The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-08-22 00:00:00

ILCHESTER JAIL

The Trial of Mr. Mums. the Keeper of this Jail,
has taken place at Wells, Mr. Justice RICHARDSON
presiding—The trial was in consequence of an infor-
mation ex officio by the ATTORNEY OENZREL. The
information charged the defendant with acts of enmity
towards two persons under his keeping. BfaRY Cyst

•ed THOMAS OARDINIR. Coax bad been coedited in
a solitary cell with an infant at her b , where shm-
had been, is very told weather, without any fire.—
This appears to have been a shockingly prodigate wo-
man ; she swore through thick and thin: and her evi-
dence was clearly proved to be false.--11Aftounia is of
a character still more atrocious. He appears to have
bees convicted of felony before he was nineteen years
of age. He had been in jail at Bristol for house-break-
ing; he was in Hamer jail for something else; and
it appears, from what was said by the Judge, that at
one time be bad been sentenced to death. In the
prison at Ilchester be had thieved from his brother
prisoners and had stabbed one of them wi h a knife.
In short, to use the words of the Judge. he was
" admitted on all hands to be a man of most
,* infamous character," sad that a Jury ought
to be very cautious hoe, they convicted any
any man oa his evidence. Hot, time fact of putting on
the blister in the way ul punishment, and of that
fact, the Jory found the defendant guilty. strongly re
commending him to mercy. in the court above, on ac-
count of his former excellent character ; which recom-
mendation the Judge promised should be attended to.
We agree midi the Alorsiag Chreniele that evidence
to character is but too easily found upon such occa-
sions, and that it ought not to bare the smallest
weight with a Jury when the facts are proved by goo

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evidence. It is bat fair to ob , however, tree
the evidence to character here, came, not only tree
Magistrates aid other superiors ; bat from
person,
all ranks of life ; all concurring in a high
ealeginm
on the character of the defendant, particularly for hi.
mashy and beoevoleace. Amongst these witnesses
was Mr. thane, the present keeper of Ilchesterliesi.
who bad known the defendant for teen years.ssi
alwas considered him a man of the greatest humanity
and worth. It appeared, in evidence, that Lehrd ft.;.
quently done very kind arts, towards the prisose,,
themselves ; and MART Cunt herself stated that he
had set a subscription on foot for her assistance. A
man by th• name of Poona, who had been confined:a
Hamer Jail on a charge of misdemeanor, fo- des
iogia smuggled Cider, said that, in fact, Mr. BRID:IS
was too good to the prisoners; too indolent alters.
tier. CHAS. MARSHALL, who was two year. and I
an offi..er in Ilcheater Jail, and who is sot in it saw,
said Mr. Bat nt.s was always kind to the people ender
his charge. We abhor as much as any body, the trrsr..
nical conduit of Jailers ; but in the fete of all ;Ls
evidence it would be abominable indeed to affeettoht.
line that this was a erne' tad ferocious mae. The
Judge, in one of the finest charges to a Jury that we
ever trail, told that Jury, honorer, that they were t,
lay aside all Vie evideace to character, and eorfise
themselves strictly to the fact; and he clues
evinced his belief, that the fact of putting on Qt..
blister in the way of punishment was not daubed
and that though pat upon the bead of so sere.
Moss a miscreant, the fact was unlawful. The
Jury were of the same opiaien, and gave their
verdict accordiugly. We are very glad of thi,
decision ; because it will teach Jailers thin
they are not to be inhuman, even in a single instance,
though towards miscreants of the worst descriptin.
He might have pat thanamett in irons; he might
have put him in a soli;ary cell; something mast be
done to keep such a wretch from cutting and ;
bat to put on a blister in the way of punishont
was not lawful, and therefore it ought to receive re•
bake of same sort or other. We have many tinsel had
to observe on the injurious consequences of confann
ing crimes ; and to ceesere the Wiwi/In/0.1
aauiety for the mild treatment of prisoner'. This
indiecrisnating work confused, the alleged libeller
with the thief and the murderer; and nothing, we
undertake to say, cats be more unjust., sod more isjo.
nous to the cause of freedom. Yer, this has been
done, and etadiutiely done, by all our prison Reformers.
We do not wish for eruct:, to be committed, even el
such a wretch as O•RDZK ER, bet we feel ten millios
times more on account of such men as Mr. Keticit,
Mr. DrIVIICRST, or poor SWANN ; and yet it is
t.'-
wards persons of this description that the greatest
cruelty has been exercised. We trust that the decision
of the Jury at Wells, will have the effect of tinkle;
all keepers of prisons ns.sre e•utions in (stare.
Bont•• Ot CASTLRRRAOD —lf the three don
which the corpse received upon its entering the Ab-
bey, show that the feelings of the people of Eaglind
hare undergone a change, let tliose whom it may tee•
cern recollect, that the treatment of that same penile
has undergone a change also. There was a time
when they would Dot have shouted for joy upon seri
as occasion; bat there was a time, also, when thy
knew **thin of ai.rerete?
CITY SCUOOI..—A correspondent, who writes to ee
about certain practices in a rity school, ought to per.
eeive, that his charges are of a nature not eves to be
nsentinoed onwooneolott authwity. Besides, if the
facts be true, the person who knows of them is geil.y
of a flagrant breach of duty in neglecting to mike
them a subject of judicial inquiry. We are well
aware of the tendency of the class books ; end we are
quite to our correspondents' opinion ; but, we meom
venture to state his facts without much better asub3.
rity.

