she replied, The dirty fellow has been pulling my gown,' or words to that purpose. Mrs. Hoskins then saw the lieutenant collar Frederick Hardwicke, and say If you don't go along with me I will draw my sword and stab you.' They then struggled from the Bell alehouse door till they got between a brazier's and tin-shop, at the distance of nine or ten yards. In the mean time one of the men, who had a stick, hit the lieutenant on the back, while Hardwicke and he were struggling. During this commotion the lieutenant's wife was hanging round his neck in the highway; but this deponent did not see the sword drawn, only heard the threat that it should be done; nor did she know whether the sword was drawn before or after the lieutenant was struck. In a few minutes after the lieutenant was struck with the stick she heard somebody cry out Stop him! stop him! the young man is dead in the tin-shop.' The liev tenant then went into the alehouse, This was the substance of the evidence; and the judge then said to the counsel for the prisoner, Do you mean to make this less than manslaughter?' To which the counsel replied in the following words: No, my lord, we cannot make it less than manslaughter. The lieutenant was used very ill : while his wife was hanging round his neck, to prevent any further fighting, she was cut across her neck; and the lieutenant had his hand and his coat cut in two places, and was beat all over his arm and shoulders.' The Court now observing that, if the jury were satisfied, nothing farther need to be heard-but, if not, they would proceed-the jury said, My lord, we are all satisfied;' and soon afterwards they gave a verdict that the prisoner was Not guilty of the murder, but guilty of manslaughter only;' on which he was branded and discharged.* THOMAS BRISTOWE AND MORRIS BARNARD, CONVICTED OF A CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD. AT the sessions held at the Old the villainous. Thomas Orme, of Bailey in September, 1778, these Castle Dunnington, in Leicesteroffenders were indicted for a con- shire, being somewhat embarrassed spiracy to cheat and defraud one in his circumstances, was advised by Thomas Orme; and for obtaining, a neighbour to apply to Bristowe, by false pretences, five guineas, on who had published the following the 28th of June preceding. extraordinary advertisement in the newspaper printed at Leicester : This case is inserted on account of its singularity, and to guard the unsuspecting against the artifices of Whereas many persons, labouring under most grievous oppressions The verdict of a coroner's inquest, held on the body of Philip Avenai, on the 1st of November, 1773, who died in Worcester gaol, of the gun-shot wounds from Edward Newland, a farmer, of Horsley, fired in consequence of the said Avenai having committed felony, and refused to surrender, was Justifiable Homicide.' This opinion is law. That eminent lawyer, Sergeant Hawkins, says, 'That if a person, having actually committed felony, will not suffer himself to be arrested, but stands on his own defence, or flies, so that he cannot possibly be apprehended by those who pursue him, whether private persons or public officers, with or without a warrant from a magistrate, he may be lawfully slain by them ' from their defenceless situation, are constrained to silence and quiet submission to the atrocious robberies which are daily committed by the infamous appendages to the law. To remedy such evils as much as possible, a gentleman of known abilities and integrity, in conjunction with sundry able gentlemen of the law, proposes to give his assistance to such as wish to be extricated from intricate and perplexing embarrassment. The author is actuated by no other motives than those which tend to alleviate the affliction of the helpless; to relieve the unfortunate of every denomination against the chicanery of pettyfogging (would-be) attorneys; the shameful plunder and extortion of bailiffs and sheriffs' brokers; and to prop up such as groan beneath opulent and intolerable tyranny. "That unhappy species of debtors, who are amenable to the bankrupt laws, will assuredly meet with such able and friendly advice as will fortify them not only against a prison, but most of those calamities attendant on bankrupts in general. The supporters and advisers of this address hope it will be received and esteemed to be what it really is, the dictates of benevolence, independent of any pecuniary views; as a proof of which, all persons in indigent circumstances will be entitled to every assistance, free from expense. ་ Apply to Mr. Thomas Bristowe, Cavendish Bridge, Leicestershire.' In