Winchester, Saturday, Aug...
The Times, 1824-08-09T00:00:00

-11 '' iucret, tor flayina stolen a quantity of brass rings, Parts of large chandleliers, and ;a cushion, w6ith a va,ietv of other art,ielt, from adisentin-g-meetin~ house, called Abbey Chapel, in the naris.h of Rams3ey, on theIst. t Jutne.te .Thc Prisoner was seen withi a large bundle under hiis armi, on t. night in question, proCceding. towards the Fox public-house, whilch is in the ieighbourbood of the chapel. W'hen he arrved at a barn, he let fall the bun(Ile, and the sound that issued fromiwa lik-e tha ?f the breaking of glass, lIfe left the bundle thiere~, as he thoughit in a state of secuirity, and was returning, when the person whoI 'watched him, suspecting something im-proper, went to thie bag, andI after examini;l~gv b lr,we h rsnrwsape heode.d. tIi ,gv h lr,we h rsnrwsape Harery Hlearni proved that lie hiad the care of the chapel, andI that on the 8abbatht.uay preceding the lst of June.-namely, the 30th of May-the chandeliers were ail in safety. There was service in the chapel on the evening of thle Ist of Junle. twacndelgtsr vice. The -prisoner is an ironmonger, is respcctably connected, and has been a constanrt and zealous attesidant at the chapel for upwvards o)f ,even vears. Mar yarn proved that when she wcnt to the chapel that night, the articles, were gone, and thiat a great many things appeared tossedI about. There wass a window in the chapel, and some things wer lyn acrer near it. The Rv. Jon Reynolds is the Mlinister of the chapel. He sate that we vnt to visit the prisoner after his com- mittl, ot itha view of extracting any confession fromi him,butto emostrte with himn on tlhe enormity of hiti crime. H askedim ow he could think of committing suchi f, crim...e tat ad eenso long atterding that place, and at the very moment when, pehpsbis p?rents and friends had been joining in Worship. WVitnsthn asked him how he foundl time to unscrew q,A- riags, in the short intervl that elapsed between thec endling of service and the time of his bringing away the articles. He said that he was an ironmonger, andI was not long about it. Ile then said that during service he had concealedl himself in a gallery wihich is usually occupied by the teachers of the Sunday schiools. He also stated, that after lie hadl deposited the first bundle ne-ar the barn, lie was returning to the chapel to reniove the other things, whic-h he had also left lying there, sad( had left the windlow open for that psir- pose. The witness declaredl he had used. no threat or inducement to prevail on the prisonier to make any declaration. Elizabeth Bootle, an elderly ladyv, stated that she was a const-ant axttendant at the cha,pel- She was thiere as often as five timnes a week.i Thie cushion nciw prodluccd belonxed to her. She used to sit on it. She has used it for fourteen years. Shec had no meanis of identifyingq sit than an acquaistance of fourteen years furnishedI her withr.,( lauizh.) The prisoner, on being called on for his defence, said he hiad no- thling to aMtr, but threw hiinoselfoti the mercy, of the Court. T'ae Jury foulnd himenitity. btitt recommendted him to mcery. .Mr. Baro OARnow.-1 presume, gentlermen you thoughit the crime was a capital tine when you so recommnendle. ihe prisoner. Ju ryman.- jYc were of tha t opinion, my Lorg. Mfr. Baron G~ARROw, in passing sentence, observed that the crime of whichi thec prisoner was convicted wais not a capital one, being, dis- tinguishedl froni thait of sacrilege, whiclh consistedl in stealing from thie places of warship helorlging t', the Establishedl Chiurchi. low- ever, -the ca-se wag one of great agegravation. The Prisoner, very far from attendin:.r to the admonitions of the clergyman who gave instructioas in thecchapel, uveuit on for along time hyvpocritically affiecting -lhe appearance of p'iety, and in the basest manner availed himnself of an opportunity which that assuimed character enabled himi to take ac vantaze of. for the puirpose of comimitting this disgraceful act. ft was lamentable to think tha-t there were respectable indivi- duals in society, by whepse unifoftunate- relation to the prisoner they would share, in some mneasure, in the disgrace Of his, crime anld ptini,h ment. For the sake of thecse persons, for, the sakie of societv in particular, anid for the stake of thie prisnner himi-self', wvho, if' Ift tind'er his own cotitrol, miight at lengthi do something to deserve the last ignominious punishimert of the law, it was expenlient that lite shiould be reinovedl from tite country. The sentence of the Court wras, that he should be transportetd for seven years. .. In our paper of Saturday we mentioned the attack which had been madeeon Thursday on i'tr. C'. P. Wlilliams, the counsel, short- lv after his leaving the court. 