Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

some shot in the orchestra, as if they had struck against the boards and fallen down. Those which struck the door had left a mark two feet nine inches from the floor. The shot found in the orchestra, and in the prisoner's pocket, were the same size.

Mr. E. Knight was performing at Drury-lane theatre on the night in question. Remembered the discharge of the pistol. Miss Kelly was on the stage at the same time with him, on his right hand. Saw the flash of the pistol, which came from his left; did not see who fired the pistol. Thought he heard the rattling of shot against the orchestra.

Cross-examined.-Neither he nor Miss Kelly received the slightest injury.

Miss Kelly was now sworn, evidently under great embarrassment, and much affected. On the night in question she was performing at Drury-lane theatre; saw a light, and at the same moment heard what she supposed to be a detonating ball. Had not the least acquaintance with the prisoner to her knowledge; had never seen him before that period, nor till this day. [The prisoner was observed to smile, and look earnestly towards Miss Kelly.]

Cross-examined.-Received two letters signed with the prisoner's name. Never answered them, or took the slightest notice of them, except to a friend. The letters were then put in.

John Baker was in attendance at Drury-lane Theatre on the 17th of February; saw Mr. Taylor produce the pistol now put in; it appeared to have been re

cently discharged. (The pistol was of the same size used by Bellingham, about six inches long.) While conveying the prisoner to Tothill-fields, he asked him how he could think of doing so rash an act-was it his intention to shoot Miss Kelly? The prisoner answered-"I tell you the pistol was not loaded with either ball or slugs." He admitted his intention was to shoot at Miss Kelly.

Cross-examined.-Saw the prisoner on the Monday following at Tothill-fields. He said he was not sorry for what he had done, and made a sort of a laugh.

Samuel Dickons accompanied the last witness in taking the prisoner to Tothill-fields. The prisoner said he intended to kill Miss Kelly, in answer to a question from Baker. Baker then asked why he intended this? The prisoner answered, "She knows very well what it's for."

Here the evidence closed, when the letters produced by Mis Kelly were read.

Mr. Dowling now announced his intention to call evidence to prove the insanity of the prisoner.

The prisoner, on being asked by Mr. Baron Wood, said, he had nothing to say in his defence.

John Crockets had married the prisoner's mother. The prisoner, when a boy, was always reserved and gloomy; he would not play with other boys. At times he was very queer, and at his meals would burst out a laughing without reason. He was apprenticed to a law-stationer; he went down to Seven-Oaks, in Kent, as clerk to an attorney; he had not been long there, when witness was sent for by his master to bring

him away, from the bad state of his mind. When he went down, he found him standing in the front of a gentleman's house, bowing he had great difficulty in getting him away. About a fortnight after, the prisoner went to Yarmouth; he returned in five weeks, and went to work with Mr. Norcroft, a law-stationer. He went to several other places, but was always low and melancholy. Three or four days before this transaction he was particularly low. He burst out into a laugh, and on being asked what he did so for, he said he had a thought in his head.

On cross-examination, the witness said, he never had put the prisoner in confinement, or had medical advice for him. He was harmless.

Mrs. Crockett, mother of the prisoner, said he was the son of Mr. Barnett, who was a waiter at the Piazza coffee-house. She remembered his return from Seven Oaks. He seemed very ill, melancholy, and low-spirited. The last week before this affair, he appeared very uneasy and very uncomfortable. On Saturday the 17th of March, the day on which he committed the act, he was particularly uneasy. She remembered his firing a pistol in the yard on that day. She did not see much of his mind the few days before Saturday. She knew he was going to the play on Saturday. She Dever knew of his having a pistol till the day in question. He was very unsettled in his mind.

Mr. Norcroft, a law-stationer, with whom the prisoner had worked for a year, deposed, that

in his opinion his close application to business had injured his health. Witness recommended him to Mr. Claridge at Seven Oaks, who wrote to him soon afterwards, complaining of the prisoner's state of mind. Witness sent his father for him. He was correct in business till a day or two before the offence with which he was charged. He then appeared in a very disturbed state of mind.

Mr. Riordan, also a law-stationer, spoke to the disturbed state of the prisoner's mind.

