Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-07-25
FOREIGN.
MELANCNOLY else.

At the London adjourned sessions or FRIDAY
the I'd OF MAY, Mary Brown, alias RYAN, (thc
unfortunate wife OF the man who had been ev-
ecnted tue same moriIiDg) was put to the bar
charged with endeavorng to procure, and 10
ald and abet the escape of her husband and
two other persons, named ballard and Hand
ley; from has Majesty goal OF Newgate, on the
18th NJ April last. The prisoner, as might
well be supposed, exhibited a mast wretch.i
appearance; she, WAS .rnvulsed ia agony aud
had An infant al her breast.
Ann Somers. deposed, that she was employ
ed to search the females who were IN the habit
OF visiting the prisoners, and on Sunday, the
18th ut April last, the wife of Brown, then cor
hne'i under sentence Of death in New gate. was
searched upon her arrival AT the PRISON. VIII
ness tound nothing in her pockets tut ina .iiI.
ing there was protuberance OF person. she in
sisted upon searching beneath her clothes and
discovered that her body was braced round
with a quantity OF rope. Witness being con.
WINGED That this must have been wound about
her while in an addressed state, taxed her 10
this effect. The prisoner, however, deuied il.
stating that She had picked up she rope OH
her way TO the prison, and me;tis ho harm
with it.
Several witnesses corroborated this state
ment. t
Mr.. Barry, who, with the feelings ss tie
greatest humanity, volunteered to plead the
cause of this wretche,l prisoner, addressed sl,e
court. The SUBJECT, he said of the offence inn
puted TO the prisoner, and whether that offence
was brought sufficiently home 10 her, was
". Il N
sidering this they would take, ne had no doubt.
the circumstances under which she was placed
at the time, the offence was committed-a
weak but atiectionate woman, endeavoriug, by
desperate means, (of the impropriety or conse-
quence of which she was, perhaps utterly ;e-
norant to rescue her husband from his per,l-
Gus situation. He submitted this not With
view Of turning aside the minds or the jury
from the law or the fact, bat to shew how
small proportion OF the guilt of the inform
nate moman might lie attributed 10 criminal
intention. The Learned counsel concluded an
affecting appeal. by stating, that. If. in tue
minds of a British jury, whom he then had tie
honor TO address. conviction should be estab-
lished against the prisoner, he would then turu
TO the court, aud, appealing 10 its mercy, say,
that the pangs, the contr;tion, the grief and
the sorrow, that at present inundated The soul
of this unfortunate widow and mother were TO
her far greater punishment than all HE painS
and penalties OF the most sanguinary law
The Recorder having summoned up the evil
dence with great humanity, the Jury after
some minutes consultation, pronounced a YER
dict OF Gritty, but, through their foreman, thu.
addressed the Court:
." My Lord and Gentlemen, we most earnest
ly recommend this almost helpless aud wretch
ell woman 10 your mercy. The whole Court
we feel, has, with ourselves, been agonized az
the circumstance, that she, who this morning
but few hours since, was a wife, is now a Wild
ow, cast upon society under circumstances OF
the most heart-rending nature, To seek pro-
lection for herself and orphans. We beg that
IN mercy you will visit her with the most leu.
lent punishment possible"
The Court having consulted few moments
together, the Recorder proceeded TO pass SEN
tence upon the prisoner, and having highly
complimented the jury for their very humane
recommendation, in which, he sa H. the Bench
heartily concurred, ordered her to be confined in
fswgate for one calendar month!
Tie prisoner, in food of tears begged the
Court would suffer her -" to go to the icdke o.
her husband The being an Irlsbmau and Roman
Catholic \ pe at m
The court said it was not In their power 10
grant such request.
She was then conveyed in custody from the
court, the jury, however, and almost every in
dividual in conrt, previously bestowimg upon
her sums of money. 1t is stated that the col.
lection amounted 10 upwards of 20L