8th May, 1807, and numbered 6749. Robert Farqaur, partner in the house of Herries, Farquar, and co. deposed, that the prisoner came to their banking-house, in St. James'sstreet, on the 12th of July last. He said, he had just arrived in town, and wished to open an account with their house. The account was accordingly opened, and he paid in the sum of 8001. in two notes, of 5001. and 3001, which, upon reference, appeared to be the same two notes above stated. He opened the account in the name of Browne, and signed the name of Browne in the signature book. W. Smith, a clerk in the house of Herries, Farquar, and co. proved that the prisoner drew out the 8001, in three days afterwards: he apologized for withdrawing the money so soon, but said he was obliged immediately to leave town; when he returned, he hoped to give them a more profitable account. The assignees under the commission were then severally called, and proved that the prisoner had never paid this money into any of their hands. The prisoner, in his defence, lamented the hardship of tradesmen being subjected to the penalties of such a severe law, while gentlemen might run in debt with impunity, without being civilly answerable. He said, he had never considered himself an insolvent man, but thought the commission was maliciously sued out against him; for which reason he determined not to submit to it. It was upon this principle he acted, and not with any view to defraud his creditors. When he was before the commissioners, he stated to them that he He reserved to himself the right of in future disputing their power, and that his surrender should only be considered as conditional. trusted the jury on these grounds would acquit him of the fraudulent designs imputed to him. The counsel for the prisoner afterwards attempted to defeat the validity of the commission, by setting up a prior commission sued out by the prisoner's nephew ; but it appearing that it was not a bonâ fide transaction, the learned judge (Heath) held it amounted to nothing. After the judge had summed up the evidence minutely, and told the jury, that if the prisoner found himself aggrieved, his proper remedy would have been to have petitioned the lord chancellor for redress, the jury retired a few minutes, and then returned with a verdict of Guilty against the prisoner. 23. This evening a comet made its appearance, visible to the naked eye, in the neighbourhood of Lon don. Its place formed nearly a right angle with the bright star Arcturus, and the elegant constellation Corona, or the Northern Crown, and set almost due west about eight o'clock. Its appearance to the naked eye, was that of a star of the first magnitude, having a very distinguishable beam of light or nebulosity, extending to the left or south of its body, of about a foot or 18 inches in length. The colour of the whole was very white. As a drover was endeavouring to drive some pigs into the boat at the New Passage, a black sow instead of entering into the boat, took to the water, and immediately made off to sea, nor was again heard of till the following Sunday, when she returned returned to the New Passage, and re-landed in safety. The animal was considerably reduced in bulk, and the feet much swollen. fair, [See Sept. 8. Jon suspicion ofbe. ing a general receiver of stolen goods, from a gang of juvenile pick pock ets, who have, for some time, been in the habit of visiting the different fairs in the vicinity of the metro polis, where Perfect also attended as a seller of sausages. was this day brought up at Guildhall as well: as Ned Stedwick, the captain of the gang. 24. The sessions ended; when sentence of death was passed on James Bullock, for embezzling and concealing his effects from his creditors. John Cotter, for stealing 471. and upwards in a dwelling house. Eliza Kelly, for stealing privily from the person. Cathe- In consequence of information rine Forrester, for stealing goods privately in a shop. George Hurst, for a highway robbery. Robert Smith, alias Robert Utting Smith, for uttering counterfeit coin, having been before convicted. Mary Duffey, for a like offence. Alexander Monro, for feloniously shooting at Emily Wyat Dobson. And John Green, for stealing in a dwelling-house. After the recorder had passed sentence, Bullock came forward, with the greatest firmness and fortitude, and, with the utmost composure, addressed the recorder as fol. lows: (6 Permit me, my lord, for myself, and in the name of all the unfortunate persons now at the bar, to return you our most grateful thanks for your friendly admonition. It came from the heart, and I trust will be felt by the heart. Perhaps the most afflicting part of our sufferings is the misery and disgrace brought upon aml felt by our relations and friends! As for myself, death has no pang. And I trust, when I am summoned before that awful tribunal where we must all some time appear, that I shall stand well with a most merciful Saviour!" Perfect, the higgler, who had been in custody since last Bartholomew received by the officers, from one of the boys of the name of Gee, of a pocket-handkerchief having been taken by Stedwick out of the