The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-07-31 00:00:00

POLICE.

M A RP.I.A -BON NE.
Ma-Josteti WlLrttn PAILI. I N S.—VeMerazy. at one o.chark,
this gentleman presented himself betore the presiding 3fagistratcs,
Wm. Hoskins and Edmund GriflithA, Esqrs. and I.)rd Alontford,
who was attracted to the office in consequence of ita tp.ing the day
appointed for the final hearing of the matter so loos at issue be-
tween Mr. Parkins and the parochial Aura of illaty-la-boom.

On the case being called on,
Mr. LLOYD. solicitor to the parish, presented himself, and read
the crder of affiliation made at the (inane'. Sessions on the 11 of
August, 182'1, confirming that made at this office some time before.
This order merely contained the usual averments and the award of
' 4s. per week, and the expenses, the whole of • which the defendant
was to pay. The summons arched a debt to be due of V. 16s.
upon the order.
1 31r. Oat re ty its then said, that as the complaint was that each
a sum was due, the necessary proof must be oulduced.
Mr. M`Naughten, one of the overseers of the parish, being then
scorn. and examined by Mr. LLOYD, said he made the complaint.
and the amount due to the churchwardens and overseers, on the
order of a child sworn to by Hannah White against Mr. J. W. Par.
king, was H. IGs. He came there to claim that awn. The order
was signed by Mr. Rawlinson aod Mr. Uriffiths.
Mr. Du NCOMBE, the solicitor to Mr. Parkin, then commenced
crass.exarnirling this witness, as td the time of his entering into
office, and as to how he became acquainted with the transaetions
occurring before he came into office.
Mr. I,t.ovn interrupted this examination, protesting egainst a
course of proceeding which was at actual variance with the case.
Mr. Huhcom au rather warmly exclaimed, " I.elesirc you. Sir.
not to interfere in my examination of this witness.'
Mr. I,toyo submitted to the Magistrates chat the questions put
did hot bear out the case.
Hoerr, er, it was thought advisable to allow the examination to
proceed.
Mr. Du XCOMBE then asked Mr. 3l•Naughten, upon the oath
he had taken, whether he had not authorised them to retu.t show.
ing Parkins the child.
Mr. M'lCaughten replied be had not; he bad refuted no such
thing.
Mr. DvxcoseaE asked how he knew the child to be Mr. Par-
kines
Mr. Illiaughten replied, because it was sworn to.
Here another interruption took place; the Magistrate pronounc-
ing such questions totally irrelevant. However, the solicitor perti-
naciously persisted he was right in putting them, declaring he
them bound to bare ethibited the child to Parkins by the
Act of Parliament; and there was a great deal of suspicion about the
case in their not having done so.
Mr. Garr/tills said, if such a line of conduct was pursued it
would be utterly impossible fur them to arrive at any conclusion.-
It was absolutely of no use to ground an argument upon such pre-
mises. lie would advise him not, but to tura his attention to
where suspicion did or might arise.
Mr. On )(costae continent his examination of the witness as to
whether he had authorised Parkins% attendance, and had caused
the summons to be Wined against him. These question. being
answered in the affirmative—
Mr. Dr NCO MIRE asked whether there was any particular pmhi.
button against fathers ening their illegitimate children while in the
parish charge.
Mr. 31`Naughten replied, not to his knowledge.
Mr. Du mewing—Did you not know Mr. Parkins applied to
see the child ?
Mr. 31`Natigtiten—Not till lately.
wcohag—llave you seen the child ?

Mr. M•Naughten—l have, Sir.
Mr. Irc 'moms E —What child ?
Mr. ill•Naughten—The child of Hannah White, or Mr. Par-
kina's child, which you please. She has aworn him to be the
father. .

Mr. Dv wco MBE—When did you last see the child which you
have sworn did exist?

Mr. :N•Naughten—On the first Wednesday in the month of last
June. It wu produced to the Board. It has iir.ce died.
Mr. Du wcowne was about to continue this examination, when,

Mr. LLOYD agaln hoped such really irrelevant questions would
not he allowed; is was $ protraction of the time of the office
business.

