The National Register. — London, England, 1811-02-17 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. LAW REPORTS... COURT OF KING'S BENCH, ad) . MONDAY, FEB. 11. •., LIBEL-SENTENCE. THE KING V. F.UGENIUS ROCHE ) ESQ. Mr. Justice Gaost this day delivered the sentence of the Court in this cause. The sentence was, that Mr. Roche be ,;(immitted to the custody of the Marshal of the Marshalsea for t he space of twelve months ; and that at the expiration of that irrin he give sureties, himself in 5001. and two sufficient sure ties in 2501. each. OUTRAGE. Mr. GARROW applied for rules to chew cause why criminal ioforthations should not he filed against James Churchyard, Benjamin Garrot, William Hewitt, Philip Dykes, William Moore, John Culpee,James Sheldrake, William Garlic, Richard Bedwell, Edmund Hewitt, Tuffin and Close, for a most extra ordinary conduct and conspiracy. His motion was of great c onsequence; on its result depended whether a large body of Dissenters were to assemble in the county of Suffolk for the pur pose of public worship, or not. A Dissenting Minister (Mr. Thompson,) residing at Wickham market, near Ipswich, in the county of Suffolk, some short time since obtained a license in the regular way, for a place of lublic worship. Having obtained each license, it was advertised that the Meeting would be open ed on the 2d of September last. On that day it was opened, and eoblic worship continued to be performed in this newly opened Chapel till the 2d of December, when the congregation was !•.:lally driven out, and the house pulled down ! The first open- Ole of the chapel was marked by most outrageous proceedings, ronu a crowd - who had assembled for the purpose of obstructing the worship ; and those crowds invariably continued to assem ble for this object till the 2d of December. The persons whose names he had mentioned had been conspicuous in this intolerant proceeding. The men whose names he had repeated, were not men in high situations of life ; they were hacked by persons whose rank and education ought to have taught them better.— The town-criers were sent about, admonishing the townsmen to take cart of their property, as there were strange persons among them, alluding to those who frequented the Dissenters' Meeting. The lower order of the people at this place were taught to put very peculiar construction upon the Tolen.tion Act. They were told thatthey might make any sort of noise they pleased, to obstruct the proceedings of a congregation in any way offen sive to them, provided they kept on the outside of the Chapel! This sentiment did prevail in the county of Suffolk, still pre vailed, and would continue to prevail till that Court should con vince them to the contrary. Acting upon this construction, the people assembled in thousands around the Meeting, and made so much noise by means of shouting and hooting, aided by an Indian gong, a drum, and other musical instruments equally harmonious and noisy, that it was impossible for the congrega tion to hear what feli from the Clergyman. At other times they would mock the Pastor, and pretend to adore their Creator in a most ridiculous manner ; then a fellow, elevated upon a wag gon, dressed in a black frock, and cocked hat, would assume to imitate a Clergyman, and would afterwards proceed to distribute among the crowd small portions of bread. The motive of all these proceeditn;s w.ts to create confusion. When the Minis; er left the Meeting, this crowd, which never consisted of less than a thousand people, would follow him, hooting and so acting, jostling him and otherwise iusulting him, that his life was often ..ndangered. Nor did.these crowds confine themsolves to hoot ing and hissing, for they afterwards became so daring, that fire works were thrown into the Meeting ; and when the Minister Lft it, he was pelted by the mob with rotten eggs, &c. and a gallows was carried before him ! Fellows in masks, and with most grotesque dresses on, would go to the Chapel, and exclaim with a loudzvolee--" We come here to hear the word of God, and by - God we will hear the word of God !" to addition to exclamations of this nature, they pelted the congregation, and broke the Windows. A..: one time these fellows, with their masques and grotesque dresses, brought to the Chapel a scooped turnip filled with human excrement, which was thrown at the C!tizynian, and he was thereby besmeared all over with this filth, as was the greater part of the congregation. At another timers. basket of stinking sprats was brought into the passage leatilog to the Chapel, and the contents were thrown among the persons then assembled. The general exclamation in justifica tiOn cif this outrageous conduct was, that they would have no l*raotittavong them, a name they gave to these Dissenters. — To prove that Fermis of rank and consequence approved and