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

THE Sl',errSMAN

the men, and four of them presented their guns et him, and
said, " Stand off, or you shall have it." lie proceeded, sod
collared one of them, and on the instant he reeeived a vio-
lent blow on the hack of his head, which felled him to the
ground. One of the men fell upon him and held him. he
then fired his pistol, and the ball entered the neck of his
assailant, who loosened his hold and surrendered. Some
of Pratt's party then called out to him to keep the wonnded
man down. That person was the prisoner Dare. A des-
perate conflict then emoted between the poachers and
Pratt's party. The former fought with the but end of their
?tins, and shattered them over the beads of the litter,
who without using their pistols, overcame the poachers,
several of whom ran off. The gamekeeper swore to Dare,
Gunner, Wheatley, and Williams, who were secured on the
spot.
Mr. Justice PARK summed np the case with great im-
partiality, and suggested to the Jury every topic which
was at all favourable to the prisoners. Ile told them, that
in point of law, if only one of the prisoners was armed
with intent to kill game, still they must, in the spirit of this
Statute, be considered as being all armed. This had been
solemnly decided by the l'welve Judges. If they had
any doubt of the prisoners' intention fro:n the evidence
adduced, the prisoners were entitled to the benefit of the
doubt.
The Jury retired for about half an hour, and returned all
the prisoners Guilty, but recommended Windebank, trud-
wick, and Holdforth to mercy, on account of their passive
comluct in the affair.
Mr. Justice PARIS, in an impressive address to the
prisoners,aid m adverted in strong terms on their outrageous
conduct.—Whatever doubts he himself might have original-
ly entertained as to the Statute on which they Were in-
dieted. he'could.not but now think that, as applied to their
case, it was. highly beneficial, considering the desperate
lengths to which their low habits had incited them. (here
were shades of difference in their respective cases, which
he should certainly notice in the judgment he should pro-
nounce. Towards some of them the severity of the -law
must he carried to its utmost extent. Under all the circum-
stances, he adjudged Dare, Gunner, and Wheatley, to seven
years transportation, and the remainder of the prisoners to
twelve months' imprisonment and hard labour in the House
of Correction.
George 11l itthews, John Vickery, Thomas Twiny,
.and
Thoinas Monk, were indicted on the same statute as in
the last ease, for being found armed with guns, in a
wood, with intent to kill game, in the parish of Cobham,
on the night of the 19th November, and assaulting James
Prince.
The Jury found the prisoners'ol.oellty t• and Vickery,
bring the most active in the ttanfOnit, was sentenced to.,
seven years transportation; Matthews was sentenced to
18 months, Twiny to six months, and Monk to three
months' imprisonment and hard labour in the house of
Correction.
Daniel Page wai.ennviethd of *titling at Effingham. on
the ISth of Augustlast, a cult, the propel ty of John Mack.
—Sentence of Death was recorded.
Sir THOMAS TURTON addressed the Court in the name
of the Grand Jury, and informed the Learned Judge that
they wished to bring a matter worthy of notice to his
Lordship's attention. At the last Assizes the Grand Jury
had been informed that certain persons. had compounded
a felony, anti the Grand Jury had thought it their duty to
direct the High Cons.able of the parish in which the
transaction took plaCe, to prefer an indictment against the
alleged offenders for a misdemeanour. The High Gonsta-
ble had defrayed the expense of the proceedings out of
his own pocket, and the Grand Jury wished to know
whether, under such circumstances, the High Constable
could be defrayed out of the county rates.
Mr. Justice PARK confessed his regret that he could not
allow the constable's expenses in a case of this description,
which was only a misdemeanor. His Lardship hid
had frequent occasion to lament a deficiency in the law is
this respect as to cases of this deoomination, and he, fee
one, should be happy to see misdemeanors placed on the
same footing with felonies; but as the law at present stood,
bb Witt no authority to award the expenses.
Thomas Hack and Edward Wrigiti, the defendants in
the case just alluded to, were indicted for unlawfully
compounding a prosecution against Richard Hack and
Parker Wright, their sons respectively, fur robbing one
George Stone, on the King's highway, by paying to the
latter a sum of moneyfor forbearing to prosecute.