Mr. 11Jairrirms—Oh, no, let him go on; he wants to under. I
stand the fact of the child's existence.
In the further examination of the overseer. he said he merely
heard of the child's death ; regular notice of it had been given ; the
sums had been paid that were demanded by the persons usually ma-
naging such bounces-
Mr. Parkins—Aye, this has arisen through your delegating your
authority, which is extremely improper and disgracefuL
Mr. Du R tossna—Where are the parish books ?
Mr. 3l•Naughten—l have them not.
Mr. ',Love denied eny authority to produce the books.
Mr. Stephen Watts, chief clerk to the Board of Parochial Ma-
nagement, was then called, said proved having paid the stun awarded
regularly to Hannah White ; he produced kis list of payments.
Mr. lie N COMO): objected to the production of any thing but
the books, as, according to every rule of evidence, it was decided,
that when any testimony was given of a documentary kind, if there
was any in existence better, it twist be produced; therefore he felt
I bound, both in justice to his client and the regularity of the pro-
ending. to call upon the Magistrates to have the books produced.
Mr. ll RI rwrrits was of opinion that this did not fellow at all ;
it eertaioly was a yule, founded on practice, in all cases to produce
the best evidence, but the document produced was merely a kind of
reftenher to the money of the mitoses. and 'misted his reconemien
in the detail be was goat to give, and maid net by soy means be
rejected; besides, It'ch'ed exactly to the point wished, and really
he thought nothing was more desirable then ha production • tut,
11 nevertheless, as dm books were not produced, sad as day 11;11
de-
clined hringirg thews there, he did not see how he outdid *hp
them to do it, and he believed their production totally unercesessy.,
Mr. Dencosise. with considerable ingenuity, resumed foe the
production of the pariah books, but evidently was aware of his
having no authority to cite.
His objection was eventually overruled by the Magistrates.
Mr. Watts thee read the items from bis tecinorands, by which
it ap,-.eared the amount due was as Thorpe stated, 7L les.
Mr. LLOYD, from his brief, furnished the witness with an item
which he had not catered upon his memorandum.
Mr. Parkins arose from his chair, exclaiming, " That MIR is
acting very impertinently ; he is assisting the witness; he must net
do it; the men, I suppose, has been long enough in the serviette
know what he is about, and to know what evidence to give."
Mr. Duucomez thought they could not go on without the
I books, and said, if one man charged another with owing him a
sum of money, as in this case, he assuredly was bound to shew
him his books, to prove be did owe him the money.
Mr. Game but the books will not prove anything;
there must be some one to speak to their contents. Really I Wok
the evidence quite satisfactory; the books are not requisite.
Mr. Watts was then examined as to whom he had paid the
money ; and on being asked as to how long he bad been in the
parochial employ, he replied, 28 years.
On Mr. LLowis remarking on the uselessness of pumiog such
questions,
Mr. Parkins exclaimed, " Sir, it is material; I shall have
something to say presently."
Mr. V. mu', in answer toe question, said, he did not know of
Mr. Parkins's wish to see the child.
.

discussionSo a oia;etitniii;ed kind here arose, in which
Mr. Parkins observed, he was not well treated; he was brought
there by the parish office», and the witness was not allowed
to answer some of the questions put to him.
Mr. GRIFFITHS observed, such questions and matter so totally
irrelevant had been proceeded in, and on points not bearing WI the
case, that the witnesses might answer or not, as they pleased, the
questions put to the= on such points.
Mr. Li.ovo then examined Mr. Watts as to the whole amount
of the claim on Mr. Parkins.
Mr. Du scorrsz declared he would not allow such an examina-
tion.

Mr. LLOYD.—I am here to perform a certain duty, and in this
business I hare hitherto done a,. The case is resolved into the old
hackneyed term, " a nut-shell," and does not admit of any dis-
cussion ; it is at the most a matter of account, and I shall now
bring it to • close, by sfilleiag, from the evidence, the whole claim
from the beginning as Mr. Parkins, and the amount not pidd,
which is ail I gefowt Mit hattistplowad that, there is an cod to the
use.

Mr. Watts theft proved, that the whale sum was 201. 24., sad
7/...l6s,remained due. _ . .

