Stood in the pillory

One Read, a coachman, and one Smith, a plasterer, stood in the pillory, St. Margaret's Hill, for unnatural practices; the former of whom perishing before the time expired, owing to the severity of the mob, the same was taken notice of in the House of Commons. The Attorney-General was desired to prosecute the officer whose business it was to see the sentence of the law executed, and a hint thrown out for a new law to alter the mode of punishment.

Shot his wife dead

Last Sunday between four and five o'clock in the afternoon, one Garret of Sutton, near Retworth, in Sussex, shot his wife dead on the spot as she was sitting before the fire. The more effectually to execute his diabolical intention, he loaded the piece with two balls, and in the presence of his wife; who, remarking the singularity of his loading, and asking him what he was going to shoot with bullets? received for answer, small birds. But she soon found herself the devoted object; the fatal piece was levelled, and ere she could remonstrate, the balls had passed through her body, and killed her on the spot.

A dealer in wild beasts

The adjournment of the session was held at Guildhall before the lord mayor, aldermen, recorder, &c. to conclude the business which was left unfinished at the late adjournment, when the following extraordinary trial for an assault was heard:

Thomas Atkins, a serjeant at mace, went on the 24th of last June to serve a process on Mr. Henry Gough, at his house on Holborn-hill; he acquainted Mr. Gough with the nature of his business, who seemed inclined to settle the matter. Mr. Gough going up stairs, the officer followed, when he, Mr. Gough, turned round, and shoved Atkins over the bannister: Mr. Atkins not receiving much hurt, renewed the attack, and a general battle ensued between Gough and Atkins and Gough's man and Atkins's man.

Gough finding the officer too mighty for him to oppose without further assistance, unchained a large fierce animal, which Mr. Atkins affirmed to be a centaur, or griffin; however, it proved to be a man satyr: this had the desired effect, for both Mr. Atkins and follower, upon sight of the beast, wisely declined the fight, and made a precipitate retreat.

The charge being undeniably proved, Mr. Gough was accordingly found guilty, and sentenced to pay a fine of five guineas. Mr. Gough is a dealer in wild beasts.

The sun set fire to her clothes

Lately, at Uttoxeter, Miss Nangle: about two months since, while diverting herself with a spying-glass, the rays of the sun set fire to her clothes, and burnt her so as to occasion her death.

The unfortunate object of his love

This evening, as Miss Reay was coming out of Covent-garden theatre, in order to take her coach, accompanied by two friends, a gentleman and a lady, between whom she walked in the Piazza, a man stepped up to her without the smallest previous menace, or address, put a pistol to her head, and shot her instantly dead. He then fired another at himself, which, however, did not prove equally effectual.

The ball grazed upon the upper part of the head, but did not penetrate sufficiently to produce any fatal effect; he fell, however; and so firmly was he bent upon the entire completion of the destruction he had meditated, that he was found beating his head with the utmost violence with the butt end of the pistol, by Mr. Mahon, apothecary, of Covent-garden, who wrenched the pistol from his hand. He was carried to the Shakespeare, where his wound was dressed.

In his pockets were found two letters; one a copy of a letter which he had written to Miss Reay, and the other to his brother-in-law, in Bow-street. The first of these epistles is replete with warm expressions of affection to the unfortunate object of his love, and an earnest recommendation of his passion. The other contains a pathetic relation of the melancholy resolution he had taken, and a confession of the cause that produced it. . He said, he could not live without Miss Reay; and since he had found, by repeated application, that he was shut out from every hope of possessing her, he had conceived this design as the only refuge from a misery which he could not support. He heartily wished his brother that felicity which fate had denied him, and requested that the few debts he owed might be discharged from the disposal of his effects.

When he had so far recovered his faculties as to be capable of speech, he enquired with great anxiety concerning Miss Reay; being told she was dead, he desired her poor remains might not be exposed to the observation of the curious multitude. About five o'clock in the morning Sir John Fielding came to the Shakespeare, and not finding his wounds of a dangerous nature, ordered him to be conveyed to Tothill-fields Bridewell.

This ill-fated criminal was a clergyman; about four years ago he was an officer in the army; but not meeting with success in the military profession, by the advice of his friends he soon after quitted it, and assumed the gown.

The body of the unhappy lady was carried into the Shakespeare tavern for the inspection of the coroner.

When the news of this misfortune was carried to a certain nobleman, the Earl of S____ch, it was received by him with the utmost concern; he wept exceedingly, and lamented with every other token of grief the interruption of a connexion which had lasted for 17 years with happiness to both.

She had had nine children by the noble Lord, five of whom are now living, and have been instructed by her with motherly attention.

This morning, about nine o'clock, the Reverend Mr. James Hackman was brought from Newgate to the bar of the Sessions-house in the Old Bailey, where he was arraigned for firing a pistol at Miss Reay, as she was coming out of Covent-garden playhouse, on Wednesday the 7th inst, which killed her on the spot; to which indictment he pleaded Not Guilty; when the several witnesses were examined, they gave the fame evidence as they had given before Sir John Fielding, which being gone through with, Judge Blackstone, who tried him, called on Mr. Hackman to make his defence, or, if he chose it, he might leave it to his counsel.

After Mr. Hackman had wiped a flood of tears from his eyes, he pulled out a sheet of paper from his pocket, and read, the substance of which was nearly to this purport: "My Lord, I now stand arraigned for a heinous crime, and if found guilty, must suffer the death that the laws of my country have allotted in such cases; and as I have taken away the life of one whose life was dearer to me than my own, I therefore shall meet my unhappy fate with fortitude and resignation, and acknowledge the justness of my sentence."

The Judge afterwards summed up the evidence, and gave his charge to the Jury in an excellent speech, in which he said, that the letter found in the prisoner's pocket, directed to his brother-in-law, was sufficient to conclude he was not insane. The Jury, without going out of court, found him guilty, when the Deputy-recorder passed sentence on him, and he was executed the Monday following.

He preferred his servant maid

At Thetford assizes, Norfolk, this week, a cause was tried by a special jury, between a young lady, plaintiff, and a clergyman, defendant. The action was brought for non-performance of a marriage contract; when it appeared on the trial he preferred his servant maid, whom he married, although the young lady had a fortune of 70,000l. when a verdict was given for the plaintiff with 800l. damages.

A cask of gunpowder

Bristol, Dec. 26. Tuesday, about six o'clock in the evening, part of a cask of gunpowder being brought into the house of Mr. Deake, in Queen-square, and set down in the passage, the servant girl passing by with a candle in her hand, and seeing a strange cask, stooped down the candle to see what it was, when it unfortunately, dropped into the powder, which took fire, and killed the girl on the spot. There was a little child by at the same time, which had her cap blown off, but providentially received no harm, notwithstanding the servant was thrown a considerable distance, and the greatest part of her clothes torn to pieces. The poor creature's head and face were burnt to a cinder, and the flesh of her breast and arms lacerated in a manner that may be more easily conceived than described. The adjacent houses were shaken by the explosion, and the air for a considerable distance much agitated.

They were all poisoned

On Thursday night last, as Mr. Sharp, chymist, stopped in his carriage at his door in Bishopsgate-street, five villains observed a box in the coach, and whilst Mr. Sharp was getting out, they took the opportunity on the opposite side to take it away, with which they got clear off. The contents of the box were mercurial pills, lozenges, sugar plumbs, &c. of which the thieves had fed so plentifully, besides several others they had given them to, that, finding themselves strangely affected by the pills, and apprehending they were all poisoned, they yesterday sent a boy to Mr. Williams, chymist, in Smock-alley, Petticoat-lane, with the box, pills, &c.

Mr. Williams, being acquainted with the affair from Mr. Sharp, very properly detained the boy, who impeached his companions; and a sufficient number of constables being obtained, they went into Petticoat-lane, and secured as desperate a covey of thieves as perhaps ever herded together, who were, from the large doses they had swallowed, in as wretched a condition as ever were a nest of poisoned rats. Seven of them were yesterday committed to prison.

In a state of insanity till his death

There was lately buried at the parish-church of St. Giles in the fields a publican near Bloomsbury-square, whose death was occasioned by the following deep-laid fraud practised upon his wife.

About a fortnight ago four men, genteelly dressed (having, as supposed, watched the husband out) went to the wife, and enquired whether they could have dinner dressed, and have a room to themselves; being told they might, they ordered a handsome dinner, and were shewn to a room up one pair of stairs. After they had dined, they drank pretty plentifully, and seemed to be passing their time in a very merry and friendly manner.

About the usual time for tea, one of them came down, and begged the landlady to favour him with a dish, saying his friends above stairs were men for whom he had the sincerest regard, but that they were very hard drinkers, and were continually jeering him, because he could not keep up with them. The landlady and he then sat down together, and, when it was over, the test came down; and, after ridiculing the other as a milk-fop, paid the reckoning (which amounted to near thirty shillings), and all went off together in a coach.

But the landlady, having occasion soon after to go up stairs, discovered that, while one of the pretended gentleman was amusing her at tea, the others had broke open the bed-chamber and a bureau in it, from whence they had stolen near 200l. When the husband returned, and was informed of what had happened, it had such an effect upon him, that it bereaved him of his fenses, and he remained in a state of insanity till his death.

Died of a fright!

The case of Mr. Chapman, the ingenious painter, who died lately, was as singular as it was dreadful.

About a fortnight ago he was overtaken in the park by a fellow, who asked him if he had any money. Mr. Chapman said, "'Tis an odd question, but I have four or five shilling." "Shillings! (said the other) If you had said guineas, it might have done." "What do you mean?" (said Chapman) "Why (cried the villain) you have attempted an unnatural crime, and I shall swear it."

This he did before a magistrate, and Mr. Chapman was obliged to give bail to answer the complaint; which so affected him that he lost all memory and recollection, being reduced to the condition of an idiot; and dying suddenly, a jury sat on the body, and brought in their verdict "died of a fright!"

