Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

the plaintiff had now an opportunity of appealing to a British jury, who would not think that his claims to their serious consideration were lessened by the circumstance of his being a destitute foreigner. No doubt, the excuse of the defendant would be his zeal for the abolition of the slave trade; but, as he had participated in the booty obtained by this expedition to the Congo, as he had himself received a considerable share of the prize-money, the jury would reflect, whether his zeal had not been a little inflamed by his love of money as well as humanity. It was also a circumstance not unworthy of notice, that Colonel Maxwell had knowingly exceeded his duty; for when the expedition was projected, the objections were pointed out to him, but he chose to proceed in his course, and to set up a paragraph in the Edinburgh Review against a clause in an Act of Parliament.

:

Malcolm Brodie was the first witness he had resided for some time at a factory on the Congo, until it was destroyed by Major Appleton and his troops, in March 1813. He had known the plaintiff since 1802, who in October 1813 became proprietor of Bengara factory, which he bought of Zebulon Miller, who as well as the plaintiff was an American.

The Attorney-General here took an objection to the competency of this witness, on the ground that he had been convicted at Sierra

Leone of a felony, by dealing in slaves. He put in a certified copy of the record of conviction, but Mr. Scarlett directed the attention of the learned judge to a few of its informalities. It contained no

caption, no count, no jurisdiction, no grand jury, and no crime. He contended, therefore, that it could not be received in evidence.

Mr. Justice Bayley was clearly of opinion that this document could not be received in evidence. It was in fact only a part of the record of conviction, and that imperfect.

:

The examination of the witness was continued. He with others had taken an account of the stock, on the transfer of the factory from Miller to Cooke. The valuation was about 15 or 16,000l. When first he knew Cooke he was servant to an American factor, named Curtis he was about twenty years old when the witness first saw him. There was not much trade between October and March 1813, but in slaves, in which Cooke had not dealt since the abolition by this country, to the witness's knowledge. He could not pretend to swear that Cooke carried on no traffic in slaves at his factory; but he believed none since the abolition.

He understood that Dr. Purdie, the surgeon of the colony of Sierra Leone, had been appointed for that day to be chief justice. No witness was sworn or examined on Cooke's trial, and counsel and attorney were refused to the wit

[blocks in formation]

March for the Congo. We sailed up the Congo, about 60 miles, to Bengalan. During my absence at the Rio Nunez, Lieutenant Dodd brought the plaintiff to the camp at Bengalan: I kept him in custody until I went to Mungo Catti, from whence the plaintiff went by himself to his factory, to which I proceeded in the same evening. The troops were encamped two or three nights in the factory, which was fenced round. I left it the next morning, and did not stay till it was destroyed, but I left orders for that purpose. The next morning I found the troops carrying ivory down to the boats: : we collected about 4 tons in the river, and perhaps 24 tons were taken from Bengara factory. I am certain that there were not eight tons. What was not brought away was burnt. I left orders that the plaintiff should be carried to Bangalan, and from thence he was conveyed to Sierra Leone under the charge of Lieut. Thompson. The ivory was sold at Sierra Leone, and the money was shared, according to the rules of prize money, in the army.

I was at the plaintiff's factory only one night. I did not witness the sale of the ivory at Sierra Leone, and know nothing of it from my own knowledge.-I have heard the defendant say that he had received his share of the prizemoney. I never saw Cooke in irons. Whatever private property the plaintiff had at the factory was very small, and I directed Lieutenant Thompson to restore it to him, in consequence of the plaintiff pleading poverty, and saying that if he had not some money, he should starve in gaol;

I had very little conversation with him, but he never claimed the factory, I was present at his trial at Sierra Leone; the Chief Justice was absent in England, and a Mr. Purdie acted for him at the Quarter Sessions.

To questions from the Court, the witness said that, from the general appearance of the factory, he was convinced that it had been built for the purpose of carrying on the slave-trade.

Mr. Scarlett observed, that he could prove that it had been erected many years before the abolition by this or any other country; and, therefore, that the construction could afford no evidence of the fact.

