science to acquit her. If, on the other hand, they believed that it was the preparatory pangs of a mind intent on gratifying its revenge by the death of its object, they must find her guilty; but they scarcely need be told that, should a doubt remain on their minds, common charity required that the balance should turn in the prisoner's favour.

The jury consu.ted about two minutes, and then gave their ver

9

diet-Not Guilty, to the general sati-faction of the whole Court.

The judges, on leaving the town, after the assizes were over, directed that Miss Broadric should be examined before two magistrates, that she might be safely removed, under their order, to the place of her settlement, with a particular recommendation annexed thereto, that she might be taken all possible care of.

JOHN WHITE, a young man about nineteen, got up early in the morning, June 19, 1795, procured a brace of pistols, which he loaded, and with coolness and deliberation walked into the school-room of Miss Maria Bally, in Corn Street, Bath, an amiable young lady, to whom he was affectionately attached, and, after a short conversation, presented one of the pistols to her head, and shot her instantly dead. The noise and smoke of the pistol greatly terrified the children in the school, and, their cries alarming the neighbours, he was taken coming out of the door. The mayor shortly after summoned a jury, and a verdict of wilful murder was brought in against him.

On the trial it appeared that the deceased had forbidden the addresses of the prisoner, which urged him to this rash act. When the witnesses for the crown had been examined, he was asked if he had any thing to say in his defence. He replied that he left his case entirely to his counsel, who called three witnesses to prove the insanity of the prisoner; but their evidence went merely to a dejection of spirits, which he had manifested previous to the murder.

The jury, without hesitation, returned a verdict-Guilty.

The learned judge then observed that virtuous love always harmonized the mind, but in him that passion had shown itself savage and ferocious. He then proceeded, in a most solemn manner, to pass upon him the following dreadful sentence: That he should return to the place from whence he came; on Thursday next to be hanged by the neck until he was dead, and his body to be delivered to a surgeon to be anatomized.-To be allowed bread and water only, unless he wished to receive the sacrament; to be kept private, and no person admitted to him but by the direction of the sheriff.'

White was composed during the greater part of his trial, and heard the sentence with resignation, bowing submissively to the Court, and particularly to the prosecutor. He then shook hands with the witnesses who had appeared against him, saying they had spoken nothing but what was truth.

He was taken from the prison about half an hour after ten o'clock on Thursday morning (his trial having been the preceding Tuesday): the cart in about ten minutes arrived at the place of execution. He spent half an hour in fervent prayer with the county chaplain and another

minister. He afterwards addressed the numerous spectators in a clear and connected speech of full twenty minutes, in which he quoted many passages from Dr. Young's Night Thoughts;' and cautioned the younger part of his hearers to be careful how they formed connexions,

and, when formed, not to trifle with each other's feelings. When the clergyman left the cart he remained composed, and met his fate with becoming fortitude.

The body, after receiving some incisions from the surgeon, was delived to his friends.

IN our account of the conviction and escape of Archibald Hamilton Rowan we have mentioned the apprehension of this offender. He was a native of Ireland, and a minister of the Church of England. Early in life he preached at Tavistock Chapel, London, and for several years resided in chambers in Lyon's Inn; but the emoluments of his clerical occupation not affording him a sufficient subsistence, he applied his talents to literature, and was for a considerable time editor of a newspaper, in which situation he made himself very conspicuous. He took a decided part in the quarrel between the Duchess of Kingston and Mr. Foote, and treated the latter with much asperity. He was sharer in the romantic scheme of the Royalty Theatre, and was obliged for a considerable time to abscond, on account of the pecuniary difficulties in which it involved him. Afterwards he entered into a criminal conspiracy, and was tried at Dublin for high treason, on the 23d of April, 1795.

a

The indictment charged the prisoner with two species of treason, namely, compassing the king's death, and adhering to his enemies; and stated fourteen overt acts. The attorney-general opened the prosecution on the part of the crown; and, having dwelt at some length on the doctrine of treason, proceeded to substantiate the charges in the

indictment, for which purpose he called Mr. Cockayne, an attorney of London, who deposed that he had been for a series of years the lawagent and intimate friend of Mr. Jackson, who a few years since went to France (as the witness understood) to transact some private business for Mr. Pitt, where he resided a considerable time. Soon after his return, Mr. Cockayne said he called on Jackson, who told him in confidence that he had formed a design of going to Ireland, to sound the people, for the purpose of procuring a supply of provisions, &c. from them for the French, and requested him (the witness) to accompany him. Having accepted the invitation, he immediately waited on Mr. Pitt, and discovered to him the whole of Mr. Jackson's plans. The minister thanked him for the information, and hinted that, as the matter was to become a subject of legal investigation, it would be necessary for him to substantiate the allegations; but this Mr. Cockayne wished to decline, on the principle that, if the prisoner should be convicted of high treason, he should lose by it three hundred pounds, in which sum he then was indebted to him. This objection was soon removed by Mr. Pitt agreeing to pay him the money, provided he would prosecute to conviction; and the witness accompanied Mr. Jackson to Ireland, for the purpose of making

himself acquainted with his proceedings. Shortly after their arrival in Dublin, where they lived together, the prisoner expressed a wish to be introduced to Mr. Hamilton Rowan, who was then confined in Newgate; and at length, through the interference of a friend, he obtained an interview, at which Mr. Cockayne was present.

