Coburg Theatre.
The Times, 1824-01-13T00:00:00

The proprietors and managers of this theatre have also taken ad- vantagc of the great interest excited by the late proccedirgs at-Hert- tortr. They have produced, to use the language of the bills, " A slew nclodaiaia of intense interest. founded on tacts, called Tile Mcrtfordshire Tragedy; or the Matiy=s of GainingVin In this they have portrayea (as far as sceniC arrangements could effect it) the whole of the revolting transactions which led to the 1ate trial anti eiecution. Tbre principal actors in that horrid deed are repre- sented so as not to be mistaken hv any of the audience. The plot mar be d1e-scribed by the folloi;ing oitline:-Frremann , a young tnan just arrived in London, from ,Vortrich, havinc the care of a large sum of moneyi belonging to his fatier, is met by one of a gang of swindlers-common gatnbler.s by whom he is enticed to a gaming-house, and there, notwith- standing a previois sesolution not to play, he is induced to " try hiis htick." Of course lie loses all. He is returning from it in a state of desperation, when he is encountered by an- other of the gang, who having been refiused his expected share of the plndrr, isplanning some schemc ot'revenge. Taking advantage at Freema;n's despair, he works upon his feelings, and represents it as ant act of jartic6 to rid the world o:'a2man b. whomn t has been plindered, and as a farther inducetnent, poinlits out the chanice of recovering back part of his money. The bait succeeds, and after several struggles with his conscience, Freenan consents. Then tWiow the whole of the plan for the murder, anti the iuitrdcr itself, .s the circumstances were given in evidence at Ucrtford. Meivia, the successful glamester (who is easily recognized as the per- son meant for the late IlMr. Wileare), gets into tIe gig with his friend, is shot by him in thc lane, and after a lhrd struggle, in which he implores fbr niercy, antl ofters to give back all the money lie had won, lie is ov;crpowered by his assailant, and tile first act finishec, leaving Freeman in tile act of cutting his tilroat. In the subsequent, acts, all the proceedings respect- ing the disposal of the body at " the cottrae" are represented with diusrsting egactness. ThDen follow the discovery aud trial. 'The audience are allowetd to see that part of it at which the itury are re- ttirning with a verdict of guilty against Frrtmnuin anuXl Felw7-ood. The Judge is about to pass sentenc~, and FremCCaU being asked what he has to say, uttersa few sentenres against the vice of gatning, of which he describEs hIimself the victim. . The Judge puts-on the black cap, and the scene closes, leaving 'he rest to be imagin- ed by theaudience.. Without adverting to the lcLmlitv of such an exhibition as this, we cannot applaud the taste ar facjan, ot those who contrived it, or of those who will go to witness it. It is, we thikli, from beginning to end a most disgusting suectac1c. The frc- I quentalhisions of the man intended to represent 'Thurtell to his re- spectable father, are in violation of every sentiment of common hu- Inanity. The public have already hadl epTugh of this shocking af- hdir. The laws have inflicted just retribution upon one oi the wretched beings, by k'.om they were. so flagrantly outraged. .Jus- tice andlh,maniity require that the4'eelingsof 1in tutocent reiativcs5- 'who hive aiready suftered too mnuch, should liot be fbYther wounded. WVc were glad to ptreeive that the andience wua not very nunmerous. The gallery was crowded uvitti es2ctly such a motley axsemblagoas one might perceiveatan OldBailey execution. Thie faw genteel- looking tiersons ~vho were in the boxes or pit wveri evidently dis- guisted at the wholoscone. It was of course aplauded bi the gentry in the gallery. COB URG TiJE!A TILE.