The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-12-26 00:00:00

TIM STATESMAN

pocket, which be bad Whored walk. The prisoner
kept walking along after laim, and threatening him
Witness said," Sorely, Mr. B. you !chow better than to
shoot." The prisoner kept presenting his gun at him in
the way already mentioned, and at last be discharged hie
gun at him close behind his back, and thee jammed the
mutsle into his back. The contents of the gun "tbok
effect immediately abbe the right hip, and cerise Out On the
other'side, carrying away the skin and integuments. with
oift touchiog any Mortal part.. The prosecutor immediately
seised the prisoner by the Millar; • scuffle castled ; they
fell on the gronnd, mad struggled for a considerable time,
each being alternately above the other. At last the
prosecutor get the better of the prisoner, add
seizing the gun of the latter, was about to strike him with
1,, when Smirk cried for mercy. The prosecutor forbore
striking ; a fresh straggle then ensued ; the prisoner held
the prosecutor with a firm gripe. At length the proseen•
for begged to be lobsened, as he found his clothes on fire
which had ignited in consequence of the gun having been
discharged so near his person ; at this time Coomber, the
prisoner's companion, came up. and he was about to
strike the prosecutor, when the prisoner requested him to
desist, as the man, he said, was wounded ; the prosecutor
was then raised from the ground, and his horning clothes
taken off his back, and the flames extinguished. The,
prosecutor then found his way to a shepherd's hut. and
was from thence taken to the workhouse, and there lay
dangerously ill for several weeks, but had since recovered
from his wound, although his health was considerably
impaired. This was the promeater's statement of the
case. He underwent • rigid cross-examination, bat did
not materially differ in his statement. He denied that the
two men seen with him on the downs were companions or
friends of his. He denied that be had been seen in
company with them the day before. tie had offered a
reward of five guineas for the apprehension of Bourke
and Coomber. He had no money of his Own, but a friend
of his, named Walker, formerly gamekeeper to Lord
Warwick, bad come to him from Salisbury on purpose,
and offered to advance the money. He was examined to
other particulars, with a view to subsequent contradiction.
He denied that Mr. Bourke had first spoken to the two
men above mentioned, before Mr. B. bad spoken to him.
He bad indicted both Bourke and Coomber, but the
Grand Jury had thrown out the bill against the latter.—
The Surgeon who attended the prosocutor tiering his
illness. described the wound as having been about six
inches In length and three in breadth, in a transverse
direction, from the top of the hip upwards, a little above
the navel. in bis judgment, the wound could not have
been indicted by a person presenting the gun at the
prisoner; the gun must have been held down in a position
below the prisoner's waist; in that part of the Downs where
theaceldent was described to bate taken place, there were
several high bushes, amongst which the trigger of the gun
might have got entangled.
The Jury withdrew to examine the prosecutor's wound
in the presence of the surgeon. These were the leading
circumstances of the case for the prosecetion.
The prisoner, who had voluntarily surrendered to take
his trial, put in a written paper, in wh;chlhitt ted sbor ly
that his gun went off accidentally ; that he had no inten-
tion of firing at the prosecutor ; and tbat he would have
paid the prosecutor's bill for surgical attendance, and
have made him a liberal compensation; but as the pro.
motor had determined to prwecute him to the death, he
was resolved that the case should take its course.
Mr. Coomber was then examined. He saw nothing of
the commencement of the transaction. After it was over,
the prisoner seemed concerned for what had happened,
which be said was merely an accident, and urged the pro'
secittor to go along with him immediately to get surgical
aid, bat the prosecutor positively refused. Several wit.
'lessee weeccalled to contradict the prosecutor in collateral
particulars. It was proved the in his original deposition.
be had deposed that Mr. Bourke first spoke to the two
men above mentioned ; that he then described those men
as his companions; and that he had been seen in their com-
pany the day before.
Dr. Bisir, of Brighton, deposed, that he had examined
the proseentor'swound, and in hit opinion it could not
have been inflicted by a gun being presented in the ordinary
way, by planing the butt-end against the fleshy part of the
shoulder, but mast have been held lower down, as if carried
in the band.
A great many witnesses were in attendance to give the
prisoner the highest possible character, for humanity and
kindness of disposition, when
The Counsel for the prosecution interposed, and said be
was instructed not to press the case (nether.
The Jury were therefore directed to acquit the prisoner,
and a verdict of Not Guilty was accordingly recorded.
James Bennett, the younger, aged IS, charged with
having, on the 12th day of December instant. feloniously
assaulted Richard Page, on the King's highway, in the
parish of Hellingly, and stealing from his person one
sovereign, thirteen shillings, and a checqne on a Banker,
of the value of 164 the p:operty of him the said Richard
Page.
It appeared in evidence, that the prosecutor had been
at a merry making at a public house in the neighbourhood,
and on his return home was brutally attacked by the
prisoner, who struck him to the ground with a large blud•
geon or stick; after which he committed the robbery, and
went to his father's house.
Witnesses were called to prove his having the stick,)
which was produced in Court, previous to the! robbery,
which he endeavoured to conceal beneath his frock,
and that ha had followed Mr. Page out of the
public house. Footsteps also were discovered across a
ploughed field to the house where the prisoner'
lived, which exactly corresponded with the prisoner's
nailed boots. It was also proved that the prisoner had
been so abandoned a character, that his own father was
afraid to live with him.
His Lordship summed up the evicence with the utmost
impartiallity. and pointed out certain discrepencies which'
t
appeared in favour of the prisoner.
The Jary, after consulting sane titre, returned a verdict
of Guilty. but recommended him to mercy on ammo% of
'bis extreme youth. The "ptoseentor also joined in this
reconsmendatioe.
His Lordship immediately proceeded in the most solemn
and impressive terms to pointont the enormous guilt of the
prisoner, and pronounced the awful sentence of death. The
prison* appeared greatly affected, and was removed from
the hie absorbed in tears.
The Assizes for this County ended this evening at a late
hour. In consequence of the indisposition of Mr. Justice
Iloiroyd in the early part of the week, it was expected that
the gaol could not be cleared before Saturday; but his
Lordship's health being considerably amended on Tuesday
morning, he was enabled to assist his Learned Brother,
,Mir. Justice Park.
A true bill has been found against William Fleet, pro-
prietor' and printer of the Brighton Herald, for libel on
Mr. B. Gregory.

