The Statesman.
London, England, 1824-01-06 00:00:00

DUBLIN COM MISS. ON.

GREEN STREET.
Thursday morning, Mr. Justice Moore, and Judge
Jebb, baring taken their seats on the Bella), and a
Jury having beeu sworn, the following Cases were dis-
posed of :--
William White, James Lindon, Thomas Bart, John
Kelly, John Walsh; and John Dempsey, (regretters)
were Indicted, for that beipg evil disposed persons ;
they did, on the 2,1 day of November, at a house in Bride
street, administer an unlawful Oath to Patrick Sbe-i-
-dan, that he should keep secret what he bad beard in
that room.

A second Count in the Indictment charged Thomas
Hart, John Kelly, John Walsh, and John Dempsey, with
lioldittajuaserstrue with William White. and James Lin.
don, ofernbers of ads unlawful society. •
! Another Connt, charged William White. sad James
Linden, with holding intercourse with Thomas Hart,
John Kelly, .joho Welsh, and John Dempsey. Memberi of
an unlawful Society.
Another Count, charged all the Travereers with having
illegally confederated and combined together, contrary to
the Statute, in that case made and provided.
There were I other Counts in the Indict-
ment, to all of which the Traverser. severally pleaded Not
Guilty.
Mr. John Sealy Townsend stated the case, on the part
of the prosecution. The traverser., he said, had associated
together for the ostensib'e purpose of assisting the dis.
tressed members of the trade, the chandlers, and of burying
such of them as should die under cimurestances requiring
their assistance. They termed themselves the. " Dove So-
ciety." If they had no object in view but that which they
professed, they would be entitled to the praise of all well
disposed and benev,,lent men, but they adopted in their
Society an oath of secrecy, and thereby, rendered them.
selves liable to the present prosecution. According to time
law of the land, all Societies, the members whereof are
bound tegether by an oath of secrecy, are illegal. The
facts of the case would he laid in evidence before
the Jury. Mr. Townsend concluded by calling Patrick
Sheridan.

The Recorder bring aboot to examine this witness, ask.
ed bins what trade he was of ?—The witness declined an.
swering, saying that he would not state any thing that
should criminate himsrlf.

•
The Court told the witness that he was not required to
criminate himself. and th.t the Court would take care that
he should not do so.

The witness said that he conceived. that he was the
best judge of what would criminate him. He ultimately
declined answering any question, and left the table.
The K'ght Hon. the Lord Mayor was then sworn.—His
Lordship stared, that be apprehended the traverser. at a
house in Bride Street ; that they were brought in custody
to a police office. and were examined by him on oath. In-
presenee of the Police Magistrates. • . •
This communication having been made on oath, could
not be received in evidence ; any confession or stair
meat made by a prisoner or traverser on oath not being
considered legal evidence, the law requiring it to be'
volnatary.
There being no further evidence, the Jury returned a
verdict of Not Guilty.
Thomas Little was indicted for that he, on the 4th of
November, in the parish of St. Nicholas Malan', did sign
a false Navy Petition, with intent to defrand the Treasurer
of his Piajesty's Navy, by representing himself as being
nearest okin to Peter Little, deceased, late marine of his
Majesty's ship Ruby, for the purpose of obtaining letters
of administration to his effects.
By the evidence, it appeared that Peter Little, seaman of
his Majesty'aship the Ruby, died in the year 1814, in Ber- •
made, and that a man named Patrick Cranny, who was
produced as a witness, was with him at the time of his
death, and had lived with him in the Island of Ireland in
the Bermudas. This witness stated that the deceased
when he was dying, told him to make out Thomas Little
on his return to this country; that he. told him that he
willed him whatever he died worth. On this mimesis's
return to this country, he came by Waterford to Carlow,
and made inquiries for Thomas Little, whom he afterwards
met with in Carlow, but who lived in Dublin. and 'having
made an affidavit of the circumstances, Thomas Little, who
represented hi-Merit as the Nephew of the deceased Peter
Little, was paid to the amount of wages due to deceased at
the time of his death 261. 2.. 6.1., and was proceeding for
the recovery of prise money due to the deceased. I t also
appeared in evidence, that the prisoner was rot the nephew
of the deceased, whose name was Laurence Daffy; but that
be was one of fourteen cousins german of the deceased.
The Jury retired for about an hour and a half, and re-
turned with a verdict of Guilty, but reeommended the
prisoner to mercy.