promotecl this conduct, hon=es were opened for the accomnioda tir4 a those who wut:ld hw:t down the Pognaus : and an order 11 tha t the Pogrom hunters might not be in want of spirits they were stimulated to exertion by having wine furnished them gratis, and they were informed that nuorey would not be withheld if it should be rtquired. One gentleman (a parochial officer) observ ed at a public meeting, that by would not mind giving lout. tor the purpose of aiding those . who opposed the Pogroms; mo ney should not be wanted. The nun who occupied the cottage, the two lower rooms of which were converted into a Chape t was told that if he did not prevent the meetingof the "d Pograms,"he would have a press gang sent after him. At ano ther time he was told that he would be shot if he did not submit; for murder would ensue if the Pegreinis were not put down.— The Learned Gentleman held in his hand affidavits, swearing to what he had related, and describing the parts those persons whose names he had repeated, had taken in this performance.— The opposition had been regularly organized, and the outrage had been continued ; and the people who had been guilty of thit outrage ought to be told that they could not so act with impu nity. The various acts ascribed to the several persons, as de scribed in the affidavits, were then repeated; but the Court were of opinion, that Rules Nisi could only - be granted against six persons, namely, against James Churchyard, a farmer ; lienja min Garrot, a tailor ; Wil!iam Hewitt, a collar-maker; John Culpee, a shoe-maker ; —Tuffin; and Close. The congrega tion was an infant one, and the first Dissenters' Meeting that bad assembled in that county ; but the continuance of the Meeting had been so prevented as he had described. Application had been made to the Grand Jury of the count y, but without success, which accounted fur this motion. The Rule Nisi granta. THE 3i.12:G V. RIES 1". The prisoner herein, tt ho had suffered judgment to go by default, in a criminal information filed against him by a Mr. Quin, a hydrometer-maker, to whom he sent a letter, for the purpose of provoking A challeuge, received the senttlictr of the Court, which was, to be imprisoned in the Cold-bath-fields Pri)on for one month. TuEspAY, FEB. 12. CHESTF.R RIOTERS.—G. Taylor and five others, who were found guilty of having riotously disturbed the peace by half price tumults in the Theatre of Chester, were this day brought up for judgment, and, after putting in affidavits in mitigation of their punishment, and hearing Counsel for and against them, the Court sentenced Taylor and anotker to six months impri sonment; two others to four montps, audthe rest to three aud twu months each. WE STERN CIRCUIT. The Hon. Mr. Justice CILAMBRE, and the Hon. Mr. Justice BAILEY'. Days and places appointed for holding tiv• Lent Assizes, ISIZ. Rants—Monday, March 4, at the Castle of Winchester. Wilts—Saturday, 1\ 'larch 9, at Salisburi. Dorset—Wednesday, March 13, at Dorchester. Devon—Saturday, March 16, at the Castle of Exeter. City of EA:ter—Same day, at the Guildhall of the City of Exeter, Cornwall—Saturday, March '23; at Launceston. Somerset—'Thursday, March 28, at the Castle of Taunton. LA IV EXTRAORDINARY. It is reported that a piece of sharp practice was played off one uay last week on some Gentlemen of the long robe :—A .trip piing in casting about for game, thought the Gentle: Tim of the law would afford a novel field of action, upon whom few of his own profession had hitherto ventured to attempt any mii nceuvres, because not so easily trapped :is the rest of mankind.-- He therefore resolved on the attempt ; and having made out five fictions cases for the consideration of Counsel, and waittd, upon five of the keenest practitioners at the bar, severally and 'successively at their chambers, presented to each his case for an opinion, endorsedwith a five guinea fee, and for the payment of which he tendered to each a ten or fifteen pounds Skt,4lll Cht.ei b a banker, apologizing fur having no other paper to pay the The Clerks of the Learned Counsel in every case, save one, rea dily gave him the difference in bank notes ; and one Gentleman in particular, eminently skil'ed in the Laws, not only gave hi= the change, but added his opinion at the foot of the case, " that it came within the statute of frauds and a pro;ecution b* against the party." Ajultior barrister was the only one win, demurred upon the question of chauke, all the rest suffered their judgments to go in defouit, and their client levied the fines, but will never :lifer the recovery. Applications has been made tks Bow-street for a capias ad respondendunt against the party, or writ offifa. for the return of the change. But to this the de fendant has put iu a dilator", plea and given tei •m . .n0..7•••• 4 7. --- • 1-4416.- • Y-l' * 'l ; ' : '