Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser

From the New-York Columbian.

UNPRECEDENTED VILLAINY.

The following deposition exhibits a picture of villainy, which, for the honor of human nature, is rare indeed. Every good citizen will join in the wish that the unfeeling wretch should meet with his deserts.—

W*****, no doubt, intended to prevent the victim of his base conduct from appearing in court as a witness against him on the 4th inst. The deep affliction of the young woman so overpowered her that she could not take any nourishment during her stay here. It is gratifying to add, that her pathetic tale of suffering induced the police magistrate to interest himself in her behalf. and a sum of money was immediately collected from gentlemen in the City-Hall. and on Tuesday evening the young woman took passage for Albany, intending to go to her mother's residence.

Mr. Spooner—I send you the following deposition for publication, that it may consign to the detestation of all society the unnatural villain it refers to.

Yours, &c.

Police Office, city of N. York. Dec. 1818.

CHARLOTTE ******, daughter of Elizabeth ******, of the town of Chester, state of Massachusetts, being sworn, says:—

That on or about two years ago she was seduced by a young man, who then resided in Albany. named MARSELLUS W***** —that at that time she went to school in Albany, and boarded with said W.'s father, then living in Washington-street, and was then fifteen years of age; and the said W. twenty-three—that she was delivered on the 10th day of September, 1817, of a male child, at the said Mr. W.'s house in Albany, of which the said Marsellus is the father—that she continued in W.'s house until the following December, when she went with her infant to her mother's in Chester—

that in the same month the elder Mr. W. moved his family to Westfield, eleven miles from Chester, Massachusetts, that in the month of February, 1818, the said Marsellus W, came to write in her brother's office in Chester. being by profession lawyer— and told him, that if he would assist him. W. in getting through a difficulty he was involved in with another young woman, he would then marry this deponent—that her brother did succeed in getting him out of that difficulty, but he avoided complying with his promise to marry her—that about two months ago her brother brought a suit against the said W. for seducing her, and the trial was to take place at Northampton on the fourth day of this present month—

that on Monday before last, said W. called on her and told her privately, that if she would go with him to New Lebanon, in the state of New-York, he would marry her— and assigned as the reason for going there, that it could be there done without publishing—that she consented to go with him, and on the following morning, Tuesday, her brother being then from home, he, W. took her brother's horse and waggon, placed her and the baby in it, and drove off, as she thought, to Lebanon—that when they got to Washington, about twenty miles from Chester, he said that as her mother was so much opposed to her marrying him, he would take her to New-York and marry her there—that they were six nights on the road, during which time he passed her as his wife and slept with her—that they arrived in this city about one o'clock, on Monday; (yesterday) the 30th of November— when W. stopped opposite a private house, the door of which was open, told her to get out and go into that house, and he would follow her presently—that she did as he told her, on which he drove off!!—that the people of the house enquired what she wanted and who she was, and on her having explained the cause of her entering, told her they knew nothing of him, the said W. —that in about an hour the people told her she must go away, that she must seek somewhere else for a lodging—on which she walked about the streets with her baby in her arms until she was unable to walk any longer, and some citizens conducted her to the watch house, where she remained all night, and on this morning was brought with her baby, before the magistrate—that all the money she has is half a dollar—that the said W. who has thus unnaturally betrayed and abandoned her and his child. never gave her a cent—that the said half dollar is her own money, which she brought from her mother's house. The said W. is twenty-five years of age, tall and spare made, black eyes, very light complexion. a genteel looking man, and at present wears grey clothes. The horse which he took away from Chester is very black and small—the waggon is yellow, and made for two persons only, has been in use four or five years.

CHARLOTTE ******

Taken and sworn before me,

CHARLES CHRISTIAN.

Special Justice of the Peace.