consequence hereof Orme applied to Bristowe, who told him if he would go to London he would set him free; and, if his creditor would not stay, he might tell him he would treat him with the buttend of an act of parliament. Orme mquired the expense; and Bris towe said seven or eight pounds, and that they should be back in four or five days. They came to Loudon with one Simon Norton, in like circumstances with Orme; and at the Swan-with-two-Necks, in Lad Lane, they met with Barnard, who said to Bristowe, We must swear one has been at Calais, aud the other at another place' (which Orme could not recollect). Bristowe then wrote a paper for them to sign, and told Norton he must pay Barnard five guineas. Norton hesitated, and wanted a receipt. Barnard asked him if he disputed his being a gentleman. Ou this Norton paid the five guineas; and Bristowe said that Orme must pay Barnard a like suin, which after some hesitation he complied with. On a question asked, whether any thing was said about crossing the salt water, Orme deposed that something was said about crossing the salt water over a chamber-pot,' or to that effect. It seems that the prosecutors had a confused idea that they were to be discharged by the insolvent act, but they did not understand the meaning of it. Simon Norton deposed that he met Barnard at the Swan-with-twoNecks; that he and Bristowe asked for a private room, where Barnard pulled out a bag of writings, and said to Bristowe, We must fix them as fugitives.' Bristowe agreed, aud the other began filling up the papers. Bristowe likewise said that Barnard was an attorney, and that he was the man that was to do the business for them. A paper being shown to Orme in court, he said That is the paper I signed, and all that was done for five guineas.' William Payne, a constable, deposed that he apprehended the prisoners at the Paul's Head Tavern. that he seized Barnard's bag, who said 'Let it alone,' and pulled out the two schedules. Payne asked Barnard if he had received any money of the men; he said he never had: the two men declared they paid him ten guineas. He then confessed he had received that sum, and given Bristowe five guineas. The latter at first denied the receipt of them, but afterwards confessed it. Bristowe called three persons, who gave him a good character; and Barnard endeavored to excul pate himself by saying that he had nothing to do with the men; that Bristowe was to be his paymaster, and had told him they were to take the benefit of the act as fugitives, &c.' with other circumstances to the like effect. The jury gave full credit to the evidence against the prisoners, and returned a verdict that they were both guilty; in consequence of which, at the close of the sessions, they were sentenced to stand in the pillory, and be imprisoned for a year. SAMUEL BONNER, CONVICTED OF WRITING A THREATENING LETTER. BONNER was born at Edmonton, in Middlesex, in the neighbourhood of which place he had many years worked for different persons as a day-labourer, and bore the character of an honest, industrious, but simple man. The following is a copy of the letter written by Bonner, and delivered by the penny post to Mr. Francis Hardcastle, landlord of the Fox, upon Winchmore Green, whom Mrs. Teshmaker had directed to receive her newspapers and letters, that the news-carriers and postmen might not be put to the trouble of going out of the public road, from which her house stood at some distance. Nov. 20th, 1778. 'Lady Tashmaker,-Wee dwo a blige You that you shall dwo this kindness of Charity to theas three people which wee menshon to you that his the Wheader Wakefield James Weave and Old Bonner & make each of them a preasant of one Gine & half to a Sist them in thear Distress. One Sunday Morning being the 22th of Nor. and send for them all three to your House be tween 11 and 12 & let one of you Sarvents give them thiss gift in a peas of paper & this leater neaver to be menshoned for the safty of your Self If you dwo not dwo a Corden to what this leater menshons you may expect that your Estate shall be Broght to ashes and Your Self to the Ground with a brase of marvels throu your It is not ondley you others shall be a blige to dwo the kindness of Chearity to the poor a-pon Winchmore Hill as well as you wee are men that is well wishes to the poor near neabers a short life and a meary one This from your well wishers If you act a Corden to this Leater' The prisoner was brought to trial at the Old Bailey, in the sessions held in December, 1778. Mrs. Teshmaker produced the letter, and it was read, and found literally to correspond