The Sun. — 1847-08-18 (London, England)

SOUTHWARK.  Yesterday Josiah Benn, a seaman belonging to the Gorgon steam-frigate, was brought before Mr. Cottingham, charged with assaulting and threatening to stab Eliza Shearwood.  The complainant, a young woman, stated that she had been living with the prisoner under promise of marriage, and that a few days ago he came from on board ship, threw himself into a passion when he entered her dwelling, and commenced breaking all the furniture and crockery in the place ; and that when she interposed to save some:of her goods from destruction, he pulled out a clasp-knife and threatened to stab her, previously to which, however, he beat and kicked her in the most savage manner. The prisoner, a very powerful man, said, that six weeks ago he was paid off from a man-of-war, and received 1701., all of which money he had expended in her company, and now that he was " run aground," she wanted to " shove him adrift ;" and that, if he did break the furniture, it was his own money, at all events, that paid for it. He added, that although he pulled out the knife, he did not intend to use it against her. The complainant said that the prisoner had squandered away his money in dissipation since ke came ashore, and that it was untrue to assert that she was the cause of his present condition. Mr. COTTINGHAM severely censured the violent conduct of the prisoner towards the complainant, and said that he had disgraced the character of a British seaman in the way he acted towards her. He (the Magistrate) should therefore adjudge him, not only to find good bail to keep the peace, but also to pay for the property he had destroyed. In reference to the case of the young man Killerby, charged with writing letters threatening the life of Elizabeth Spriggs, the Magistrate, instead of summarily disposing of it, d erred it necessary, for the ends of public justice, to commit him for trial for the felony, a former conviction for a similar offence being recorded against . . .  him. The Act under which the offffeii-ce with which the  man is accused is laid only passed on the 9th ult., entitled " An Act for extending the provisions of the Law respecting Threatening Letters," and enacts, " that if any person shall knowingly send or deliver, or utter to any other person, any letter or writing threatening to kill or murder any other person, or to burn or destroy any house, barn, or other building, or any rick or stack of grain, hay, or straw, or other agricultural produce, or shall knowingly procure, counsel, aid, or abet the commission of the said offences, he shall be guilty of felony, and being convicted thereof shall be liable, at the discretion of the Court, to be transported beyond the seas for life, or for any term not less than seven  years, or to be imprisionjd, with or without hard labour, for any term not less than seven years, or to be imprisoned, with or without hard labour, for any term not exceeding four years, and, if a male, to be once, twice, or thrice publicly or privately whipped (if the Court shall think fit), in addition to such imprison• ment."  Mr. COTTINGUAM, in reply to an application made on the part of the complainant to have the case summarily disposed of, to prevent the necessity of prosecuting at the sessions, said that as the prisoner had been previously tried and convicted, and had repeated the offence, he was bound to send him again before a jury, under the provisions of the above Act, and that in the  event of his being found guilty, the Judge would have it iu his power to award such a punhhtnent as would  effectually put a stop to the prisoner's dangerous con. duct.