The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-08-08 00:00:00

THR sTATVSMAN..

to be atiderstood that he did ait say wilkh..ie-
His Lordship theu put the case of a libellous
letter, which might be evidence, as in Lord Preston's
case, of a treasonable compassing of the King's death:
whereas, in other cases it miglit be hut a libel on the
King, or on other individuals. If a man were charged
with compasssing the King's death, and the only overt
act was writing a letter, the mere finding that overt
act won'tl be no finding upon the charge.
Foreman of the Jury.—But, my Lord, permit me to
say that this verdict that we have now given in was a
matter of necessity, as we do not think that we shall
ever be usanimons on the general count.
The Loan Crites' BARON.—Ifon have heard positive
evidence only of the acts that were done by this man,
but what was his intention is still a matter of fact for
you to find one way or the other ; for instance, a man
might embark in a boat ; and that might be charged
as an overt art, that the man was adhering to the
King's enemies--=that is, that he was going to join
them, or that he was going to levy war against the
King ; but the Jery merely saying that the man em-
barked iu a boat is finding nothing at all.
A third Juryinan.—We do not know what the man's
intention as : but we thonght he might be led into
the acts f levity of conduct, which he otulit to be
ptinl.sheil fur
'foe Jury then rctirt•d a third time, at a quarter
past six o'clock•.
lu twenty-minutes thereafter the Jury returned with
a written verdict, in these terms:—" The Jury pro-
nounce James Spires guilty, site Monday the 311 of
April last, of striking and givim, up his work in a
tualiciuus and illezal manner ; and that lie did nut
sinly abstain from work himself, hot d and
oblige ming- of his fellow-subjects to do the same, rthl
ntaliciuu•l• anii illegally did hinder and 'Monte,. and
prevent 'divers mannfactories of dicer', lieete sitirects,
from being rot.. .tiled in and carried t•n oil that 'lay.'
'I he Luau 14 iFION stated, that this was no
verdict at all, as it twiner:. ath.eurd neezativr 1 the
charge of tre.esseu. After some forth.: explanation by
his Lordship, the Jury a,rain retires' to ntiwilier far-
ther of their verdict. They rontinned fur a
consider:lWe time, and thereafter teem:. d to the
Conn and pr ttttt mitred their serdi:i to lie
1s 11811111 as this verdict was annoneic.d, a loud
cheering commenced from a part of the audience, sad
a young man that was particularly active ti:s. 'gyre-
hended by the ',dicers of the Court. 'I be att.:ltere
hr.:weer quiet ettl orderly, and the Judges
successively addressed thrills en the impropriety of
their conduct.

The Loup Ciiire Da. om spoke at son:e length,
and said that it he had happened to fig his eye upon
any tither person applanding, he should have felt it
hi,. duty to order iha! person to be e..um►.itted fur
co►►tempt of Court. They were assembled on a most
momentous and solemn itecasion, and no greater vio-
lation of decency could hate been committed than that
which had taken place. A verdiet, whatever it may
be, ought to be received in serious silence. The
Ciotti* hail full power to pis-serve their own dignity,
and they were resolved to do so.
The boy was c.immitted to jail t in the mean time
an officer apprehended and brought before the Court
at man who had been cheering and making a great
wiise outside of the church. The officer stated the !
fat is to the Judges, but they said, that as the ►man had
been merely applauding and cheering on the outside,
and nut disturbing theirproeeeinnrs, they had nothing •
to say to him. 'I lie man was discharged.
The Loan Jrs•rtre tlaita non• addressed Spier•,
the prisoner ; tin I, after a suitable admonition, in-
formed him that he was discharges'. Spiers bowed
respectfully to the Court and Jury, bud retired.
It was now hall-past st o'cltie.k, and a new Jury
was sworn for the trial of John Lane, the other pri-
s nier, who stood charged with the same acts of treason
with Spiers.
The Loan ARVOCATE addressed the Jury. and
stated, that from the ',correcting% which hail taken
place ins the previous trial, it appeared, that while the
whole facts charised were admitted to have been
proved, yet a Jury of this country had by their ver-
dict been Waged to find that these did nut constitute
the cri.ec of treasom His Lordship, therefore, shim's'
not feel himself justified in occupying the time of the
Court by again laying' the same evidetwe in detail be-
fore another Jury; lie did not therefore intend to
offer any proof against the prisoner Lang. hut to con-
sent to an acquittal ; and he only hoped that the re-
salt of the last trial might not prose prejudicial to the
peace and tranquillity of the district.
The Jury found Lang Not tinilty.
The Loan JcsiTtra CLERK congratulated the pri-
soner on the favorrahle result of the trial, and said he
hoped that hereafter his con lust would be such as to
prevent him from ever being brought again to the bar
of any Court of Justice, accused of as offence of a
miler description. His Lordship should only say fur-
ther, tli•t, while he had no reason to presume that the
prisoner was in any way guilty, hr trusted that Rel-
ater he nor any other Felton would's() far deceive him-
self, as to suppose that the fact; charged against him,
if equally substantiated by evidence as in the last case,
would not amount to the crime of high treason ; for it
! was impossible that any person acquainted with law
could entertaiu a doubt upon that subject
The Court was adjourned to Friday the Ist Dec.

