Saturday 10 Apr 1819 (p. 3, col. 3-4) WESTMORLAND GAOL DELIVERY. [continued] BURGLARY. WILLIAM BURREL was put to the bar, charged with burglariously entering the dwelling house of Mrs. GRUNDON, of Morland-Field. The prisoner pleaded not guilty.—The first witness called was Mrs. GRUNDON, who is a widow and lives at Morland-Field. On Friday the 19th March, near eleven at night, she went out about three or four yards, and perceived a man pass between her and the door. He was disguised in a mask, and she asked him what he wanted? He replied "nothing," and gave a squeal like that of a cat. She thought it was the prisoner Wm. BURREL; she has known him from a boy. He began to caper about, during which witness ran in and bolted the door; having done this she said, "now I defy thee." Prisoner then tried to throw the door off its hinges; and he said, in a low tone, "open the door." She knew his voice on the instant. She asked him what he wanted, and told him to begone, for she knew who he was. He again bade her open the door immediately. Witness then called out, "Thomas, come down with the gun." Witness proceeded,—I knew who he was and would have nothing to do with him, for I knew too much of his family. He again bade me open the door, and I once more called out "Thomas, come down with the gun." He then damned both me and Thomas, and said that he knew where Thomas was as well as I did, and ordered me to open the door, or he would blow my brains out. I asked him what he wanted—he replied, "money or your life." I said that I had no money, and he rattled a blunderbuss which he had in his hand against the door. I told him that I would not open the door, and if I had to die I would die honourably. He damned me, and said that he would be in in an instant. There was another man in company, who went to the parlour window; but before that, the other had punched a hole at the bottom of the door (it being decayed) large enough to admit his foot. The man at the parlour window broke eight panes of glass, and began to pick the glass out. I then lost all hopes of keeping them out, and bethought myself of my pocket-book, which was in the drawer of a writing desk in the parlour. I took the book, went into the kitchen, threw it under an old cupboard, and then opened the door. Wm. BURREL came and put the muzzle of his blunderbuss to my breast, and swore that he would shoot me through the body; he then snapped the lock, which produced fire, but there was no flash. He told me to light a candle and show him the house or he would blow my brains out, adding, "be sharp." He then walked into the parlour, whither I followed him. I let him see the drawer where I kept my money; he took it out, and turned it upside-down upon the floor. As there was nothing of value in it, he asked me for a linen web. I said I had none. He then opened all the boxes, &c. He walked around and saw a watch of my son's hanging up; he asked whose it was; I said it was Thomas's, but that it was good for nothing, it was not going. He held it to his ear, and said, "I shall take this," and took it. A little while afterwards, he said, "D—n it, I'll not have a watch," and he asked me for a bottle of rum. I said I had none if it would save my life. He said I kept a d—d bare house. I said he could not expect to find my house as it had been, for my circumstances were changed. I said I had some drink in a bottle that I would give him, if he chose. He replied, "go and fetch it." I fetched it—it was about 2 quarts of ale. He told me to teem some into a pot standing upon the cupboard. I did so, when he told me to give him the bottle, and he took it out, saying, "I'll return the bottle," which he did. He then took me by the arm, and said, "Kneel down and swear that you'll never say we have been here, or that we have made any disturbance this night." I knelt down and said, "Spare my life and I will not"—at the same time I meant to tell;—he then went away. I had plenty of opportunities of seeing him, as his mask was often shifting; I also saw through the holes which were made for his eyes; the mask apppeared [sic] to be black satin. He had a hat on which was not drawn particularly over his eyes. Peter CASTLEY is an innkeeper at Morland. His house is about half a mile from Mr. GRUNDON's. On the night of the robbery, prisoner was at witness's in company with John JACKSON and others, where he remained till ten or eleven; witness did not see him go out, but missed him before eleven; he saw him again about a quarter of an hour afterwards, when he staid till about four or five in the morning, and had nothing with him that witness saw.—This was the evidence for the prosecution. The prisoner said he was not out of Peter CASTLEY's house five minutes together.