The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-05-15 00:00:00

LORD LONDONDERRY AND MR. RATTIER.

The following, is Lieutenant-Colonel Western's authentic
account of the duel between Lord Londonderry and Mr.
Battier, wilt a contradiction of false reports:—
, "A meeting took place on Thursday, the 6th inst. between the
Marquis on loodonderry and Mr. Battier, in consequence of a man.
kAge sent by ilic latter. The Marquis was attended by fir 11. liar-
dingy, M.P., amt Mr. Battier by Lieutenant-(;olonel Western.
" It was determined by the seconds that the parties should fire
together, on the word beteg given ; in consequence of which agree-
ment the Ilanplis tirtsl, but without effect, and ut the same instant
Mr. Battier', ia.t,l missed tire. The seconds then interfered, and,
atter some convertation betweekt them (the seconds), the affair ter.
mincte.l. It is necessary to contradict sonic false reports which
have ant. it out of this affair, anti have found their way into the
public pmts. Sonic if the journals have stated, that Lord Lon-
donderry, atter having tireti, and on a conversation ensuing between
the secnds, esentinitsl, that he 'came to tight and not to make
explanations.' lord Londonderry never used such or similar
,words.

It has also been reported that I.ord Londonderry, or Sir H.
Ilardiogc on his part, denied the whole, or a greeter part, of what
Jr. Ilattirr had puhlishill in his statements. The only denial
made by sir 11. grirdinge on the vat of his Lordship, being as to
the fact of his Lordshie s haring seen a certain officio/ letter, writ.
ten by corninned of Ins Royal Highness the Duke of York, ren.
miring the conduct of the officers of the 10th Hussars towards Mr.
Battier. . - .

•• Another (Treasons report states, that Mr. Battier was unpre.
sided with pictola—the fact was otherwite; (:slonel Western (Mr.
!lattices friend) having brought his own pistols with him.
(signed) bb C. M. T. WESTERN.
" Qtt2rter before Two o'clock, P.M., 12Ih May, 111.11.
" 1 'hewed .Old read the above 11 tnteivico In Sir ii. Ilardinge, in
his room at the I trduance I Mice. and he itelra;lied Its accuracy.

(Signed) " C. M. T. sv ESTEaN.
(A true Copy.)
" WILLIAM BATTIER."

INQUEST O.V MR. JOHN GREGORY.

rrsterday evening, at six o'clock, Mr. Shelton, and a respectable
Jury, assembled at the Board-room of Guy's Hospital, to inquire
into the cause of the death of the above unfortunate individual. al-
leged to have been killed by his own son. On the Jury being inc.
parielkd, :hey went and took a view of the body, and the following
evidence was taken.

John Grehory. aged 15 son of the deceased, being sworn, moved,
1 live at No. S,Got cr-road, Itutough. (hi Sunday tuomilig week,
my father sat done breakfast, and my brother (Stage was getting
his, the family consists of eight persons, four girls and four boys ;
as my brother George was taking his meal, my brother William
wanted some brad and butter, which his father refused, observing,
wish an oath, he had enough ; his bruther Geurge then said, do you
want &bit, ? lie answered, " Vet." George then gat up to
cut it for hini; th:: bread was at the tulle in the cupboard. Otorge had
a knife in he. hand, which he took from the table. Ills father
had that mori.ing sharpened the knife. 3ly radar, on hearing this,
ran at hint just as he was opening the cupboard-door, and struck
him three or four blows, and kr.oetted I down ;my brother got
up again and went to the other tad of the mum, and in about a
minute after my father cried out, " The rascal has stabbed me !"
lie then seized the broom, ant, made a blow at Genrr, but a rope
broom;
clothes-line caught the my father then tell upon the
breakftst-table, and all (-turndown together. lather, after a short
pause, got up, and went into the shop, where lie said, " Oh !
:MI going ; send for somebody." 31y mother, hearing the alarm,
ran down, and desired George to go to Mr. 1/avis surgmn • Irs,
went, and on his return said, he had been to St. ThOrnas's, wheel

he wits informed nobody could come to I ;he must go to then'{'
I then got a coach, and uty father being put into it, was taken lathe
bospiial.
Coroner—Did your brother say anything to your father at the
cupboard
VI ones—No,
fir.. . . _

Coroner-I)id you set anything done with the knife ?
IVitneas-1 did not ; it was a very sharp kbile ; a case knife,
that was always lista at breaklaitt.
Juror—Lid your brother niake any reply when your father said
no more bread should be cut ?
rdr.
Juror—What did your brother do when your father said he was
subbed ? . .

Witnes.s— My brother came towards him, but the broom deterred
him ; lie was very sorry, and I don't think he knew he did it.
[Here the lad burst into tears.]
William Gregory, aged twelve, being sworn, peered** the
same evidence as his brother, the last witness; and in his answers
to questions limn jurors differed not from his general testimony.
Jane Gregory sworn-1 am daughter to the deemed, and am
eighteen years old. On the looming of the fat A affair I breakfasted
with my tither and mother and the rest of the family, except my
brother George; and after I hid done I left the room to prepare the
children for the Sunday School, and shortly after my brother
George. came in, and in a few minutes I heard a noise and on my
going into the room I saw my father with the hair-broom in his
hand, making towards George, hut it entangled in the clothes-line ;
the table and the crockery ware were ki.ocked down by my father,
alio stumbled against the table, in his attempt to strike George
with the broom. _ .

