they expected some awful abjuration--that she would take the horns of some storied altar, or produce a bible to swear on-it turned out, that this fine and mystic allusion meant only that she went and swore the child to the defendant before a justice. In the decline of ancient eloquence, when occasions for display were rare, it was the practice of the Roman orators to spin out subtile disputations on the vilest animal substance; and it was reported that thus a very splendid harangue was indited on the subject of dirt. Thus had Mr. Phillips-not in the decline of eloquence, for his speech proved it to be flourishing, but in the absence of a fit subject for his powers-taken the course once pursued by less able speakers, and garnished out with the ornaments of rhetoric this most dirty cause. He again asked them to compare that address with the evidence-to think on the conduct of this girl, and of the parents, who had waited for three years before they commenced proceedings; and he was assured, they would either find a verdict for the defendant, or, if they thought they must give the plaintiff something, would tender him the lowest and basest coin-symbol of worthlessness and impudence-as the reward of this most frivolous and

brazen-faced action.

Mr. Justice Best commented on the conduct of the plaintiff's daughter, and told the jury, that, if they believed she was as ready as the defendant, and had shown an entire want of delicacy and feeling, they should give only the smallest damages.

The jury, after consulting for some time, asked what damages would carry costs?

Mr. Justice Best informed them,

that any damages would carry costs in this form of action.

The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff-Damages 40s.

CROYDON.

Murder.-JULY 25.

Phillip Stoffel and Charles Kep pel, were indicted for the murder of Mrs. Richards, at Clapham.

Jane Bell, deposed as follows:I lived with the late Mrs. Richards: on Tuesday, the 8th of April, I went out about a quarter before 7 o'clock, and left Mrs. Richards at home; I returned between 9 and 10; I did not see her that night; I saw her however, the next day; Mrs. Richards was 74 years of age; I knew her watch from often seeing it; it usually hung by the side of the fire-place; Mrs. Richards and I were the only persons who inhabited the house.

Sophia Jones.-I am a dressmaker at Clapham ; I was a neighbour of the late Mrs. Richards, to whom I went every Tuesday to read the newspaper. On Tuesday, the 8th of April, I went to her house a little after 8 o'clock; I knocked at her door; nobody came to answer; I then looked through the key-hole, but it was quite dark, and I could see nothing; I stayed a minute longer, and was just going away, when the door became open a little; I then said, "Mrs. Richards, it's I." Getting no answer, I went into the front room in which she usually sat; I called out again, "Mrs. Richards! Mrs. Richards!" and then I saw her laid down all her length. Not receiving an answer, I went out to fetch Mrs. Stratton, who lived three doors off; I was rather frightened; I found her, and went back

to the house with her; we saw a poker under the window on the outside of the house; we then went to her neighbours, Mr. Miller and Mr. Glazier; we entered the parlour all together: as soon as I saw the body lying, I went out frightened: I recollect her watch hanging up constantly in her parlour.

Charles Millar.-Mrs. Richards came to my house, and stayed about half an hour, on Tuesday, the 8th of April, between seven and eight o'clock; she went by a back way from my house to her own; some time after Mrs. Richards had gone, Miss Jones called on me, and, in consequence of what she said, I went to Mrs. Richards's house; I entered, and saw Mrs. Richards lying on her back on the floor; there was a cloth in her mouth, which was taken out by Mrs. Stratton; it appeared to have been twisted together, and forced into her mouth; there was a mark of blood upon it; Mrs. Richards was then dead; it could not have been so placed into her mouth without force. Joseph Rippon.-I am a surgeon at Clapham. On Tuesday, the 8th of April, I was at half-past 8 o'clock in the house of Mrs. Richards. I found her quite dead, and without any sensation. There was no pulsation of the heart, no contraction of the pupil of the eyes, and her arms were moist and cold. I did not discover any marks upon her person, till Mrs. Stratton spoke to me. Mrs. Stratton said, “This apron I pulled out of her mouth." I looked at it, and saw a great deal of saliva and a little blood upon it. The apron, when thrust into the mouth of Mrs. Richards, would occasion suffocation. I looked at her mouth. I saw that a tooth had been forced out by something

thrust into it. I then examined her face and skin; there was a mark on the right side of her throat; the skin was slightly raised; there was a similar mark on her nose; it appeared, as if a thumb and the finger of a hand had been placed there, and had occasioned them. From these circumstances I concluded, that she had come to her death by this apron having been violently thrust into her mouth and throat.

