Thetford, Norfolk, March ...
Ja4mceflydeve Wcc, amT)iqr[oj,.a& *,R rit and Edward Lack, were indictd fo-e gon,mitted odtpes of Mary Relton, on the 28th of Septr_e m l;et. This w es a cueo ery great atrocity: it was committed by the prisonera, nd three sr Coua others Dot apprehended. The prosecutrix was. s ervarnt girl, who went on the 27th of' September to Downham petty sc#ions to let herself; she rcmained at the sessions tiU the evening, when she went to a dance at the Queen's Headt where she remained till be- tween 12 and 1 o'clock on the followmg morning with her sweet- heart; she left the Queen's Head with him, and was proceeding to a lodging wmich was provldedfor ncr, but in her wav there she was interrupted by a disturbance in thestreect, andwas separatedfromher sweetheart; she ran down a yard to get from the riot, and oir coming out of the yard a young man offered to protect her, stating where he lived; that he took hold of her hand, and they ran away together down the street, and souze men, who had btfore interrupted her,ran after her; she got about a mUe and a half towards Outwell before the) came up to her, the young mani who was with her turning out to be one of the party; they immediately proceeded to the gatest acts of indecency, and having thrown her on the bank, draggea her naked four or five times backwards, and then two of them accom- plisbed their purpose, while the others held down her head, ams and legs. She struggled violeutly, and scratched the faoe ot the prisoner Reeve, who was one of the men who comamitted the rape-the other is not in custody; her shrieks attracted some per- eons on the road to the spot one of whom saw the r.an l: tht act, but being a boy, he coUla not protect ber. Some other persons then came up, and the prisoners ran of; and to them she tod her tale: she ivent home immediately to her mother and related theaf- fair, aud on the day after went before the magistrate; she identified tll the prisoners, and her testirhon was corroborat by the boy. Thurlow attempted to prove Rn aibi, but failed; and RePre, by means of a girl who had been in company with the yrosecutrix, at- tempted to impeach her veracity. Lack cilled a witness to prove his age, which was not 14 when the fact was committed. The learned Judge summed up the evidence with great pesnpi- cuity, and the jury returned a verdict of Guilty aFalnst all. the pri- soners, recommending Lack and the two Roberti x to merc on ac- count of their y oath. Hlis Lordship immediately proceeded to pas the awful sentensc of the law on Thurlow and Reeve-gavt them no hope of mercy, but exthorted themu to Prepare for eteirity. 'k'he other prisoners erer then called up and admonished by hls ,ordship, who stated, that it was merely on account of their youth that their lives were soared. TIffTFORD. NflT.M XA &oi'