The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-10-31 00:00:00

FATAL EFFECTS OF EXC ESS.

Yesterday an Inquest was held at the Bricklayers' Arms,
James-attest, Manchester square, before T. &Moog, Esq.
Coroner, on the body of Mr.. Thomas Lewis, ti widower,
aged 33 years, the landlord of the said tavern The demos-
, cil and three young men, his companions, about four o'clock
on Sunday afternoon, went from the deceased's house to
Titchfield.street, the deceased being then in liquor. la
Titchfield•street the deceased and his friends drank half a
pint of neat brandy, and then proceeded to Parker's.rente,
Drury-lane, where they drank four gl f *artily and
water. Flom thence they went to the house of Mr. Morris,
opposite the Adetphi, where they drank three bottles of wise
and two 'lsere§ of brandy and water. Mr. Mortis, in his
evidessee, stated, that he did all in his power 10 persuade
the parties from having the wine, but they insisted upon it.
He remarked that Mr. Lewis was so much intoxicated it
would be dangerous fo► him to drink more. His companions
replied, 5, What IS that to you ? here is your money for it."
When they left his house they could not stand upon their legs.
A hackney chariot was got, nod they were put in. Whet
the chariot arrived at the deceased's house, on the door.
being tiptoed it wan discovered that the deceased had fallen
on the bottom of the coach, and two of his companions hid
taken upon him. They were apparently insensible, ■nd he
sass s corpse. A surgeon was called to their assistance, bitt•
to the deceased all medical assistance was fruitless. The.
Surgeon was of opinion that excessive drinking produced
suffocation in a fit of apoplexy. Verdict—" Died from
suffocation is a lit of apoplexy, produced by excessive
drinking."

Abrahams, the scientific pugilist of Gloucester.
has again challenged Dann, the Irishman, tolght
for 100 guineas a side, but it has not been accepted.,
These tau fistic heroes lad a hard struggle for
superiority in August last, near Warrington, Lan-
..cushire, when, after u severe battle of upwards of
seventy rounds, the purse was awarded to Dunn,
• but, as Abrahams asserts, unfairly. At all events,
the latter then proved himself so ugly a customer.`
that it is no, wonder that Paddy',,trieuds sisduld
how hang aloof.
VORACITY of A PIIM—A person trolling in that
Gloucester and Berkeley Curial, near Gloucester,
last week, caught a jack weighing ?bout 4'br, in
the stomach of which, on opening, was found a long
irregular-shaped piece of lead. neatly six ounces iu
weight, which no doubt" this vorucioutfish hurl Mil-
Aawed by mistake, sus it had evidently never been.
attached to any hook or bait.

4041

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. .. 1

- - .
anilJlolllllo4ol. WhirspOsethh, •
liosaMllrt slesuisest3o. • • _ •
• •
I The Lex* Oita,. Janice. Mr. .411ilotl.net.
*orb; and Mr: 'Jtiatice 'Bast .o•e;
tie Guildhall;. We ttniusterb.ta hear 10.10011111fidie
Counsel ou special closes. . •• . •
HATFIELD v. titosser. • • •• •
has was a case from the Court of Chancery .filek
the opinion of . the Court oT King's fierich. The
point turned on the validity of it will. The .follaw-
ing were the circumstances:—One J‘thii Stevenson
dying, devised cet Win property to Mary. Bell for her
life, with remainder in fee to Elizabeth fhiifietd;
• she dying before Mary Bell, the property never
vested its her. John Hatfietd, the heir at Jaw of
Elisabeth Hatfield (Mary Bell being dead!, dinkiest
the estate. The will of John Stevenson I,virtittlliaDett
by two indgerent witnesses, and by Thofital Hha-
field; the husband of Elisabeth . Ther
quOtiotts an brnitted to the Court were, first, whether'
the will was duly attested; and, secondly; wilted/kr'
John Hstfirld was entitled In tuke abider it: t,
Mr. CuTTERELL. for the Plaintiff; atiVnitted.that
by the Statute of Frauds, three disinterested 'O.':
nesse* were necessary to make r %%aid. betits
this case he took a distinction. Thow.as•
ti the time his proof was called for, had no heneti-.1
cis! interest in the estate ; had he been called to
, prove for Elizabeth Hatfield, he would hive beets
interested. but his wife being dead, he was a per-
fectly disinterested witiiess. Thr question fur the
Court to decide would he, whether it was not sulfa.
Cleat that the witness had no interest at the time of
-Lis proof, or if the law required. that he should be
without interest at the time of his attestation.
Mr. READER, on the other snit-, quoted the-
clause of the Striate of Frauds, which required dhi4
thee should he three wit:Jr:l:we tuking no
.bent•licial
iauerest wider the will, and he contended that John
t Hatfield, the heir at law of Elizabeth thutiel4,-,
could not stand in any better situation than -taw
party .under whom he claimed ; and if under the
, will Elisabeth Hatfield could not have been end...,
tlod. nu one claiming under her could be entitled:o
According to one of the first •principles of the:
common law, Thomas Hatfield could pot hlie7,
been a witness fur Elizabeth Hatfield, ea in csssl
cases neither the husband nor wife could be 1011-...
Deis for each other.

•
Mr. COTTERELL, in reply, said, that his Learned':
Friend, Mr. Reader, seemed to deny .that tiny.
change in the situation of the witness, after his et-.
testatios, could entitle hint to take under a will :
a proposition which lie begged leave to deny—for
suppose the case of a man who attes.s a will in
which he bud no interest, and afterward. he marries'
a woman taking under that will, he would then be
an interested witness.