Thomas Scott, the accomplice.I know both the prisoners at the bar, and was in company with them in the afternoon of Tuesday, April 8, at the Princess of Wales, near the asylum for the Blind, in the London-road. There was another man of the name of Pritchard with us; he is not in custody. We saw Mary Smith and Betsy Dell at the outside of the door there. We all drank beer there for about 10 minutes. From the Princess of Wales we went to Clapham. We set out about 10 minutes past 7. We were about three quarters of an hour in going to Clapham. We stopped near the Clapham workhouse, all four of us. I said, I hoped they were not going to murder or hurt the old lady; for if they were, I would not go any further with them. Before we left the London-road, Stoffel told me, that we were going to Clapham. Stoffel asked Pritchard and Keppel, whether they would go with him to Clapham to get some money. He said, that he had got an old aunt with plenty of money, which they could get with ease. Keppel asked, how they were to get into the house. Stoffel pulled out a brown paper parcel from his pocket, tied round with string, and sealed with black wax, directed for "Mrs. Bell, at Mrs. Richards', Clapham,

Surry." He said that would be an admittance. Stoffel planned in the Clapham-road, that I should deliver the parcel. At that time Keppel and Pritchard said, that they would not hurt the old woman. We then proceeded to Clapham, and came to Mrs. Richards's. Stoffel showed us the house. Keppel and Pritchard stood near the window. I stood opposite the door. Stoffel stood by my side, nearest the window. Stoffel knocked at the door; the old lady said, "Who is there?" I said, "Here's a parcel for Mrs. Bell."

Robert Hall, an officer of Union hall, produced a parcel.

The witness continued.-That is the parcel. Mrs. Richards opened the door and took it to the light. She then put on her spectacles. Stoffel came in, and said, " "My good old creature, we don't wish to hurt you: we only wish you to be quiet." Stoffel was not disguised, and there were fire and candle in the room. Mrs. Richards said, "Oh Lord: Oh dear!" On her saying so, Stoffel put his hand before her mouth. The old lady then fell, as if fainting. Stoffel eased her down on the floor, and said, "Poor old creature, we won't hurt her." Keppel and Pritchard then came in. Upon their coming in, Stoffel called on them to hold the old lady, because he knew best where the money was. Keppel laid hold of the old lady, and put his hand over her mouth. Stoffel and Pritchard went up stairs with the light. They left me and Keppel in the room. I took the watch that was hanging over the fireplace, fastened the front door, and followed them up stairs. I left Keppel with Mrs. Richards. We were not longer than three or four minutes up stairs. We searched

There

the back room up stairs. We took out of it five gowns and three or four silk handkerchiefs. We broke open no box or lock. We then came down stairs into the parlour. We found Mrs. Richards on the floor, and Keppel holding her down, with something white over her face, a handkerchief or apron, but I don't know which. Stoffel found a key hanging over the fire-place in the parlour; he opened the cupboard, and took out of it seven silver tea-spoons. Stoffel said there ought to be fifteen table-spoons, but he could not find them. was a tea-caddy-on seeing it, he asked Keppel, if he had seen any small keys. Keppel then put his hand in Mrs. Richards's pocket and pulled out her keys. With one of them Stoffel unlocked the caddy, and found three sovereigns, and nine or ten shillings in silver. Stoffel put the money into his pocket. Stoffel said there was more money somewhere, but it was no use stopping. We all four then came to the door. Stoffel went out first, and we followed him. I was the last in; I put out the candle and shut the door close, but did not fasten it. All the time we were in the house, Keppel was near Mrs. Richards, holding her on the floor. I took no steps to see, whether she was alive or dead. I took one gown, one silk handkerchief, and the watch; Stoffel, Pritchard, and Keppel took the other property between them. Stoffel laida poker on the outside of the window. Pritchard and I went on one side of the road, and Stoffel and Keppel on the other. We were about ten minutes in the house. As we were walking home, we turned up Love-lane, near Stockwell-green. Stoffel said to Keppel-"I hope the old woman is not dead." Kep

pel said—"Oh, b-r, what odds." We then went to the Borough, and stayed in a house near the Mint. No conversation took place, but Stoffel and Pritchard took the things from me and Kepple, and went into Perkins's, who keeps a bit of an old iron shop. We might be about three-quarters of an hour in walking from Clapham. Stoffel and Pritchard went into Perkins's with the things, and I and Keppel into the Union public-house. It was then a little before nine o'clock. Stoffel and Pritchard came to us there in about ten minutes after wards. When they joined us, Pritchard had the watch, which was in a metal case, in his fob.

George Walmisly, a pawnbroker, produced a watch, which he said had been pawned with him.