Mr. Claridge was at Seven Oaks when the prisoner was in his father's employment. He once observed the prisoner standing opposite a gentleman's house at Seven Oaks, gazing earnestly at the windows. He was surrounded by a mob, who were mocking him. This was in July 1813. He was satisfied the prisoner was not then in his right mind. In talking of theatricals, he said he could play better than Mr. Kean, and was often incoherent in his manner.

The lady with whom the prisoner lodged at Seven Oaks also spoke to the circumstance alluded to by the last witness. He sometimes sat in church with his hat on, and, in fact, conducted himself in an insane manner.

Mrs. Mary Haggerty lived in Castle-street, Holborn; the prisoner lodged with her. She knew the prisoner. Once, when one of her children was dying, she asked him what he thought of it? He went to the sofa on which the child lay, and, after looking at it earnestly, laughed in her face, and quitted the room. He often

danced

danced all night in his room, and was guilty of such extravagances, that it was her firm belief he was insane.

Mr. John Want, a surgeon, thought the prisoner insane.

Mr. Baron Wood proceeded to sum up the evidence. With respect to the letters which had been read, he said that they bore evident symptoms of insanity.

The jury found the prisoner Not Guilty, on the ground of insanity.

Horse Guards, November 18.At a General Court-Martial held at Cambray, in France, on the 23d of September, 1816, and continued by adjournments to the 26th of the same month, Lieutenant the Honourable Augustus Stanhope, of the 12th regiment of Light Dragoons, was arraigned upon the undermentioned charge, viz:

"For behaving in a scandalous, infamous manner, such as is unbecoming the character of an officer and a gentleman, in conspiring with a certain other person, to draw in and seduce Lord Beauchamp to game and play with them, for the purposes of gain and advantage; and that, in pursuance of such conspiracy, he, Lieutenant Stanhope, (having engaged Lord Beauchamp to come to his quarters in Paris, on Sunday the 17th day of March, 1816, upon an invitation to dine with him), did, in company and in concert with such other person, draw in, seduce, and prevail upon Lord Beauchamp to play with them at a certain game of chance with cards, for very high stakes, whereby, on an account kept by

them, Lieut. Stanhope and the said other person, or one of them, of the losses and gains in the course of the play, he, Lieut. Stanhope, claimed to have won of Lord Beauchamp the sum of 8,000l. and upwards, and the said other person claimed to have won of Lord Beauchamp the further sum of 7,0001. and upwards.

"That in further pursuance of the said concert and conspiracy, he, Lord Beauchamp, at the same time and place, was required by Lieut. Stanhope to write and sign two promissory notes or engagements to pay at the expiration of three years the said several sums of money so claimed to have been won of him, Lord Beauchamp, by Lieut. Stanhope and the said other person respectively.

"That he, Lord Beauchamp, was at that time about 16 years of age, ignorant of and unused to play, and affected by the wine he had been prevailed upon to take by the parties."

Upon which charge the Court came to the following decision :"The Court having maturely and deliberately considered the charge exhibited against Lieutenant the Hon. Augustus Stanhope, of the 12th regiment of Light Dragoons, together with the evidence produced on either side, do find him guilty of the said charge, and do sentence him, Lieut. Stanhope, to be discharged his Majesty's service accordingly." His Royal Highness the Prince Regent has been pleased, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, to approve and confirm the finding and sentence of the Court; and the Commander-in-Chief directs, that the foregoing charge, preferred. against

against the Hon. Augustus Stanhope, of the 12th Light Dragoons, together with the finding and sentence of the Court, shall be entered in the general order book, and read at the head of every regiment in his Majesty's service. By command of his Royal Highness the Commander-in-chief.

HARRY CALVERT, Adj.-Gen.

Trial of Major-Gen. Sir Robert Thomas Wilson, Michael Bruce, Esq. and Captain John Hely Hutchinson, for aiding and assisting in the escape of General Lavalette.

Although the trial under the above title took place in France, its remarkable nature, and the country of the persons interested in it, appear to give it a just claim for admission into the part of our work destined to the record of memorable occurrences in this class.

