200 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 181% 



night. I spent the \Vhole of the 

 evening of tlie 18th of Octobei- 

 with a Mrs. Reynolds and a Mr. 

 Northern. 



In cross-examination by Mr. 

 Hunt, witness achiiitted that he 

 occasionally went to fetch the 

 newspaper from Mr. Woodward's 

 house, and to take it baik, but he 

 did not see either of the young 

 ladies there. He did not visit at 

 Mr. WoodVvArd's. He could play 

 the flute. Once wAs invited to 

 play the flute at Mr. Woodward's, 

 Wh6n there was a party there. He 

 did not see the youiig ladies there 

 that evening; he was in another 

 room, and when Mr. Woodward 

 rapped at the door he played. He 

 paid his addresses to Mr. Wood- 

 ward's servant-girl. Admitted 

 that he, on one occaiion, accom- 

 panied Miss Susannah on the road 

 towards Olney. She was on a 

 pony ; but being afraid to ride he 

 took the pony back to Harrold, and 

 she went on to Olney in a chaise. 

 Ann Robinson remembered 

 h.lving seen Susannah Woodward 

 for a long time before her preg- 

 nancy was pilblicly known. She 

 appeared ill, and wore a large 

 cloak. She saw her soon after 

 James Harris vrAs sent to jwison. 

 She then perceived she was in a 

 family way very pkinly. Her 

 sister used to say she wore the 

 cloak to keep out the fever. H el- 

 size was such, that no person 

 could live with her and not see 

 that she was pregnant. 



Mr. Sergeant Blossett was about 

 to call fui ther evidence, but the 

 learned judg(; conceived he had 

 already submitted sufficient to sup- 

 port his case. 



jMr. Sergeant Blossett said, he 

 was prepared with witnesses who 



would prove a clear alibi on the 

 part of his client. 



Mr. Hunt now addressed the 

 eburt and jury on the part of the 

 defendants. 'I'he indictment in 

 this ease had been prepared evet 

 since last spring assizes, and had 

 been laid before the grand jury as 

 soon as e\er Jame* Harris, who 

 T\^a~ described as having beeh so 

 much injured, was acquitted. He 

 begged to state to tlie jury, that 

 this acquittal hat! taken place, not 

 ft-om any direct discredit attached 

 to the evidence of the prosecutrix, 

 but upon a rule of law : for as 

 soon as ever Susannah Woodward 

 had gone through her testimony, 

 Mr. Sergeant Blossett got up and 

 told the jury, that by a rule Of 

 evidence, which had been made 

 a rule of law, the prisoner must 

 be acquitted. The prosecutrix, he 

 said, had concealed the fact of the 

 violation of her person foi- eight 

 months, and this concealment, by 

 law, prevented the conviction of 

 the person accused. It would 

 be observed, from the course of 

 cross-examination which he took, 

 that he was anxiotiS to see whe- 

 ther any attempt would be made 

 to cast any reflection on the 

 character of this young lady ; and 

 that, in no single instance, how- 

 ever minute, had any thing like 

 levity or impropriety of conduct 

 been attributed to her. The jury 

 had, no doubt, watched with be- 

 coming attention the manner in 

 which Harris had on this dav tjiven 

 his testimtmy. They must have 

 observed the boldness wich which 

 he, in the first instance, denied 

 any acquaintance with Mi . \Vood- 

 ward or his daughters, after he 

 quitted school ; but upon being 

 pressed, he admitted that he hatl 



g-oWi? 