with the copy inserted in the indictment: the lady deposed that on her return from a visit, on the 21st of the preceding month, she found the letter lying on her dressing-table. Francis Hardcastle swore that he received the letter from the pennypost man, and delivered it to John Draper, one of Mrs. Teshmaker's servants, who proved that the letter produced in court was 'that he received from Hardcastle. Samuel Draper, clerk to Pearce Galliard, Esq. in the commission of the peace for the county of Middlesex, informed the Court that, on Monday, the 30th of November, he, accompanied by Mr. Day, went to Clerkenwell Bridewell, in order to postpone the re-examination of Bonner from Tuesday till Wednesday; and that, when the prisoner was let into the yard between the gates, he ran towards them, and acknowledged that he had written the letter, saying it was the first offence he had committed, and earnestly supplicating that they would intercede in his favour. Matthew Day deposed that, by the desire of Mr. Draper, he accompanied him to Clerkenwell Bridewell on Monday, the 30th of November, and stood in an obscure part of the yard during a short conversation between Draper and the prisoner, on the conclusion of which he was perceived by the prisoner, who ran to him, clasped him in his arms, and cried Pray, Sir! God bless you, Sir! be my friend, and get me out of this dismal place; you was always my friend.' That he asked him on what account he was confined; on which he said, Oh, God knows! God bless you, Sir, get me out of it; you will, if you are my friend, get me out of it; that in a whisper he acknowledged that his having written a threatening letter to the prosecutrix was the cause of his confinement; and said, Oh, Sir, it was the devil, the devil, the devil, and this leg, (putting his hand to his leg, on which he had recently received a wound,) that induced me to do it. It is true I did The jury pronounced him guilty of the indictment, and he received judgment of death. The jury and the prosecutrix humbly recom. mended the prisoner to his majesty's mercy, which he received. Bon If the law did not denounce very severe punishment against offenders convicted of writing threatening letters, neither life nor property would be any longer secure. ner's case was remarkable: there was great reason to suppose that, notwithstanding the violent threats in the letter, he would not have carried them into execution had the lady refused her compliance, and declined pursuing measures for apprehending the writer. He was a man so remarkably deficient in point of intellect, that people were divided in opinion whether he did not labour under the infirmity of natural idiotism: on these considerations alone he was recommended to mercy. In cases of forgery the punishment is the same whether a fraud is or is not actually committed, the fact of forgery being sufficient to prove a fraudulent intention, and to constitute a breach of the law; and this doctrine holds good with regard to threatening letters. Let it not be supposed that robberies may be committed with impunity by such means, the writers being equally liable to an ignominious death with the perpetrators of the most desperate crimes. * impression it made; and the manner in which it was done created horror and pity in every feeling mind. THIS shocking and truly lament- impossible to convey an idea of the able ease interested all ranks of people, who pitied the murderer's fate, conceiving him stimulated to commit the horrid crime through love and madness. Pamphlets and poems were written on the occasion, and the crime was long the common topic of conversation. The object of Mr. Hackman's love renders his case still more singular. Miss Reay had been the mistress of Lord Sandwich near twenty years, was the mother of nine children, and nearly double the age of Mr. Hack man. This murder affords a melancholy proof that there is no act so contrary to reason that men will not commit when under the dominion of their passions. In short, it is VOL. III. The Rev. James Hackman was born at Gosport, in Hampshire, and originally designed for trade; but he was too volatile in disposition to submit to the drudgery of the shop or counting-house. His parents, willing to promote his interest as far as lay in their power, purchased him an ensign's commission in the 68th regiment of foot. He had not been long in the army when he was sent to command a recruiting party; and, being at Huntingdon, he was frequently invited to dine with Lord Sandwich, who had a seat in that neighbourhood. Here it was that he first became acquainted with Misa 71 |