The boat

Peter Parry went with the expedition against the factories on the Congo, in the Princess Charlotte sloop: he saw the factory of the plaintiff after it had been burnt: some of the ivory was brought to the witness's vessel : he saw about 8 tons. made two trips, and would carry about 4 tons at each trip. Some casks of spirits were also brought, as well as a few trifling things, Cooke was conveyed on board the witness's vessel on the same evening: from thence he was removed to the Dorus transport, as a prisoner; he saw Cooke afterwards in gaol at Sierra Leone; the witness received prize-money to the amount of 151.

Dr. Robert Thorpe, formerly Chief Justice of Sierra Leone, was called to prove that he had pointed out to Colonel Maxwell the illegality of his proceeding before the expedition sailed, but Mr. Justice Bayley held that fact not to be material to the case. Joseph

Joseph Archeband and Peter Fall proved that they had known the plaintiff on the Congo, and had always heard and understood that he was an American.

The plaintiff's case here closed. The attorney-general addressed the jury for the defendant, assuring them that he stood forward not in his public capacity of a servant of the Crown to defend Colonel Maxwell, if he had been guilty of any excess of his jurisdiction, but merely to see that his case was duly conducted and inquired into. It was unfortunate for this deserving officer that the Court of Justice of Sierra Leone had so mistaken the province to which it was limited, as to proceed to convict the plaintiff and the witness Brodie, when they had been taken out of the boundary of the colony; but being no lawyer, and inconipetent to construe the clause in the act of Parliament, which might even puzzle the members of the profession; he had imagined that the Court had sufficient jurisdiction. With regard to the amount of the pecuniary damage the plaintiff had sustained, very uncertain and unsatisfactory evidence had been given; if the fac tory were in truth the plaintiff's, it was singular that he had never so represented it; and how he had become possessed of a sum large enough to buy it was a mystery which none of the witnesses had attempted to clear up.

Mr. Justice Bayley here interrupted the learned counsel, to suggest, that the pecuniary damage the plaintiff had sustained should be made the subject of arbitration; the personal part of

the injury was peculiarly for the consideration of a jury.

After some consultation between both sides, an arbitration upon this point was finally agreed to.

The attorney-general then addressed himself to the other part of the case, admitting that his client had acted indiscreetly, and had so far exceeded his authority as to render himself liable to answer in damages. He insisted that little or no credit ought to be given to the plaintiff's first witness, who had himself an action pending on the same subject, and who was interested in the verdict this day given. The learned counsel then adverted to the measures adopted by this and other governments ineffectually to put an end to the slave trade, which could never be effectually abolished until the whole swarm of factors on the African coast, not merely Spanish, Portuguese, or American, but English, were destroyed. Under this conviction the defendant had directed an expedition against the Congo, by which he had rendered himself amenable in the present action. He insisted that, as the Court of Sierra Leone had sent the plaintiff in custody to England, the defendant could only be answerable for the confinement which had taken place before sentence. As the defendant could not make out a legal justification, a verdict must pass against him; but the learned counsel was persuaded that the case called for no vindictive damages

Mr. Justice Bayley, in charging the jury, expressed a clear opinion that the defendant was responsible in damages for the whole imprisonment

isonment the plaintiff had enured from March, 1813, to February, 1814, since the illegal

conduct of the defendant had been the occasion of it. There was no ground for charging him with personal animosity; but it was to be lamented that he had shared in the prize money obtained by the execution of his unjustifiable orders. With the motives of the party the jury had nothing to do: it was their business to assign to the plaintiff such sober and reasonable damages as the injury he had suffered appeared to require. The question regarding the pecunary injury was removed from their consideration.

The jury consulted for a few minutes, and returned a verdict for the plaintiff damages 1000l.

A verdict was also taken for 19,000l. the damages stated on the other counts of the declaration, subject to the award of Mr. Taunton.

COMMON PLEAS.

been engaged with his regiment in the ever-memorable battle of Waterloo, instead of continuing at Brussels, he would, in the tempestuous weather preceding that eventful day, have found the great comfort and advantage derived from the very superior article furnished by his client. After, however, keeping the cloak nearly three months, it was returned on the plaintiff's hands, with the allegation that it was too heavy and cumbersome to wear; but the truth was, the defendant then had no further occasion for it, being quietly in quarters at Knightsbridge barracks. He should call his witnesses, and prove his case, when, he was persuaded, the jury would find a verdict for the plaintiff to the full extent of his demand.