Juror —flow old is your brother George?—lle is seventeen.
Corroer—lhd you see George with a knife in his hand did
not. .

The Coroner here inquired if Ogre were any more witnesses to
examine?-11e was told that Mrs Gregory was present, and
would, if the Jury thought ht, state what she knew of the unfor-
tunate affair. _

The Coroner said, that it would be as well if her feelings, which
had been already deeply wounded, could be spared.
The Jury expressed theinsalves of the Coroner's opinion, and
Mrs. flregory was not called.
Mr. Henry IValker 3lirtin, dresser to Mr. Morgan, surgeon to
the hospital, sworn—l saw the deceased when he was tint brought
into the hospital. On examination 1 found a stab on the right
buttock, joet above the groin ; its orifice was about an inch and al
half vide, tut internally it was about four inches, and from eight
to ten inches in depth. The wound was dressed, and the deceased
was put to bed ; I continued to attend hum, and he appeared to be
doing well till on the ll'egnesday evening, when antiasumn.
lion shewed itself in the wound, and terminated his existence un
the following morning. The wound has since death been more
minutely examined, and 1 found it to be very irregular, as if the
knife had jagged.
Coronor—lt the knife had been plunged in at one thrust would
the wound have had the appearance it now li.s
iViiness—Ccrtsinly nut; it would have then been the same
width intern illy as the orifice.
.0 uror—Did the deceased, prior to his death, tell you how he re.
ceived the stab ? . .

Witness—lle told me that his villain of a on had stabbed him.

Coruna—At the time he told you that was be aware his death
was near at hand ? Did he make it as his dying declaration ?

Wioncs,—lle did cut. ,
Coroner—Then what he told you CIIIDOt be received as
evidence.

The sister of the ward was next called, and naked if the deceased
had told her anything in his dying moments relative to the unfor-
tunate affair. She replied in the negative.
This being the whole of the evidence, the CORO NZ recapitu-
lated the depositions with much clearness and perspicuity, com-
menting thereon as be proceeded. Ile said, that according to the
evidence that had been given, none of the witnesses had heard the
boy George make use of any expression indicating his intention of
committing the dreadful dad; but they;i clearly deposed to the de.
ceased and his son having a stru e, in which they fell to the
ground, George at the dote having tto knife in his hand. Now,
under these circumstances, if he had stabbed the deceased at a too.
meat when he was in a state of irritation at being struck by his
father, it would in point of law only amount to the crime
of manslaughter. in the next place, it would be for them to
reconcile to themselves, before they returned a verdict of
manslaughter, that the accused did stab the deceased, because
it was probable it was mere accident. It had been stated
by the witnesses that the boy George was about to cut the bread
',Len his father struck him, and that they them struggled and both
fell to the I.:round ; it might have been at this ininnent that the de-
ceased received the injury, which is not at all unlikely by the nature
of the wound, as to its irregularity. Having given his opinion ac-
cording to the evidence of the members a the deceased's family,
lie would have it to the Jury to consider of their verdict.

•
The Jury retired for about fire minutes, mid then resumed a vet..
diet that the deceased was stabbed by accident.
Coroner—ln receiving the wound when he and his sou were
falling to the ground ?
Foreman—Precisely so. We cannot for a moment think the son
stabbed Ilia parent wilfully ; therefore we arc unanimous in opioion
that the deceased was stabbed by accident.

The l'immer then rearmed tlieir verdict to that affect.

The inqui.st lasted three hours, and the room in which it was
held was crowded during th► investigation by the inhabitants of the
neighbourhood wite.re the deceased legided.

31.111KETS.

[From tb.r. Loudon Nrw l'ricc Chile-NO

a:tiee &nand prevailing for some weeks past
in our Onion market, has, :luring the present, subsided, owing
pribcipslly to a pantal cessation of buying for the country•, till the
approaching India sale, *lnch will take pinec this day week : the
inquiry for exportation is still good, though not wary orden have
been execute:l. l'he sales arc about 1200 bags of all kinds. at
full priem _ _ _

I,lsl4l:l:.—There hare been extensive public sales of Coffee
brought forward thi. ircek ; the market may be slated hear', hut
without any reduction in the price*. except in Jamaica l'ont.,
which must again be stated lower ; tine hoe ordinary enloury sold
at Wu. a 66x. ; St. Don.ingootdinary to good ordinary, IL's. a GU;
tine ordinary. Wm.

The public sales of t ollee continue very extensive ; there sere
again tive toolay, and sold ay till a very late hour, (half past three
o'clock ;) the ordinary ilestriptions of British Plantation C"offlic are
again) lower, and generally the market is very heavy • the only qua-
lities which 'gallant the previous prices are tine Pollees &MI the
Foreign descriptions; good ordinary St. !Mailing° sold at Gls. lid.
a G2*. al. -nod miiklling Jamaica, 975. a 675. lid.

hs• I . _ r_e demand for t hugsrs cont atICA, and, MI rill
ulKr, the late prw:s are fully maintained; the low brown descriptions
are .0 pressed on dm market. that we must quote • reduction of
fully Is. per. cwt.; brown Jamaica being sold at Ms., and a low
parcel offered at that rate has not yet been disposed of.
in :hr Relined marlrti there wore considerable inquiries early in