Left holding the baby

Late one evening last week, as a young gentleman was passing by Scotland-yard, in a heavy shower of rain, a woman decently dressed begged the favour of him to hold a child she had in her arms whilst she shook the water off her cloak: the gentleman good-naturedly complied with her request. She then took off her cloak and shook it, and retired a little way up the gateway, which the gentleman imagining to be occasioned by a circumstance she did not choose to mention, waited contendedly with his face to the road, and the child in his arms, till he thought a sufficient time elapsed; and then turned round to re-deliver the child to her, but no woman was to be found.

The watch coming up, the gentleman informed him of the trick, and he with his companions made a diligent search for the woman, but in vain; and the unwary young fellow was obliged to carry the child himself to the workhouse in St. Martin's-lane, none of the watchmen choosing to relieve him from his burthen.

It is remarkable the infant continued in a found sleep till brought to the workhouse, where, on examining it, it proved a fine boy, supposed to be about half a year old, very neatly dressed, and with a supply of all the necessaries for a child of that age.

Suffocated in a subterraneous place

An inquisition was taken on the bodies of two men near Leiston, who were suffocated in a subterraneous place, in which was concealed a large quantity of liquors. The men were master and servant, the former of whom first went in to take out some of the liquor, but not returning the latter followed him, and he also not returning, a third person attempted to enter, but was happily prevented by touching the feet of the servant, who had fallen down dead close to his master, and near the entrance of the place, which from  the emission of prodigious damps and foul air, appeared not to have been opened for a considerable time past.

Her head-dress took fire

Last week a very melancholy accident happened to Miss Vane, daughter of the Hon. Mr. Vane, of Beilby, in Yorkshire; being sitting by her fire, she dropped her keys within the fender, and stooping to take them up, her head-dress took fire, and she was burnt so dreadfully before it could be extinguished, that she expired in a few hours.

A sack of carroway-seeds

A fatal accident happened to Dr. Sclater, as he was coming up St. Mary Hill between two and three o'clock in the afternoon, by a sack of carroway-seeds falling upon him from the slings, as they were craning into a grocer's warehouse, which killed him on the spot.

A singular Fraud

A singular Fraud. On Monday last, at noon, a woman, most handsomely dressed, and affecting the woman of fashion, went into the shop of a hosier in the Strand, and appeared (being without a hat) as if she had just stepped out of a carriage; and indeed this was the case. She asked to look at some silk stockings; several pairs were shewn her; and presently in came a fellow in livery, who, with his hat off, said, "Sir Thomas is in the carriage, my Lady." She replied, it was very well, she would be with him in a few minutes.

She then paid for two pair of stockings, went away, and got into a post-chaise standing in the street, and the footman followed her into the chaise, which then drove off. This latter circumstance somewhat surprising the hosier, he examined the different loose parcels of stockings that he had opened, and discovered that " her Ladyship" had stolen nine pair.

Wounded him dreadfully

A young woman at Paris, enraged at being abandoned by her lover; after many useless reproaches, at length waited on him a few days ago, and told him, that being unable to survive his perfidy, she was determined to fight him, and that she had brought two pistols with her for that purpose.

The gentleman took one, and, making light of the matter, fired it into the air; but she, not imitating his example, and become perfectly mad through despair, fired her's at him, and wounded him dreadfully in the face. The gentleman's name is handed about; he is said to be a man of quality, and an officer in the navy.

With his ears nailed to the same

At the sessions for the county of Norfolk, a tradesman of Norwich, for cheating at cards, was fined 20l. and sentenced to suffer six months imprisonment in the castle, without bail or main-prize; and, in case the said fine was not paid at the expiration of the term, then to stand on the pillory one hour, with his ears nailed to the same.

Endeavouring to save the life of a favourite dog

This day, at his seat at Newnham, in Oxfordshire, the body of Earl Harcourt was found dead, in a narrow well, in his park, with the head downwards, and nothing appearing above water but the feet and legs.

It is imagined this melancholy accident was occasioned by his over reaching himself in endeavouring to save the life of a favourite dog, who was found in the well with him, standing on his lordship's feet. His hat and right-hand glove lay by the side of the well.

Every possible method for the recovery of drowned persons was made use of for three several times, but unfortunately without effect.

Extract of a Letter from Italy

Extract of a Letter from Italy, Aug. 1.

"The brother of the Abp. of Spalatro was assassinated in the streets of Venice. Letters were found in his pockets apprizing him of the danger, but he neglected to take any precaution."

For robbing her father

At Huntingdon assizes, a girl, not 13 years of age, was tried for robbing her father, an innkeeper in that county, of 15 guineas; and being convicted, she was branded, and ordered to be imprisoned for six months.

At the same time a mother and daughter, governesses to a school at which the above child was scholar, were tried for receiving the above money from her, well knowing it was stolen, and were found guilty, and sentenced, the former to be imprisoned for a term of five years, and the daughter for three years.

For going in man's cloaths

A woman was convicted at the Guildhall, Westminster, for going in man's cloaths, and being married to three different women by a fictitious name, and for defrauding them of their money and deaths: She was sentenced to stand in the pillory at Charing-cross, and to be imprisoned six months.

The sex of the Chevalier D'Eon

This day came on to be tried, before the Lord Chief Justice Mansfield, a cause, the most extraordinary that, perhaps, ever happened in this or any other country, respecting the sex of the Chevalier D'Eon, formerly ambassador from France to the court of England, &c.

The action was brought by Mr. Hayes, surgeon, in Leicester-fields, against one Jacques, a broker and under-writer, for the recovery of seven hundred pounds, the said Mr Jacques having, about six years ago, received premiums of fifteen guineas per cent, for every one of which he stood engaged to return one hundred guineas, whenever it should be proved that the Chevalier D'Eon was actually a woman.

Mr. Buller opened the cause as counsel for Mr. Hayes. He stated the fairness of the transaction, and the justifiable nature of the demand, as Mr. Hayes, the plaintiff, thought himself now to be in possession of that proof which would determine the sex of the Chevalier D'Eon, and for ever render the case indisputable.

In proof of the fact, Mr. Le Goux, a surgeon, was the first witness called. He gave his testimony to the following effect;

"That he had been acquainted with the Chevalier D'Eon from the time when the Due de Nivernois resided in England in quality of ambassador from the court of France; That, to his certain knowledge, the person called the Chevalier D'Eon was a woman."

Being closely interrogated by the counsel for the defendant, as to the mode of his acquiring such a degree of certainty relative to the sex of the party, Mr. Le Goux gave this satisfactory account of the matter:

"That, about five years ago, he was called in by the Chevalier D'Eon, to lend his professional aid for her assistance; That the Chevalier D'Eon, unfortunately for herself as well as her sex, laboured, at that time, under a disorder which rendered an examination of the afflicted part absolutely necessary; That this examination led of course to that discovery of the sex of which Mr. Le Goux was now enabled to give such satisfactory testimony."

The second witness called on the part of the plaintiff was Mr. De Morande. He swore, "that, so long ago as the 3d of July, 1774, the Chevalier D'Eon made a free disclosure of her sex to the witness; That she had even proceeded so far as to display her bosom on the occasion; That, in consequence of this disclosure of sex, she, the Chevalier D'Eon, had exhibited the contents of her female wardrobe, which consisted of sacques, petticoats, and other habiliments calculated for feminine use; That, on the said 3d day of July, 1774, the witness paid a morning-visit to the Chevalier D'Eon, and, finding her in bed, accosted her in a stile of gallantry respecting her sex; That so far from being offended with this freedom, the said chevalier desired the witness to approach nearer to her bed, and then permitted him to have manual proof of her being in truth a very woman."

Mr. Mansfield, on the part of the defendant, pleaded that this was one of those gambling, indecent, and unnecessary cases, that ought never to be permitted to come into a court of justice; that, besides the inutility and indecency of the case, the plaintiff had taken advantage of his client, being in possession of intelligence that enabled him to lay with greater certainty, although with such great odds on his side; that the plaintiff, at the time of laying the wager, knew that the court of France treated with the chevalier as a woman, to grant her a pension; and that the French court must have some strong circumstances to imbibe that idea, therefore he hoped the jury would reprobate such wagers. The defendant's counsel did not attempt to contradict the plaintiff's evidence, by proving the masculine gender.

Lord Mansfield expressed his abhorrence of the whole transaction, and the more so, their bringing it into a court of justice, when it might have been settled elsewhere, wishing it had been in his power, in concurrence with the jury, to have made both parties lose; but as the law had not expressly prohibited it, and the wager was laid, the question before them was, who had won? His lordship observed, that the indecency of the proceeding arose more from the unnecessary questions asked, than from the case itself; that the witnesses had declared they perfectly knew the Chevalier D'Eon to be a woman; if she is not a woman, they are certainly perjured; there was, therefore, no need of enquiring how and by what methods they knew it, which was all the indecency.

As to the fraud suggested, of the plaintiff's knowing more than the defendant, he seemed to think there was no foundation for it.

His lordship then recited a wager entered into by two gentlemen in his own presence, about the dimensions of the Venus de Medicis, for 100l. One of the gentlemen said, "I will not deceive you; I tell you fairly I have been there, and measured it myself." "Well (says the other) and do you think I would be such a fool as to lay if I had not measured it? I will lay for all that."

His lordship then went on to state to the jury, that this chevalier had publickly appeared as a man, had been employed by the court of France as a man, as a military man, in a civil office, and as a minister of state here and in Russia; that there was all the presumption against the plaintiff, and the onus probandi lay upon him, which might, never have been come at; for it appeared, the only proposition of a discovery of sex that had been made to the chevalier, by some gentlemen upon an excursion, had been resented by D'Eon, who had instantly quitted their company on that account: it might therefore have never been in his power to have proved his wager, but for some accidental quarrels between D'Eon and some of her country men. His lordship was therefore of opinion, that the jury would find a verdict for the plaintiff.

The jury, without hesitation, gave a verdict for the plaintiff, 700l. and 40s.

Cut her to pieces

At Chester, one Sam. Thorley, a butcher's follower, for the wilful murder of Ann Smith, a ballad-singer, about 22 years of age. He decoyed her, lay with her, murdered her, cut her to pieces, and eat part of her. The circumstances are too shocking to relate. He was convicted, and has since been hung in chains.