pocket of a person who kept a swing in Bartholomew fair, which was believ ed to be one of the handkerchiefs found in Perfect's possession, the officers had contrived to trace out the person alluded to. He attend. ed; but declared that the handkerchief taken from him was not among those now shewn him. The sitting alderman (Hunter) then turning to the prisoner, Perfect, exhorted him to quit the profession it appeared he had for some time been following. Though no direct evidence of his guilt had been brought forward to induce him to commit the prisoner for trial, so strong was the suspicioa against him, that he thought it his duty to warn the prisoner, if he did not alter his course of life, that he must come to an untimely end No evidence, however, had bee adduced, to warrant him in order ing the prisoner to be longer detain ed in custody. He should, there fore, be now discharged.. Perfect confessed that he had o this last occasion received article from the boys; for which he ex pressed his sorrow, and his deter miuation never again to be concerne 4 in such practices. He was then discharged. The captain, Ned Stedwick, having been a deserter from the navy, was ordered to be carried back to that service. He alledged that it did not agree with him. The magistrate told him it was an honourable and a meritorious service, which would in time estrange him from his present dishonest pursuits, and where he could be enabled to atone to his country for his past errors. The boy, Gray, the informant, whose master now refused to take him back into his employment, and the other boy, Gee, were ordered to be carried to the Royal Marine Society. The whole gang has been disposed of in such a manner as to give the public reason to hope, that they may all yet become useful members of society. Rivett, of Bow-street.-A Dr. Meade lately made his escape, in Ireland, from this very active officer of the Police. An offer by govern. ment of 5001. for his second apprehension was issued. Rivett, always acknowledged by the magistrates of the Bow-street police as one of their very best officers, felt exceed ingly on account of the circumstance; and, on his return from Ireland, appeared to be much dejected. The particulars of the doctor's escape having been told to the magistrates by Rivett, and several other corroborating circumstances coming to their knowledge from different quarters, they were fully sensible that not the least imputa. tion could be attached to the character of their officer; and he was then, and has repeatedly since VOL. XLIX. been requested to think no more of the matter. Notwithstanding the assurance of the magistrates as to his innocence, Rivett has never since been able to raise his spirits to their usual pitch, but daily grew worse; at the beginning of the week before last he exhibited symptoms of a deranged mind; and by the middle of it, it was found necessary to place him under the care of two men. He continued to grow worse; and, early on Sunday morning last, he contrived to effect his escape. About five o'clock he went to Mr. Graham the magistrate's house, in Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-innfields, where he knocked until Mr. Graham put his head out of the window. Mr. G. who was the night before apprised of Rivett's situation, enquired of him kindly what he wanted; when he was answered, that he must immediately come to the office; that he (Rivett) had discovered a plot which would end in the destruction of his majesty and all the royal family, if not instantly prevented. Mr. Graham thanked him for his attention to so important a concern; and, supposing that the men from whom he had made his escape would, in all probability, be on the watch for their fugitive near the office in Bowstreet, directed him thither, promising to follow him immediately. Rivett went directly to the office; where, fortunately, the keepers were in waiting for him, and he was secured. The whole of Sunday he continued to grow worse, and, before night, was in a complete state of madness. On Monday morning he was conveyed to a mad-house, with very little hopes of his recovery. About three weeks ago, several I i French French prisoners made their escape from Forton, near Portsmouth, three of whom found their way to Southsea Common, where they hailed a waterman who was going out in a wherry; told him they were foreigners belonging to a merchant ship at Spithead, and offered him half-a-guinea to take them there; he agreed, and when at Spithead, they said their ship was dropt to St. Helen's; but when they had reached that roadstead, they informed him they were Frenchmen, bound him at the bottom of the boat, and told him if he gave any alarm they would throw him overboard. The next day they landed safe on the coast of France, near Havre de Grace, and the waterman, on his arrival, was put under confinement for fourteen days; from which he was released by an order from the French government, with directions that his boat should be restored to him, and be victualled for his passage across Channel; he arrived at Portsmouth on the 16th inst. to the great joy of a large family, who, from not having heard of him so many days, supposed him to be drowned. 