The salesmen and drovers who attend Smithfield
market, having felt the powers of Mr. Alartin's Act, and
already submitted tolerasly quietly to the surveillance of
Mr. Martin himself, insy very probably respect the person
and office of his new Representative; but the Whitechapel
market folks having as yet acknowledged no such allegi-
ance, to the peat professor of humanity himself, received
the visit of his substitute in a very different spirit ; and
instead of permitting him quietly to inspect their condut t,
the only act of wanton cruelty. thry allowed `him to
witness, was committed upon himself ; for as soon as the)
understood his oliect, anti lie nature or hit office, they
discharged a whole pailful oLblood over him,•which cons-
riled -his Inspectorsltip24,retire altogether crane time
market, with more than ordinary celerity.

A M3APPOINTBD LOVER. - •
(Taos' rift BRISTOL. MILR6UST)
A person &dna the neighbourhood of Ldanarthney. tire&
Of the monotony bf h state Of single. blessedessss deter-
missed upon seeking a partner is:4 his Joys and woes. nor
had he. sought long ere he previAed upon a bloomint
fair in his neighbourhood to consent to unite her fortunes
with bis, in the silken bands of Hymen. Whether.
mistrusting the itabilit.y of his own resolve—the constinek •
of the fair one—or impatient Of the delay necessarily
attendant bpon the publicatiOn of banns, we
are not • inforrned"; bet certain ft is, that oti
obtaiitieg the wished-for cement, he decided up m
marrying, by license, forthwith, as the most expeditious
mode of ternsinittidg all misgivings—and of consummating
the fondest wish of his heart. Aware that delays are din-
gerotts in love, the amorous swain, accompanied by hii
blushing (laicism lost no time in reparing to Carmarthen.
to procure that sine qua eon—a license. Hither to all was
lanshine and harmony; bat upon their way to the Surrogate,
the fickle fair one evinced some reluctance, which soon
settled into a fixed determination to proceed no further,
and to authorise no further proceedings in the business.
Poor Romeo was petrified at hir baseness ; for it was evi.
dent that she was attenipting, literally, to back out of her
engagement. What was to be done under these circum-
stances ? What 'could be dose but to adjourn W a
public bonse to diseins the matter in private? lint
here again all the rhetoric of her dismayed
'swain was as ineffectual in moving her to his purpose
les were the expostulations sad 'entreaties of her Meads, I.
deavouring to extract from her an explanation of eanductseena
loglyso iaconsietent. Stang with disappoit•tmeut—asortificitioo
—and rege—st having the cup of happiness dashed, asst were,
from Ms very lips, by caprice ea ulacconntable, the love kin
swain hied hilo homewardsonesing,probably,on the uncertainty
of sublunary enjoyments, and leaving the perfliioas fair one to
her owe cogitations.---Under the influence of feelings thus
strongly excited, he conceived the unholy project of terminating
as existence which the cruelty of love bad rendered a bOrden
to
him. The vicinity of the Tony to the road—Which it lives,—
afforded every fasility for the execution of his purpose,
and frenzied with despair. he rushed into the lima—of
to his knees. This was a very critical mernent--:-this we,
the time for a little cool reflection—the weer was told,
and his courage, at first excessively ardent, became SS I •
deftly depressed, below freezing point, and there was no
other alternative than to regain terra Arvin with the least
delay. What would he not have given at this junctnr4
to any charitable hand that woul.i drag him out of the
water, and thus save appearances; hut no such aid being
within reach, he was obliged to rush out with as much
precipitation as be rushed an. Thus terminated, yoe will
say. his mail project. Oh. no He was firm of purpoie
still, but wanted a more comfortable mode of effecting it ;
for immediately npon coming oat of the de. rMs went to
the Star, a public house a mile distant from this town, and
paid his devotions to Sir John Barleycorn, until he
screwed bis courage up to the sticking place. This
dew, be drew out a pocket knife—brandiahed it
bared his neck, and cut —what ? bis throat? on, no l—thd
skin : fur upon the first appearance of blood his courage
tory 3lt him a second time. he replaced the knife in his
packet—mused the fi ••kleness of the sex—and retained
home soliloquizing in nearly the same spirit as our immor-
tal bard,.when he wrote the following lines :
f earl not for ber.—l ; •
I hold him but a fool that will endanger
His body for a girl tbst loves him aot.
BLIAIDIMAST.

