Copy of the Report of the Case of Thomas
Martin< no role > and Letter from the Chairman to
Lord Suffolk on the Subject of Pardons with the
Answer thereto and reply

My Lord

Thomas Martin< no role > was build before me in September Session
for an Assault with an intent to murder Henry Fountain< no role > an Officer
of the Sheriff of Middlesex . Upon the trial it appeared in Evidence, that
the Prosecutor having a legal warrant against the Prisoner, went to
execute it and without the breach of any door other violence, actually
arrested him, and made him his prisoner; which he had no sooner done than
Marten drew out a knife and stabbed the Office in the belly. The Wound
was two Inches wide, and penetrated so far that the Omentum came three
Inches out of the body, and by the testimony of the Surgeons his Life was
for some days in Danger.

An alarm being raised, some Persons came to the Assistance of
the Officer, who upon seeing the condition he was in, cryed out of the Prisoner
"You have killed the Man" to which the Prison answered "No I am afraid
"I have not" and refused to drop the knife thought requested; nor would he
part from it till his Servant found means to get it out of his hand and
threw it away. These facts were proved at the trial to the Satisfaction of the
Jury and the whole Court; and to coroborate the fact of the Assault the
Prosecutor shewed his Wound to the Court, which through a very Ghastly
one, the Prisoner looked on without the least emotion of humanity; and
seemingly with an inward pleasure and satisfaction.

The defence of the Prisoner was, that his Wife was in bed when the
Officer entered the Room, and that he behaved indecently by pulling the
Cloaths from her this is all that was then pretented; thought now it is
insinuated that he dragged her out of Bed; but the Charge had as little
Foundation as this pretence; nor did it agree with the Account of the
Officers Behaviour whose Business and Interest it was to secure the Husband
not affront the wife

The Jury, thoroughly prossessed of the evidence did not hesitate a
Moment to find the prisoner Guilty; and the Court considering the
heinousnessof hisof his Offence and that the Officers of Justice, acting