Mr. LLOYD here obeertri, hi would call Thorp, sod that Woo
his rasa

Thorp, the messenger, said, he had called several tinismenbse-
quent to the 6d. of May last, ford!. due on that daft ; bg bad Ma
Air. Parkins, who had ;itemised to pay him, but had minim to
him, saying he would not pay ; the business then went on, and up
to the 7th ofJuly the amount due wan 71. MC
Mr. DUNCONNE—Vpon your oath did he ever say anything
about the child to you ?
MT. Thorpe could net recollect that he did ; but he told a long
stn► about another child sworn to a nobleman.
Mr. Dumoostag then proceeded closely to examine Thorp as to
the child ever havingsexlsted; but the answers fully continued the
previous testimony.
This examination at length became so irregular, that the Magis.
trate was obliged to Interim.
Mr. Du siconaz declared the man who was giving evidence was
the only one who could remove the degree of suspicion that was
about the case.
---

The other questions put were nearly similar to those we hare sl.'
ready given.
Mr. ti 1 IFITUS interrupted them, and was about saying Pelt-
thing, when
Mr Parkins exclaimed. 1 want, Sir. to shew you--
31r. tlyir FIT II S—Will you bear me.
Mr. Parkins—No, Sir ; I am not to be stopped by you.
Mr. a IVY I T sts—Prav be silent, Sir.
Mr. Parkins—Sir, 1 meat
insist—
. Me. D RI rrirlis—Now, Sir, I tell you, I am not to be inter.
routed by you. Siidown, Sir. Am I to sit ben, and continually
to s^e the same ground gone over, that has been decided several
times to be inegulaz ? we have only this to do with tbe matter—
Mr. Du x 4. 0 M E-81r, I sin sorry to say that it is eltreellely
unreasonable to putmethis course.
Mr. OR —Now, once for all. I again repeat. I will lot
allow you to go back to any transactions that have taken 020110
this ease, The feet is already sworn to; nothing can be deem
Mr. Parkins—Yes, it is sworn to, but net proved.
Mt. GNI rrlTivi—We cannot mike distinctions between what is
sworn to and not proved.
Mr. Duncomin asked Thorpe when the money bad been last
paid by Mr. Parkins?
Thorpe—Up to the Ist of October, NV, wait the last sum be

Mr. Parkins said, when he had paid that madly, he did it sods
au express understanding that he was to see the child.
Mr. Gntemits was love 'boat to make SO observation.
Mr. Parkins—Sir, do nut interrupt.
Mr. GIIIIEVITIIS said he must do so, it being so irreviar.
Mr. Parkins however persisted in making some observation',
which, from the confusion that prevailed, our reporter could um
catch.
Thorpe was finally desired not to answer any questions japan
such subjects.
Hannah IVhite and bet ',other were then desired to stand up.
Mr. Parkins—Aye, exhibit them. This, Sir, is part of the thing.
Bring them forward.
It was decided. however, that their evidence was unnecessary.
Mr. DUSCOSISC begged be might be allowed to ask Thorpe
what had become of the chikl.

litorpo—Sir, it is dead.
Mr. Du roars—Hut what has become of it now that it is
dead ?
Thore-lt is buried.
Mr. I,anfFITHII-14.bit have we to do with a dead child? We
are inquiring about a living one. The death of the child does not
form part of the case.
Mr. Parkitus—Ask him what child he means that has died.
This question being put. Thorpe answerod, the one sworn to
Mr. Parkins by Hannah White, which he had sem at the sessions.
Mr. Parkins--I deny it.
I Hannah White here loudly egelai;ned, " You did see the child;
' you false man."
After another protracted discussion.
Mr. Parkins commenced addresaing the Bench, and aftercondemn-
ing them in very forcible terms for what they had done in his ease,
&rimed, that had Mr. Rawlinson been present, be would have seen
; the grievance he had to complain of, namely, the administration of
laws so improperly framed as those regarding osatard children, and
which rendered the officers the tools of every kind of profligacy.
The coterie of the parish hat publialied him in every shape to the
world, and Thorpe was the hero, as he seemed to play thefirsl
fiddle to the sapient group fur which that gentleman (we believe Mr.
Lloyd, as he indignantly repelled the Lx-Sherifi's language, de-
claring him to be the circulator of scandal and burner:tiny). Mr.
' Parkins desired him to be silent, observing, he was impertinent,
. and after a variety of other observations, couched in very tiguraiive
language, in which he declared that a man named ‘Vickstead was
the tither of the child, he said, so convinced was he of the fraud
attempted to be imposed on biva, that be would not make himself a
; willing agent to anything of the lied ; therefore he would not enter
Imo any compromise, and desired them to do as they thought
it.

