Rumours of the most unfavourable nature are circulated, and the most dreadful prejudices exist against him. They talk of the murder of all his wives, of that of his son, and also of horrible propensities. The manner in which he has given his answers, confirms, they say, the suspicions of which he is the object. N.B. He was subsequently tried, convicted, and executed. SCOTLAND. Paisley. This day the Court met, for the trial of James Spiers, weaver, Johnston, and Robert Lang, weaver, Kilbarchan, against whom the grand jury had found true bills for high treason. The Solicitor-general opened the case on the part of the Crown. The prisoner, during the radical rebellion, had been chosen and acted as a member of a committee who commanded a mob, which went and stopped the cottonworks in Johnston and neighbourhood, on the 3rd April. The evidence closed on the part of the Crown at a little past 12 o'clock, and the Court adjourned till 10 o'clock next morning. 2. The Court met this day at 10 o'clock. Eleven witnesses were examined in exculpation. The jury retired at a quarter before 4 o'clock in the morning, and came into court at half-past five, finding the prisoner Guilty of that part of the first count laid in the indictment, viz.compelling his majesty's subjects to strike work, &c. The Lord Chief Baron explained to the jury, that finding the prisoner guilty of a particular overt-act was no finding at all. The jury again retired at about a quarter past six, and returned again at 25 minutes past 7, when sir Michael Shaw Stewart, the foreman, read the verdict of the jury from a manuscript copy, finding that the prisoner did strike work, and compel others to do the same on the 3rd April. The Court found this as insufficient as the former verdict. The Lord Chief Baron again explained the law, as to the overtact being linked in more counts than one; and the clerk was ordered to read the several overt acts to the jury. Sir Michael said, he understood the point, but the jury were not agreed in that way. They then retired again, after being informed, that they could not be separated till they were unanimous. They returned again, and gave in a verdict of Not Guilty, when the audience in general commenced cheering. The Lord Chief Baron immediately got his eye on a boy who was clapping his hands and cheering, and he was instantly ordered to be taken into custody. The Lord Justice Clerk then, in an impressive speech, dismissed the prisoner from the bar. Mr. Grant came to Spiers, and taking him by the hand, said, he hoped he would take care what company he kept in future, and not get into a like scrape again. Robert Lang was then put to the bar, and the jury having been sworn in, The Lord Advocate said, he would call no evidence, and the jury found him Not Guilty. The Lord Justice Clerk congratulated the prisoner on the favourable result of the trial, This finished the business in appellation of a "dung-blooded Renfrewshire. black-eared rogue." On the part of Dick's Simon many declarations were deposed to of the testator, in which, so far from branding him with being a "dungblooded black-eared rogue,' he had entertained the intention of leaving him a moiety of his property. EXETER ASSIZES.-Doe, on dem. of Westlake, v. Westlake.This cause, which occupied nearly the whole of the day, was for the purpose of ascertaining to which of two "Simons" a third "Simon" meant to bequeath a moiety of his property, the whole of which was situate at Exbourne, in this county, and was of the value of about 4,000l. The testator, "Simon" Westlake, had three brothers, each of whom had a son named "Simon"; so that there was "Simon" the son of Matthew; "Simon" the son of Richard; and "Simon" the son of Thomas. The will of the testator"Simon" contained this expression-" I give to my brother Matthew Westlake, and my (here was an erasure) brother's son Simon, all, &c." Simon, the son of Thomas, did not enter the lists; but the intention of the deceased was stongly contested between Simon, the Son of Matthew, or Matt's Simon, and Simon, the son of Richard, or Dick's Simon, as the witnesses emphatically called them. It appeared that Matt's Simon was the godson of Simon the testator, and, being a likely youth, was bound apprentice at Plymouth, and was subsequently established in London; whereas Dick's Simon remained stationary upon the farm of his uncle. Nothing could be more contradictory than the account given by the respective witnesses of the testator's regard for the respective Simons; for on the part of Matt's Simon it was said, that the old man had always spoken in terms of the greatest regard, bestowing upon Dick's Simon, who lived with him, the After a most elaborate inquiry, the learned judge (Mr. Baron Graham) left it to the jury to decide which was the real "Simon;" and the jury, in about a quarter of an hour, decided in favour of Matt's Simon, by returning a verdict for the plaintiff. DURHAM ASSIZES Crown Court.