No words can express the agony

A few days ago, as Major Balfbur, of the first or royal Scots regiment, and his brother, were out shooting, near Fort George, in Scotland, the Major, having fired his piece at some birds, desired his brother to fire also, when, unfortunately, as he was preparing to do so, the Major stept forward before the muzzle of the gun, received the charge in his head, and expired a few hours after. The Major was universally esteemed.

No words can express the agony of his brother upon this melancholy catastrophe.

With a view to promote his business

This night being the eve of a Sunday, on which a general communion was to be at the cathedral church of Zurich, in Switzerland, called Munster Kirk; and many thousands were expected there to partake of it; the wine was prepared and brought to the church, to be ready against morning; but, in the mean time, an incarnate devil dared to lay hands on the sanctuary of the Lord, and poisoned all the wine.

In the morning, when the sacrament was administered, there was a horrid confusion; several fainted away on the spot; several vomited; several were taken with a violent cholic; and, in short, the whole city was thrown into the utmost consternation. Upon this, an experiment was tried, and the poison discovered.

About eight had died of the poison when this account came away; and had not the bad taste of the wine given early notice of the intended mischief, many more must have perished: still some hundreds were dangerously ill.

After a strict examination, it was discovered, that one Wirtz, a grave-digger, was the perpetrator of this diabolical deed, with a view to promote his business, which had been slack for some time. The villain was immediately apprehended; but what is become of him, we have not as yet learned.

Buried alive

The body of a coachman, found without any of the common signs of life, in a stable at Fulham, to which he went a few days before, in a seeming state of good health, to put up his horses, was buried at that place. But when the funeral was over, a person insisting that, during the performance of the service, he heard a rumbling and struggling in the coffin, the earth was removed, and the coffin taken out of the grave; when, on opening it, there appeared evident proofs, that the unhappy man, though then absolutely dead, had come to himself, as his body was very much bruised in several places, some of which were still bleeding; and there appeared besides a quantity of blood in the coffin.

Surely, it is high time to put the office of searchers into better hands; and who so fit for the purpose, as the gentlemen of the faculty belonging to the Society for the recovery of persons apparently drowned, &c. who might be allowed a suitable reward for their trouble, payable by the parish when the friends of the supposed deceased were too poor to pay it; and a still greater reward, in case they should bring to life any person given over as dead by those they belonged to.

Two dead bodies in his coach

The driver of a hackney-coach was brought before the Lord Mayor at Guildhall by two Custom-House officers, charged with having two dead bodies in his coach. The officers account of the matter was as follows.

The day before about four in the morning, as they were going over London-bridge, they observed a coach driving very precipitately, which gave them a suspicion that some run goods were concealed therein; and on calling to the coachman to stop, he drove the faster; on which one of them presenting a pistol, and threatening to fire at him, two men jumped out and ran away, and the coach stopped; the officers proceeded to examine it for their supposed prize, but, to their great astonishment, they found the body of an elderly man and that of a woman, quite naked, with each a rope tied round its neck, put into two separate sacks; there were three bruises about the body of the man, and neither of them had been dead a long time.

The coachman said, he took up his fair, in Shoreditch, was ordered to drive to St. George's hospital, and he knew nothing more of the matter. However, on his taking the bodies, by the lord-mayor's order, to the officers of Shoreditch parish, they were found to be those of two paupers who had lately died in their workhouse, and which were supposed to have been stolen out of the burying-ground, for the use of the surgeons; a thing not very surprising, considering the careless manner in which such poor people are generally buried in London.

Four days after the remains of more than one hundred dead bodies were discovered in a shed in Tottenham Court Road, supposed to have been deposited, there by traders to the surgeons; of whom there is one, it is said, in the Borough, who makes open profession of dealing in dead bodies, and is well known by the name of the Resurrectionist.

Cleaned an old musket

The master of the Rose and Crown, the corner of Downing-street, Westminster, intending to get cleaned an old musket, which had been a long time loaded for the security of his house, drew out the slugs, as he thought, and gave it to a man to fire off the powder, which the man did; but, there being a slug left in the gun, on firing it, it went into the dining-room of Sir Jeffery Amherst, which is almost opposite; took with it the glass of the window, passed over Sir Jeffery's head as he sat writing, and, after striking against the opposite side of the room, fell on the floor. Happily Sir Jeffery had left the window about five minutes, or he would have been shot.

The landlord and man were sent for; but the circumstances being clearly proved, Sir Jeffery forgave them, as he had received no hurt.

Made use of a candlestick

The Stamford fly was attempted to be robbed near Stukely, in Huntingdonshire, by a single highwayman; but the guard fired a blunderbuss, and lodged two slugs in his forehead. Before his death he confessed that he was the person who robbed the Peterborough stage about a fortnight ago.

His corpse was carried to Huntingdon, when it appeared that he was an horse-keeper belonging to an inn at that place. He had no fire arms about him, but made use of a candlestick, instead of a pistol.

Hastily and unfortunately fired

A poor fellow was shot dead by the guard of the Exeter coach, on suspicion of his being a highwayman; but, on examination, they could find no fire-arms, or powder or ball, about him, nor any money in his pocket. He had only a pair of gloves, an apple, and a watch, in his pockets. His horse had saddle-bags, in which they found only two clean shirts, and one dirty one, three neckcloths, and three pair of stockings, one of silk,. and five or six bundles of hair, which appeared to have been just cut from different people's heads, as it was unsorted and uncurled.

Before the coroner's inquest it appeared, that he was an hair-dresser in King-street, Westminster; and it is said, that being much in liquor, and having first got entangled among the coach-horses, he afterwards rode round the coach, calling out to the driver to stop; upon which, the guard, without attending properly to his condition, too hastily and unfortunately fired.

Rash and hasty use of a deadly weapon

At a farm-house, near Amersham, between ten and eleven o'clock at night, the family were alarmed by a noise in the yard, which they imagined was occasioned by some persons endeavouring to break into the house. The master went up stairs with a loaded blunderbuss, and looking out of a back-window saw a man in the yard, at whom he immediately fired, and lodged the contents of the piece in his body. The neighbours, hearing the report, instantly assembled, and on examining the body, it proved to be the master's own son.

The unfortunate young man had been in London, and was not expected home till the succeeding day, but returning at the above time, and having the key of a garden-gate, let himself in, which occasioned this melancholy catastrophe.

This lamentable accident may be of use in its example, and prove a restraint upon others, from a rash and hasty use of deadly weapons.

The deplorable feelings of the unhappy father, will prove too fatal a memento of the regards due to humanity; and that however we may be covered by the law, we should not indulge our natural cruelty, by wantonly sporting with the lives of our fellow-creatures.

Occasioned by paint

Paris, August 5. A dreadful accident, occasioned by paint, happened here on Tuesday night this week. A milliner, her husband, child, and servant, were suffocated by the smell of a room which had been just painted, and in which they had the imprudence to sleep, at the sign of the Raven, in the street St. Honore.

He did not long survive

As Mr. Scott, carpenter at Mile-End, was returning home, he was met by three villains, who remembering, that about a twelvemonth ago, on their attempting to break open his house, he had fired at them, resolved to dispatch him; for which purpose one of them let off a pistol, the ball of which struck his arm, and shattered the bone in a most terrible manner.

On his falling to the ground with the agony, they fled with precipitation, thinking he was killed; but though, by that means, his life was saved for the present, he did not long survive the amputation of his arm.

Blown into the air

At Plymouth, the roundhouse of the Kent man of war suddenly blew up, and in its consequences exhibited a picture perhaps the most dreadful and shocking that it is possible for human nature to conceive. By the splinters of the deck in bursting, between forty and fifty brave fellows were (some of them) either so terribly maimed as to have had their limbs taken off, or scorched so as to be deprived of their sight, whilst others again are flayed all over. There are now 35 of them patients in the hospital at Plymouth, one having been since dead of two fractures, his arm and leg, he not surviving long after an amputation of the latter.

It is remarkable no officer received any hurt, except Lieut. Shea, of the marines, who is slightly wounded.

The accident happened in saluting the admiral, by some sparks falling into an arm-chest which stood on the after-part of the poop and great cabin. A drummer, who happened to be sitting on the lid of the chest, was blown into the air, fell overboard, and was picked up by the Albion's boat, without receiving the least hurt.

It is remarkable, that out of the small squadron that sailed with Sir James Douglas, the Egmont sprung her foremast, the Kent blew up, the Lenox sprung her foremast, the Dublin carried away her main and fore-top-mast yards and main-top-mast, the Albion a main-top-sail-yard, the Raisonable a fore-top-mast, and the Cerberus ran on shore on Penlee-Point.

Adultery with her own sister

A cause came on in Doctor's Commons, instituted by a gentlewoman against her husband for committing adultery with her own sister. She proving with child, the husband procured pills to cause abortion; but that failing, and being no longer able to conceal the criminality, the judge was pleased to pronounce the appellant to be divorced from her husband.

She jumped out of her room

Early this morning a fire broke out at Mr. Jelling's, hosier, near Ratcliff highway, which greatly damaged the inside of the house before it could be extinguished. A young lady who lodged with Mr. Jelling, was so terrified when she was awakened by the alarm of fire, that she jumped out of her room window into the street, and falling with her head against a post, was killed on the spot.

Which surprized her so much

Last night a fire broke out at Mr. Jepson's Haberdasher, in Ormond-street, .Rotherhithe, occasioned by a candle being placed so near a bed, in which was Mrs. Jepson, who lay-in, that it set fire to the curtains, which surprized her so much that she expired in a few minutes.

Capitally convicted aged twelve

At Warwick assizes, William Thomson, a lad only twelve years of age, was capitally convicted of robbing and intending to murder his master, John Darleson, a weaver.

The master had given the lad some correction for neglecting his work, which the boy determined to revenge; and, hiding himself in the bed-chamber, as soon as his master was asleep, he made a cut at his throat with a large knife, but it luckily happened that Mr. Darleson had neglected his usual custom of putting off his neckcloth, and that secured him from the blow. Darleson instantly started up in a fright, but the boy hiding himself behind the curtain, he imagined that his terror was occasioned only by a dream; he lay down again and went to sleep.

