The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — 1806-01-15 (London, England)

PUNISHMENTS.  Peine feet et duns. —"•-• Tlis L, goes Jewess! of the 6th instant, contaiss the following article : For the satisfaairin of a respeaable correspondent, we should be glad to be informed, by any of our readers, whether there are any traces of memory remaining of the following singular transaition, which is ,recorded in 'I Cs 14”dom Alva:tee, for Almost, 1735. " At the Assizes at Lewes, in Sussex, a man who pretended to be deaf and dumb, was indiaed for a barbarous murder and robbery. He had been taken up on suspicion, se►eral spots of blood, and part of the goods being found upon him. When he was brought to the bar, he would cot speak or plead, though often urged to it, and the sentence to be infliaed on such as stand mute was read to him.— Four or five persons in the Court swore they had heard hiss speak, and the boy, who was his accom. ;slice, and apprehended, was there to be a witness ;whist him; yet he continued mete; whereupon be was carried back to Horsham Jail, to be pressed to death, if be would cot plead They laid on him first! 100 weight, then added 100 more, and he still remained obstinate; they then added 100 more, and then made it ssolb. yet he would not speak; then adding 501 b. more, he was just dead, having all the agonies of death upon him. Then the elven(loser, who weighs about 17 or 18 stone, lay down upon the blbord which was over him, and adding to the weight, killed him in an instant." We never heard any mention made by the eldest inhabitants of our town, of the above extraordinary circumstance, and it is the first instance we ever met with, of a man's enduring the sentence, even to death. In the year 1721, one Spilsket endured it for an hour, and then pleaded.  ANSWER TO THE ASOVIL, ICON TYR LEWES JOURNAL Of Tat 13rn. The appearance of the article in our last Journal, respeding the man who suffered death by pressure, at Horsham, rather than plead to an indietment that was preferred against him for murder. at the Assizes held here, in August, 1735, has brought to our knowledge divers incontestible proof of its authenticity. Mrs. Read, of Southover. whose grandfather, Mr. Henry Miller, of Hellingly, was of the jury impannelled to try the prisoner, not only confirms his obstinacy, from family tradition, but further informs us, that he had two accomplices in the murder. a travelling tinker and his wife who, being arraigned at the same time, and havini pleaded to the indidment, were condemned and Gag, principally on the evidence of a bay concerned, who was admitted an evidence for the crown. The barbarous deed she states to have been committed in a lonely house, in the western part of the county, on the person of a young woman, in the absence of her soother. who was meseding bar braless, as a nurse, in the neighbourhood. And it appeared, by the testimony of the boy, that he first entered the house. through an aperture made in the window for that purpose, and then opened the door for the admission of his companions; but their noise having disturbed the young woman, she quitted her chamber, and was coining down stairs, bat being met by the tinker, be knocked her down. when the man who refused to plead, took her up, and having placed her heed between his knees, these held it until the tinker's wife cot her throat. They then pillaged the premises, aid made of. Mr. Fiest, now living at 'rwineham, (who was about eleven years of age, and resided at Horsham at the time mentioned) informs us, that he was present when the punishment was intlideil in the old gaol yard, but that, owing to the excessive crowd of speittators, he could not get sear the scene of death. He describes the sufferer as a very robust looking man; and ears he conversed some time with the boy who was to have been the principal witness against him. Mr. J. Verrall, a very respectable gentleman. in Sniithover, well remembers the sentence having been passed ; but does net recoiled its being carried into execution.  Our Correspondent having felt particular interest .11 atcettairpng the above fad, we Lope K is now CA. tab:ised Is his sci.taltion.