'rite following particulars of thie previous history of the person irho commit,ed this extraordinary ouitrage have since been Furnisheel to us -.-A few years, ago one Bu-ar ridge,ao attorney, residing at I,yrre.in Dorrsetshi're, (buit now living at Southampton), consulted Mr. C. F. NVillianis professionally&q to the tendency of a certain letter whiichi he (Burritdge) had received. .6ir. lV'iliiams pierceivedI that thiere waps great doubt as to the resuti of an action, anti adrised the parry not to notice the communication Hoevr PiT. BurTidge didl not atdopt the advice, andI when Mr Wilwlia= appearedi at Dorchester in the course of the circuit, he was surprised to have a brief put into his hand to con- duict the c-ase of the plaintiff, in an action founded on this letter. As soon as the flegt witness hand given his teasti- inany, the restolt was so very, unfavourable to the plaintiff, thatthe .Judge suggzestedI the Iropriety of Mir. Burridge yielding to Mr. Wiilliam-s's discretion. INo more of the witnesses were called, and the plaintiff was nonsuited. mr. Burridge took it into his head that Mlr. Williams was to blame, and so deeply did he resent what lie conceived to be the negligence of that gentlemnan,. that he wrote scurrilous letters concerning him. to several bartistaTr, on circuit, andI even to the learned Judges. Of these letteirs Mr. WVilliams took not tile least notice, anti the spirit of resantment seemed to have sub- sidled in Mlr. But-ridge's hieart for a long interval, until about twelve mnonths ago lie received a mocst abusise lettter, which he treated withi thie usual conrempr. Mlr. Williams hieard no more of him until lie rushed upon himn in the street of Winchester,. on Thursday, after- noon. The learned gentleman wafs returniing from court, and was, about stepping into lila lodgings, in company with a brother har- ris tar, when Biurridge dartedi from an obscure alley, and struck Mlr. "Villiams at violent blow on the left cheek. The shiock teat so great ast to force the two gentlemen into the middle of thie street. Alr. Wvilliams, on recovering from his surprise, toutied round to see the person from wliom this extraordlinary attack pro. ceedL-d, and instantly recognized ]Purridge. A great numberof per. sons had witnegsed the assault, and were so struck with tCue conduct of this person that theyv laidl holdI of him, and would liave inflicted ilnstant vengeance on -him, had it not been that Mlr. Williams en- treated them niot to ill-use him-,, I sce it is Burridge; pray do not hiurt him, he is not in his right mind." Burridge was, however, securd,an loded i thecitybridwell whee heremaned all nighit. Theq~urte sesios fr te cty f Wnchste beng holden on Frida (net moning, Mr C.F.illims apeard incourt, for the The ourtwas rowdd toexces, ad mot ofthe estern circuit were present The AMayor, Recorder, and Aldermen sat on thie bench. The Recordership of Winchiester is at present filled by Air. Philip Wil- liam,i, ai member of the Bar. Mr. Burridge, on being broughit up to Court, appeared ver7 much agitated, and was allowedl to have a seat within the bar. rhe in- dictment was then read, and Mlr. Biirridge was called on to plead. Afr. Burridge.--Am I to be tried now?' REcownrER.-You are in the profession, and ouglht to know that you hiave the option of travering it to the next session. Mlr. Barridpe then pleadled "'not guilty," but said, " Thought I am unprepared to take my trial at the pr&qent spaslons, I thinik I am at libcrty to mention some circumnatanees explaan.et fthmoIve which induced me to do whiat I hiave done. I wishtnpsv to state that myv feelings of reve-nge a-re satisfied, andI I..harboiar A.liostility to- wards 11r. Williams." REconitngs.-Tlhis language is higihly.unbecoming. The word "srevenge" is very imiproper to be addressed to the Court. Asyoln have the option of postponsing your trial until next sessionis, the only thing that remnains.for us to do is to order you to find bail for your appear- ance at the.sessions. lilr. C. F. Williams said that he was far from wishi ng to ac't harshly towards the defendant, as he certainly, entertained no feel- ing towards him but that of compassion and forgvness. But it 'was obvious to thie Couirt that, in the interval, whielst Mr. Bur- ridge wvas at large, he (Mlr. Williams) was in considerable per- sonial dangzcr. It became hiim, therefore, to take those steps for Ili$a security which thec law left open to him, atncd he hoped the Court would allow him to exhibit ar?jcles of tfit Vesare against .511r. P,urridge. Tine articles of the peace were thlpfi`ead. They set forthi