As soon as the boy found he was asleep, he renewed his attempt, but the master started up again, and was now so much shocked that it was a considerable time before he could prevail on himself to lie down; however, at length, he lay down, and only pretended to go to sleep, when the wretch made another violent stroke at him; but Mr. Darleson then caught his hand, and jumping up secured him.

Supposed to be in liquor

On Wednesday night, about twelve o'clock, a hackney coachman, supposed to be in liquor, drove his coach down the .stairs at Iron gate, into the Thames, whereby himself and horses were drowned.

The watchmen there could have saved the man, but he would not be taken from the box without they could save his horses.

Dreamed that money lay concealed

Daniel Healey, of Donaghmore, in Ireland, having three different times dreamed that money lay concealed under a large stone in a field near where he lived, procured some workmen to assist him in removing it, and when they had dug as far as the foundation, it suddenly fell, and killed Healey on the spot.

Criminally cohabited with her father

On the 4th instant, at Haversham, Bucks, a very singular inquisition was taken by the coroner for the said county, on view of the bodies of one male and two female bastard children, found secreted behind the chimney of a house at that place, occupied for some time past by a man and his daughter; when it appeared upon the examination of divers witnesses, and the confession of the daughter, that she had criminally cohabited with her father, by whom she had all the above-named infants; that she was from time to time privately delivered of them all; that two of them were born alive, and immediately murdered by her father; that the last was still-born; and that all three were secreted by her said father behind the chimney, from whence they had been taken.

Upon which evidence and confession, the jury brought in their verdict, that two of the children were murdered by the father (who died about a year ago), and his daughter is committed to Aylesbury gaol, to take her trial at the next assizes.

And on Saturday last a second inquisition was taken at the same place, on view of another child, afterwards found behind the same chimney, supposed to have been her's, and murdered and secreted there by her and her deceased father.

The sinews were all contracted

A few days ago, the master of a coffee-house in Soho, and several other persons, were invited to a feast at a tavern near Covent-Garden, and having drank pretty freely, he fell asleep, with his legs extended near the fire. After sitting in that posture some time, he was awakened by one of the company, in order to go home; but, when he attempted to get up, he could not move his legs, they being scorched in such a manner that the sinews were all contracted. He was however taken home, and died last Tuesday.

Wilful murder of her husband

This morning Elizabeth Herring referring, who was convicted last Friday at the Old-Bailey of the wilful murder of her husband, (who plied as a waterman at Wapping-stairs) by stabbing him with a case-knife in the throat, in a quarrel while they were at dinner at a public-house in King-street, Wapping, was carried on a sledge, drawn by four horses, from Newgate to Tyburn. She confessed that her husband died by the wound she gave him in her passion, to which she was very subject; but declared she had no intention of murdering him, and seemed to be entirely resigned to her unhappy fate.

The method of executing this unfortunate woman was as follows: She was placed on a stool something more than two feet high, and a chain being placed under her arms, the rope round her neck was made fast to two spikes, which being driven through a post against which she stood, when her devotions were ended, the stool was taken from under her, and she was soon strangled. When she had hung about fifteen minutes, the rope was burnt, and she sunk till the chain supported her, forcing her hands up to a level with her face, and the flames being furious she was soon consumed.

The crowd was so immensely great, that it was a long time before the faggots could be placed for execution.

It was computed that there were above 20,000 people to see this melancholy spectacle, many of whom were much hurt, and some trodden to death in gratifying a barbarous curiosity.

Proved too knowing

A young woman dressed in man's cloaths, was carried before the Lord Mayor, for marrying an old woman.

The old woman was possessed of 100l. and the design was to get possession of the money, and then to make off; but the old lady proved too knowing.

So pitiful and unmanly an employment

At a meeting held a few days ago by the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor of London, and the other trustees appointed by the will of the late Samuel Wilson, of Hatton-Garden, Esq; for lending out his 20,000l. legacy to young men, who have been set up one year, or not more than two years, in some trade or manufacture, &c. application was made by two young men, hair-dressers, to be partakers of the said loan, whose petitions were rejected, his Lordship and the rest of the trustees being of opinion, that the said occupation was not fit for young men to follow, and were persuaded the testator never designed his money should be lent to promote so pitiful and unmanly an employment, which did not seem to require a capital of above five pounds.

All the gentlemen perished

Some gentlemen, among whom was Mr. Buckland, son to the late English consul at Nice, having been out on a shooting party in that neighbourhood, were overtaken by a storm of thunder, which forced them to take shelter in the lanthorn at the mouth of the harbour of Villa Franca, under which was a magazine of powder, which taking fire by the lightning, the whole fabric blew up, and all the gentlemen perished.

Free access to her bed-chamber

Mrs. Tonge, who kept a milliner's shop in Fleet-street, was this day tried at the Old Bailey upon two indictments. The first was for privately stealing a piece of lace in the shop of Mr. Green in Cheapside. Upon the shopman's  charging her with stealing the lace, she offered him twenty guineas to let her go; but he still persisting in sending for a constable, she threw her arms round him, told him she was not married, and that if he would forgive her she would give him 100l, and he should have free access to her bed-chamber whenever he pleased; but as the case did not properly come within the description in the act respecting secret and private stealing, she was, after two very long trials, acquitted of that part of both the indictments, and received sentence of transportation.

Sawed alive into two

Extract of a Letter from Paris.

"A Swiss, who had been hired before the vintage, in a neighbouring province, to take care of the vines, took advantage of the absence of the husbandman to attempt the seduction of his daughter; but, not being able to effect this by persuasion, he satisfied his brutal appetite by force. To prevent detection, he then killed the young woman and fled. Being immediately pursued, he was overtaken, and delivered up to the justice of his own nation; (for the Swiss nation, by treaty, have a sovereign right to decide in all causes civil and criminal, relative to their own nation in France.) He was adjudged, after trial, to the usual punishment in the like cases, viz. to be sawed alive into two. He was accordingly jammed in (all except his head) between two large logs of wood hollowed for that purpose, and in that posture under-went the dreadful punishment. He was then exposed to public view, as a warning to others whose passions are stronger than their reason."

Killed and eaten

One Nicholas Goldsmith, a cowherd, in Saxe Gotha, was broke upon the wheel there, for the murder of children, whom he had killed and eaten. There was a cave near his cottage in which he cooked and feasted on the flesh of the unhappy victims; and before he was discovered he had made away with no less than fifteen, which he confessed at the place of execution. Another herdsman traced him to his cave, and caught him in the fact, and gave information against him to a magistrate, by which his inhuman cruelty was detected.

Pinched with hot irons

On the 3d instant was executed, pursuant to her sentence, Louiza de Jesus, for the murder of thirty-three infants, that were at different times, committed to her care by the directors of the foundling-hospital at Combra, for which (as appears by the sentence published) she had no other inducement but 600 reas in money, a covado of baiz, and a cradle, that she received with each of them. She was but twenty-two, years of age when executed. Going to execution she was pinched with hot irons, and at the gallows, her hands were struck off; she was then strangled, and her body burnt.

Inefficacy and disproportion of our penal laws

There was a very remarkable instance of the inefficacy and disproportion of our penal laws: two persons were whipped round Covent-Garden pursuant to sentence; the one for stealing a bunch of radishes, which nature might have impelled him to do; the other for debauching and polluting his own niece, a crime that nature revolts at.

To clear the spout of a coffee-pot

The Rev. Mr. Loudon, tutor to Lord Napier's sons, was unfortunately shot dead by the accidental going off of a pistol in the hand of one of the youths, who happened to take it up to look at it. Mr. Loudon had drawn the rammer of the pistol to clear the spout of a coffee-pot; and was busy in so doing when the accident happened.

He conveyed her to a mad-house

Mrs. Mills appeared before Sir John Fielding, and made oath, that on Tuesday in the preceding week, one Gunston came up to her room, and told her that her husband was in trouble. As he had been arrested that day, she immediately determined to go to his relief, and accordingly accompanied Gunston to a hackney-coach, in which he conveyed her to a mad-house, at Bethnal-green. As soon as she alighted, she declared her surmize of his having decoyed her; when Gunston pushed her into the fore-court, threw her down, and dragged her up the stone steps to the door by her leg, and when he had got her into the house, he hand-cuffed her, and fastened her hands behind her back with a short chain; the mistress of the house, being present, accosted her with the modest title of mad b—ch, declared she should soon have her hair cut off, and her head shaved and blistered. Enquiring by whose authority they detained her, she was told, by that of her husband; and at night she was conducted up stairs into a little apartment, the stench of which was intolerable, and the appearance beyond description wretched: here she continued till morning, when a bason of something which appeared like tea, was brought her by a woman, who, commiserating her situation, told her, she had herself been confined there for a considerable time, by the artifices of her husband, and advised her to make herself as easy as possible.

On the Thursday her husband came to her, when she asked him, why he could suffer her to be sent to such a house, and to be so cruelly treated? He declared his sorrow, and took her home with him. A day or two after she came home, she thought of attempting to relieve the poor wretch she left in the mad-house, and for that purpose applied to Sir John Fielding for a warrant against Gunston, and at the same time applied to Justice Wilmot to send for the unhappy woman described above. The people at the house refused to send the poor wretch; on which the justice went himself, and insisted on seeing her in the apartment which then contained her; he went up, but declared he would not again have done so for 5000l. the place was so intolerably nasty, and the stench so abominable; he found her apparently sane, and in a truly pitious situation, having a hole quite through her hand, which, it is more than probable, was occasioned by some violence from her inhuman keepers.

Upon farther enquiry, it appeared that her name was Ewbank, that she had been under confinement one year and three quarters, had been taken out of her dwelling-house, her hands tied behind her, and forcibly dragged to the mad-house, by threatening to rip her belly open if she made the least noise, or any way resisted. The persons concerned are ordered to be prosecuted.

He did not like his wine

Extract of a Letter from Paris, Dec. 23.