-Arson. The prisoner charged with this offence was thus entered in the calendar :"Jane, the wife of Isaac Strange, aged 21, late of South Shields." -- Mrs. Strange, a very pretty little woman, and handsomely dressed, presented herself, and took her station in the felons' dock. Mr. Williams opened the case to the jury. It was necessary to explain some facts which on the face of the indictment appeared inconsistent. The apparent inconsistency respected the circumstances which might have influenced the setting fire to Mr. Henry Luzmore's house. Was it done to defraud Mr. Luzmore; or was he privy to and cognizant of the firing, to defraud the Sun Fire-office? In May, 1819, Mr. Luzmore became tenant, under Mr. Young, of a house at Westoe; nearly at the same time he ensured the furniture of the house with the agent of the Sun Fireoffice in this county. The prisoner was engaged in the house, more as a companion for Mr. Luzmore's daughter than other wise. Mr. Luzmore, who was an architect, went afterwards to Devonshire. He returned thence, and again left Westoe in August, leaving with the prisoner the entire charge of the house. Although a girl of the name of Bower slept with the prisoner there; he was not aware that Mr. Luzmore was cognizant of that circumstance. On the night of the 28th of September the house was set fire to. There were only the prisoner and the girl Bower in the house. Mr. Holt was counsel for the prisoner. James Young let the house in May, 1819, to Mr. Luzmore, for 12 months. Sarah Bower, aged 19, was not employed by Mr. Luzmore. Mrs. Strange first applied to her to sleep with her, because she was afraid to sleep alone. The house was in the village, but detached. Mr. Luzmore and his daughter went away together some time before the fire. Witness went to bed at half-past nine. Mrs. Strange had gone to bed first. Witness saw her shut up the doors and windows. They slept in the kitchen part. Mrs. Strange had not been up stairs that the witness knew of. Mrs. Strange was entirely undressed. Witness fell asleep. She awoke by hearing a crackling, and saw a shade of light come down the stair case. The prisoner was then just coming into bed again at the time. Witness thought she had seen one stirring up the kitchen-fire. The prisoner had her bed-gown and a flannel petticoat on. The prisoner said she had not been up. Witness shrieked out that the house was on fire, and ran towards the kitchen-door. The prisoner shouted out murder! and said somebody was breaking in at the stair-head window. She shouted high up, and might have been heard by the neighbours. Michael Dobson and his son and Mr. Carnaby came: they were near neighbours. A little before eight at night, witness had gone up stairs for 3d. to buy ale. She had been sent by Jane Strange. She had a candle, and set it on the stair-case when she went into the room, and did not carry it in. In the room Mr. Luzmore's feather-bed was laid over chairs. Jane Strange had gone up and done that herself, and had been about an hour up. She said she was going up to air the bed against Mr. Luzmore came home, and afterwards said she had put all the things right. There was a closet at the stair-head. On the Monday after Mr. Luzmore went away, witness saw Jane Strange collect shavings into it, and heard her say, they would be good to light the fire in winter. There was a chest of drawers in the bed-room, and in the drawers were a silver tea-pot, a silver cream-jug, and silver spoons. Witness saw Jane Strange having a gold watch, and heard her saying it was Miss Luzmore's, but knew not what she did with it. It was a month before the fire. Mrs. Strange, the prisoner, had made witness carry a work-box to Shields. The prisoner said that the box and all that was in it had been burnt in the fire. The prisoner had often wrung her hands and said, “What a dreadful thing fire is !" This witness was repeatedly called back again, and gave most unsatisfactory answers as to times, facts, and circumstances. It had not been explicitly stated, but it was manifest that the poor girl was little short of being an absolute idiot. Michael Dobson, a gardener, was alarmed with the cry of murder; saw the woman at Luzmore's door; observed the fire, and saw the closet-door at the stair-head a-jar. It appeared to him that nothing but chips or shavings were on fire. Ralph Carnaby gave the same evidence. Katharine Blackburn, Isabella Cornthwaite, and Elizabeth Jones, all gave evidence as to goods carried out of the house. Mr. Henry James Luzmore, son of the deceased Mr. Luzmore, and apprentice to a surgeon, said, the watch was his mother's property. The jury retired for half an hour, and returned with a verdict of-Not Guilty. Hydrophobia. An inquisition was taken this day before J. Unwin, esq. coroner for the eastern division of Middlesex, on the body of George Monkwell, aged 16. It appeared from the statement of the deceased's father, that on Whit-Monday he went to drive some cattle to a field, and had not proceeded far from the house when a large dog, of the drover breed, jumped from a hedge, and gave the deceased a severe bite on the left jaw under the eye. He was on the same day taken to Mr. Perkins, a surgeon, at Barking, who cauterised the wound. A few days had only elapsed after he had received the injury, when he became low spirited, and talked in an incoherent manner. He was three times an inmate in the hospital, where he underwent several operations, but became latterly very outrageous. The night previous to his death, which was Monday night, he got out of bed, and alarmed all the patients in the hospital by his terrific yells, foaming at the mouth, and snapping at every thing. He was secured in a straight-waistcoat without doing any injury.