We are happy to observe that the reputation of this
University, as a school of medicine, is still on the
increase. Nut Itits titan one hundred and twenty
geltletnen, front all parts of the world, received the
degree of Itortor in Medicine, on Tuesday last; a
'treater number, we believe than have passed in one
dear at any former period. A considerable propor-
tion taf those, however, ne:e yentletnen who had pre-
lone}, 'erred their country in the medical depart-
ments of the army anti navy. The graduation' took
place id the new hall of the Museum, certainly one"
of the finest rooms in this part of the kingdom, and
; the whole had a very imposing effect.—(Zdfabar,gA
CowratAt).
On Tuesday the 25th ult. a idol of barley; of good
•nality and filly ripe, was cut at Silverwood, parish
of Kllenroneh, belonging to Mr. Andrew 'Stevenson,
being the earliest ever recollected in thatinirt of the
rountry ; and a lot of eicelletat barley, fttlly ripe, was
ent doted on the same day It the Bower•lsill, parish of
Maybole.

Dti R 11.0 f -ASSalti.
--Nilo—
VROIVN SlDE.—Delere Mt. Justice RAvt.tv.
His Lordship addressed the Gentlemen of the
Grand Jury.
On Tuesday John Johnson, aged 21, was placed at
die Bar, charged with violently assaulting' Jane
thieve, with intent to commit a rape. Ladies and
boys were then directed to quit the Court.
Was. Cooasur4 appeared fur the prosecutriz. lie
would not narrate to the Jury very particularly the
circumstances of the offence with which the prisoner
was charged. l'he farts world be stated by the wit-
nesses, and he was sure that evidence on such a subject
was better heard once than twice. It it should not
appear to the Jury that the prisoner had th.• intent
imputed to him, he felt satisfied they would find bin.
guilty of a violent assault. lie then called
Jane thieve, who deposed that. she lives at Tweed-
mouth ; is a widow, and 3S years of age. Has been a
widow 14 months. On the ith of July last was
cutting grass in a field at Tweedusonth ; no one was
with lit :,. : the prisoner cause up to her and spoke to
her. She bad never spoken to him, but lia•I seen
him before awl knew him. She then repeated the
Iconversation is hich passed between them. She said she
wished to have nothing to do with his language.—
lie thou took the hook with which she Sias workin.!
Irons her, and threw it into the corn ; after which
he threw her down, and took indecent liberties with
her person. She cried out " murder 1." till some
people in the next field heard her, and came to her
iI assistance. Prisoner was using her badly for nearly
half an hour. lie asked if she would go home and
tell. She replied that she would ; and he threatened
her if she did : and at last he made her say, " Faith,
twenty times, she would not go home and tell." Sh •
shiusk nod trembled very not,•llt, awl could not run
away, but at last got froa• him. lie fullosved her, and
again threw her on th.• ground. She then described
the way in which he again ass:oil:eel Iser,,is Ishii was
brutal in the ex:reme. She exclaistied, " Oh, !Jerry
Wetherhurn '. still you oot save mt.?", Marc 11 ether-
b•trn, who was at work in the next field, hearing her
lather's name, came t.. Ilse 'thee Where the witness
an -I prisoner were. Fr:soner then svei.t away, eating,
'` Is. had (lore no ill. for he Lad plenty .1 witnesoos at
the back of Lose dyke- (ditch) Witness was nut abli
Ito get it,. without a, -:• teller. .1:, Su+:ll as she conic.
ispeak, she relle.oti is !IA: Its• 1 happened to her. She
i was very unwell for seers: days, when ,he a Ili for a
' midwife, and was eicht days tinier her eat,.
Cruss•exattlined hy 31r. 1.•••• it. She had had two
husbands, but i otla were ;:ead. lii ,11,..0 children.
• Iler last linshAtill way 71:: 1;0' hall a ii Or gooney.
They were married at Lamhert.o. in the Scotch sv.iv
—roar miles from 1 weetlitiontis —:i:aietaisis her.elf
i and children with the help of toe pari.h. Cos:a more
to he us•rj• d :,t I ats.ll,•rtsot th.tli at Ts% eetlli,ollol,
1 with drink and our Olin,. or another. lia.° nut lited
with prisoner nor Is °ken to hid Lefure. noes not
live with a man. Nothing further ia; ticalar was
elicited.
Mary Wetherintrn was working in a f... 1.1 near to
that where itrilletiti:ll was at work. She he.,rd
serestus, hat thought they had proceeded irons buys
iquarrelling ab •ut bird's nests; and did nut take ally
particular herd. 'I hey gave over for a little while
and they began again. itcard her father's name
called and went to see what was the mutter. She was
• 200 yards distant. There sv s a lied4e between and
la short field of co:u. Saw pitsmier and pro:ertitrix
struggling, and the man go away. 1 e did not run
away. The woman was crying with her clothe • torn,
and could nut speak. heard tax man say, you need
nut say 1 have done you any ill. or toted you beaks
for I have witnesses at the back II the dyke. Prose-
: eutrix went with the witness and witness's mother
home, where she sat about. a quarter of au hour, and
i then went to her own home.