"On Friday last a very extraordinary event happened at the Duke de la Valliere's. The Marquis de Sorba, Minister from the Republic of Genoa, was at dinner with him, when one of the company at table told the duke that he did not like his wine, which had a particular taste, and whilst the duke was answering him, M. de Sorba fell down dead, without uttering a word."

An intercourse with the wicked spirit

About half after nine in the morning, three powder-mills in Hounslow-heath blew up, by what accident is not known; The explosion was felt throughout the cities of London and Westminster, and the inhabitants were greatly alarmed, supposing it an earthquake.

About the time the explosion was felt at London, some families at Stockwell were terrified with the rattling and breaking of their china, which they attributed to a preternatural cause. A Lady of fortune was so firmly persuaded that some invisible agent was concerned, that she discharged her maid, whom slie suspected of having an intercourse with the wicked spirit; and, when she was gone, as no more mischief ensued, consoled herself that she had got rid of so dangerous an inmate.

The earth opened, swallowed up, and buried him

On Thursday the 29th of September last, between the hours of four and five in the evening, happened the following extraordinary accident, viz.

Upon the arrival of a young man, in a Caleche, at one Joseph Renand's door, in the parish of St. Peter's, South-river, the earth opened, swallowed up, and buried him under its mass, together with the carriage and two horses. There were in the house a woman, two girls, and a young lad; the latter perceiving this extraordinary accident, cried out, "Let us save ourselves." At the same time going out of the house to make his escape, when he saw the earth again opening, about 18 feet wide, which obliged him to retire; but the woman, who likewise endeavoured to save herself, was swallowed up: the lad was returning into the house, where the girls had remained in the greatest consternation and fright; when, all on a sudden, it fell down, was carried at about the distance of an acre and a half from where it stood, and buried in the river, under an enormous mass of land, and no part is to be seen, except the end of one of the rafters; not-withstanding the lad was only found up to the shoulders in the earth, and whose doleful cries brought some people to his assistance, who had almost dug him out, when the barn, which was at a greater distance than the house, fell, and was likewise swallowed up in the abyss; this obliged the people to leave the lad, who continued calling to their assistance; but a little time after, they returned and saved him.

This immersion has formed a bank, at least three acres broad; the height of which exceeds the shore by above 15 feet: it has shut up the channel of the river in such a manner, that the waters had not ceased to reflow the 29th, and left it quite dry below the bank.

It is a difficult matter to discover the cause of so extraordinary a falling, as there was not the least sign of an earthquake; and as it was a hill, the declivity of which to the river was very gentle: yet as the land formed a small creek, against which the waters struck, and had cut a very deep channel therein, it is to be presumed, that having by degrees washed away the earth, which is of a very soft clay, it had in course of time made a subterraneous passage: this appears the more probable, as in the place where the land sunk, there appeared a deep pit, about 60 feet perpendicular.

Young maidens sold for a good price

JOHN CROUCH AND WIFE,
TRIED FOR OFFERING TO SELL A YOUNG GIRL.

Though our laws punish more than one hundred and sixty offences with death, and though a statute is made against almost every species of Crime, still the depravity of man is ever practising some turpitude not, perhaps, fully comprised in our penal code. A flagitious crime, for instance, of the following nature, could hardly be contemplated, in a land of liberty and affection, by any set of legislators, and punishment must consequently be resorted to from those laws against petty offences.

On the 16th of January, 1766, an elderly man and woman were observed on the Royal Exchange, London, with a fine young girl, apparently fourteen years of age, but thinly and shabbily clothed; and, consequently, shivering with cold in that inclement season of the year. So uncommon an appearance in that scene of bustle and business, it being then what is called nearly 'High 'Change,' attracted considerable attention.

It was first conceived that they were asking charity, as the man had addressed two or three gentlemen, from whom he received a contemptuous denial. At length he accosted an honest captain of a ship, who instantly gave publicity to the base proposal which had been made to him - namely, to purchase the unfortunate and innocent girl!

The parties were immediately taken into custody by the beadles of the Exchange, and carried before the sitting magistrate at Guildhall, who committed the man and woman to prison as vagrants, and ordered the girl to be taken care of in the London Workhouse.

On their examination they persisted that the girl was their own child; but it appeared so unnatural that parents in Britain should offer for sale their offspring, that an inquiry into the transaction was set on foot.

At the general sessions of the peace, held at Guildhall, on the 12th of May following, this unnatural man and woman were brought to the bar.

It appeared that the man was named John Crouch, and that his residence was at Bodmin, in Cornwall. The woman was his wife; the unfortunate girl his niece; and having heard 'that young maidens were very scarce in London, and that they sold for a good price,' he took her out of the poor-house there, and, accompanied by his wife, had set off, and travelled on foot from Bodmin to London, two hundred and thirty-two miles, in order to mend their fortune by her sale!

The jury found the man guilty on an indictment presented against him for an offence far short of his crime; but, considering the woman under his influence, acquitted her. The husband was sentenced to six months' imprisonment in Newgate, and to pay a fine of one shilling.

The danger of religious enthusiasm.

WILLIAM WHITTLE,
EXECUTED FOR MURDER.

The shocking crimes of this monster in human shape show the danger to be apprehended from religious enthusiasm.

The blood that has been shed, under the pretext of religion, in and since the Crusades, or, as they were denominated, the holy wars, is greater than the torrents shed by tyrants fighting for each other's empire.

William Whittle was a poor ignorant wretch, worked up to a state of frenzy by the abominable doctrine of some ignorant popish priest; for this wretched man was a Roman Catholic, and murdered his wife and his two children!

On being interrogated, after conviction, and while under sentence of death, as to his motive for committing such horrid deeds, he replied that his priest often told him he should be damned for marrying a heretic. 'But why murder your innocent children ?' To this he answered, 'The mother had carried them to the church of the heretics: so they would have been damned if he had not killed them; but now they were in purgatory, and would go to heaven in time.'

This wicked sinner, exulting in his fell deed, was executed on Lancaster Moor, April the 5th, 1766, and his body hung in chains.

Soon after execution, the Rev. Mr. Oliver, who held it a duty to attend the last moments of the wretched man, under the hope of working in him contrition, and a renunciation of tenets too dangerous to be implanted in weak minds, received the following threatening letter, evidently the composition of one of the same persuasion as the malefactor:-

'Sir,

I make bold to acquaint you, that your house, and every clergyman's that's in the town (Lancaster), or any black son of a b—h like you - for you are nothing but heretics and damned souls - if William Whittle, that worthy man, hangs up ten days, you may fully expect to be blown to damnation.'

An improper intercourse

ELIZABETH BURROUGHS,
EXECUTED FOR MURDER.

On the trial of this woman it appeared that one Henry Steward, a broker, at Bury St. Edmunds, had taken into his house, in the capacity of servant, a girl named Mary Booty, whose father was then recently deceased, and whose goods had been sold by Steward, in the way of his business.

Elizabeth Burroughs had lived as a servant to Steward, but was not then in his employ. Finding that Booty supplied the place that she had formerly filled, fried with jealousy (as she expressed herself), she went, for the purpose of quarrelling with her late master, to his house. For some time there was a general fray among the three; but the man, finding that Burroughs had struck Booty on the head with a hammer, quitted the house, and left the girls together.

In the course of the night Mary Booty was found in the street, expiring before Steward's door. Many circumstances concurred for supposing that she had been thrown out of the window by Burroughs: her skull was fractured, and she was otherwise much beaten and bruised.

Yet, under these proofs and corroborative evidence, the hardened wretch, to the last moment, asserted her innocence. Her last words were, 'I know a lie will avail me nothing; I am innocent of the murder for which I suffer.' She was executed at Bury St. Edmunds, April the 4th, 1763.

We do not know a more dangerous step towards the ruin of the peace of mind, in fact, eventually, of every individual of a family, than that of the master becoming familiar with his female servant. No person can read this unhappy case without entertaining the idea of an improper intercourse having taken place between Steward and Burroughs; and, though it appears she had left her ostensible employ, yet it is plain she considered the favours of her master still at her command, and that they were encroached upon by the admission of the deceased. On this point, unfortunately, we find that a grey beard does not always bring wisdom.

Two dozen of lashes for desertion

A person known by the name of Charles Waddall, of the Oxford man of war, lying at Chatham, was ordered to receive two dozen of lashes for desertion; but when tied up to the gangway, the culprit was discovered to be a woman. She declares that she has travelled from Hull to London after a man with whom she was in love; and hearing he was on board the Oxford at Chatham, she entered at the rendezvous in London, for the same ship, the 9th instant. On the 17th of this month she came on board; but finding that her sweetheart was run away, in consequence thereof she deserted yesterday.

She was immediately carried before Admiral Dennis, who made her a present of half a guinea: Commissioner Hanway, and most of the officers of the yard made her presents also.

Thrust his head into the fire

A most horrid murder was committed at Haptonstall near Halifax, where a poor fellow having threatened to give information against the murderers of Mr. Dyghton, formerly mentioned, a gang of coiners, as is supposed, set upon him, thrust his head into the fire, clapt a pair of red-hot tongs round his neck, and filled his breeches full of burning coals, by which cruel treatment the poor unhappy man died in the greatest agonies, and the villains made their escape.

Thrown into a fit

During the fire, the following melancholy accident happened. One of the millers of Newbottle-
mills, on hearing the bell, ran to give his assistance. His wife, who was valetudinary, having gone to bed, he locked the door of his house after him.. On his return he found her dead; lying in the chimney.

It would appear she had got up; that her fright had thrown her into a fit, to which she was often subject; and that unfortunately she had fallen into the fire, where she was burnt to death.

Frantic in his cups

As Robert Jones, esq, was crossing Hounslow-heath in a post-chaise and four, a man on horseback pushed from behind a hedge, and, with horrid imprecations, attempted to strike one of the postillions, but the blow fell upon the carriage; he afterwards struck the footman, who was riding behind the carriage; but on coming up to the coach door, he was shot at and wounded by Mr. Jones. He appears to be a farmer in that neighbourhood, who is frantic in his cups, and it is supposed this was one of his drunken frolics, which probably will cost him his life.

