The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-12-23 00:00:00

!"ri

L

It: Macdsbald and W. Russell, compositors, deposed to the
same fatts.-_

Jades (filbert gave similar evidence.
James Gilbert. a primer. examined—On the night in question I
beard the tell ring in Mr. Thwaites' morn, and went down stairs.
On the way I heard Mr. Thwaites desiring Parkins to quit the
reum. (in entering the room I saw Mr. Parkins in a fighting atti-
tete. I saw hint throw Young down stairs, and ho was afterwards
put down himself, step by step. A mettle ensued, and he was
pot into the street. I am positive that Mr. Parkins and Serif:
were repeatedly ft-quoted to leave the room bc:ore any force was
used..
I'bl/indictment of most of the above-named witnesses, for an u-
sual% was then put in anal mad.
The case for the prosecution was here closet!.
As Mr. Parkins was about to Redress the Curt. his Cnursel,
Mr. C. Williams, begged to call the arta:tem of his Lerdship to a
variance between the averment and the evidence. As it related to
the knocking a man down, the evidence went to establish the pun-
ier. pushing. or throwing heel (Thomas loon);) down retie,.
ilia Lordship, on referring to his notes, decided that the Ara-
nt was eutliciently supported by the evidence.
air. Parkins then stood nn the floor and addressed the ('curt.
'He ehoold be sorry to screen liiinsellunder any technical enjections
tor the purpose of preserving himself, if lie were really guilty. Ile
bored the Court and the Jury would allow him as much latitude as
peeelble, from the peculiar Kimtmstancee under which he steed.
The bitterest calumnies had been heaped upon him in all directions,
sand every exertion had been made to prejudice against him the
minds of the Jury who were to try him. • Why he bI in ul,l be per-
secuted he did nut know. Ile had never done any man wrong.; he
had never told a lie against any man. much lees had he perjured
himself. His intentions and his actions had always been directed
!meads truth and justice. lie had never done any man wrong,
beceese he had never borrowed of any man, and did not owe one
hundred pounds in the world. But now his character and his ho-
nour were both at stake, because of the foul calumnies that had
been propagated against him. Ile could trace all those calumnies
to his having been at one time induced by a class of people to take
upon himself duties which he regretted having taken, and to his
having connected himself with persons whom he was now ashamed
of and elsgusted with. i'Vhen they found they could no longer
:nake him subservient to their purposes, they hunted after his de-
eta:clime Tire, he had no doubt, was • link of the same chain,
as endeavour to ruin an honest and a deeplyeinjured man. Ile was
now thrown into the hands of one of the most artful and skilful men
at the bar, who, with four others at his back, had been abusing
their power in abusing him. lie (3lr. Parkins) knew that one of
them had an old animosity against him, and that person had said,
el teeing to this trial, "'d'e have him now, and we will transport
eerie' I! e had borne all this as well as die proud feelings of the
truest heart of an injured man would allow him to beer it. No
man ever lived, black, brown, or fair, who could say that he (Per-
eira) ever told a lie. How then could it be possible that he could
commit perjury ? But perjury could not be perjury unless it was
intended to be so ; and surely no one would suspect hint of an in-
tention to perjure himself. He had intended to hare a Special
Jury, but though he could only procure live, he had made no oh.
section, as he was sure that any twelve men, possessing common
same, would be satisfied of his innocence. Ile entreated the Jury
to recollect the situation in which he had been placed when lie
eeent to the oflice of 3lr. Thwaites, and was beset by a set of nife
teem As he hoped to be saved by the mercy of God, he had
reset heard • word of what it was said he heard. As he hoped
to be saved, he had never lifted his hard against any one in
that office. Did the Jury believe him fool enough to go to the
office of 3lr. Thwaites with !made intentions, where he knew there
mere so runny people, to put himself into their pewee ? Couldihe
aTe been such an ideot—such a mailmen ? leo, Ise went there
with perfect good will anti good feeling, for the purpose of pro.
curing letters he had left with 31r. 'Fliwaites, and that were of the
greatest importance no him. He had no idea even of giving oteence.
If he hart made twelve fortunes, as he had made one, by the sweat
of his brow, he 'mild forfeit the whole rather than swear falsely ;
rather than not tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth. The charge feet was made against him was "false as hell,"
as Lord Fellenle--nugh said. A charge so base and we wicked filled
his teml with helve. Ile went to 31e. Thwaites' office for no
Etter purpose bat to recover sonic papers that were his sheet
anther in a tend that was then approaching. If be (Parkins) be-
came the victim of a base and cruel perscution„ there was no'
knowing who would be the victim next; but he could look with as
much confidence In the Jury as if he was the charger instead of the
charged. Ile begged the Jury to bear in mind that he could not
swear he had heard what hr had never heard. He would now
leave it to the Jury to decide, whether he had done %hat it watsaid
he bad done; and he was yen,' much obliged to the Court for the
'patience with which he bad been heard. lie would new call
witnesses, who would express their opinions as to his honour and
i ntegrity.
Scudamore, Esq. M.P. examined—l have known 31r.
Parkins 39 years • I knew hint before he went to India; since his
return he has been more intimate with me than before. I know
Mr. Perkins to be a man of character and respectability.
Mr. Stephenson knew Mr. Parkins since he was a school-boy;
never heard a word against his character for honesty and veracity.
Crosseexarnined—l am a plumber and glazier. I have received
money from 31r. Parkins at various times. 1 have collected rents
for him, but not very lately. 1 ogre him money ; he lent it to nie,
and I gave him security for it. I never, of my own knowledge,
heard anything against 31r. Parkins.s character for honour and
veracity.
Fulton, lesq—l have known Mr. Parkins since 1300. I
I knew him in India. I never heard anything against his character
for honour and veracity there.
Cross-examined—l have only seen Mr. Parkins once or twice
glace my return from India in 1823.
Mr. Iteminington examined—l have known Mr. Parkins for
three years. His general character is that of the highest honour.
I am principal of a hanking.house in bombard-street.
Cross-examined—Does Mr. Parkins keep a good account with
you ?-1 never tell die secrets of the hcuse. 1 have no knowledge
of him except as a banker. lle began to keep au account with me
about three years ago.
Re-examined-1 never heard anything unfavourable of you but
:ion' the newspapers.
Mr. Wood examined—lies known Ala Parkins seven years ;
believed his character honourable and just; does not know that he
has beard any thing against his moral character.
Pullen, Elm. examined—l was Under-Sheriff to Mr. Par-
kins, it. the year 11120. While he filled that office, I believe his
character to have been fair and honourable.
Cross-examined—As far as came to my knowledge his character
was good. 1 have been engaged fur him in two causes.
Have you had every reason to be satisfied with hint on the some
of honour and veracity ?--Our accounts have not been settled.
Do you mean to say that you have had no reason to be dissatis-
fied a deli his conduct ?—Why, his accounts have been kept hack,
but he promises to pay them. I cannot speak of his character fur-
ther than I know at. Ido not allude to public reports. Ido not
know Mr. Parkins in private life.
The Loan Cutter JUST:-'x summed up the evidence, and
left the Jury to decide on two points—first, Whether the defer.
dant had been desired to leave the office in question, and secondly.
whether he had been guilty of wilful and corrupt perjury or net ?
• The Jury, after a few minutes deliberation, returned a verdict of
Not Guilty.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, 411711.02 ALL,
WEDNESDAY, DIMS:3IIIER 22.