In the course of conversation the prisoner delivered two papers to Mr. Rowan, for the purpose of convincing him that he was a person in whom he might confide. From that time an intimacy took place between them; the witness always accompanied Mr. Jackson in his visits to Mr. Rowan, and constantly took a part in their conversation. They agreed, he said, that a person should be sent to France to procure à force to make a descent on Ireland, and Counsellor Wolfe Tone was mentioned as a fit person for that purpose, who at first appeared to acquiesce, but afterwards declined the office. Dr. Reynolds was then proposed by Mr. Rowan, but objected to by the prisoner, as he did not understand the French language. It was, however, at length agreed that the doctor should take the embassy; but in a short time he also refused to enter into the business. On this it was agreed that Mr. Jackson should write several letters, which were directed for a Mr. Stone, of the firm of Lawrence and Co. London. These contained enclosures for houses at Hamburgh and Amsterdam; and some of them to the French agents described the situation of Ireland at the time, invited an invasion, and pointed out the proper places to land. These letters having been sent to the Postoffice, the witness went to the secretary, and informed bim of the subject of them, on which they were detained The plot matured thus far having been discovered, the pri

soner was taken into custody. Such is the substance of the examination and cross-examination of Mr. Cockayne, which, together with the documentary proofs alluded to, were the only evidence adduced. Throughout the whole of the investigation he appeared very much agitated and confused.

Mr. Curran, Mr. Ponsonby, and Mr. McNally, exerted their abilities in behalf of the prisoner. The former spoke at much length. He treated the conduct of Mr. Cockayne as extremely suspicious; and, from the pecuniary temptation thrown in his way to act the part he had done in the business, suggested to the jury that his evidence was entitled to very little credit. The primesergeant replied, and Lord Chief Justice Clonmel delivered a very able and impartial charge to the jury, who retired at forty-five minutes after three in the morning, and at half past four brought in a verdict-Guilty, but recommended the prisoner to mercy.

The chief justice inquired of the jury if they had any doubts on their minds which led them to such recommendation. The foreman answered immediately No, my lord.' The jury would, in all probability, have acquitted the prisoner, had he not inadvertently acknowledged the letters (which Mr. Cockayne swore to be his handwriting) by explaining some mysterious passages in them. The witness's agreement with Mr. Pitt would otherwise, it is said, have invalidated his evidence. The trial lasted seventeen hours and a half.

After the judges Clonmel, Boyd, and Chamberlain, had consulted for a few moments, the chief justice addressed the jury, saying, You have acquitted yourselves with honour, and a conscientious regard for justice. It is more than a century

since this land has been cursed with such a crime, and we trust your verdict will operate in preventing a repetition of it. Your recommendation shall be laid before govern

ment.'

Mr. Jackson heard the verdict with much apparent composure, and was brought into Court to receive judgment on the 30th of April, 1795, when having been asked the usual question by the clerk of the crown, what he had to say why judgment of death should not be passed upon him, Mr. Curran prayed that the caption of the indictment might be read, which being done, he objected that the Court, could not proceed to pass judgment, inasmuch as the copy of the caption of the indictment had not been served on the prisoner, and that the names of the grand jurors who found the bill of indictment were nol set out in the record; and inasmuch as it did not appear what such grand jurors were sworn to do.

The attorney-general said that, if there were any objection on the part of the prisoner, going to the legaty of finding the indictment, or to the competence of any of the grand Jury who found the bill of indictment against the prisoner, or even to the sheriff, who empannelled the grand jury, it should have been made before he had pleaded to the indictment.

It was now intiinated to the Court that the prisoner appeared to be in a very dangerous situation, in point of bodily weakness, having for some time appeared to be uncommonly agitated, on which the Court ordered that, if any medical gentlemen were present, they should examine into the situation of the prisoner, and report their opinion. Doctor Waite, who was in the county jurybox, went down to the dock, and, after examining the prisoner, reported that he was in a sinking

situation, and had every appearance of immediate dissolution. Mr. Kingsley, druggist, who said he was bred an apothecary, also examined the prisoner, and reported that he was dying. On this the Court ordered that the prisoner should be remanded until further orders; but in a few moments the unfortunate man expired in the dock, and the Court immediately adjourned.

The coroner's inquest was held the next day, when Surgeons Hume and Adrian opened the body, and deposed that he died in consequence of having taken some acrid substance, but they could not tell what. His bowels and chest were greatly inflamed, In his pocket was a handkerchief, one of his pamphlets, and a very elegant short prayer, written by himself, praying to God to deliver him from his enemies, who were very great and violent. In a little box, left in the gaol, was only a miniature of his wife, and letter from Mr. Ponsonby. He was brought into Court in a very light pair of irons.

It has been questioned whether his days were terminated by suicide or treachery; but the editors of these volumes have reason to know that he was his own murderer. When he was brought into court to receive judgment, Mr. Curran, his leading counsel, was not arrived. Mr. Jackson beckoned Counsellor M-Nally to him as he stood in the dock, to whom, on being informed that an arrest of judgment would be moved, with a forced and dying smile he replied, We have deceived the senate, alluding to the dying exclamation of the conspirator Pierre to his friend Jaffier, in Otway's admired tragedy of Venice Preserved.'

The fate of this man holds out a dreadful warning to those who seek to rectify internal abuse by