Tore the bill of exchange

They write from Paris, that on the 27th of November last a banker, who had been but a short time settled in that city, after being employed all the morning with the treasurer of the prince of Conti, at his return home enquired if any body had been there from Mr. De St. Julien, receiver general for the clergy, in order to receive the money for a bill of exchange for 10,000 crowns. Being answered that the receiver general's clerk had been there, but was desired to call again in the afternoon; the banker sent immediately to Mr. De St. Julien, desiring him to send for his money.

When the clerk came with the bill, the banker took it, and told him he would go and fetch him the money, but he went into another room, locked himself in, tore the bill of exchange, and shot himself through the head.

The keeper of a noted bagnio

A cause was tried by a special jury, in the court of king's bench, in which the keeper of a noted bagnio was plaintiff, and a noted whitster* in Surrey defendant. The action was brought for the recovery of the remainder of a bill, of which 525l. had been paid.

Year	Date	£	s	d
1767	From 17 Dec to Jan 3 1768	71l.	19s.	3d.
	Cash for ladies	101l.	10s.	0d.
1768	From 17 Mar to 17 May	158l.	11s.	5d.
	From 15 Jun to 14 Jul	374l.	11s.	6d.
	Cash for ladies	79l.	0s.	0d.
	From 27 Aug to 13 Sep	569l.	18s.	0d.
	27 Aug cash lent	25l.	0s.	0d.
	For jellies	87l.	0s.	0d.
	Total	1290l.	11s.	0d.
	Deduct for draught paid	525l.	0s.	0d.
	Balance due	765l.	11s.	0d.

The plaintiff produced three witnesses to support her action, two of whom proved the whole charge to be unjust, and the evidence of the third was totally discredited. The jury, without going out of court, found a verdict for the defendant, with costs of suit. The defendant being a married man, the plaintiff presumed he would have paid the bill to prevent his being exposed. But the exorbitancy of the demand determined him to punish the injustice of it.

It is probably worth noting that, according to the National Archive currency converter, in 1770 £1,290 11s 0d would have the same spending worth of, in 2005, £82,195.13 and that his outstanding balance was the equivalent of £48,757.88 which is, by anyone's standards, a fairly impressive bill for 10 months shagging.

Mind you since he'd already paid the equivalent of £33,437.25 the plaintiff seems to have prospered from his custom!

His wife's reaction is not recorded.

* a person who whitens or bleaches clothes

Married to her footman

Not long ago, a lady of fashion took lodgings in a private manner in the parish of St. Martin's, Ludgate, and at the expiration of the month, made proposals of marriage to her footman; with this restriction, that he was to wear the livery as before. The man consented, and the lady ordered her coach, and drove to St. Martin's church, with her intended husband in the character of servant behind it. They were married accordingly.

About a month ago, the lady died, and the widower is now possessed of 700l. per ann. Last week her relations came to London to examine into the particulars of the marriage, obtained a certificate of the marriage being duly solemnized; and, after trying every fruitless method to set it aside, are retired into the country, leaving the widower in full possession.

When in perfect health

One captain Hollymore, an officer on half-pay, who, for some time past, lodged at the Nine Elms, near Vauxhall, has of late, when in perfect health, been heard to say, that his mother had frequently told him he would die on the 10th of November, 1769. The captain himself was strongly prepossessed with this notion. On Friday last, the 10th instant, without any visible signs of illness, more than apparent depression of spirits and a frequent sighing, he made his will; executed it, and gave orders about his funeral; at the same time assuring his friends that he would die that night.

As there was no appearance of illness, more than a depression of spirits, his friends considered this affair as merely ideal; however, in the morning, he was found dead in his bed, without the least signs of his not having died a natural death.

A passage to India

Last week a young recruit appeared at the Rotation-office in Bow-street, to be sworn into the service of the East-India company, when a gentleman present observed, that from voice and features he suspected the recruit to be a woman; on a more particular observation, every one present was of the same opinion, and two women were desired to examine the party in an adjoining room.

On returning into court, and declaring her to be a woman, the recruit burst into tears, said that her motives for this action were, her having a husband, whom she dearly loved, at that time in India, that her life was miserable without him, and nothing should prevent her in her resolution of going there.

Every one present was affected with her tears; and on her consenting to return to her parents, who live in reputation in Southwark, Sir John Fielding humanely promised her, that if she continued in the same mind, and her happiness depended on it, he himself would speak to some of the directors, and procure her a passage to India, in character of a lady's maid; the poor creature was melted with his kindness, which she acknowledged in the most grateful terms. She is a very agreeable young woman, and seems about 18 years of age.

A surprising account

Letters from Paris give a surprising account from Amiens, of a man and his wife and four horses being killed, as they were at work in the harvest field, by something which came out of the earth, and of which no traces were afterwards to be found, but only the smoking hole, from whence it issued. Two or three other people were struck down, but not much hurt. The surgeons, who inspected the bodies of those who were killed, did not discover the least wound, but only a considerable swelling, and great deformity of the features. The woman, who was young and handsome, appealed a very shocking spectacle.

The whole charge, wadding and all

Lord Eglington, and lord Kelly who was at his lordship's seat at Ardall in Scotland on a visit, went out in their chair to take the air; they were followed by servants, who had guns and dogs; near the sea-side, in his lordship's inclosures, lord Eglington heard a gun go off, and espying one Mungo Campbell, whom he had long known for a poacher, he alighted from his carriage, pursued Campbell,and came up to him, and demanded his gun for shooting on his manor; he was answered by Campbell, in very rude language, that he would not deliver up his gun, but, if his lordship insisted on it, he "would give him the contents."

Lord Eglington then took a large stick from lord Kelly, who by this time had come up to the spot where the fray happened. Lord Eglington was advancing fast with this stick, which the fellow perceiving, leveled and presented his piece; lord Eglington upon this withdrew a few paces back, and and cried out, "Oh, are you for that sport!" and called one of his servants to reach him his fowling-piece, which was accordingly brought.

Lord Eglington faced about to Campbell, with the gun in his hand, but before he could could either cock or present it, the fellow fired, and unhappily the whole charge, wadding and all, entered on his right side, about two inches from the navel, of which wound he lingered about twelve hours, and then expired. The fellow was so confused, or so frightened, that he fell on his back the instant he fired, but not before.

Lady Eglington, my lord's mother, is so affected with the loss of her son, that it is feared the distraction and indisposition, she is thrown into will prove mortal.

Lord Eglington has left behind him a great character. His lordship was some time since one of the lords of the bedchamber; but, on his not voting on a late occasion according to the pleasure of the ministry, it was signified to him that his resignation would be accepted, and he has since lived a retired life in Scotland.

A circumstance, is mentioned in extenuation of Campbell's crime, that, being a Highlander, if he had suffered himself to be disarmed, he had been for ever disgraced, and been deemed utterly unfit to mix with people of character any more. Poor Campbell, knowing this, declared repeatedly, when lord Eglington insisted upon taking his gun, that he would never undergo the shame; but his lordship's perseverance produced the melancholy catastrophe.

The commissioners of excise in Scotland, to express their concern for this unfortunate accident, have issued their orders, strictly forbidding their officers from poaching, upon pain of being immediately discharged from their service.

Rudely and indecently accosted

About nine this evening, Mr. Joseph Baretti, an Italian gentleman, well known in the literary world, was attacked at the end of Panton-street, near the Haymarket, by a street-walker, who rudely and indecently accosted him; he pushed her hands from him, and she finding that he was a foreigner, cried out 'French bougre,' and other gross terms of reproach; upon which a man came up, one of her company, and began to abuse and strike him; upon this, more gathered about him, and continued striking and pushing him from side to side.

He at last drew a little silver desert-knife, with a silver blade, and warned them not to use him ill; that he could no longer bear it, and would strike the first person that came near him. They still pursuing him, he, moving his hand backward and forward in running from them, to defend himself, wounded two men (one of whom, named Morgan, died in the Middlesex Hospital).

Mr. Baretti submitted, and was carried before sir John Fielding, who committed him to Tothill-fields Bridewell.

Tuesday, Oct. 10. This afternoon the coroner's inquest sat on the body of Morgan, who died of the wounds he received in the Haymarket on Friday night, from Mr. Baretti, and remained sitting till ten at night, when they adjourned till Wednesday afternoon, and finished late at night examining the witnesses, when the jury brought in their verdict manslaughter. And in consequence thereof, Mr. Baretti was admitted to bail.

23rd. At this sessions also Mr. Baretti, attended by his bail, was brought into court, and indicted for stabbing Evan Morgan, who died of his wounds in the Middlesex hospital. He was offered a jury of half foreigners, but refused it.

The evidence against Mr. Baretti were, a woman of the town, who admitted that her companion had provoked him by a very indecent outrage, and two men, who contested that they had joined with the deceased Morgan in acts of injurious violence, and of whom the second contradicted, in some important particulars, the evidence of the first.

Another witness from the hospital repeated the account which he received from Morgan, who seemed to think himself wounded without sufficient provocation.

The court then called upon Mr. Baretti for his defence, who read from a written paper his narrative of the whole transaction; the purport of which was, that an unexpected violent assault was made upon him by a woman, who struck him in the tender parts, which gave him exquisite pain; whereupon he hit her over the hand, when she called him French bougre, woman-hater, and other opprobrious names; and three men coming up, they shoved him about and struck him. The suddenness of the attack intimidated him, it was dark, no refuge at hand, and he being near-sighted, and thereby unable to judge of his danger, endeavoured to get away, but was hard pressed, repeatedly struck, and pursued several yards by the populace, who were now increased in number; at last, he drew out his knife (an instrument which foreigners generally carry about them), and told the assailants, that he could bear no longer their ill usage, but would defend himself, and warned them to keep off; but they repeating their insults, he, in the violence of his agitation, did the injury, of which he was scarce sensible himself.

In confirmation of this narrative, he produced such testimony from Mr. Wyat, the surgeon, who attended Morgan, and from a gentlewoman who accidentally beheld the whole fray, as was fully satisfactory to the court.

