The Express.
London, England, 1853-07-25 00:00:00

WESTERN CIRCUIT.—Exrrea, JILT 23.

Xis Pow {fin.-111war Ma Jr.vica TaLrovvv.
Cam) .. TIVIIMS.—VPILIoiv AsvAtx.T BY ♦ CLZA-
OTMAIf.

This was • special jury case. Mr. Crowder sad Mr.
Collier were for the plaintiff; and Mr. Slade and Mr. Mow-
bray appeared for the defendant.
It was an action to recover eompensaticn in damages for
if assault commute d by the Rev. George Ingram Fisher, •
clergyman of the church of England, on Mr. William
Creed, • geatleman residing at AblotskenweU, in the
county of Devon. The damages were laid at Ave hundred
pounds.
It appeared from the opening of the learned counsel, and
the evidence of the plaintiff, that the defendant was vicar
of Abbotakenwell, and beige • " high churchman, "was sot
very popular is the parish in consequence. It was alleged
that before the rev. gentleman came there, snub harmony
prevailed, bet that afterwards there was great division and
unpleasantness. The plaintiff was an active teacher in the
parish Sunday School, and exerted himself zealously in
the educational work of the neighbourhood. The de-
fender'', however, made some objections to the teaching in
the Sunday School, which was not so well up to
the high church standard as Ito thought it should
be, and • quarrel ensued between the portico
Mr. Creed did not like the innovations in the church, and
on one occasion walked out when public baptism was being
administered in the middle of divine service. This
widened the breach between them; and as this introdatt-
tion of baptising the children during the time of service was
considered to be • novelty, Mr. Creed had some conversa-
tion with the d geatleman on the subject. He
accused Mr. Creed of " being no churchman," to which
that gentles.= replied that he held the same views u the
Archbishop of Canterbury. Mr. Fisher then said " the
Archbishop of Canterbury is no churchman." Mr. Creed
said, "Do you mean to tell me that the archbishop of
your church is no churchman ? " Mr. Fisher thereupon
shook hi• stick menasiogly at Mr. Creed. Subs( quently
there was a dispute about a tithe apportionment map whit
Mr. Creed's brother kept. The nd gentleman wanted
to get this map into his possession, and notwithstanding
that two-thirds of the parishioners signed • memorial
against it, the defendant, in his application to quarter *eli-
sions to have the map removed from the custody of the
plaintifFs brother, stated that its removal was prayed for
by the general voice of the parish. The plaintiff thereupon
wrote • letter to defendant, telling him that " he felt called
on in the strongest terms to reprobate so gross •
misrepresentation, as it was calculated to deceive the court,
to defeat the ends of justice, and to thwart the almost
unanimous wish of all interested in the matter." To this
letter the defendant did not reply ; and on the 24th of
February the plaintiff met him, and asked him if he had
received his letter which he did not deign to answer. The
plaintiff sail, If you do not answer it, I will make public
your stetsons's ia court." To this the defendant replied
You will say lam a liar, suppose" ? Plaintiff said
" Unquestionably I shall, without you give me some ex-
planation." The defendant made no answer to this, but
struck the plaintiff a violent blow with • hap stick, whisk
stunned hint. He felt himself rselisig, and piped a its..
When culminations returned defendant was Mamdiag 112
the higher aids of him, striking at his head vial prim 1
of the suck. After the defendant had brokem ellek
about the plaintiff, ha struck him violently, with his OM;
and then took him by the collar, dragged him off** tree,
and struck him in the aide as • Anishing blow. The
plaintiff did not strike the defendant again. He suffered
much in his bead, and a surgeon attended him for a
week afterwards. Mr. Gay, the surgeon who attended the
plaintiff, described the injuries as very severe. There was a
wound over Ms ear, about aa inch in length, and he was
severed with bleed. There were severe blows on the upper
lip, sad on the left hand. The wound on his head was
severe, and he believed that "many skulls had bees free-
Used with blows set mire severe than those inflicted oa the
plaiatiff."
its. mem 4 sibs iskaisist, armed his regret that his