The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-30 00:00:00

BOW-STREET.

A man named Wedgebury, well known as a conductor of dog-
fights, bull-bsiis, rat killing, and other elegant sports, which some
of our "Corinthian Capitals of polished society" delight to
patronise, was brought bore THOMAS HALLS. Eq. an Tuesday
evenii-g, charged by a 31r. lux, a broker, in Earle-street, with a
violent amok.

.....
It appeared from the statement of Mr. Fox and his man, that
Wedgebury occupied some rooms in Green Dragon-yard, St.
Hiles s. where he and his assistants. his bear, his badger. and his
hull.doga, and the other brutes of establishment, eat, drink, and
sleep in perfect amity together. Wedgebury had hired these rooms
of a man who was himself an uniler-tenant, and to him he paid
the rent; but the under tenant was arrested and sent to prison, and
then the original landlord came to him for the rent of the premises
for the whole of the time that he had occupied them. liredgebury,
however. said hr had paid one man, and he wocid be d—d if he
parted with his money a second time far the same thing. Repealed
applications meeting with the Fame answer, the landlord empowered
Mr. Fox to levy a distress upon IVedgebury's goods and chattels;
and on Tuesday morning he went with his man and his warrant,
but met with a reception perfectly novel even in his unpleasant calling.
IVedgebury's apartments are up a flight of stairs, and there is a
dour at the bottom, which Mr. Fox found fastened. lie contrived
with some difficulty to get the door open, and the first person he
saw was Wedgebury, standing at the top of the stairs, who, the
moment he sa . Mr. Fox. called out " Bill, bring the bear; they
are come." The broker, having no desire to encounter such an op-
ponent, paused for a moment, while his man, with bristling hair,
" nudged" him behind. and advised a retreat if his master did not
wish to be eaten up alive. Mr. lox, however, possessed a little
courage, though perhaps rather of a negative kind, and he remain.
ed at the foor of the stairs until in about a minute a huge black
bear, with a chain about his neck, made his appearance upon the
landing-place, under the guide, ce of Welgehury, who held the
chain. Having fixed Bruin, who growled as if in defiance of the
besieging party, in a convenient position, he called to Bill to bring
the dogs, and in a moment four or five 'sturdy bull-dogs, among
which was Turk, who assisted in the attack on the lion Nero,
ready for any mischief which their master might urge them to,
made their appearance. Thus intrenched, Wedgebury laughed at
and bade defiance to Fox and his man, and told hint, that if he
had no desire to be torn to pieces by the dogs, or hugged
to death by the bear, he had better " nash" (go away).
Mr. Fox desired &parley, and proposed terms; but Wedge-
bury, krit wing he could have nothing to fear, except from
an armed force, refused to accede to Any thing hut an Jneon-
ditional raising of the siege. Mr. Fox refused to stir from the
place, and remained there for several hours, occasionally holding a
dialogue, composed of a mixture of threats and intreaties, with
Wedgebury, to the great amusement of a crowd of one or two hun-
dred persons, who hod assembled to witness the fun. At length
Mr. Fox mustered courage enough to approach within a yard of the
bear, and suddenly making a grasp at Ye edgebury's (who was
then standing by the side of Bruin), he attempted to drag him
downstairs ; but the torturer of animals knew also the use of his
f 10.14 and he gave Mr. Fox a pat on the head, which sent hint will:
considerable rapidity to the bottom of the stairs. Mr. Fox then'
tame direct to this office, and procured a *arrant for the assault.
Stevens. a tiol•ce constable, armed with the warrant, his staff, and a
brace of pistols, proceeded- to the place, and found Wedgebury,
with all his forces drawn up as before. Not choosing to run tie
risk of a fraternal hug from the bear, or of being pinned by the
nose (he possesses a very substantial one) by the dogs, he Owned
the staff sad warrant, and called upon Wedgebury to surrender
quietly. " I'll tell ye what, master," said IVidgebury, " I have
a very great respect for ail you Bow-street gentlemen, because I
knows as how you must do your duty, hut I considers that in this
here instance I am in a right cause, and b--- t me if I'll be took
by you nor nobody else, though you have got a thug (warrant)
a.ten me, an you may as well Inarris (soothe, phrase for " go,")
Stevens reniontotated upon :he folly of his resisting the civil
power ; but finding that of no use, he threatened to shoot the bear
at all hazards. This threat brought a wonderful change, for
almost without another word Wedgebury surrendered at dia.
cr2tUln.

In hi. defence be admitted that he gave Mr. Foi a " pat" nn
the head, but said he considered that he was only acting in his own
defence.

fie was held to hail for his appearance at the Sessions.
A man named Brown. the owner and driver of what is called a
to en cart, was eunimoned to answer the complaint of Mr. Powell,
■ medical gentleman, for wilfu lly driving against his cabriolet.
Mr. Powell was turning the corner of St. Martin's-lane, in his
cabriolet, when he was met by the defendant's cart, who had
whipped his horse•% until lie had lost all ernuntand Of them, and
the cart cane against Mr. Powell's vehicle, nearly upset it, and
caused considerable damage. Mr. Powell jumped down. and ran
after the cut to take the 'number, when the defendant a►saulted
him. and knovited him down.

31r. Ali fifIll! Lt.s iid the defendant ought to be indicted for the
assault an well as fined, but Mr. Powell did not wish to press that
charge. and lie was fined :!(14. and costs, which the complainant re.
quested to be put in the poor box.
Sir R. Mail iv took occasion to mention, that in consequence of
the notice which the gentlenten of the Press had been kind enough
to take of his iinggestion that the M. sent by " 'l'. R.," for the use
of the boy Williams, if he should prove to be a deserving object,
could not be better dispoted of than by being wit into the office
charity box ; he had received a note from `• 'l'. II." giving the
writer's full acquiescence.
QUEEN-SQUARE.
81'31.10'0X or finuttE-STEALlNO—Yesterday Thomas Frost,
a young man reeding in Rocbester-row, Westminster, was brought
tip, rtargri with buying a mare, the property of .11r. Thomas
Davis. a *Wilm...re., living in Albemarle-street, lierken well,
which had bocu stolen, under circumstances of some peculiarity.
The pris,mer at the outset said that he tr.velled about the coon.,
try with oranges rod nuts, for which he brought hack old iron, or
anything else; 8;4 also that he was in the habit of purchasing
horses and selling them again.
Thomas Oasis, the owner, said that he had bought the mare
about use months since, and gave sixteen guineas for it. On in.