• Mr. LAW appeared for the prosecution, and opened the
case, but as Stone; who had been indicted with time defen-
dants, did not appear, he was unable to establish the fact
of the alleged robbery, and therefore the merits of the cast
were riot gotle into.
Mr. Justiee PARK directed the Jury to find the defend.
anti Not Guilty, for want of evidence. Verdict—" Not
Guilty."
"Jahn Pugh was charged on the Coroner's Inquisition
with feloniumily killing and slaying a person unknown
on the 18th December, at St. Agnes the Martyr.
Mr. ADOLPHCS appeared for the prisoner,. It appeared
in evidence that the prisoner was drinking at a public
house, No. 10, Upper Thames street, iu the afternoon of
the ISO inst. The deceased came in very drunk, and
became quarrelsome, lie charged the prisoner with robbing
him, and abused him in gross teams. The prisoner put
him out of the house into the street ; sl.ortly afterwards
the prisoner went out, and the deceased began again to
abuse and charge him with robbery. The prisoner pushed
him with his hand, and he fell on the pavement. '1 he de
ceased, who was very drunk, attempted to get up,. but in
doing so, fell again in the middle of the street, and at the
eionient, a wagon coming by, went over his body, crushed
all his ribs, and broke his unifier jaw, He WAS carried to
St.Tholnas's Hospital, and died in two hours.
Upon tkii evidence the case ag4net the, prisoner
waistopped, and the Jury found the prisoner Not Guilty.

POLICE.

Mansion Ilonse.—A letter was handed to the Lord Mayor
from three shipwrecked seamen, requesting his Lordship's in-
terference with the owners of the ship in which they had been
wrecked, for their pay, 'which was a considerable item due,
and- Which they apprehei.ded would be kept out of Weir reach,
unless, through the interposition of the Lord Mayor, the
owners should be induced to give a merciful consideration to
their ease.
The Loan Mnvon, having ordered the seamen into big pre-
sence, asked them who had written the letter. With some re-
luctance they informed his Lordship that a schoolmaster was
the writer, and that they had paid him the sum of. 6s. for his
labour. The letter was written in the most florid style, and
bore strong evidence of the nand of a pedagogue.
The Loan MAYOR said that it was a practice wi•lt some
impostors to assure any unfortunate man, whose distress ren-
dered en application to a magistrae necessary, that nothing
could be done without a well written letter, which was sure to
soften the heart and open the pocket. Innumerable letters had
been handed to him, penned in the most nonsensical manner.—
It was neeessaryto mention this circumstance, in order to
ceution poor people against such imposition. It was well
known that the Chief Magistrate was always aceessinte; and
all applicants stood a better chalice of having injuries re-
dressed by verbal application than with the assistance of such
contemptible knaves.
The seamen then said, that their ship had foundered on an
island near North America, and that after having undergone
all the inevitable consequences of such a calamity, without
being pain a halfpenny, they were now told that there was no=
thing for them. At first, the owners promised them their pay
from day to day, but their claim was now totally rejec,ed.
'Cite LORD Niavoe sent to the owners. desiring their at-
tendance at the Mansion House, to answer the charge.
A'yoong man, named Phillips, was brought up charged'
with having stolen a chest of 'tea out of a warehouse in Lime-
street. ' - . . .
It was stated- that the prisoner and two other ow* Slier
haying made atiose observation of the'. premises. 'ea* g!te
eltegt of lea, which ley- edible the door. The' OHM Os

the perion appolitted to carry ti a chest, and he ran off, bit
was pursued and over:aken before he got to the !whim of
Lime-street. Finding that he had no chance of eacaping Witk '
the chest, he threw it down, and,
.Or the purpose of aerating a
retreat, aimed it at the feet of tor pursuer, who immediatelg
tumbled over, but was nevertheless ahle to catch the thief. I
'lite prisoner *as fully committed forma'.
