The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-12-16 00:00:00

ESSEX-WI NI/EICAgtIZES.

The Assizes for this County ended at Chelmsford on
Saturday, about twelve o'oloek. The remaining Me/
in the Calendar not already reported, were destitute of
general interest.
. The Grand Jury found a Bill of Indictment against a
IMO, not in custody, who is charged with Wilful
Murder !
No less than 12 bills of Indictment were found against
Mr. Cawthorn, the late Keeper of the Mouse of Correa
tion, at Chelmsford, his wife. and one of the turnkeys,
for two different heads of OrtOCPl—one for frauds upon
the County, in not bringing to account the produces of
the labour of convicts in the prison. and the other for
cruelty and oppression towards the prisoners. With the
consent of Counsel on both sides, these cases were post-
poned until the next Assizts.
„Seven capital convictions took place during the As-
sizes, but only one unhappy man was left for execution,
namely, Benjamin Cooper, oho was convicted on Friday
of breaking and entering the dwelling-house of a widow
lady at Thiele-it, in this County, during the time of Di-
vine Service, on Sunday, 4th Sept. and stealing 'Money
to the amount of 1701. _
The Hon. Mr. Baron GRAHAM. in passing mil.me.
addresied the wretched convict in the folluis ing terms :
" Benjamin Cooper,—yon stand convicted of having
broken Jasto the dwelling-house of a respectable widow
Lady, who is the prosecuttix oo tide occasion, and seized
the opportunity which she tied, Kith becoming piety,
devoted to the service of (1011, to Perform your wicked
task, which, undoubtedly, you must have bad some time
in contemplation. You bad executed your plan with i
degree of ability and contrivance, and with such sea
rem, as to make your offence amount to a vary heinoes.
crime. You had. plundered this lady of property to a
considerable amount, and you hid executed your object
under such circumstances, and carried your offence to
such a degree, as to make it no longer a subject of re-
gret, that to break and enter a dwelling 1:-.use in the
day time, in the absence of the inhabitants, and steal
property therein to a large amount, is made a capital of-
fence. You have, therefore, drawn upon yourself the
vengeance of the law, and young as yon are, you mast
pay the forfeit of your crime. I am not aware of any
circomatance in your case, which can avert the awful
sentence which must be speedily wiled into execution.
Madly would I size bold of any suggestion which
might be urged in your favor, to mitigate the severity of
the Law, bat you stand at the bar of jostler, convicted
of a most dangerons offence, without any one redeeming
fact in your ease. I warn you, therefore, to prepare for
that ignoniinous death which justly awaits you as the
consequence of your crime. The heaviest sentence of
the law must be pronounced and executed upon you.—
No favour or mercy is to be exp-c!ed on this side the
grave. Betake yourself, then, to earurst and hearty
prayer—to a speedy reprotanta- of such sins as yourmay
have committed in that world which is abbit to close
upon you for ever, and endeavour to prepare youreelf to
meet-your Creator. Rlv painful task is to pronounce
opon you the awful sentence of the law, which is, that