Read Ebook: The Trial and Conviction of John Church The Preacher of the Surrey Tabernacle Borough Road at the Surrey Assizes at Croydon on Saturday the 16th of August 1817 for an Assault With Intent to Commit an Unnatural Crime. by Anonymous

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THE TRIAL AND CONVICTION OF JOHN CHURCH,

FOR AN ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO COMMIT AN

Unnatural Crime.

TAKEN IN SHORT-HAND, BY A BARRISTER.

The profits arising from this Publication will be given to the Prosecutor to assist in defraying the expenses of the Prosecution.

AND MAY BE HAD OF W. WRIGHT, MARSH-GATE, LAMBETH, AND ALL BOOKSELLERS IN TOWN AND COUNTRY.

TO THE PUBLIC.

In some cases, it appears desirable not to suffer trials of a criminal nature to appear in print, particularly when the facts are too indecent, lest the tender feelings of any should be injured, or that information given which had better be withheld; but when the subject of conviction is a creature, who pretends to be the guide of hundreds in the paths of our Holy Religion, and under its sacred name, is not only ruining the bodies, but the souls of many of his hearers, than silence becomes a crime, and a full exposure an imperative duty.

Much praise is due to those who have at last brought JOHN CHURCH to justice: every thing that could be done by bribery and persuasion were resorted to by his friends; but they found the Prosecutor, in this respect, invulnerable. The youth has acted nobly; and the praises of the Public are due to him for his resistance to the wishes of that wretch, who would have gloried in being the murderer of his peace for ever!

The friends of the Prisoner have publicly supported him in his defence by their Subscriptions. The Prosecutor has stood almost alone; but, confident that the liberality of the Public was never appealed to in vain--that they will always assist the injured poor in bringing their oppressors to punishment, this Publication is submitted to them; and they may rest assured that the profits will be devoted towards defraying the expenses which have been necessarily incurred in bringing this "Monster of Iniquity" to Justice.

THE TRIAL, &c. &c.

THE Indictment charged, "That the Defendant, late of the parish of St. Mary, Lambeth, in the county of Surrey, on the 26th day of September, in the fifty-seventh year of the reign of George the Third, with force and arms, at the parish aforesaid, in the county aforesaid, in and upon one Adam Foreman, in the peace of God and our said Lord the King, then and there being, did make an assault, and him, the said Adam Foreman, then and there did beat, wound, and ill treat, so that his life was greatly despaired of, with intent, that most horrid, detestable, and sodomitical crime called Buggery, with the said Adam Foreman, against the order of nature, then, and there feloniously, wickedly, and devilishly, to commit and do, to the great displeasure of Almighty God, to the great damage of the said Adam Foreman, and against the peace." &c.

The second count charged a common assault.

The Defendant pleaded--NOT GUILTY.

Counsel for the Prosecution--Mr. MARRYATT and Mr. BORLAND; Solicitor, Mr. HARMER.

Counsel for the Defendant--Mr. GURNEY and the COMMON SERJEANT.

The Jury being sworn:--Mr. BORLAND opened the indictment, as follows--

May it please your Lordship, Gentlemen of the Jury--The Defendant, John Church, stands indicted for a misdemeanour. He has pleaded Not Guilty, and your charge is to enquire whether he be Guilty or Not Guilty. Hearken to the evidence.

Mr. MARRYATT then stated the case on the part of the Prosecution, to the effect following:--