Mr. Baretti's character was then attested by several gentlemen, with whose names, the world is very well acquainted, and among whom were Mr. Beauclerk, sir Joshua Reynolds, Dr. Johnson, Mr. Burke, Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Garrick, Dr. Goldsmith, Mr. Stevens, and Dr. Hallifax, &c.

Mr. justice Bathurst summed up the evidence on both sides with great judgement; and the jury, after a deliberation of a few minutes, acquitted him of the charge.

As it was much to the honour of the country, in which a stranger not only met with justice, but even support and protection; it was not less to his, who, destitute of natural interest and connection in it, could alone, from the unblameable tenor of his life and actions, procure such undeniable testimonials to the goodness of his character.

Instantly struck blind

About 11 o'clock, an officer, with a party of soldiers, was ordered to invest the Dolphin alehouse in Spitalfields, where a number of riotous weavers, called cutters, were assembled, to collect contributions from their brethren, towards supporting themselves in idleness, in order to distress their masters, and to oblige them to advance their wages. When the soldiers arrived, the rioters instantly took the alarm, and arming themselves with guns, pistols, and other offensive weapons, immediately began the attack upon the soldiers, who, in their own defence fired upon and killed two of them, and wounded several Others before they could be subdued. Among the soldiers, one was also killed. In the end, four of the principal rioters were taken prisoners, and a reward of 10l. and his majesty's pardon are offered to any person concerned who shall discover his accomplices.

A most remarkable circumstance is said to have attended the outrages of these cutters. Upon their breaking into the house of Mr. Cromwell in Spitalfields, his wife was so terribly frightened, that the child sucking at her breast was instantly struck blind.

Over-reaching himself

A gentleman of Glasgow, sauntering alone in North-wood, attempted to get some hazle-nuts from the mouth of an old coal-pit; but, by over-reaching himself, tumbled ten fathom deep. Recovering himself at the bottom, he felt some pains from his breast and thigh; but his greatest trouble was from his deplorable situation. His friends, who missed him, made all possible search, but it was the seventh day before he was found; all which time he had subsisted on a few nuts he had gathered and put in his pocket before the accident happened. He was very much emaciated when taken out, his legs were blanched and quite benumbed; but his spirits were good, and his desire for food was not great.

A duel was fought

A duel was fought near Plymouth by a captain and lieutenant of marines, in which the latter was unfortunately killed. The duellists were inseparable companions, had been together all the preceding day, and were very much in liquor. About three in the morning they came arm in arm to the barracks, when the deceased dropped down dead. The survivor, who is committed to gaol, is inconsolable for the loss of his friend, and protests he knows not how the affair happened.

Desirous that he should suffer before her

On Friday last, a few minutes before twelve o'clock at noon, Susannah Lott and Benjamin Buss were taken from the gaol, in order to be executed, pursuant to their sentence, for the murder of Mr.
Lott, by poison. Buss, dressed in black, was carried in a waggon drawn by four horses, and attended by two or three sheriff's officers. Mrs. Lott dressed in a suit of mourning she had for her husband, immediately followed on a hurdle drawn by four horses. In this manner they proceeded till they came to the place of execution; when Buss, after joining in prayer with the clergyman, was hanged on a gallows about one hundred yards from the place where Mrs. Lott was to be executed.

When he had hung about fifteen minutes, the officers thus proceeded to execute sentence on Mrs. Lott, who was particularly desirous that he should suffer before her: A post, about seven feet high, was fixed in the ground; it had a peg near the top, to which Mrs. Lott, standing on a stool, was fastened by the neck; when the stool was taken away, she hung about a quarter of an hour, till she was quite dead: a chain was then turned round her body, and properly fastened by staples to the post, when a large quantity of faggots being placed round her, and set on fire, the body was consumed to ashes.

She was very sensible of her crime, and died entirely penitent. The man did not betray any remarkable concern for his approaching end.

It is computed there were 5000 persons attending the execution.

A most violent convulsion

A young man belonging to Long-Witton, in Northumberland, was recommended to the infirmary at Newcastle, afflicted with a most violent convulsion in the diaphragm. His hiccup is said to have been heard at two miles distance; and the noise so hideous, that cattle were frightened at him. This disorder succeeded a fever.

All the reparation it was possible to procure

We have received advice from Constantinople, that the Turks, upon the occasion of removing the standard of Mahomet, made a grand procession through the city: all Christians upon this occasion were forbid to appear in the streets, or at their windows; but the wife and daughter of the imperial minister, being excited by curiosity, placed themselves at a secret window to observe the procession, which was no sooner discovered by the Turks, than they attacked the ambassador's house, and endeavoured to force an entrance; but the servants of the minister opposing them, well armed, a dreadful fray ensued, in which no less than 100 persons lost their lives, and the ambassador's lady was very severely treated. Some of the rioters dragged her down into the court yard, and made preparations to strangle her, when a party of janissaries, who were dispatched to her assistance by an aga in the neighbourhood, happily came and preserved her. Upon complaint being made of this outrage by her husband to the grand visir, that minister expressed great sorrow for the insult that had been offered, and assured him he should have all the reparation it was possible to procure. A few hours after, the visir sent the imperial minister a rich present of jewels for his lady, and a bag, which was found to contain the heads of the three principal rioters.

The very worst kind of usage

THOMAS DANIELS,
CONDEMNED FOR THE SUPPOSED MURDER OF HIS WIFE.

This is an extraordinary hard case, and we think that every reader must agree in opinion that the accused so far from being guilty of murder, had long submitted to the very worst kind of usage with
which a women can possibly treat a husband.

The whole proof adduced against him was circumstantial; and we hope no jury sitting upon the life of their fellow creature will again convict a man on such evidence.

That they erred in their judgment, or, at all events, that the Privy Council of the realm differed from them in opinion, is evident, from the unfortunate man immediately receiving the king's pardon.

But, that every one may form a judgment on the case, we shall simply narrate the circumstances drawn from the different publications of the day, including his own confession.

Thomas Daniels was a journey-man carpenter, and about the year 1757, at which time he worked with his father, he became acquainted with Sarah Carridine, a very pretty girl, who was servant at a public house; this girl he was very desirous to marry, but his father and mother would not consent, because she had lived in an ale house. After consulting with the girl, and the girl's mother, it was agreed they should live together without being married. The mother, therefore, took a lodging for them, to which Daniels removed. His father, however, soon found out what be had done, upon which a quarrel ensued, and he determined to work with his father no longer.

As he was going about seeking employment elsewhere, he met with some of his acquaintance, who had entered on board the Britannia privateer, and they persuaded him to enter also.

When he went home, and told Carridine what he had done, she fell into violent fits of crying, and was, with great difficulty, pacified, by his telling her that the cruise was but for six months, that he hoped he should make his fortune, and that he would marry her when he came back, advising her, in the mean time, to go to service.

In this situation she was naturally exposed to great danger. It is probable that her grief was mixed with resentment; that she considered herself as slighted and deserted; and that she doubted whether he would return again, and, if he did, whether he, who could so soon forsake her, would make good his engagement; at the same time, having been already debauched, she was not restrained by the powerful motives from which women resist solicitations to the first fault, and she was under every possible temptation to form another connexion that was likely to be more certain and durable.

Under all these disadvantages she was seduced by one John Jones, a founder, a wretch who had been the intimate acquaintance of Daniels, and professed great friendship for him. This fellow promised to marry her if Daniels did not return; that, if he did, he would continue his kindness to her; and that, if he should die himself, he would leave her all his goods, and all his interest in the capital of a box-club, to which he belonged.

Not long after this connexion between Carridine and Jones, Daniels came home, having been absent about eight months. As soon as he came to London he went to Mr. Archer's, who kept the White Bear, at the corner of Barbican, in Aldersgate Street, whom he called his master, and sent for his father and mother, with whom he spent an agreeable evening. He then inquired of Mrs. Archer after Carridine; and she referred him to Jones. Jones took him over the water to an alehouse near the Bridge-foot, where he saw her. At this time she lived with her mother, and Daniels took a lodging in the same house with Jones, who, pretending great friendship for them both, urged Daniels to marry, going every night with him to spend the evening with the girl, and offering to give her away.  Daniels, without suspicion of so perfidious and base a conduct, fell into the snare, and fixed upon a day; but, as our laws have laid a tax upon marriage, which other states have encouraged by pecuniary or honorary advantages, Daniels could not be married, because he had not money enough to pay the fees. He would have borrowed a guinea of his master, but his master refused; upon which Jones urged him to raise it by pawning his watch: to this Daniels consented, the watch was pawned for him by Jones himself, and Daniels and Carridine were married.

Daniels, at first, lived in ready furnished lodgings, till his wife's mother persuaded him to live with her in Catherine-wheel Alley, Whitechapel. While they lived here Daniels frequently found his wife abroad when he came home from work, and when she did come home she was generally in liquor. The mother excused both her absence and her condition by saying she had been to see some young women in Spitalfields, and that a very little matter got into her head. It was not long, however, before Daniels found that she kept company with Jones; and having once followed them to an alehouse, when the mother pretended she was gone to see the young women in Spitalfields, he went to them, and, after some words, sent his wife home. She was then drunk, and, when he went home to her, a violent quarrel ensued, during which the wife and the mother both fell upon him; and the wife afterwards ran out of the house, and was absent all night.

Next day, however, Daniels was persuaded to make it up; and soon after put her into a little shop in the Minories, to sell pork and greens, and other articles. She promised to mind her business, and never go into Jones's company more.

On the next Lord Mayor's Day Daniels attended his master to the hall of his company, and, his master having given him a bottle of wine, he went into the kitchen, and got some bread and meat. He would not, however, touch either the wine or the victuals there, but brought both home, pleasing himself with the thought of enjoying them quietly with his wife. When he came home his wife was out, and soon after he found her and Jones together upon the stairs, Jones having taken the opportunity of Daniels's absence to supply his place, not suspecting that he would leave the good cheer of the hall, and come home so early.

