The Statesman.
London, England, 1824-02-07 00:00:00

11l IF, STATESMAN

Hallett. It was not imputed to Captain IViltley that he
did not immediately set about making the necessaav in-
quiries, and obtain as much light as possible upon the con-
dutt of his ;wife. On behalf of the wife it was pleaded.
that the husband connived at the infidelity of his wife, pre-
suming that he could not possibly be ignorant of her preg-
nancy, before his attention was drawn to it by Mr. Hallett.
I'his insinuation, however, the Learned Judge said, he was
clearly of opinion was disproved by the whole weight of
the evidence in the cause. it appeared from the depositions
of several persons of v. ry great respectability, that when
Captain Wildey became sensible to the disgraceful conduct
of his wife, he expresed all that honest indignation which
such an injury was calculated to raise in an honourable
mind- There was nothing in the case which appeared to
him to warrant the assertion.that Captain Wildey had con-
nived at the infidelity of his wife, or that he had any pre•
vious knowledge of her situation. Besides, after her
elopement on the gth of September, she sent a letter ex-
pressing her desire of living separate from her husband,
and clearly proving that she meant to put herself under the
protection of her paramour. Under all these circumstances
the Learned Judge said that he could not conceive that it
was probable, from the length of time that Captain Wit-
dey was absent from his wife, that be was the father of the
child to which his wife gave birth, and coupling that with
her elopement, and the great pains taken by her and her
family to refuse all evidence as to the adultery, sneh clan •
destine conduct could not bat afford fair presumption In
favour of Captain Wildey, and the Court therefore decreed
for the husband to the full 'amount of his prayer.
The divorce was accortilegly decreed.

