Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

CHARGE OF TREASON.

Saturday morning early three peace officers arrived at the residence of Sladden, Esq. mayor of Folkstone, and informed him they were in pursuit of a Foreigner, who had been a short time resident with a fisherman in that town. The mayor attended them to the house, which was examined; but the party was not found. One of the officers then said to the fisherman, you have three mahogany boxes. These the man pointed out lying in the window; and on being opened, they contained tea, &c. but one of them having three letters with foreign directions these was taken possession of by the mayor. About ten o'clock the same morning the mayor, accompanied by Mr. T. Baker and Mr. Stridwick, who are also magistrates made some farther enquiry, and found that the person had certainly boarded with the fisherman, but had slept at Folkstone Arms Inn, from which he had departed early in the morning, on observing the confusion occasioned by this search. The fisherman being upbraided for his duplicity, confessed that the person had set out on foot for Ashford. The three gentlemen pursued on horseback to Sandgate castle, where they found the person had departed in a chaise for Canterbury. They proceeded thither with the utmost dispatch, and called upon Mr. Alderman Bristow, who accompanied them to the Fountain inn, where, enquiry being made, it was found that the person had changed horses at the Red-Lion tavern, and proceeded on his route for London nearly two hours before. The magistrate, upon this sent for Colonel Cotterell, of the Hereford regiment, the then commanding officer in that city, who instantly dispatched some orderly dragoons, and lieut. Marsh, of the Hereford regiment, in pursuit. On his approaching Rochester, the person got out, and sent the chaise forwards; but the dragoons and officer arriving in the interim, a hue and cry was raised, and he was taken when just entering the back part of one of the inns. He then underwent an examination before R. Thompson, esq. Mayor of Rochester, who sent him, under a proper escort to town.

After the departure of the military in pursuit, Mr. Alderman Bristow took a proper deposition from the mayor of Folkstone, and the same was dispatched, with the three letters found in one of the boxes, by express to the duke of Portland. The prisoner reached town on Saturday, and is now in custody at the Parliament street coffee-house.

Much praise is certainly due to the mayor and magistrates of Folkstone for their great and persevering activity which led to the apprehension.

It since appears that the captain of a vessel in Dover harbour (who is said to be in custody) had accepted a large bribe to take him over and that the fisherman was to have carried him on board the vessel, which was to sail to Folkstone roads for that purpose.

Saturday Mr. O'Connor, and the others implicated with him in a charge of high treason, were again examined before Mr. Pitt, Mr. Dundas, the duke of Portland, the lord Chancellor, the attorney and solicitor generals, lord Liverpool, master of the Rolls Sir Wm. Wynne, Lord Chatham, and some others, at the duke of Portland's office.

Favey, alias Captain Jones, alias Colonel Morris, was the first called in and underwent an examination which lasted about three quarters of an hour; during which it is stated, he avoided any further communication than he had made at Margate. Mr. O'Connor, was twice examined, his answers we are given to understand, were scrupulously reserved and inconclusive—his stay before the Council did not, at either time, exceed the space of five minutes. Alley and Leary likewise underwent a short examination; Binns, persisting in his determination not to answer any interrogatories, was not called for.

At three o'clock the council broke up, when Mr. Favey was ordered into the custody of Sylvester, the Messenger: Mr. O'Connor to the care of Scott; Binns to that of Mason; Leary, to East, and Alley to Fabiani's charge.

Mr. O'Conner appeared less depressed than he had been on his first examination; and Favey seemed highly confident.

The mahogany boxes, part of the baggage of the prisoners, and in which their papers were deposited, were of singular formation, having at the bottom and sides several concealed drawers for the secretion of papers—in other respects they resembled medicine chests, and the locks were of such excellence, that no key or pick could be found to open them, and the boxes were nearly broken to pieces in order to attain their contents.