—The following evidence was adduced for the defence:— John MOUNSEY met the prisoner on Friday the 19th of March, about half-past nine, near John BROWN's. He said if witness would go back to Peter CASTLEY's, he would give him share of a tankard of ale. He went and stopped at CASTLEY's till near eleven, when he retired, leaving prisoner with his brother and others.—Cross-examined. Witness has been intimate with the prisoner some time. Witness's wife came to CASTLEY's after him before he had been more than a quarter an hour there. He never said that the clock struck eleven after he and his wife were in bed. John JACKSON was prisoner's company at CASTLEY's on the night in question. He found him there about nine, and when he went out at nearly 10, left the prisoner there. Witness then went to a ball at John BROWN's, and staid till near 12, when he again went to CASTLEY's, but did not see the prisoner: saw him again, however, in the parlour at nearly two o'clock, and saw him dance. Cross-examined, he said it was well-known that there was to be a ball at BROWN's. Did not hear Thomas GRUNDON mentioned at CASTLEY's. Isabella DODD, an occasional waiter at CASTLEY's, was there on the evening of the 19th March, and went before seven. The prisoner came in between 8 and 9, and witness does not remember his going out all that night to stop more than two or three minutes.—Cross-examined. She went to the ball about eleven, but did not hear the clock strike; prisoner was not then at CASTLEY's. Prisoner was at CASTLEY's about half-past nine: cannot speak to his being there at a later hour. After the ball she saw Thomas GRUNDON at CASTLEY's, where he staid till one. It had been known for a fortnight before that there was to be a ball at BROWN's. George STEEL is a surveyor of the high-roads. On the evening in question, about seven or eight o'clock, he paid Robert KEASLY two guineas for six persons, (among whom it was to be divided) at Newby, a mile from Morland: the prisoner was one of those persons. Wm. ROBINS was at the Ball at BROWN's, where he staid till near eleven; he then went to CASTLEY's to look for John WILSON, and found the prisoner there with his brother and John MOUNSEY.—Cross-examined—He said he did not see Thomas GRUNDON at the ball. Witness first said that George (the brother) gave him a subpœna; but it was the prisoner, and he afterwards said it was torn. The Learned Commissioner summed up the evidence with great care, and the Jury found the Prisoner Guilty. His Lordship then addressed the prisoner:—You have been found guilty of an offence which the laws of your country punish with Death. If there is one offence more frightful than another, it is when a thief invades the peaceful dwelling of another at the hour of rest, when all is hushed in tranquillity; and it too frequently happens that men engaged in scenes like these, when they are disappointed of their expected plunder, wreak their vengeance upon the unhappy person who lies in their power. Fortunately for you this is not your offence,—but what aggravates your case is, that you once lived in this house as a servant. Had you felt any virtuous principles you would have been the last man to have made an attack upon a dwelling in which you had been kindly entertained, and still more when you knew that it was deprived of its owner, and protected only by an helpless woman. However, notwithstanding all your brutal threats, you were not guilty of any violence towards her, and this is what will save your life; for in consideration of this circumstance I shall recommend you to the royal mercy, and I feel the greatest gratification in the consciousness that the recommendation will be attended to. The public safety demands that you should be banished for life, and hope that during your confinement here, and in your banishment abroad, you will, remembering the mercy that has been extended to you this day, make the best return in your power by altering your conduct, and endeavouring to convince your country that too much lenity has not been shown to you.—Sentence of death was then passed upon the prisoner in the usual form. ROBERT HEY, and JAMES HEY, charged with stealing from Mr. Richard THEXTON, of Grayrigg, linen cloth and yarn, value 30s. and upwards.—GUILTY.—Six months' imprisonment and hard labour. MICHAEL WILLAN was found guilty of Manslaughter.—Fined one shilling. Against WM. SHERWOOD, charged with passing counterfeit coin, and GEO. BURREL, charged with burglary, No Bills. Mr. RAINE, not being able to finish the business of the Special Commission at Newcastle within the allotted period, returned thither after leaving Appleby.