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Tugspay came on at the Assizes here, before Mr. Baron Hornam, the trial of duchess M.Cabe, and Robert Russidge, for committing a rape on Elizabeth Hagger,, spinster, on the 8th of August last, at the village of Springfield, near this town. Elizabeth Hagger said,she was, twenty-five years of age, that she had been at service, but at the time of the offence she lived with her mo ther, who is a widow, and kept the house of a Fishmonger, at Moulsham, near this town ; that on the 8th of August last, Peter Dodd, who had some time before, paid his addresses to her, called and requested her, to take a walk on the Riverside, to see a barge come up, ornamented with flags, c. on the opening of the Navigation; that she went with him, and on their return between eight and ‘nine in the even ing, in a lane’ near Springfield, two soldiers sprung from the hedge, ‘and with naked bayonets asked’ the road to London’; that she was so alarm ed, that she could not immediately answer them, but ‘Peter Dodd’ directed them the road they in quired for ; ‘that they immediately swore at him ; they did not want to go to London, they want ed this young woman, and directly the prisoner, MiCabe,‘ seized her, and on her struggling knocked her down to the ground; that she got up again, and he again knocked her down, which he did four times before he effected his purpose ; that her companion in the mean time, was strug gling with Rutledge, the other prisoner, and that ,a man rode ‘past, to whom she cried for help, that that he rode'og, regardless of her cries for assistance ; that she struggled with the pri soner M‘Cabe on the ground until she was quite exhausted, when he effected his purpose; that he then left her, and the other prisoners came and com mitted the like: violence upon her, while the pri soner M‘Cabe stood over her companion with his drown bayonet; she then went into a detail of cir cumstances, brutal and herberous in the extreme. The prisoner Rutlidge gpen asked her for proney, and, she gave hid 44. ; but M*Cabe came up...swore I should, not take it, and forced Hispenes fine, her hit; she then got away from, them, and, with her cap... neck erchief, 2nd ‘apron in her hand, ran as fast as she was,able towards, a_public-house at the top of the lane, where she met.Dodd, who had a’short nie before put away, from the soldiers, coming avi thoughers to her assistance ; that she was taken to the ‘public-house, where she put a little water, and was then taken home to her’ mothers when she immediately fainted,and, on her recovery, finding Dodd had returned, and the Prisoners had escaped, she insisted, op going to Col.eanxt, the Commanding Officers that Dodd went with her; that the Colonel assured them he would give them every assistance in his power to defeat the offenders, and directed them to attend next morn ing at the Barracks ;. and on the Soldiers being drawn up, ‘both she and Dodd fixed on the..two Prisoners. a ee Peter. Dodd was. next.called, who confirmed the most material parts of Hageer’s account, and said that Ruddge wounded. him in the hand with his bayonet, wife; MsCabe was struggling with Hagger, forced him to some little distance, and threatened to ran him through if he attempted to move ; that ,‘M'Cabe, stood over him with his drawn bayonet, and Rutlidge went towards the swoman ; that at last he broke away, and ran to the Red Lion public-house, where he got assist ante, and was coming to the relief of Elizabeth Hagger, when they met her at the top of the lane, as she had described: __ he Mr. Jemmit, the Surgeon, and the mother of the young woman, then proved the state she was io when she got: him. .. that great violence had been committed.on her person; and that she was dangerously in a considerable time afterwards. ‘The Jury immediately found both the prisoners Guilty, and the Judge has left them for execution. Wm. Baldrey, Edus, Bird, Edw. Williams, George Brown, and Rich ‘Brown, were convicted of horse stealing; Thomas Wakeling, of sheep stealing; Jake Amis, of house-breaking ; and Fabn Seaben, for highway robbery, received sen tence of death ; as did Sam. Fames, a boy about 2 years of age, for stealing a rell note from a farmer, near Epping, with whom he lived servant.
Newspaper Details
True Briton
London, Middlesex, GB
Tue, Mar 13, 1798
Page 4
Full Page
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Anonymous
USA 15 Sep 2026
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