Row STREET.--Charles Hides, a pawnbroker, was .1
en mmoned for refusing to make compensation for damage
done to certain property entrusted to his care in pledge.
he property in question belonged to a Mr. Francis
ASeiotti, a schoolmaster, residing in Hampden Street,
Somers Town, who in consequence of pecuniary ember-
rassinent had been obligated to pawn the principal part of
his household furniture, consisting of several valuable
beds, tables, chairs, &c. which upon being redeemed,
were found to have been most shamefully injured, the
tables being so.. scratched, and otherwise damaged, that I
their value was considerably decreased, and the chairs
broken and cracked in such a manner that to all appearance
violence hail been used to effect it. T.'e case had been
bet partially gone into, when Mr. Matteis, who attended
on behalf of the complainant, requested that the resent
proceeding might be withdrawn, as he felt bound in
justice to his clients to advise them to seek for a recom-
pense in another way, as he felt not the least doubt but
that equivalent damages could be obtained by bringing
an action, the case being of such ass aggravated ware.
This 'west was of course complied with, and the parties
retired to wait ulterior proceedings.
lIATTLIN GARDEN.— liesterdav an application was made
to the Sitting Magistrate. Mr. ROGERS, en behalf of a tnaa
named George Aightiogak. who wts bronght up on tin:
turday evening in the custody- of two Bow street patrol,
and remanded by Mr. LAING, the Magistrate, until Satter-
-day next;
ft he circumstances ender which Nightingale was arrested
are in substance as follow :—The patrol being on their
rounds, met Nightingale about six o'clock on Saturday
evening with a bundle in his hand, at the farther end of
tloswell street road ; his character and companions not be-
ing of the very best order, they were induced to appret
bend him upon suspicion and bring him before a Magis-
trate; against that measure he stronglyprotested as illegal,
and threatened them with scions ; but the patrol were
impenetrable either to threats or entreaties, and the gentle.
man was intrbditced to the presence of Mr. Laing, as al-
ready stated.. His person was searched, an I be bad about
him at the time Batik Stock to the amount of front 2 to
3,0001. besides forty sovereigns and a valuable gold wa.cli;
the bundle consisted-of several canvas bags, " curb," said
the patrol, " as are generally used by burglars for convey.
ing plate from gentlemen's houses."
Several officers spoke of the prisoner as a person who
was known to associate with common thieves.
It• was proved that the canvas was purchased, and two
securities of 5001 each were offered yesterday for the pat
sower. As there was no further evidence against him, lie
was discharged. We are in a great measure induced to
notice this affair by information that an indirect offer of
payment for its suppression was made to a Reporter.
MARLBOROUGH STREET.—JOIIII6OII, the informer, who
has for souse time beets so active in bringing to justice
delinquent bakers, &c. is likely to meet with an industrious
rival In the person of a Mr. Tucker, who yesterday mad,
his appearance at this office, followed by a long train or
bakers, against nhom be had preferred informations, I
chiefly for selling bread without weighing it in the pre-
sence of their customers; but in the management of his
Cases, he did not show that minute acquaintance with time
law, or knowledge of the mode of properly wording in-
formations, which distinguish Mr. Johnson.
On this occasion, Mr. WILLIAMS attended as solicitor
lon the part of the bakers, and took various objections to
I the form and wording of the ioforosations, the principal of
which was, that the informal ons being grounded on the
4th clause of the act, which inflicts a penalty of 40t. for
each offence, but which also exempts from the penaltieS
of the act, all bread known by the name of fancy bread,
should have stated 0 the same not.being fancy bread."
Upon this and all the other points,the Magistrates ruled
in favour of Mr. Williams's objections, so that in this
speculation Tucker must have been a considerable loser.
as he cannot lay fresh informations against
.the same
parties, the act stating that all such informa-
tions must be preferred within 4S bouts after the
offence. and having had to pay 35. costs on each
information that was preferred. Not a single conviction
took place.