gnaw before Chief Justice REST, and a *Mal Jury.
COT AND OTHERS V. REID AND ANOTHER.

This was ..";:t nctionoias.umixit,hrongb!laiii;ePiLrTiiffs, cop-
,•ser-merchants Limtbonse, against the defendants, bankers at
Newcistle.upoo-Tyne, and registered owners of the ship Asia, for.
rarely belonging to Shields. The vessel originally was the property
sit a person named Bulmer, now deceased, who, previous to his
death, became insolvent. The plaintiff sought to recover by this
action a quantity of copper, amounting to 13r1. furnished for the
repairs of the ship Asia; Bohner having, in consequence of his
difficulties, transferred the vessel to the defendants. The defence
net up was, that Reid and Co. were only mortgagees, and that
riotoue, was she real owner of the teasel, to whom the credit was
(r. vets.
r. -Trans PEtt., for the th-faidants, put in a bill, furnished
by the plaintiffs to Balloter for the capper in question.
Mr. Sergeant VA UGH•N, fix the plaintiffs, rebutted the impres.
sine that dn. document was intended to produce, by calling further
evidence to prove that Balmer. after his embarrassment'', had been
*pounded husband, nod, on that account, the bill had been
male out ta him.
esair.e Jurrtcr, in summing up, left it to the Jury to
rip whether the credit was given to Buttner as agent of the defend-
ants. or so original owner of the Asia.
Verdict for the defendants.
This cause occupied the time cf the Court from its sitting until
one o'clock, by reason of a great mass of evidence relative to ac-
counts bei'ig introduced. The cscscs that followed it had not the
slightest public irtetest in them.