The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-11-13 00:00:00

A FRACAS IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE.

Captain Creig, of Horton Kirby, was summoned, on
Tuesday, before the county magistrates at Sidcup,
Kent, for assaillting Mr. Ifamilton Cornwall, a cleric
in the Horse I luards, and residing at the Vicarage,
Ensford.

'Hr. Cornwall said he was returning home by the
430 p.m. train from Victoria Station, with a fellow
clerk from the Horse Guardq, named WilloughLy
Gordon O'NeiL At Herne-hill they changed carriages
into the city portion of the train, and got into a first-
class sm 'king carriage. Witness sat next to the de.
fendant, who gruffly remarked, " I wish you had lc,pt
out—you are not wanted here." The conversation
then turned on a stormy meeting held at the Darenth
Vale Literary Institution. Witness was a member of
the Institution Committee, and Captain Greig was one
of the subscribers. Captain Greig became excited, and
said the institution was ill-managed, which was chiefly
the tank of the committee. Witness replied that it was
not defendant's paltry subscription which kept the in-
stitution up, and that if he or any one else said the
committee did not do all in their paver to further the
interests of the institution, they did not tell the truth.
Captain Greig said, You are a great man in your own
estimation; but a great fool in everybody else's." In
some further conversation about the institution witness
said to the Captain, "If you had an atom of spunk in
you you would have attended the meeting and made
known your complaints there." Defendant then
struck witness a blow in the face with his clenched fist,
remarking, "I will knock you down in the presence of
these gentlemen." Witness immediately left the car-
riage. In cross-examination complainant stated that
the blow was slight, and did not disfigure him, or cause
him any suffering beyond the feeling of a gentleman
who has been insulted by another.

--•
Mr. Willoughby Gordon O'Neil, Mr. RaThleigh,
solicitor, Farningham, and Mr. Lovegrove, of Down,
who were in the carriage at the time, gave corrobora-
tive evidence.

Mr. Gibson, in addressing the Bench for the defence,
said it was all brought about by Mr. Cornwall giving
himself airs. He had impad-ntly insulted the t ray
hairs of an officer of the service, questioned his bravery,
and imputed falsehood to him in a way equivalent to
telling him he W 39 a liar. Conduct like that was mil.
ciliated to produce a breach of the peace, and defend.

ant had in a moment of itritation done what was
greatly to be regretted—struck the complainant.
The Bench Inflicted a fine of Li and 12a. 6d. costa.
Captain Greig was then charged in a second sumunms
with sending a threatening letter to Mr. Cornwall.
The following correspondence was produced :
'• vicarage, Eyustord, lict. 15 1869. Sir,-1 must request
from You a written apology for the unpardonable insult I re-
ceived last evening. and In the event of the saute not reach-
ing me before Tuesday nest I shall place the matter in the
hands of my solicitor. I trust, however, that you sill see
the advisability of complying with my request, and so save
me the necessity of adopting such a d letgreeable alternative.
I remain your obedient servant, II LTioN Colt/MALL."
"

To this Captain Greig replied as follows
am in possession of yours of the 15th Inst. and
In reply, beg to state that, before! say I regret the alterca-
tion which took place between us, you must retract the
insulting language made use of to me on that occasion, such
as ' coward, airy cloud,—nothing in me,'all of which I throw
back on you What I did was to show you, by a DUI° prac-
tical experience, that I vas neither. Wlth regard to your
solicitor, if he is a sensible person, and a friend of yours, he
will tell you to let by-gonna be bygones, and say no more
about it. However, lam yours, ever ready, A. 0. Wiliam
P B.—Although I have not mentioned this affair to any one,
I find that you have been speaking of it in a disparaging
Way with regard to me Pray be careful in future how you
speak and act, for when we come in contact again it will not
be the colour of your hair that will protect you."
The Bench then dismissed the summons.

- -
A third and cross summons was tion heard, in
which Captain Greig sumnioned Mr. Cornwall for
making use of words calculated to produce a breach of
the peace, as given in his own evidence. The Bench
in this case fined Mr. Cornwall 10a. and costa