The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-01 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS.

-•-
MANSION-HOUSE.

M. . Guitar(' was brauglt before the Lord Mayor
charced with having committed an extraordinary assault.
Mr. S•ewurt, of Bary•ptreet, St. JOlntleS. formerly a mi- '
litary tinker, said—Yesterday, at • quarter before three
o'clock, upon corning out of the shop of Menus. Pun and
Dossetor, in the Poultry, where I had been to order some-
'thing, I met the defendant, whom I had never seen before
to my kn4wledge. Before I got entirely out of the shop he
passed in, and to my surprise turned round and kicked
me. Ile then, on m turning raund, immediately struck
yme in the face with his fist. This was done withost the
slightest provocation on my part. I am not aware that •
word had passed between us. I believe I then asked him
what he meant, and he fumbled in his pocket, took out a
dagger, and held it over my left breast, using the expres-
sion, " I am an outlaw, and am privileged to carry
arms," or words to that effect, "and I'll let you
know who I am." I called to the shopman when
I found such to be the cue to call a police-
man, but the shopman would not do so. Mr. Doasetor
(pointing to Mr. Dossetor, jun.), who had been serving
me, came round the counter, but did not offer to interfere
at all. re the best of my belief I again asked them to
send for • policeman, but they would not. There was a
crowd outside, and I went to call a policeman myself. At
last I got a mall boy who was in the crowd to go for a
policeman. The defendant gave an order in the shop,
and Mr. Dossetor served him. The policeman came in and
took my charge. Mr. Dossetor then tried to prevail upon
me not to press the charge, but I refused to abstain from
doing so. To the best of my recollection the defendant
repeated the mention that he was an outlaw and privileged
to carry arms. The policeman tben put him in a cab and
conveyed him to the station house. After the
'large was read over to him by the station
sergeant, he said, upon being asked who he was,
that he was one of her Majesty's Privy Council, and there-
fore he was privileged to carry arms. If. also stated that
he was constantly annoyed by fellows in brown costs, or
words to that effi.st, and that several of the Privy Council
were annoyed by them ; that he made a point of always
knocking them down whenever he could, and the Privy
Council were sometimes obliged to kill them. One of the
policemen asked him to allow him to look at the dagger,
and quietly got hold of it. At first the defendant refused
to allow himself to be searched, but he afterwards sub-
mitted.

The Lord Mayor (to the defendant)—Do you wish to ask
the witness any questions?
Defendant—l do, my Lord. What (to the witness) did
you purchase ?
Witness—Nothing; but I gave an order.
Defendant—Some of the evidence is not quite correct, but
is given with a tone and manner which tell against me. I
wish to remark that I held up the dagger to show the pri-
vilege which I claim. I did it to show the authority I have
to resent insult.

These observations were uttered in a very mild tone.
There was other evidence ready, but
The Lord Mayor said he would remand the defendant, in
order to obtain the testimony of medical practitioners as to
the state of the defendant's mind. His lordship then said
that u Mr. Dossetor was preleut, that gentleman might
wish for and should be allowed to account for his conduct,
in not sending far a policeman under such remarkable cir-

Mr. Dossetor, jun.—My reason was, that Mr. Guitard is
a customer of ours and 1 was in hopes that nothing would
occur.

The Lord Mayor—Yon saw him brandish a dagger, and
that was pretty good authority for the interference of
others.

Mr. Dossetor, jun.—Certainly, I did see him braadish the
dagger, but he did it in a mild way.
The Lord Mayor—Suppose he had made a sudden thrust
at Mr. Stewart with the dagger / Insanity is often u sud-
den u a spark of fire in its operation.
Mr. Doesetor, jun.—l havo know* him to be a highly
respectable gentleman, and he has been long a customer
of ours.

The Lord Mayor—But this act of his which you have
witnessed was the act of a madman. I shall proceed no
further in the matter until the defendant shall have been
examined by competent persons as to the condition of hie
mind. He must be brought up again on Friday.
Defendant—May I ask that the executors of my father
may not be present on the occasion ?
1 he Lord Mayor—You shall go where every possible care
shall betaken of you. If you are an accountable agent, you
have committed a very serious offence.
Defendant—l am not in robust health my lord.
One of the executors, who was present during the investi-
gation, intimated that they were not surpised at the state-
ment of Mr. Stewart.

The defendant, who was stated to have a large sum of
money at his bankers, was then remanded till Friday. His
conduct before the Lord Mayor was most gentlemanlike and
respectful throughout.
The Lord Mayor said he had received the second half of
the U. note, part of which he had been favoured with by
W, for the poor box.