Mr. Ontrrirns—Don't be rash, Sir; I have but to commit
you, if She money be not instantly paid. lam sitting here to ex-
ercise equal justice to all men.
Sir!, trberefrarkorlens—do ast amyouanthaindk"ptpe—ufor. the exercise of equal justice,
Mr. Gam runts—Undoubtedly, Sir. I will; and as I never
make any distinctions, so in this cue I do my duty without re.
spun to persons or portios, and therefore commit you to the House
of Correction for three iiiondis. I have now disposed of this case,
and have dune niy duty.
Mr. Parkin*-I'et y well. Sir, if you want the money, you must
take the means tire law allows you. Let rue see your warrant of
committal.
Mr. Parkins then eircre.d into a squabble among the parish
officer*, declaring he would indict them all for a conspiracy, and
turning to the Rev. Mr. Bengoud, one of the Curates, said, Are
you a Parson ? if you have any thing to do with diesel shall include
you in the prosecution."
On the warrant bicng made O'A t it was placed into the hands of
Mr. Parkins for perusal, and he having done so, went into the
Clerk's office and paid the Chief Clerk, Mr. Mallen. the sum
demanded, 71. Pis. with Its, bd. costs, and then left the office.

The office was crowded to excess.
QUEER:SVGA RE.
Yesterday Mr. Thaws ('hairrellor, proprietor is:a Kensington
stage, appeared to an information, as the instance of Johnson, the
well-known informer, charging him with carrying on his coach one
passenger more than allow .rd by Am of Parliament.
George Martini militated as Johnson's witness on this occasion.
He stated, that on Saturday. the 24th instant, he saw the defend-
ant's stage-coach, drawn by two horses, in the Strand. There
were eight persons on the dickey and roof, being one more than
allowed by law. lie did not obserre what number was on the
coach.
The defendant, in reply, denied that it was a stage-coach t there
was no number on it, although it was like a stage-cinch. He had
let it out as a glass coach to the family of Mr. Brown, a gentle-
man in the War Office, to convey his family to the water side, as
they were ping to Margate.
Martin said, the words " Kensington." and " Thomas Chancel-
lor," were painted in large letters on the body of the roach, and
therefore be thought, of course, it was what the law calls a stage-
coach. . .

31r. Masa LAND observed, that the conclusion was that it WU a
stage-coach.
The defendant said, if he put no plates on the coach, and let it
out as a glass coach, it could not then come under the denomination
of a stage-coach.
Alr. GREGORIE—Besides, we have not a tittle of evidence to
prove that the mach was let to Mr. Brown, and not plying for pas-
aeons as a stage-coach. .
The defendant said, he would produce Mr. Brown if two or
dove weeks were allowed him, or if convicted he would appeal.
The Magistrates convicted him in the penalty of !. and 14s. 6d.
expenses.-11e then gave notice of an appeal.
Johnson also preferred an information against a Mr. John Bark-
owner, for having a cart, s ithout having entered the same, with
its nuMber, at the proper office.
John Byers, Johnow's told earl, said, that op the 19th instant be
saw the defendant's mitt with the Na CMS au, and on going to
the hackney-mach office, he obtained a espy Odle entry of a cart
of that numbs, so long back as the yew 1775, by one Roger
Aucktusater.
Tito eopy tithe entry was produoni,o2oh Mr. WILLIAMS, as
Ssktdtov for the defendant. submitted not be received as evi-
dence; the bask itself ought to We hew produced. He alto ob-
jected to tbeinforteation being the • ve. "drive and cause
ue be driven," instead of dui •• " drive or cause to he
driven." There was no peed the Mb defendant did drive sod
men le be driven ; that sentinel two charges, end
did am separate them. New it wen that the defendant's ser-
vant drove, and therefore be entinditisd the information must fail.
The Magistrates, upon rehouse to another clause of the Act,
found that all doubts were edema up by maLing the owner of the
cart responsible. They therefore ainseived that the last objection
win nut good; but on account tithe neat of sufficient proof of the
entry, they dismissed the inhuman.
Them was another information assist a poor widow for a simi-
lar offence, but the told Johnson dim she was very poor, and this
appeal to his humanity had the desired effect; for he instantly
begged lave to withdraw the inhumation, and even paid the costs
owl of his mint pocket.
A endue= of fortune, named Lary, was charged with assault-
linciAtesi groom.
complainant stated, that the dispute ;rose respecting some
fowls belonging to his master which had the distemper, and they
died so suddenly as to make his master imagine he had killed
them. All his assertions to the contras, were of no avail ; and
his master, after d.--g him for a rascal, and using other epi-
theta, took a dead fowl from some muddy water and threw it in
his face.
Mr. Lacy denied throwing the fowl in his face, but still adhered
Ito his charge of the servant's killing the fowls.
Mr. MAIIELAND ordered Mr. lacy to End bail for the assault.