May it please your Lordship, Gentlemen of the Jury--I am extremely sorry to have occasion to state to you that the offence imputed to the Defendant is an assault, with the intent to commit an unnatural crime; and I am sure, on an occasion of this nature, it would be unnecessary for me to bespeak your serious attention to a charge so serious in its consequences to the Defendant. The Prosecutor in this case is a youth, about eighteen or nineteen years of age, the apprentice of a Potter at Vauxhall, whose name is Patrick. He had been apprenticed to him some time, and resided in his family. The Defendant is a preacher--not of the Established Church, but of a Dissenting Chapel, not far distant from Vauxhall, and Mr. Patrick and his family had been in the habit of attending that Chapel and hearing Mr. Church's discourses. Their apprentice used frequently to accompany them to the Chapel, and by that means he became perfectly acquainted with the person and voice of the Defendant, Church. He knew him extremely well by name and description. In the month of September last, Mr. Church complained to Mr. Patrick that he was in ill health, and attributed that circumstance to the confined situation of his apartments near to the Chapel. Being ill, Mr. Patrick, as a matter of civility and attention to the Preacher of the Chapel which he frequented, invited him to come to Vauxhall, where he had a spare bed, much at Mr. Church's service. Upon this invitation, Mr. Church came, and he slept there on Monday, the 23d of September, for the first time. I am not quite certain as to the precise night he came; but on the night of the 26th day of September, the transaction occurred which gave rise to the present proceeding. Mr. Patrick had left town on business, but not before Mr. Church came in the first instance; but during Church's stay he departed for the country. During the master's absence, it became necessary for Foreman, the apprentice, to sleep in the house. The only spare bed was occupied by Church, the Defendant, and therefore a temporary bed was made up for the apprentice. He had a resting place made up for him in one of the parlours of the house. It happened that on the evening when this transaction took place, the Prosecutor had been staying up to attend a kiln which was at work on Mr. Patrick's premises.

Mr. GURNEY.--I am told one of your witnesses is now in Court.

Mr. MARRYATT.--I am not aware of that circumstance. If he is, he must certainly go out of Court.

Mr. GURNEY.--I am told Mr. Patrick is in Court.

Mr. MARRYATT.--Then I beg he will go out; and that all the witnesses will remain outside until they are severally called.

Much inquiry has since taken place; and the Defendant has endeavoured to explain; the transaction as well as he could; and he has written various letters upon the subject. Those letters are here, and they are much at Mr. Church's service if he thinks there is any thing contained in them which will afford him any defence; because I do not think it right to withhold any thing which can throw light upon such a transaction.

Amongst other things which Mr. Church urged by way of explanation, in these letters, was a contradiction of some of the particulars stated the prosecutor. He said, that there were some matters in the statement of the boy which he was able to contradict. This declaration of Mr. Church having come to the knowledge of Mr. Patrick, he was induced by the application which was made to him, on the part of some of Mr. Church's congregation, to make some inquiry of Mr. Church upon the subject. He accordingly took occasion to have an interview with the defendant, for the purpose of enabling himself, if he could, to explain his conduct to the satisfaction of the persons who are in the habit of attending his chapel. At that interview, he contradicted some of the particularities stated by the boy, but which are some of the most disgusting parts of the narrative. He, however, admitted, most distinctly, that he had gone into the lad's room.

Now, when you shall have had it proved in evidence, that part of the conduct ascribed to him was admitted by the defendant, I should like to know if he really did go into that bed-room, for what possible purpose could he go there in the middle of the night? It will appear, still further, that Church was the only male person who slept in the house; for there was no other individual of the male sex to take up his abode there that night.

How old are you?--I shall be twenty the first day of December next.

I believe you are an apprentice to Mr. Patrick, the potter, of Vauxhall?--Yes.

How long have you been with him?--About five years.

Do you know the defendant, John Church?--Yes, by sight.

How long have you known him?--About two or three years.

What is he?--A preacher.

Have you attended the congregation in the Chapel where he preaches?--Yes.

And have you often seen him?--Oh, yes.

Do you sleep generally at your masters house, or at your fathers?--At my father's generally.

Are there any occasions upon which you do sleep at your master's house?--Yes.

When is that?--When he goes out of town.

When your master goes out of town, then you sleep at his house?--Yes.

Where did Church reside? Where did he live?--He lived by his chapel.

Where is that?--In St. George's Fields. It comes out of the Borough-road.

There he lived?--Yes.

Now, did he at any time come to take up his abode at Mr. Patrick's?--Yes.

When was that?--The 25th of September, he came to sleep there that night.

Do you know what was the occasion of his coming?

Mr. GURNEY.--That must be of his own knowledge.

Mr. BOLLAND.--Mr. Patrick will tell us.--I believe he came--

Mr. GURNEY.--You must not tell us, Sir, unless you know it of your own knowledge.

However, he came to sleep there?--Yes.

Did you sleep there that night?--Yes.

Was that the first night he came?--I don't know whether he had been there before. I cannot say whether I had seen him there before.

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