This caused a great quarrel, and Daniels would suffer his wife to keep shop no longer; he also removed from her mother's, and, having got a few goods of his own, took a room in the Little Minories. Here they lived somewhat more quiet for a little while; but, the wife falling again into irregularities, Daniels entered a second time on board the Britannia privateer, as carpenter's mate, and, without acquainting any body with what he had done, went down to the ship at Greenhithe; but in a few days, to his great surprise, he was visited on board by his wife, in company with Jones: they staid on board all night, and, she lamenting and behaving like a mad woman, he was at length persuaded to return home with her.

Soon after he took a house, the corner of Hare Court, Aldersgate Street, and put his wife once more into a shop; but she soon returned to her old ways, kept company with Jones and several other people, and at length ran away and left him.

Notwithstanding this conduct he was persuaded to receive her again, though she acknowledged her criminal intimacy with Jones, upon her promise of amendment; yet she not only contracted other intimacies of an infamous kind, but, when Daniels came home to his meals, she would be abroad, with the key of their room in her pocket, so that he was obliged to eat at an ale house.

Notwithstanding all this Daniels seems to have had a strong attachment to her, and to have done every thing in his power to please her, that she might make his home agreeable, and was solicitous to the last to unite his pleasure with hers, in which he was constantly disappointed. The following instance, among many others, is a remarkable representation of his conduct and her character.

One Sunday, with a view to entertain her, he took her down to Ilford, that they might spend the day agreeably together: they dined at the White Horse there, and after dinner she drank freely. When the reckoning came to be paid she flew into a rage with the landlord, and, upon Daniels endeavoring to moderate matters, she turned all her resentment upon him, and carried it to such a degree, that she declared she would not go home with him, but would go with the first person that asked her, or even with the next man that went by. This threat, extravagant as it was, she made good; for a person, dressed like an officer, stopping in a chaise at the door, she asked him to let her ride home with him: he consented, and away they went.

Daniels, though he had offered his wife a place in the stage, now walked home by himself; and, having sat up for his wife till it was very late, he at length gave her over, and went to bed. About two in the morning he was roused by a violent knocking at his door, where he found his wife so drunk that she could not stand, attended by her mother; and he quietly let her in, with the mother, whose assistance was absolutely necessary to put her to bed.

The account of what happened immediately before the accident that put an end to her life, and of that accident itself, is added in his own words, the truth of which he has attested upon oath, before a magistrate, since his pardon:-

The night before this melancholy accident happened, I came home, to be sure, not entirely sober where, not finding my wife, I went directly to her mother's, where I found her very drunk. It being night, her mother said it was not proper to take her home in that condition, and therefore advised me to lie there that night, while she and her girl would go and sleep at my lodging. We did so.

In the morning, after my wife's mother came back, we all breakfasted together at her lodgings. After breakfast I went to Mr. Clarke, timber-merchant, in St. Mary Axe, to solicit for some India Company's work; from whence I went to the Mansion House alehouse, and drank a pint of beer. I then intended to go to work at Mr. Perry's, in Noble Street; but, it being near dinner-time, I stopped at the Bell, opposite his house, for another pint of beer, where, meeting some acquaintance eating beef steaks, I dined with them. As I was eating, in came my wife and her mother: she at first abused me for being at the alehouse, but they afterwards, with great seeming good humour, drank, with me, and, as they wanted money, I gave my wife two shillings, and lent her mother a six-and-ninepenny piece, which I had just received in change for half a guinea, from the master of the public house. As the day was now far spent, and as I was pleased with the prospect of working for the East India Company, I thought it not worth while to begin a day's work so late: I therefore went to Smithfield, to see how the horse-market went; from thence I went to Warwick Lane, to see for a young man whom I had promised to get to work for the Company also. I took him to Mr. Clarke, in St. Mary Axe, and afterward went with him to two or three places more; the last place was the Nag's Head, in Houndsditch; and about half an hour after nine o'clock went home.

When I came there I went in at the back door, which is under the gateway, and which used to be only on a single latch, for the conveniency of my lodgers. I went up to my room-door: but, finding it
fast, came down stairs again.

There was then some disturbance over the way, in Aldersgate Street, which I walked over to see the meaning of, imagining my wife might chance to be engaged in it. Not finding her in the crowd, I returned, and went up stairs again: while I was on the stairs I heard my wife cough, by which I knew she was at home. Finding my door still fast, I knocked and called again; still she would not answer: I then said "Sally, I know you are at home, and I desire you will open the door; if you will not I will burst it open." Nobody yet answering, I set my shoulder against the door, and forced it open; upon this she jumped out of bed. I immediately began to undress me, by slipping off my coat and waistcoat, saying, at the same time, "Sally, what makes you use me so? you follow me wherever I go, to abuse me, and then lock me out of my lodging; I never served you so." On this she flew upon me, called me a scoundrel dog, said she supposed I had been with some of my whores, and, so saying, tore my shirt down from the bosom: on this I pushed her down; she then ran to the chimney-corner, and snatched up several things, which I successively wrested from her, and in the scuffle a table and a screen fell down. At length she struck me several blows with a hand-brush; and, while I was struggling to get it from her, she cried out several times "Indeed, indeed, I will do so no more." When I got the brush from her, which I did with some difficulty, I gave her a blow with it, and then concluded she would be easy. She sat down on the floor, by the cupboard door, tearing her shift from her back, which had been rent in the skirmish: I sat down on the opposite side of the bed, with my back towards her, preparing to go into it; and, seeing her fling the remnants of her shift about in so mad a manner, I said " Sally, you are a silly girl; why don't you be easy?" On that she suddenly rose up, and with something gave me a blow on the head, which struck me down: I fell on the bedstead, with my head against the folding doors of it. I imagined she was then afraid she had killed me, for I heard her cry, two or three times, "O save me, save me!" How she went out of the window it is impossible for me to say, in the condition she left me in; but, from her cries, I supposed her gone that way; and in my consternation, when I arose, I ran down one pair of stairs, where, not knowing how to behave, I went up again, and sat me down on the bed from whence I rose. In this position Mr. Clarke, the constable, and the numbers who followed him, found me. He said "Daniels, you have stabbed your wife, and flung her out at the window." I replied "No, Mr. Clarke, I have not; she threw herself out."

Mr. Clarke took a candle, and examined all the room in search of blood, but found none; and luckily it was for me that neither of our noses happened to bleed in the fray, though mine was subject to do so on any trifling occasion.

He then went to the window, where he found a piece of a saucer, and asked me what it was. I told him I did not know, but recollected afterwards that it was what I fed my squirrel in; though I knew not how it came broke; it was whole that day.

From thence I was taken to the Compter; and the public are already acquainted with the proceedings on my trial, when I was condemned for the supposed fact, September the 21st, 1761.

I am informed that the next morning they found a pair of small pliers, bloody, in the window, which were then considered as a proof of my guilt. These pliers were what I have mended my squirrel's chain with whenever he broke loose, which was sometimes the case. How they should be bloody, as God is my Saviour, I cannot answer; but, as no wound was perceived on the body, they were not produced as evidence against me. However, when my wife was brought up from the street, it is said she was blooded, and that the basin was put in the window where these pliers were found. It is therefore possible that, in such confusion, a drop or two might accidentally be spilled upon them, more especially when we consider the tumult of a morning's exhibition of a dead body, for penny gratuities, by the unprincipled mother of it.

The following judicious remarks are added by the person who assisted Daniels in publishing his case, and they seem to confirm the man's declaration of his innocence beyond the possibility of doubt.

The window of Daniels's room has two casements folding against each other, with garden pots before them. One of these casements only used to be opened, the other being in general kept shut. These casements were each about sixteen or seventeen inches wide, and the window was about a yard and a quarter high. When this accident happened one casement was open, the other shut, as usual; consequently the opening then through the window was about sixteen or seventeen inches wide, and a yard and a quarter high. Through this space a man was to thrust a woman, nearly as strong as himself! If such a thing had been attempted, the following consequences must be incontestably allowed to ensue:

I. The woman would resist the attempt.

II. When persons struggle to avoid imminent danger, and are driven to despair, they are capable of a surprising degree of exertion, beyond their ordinary abilities.

III. This woman would therefore have continued in so narrow a gap a very considerable while before she could have been forced through, and would all that time have uttered cries, entreaties, and exclamations, too expressive of her situation to have been mistaken by the neighbours and spectators.

IV. Her resistance would have overturned the before-mentioned garden pots, and would have shattered the glass of the casement that was shut, and even forced open, or broke, the casement itself, which obstructed her passage.

V. In breaking the glass of the window her skin must have been greatly scratched and torn, and her limbs, naked as she was, have been otherwise greatly maimed and bruised.

VI. The man who undertook to force her out must have borne some very conspicuous marks of his attempt.

The two first of these propositions will be universally granted.

The third is contradicted by all the evidence on the trial, who unanimously agree that the moment the woman was seen she came through the window, and was only then heard to use such expressions, which Daniels accounts for better than any one else.

In reply to the fourth - the pots were not discomposed nor the window broken, except one pane; and it does not appear that even that pane might not have been broken before.

In answer to the fifth - the body, by the evidence of the surgeon, did not appear to have received any other damage than the natural consequences of so great a fall.


As to the last - the man was not seen at the window at all; and, as to any wounds or bruises sustained by him, the constable, when asked whether he saw the blow on his head, which he affirmed to be given him by his wife, declared he did not. But he was not asked whether he looked for it; a question, it may be presumed, he would have answered in the negative.

In such a situation, it is to be concluded, the poor fellow was little heard, and less regarded, concerning whatever he might allege in his own behalf.

A man may be stunned by a blow that might not perhaps exhibit any remarkable appearance; and, had it been seen, his account of it would have weighed but little.

It is not even probable, had he knocked this woman on the head first, that he could have sent the body through the window so completely as, either by fright or design, she accomplished it herself. But that she came there living is past all doubt.

To conclude:- the evidence against this unfortunate man was only presumptive at most, and, upon clear scrutiny, is really productive of nothing; so that, as he was discharged by royal authority, so has he also a just claim to an acquittal in the minds of all judicious and candid people.