-Verdict, that the deceased died from the bite of a mad dog. 3. THE QUEEN.-For several days past it has been understood, that her majesty would take up her residence at Brandenburghhouse. At At an early hour this morning Portman-street was, in consequence, filled with carriages and persons anxious to see her ma jesty before she quitted the capital. The Queen was graciously pleased, on two several occasions, to show herself at the balcony, and bowed condescendingly to the people. A short time after two o'clock it was understood, that her majesty had altered her determination. nearly three o'clock Mr. Alderman Wood arrived on horseback, and was greeted with loud huzzas. Soon after his arrival, a servant was despatched to order the carriage to be got in readiness, her majesty having determined not to disappoint the expectations of the inhabitants of Hammersmith. At this moment the street was completely thronged with persons, some of them of the highest respectability, anxious to pay their respects to her majesty. Many ladies of rank attended in their carriages, and gentlemen on horseback awaited the appearance of her majesty. At length, at nearly four o'clock, her majesty's carriage drew up to the door. It was an entirely new elegant open carriage, drawn by four beautiful bay horses; the near leader was mounted by a postillion. The livery was scarlet, trimmed with gold lace. On the pannels of the carriage was painted a crown, and underneath, the letters "C. R." In about 10 minutes her majesty made her appearance at the door of her house, and was immediately handed into the carriage. Her majesty seemed to be in high spirits, and looked remarkably well; she was dressed in a dovecoloured pelisse, with a hat of the same colour, surmounted by a very handsome plume of white feathers. Lady Ann Hamilton next made her appearance, and was followed by Dr. Lushington and Mr. Alderman Wood. Loud cries of "God save the Queen!" accompanied with shouts of approbation, filled the air. The carriage drove off at a fast trot into Oxford-street, followed by a great concourse of persons. It proceeded through the Park, and out at Kensington-gate. The road was completely lined in many parts with people; ladies were seen from every window, waving white handkerchiefs, and crying" God save the Queen!" At the barracks at Kensington a great number of the military joined in the general shout; they took off their hats, and waved them in the air as her majesty passed. When her majesty arrived at Hammersmith the scene was extremely interesting. All were prepared to receive her majesty, and the little charity children, dressed in their Sunday clothes, were stationed near the church, to welcome her majesty's arrival. Before the carriage reached Hammersmith, a body of gentlemen on horseback, with white favours in their hats, came to meet her majesty, and they were greeted with loud cheers. This day J. Rowbotham stood in the pillory opposite Newgate, pursuant to his sentence, for perjury. At twelve o'clock he was fixed in the machine, in the presence of a vast concourse of spectators, and he remained in it, apparently under the greatest pain, for one hour. IRELAND-Murder and Robbery.-On Saturday night, about half-past nine o'clock, a desperate outrage was committed upon some carriers near Rathcool. Soon after nine, three men joined the carriers, and entered into conversation with them, and when they had proceeded three miles, four other men came up. The seven robbers (for such they appear to have been) then attacked the carmen, shot one of them through the body, wounded another in the leg, and laid open the back of the head of a third with the butt-end of a pistol, and were proceeding to complete their work by rifling the persons and packages of the carriers, when the Waterford mail, which had left Dublin at eight o'clock, drove up to the spot, and the fellows instantly fled. We regret to learn, that the man who was shot through the body died in Stephen's hospital. Major Cartwright, Wooller, a factious printer, Edmonds, and others were this day convicted, at the Warwick assizes, for a misdemeanor, in assembling a tumultuous meeting at Birmingham, and there pretending to elect Sir Charles Wolsely, bart. legislatorial attorney for the inhabitants of that town-[For an abstract of this trial, see the Appendix to this Chronicle.] |