The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-09-03 00:00:00

GEORGE HOTEL

ASSAULT BETWEEN MERCHANTS,--Yesterday, the police
court was unusually crowciel by mercantile gentlemen

and other persons from '(

tracted in

consequer
between 1

had t

en place
B. Fox

Howa

the det

ing magi,trat

re Alder

turner
Mr

-- -
Mr. G,llow summoned Mr. Fox for an assault

Snowball appeared for the defendant. The complainant
said : On the last Saturday but one, I went into the bar
of the George Hotel, Dale-street, where I am in the
habit of stopping when lam in Liverpool. It was about
one o'clock in the day. I was speaking with three or four
parties, and had my hands behind my back, leaning
against the bar, when I saw Mr. Fox entering the bar.
He was not two minutes in the place when he came over
to me and struck me a blow in the face. Alderman
Ifolme : Was there any quarrel before that between you ?
No ; but a day or two before that, a person named
Younkers asked me if I knew anything. about Fox? and
I replied I knew enough of him, not to have anything to
do with him. Mr. Younkers asked me what it was, and
I merely replied "I would advise you not to have any
thing to do with him." Mr. Snowball : You say von are
a merchant? Witness: I do. Mr. Snowball • Do you
swear you are a merchant ? Witness : I have sworn
that I am. Mr. Snowball: Do you know the usages of
merchants? Witness : I do. Mr. Snowball What
merchandise do you deal in ? Witness : Salt and corn.
I was not more than a minute or a minute and a halF
when he struck me. I did not mention the name of
Mr. Fox first to Mr. Younkers. Mr. Snowball : Do you,
sir, swear that positively ? Witness : I do sir: lam
certain I did not. Mr. Snowball : Did you not say to
Mr. Younkers that you were quite astonished to see
him walk with Mr. Fox ? Witness : No, I did not.
Mr. Snowball : You swear that ? Witness : I do
swear it. Mr. Snowball: Did you not say that Mr.
Fox was a most disreputable character, and that no
gentleman would be seen walking with him ? Witness :
Not to my knowledge. Mr. Snowball : What do you
mean by " not to your knowledge ? " Could you have
used such words without your knowledge? Witness: I
will swear I never used such words. Mr. Snowball :
Did Mr. Younkers ask you what you meant, when you
spoke of Mr. Fox ? Witness : No, he did not—l refused
giving him Fox's character. Mr. Snowball : What did
you tell him ? Witness : I told him that I would
advise him strongly not to have anything to do with
Mr. Fox. Mr. Snowball: Did you not sneer at the
name of Mr. Fox ? Witness I did not snee-
name, but I gave my opinion candidly. He s

from a

minute and a•half or two in the bar

Mr. Wilson, who sa

examined. He said : I came into the bar of the George
Hotel, about half-past one o'clock on the day in ques-
tion. I was there a short time, when I heard a noise,
and, on turning round to see what caused it, I saw Mr.
Pox draw his hand back after giving the blow, nut the
actual blow itself, I did not see. Mr. Snowball
addressed the bench and said, on the part of Mr. Fox, he
at once admitted that lie had broken the law—that he
admits, but, from the evidence I will produce, and the
witnesses I will examine. I will show that this fellow
Gillow, most richly deserved what he got, and a great
deal more if he got it. What are the facts ? This fellow
Youukers in the street, speaks disrespectfully

to him of the character of Mr. Fnx, when Mr. tounkers
asked him what he meant? The fellow, instead of
answering the question, sneered, and refused to tell what.
he meant. The fellow takes away the character of a
respectable man, and does it behind his back in a,
heheaatraoefteth:
cowardly and malignant manner:tie:cid
wwhitehnaheviwleenint inter!
tion. Now, Mr. Fox tells me a different story, and I
believe him before I believe that felloAi'i:
tthheet
Mr. Fox was assailed by the fellow,
the hotel and saw his traducer there,
moment he did strike him, but he did
bloody nose nor a black eye, m, r.,,,n° give him a

pardon, I got a black E
very glad of it. I am

utilow : I beg your
)Wball: Well, I am
vay that the fellow
Fox broke the

was served right, but -1

lavv; yet, afi
Dan to Beer

)rry that

low should he kicked ,from
from John o' Groats to the Lands
—and it would be only serving him
then called Mr. Younkers, who said : I am
merchant. I have employed Mr. Fox occa-•
wally in my business. I have walked with him several
times. I remember meeting Mr. Gillow, when he said,
ysoauw. ' you '
wwaalsk no
gt thenw ithFox,
and I am quite astonished
at
Mr. Fox. I asked Mr. oawre whatihat heM mr.eGanitlir when Gillow he
said, " I would, advise you not to have anything to do
with Mr. Fox, but don't ask me any more about him."
I thought it my duty to tell Mr. Fox, and I did tell him.
I repeat, I did not then know that Mr. Gillow knew Mr.
Fox. lam a German merchant. Mr. Alderman
Holme : It was quite voluntary on the part of Mr.
Gillow to tell you what he did ? It was, sir. Mr.
Alderman Holme : You did not ask him first? I did
not, certainly. Mr. Alderman Turner: Did it all occur
at the bar of the George Hotel ? Yes, sir. Mr. Snow-
ball : That is my
case on the part of Mr. Fox. Mr.
Alderman Holrne : After the evidence given in this
case, we think there was an assault committed by Mr.
Fox, but we also think that the grounds of provocation
were very great, and we will mark our opinion of the
whole case by fining Mr. Fox the lowest possible
penalty, namely, Is, and is costs. The fine was at once
paid, and the court was soon cleared of its large number'
of visitors,