Witness continued. I believe that is the watch. It was near 11 o'clock when we left the publichouse. At that time Keppel and Pritchard were much in liquor: they were so drunk, that they fell down into the gutter. I called to Stoffel to help them up, but he ran off with the watch and a sovereign in his pocket. When Pritchard came into the publichouse, he said that the things were sold for 25s. Some young man assisted in picking up Keppel and Pritchard. I took them in a hackney coach, to a lodging house in Kent-street. Not getting a lodging there, the coachman put them down at the Surry watch-house. The night constable said, that drunken people must not be left there, and so we drove to Keppel's home, near Amelia-street, Wal worth. I stayed there about an hour, having first taken seven or eight shillings from Keppel's pocket to pay the coach-hire, which was four shillings. I walked all night about the streets. The next

morning I saw Keppel and Pritch ard about seven o'clock at Keppel's house. We went from there to the Union public-house. Whilst we were there, Keppel and Pritchard said, that I must have the watch and the sovereign. I denied it. Mr. Betteridge, the master of the publichouse, said that the young man in the brown coat had gotten it. We then went to the Princess of Wales in search of Stoffel, but did not find him. I had known Smith and Dell for some time before this: these two girls lived together in York-street, London-road: Keppel, Pritchard and myself went to their lodgings, and stayed there for a few hours. I afterwards went to Bristol with Pritchard and Keppel on the Sunday following. We arrived there on the Wednesday night, and left it on the Saturday morning following for London. We stopped at Marlborough as we went. went. On arriving in London, Pritchard went to his mother's at Mary-le-bone, Keppel to his mother's in Walworth, and I to my father, who is a rat-catcher, at No. 6, Nelson-street, Camberwell. I go a rat-catching with my father, but in general I am a labourer.

Cross-examined.-I was apprehended on Wednesday, 23rd of April, at nine in the evening. Stoffel was taken first, Keppel second, and I was taken last. I had seen and heard of the hand-bills pro claiming a reward of 200 guineas for the discovery of Mrs. Richards's murderers, before I voluntarily surrendered myself. I surrendered upon being told by an officer, that there was every hope and expectation that I should be made a witness for the Crown. My father came to me with a message to that effect from Mr. Allen. When I was brought before Mr. Allen, I was placed in the prison.

ers' box on three different occasions. I made the same statement then as I have done to-day. I was alone with Mr. Allen on one occasion. He asked me, if I was willing to tell the truth from beginning to end, and to turn King's evidence. I said that I would. I therefore gave my evidence, supposing that I should save my neck by it.

Thomas Reed.-I am night constable at Clapham. On Tuesday, the 8th of April, I went to Mrs. Richards' house. I took up a brown paper parcel which was on the table. That is the parcel which I took up. I also took up a pocket and an apron. The apron, produced in court this day, is the same as that which I then took up.

Stephen Carter.-I am a patrol belonging to the Clapham trust. I saw this parcel lying in Mrs. Richards's house. I gave it to Mrs. Bell; she opened it. It consisted of nothing but blank paper. She then gave it me, and I gave it Reed, the constable.

Elizabeth Dell.-I know Keppel only by seeing him in the Londonroad. I drank with him last April, about 7 or 8 in the evening, at the Princess of Wales. Anne Smith was with me. We lived together in York-street, London-road, at that time. We were 10 minutes with Keppel at the outside of the house, in the London-road. A man came up to us at that time; but I do not know who it was. We left the prisoners there. We saw Keppel, Pritchard and Scott the next day. I had never seen Scott before. I should know Scott again if I saw him.

Mary Anne Smith.-I saw the prisoners on Tuesday, the 8th of April, at the Princess of Wales, London-road, along with Betsey Dell; Keppel gave me the porter

on the outside of the door; I did not see Keppel any more, till the next day; he then came to my lodgings with Scott and Pritchard; Scott stayed, but Pritchard went away: I conversed with Keppel on the Saturday, but he told me nothing particular.

Robert Hall.--I am an officer at Union-hall; I apprehended Stoffel on the 10th of April, about 11 o'clock at night, and Keppel on the 22nd, about 12 at night; Glannon was with me when they were apprehended; I took Stoffel at the Cock, at Camberwell; this brown paper parcel was then in my cus tody; I did not then produce it to Stoffel; I asked him the next morning at the office to write; I dictated to him, what he should write, and he wrote this paper; the magistrate saw him write it.

Cross-examined.—I was first employed on the 8th of April to discover these murderers, and on the 10th I found Stoffel. Mr. Allen was present, I think, when I asked Stoffel to write. When I took Stoffel into custody, he was so drunk, that I was obliged to throw him neck and heels into the cart in which I took him to London.

Re-examined. I let Scott out of my custody for six or eight hours together at a time, in the hopes of finding Pritchard. I stood as a hackney coachman, night after night, in Westminster, my self, in order to detect him. I have travelled hundreds of miles for the same purpose. Whilst I waited in Westminster, I was dis guised in a hackney-coachman's great coat, that I might not be known; if I had been in my present dress, I should have been too well known. Pritchard was in the habit of living with the prostitutes of Westminster.