Part 15 (1/2)

The result of the ust 20, where we read:--

The Lady of a Gentleood fortune, and respected by a numerous circle of acquaintance, was committed on Thursday by G

Chapman, Esq, the Mayor, to the County Gaol at Ilchester, on a charge of privately stealing a card of lace from a haberdasher's shop

As Mrs Perrot did not co March, she had to undergo a long and trying confineaol, but in so

The charge was a e every wish, and nothing short of lunacy (of which she never showed the slightest sign) could have induced her to coh character and the absence of motive combined to render it incredible, and, had she been capable of such a deed, she would not have courted detection by walking quietly past the shop, a quarter of an hour later, with the parcel in her hand There were also strong reasons for thinking that the accusation was the result of a deep-laid plot Gye, the printer, who lived in the ator His character was indifferent, and he had ory's shop; and the business was in so bad a way that there was a tee haul by way of blackh Perrot was selected as the victiht, because her husband was so extre to save her from the least vexation If so, the conspirators were mistaken in their h, and, taking no notice of the estions as to hush-ed the best counsel possible, secured his most influential acquaintance as witnesses to his wife's character, and spent the terrible intervening period in confinement with her at Ilchester He ell aware that the criland, as it then existed, made the lot of untried prisoners as hard, and the difficulty of proving their innocence as great, as possible; he knew also that in the seething disquiet of ht about by the French Revolution, it was quite possible they ht encounter a jury anxious to cast discredit on the well-to-do classes He was therefore prepared for a failure of justice; and, we are told, had arranged that in case of an adverse verdict, followed by transportation, he would sell his property and acco the warh Perrots was Mr Morris--a lawyer of e as an invalid at Bath He was a total stranger to the accused, but etically that, apart from her well-known character, the nature of the evidence adduced against her would have been sufficient to prove her innocence

The ained

They were too sensible to believe that so mean and objectless a crime should really have been committed by a respectable woman--a near relation of their ohom they knew intimately; but it was not easy to determine how to show their sympathy Mr and Mrs Austen seeood-will) to theletter, which was addressed to Mrs

Leigh Perrot on January 11, 1800, by her cousin, Montague Cholood sister Austen has offered you one or both of her daughters to continue with you during your stay in that vile place, but you decline the kind offer, as you cannot procure them accoant young women be your inmates in a prison, nor be subjected to the inconveniences which you are obliged to put up with

So Cassandra and Jane just escaped a residence in gaol and contact with criminals

Another letter written about this tih Perrots:--

White Hart, Bath [No date]

HONORED SIR,--You ot your old postillon Ben Dunford but I shall never forget yours and oodness to me when I was taken with the small pox in your sarvice

You sent me very careful to mothers, and paid a nurse andtime as I was bad, and when I was too bad with biles all over o to sarvice for a many weeks youthro' Bath into Devonshi+re and we stops two days at the Inn and there I heard of the bad trick as those bad shopkeepers has sarvedto your house to enquire how you both do and the housekeeper said she sent a pasel to you every week and if I had anything to say she could send a letter I hope Honored Sir you will forgivesuch a libarty to write but I wish anybody could tell ood

I would travel night and day to serve you both I be at all times with my humble duty to mistress and you Honored Sir your dutifull sarvant

BEN DUNFORD

Jah Perrot Esq

The trial took place at Taunton on Saturday, March 29 The old Castle Hall--where Judge Jeffreys once sat on his 'bloody assizes'--said to be capable of containing 2000 persons, was filled at an early hour So urgent was the curiosity, even of the Bar, that the 'Nisi Prius' Court, which stood at the opposite end of the hall, was not opened for business thatthe table of the Crown Bar; while the rest of the hall was thronged with anxious spectators, many hundreds of whom could not possibly have heard a word that was said, and were almost crushed to death and suffocated with heat Between seven and eight o'clock, Mrs Leigh Perrot, who had been conveyed froh Perrot and three ladies, and the proceedings commenced

After the evidence for the prosecution was closed, the prisoner was invited by the judge to make her defence

She atte a few sentences, becaitated that her voice failed her; whereupon Mr Jekyll, one of her counsel, was requested to repeat to the Court what she wished to address to them She then dictated as follows:--

MY LORD AND GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY,--

I am informed by my counsel, that they cannot be permitted to offer any observations to you on my case[104] The circu I shall therefore take this opportunity of troubling you with a feords

Placed in a situation the ible that any woman could desire, with supplies so aratified; blessed in the affections of the enerous man as a husband, what could induce me to commit such a crime? Depraved indeed must that mind be that under such circumstances could be so culpable

You will hear from my noble and truly respectable friends what has beenseries of years; you will hear what has been, and what is now, their opinion of me Can you suppose that disposition so totally altered, as to lose all recollection of the situation I held in society--to hazard for this er the health and peace of mind of a husband whom I would die for?

Here her voice faltered; she seeh Perrot, who had sustained all this trying scene onderful resolution, put his handkerchief to his face and wept in agony; st the counsel, participating in his emotion