Mr. Matches, late mat ter of the brig isabelb, has
arrived at Carmarthen, after a series of entrain',
owing to a violent storm in October last, raioly pars!..
►eled. Wh lst the brig was on h r passage from
North America to Carmarthen, laden with timber, she
encountered a tremendous gale, the a a running moun-
tains high, which carried away both the masts, boats,
ind every atticle above deck, with two of tha crew.
leaving the survivors on the water-logged half, with-
out provisions of any kind, and the raging sea con-
stantly washing over them. Three of the crew soon
died from exhaustion, and the master and three others
remained to endure the horrors of cold and famine.
They *ere reduced to the horrid necessity of nebsist-
log upon the dead bodies o'f their comrades for five
?lays, till fortunately they were perceived by a vessel,
and taken to St. John's, Newfoundland, where they
recovered their fatigues; and the Captain of the French
war brig, La Nantrie, gave them it passage to St. Ma-
loes, from whence they p. (weeded to Guernsey and
Southampton. The master speaks in the highest Pra:s
of the humane and generous treatment they exper:enc^d
from the French.--(lie relent Journal.)
Two rabbits were this week killed by the footman
of --Norris, Esq. of Bromham,-weighing 151bs.
A calf was killed on Tuesday, by Mr. Cull:ns,
butcher, of Devizes, with nearly 71b. of fat On cue
kidney, whilst on the other there was scarcely en

ounce.
A small lot of three year old wethers were "ell at
Salisbury market, on the 23J inst. on the estraord-
nary price of six guineas each. Thry were
c' Ile
old Somerset breed, and cut ten pounds of wool to the
fleece last year; they mere mode up with second yjWs
seed and turnips, with half a peck of white pesspeeday.
SAIVOOLINCI.—A smuggling cutter (the Dart) was Mks
off Robin Hood's Bay. on Tuesday morning, by H. M.
revenue cutter, the Lapwing. The latter came up to her
without colours, and then hoisted them, with an order ti
surrender, which she refused: a fire was opened epos Ler
with blank cartridge to no purpose, till at last recourse Co.
bad to musket shot, when one of the smuggler's
received a wound and fell. She then surrendered i—ler
crew were pot on board the Lapwing ; and some of ti 4
• AfkJesty's seamen sack pasaessien of the twist sad r-,•
ended with her to Hull, as-she could not be taken in
Scarbro' harbour. Lieut. Fagen immediately sent for a
surgeon to the wounded man, who, at a considerable r it
ventured out in an open boar, and encountered a heavy
squall. The ball, it is stated, entered his left side ahem
the ninth rib, and proceeded in an horizontal line.' brt
we understand the wound is not likely to prove moral.--
Lieut. F. displayed the greatest humanity in his eothive
towards the unfortunate fellow. The prise is a /pit
value, consisting of brandy, genera, tea, tObaCco.CarJs.
and is estimated at between 40001. and 5000 l.; a handsome
reward is also given for each prisoner, and the whole of dir
crew, consisting of 12 mrn, (principally Englishmen, ire
believe,) have been committed to the county gaol. To
smugglers did not return the fire of the cutter.
On Saturday morning, while Thomas ustsoe. Esq. Of
Hawkesdale, near Carlisle, was walking (app t'
arsatly Po
feet health), along the High Bridge, to take his seat lathe
Casuals coach on his return home, he su4denly fell down, Ist
in a few moments afterwards expired. Mr. W. was 114.
09th year, and was much and deservedly respected. •
'Toner's Inquest returned a verdict of Died by the MAP"'
of GOD."—(Tyne Mercury.)

.-

M A nal wed 'mdse. the Seth fan. at at. Asti%
T. Hutton, Liverpool, to Eleanorßetsey. second (hued*/ etNTI
til).--OnTIIIIO4I2V, 23th Instant, st bonyLimvlwine. itt itt
after • lingettar ill nesi. George Barley. Req. in the eevesty INA Ter
age 10•4
Oa Tuesday hot, at L'oson grove :tir. II . 80w1.% tutt•olle POO—
G. DOWICY, Esq.

London Y Prlated find PublisbeiVetho Offier, No. z.:17. iitrartAs
by R. WARDELL, L1..0. Proprietfq,