Star. — 1813-10-05 (London, England)

SWINDLING. —A person of genteel appearance and I address, calling himself Colonel Verity, accompa.! nied by his lady, has been at the Crown Hotel in I Portsmouth for some time past. By his specious appearance he has succeeded in swindling a great many persons in that town and ne►ghbourhood, by giving them drafts for goods, and receiving the surplus in cash. To a Coachmaster there he gave dt draft on Messrs. Esdailes, of London, for selso, as payment for a pair of blood curricle horses to Mk. Kirkman, for millinery for his lady,. amounting to £5. les. he gave a bill of £2O on Messrs. Goslings, of London,' receiving the surplus in cash. From Portsmouth he " went to Ryde, where he followed up MI plan, giving bills to Messrs. Williams and Collier, library ; Yelf ; and Mr. Riddet, grocer; receiving from each a considerable sum as change. Having committed those depredations, as well as many others, he de-1 ' camped. An action was tried in the Court of King's Bench, in the island of St. Vincent, on the 15th of June last,' which excited considerable interest in that island. It, was an action for damages, brought by a Mr. Lock• head, late Superintendant of the Botanic Garden, in St. Vincent, against Messrs. French and Grant, for having forcibly turned him out of the dwelling house, which he held in consequence of his official situation. It appeared from the evidence, adduced on the trial, that some differences had arisen between the plaintiff and Sir C. Brisbane, the Governor of St. Vincent, and that-die latter had been suspended from his situation. The defendants, the day after his suspension, (which happened to be on a Sunday) made a forcible entry into his dwelling house, and ejected him from it. The defendant, Grant, had been appointed by the Govern r, the plaintiff's successor. The defence set • up for French was, that he had acted in a Magisterial capacity, and could not be called upon for damages, as the notice of trial served upon him' was informal. The Jury retired about two hours, and returned a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages £750. A new trial was moved for by the defendant's Cowell mad a rah to that effect granted.  .  • • • . -cIR btr,,rEL/CiNat tWOititt.riss, sEirrimßint ts. Atireeo Coital, found guilty of the murder of his wife, was sentenced to be executed at Inverness on' the 29th of October next, and his body given for dia. section. The Court then proceeded to the trial, of Main. Vaciassie,Joha lfacketszie, and Roderk& Mackod, from the parish of Assynt, in the county of Sutherland, accused of riot and assault, committed at the setdeMent of the Rev. Mr. M•Arthur, as assistant and successor to the present Minister of that p!rish. The Jury returned a verdict of Guilty against all the three pri-toners. William MaCkenzie was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, John Mackenzie to one, year's imprisonment, and Roderick Macleod to, ffix months' imprisonment. • bold Jo/autos, late servant to Alexander Wation, merchant on the Merkinch, new Inversess, accused' of concealing her pregnancy during the whole period. thereof, and Rot calling for kelp or assistance at the birth, the child being amissing, was found not guilty, and dismissed from the bar.