Mr. James of Coventry-street, camp equipage-maker, was the first witness called, who stated, that on the evening of the 25th of April, 1815, the defendant, Capt. Jebb, called upon him, and requested a recommendation to a

First Sittings in Hilary Term, before military tailor of eminence, as he

Justice Dallas.

Westminster, Jan. 24.

Fisher v. Jebb, Esq.-Mr. Serjeant Vaughan stated, that the plaintiff was an army-clothier and tailor of great respectability, residing in Duke-street, St. James's, and sought to recover from the defendant, Captain John Jebb, of the Royal Horse Guards (Blue), the sum of 241. for a remarkably large and handsome cavalry cloak, lined throughout with silk oil-skin, water proof, and made to order. The learned Sergeant observed, that had the defendant fortunately

wanted a very large cloak to take with him on service; that it must be made under his own order, by a person thoroughly conversant in the business; that knowing plaintiff worked for General Sir Lowry Cole, and many other officers of high rank, he accordingly recommended him to Captain Jebb.

Wm. Gathard, the plaintiff's foreman, was next called, who proved the order; that the defendant is upwards of six feet high; that the cloak was to have a hood to cover the helmet; capes of an extraordinary size; that it was to be made very long, so that it

might be occasionally used as a bed in the field; that witness assisted in making it, and that the cost price of the materials alone and workmanship amounted to 20l. Os. 6d.; that witness, on defendant's return to England, waited upon him at Knightsbridge Barracks, when he stated, that he had worn the cloak; that the materials were good, and price reasonable; and that he had no other fault to find, except that it was somewhat too heavy, but promised to call on plaintiff in a day or two, and settle about it.

The Judge (Dallas) here asked Mr. Serjeant Lens, defendant's Counsel, whether this evidence was not irresistible? But the learned Serjeant, on consulting his client, said the cause must proceed.

The plaintiff, therefore, called Mr. Davidson, of Cork-street; Mr. Westoil, of Bond-street; Mr. Wilson, of Bond-street, and others, who all stated that they had made similar cloaks for the Prince Regent, General Lord Hill, and other distinguished characters, some of which cloaks were considerably heavier than the one in question, which they had examined most carefully, and all stated it to be a pattern of its kind, and the charge moderate in the extreme.

The Judge, on this weight of evidence, repeatedly recommended the defendant, who was in Court, to pay for it, lest he should animadvert more strongly upon his conduct; but he insisted on going to the Jury,-when, after an address from Mr. Serjeant Lens, and calling one witness, they stated themselves perfectly satis

fied, and without either summing up, or reply from Mr. Sergeant Vaughan, found a verdict for the plaintiff, to the satisfaction of a crowded Court, to the full amount of his demand.

LIABILITY OF CARRIERS.

Bristol Assizes.

Rouquet v. Sherborne.-This was an action brought by the plaintiff, who is a clergyman residing at West Harptree, against the defendant, who is a common carrier, for the recovery of the sum of 291. the value of a variety of articles of wearing apparel intrusted to his, care, and to be conveyed from Bristol to West Harptree, about 11 miles from Bristol.

Mr. Serjeant Pell, in opening the case to the jury, observed, that it was one which would not take up much of their time. The plaintiff was a clergyman of great respectability, and the defendant was a common carrier from Bristol to Wells. The articles in question were the wearing apparel of the plaintiff's daughter, who had been at school at Bristol. It would be superfluous to enter into a detail of every article, unless his friend on the opposite side (Mr. Casberd) was desirous to go through the whole of the lady's toilette. The articles were packed up and carried to the waggon-office by a man named Clark, who could neither read nor write, and given to a man named Wood. He [the learned serjeant] knew not whether the usual notice was stuck up or not; and it had been said, that if a notice was put up in the office, it was a sufficient notice to all persons who came to it: but in that case, it would be for the defend

ant

« AnteriorContinuar »