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he knew Robeit was dead, but declared he _never would
peach nor tell secrets. Witness was very young at the time,
and did not press the prisoner on the subject ; hat it was
repeated, and the prisoner stated that he knew more about
the transaction than his other brothers 'odd know. Ro-
bert bad been seen, by a person who knew him, getting
into a post-chaise at Redfern. The conversation took
place at the Sawyers' public•house, in the Minories, where
the prisoner seemed greatly affected.
John Plummer, another brother of the prisoner, stated
that Elizabeth Pluminer.the wife of Robert, met him one
day in the street, and told him she could hang George if
she pleased, but she would not do so for his mother's
sake. Sbe had left Robert a year before he disappeared
' and witness had not seen her these five years.
The LORD MAYOR asked the witness whether he bad no
curiosity to inquire the meaning of her words, but the
reply was, that he was very young at the time.
Apse Plammer, sister to the prisoner, stated that six
years ago he came into his father's house, and said that
if his mother was gone to Manchester, he was undone
for ever. He did not explain what he meant by these
words, but he appeared in great distress of mind. and made
use of these remarkable words, " I can get rest neither
by night nor day, neither at work nor at play, for I have
Robert always before my eyes." His father besought him
to say all be meant, but he only replied, " I know he is
dial ; ' upon hearing which his father overcome by his
feelings, fell down into hysterics. Two years ago the
prisoner expressed himself to the same effect.
The LORD Malmo—Do you think his wind is seriously
disturbed ?
Witness—Upon this subject it certainly is. lam not
aware that it is so upon (Whets.
The LORD Alavott—Was he sober when he spoke this
language?
Witness—He bad drank sorpethiag, I believe, but he
Was not tipsy.
The prisoner-1 wish to ask my brother William whe-
ther he recellects any thing about a letter being received
at a public-home, directed to Robert's wife, about two
osantbs after his disdprarance.
William Plummer, after some hesitation, said he had
some faint remembrance of the receipt of a letter directed
to Elisabeth Plummer. He lodged at the public house at
the time, but he did not open the letter, and be did not
know what became of it. The writing of the superscrip-
tion was not Robert's.
The prisoner said he wished of all things that that letter
could be traced.
Mrs. Plummer said she recollected that her son William
regretted after the letter was gone, that he had not opened
it, although it was not directed to him. Robert's wife
could, she believed, be found. She had been seen four
months ago.
The Loan Nlevoit said it was accessary that she should
be brought fora aril to assist in unravelling this mystery.
Mrs. Plummer then confirmed the account given by her
daughter of the expressions used by the prisoner, and
added that when be was asked what lie meant by having
Robert always before his eyes, be said, bursting into tears,
that he knew Robert was dead, and that he had not died
a natural death.
The LORD MAYOR—Had the deceased any property?
Mrs. Plummer—No, he could not have had more than a
couple of pounds about him when he disappeared.
The LORD MAYOR--Had be and the prisoner had any
quarrel ?
Mrs. Plummer—Never to my knowledge.
The Lotto MAYOR—Do you think he is out of hii mind ?
Mrs. l'lumiuer.—From his appearance when this subject
is talked of we would think he was. He is always saying,
" 1 wish to be cleared-1 wish to be cleared"— and when
his father asked him of what be wishes to be cleared, he
begins to talk of Robert's death, although never accused
of Icn soing any thing about it.
Mr. Plummer (the prisoner's father) said he had been
down to Hertfordshire to make inquiry, since lie Was at
the Mansion-house, and be had every reason to believe he
could procure 'the attendance of persons who knew the
stranger who accompanied his son in the chaise from Red-
fern, and perhaps the stranger himself could be found. It
hail, be said, been ascertained that Robert's wife cohabited
with a man after her separation from her husband, and that
she had been brought to bed of tains. in this year 1821,
the prisoner add his eldest brother, who came from abroad,
called at thewitness's house and niise.l a disturbance.
The prisoner then made the extraordinary complaint that
his brother Robert's wife accused him of being the father
of her twins, and threatened to swear them to him. It
was with great difficulty he was prevailed upon to go away.
" 1 solemnly declare before Goo," said Mr. Palmer, " that
nobody of his family had ever accused him before he made
use of the language he did."
The prisoner.—" I never used any of the language attri-
buted to me except whewl was drunk."
ales. Plisminer—" You have done so, George, when you
was as sober as as you are now, and you cried bitterly."
Mr. Plummer declared that the prisoner's mind was
growing inure and more disturbed and even outrageous
upon this subject.
The LORD MATda said the ease had become one of a
most deep and serious nature, and it was his duty, although
the charge was far different, and to make every possible
inquiry into the circumstances which had so unexpectedly
come forward. His Lordship then ordered that Robert's
wife and a number of witnesses should be directed to at-
tend from Hertfordshire and the prisoner was remanded.
Bow STREZT.—MURDER Or Mac. DONATTY.—A
short time hack an old womaro f mean appearance, who
happened to be the initiate of a house in which soother old
woman of the same description lived, applied to Forrester,
the City Officer, and told him her friend could give certain
intelligence respecting the inurderers. not only of a Mr.
I Taylor, whose body was found two years ago in the New
River, but al'o of the murderers of Mrs. l)onatty, in Ro-
bert-street, Bedford-row. Forrester listened to the tale of
his informants, but was so' struck with the inconsistencies
is its recital, that he treated it with indifference. Teased,
however, by the importunities of these women. a tin seemed
to look with some anxiety towards the reword offered by
the Parish of St. George the Martyr for the discovery of
the murderer of Mrs. Donatty. lie at length took skein be-
fore the Lord Mayor, whose clerk took down the detail they
bail to give, and his Lordship immediately sent this docu-
ment to Mr. Taylor, the Vestry Clerk of the parish is
yestion, who bad been most anxious in his efforts to de-
tect the criminals. Mr. Taylor went to Mr. Halls, one of
the Magistrates of this office, on the subject, and that gen-
tleman desired Ellis, a principal officer on the establish-
ment, to investigate the case. Ellis accordingly applied
himself to the business, and examined all the statements
of the old woman with the utmost attention. The result
of his inquiries, however, proved, that one of the old I.dies
was actually insane, and hail before made charges against
other persons without the slightest foundation ; and that,
the other was merely influenced in the operation by the in-
ventions of her crazy companion; and in consequence of
these discoveries be ceased to trouble himself further on
the snbject. This apparent apathy on his part excited,
some displeasure in one of the women, and she yesterday
came to the office to complain of Ellis's conduct.
Ellis was called in. and asked to vindicate himself from
the charge of the complainant. when be pronounced her
information.to be " a cock.and bull story" altogether, and
not worth a moment's consideration. In abort, her re atement
weal to prove the deatkof Mee. Dooatty to have happened
in the month of September, when in point of fast sloshed
been boded in the preteding.meath of March. In this
state of things the. old lady. was handed, mu cirreimaje Out
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of tbo office.
Peeve AT. RRURY LaNit. Tnitarair.—John.Waldron,
one of the private bok-keepers at Drury Lane Theatre.
was yesterday brought here on a charge of defrauding