The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-04-16 00:00:00

TUE erAIitSMAN..

MIDDLSIM SESSlONS..—tiarummt.
SIMCILINO CASS Of CIIIIVILLTT.— -Joseph Whales was
indicted for an assault ou lieorge Sharpie's, an infos
of two years old, an illegitimste child of the defend-
ant's.
From the evidence, It appeared that the defendant
was an anehorsenith, tiring at New Crane, Shads,'
and that on the ist of November, and the two follow-
ing months, the unfortunate victim of leis revenge
was subjected to the most brutal treatment, by his
beating him with his double fist, equally as hard as if
he was chastising a man ; that on one occasion be
took the child, stripped it naked, and immersed it in
the trough in which his men Coolest their irons, and
afterwards scrubbed its body with cinders till the
blood gushed from several parts of its back. It was
also detailed in evidence, that be commited other acts
of disgusting cruelty, which delicacy forbids as to
mention, accompanying these acts with the most
horrid expressions; some of which was, that be would
treat the infant as the Frenchman did his dog, on
account of that—, his mother. He also wade the
poor little innocent eat mouldy biscuits steeped in

was as old wound, of no helpmeet*. There was no
appearance of evental violence on the hack, and the
boy appeared muscular. The body was in so putrid a
state, from its having been buried for hearty a month,
that It was impossible by opening It 10 ascertain the
state of the viscera. It was to be regretted that the
body had not been opened wises the death first took

plate.
One of the Jury said there appeared to be a mark
on the child's abdomen. This Mr. Hyde attributed to
the body lying in the shell. He also said, that be un-
derstood the searchers, by whom the body had bees
examined previous to interment, had not turned it over
to see the back ; this was a negligence which he
thought demanded warm animadvetsion.
Elisabeth Freeman resides at No. 13, Blogam's-
buildings, within three doors of Footman. About
half-past seven in the morning, on the 13th of March,
was going by Footman's house, heard the boy Thorp
moaa. Peeped through the key-hole of the door.
Saw Bush bolding him and Footman beating him.
Pushed the door a little open and perceived that a
handkerchief or cap was tied close about the boy's face ;
ran to a neighbour (Mrs. Ludlow) and called her to
conic to Footman, and see how be and Bush were '
using the child. Mrs. Ludlow came, and they knocked
with their fists at the door. Footman came out and
she said, " Oh, Mr. Footman, what are you about
with the child I." He replied, "Mrs. Freeman, if yon
{mew what a thief he is, you would use him the same."
Bust then came out and applied the coarsest language
to witness. Footman told him to hold his tongue, and
witness went away. On the following Monday she
heard the child was dead.
Mrs. Watson deposed, that she was one of the
searchers of that parish. On the 19th of March, Mrs.
Footman came to her house, and requested her to ire'
to her house and search the body of the deceased. She
went, and saw the corpse lying on a board. She found
a wound on each knee about the size of a sixpence
There was another wound on his left ear, and some
sores on his head, which Mrs. Footman said was a
breaking-out. She did not examine the bo,ty further.
She did not turn it over ; it was nut usual unless there
were some grounds of suspicion.
Juryman—flow was it that Mrs. Footman e tor
you ; it is not usual, is it !—Witness ; I sin sometiisie•
sent for.
Juryman—Yon knew cone of the parties before ?
Witness ; yes.
Juryman—Yon had searched before for some of the
family -:—lVitness ; yeti.
Juryman—Tont was a sweep also?—Witness ; yea.
Juryman—ln that case there were suspicions eir-
cutusianccs ?-11'itness ; yes, very; hut n hen I called
to search the deceased, I saw Bush there. If it had
been Footman himself, I should have recollected the
former searching. in the case you allude to.
The Coroner charged the Jury, and they retired to
consider their verdict. On strangers being admitted,
the following took place :
Foreman—lt is the opinion of the Jury that the
death of the boy was hastened by the conduct of Bash ;
yet they cannot charge him with wilful murder.
The Coroner again addressed the Jury, and said,
that hastening the death had notliiir; t.• do with the
matter : they must simplify their s e; flirt ; it ;vas either
murder, or natural death, and, by the surgeon's evi-
dence, there was no proof of murder.
'I he Jury reconsidered their verdict, and finally re-
turned a verdict of—Died a Natural Death.

STEAM SittPs.—ln addition to the fresh instances
of this mode of navigation. mentioned in our paper
of Wednesday, as about to Like place, we nmlerstand,
that two steam vessels, of upwards of 400 tons each,
with one hundred horse power, are now almost ready
for sea, to be employed between London and Leith.
These vessels are intended entirely for passengers,
and will make upwards of a hundred beds. In their
passage to Leith they are designed to call at Searho-
' rough, which place they will reach the next day after
leaving London, in time to dinner ; and, it is calcu-
lated, they will make the passage to Leith in sixty
hours, independent of wind and tide. One of them
was launched on Saturday week, from Illackwall, and
went off in grand style, being the largest steam vessel
I ever built in Great Britain, and another of equal size

will be reads- in a few days.
About half-past ten o'clock last Friday night, a
novel scene took place in King-street, St. Janter's-
square. Information having been given at Marlbo-
rough•street Police-office against a gambling-bouse, a
warrant was issurd,and the officers entered, seized the
bank, and took the bankers, croupiers, liec. (altoge-
ther about 70 gentlemen) into custody, and conveyed
them, in IS hackney-coaches, to the office, when the
hankers were discharged on giving hail to appear at
the Sessions, and entered into recogniaances of 3001.

each.
On &dudey afternoon, about three o'clock, as
Mr. Munro, of Norfolk-street, Park-lane, was riding
in the Regent's Park, acco:upanied by his groom, the
horse of the latter suddenly took fright, and soon
became unmanageable to the rider, ran furiously
across the New !toad, entered Portland-place by tLe
New Crescent, and continued his course down that
street, until he reached the corner of New Cavendish-
street, %Olen lA, bead came in contact with a duet
cart with such violence, as literally to clash his brains
out. The servant, who until now had maintained ili3
We, was thrown the distance of several yards ; he
was taken in a senseless state to Surgeon Propert, in
Duke-street, where iie received every possible assist-
an..e and attention. We are happy to add that he
is in a fair way. The horse was valued at a hundred
guineas.
Last week a remarkable and fatal accident happened
at Keystone, near Thrapstou, to a young woman about
thirteen years of age, the slaughter of Mr. Dines,
fanner, of that village. She was ensuing herself in a
rope swing which was put up in the brewhouse; it
happened that near to the swing hung another rope,
owl for drawing up sheep after they had been slaugh-
tered: as the young woman swung backward and for
ward, she happened to disturb this second cord, and
her beast passed into a noose fornieJ by the motion of,
it, which pulled her out of the swing, and held her
by the neck at s consitterahle bright from the gnmod
until the unfortunate girl died of strangulation. Sim
was hound by her mother a short time afterwards; bet
all 'liens to remote animation were vain. Veddiettlif
the Curoaer's Jetry " Accidental desth,"--(iliww-
Oen diVertrurst-,)