The Virginia Gazette

LONDON,

This Week Thomas Lacon, of the Parish of Rotherhithe, Wood Turner, was committed to the New Gaol, Southwark, by William Hammond, Esq; charged with standing indicted at the last Session of Oyer and Terminer, holden at Guildford, in and for the County of Surrey, for wilful and corrupt Perjury, committed by him in a Prosecution of Felony, carried on against Mr. James Turpin, his Master, of the same Parish and Trade, a considerable Dealer in all Manner of hard Wood, and a Person of a fair and honest Character : A Short Detail of which is as follows, viz.

About September, 1750, Mr. Turpin detected his Man in robbing him of some valuable Wood, and caused him to be taken into Custody, with an Intent to have had him punished according to Law ; but at the special Desire of some of his Friends, he forgave the Offence and dismissed him his Service : Instead of making grateful Acknowledgments of his Master's Lenity, he made it his Business to seek every Opportunity to ruin him ; and as this was about the Time that the Association of Merchants were carrying on Prosecutions against many Persons for Depredations committed on the River Thames a favourable Opportunity, without any Expence to himself, to effect the Destruction of his Master) he applied to those Gentlemen, and made an Information against him, for feloniously stealing twenty hundred Pounds Weight of Logwood, the Property of Persons unknown ; pursuant thereto he was taken into Custody, and on the 11th Day of December following he was committed to the New Gaol Southwark : At the ensuing Assizes held at Kingston upon Thames on the 25th Day of March 1751, he was indicted for the said Felony ; and as he expected to be tried for the same at that Time, he had taken Care to subpoena a great Number of Witnesses, who gave their Attendance at his Expence, and he was at a very extraordinary Charge in providing for his Defence; and was in no Manner of Doubt of an honourable Acquittal, having ready sufficient Vouchers to prove that he purchased the said Wood in a legal Manner. Upon Lacon's being sensible of his Master's Innocence, and that if he was tried at these Assizes, he would certainly be acquitted, and his Intentions be frustrated thereby ; therefore he further contrives (effectually to ruin the poor Man and his Family) by making an Affidavit, that one John Smith, of Fountain Stairs, Rotherhithe, Waterman, was a material Witness for the King, and that he could not then be found, and for Want of his Testimony it was not safe to proceed to Trial : Upon which an Order was made for the Prisoner to remain in Gaol 'til the next Assizes. But upon the Application of some Friends he was admitted to Bail, and at the ensuing Assizes he surrendered, agreeable to his Recognizance, and put himself upon his Trial, when after a short Hearing he was honourably acquitted, his Innocence appearing incontestable to the whole Court.