Cross-examined.—linows Johnson very well. He is •
la married man. Never knew any thing wrong of the
lad. Ile knows her well, and did not run away when
she Mille up.
' Ite-ex onined.—Priesecutrix complained she had
been ba :Iv used by Johnson the roper.' Prosecutrix
bore a good charact..r for any thing she knew.
Jane Alderson is a midwife of Tweed:mouth. In
Jul, last attended Jane Grieve. Was called in on the
Tuesday after the Pr;:lay, when the assault was colt-
mined. %Witness dep•e4ed to the injury ,uttered by pro.
secutrix, and which she believed was the effect of ill
usage. She bad practised for 16 years as a midwife,
and had hail considerable experience in her profession.
Here the case for the prosecution closed.
Mr. Lost' rose to address the Ju .y on behalf of the
prisoner. lie said that be thought the prosecutrix
did not cuter into Court without considerable imputa-
tion on her character. According to her own aectitint
she had married a man seventy years of age, fur the
sake of his money; a 4 instead of the marriage haying
taken place in the parish where they resided, it had
occurred at Lantberton in the Scotch trey, a circum-
stance which jns itied a suspicion that there was some-
thing disgraceful in her conduct —sumethiug of which
she ought to hare been ashamed. The Learned (lent.
made a variety of forcible übservations to the Jury, and
concluded by expressing his brill that in what hail
Ivrea described as having taken tiller, the woman was
consenting ; for the man must hare been in a state of
derangement to have committed the offenee iini.uted to
hint, with the almost certainty of bring detected staring
him in the face. He had no witnesses to call, on ac-
; vomit, ;is --...te Learned Uentletmn said, of the expellee
that would have attended their being brought so great
a distance, and the prisoner was a poor man ; but lie
i bad, a certificate of the prisoner's good character.
The learned Judge here recalled some of the wit-
nesses and put to th 'us soave questions, after which his
Lordship stunned up the evidence with his usual clear-
ness and militate attention. If the Jury thought the
woman gave her consent, they would acquit the pri-
, sow ; If, on the contrary, they believed the woman's
' story, they mast food him gritty.--Uuilty of the first
cutlet. To be impesotsed in the gaol fut one year,
and find sureties for his good behaviour for two years
snore, himself in 201. and two sureties in 10/. each.
Itabert Elliott, alias iledlev, was indicted fur steal-
jag a watch front the deal: body of James Atkinson, tea
Ithe 'llst of July last. Mr. Halt stated the case to the
Jury, it w.ti ‘biSitly thus ;--the owner of the watch was
James Atkinsuu, a s..rvant of Cul. Heed, of Chipehase;