The Statesman. — 1818-12-22 (London, England)

CRIM. CON. ♦AUGHAN V. SMITH.  Mr. Pttiwes opened this case. The declaration stated, that the Defendant made an assault *pot' the 1 wife of the Plaintiff, and debauched her; thereby depriving the Plaintiff of the comfort of her society. The damages were laid at 10,0001. Mr. Serjesut COrt.IT stated the circumstances of the case to the Jury. The Plaintiff, Mr. Vaughan, he said, brought this action for the purpose of recotering reparation in demagog, as far as damages could go in repairing such au injury, for the seduction of his wife by the Defendant. Cases of this nature had been of such frequent occurrence, and had so often been the subjects of consideration in Courts of Justice, that he thought it unnecessary to make any ge. neral observations on their character; convinced, as he was, that the feelings and understandings of the Jury would soggest every thing which be could urge in introducing such a case to their notice. He thought he should best discharge his duty to his Client, by confining himself to a plain and simple statement of the case, laying before them the situation of the parties, and the circumstances under which the of. fence was committed. ile was quite save that the facts which he should lay before them in evidence would be conclusive. The Learned Serjeant then proceeded to state, that the Plaintiff, Mr. Vaughan, wale Gentleman very well known in the musical world, and of great talents. So far back as the lyear 1805, he was introduced, for the first time, to a young Lady of the name of Tetuan'. She was then 17 years of age, of great personal beauty and accomplishments; added to which, she was possessed, in an eminent degree, of the same description of talent for which Mr. Vaughan had been so eminently distinguished. At the latter end of 1805 a marriage took place. From that period down to the time when their happiness was broken in upon by the present Defendant, they lived together in the greatest possible degree of harmony and affection. Mrs. Vaughan assisted her husband in the discharge of his professional engagements.; and this they mutually contributed to the support of their common offspring. They, had had ,several children, of whom sis were now alive ; the eldest not above 10 years of age. The Defendant was the sou of a Dr. Smith, residing st Richmond, and held an office under the Goesernatens of the country.—  The transports for the reception of the 41st regiment, actually at Portsmouth, and the 4th, s'h, and 9th now at Winchesters are expected to be ready in about a week. These regiments are all destined for the West Indies. Yesterday a private soldier, discharged a week or ten days ago from the second battalion of the Coldstream Regiment of Guards, gave the following im• portant information ■t the Police Office, Iletton garden :—lle stated, that about ten or twelve days ago he received his discharge and some money, and meeting with two other soldiers discharged from the 18th Light Dragoons, who were bound to Notting. barn, their native place; as it was likewise his, they agreed to travel together, but remained a couple of nights in town, until their money was nearly spent in drinking, when they agreed to set oat on their jour. ney at dusk, to disguise themselves, end rob the first traveller that they met with, and, it necessary, to mur. der him: they accordingly set out with that intent, in a state of inebriety, but after going three miles from town, it was then determined to stop the first person they met with ; but informant having somewhat recovered from the state of drunkenness t4ey kept him in, and the horror of what they intended to do staring him in the face, he remonstrated with them, and strove to dissuade them from their parpose; but finding they were determined, he expressed' his full determination to have no hand in it. They finding they could not prevail on him to' join them, attacked him with their stick., and left him for dead, in which state he was shortly afterwards found by a carter, who brought him to town ; the others proceeded. The names of the offenders ere kept secret. We understand this happened on the night Mr. lay. lor was robbed and murdered, Limbrick the acer is gone in pursuit.