29. Being Michaelmas.day, a common-hall was held for the pur. pose of choosing a lord mayor for the ensuing year; when John Ansley, esq. alderman and merchanttaylor, was declared duly elected to that office, and returned thanks to the livery for the honour they had done him. Mr. Griffiths came forward, and moved, that the thanks of this hall be given to sir James Branscomb, Knt. for his great care and attention in the various important duties, which, as one of the sheriffs of London and sheriff of the county of Middlesex, he was called on to per. form. Mr. Jam Dixon seconded the motion. Agreeing, however, as he did with his worthy friend, in thinking that every expression of thanks which the livery could bestow, was the undoubted claim of sir J. Branscomb; he could not reconcile himself to the idea, it having been the uniform practice of returning thanks to both sheriffs, of allowing a seeming omission of one of them to take place, without some explanation being given of the reason of that omission. He was one who would never, on any account, be induced to concur in a vote of thanks to the other late sheriff, sir Jonathan Miles; and as he entirely concurred in the propriety of that vote to sir James Branscomb, so did he think the livery called on to express their reason for not extending it to his colleague. In the one, a zealous attention to the duties of his office was conspicuous; in the other, a total neglect of them. He should therefore follow up the present motion with a few words, expressive of the opinion of the hall on the con. duct of sir Jonathan Miles. This he should do, not from any private feeling towards sir Jonathan; but that the difference between a sheriff who discharged his duty, and one who did not, might be more strong. ly marked. Mr. J. Dixon then, contrary seemingly to the remonstrances of several of his friends, brought forward his motion, expressive of their sense of the negligent conduct of sir Jonathan Miles. A liveryman asked, if sir Jonathan had not behaved well, and if he was not even entitled to thanks, for for his conduct during two elections at Middlesex? This seeming to be acceded to by Mr. Dixon, the liveryman asked in what his neglect of duty consisted? Mr. Dixon said, it would be impossible to enumerate all the various neglects of duty of which he had been guilty. He should mention one in particular; where, at a court of hustings, at which his presence was requisite, the lord mayor had been detained till twelve o'clock at night, while persons were dispatched in quest of sir Jonathan in vain, through the whole of the city. His total neglect of duty at the Old Bailey too, and in other places, was notorious. Mr. Dixon's motion was then put and carried in the affirmative; but not unanimously. OCTOBER. 1. A writ to the sheriff of Dorset, instituted against Thomas Funnell, late collector of excise, at Preston, in Lancashire, for embezz'ement of the duties by him collec. ted, came on to be tried. The principal witness was a Mr. Hindle, late clerk to the said collector, now in custody in the castle, on suspicion of aiding and abetting the said Funnel. It appeared in evidence, that Mr. Hindle received not a thilling of the money; but acted under the directions and impulse of fear of one Ogle, a former clerk, but now an opulent merchant, and who had the sole management of Funnell's money-concerns. The jary found a verdict, that the said Funnell died at Preston, on the 24th of April, 1807; and that on the day of his death he stood indebted to his majesty in the sum of 44,5401. 4s. 94d; and also, that on the same day the said Ogle was indebted to the said Funnell in the sum of 44,5401. 4s. 94d. being money received of him, and which he knew belonged to his majesty; but which he improperly retained and appropiated to his own use. Extract of a letter from " New Orleans, Oct.1.-This morning, at ten o'clock, I shook Lieut.T.by the hand; and this evening, at eight I held in my hands a ball that had passed through his heart. The best account I can give you of this melancholy affair is this:-A number of officers were amusing themselves in their quarters last evening with cards, when R. came in and was asked to play; he declined, with a quotation from Shakespeare. Some criticism was made on it by T. and an argument of some warmth took place; disa greeable reflections were made, bad language ensued, and this morning T. sent R. a challenge. They met just before night, opposite to this city. On the word" Fire," T's pistol flashed, and R.'s snapped. On the second, they both fired almost at the same instant, and R.'s ball passed quite through T's. body, and lodged in the left sleeve of his shirt. He staggered a few paces, exclaimed, I am a dead man,' fell into the arms of his friend, and instantly expired. What a dreadful affair is this! and how much is to be lamented the frequency of such occurrences! R. did not wish to fight him; but, unfortunately, all attempts at accommodation were vain., T. poor fellow, would listen to no proposals. He had a strong presentiment of his fate, and expresI i 2 sed |