GAMBLERS AND ROB atis.--Yesterday Bea Burnt, the re-
nowned pugilist, landlord of the Rising Sun, Great Windmill
street, Golden square, was charged at this office, by Richard
Dexter. a t out of place, with having been concerned in
robbing him of eight sovereigns, &c. Burns was accompanied
to the office by a Mr. Serjeant, who came to give evident:els
his behalf.
Dexter, on being sworn, deposed that be went to the Rising
Sun about trio o'clock on Monday, and remained there till 11.
While he was there he was invited to play a game of All fount
fur a bottle of wine, to which he consented, having Burns for
his partner, and Serjeant and a man named Evans for his op.
ponents. Dexter lost, and took a sovereign out of a purse, at
that time containing nine sovereigns, to pay for the- wine;
Burns returned him 14s. After-some time, Evans, a professed
gambles, reminded Mr. Dexter of a debt of arnsene, to the
amount of which he hail forgotten to pay. Dexter disputed
the Validity of the claim ; Evans seized his hat in satiifaction;
a slight setae ensued. and Dexter fell on the floor, Surrounded.
by the whole party. When he sees able to get up, he missed',
his purse with the eight sovereigns, and observed Mr. Burnt
kept his hand clenched, and refused to open it. On a tight
being brought in by Burns, he, pointed to the prow:tittles.
purse under a table. bet it was void of cash. Burns, on being
asked what he had iu his clenched hand. replied. " Dick, do
you mean to accuse me of robbery ; if you do, I'll .beat your'
head to a mummy as I did Yorkshire Jack's."
Mr. Reeve' confirmed Dexter's account, and added, that a
search had been made, and Dexter himself closely examined.
Mr. Serjeant then volunteered his evidence in favour allures,
though he was cautioned by the Magistrate to be careful, as
he was one of the party, how he eriminated himself. lie ad-
mitted having played cards, but denied being a party to the
plundering transited ,n. Burns denied having played at All
foists, and as positively denied the robbery. Serjeant was
recognised by Sir George Farraot as having been a candidate
for a vacoht place of police officer, and reminded hint that .he
mist have keowa card playing. was ~He thought% how.,
ever, that his character was quite as good its that of the prose.'
cater; who was concerned in the same illegal transaction.—
Dexter persisted in swearing that he thought Burns and Evans
concerned in robbing him, and that the candidate for the police
officership came in for his share of the winnings.
Burns was committed for re examination, and Mr. Serjeant
was ordered to find two substantial housekeepers to answer
for his re appearance the ensuing Tuesday, in a character
somewhat less respectable than that of a witness in favour o,
another. la the course of the examination, the Magistrate'
hinted to Mr. B. that the character of his house was not uus
swn to them.

A SMUGGLER CAPTURED LS Boston DERPS.—Lastnursday
morning, as a detached party, belonging to the Redbreast, re-
venue cutter, stationed at Freiston Shore, were returning from
patrol,. about nine o'clock,they saw a strange vessel en Wran-
gle Main • to which they proceeded without a moment's delay.
The vessel was found to be a smuggling lugger, olconsiderabie
burden, with a crew of nine men ; who, on perceiving the de-
terined advage of • the .armed an: courageous preventive
menm, betook thFmselves with great haste to.their boat. Yet,
inwilling to abandon• entirely their ship, which had been re.
eentty laid on The sands, for the more .expedidoes delivery of
her cargo; they continued to lay by for some time, until they
observed the Rer:nue Cruiser sailing down the Deeps. teVein-
force their brave comrades with her gvilant-ceew, !Atli they
fustastly made of towards Gibraltar Point: The rirgoorbiCh.
i,
wassi.izatassettit:tredlzynetia.cost
vbeyd the
fteurrtrwawilttoblitinotit..
Brioo:tsecsis.iaenn4, 4
fely.deposited In the CustoM illoaaa; This 'ergo consistsof'
41 :tthliehliora of GeheYe.,kehisien Afir.baitsa of "dry petit
sose.of which ctinlitia tobaceo,, or eault, pthirapletvaltiss 4.
~audothols-highli fluished•lthileil Piloting., NSA it•llaid to
he of great value.—(Bostonpliper.) '• • '• i
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