Jauts Grate.—We are happy to perceive that a
subscription is about to be opened fur this I.Preand
and unfortunate man and Lis family. Mr. PAIIkINS
has been laudably active in this business, and wettest
that his efforts will be crowned n-ith SUCCPPIL We
i still think that the best way wood be to induce Mr.
BYRN, to come to Ragland; for here be would rep
tainly be provided for, and would be safety. The
affair of the papers. ahicb were kept by the Lord
Mayor of Dublin, ought to be eriuired into with a'
possible speed. It is never too late to do jollier. anal
justice may yet be done to. or rather obtained for, this
man and his family,—The Mail, taken for the Bishop,
is still the mot' important point, and we cannot brlio
hoping that it will meet with that attention ebb!, it

The King, as we yesterday stated, Fa. probably by
this time set out from E linburgb. on bis return to Leo-
don. His It ajesty's arrival at Carlton 11.)01141 is expected
on Saturday or Monday next at farthest, when. we hare
reason to hop. anJ expect, Air, Canning will be op-
pointed to succeed the lamented Lord Lund mderri-,s.
Secretary of State for Foreign Affair.. In the wren
thrb, the duties of that important Office are prrtarts-
e,i by E srl Batburst.—(.foretios. Post )

It is confidently reportei, by persons whip have ar-
ena to good information, that the Dche of WellirWon
is to Gil the office of Foreign Secretary ; and that the
management of the 'lmmo( Commons is to devols•
Mr. Peel. We have not heard in what manner the
Master Generalship of the Ordnz3ce will be disposed
OE—(.l/or-wing Cirrom )
The Noairear of Sunday ronta;roc pal Ordinance
conf,rring the title of Count tyrrit Al Ai. de Peyronnet
(Keeper of the Seals and Minister of Joules), de Cor•
biers (Minister of the interior), sod de Villele (Thui.•
ter of Finance on the ground of his Majesty'. desire
" to manifest in a olriktot manner, iris satisfaztion sed
good wili" towards them.

In the Journal de Paris of Sendai. there is a pi-
irate letter from Aix. a-t. hapeile. dated the 14th inst
which has the followinK poetselipt We hare ja-t
received a letter from our Berlin correspooden., who
informs no that the government has `made eerie
important discoveries relative to secret a•s..ciation
which exists in several towns o(Pouierania."

FILIN FFFFF ON TOR MAIN E. AUG it FO.''

tisely asserted that the project.ii inatriage of the
Crown Primes of Sc eden wish the Pi turas of bed,
ten►ergh has been finally given up. as it is said. be
the mother of that Princess obstinately rrfases
her assent to the change of religion in her daughter,
though the latter would bare complied with that roc•
dittos.