Of these gentlemen, the first has rendered himself conspicuous by the vigour of his military services, and by his account of the Egyptian campaign under General Abercrombie, (in which he brought a heavy charge of cruelty against Buonaparte), and his and his work on the Military Force of the British Empire. He was at this time out of active service. The second was a private person visiting Paris; the third a British officer, with his regiment quartered in that capital. The following narrative of the escape of Lavalette, is extracted from a letter written by Sir Robert Wilson to Earl Grey in England, and acknowledged by himself.

The plan agreed upon was, that Lavalette, who, after having succeeded, on December 20th, in

:

getting out of prison disguised in his wife's clothes, lay concealed in Paris, should put on an English uniform, and be conducted by Sir R. Wilson beyond the barriers in an English cabriolet, which should carry him to Compiegne, whither an officer named Elliston should bring Wilson's own carriage into this they were to enter, and to pass through Cambray to Mons. For the execution of this design, passports were procured from Sir Charles Stuart, at the request and upon the responsibility of Sir R. Wilson, for a fictitious general and colonel, which were duly countersigned; and Elliston having obtained them, hired post-horses for the carriage of the supposititious colonel, and took for him an apartment and a coach-house at an hotel. Bruce procured Lavalette's measure, which Hutchinson gave to a tailor for providing a great-coat, waistcoat, and pantaloons; and it was determined that on the evening of Sunday, January 9th, Lavalette should be removed to Hutchinson's lodgings, in order to be taken up there on the next morning. At the hour appointed, Wilson, Bruce, and Elliston having repaired to Hutchinson's apartments, Lavalette was introduced by a person who had conducted him, but did not enter the room. The fugitive was dressed in a blue uniforta, and disguised in such a manner that he might pass without remark among Englishmen. He appeared greatly moved; but that he might not give vent to his sentiments of gratitude, Wilson and Elliston withdrew.

On the following morning, at half

half-past seven, Wilson was at Hutchinson's door with his ca briolet, in which the fugitive was soon seated, Hutchinson accompanying them on horseback, and they passed the barrier of Clichy with little observation. Lavalette having very marked features, some alarm was excited at La Chapelle, where they changed horses, by four gendarmes, who hovered about them; but Hutchinson gave answers to their questions which satisfied them. They passed other gendarmes who had bills containing a description of Lavalette, which had been dispersed throughout France. Some grey hairs appearing from under his brown wig as they were approaching Compeigne, Wilson with a pair of scissars acted as his friseur. In that town they were conducted to a retired quarter, where they waited till the carriage from Paris arrived with Elliston. Wilson caused the lamps to be lighted, that they might appear without apprehensions, and having taken leave of their friends, they set out well armed; prepared to resist in case they should experience any obstacle. Though much questioned at the stations for relays, they were not detained, till they reached Cambray, when they were kept three hours at the gate through the fault of the English guard. In passing Valenciennes they were three times strictly examined; and underwent another and last examination at some distance from that garrison. They safely eached Mons to dinner; and after Sir R. Wilson had made all suitable arrangements for the fugitive's further journey, he took his leave,

and returned by a different route to Paris, after an absence of sixty hours.

From the official account published by the French government, it appears, that the first proposal of assisting in saving Lavalette was made to Mr. Bruce on January 2d or 3d, when a person brought him an anonymous letter, acquainting him that Lavalette was still in Paris, saying that he (Bruce) alone could save him, and requesting an answer on the subject. This was sent ; and of all that followed, Sir R. Wilson was entirely ignorant, till he was informed of the matter by Bruce, who prevailed upon him to contribute his efforts to effect the escape of Lavalette. Captain Hutchinson was associated in the same project. These gentlemen were influenced partly by commiseration of the unfortunate individual, and partly by their political sentiments. Of those of Wilson, conclusions were drawn from the correspondence between himself and his brother Edward in London, of which the French government obtained possession.

The letter to Lord Grey, from which the preceding narrative is drawn, being intercepted by the police, occasioned the arrest of the three gentlemen who are the subjects of this trial. Sir Charles Stuart, the British ambassador, being informed of this circumstance, wrote a note on the same day, January 13th, to the Duke de Richelieu, intimating, that as he had repeatedly manifested his determination to extend his protection to no person whose conduct endangered the safety of that government, he should have been

flattered

« AnteriorContinuar »