the cart. _

James May—l am a eon.table of Foots Cray; I was
called on by lest wituess ; I went with him to the cArt; we
took the bodies to the Red Lion, Chislehoro.

IVilliatn Clapson examined—l hrlutcht fur hodies in
coffins to Maidstone, from the It'd Lion, roots Cray ; I
took them to the poor house.
John Diprom, Sexton of Maidstone, examieed.—On the
3J November; MI, I seareite4 some- raves ; t forint

among other; the body of Mary Bacon was gone; I saw
it afterwards at Foots Cray, on tte 3.1 November, with
three other bodies; I afterwards placed those bodies in the
Churchyard.
Here the case for the prosecution closed.
Mr. Pot.t.nc& then addressed the Jury fo• the defendant.
The II IiCORDICR summed up with great minuteness.
The Jury, after considerable deliberation, returned a
verdict of Guilty.
The GIVRT then sentenced the prisowr to two years
imprisonment in the Gaol of Maidstone.
The offence of which this man was convicted was com-
mitted on the Ist of November, IS2I. Every exertion was
n•ed to discover and apprehend the offenders, hut without
effect, till it formation was obtained that Vaughan was in
Reading Crs'ol on a similar charge. On his reledse from
that prison he was taken again into custody, and ad-
mitted to bail, but he did not appear to take his trial.—
His recognisance* were accordingly forfeited, and be was
again apprehended, and heavier bail taken for his appear-
ance. At the last Sessions he did not surrenler himself,
but affidavits were put in on his behalf, stating dist lie w4s
prevented from appearing through being in prison for
debt, and application was made to the Recorder to respite
the recognisance+. The Learned Gentleman viewed the
application as a trick, and refused the resp!te, and on the
27th December last, Jones, &constable of Maidstone, acci-
desitslly met Vaughan in the Borough, and after much re-
sistance succeeded in securing and conveying hies to Maid-
stone.

This prosecution we nnderstand has cost the parish of
Maidstone upwards of 2001.
On his trial Vaughan (wbo is a young man) was dressed
in a genteel suit of black, and presented but little of the
appearanceof what people in general would expect in a re-
surrection man. His wife, a respectably dressed young
woman, was in Court during the trial.

Ma. them—Mr. Owen, after having been for some
time engaged in London, in collecting the subscriptions
and making other necessary arrangements fur commencing
a community at Motherwell, near Lanark, has returned to
the latter place. supplied with ample wrens for carrying
this object into effect. The buildings will be immediately
proceeded on, and there is reason to think. will be inithok.
ently forwarded during the summer
.to supply accommo-
dations for part, at least, of its intended popnlatioo.—
Many inquiries have already been made from this side of
the water, as to the terms, lee. of admission into this new
establishment.—(Dublin Morning Post.)
Notice is given in Tuesday's Gazette that it is intended
to apply to Parliament in the next Session, for leave to
bring to a bill for erecting a patent wrought iron bar
bridge of soseension upon and over the River Thames
an I the adjoining lands and premises, for carriages, carte,
waggons, horses, cattle, and foot passenger., and for mak.
ing the necessary roads and communications thereto ; such
intended bridge, lands. premises, roads, and communi-
cations to pass over and lying in the Waters of the Thames
within the Conservancy of the City or London and the
I parishes t f St. Bo olph, Aldgate, and St. Caber-
rine near the Tower, in the county of Middlesex ; and
St. John, Horsleydown, and St. Mary Magdalen, tier-
:nonilsev, in the county of Surrey ; and the height of the
said bridge to admit of ships and vessels to pass under it
at spring tides, without striking or lowering the masts.
Ilia Majesty's schooner Hornet, Captain Wigley, arrived
here last eight, from the Irish station, for the purpose of
revelingg repairs, having experienced some injery during
the late gales. We are sorry that fears are entertained for-
the *story of the Sappho sloop of war, belonging to the
sales station, no act.otints having been heard of her there
since the 31st Dec.—(Grecaock Ads'.)