that titA deponent, C. F. Williams, Esq.,tbarrister-at-law~, had at various gets received ceatain abusive and thrzeatening letters, and that on ,14liirsday las,t lie had, without provocation, rushed upon him in the street, and struck him a violent blow on ttie cheek; that he w"s in apprheson rom this circumrstance, as well as fromn the repeated dlations isbis letters, that the defendant intended him soegieosbdily harm. Ir.Wilim wa then sworn to the contents of the articles of the peace. The REcoRnEit then sttated to Mr.Burridge, that itwas necessary for him to procure bail, inot only to answer for the assault, but to kerp the peace towards Mr. Williams. Mlr. Burridge said he was perfectly uniprepared to do sio. He had ito answer to makeat Present. He begged, however, to be permitted to mnake an explanation in palliation of his conduc. lHe was ready to admit that he teas not justified in committing t'he assault; but there were strongt circumstances in mitigation of his fauilt The defendant lied previously tendered a letter, exculpatory of his centduct, which WasR received by the clerk, but not allowed to be read. The 1ItEconnEIL.-At present we are not in a situation to hear laity statemient fo yu If You persilst in Your traverse to) the in- diconc'nt, you w%ilhav,e theo.PPOrtuinitY of making every necesary teprmeseoation to tile court and jury that snaU try you. We can now haar nothing from youi, unless You have somnething to urge that may. induce Mlr. Williams to withd(raw this application. Ouir course Is marked oaut. The learred gentleman has, in the or- dlinary way, exhibited articles of the peace agasnst you, and you are bound to ptrovide sarelies anti enter into your own recognizance; -ha stureties required are two in 1001. each, and yourself in 2001. If' YOU reurered to give those securities nbow, yoru cAn dosao at aniy time Th l~fyOrwill take thiem at a short notice, but until they Steproide yo mut stard comtmitted. The g~aoler shiall be di. Seve~I enteme wh wee a~isintd wth he efedant, and thtikin~theypossssedinflenceoverhim,beso1ththim ot to rats- Oar ay furher poceedngs ncessry; tat itwas i his owerto ead he fflur aicthily tht hehaddon wrog, end oul, oly re pair bis error and ev isl yapaii otetnens of !hie Court and the prscutr Atlength Mr. IAlinchin (tbe u.tiorney who bad been inconsultatien thb the defendant) intimated to the (eurt that Mr. BtrrHdge bad recuose sensible of his vnisconduct, end was anxious to do every thing'in his power to obtain thd forgiveness of the prosecutor. le was now ready to withdraw his plea of "not guilty," and pleaa ' guilty" to the indictment The RECOnDrar said it would be nccessary for Mr. Burridge, at all events, to provide bail. . Mr. Burridge represented the difficulties he laboured under in being obliged to procure the necessary sureties. Mr. C. F. Williams said, that he was extremely happy at finding that the defendant had seen the impropriety of his ceuduct. " As I am," said he, " perfectly unconscious of having ever merited the slightest unkind feeling from Alr. Burridge, but, on the contrary, being convinced that I acted on the best judgm.ent could form, entirelyfor his interest, I think he mutst at last be perfectly sen- sible how unjustly he has dcalt towards me. I feel for the situation in which heis placed,and howdifficult it may be forhimto procure sureties. I am there fore quite ready, with the'permission of the Court, to take :ir. Burridge's own recognizance. I am sure that this is all that is neessRary; and I am happy in feeling that I shall not derive a greater degree of securitv in future from the pledged responsibility of tvo persons on behalf of Alr. Burridge than I shall from that gentleman's own impression of the injustice he has done me. Mr. Burridge bowed with great apparent thankfulness. Ere de- sired that his plea of " guilty" might be recortled, anti cntered into his own recognizance for 2001. to keep the peace for two years. Several genitlemen went up to Mir. Williams aid complimented him upon the generous forbearance whlich he had manifested. MNIr. Burridge, the mome;it lie was discharged, went to Alr. Wil- liams's lodgings, but not finding that gentleman at home., he left a letter expressing the deepest contrition for his conduct, andi his gra- titude for the generosity with which his unprovoked behaviour had been passed bv. The a tack had excitedI a great sensation in the town. As soon as the report was circulated, mnst of thie cmheers of the bar, anl par- ticularly the cenior ones, waited on Mr. Williams. The learned Gentleman's face is considerably sWollen, but he has sustained no other inconvenience from this attack. n., 7WINCHESTER, SA,TURD.Y, AUGUST 7.