The COURT ►aid. that argument went to thew
the necessity of looking at the situation of the wit-
ness at the time of his attestation.
Mr. COTTRIILL said. • decision on that prin.
ciple would eh° void the will of John Stevensott
altogether.
The COURT said they would consider the case,
and send their certificate.

DART C. MACK.
This was a question upon a lease. The Defend-
ant held of the Plaintiff a house in progress of
building, under an agreement for a lease. At the
end of twelve months the lease was executed, with
this coveuant: the house forming Inert of a new
street, it was provided that the [kremlin'. should
contribute, proportionally with the landlord and
the rest of his lenient', towards the making of
such sewers and foot-paths as were necessary.
Part of the sewers and footpaths had been cow=..
structed previous to the execution of the leise,*apal
during the lwlding under the agreement. The
question now before the Court was, whether under
hue lease the lessee was liable to contribute towardi
those portions of the sewer and lout-paths so.espo;
abutted previous to the execution of the lease.
Mr. 13.sia EWA I,L, for the Plaintiff, contended,
that the covenant to contribute was retrospective as
well S 3 prmpective.
Mr. ABRAHAM. on the other side, submitted,
that the lease must be looked at by astir-, and the
covenant was prospective only. Every covenant
must be viewed as prospective., unless there was an
express provision to the contrary.
The COURT thought that the words " contri-
bute to the waklog," must he taken in she general
sense. and must be held to memo contribute to
the expense.
Judgment for the Plaintiff.

CIIIsTER.—In consequence of the trial at Shrop.
atiOe Assizes wheeling the Mayor of Chester, thei
citizens determined to elect annually their Alder-.
men and Coiniiion Councilmen, agreeably to their
.charter (which has not taken place for needy JOO
years), and the Mayor, in compliance with a requi.
sans.), fixed a day fur the election. The Chief
Magistrate having taken his place rut the bench;
said, " A requisition having been presented to me
to convene a meeting of the freemen, fur the purpose
' of electing 24 Aldermen and 40 Cummins Council.
men, I acquiesced, and have convened this meeting
for that put pose: Yuu consider yourselves entitled.
to elect tour officers, pursinint to the charter of
HINRY VII. which I approve of, and think you ao
entitled." The election then commenced, and Earl
GitosYCNOt was chosen one of tire new Aldermen.
Among those rejected were General GRoireiNcitt
.arsil Lord DELAMEaE. •

There were brunched at Greenock on Friday,
from the bisilding yards of illesi.rs. H. STEELE and
CO. NMI Meilfll. W 11.1.1.114 SIMONS and Co., re-
spectively, two very tine smacks. each 103 tuts
requiter, intended fur the carrying of goods between
*Glaigo4 and Liverpool. The proprietors of them
• vessels are building several others for the seine
trade.
On Monday morning, alma; 7 o'clock, an earth-
, quake was very sensibly frit over the i.leu•l of
bar.. At Itothesay and in its vicinity, a trent*.
lows motion was experienced which lasted for a few •
seconds, and is said by some to haver been accom-
panied by a sound similar to that of tht distant
rollingof carriage .wheels. We understand it was
. also felt litre, ilnotgli so slightly.aa riot to 'excite •
speCulation till corroborated by the above informa
lion from Bute.—(Greenock Paper.)

1.." e • ••••=4 •• •3" 'e • z:'!.,111001,:

. - • - . _. _ __ ~ ----
• „at,
rs: 114,Q Maitistyberniiooo••••wilti
t,t4---.. e1.4.:1ff01-o-tee tor -
Ri ', , • - .• , 0444 r;_ ~ 4'.°,14g
.4 years oflige...w.el`e.
. „necklace from tiao flee!itte.'ef eitlipt-Sydeol,:.- • .ir-,
. ~
party. of Thoinzilial3i4eig„ „'.. - . - - • ,i,
or Oak
. tiatighter(ofilieftelniellutit'irser wilking.easse
Leeltlilltel• tittle brdther, -.:efutri.:years• of tive, in lorric..
ebirge. when the
;tieTrlsetiliAlfhae. Itte
. . eOp hiii er
nli ,
her, mid looscuingtkexii, 4. tici ckiiiuir
~"„kr.,...
!c- •
off her neck.." A plirsii tibt, list Pe** 'V
41111 i
time,. obseviing 'the- Iteilipiectionh -jai.* the fottintsee.s.
into coatody. Thelowitelt,Priwo ithe.'„;Cbg ['teti; .fiXtri.
in company*.witkEllirik :at the iiletiidtl seta jestf—'
1...•
apprehended,. ••• n.... - '
..• „?.. .., - • -
The J.O ry„ A filltifeti :cOghlialit /Se friend florinort
Guilty. . 4 ..,. .. -.: . • • . 4.•:; -•-• -' • ',..-•,4.:....
Mr..Atititti,•irhts; tilled the' Sientter, Sad,lte
knew Harris to be au .Old offerider,i'kut prouliitia 4'
him that rho.ukt.lie the Intritnie of kis appearance
.a.*
.at that-bor. :. •-.-. ••• • • " • ' •
..., s.
." ' gritirt-nosagar. . :,-..
-.,.. %-;
Jobs Jacokt miss indicted Toe. lelletrtiter .rdiette•
Aldkrion mi. the liiingstt.llighweit.4int -.foreibtv...
lilting from her person one shilling, sr-bonnet, bird
a silk handkerchief. - - •• . ' ' .
The P.rosecutrix described herself as tire wife.V '
an extra tiriewsiter iii the Custerne,..and• bald, stie
was going from hismc'on the evening of the i i
instant, to fetch sonic soap, and took with her a
shilling and a basin fur that onurp.ose., , .0n her sea'
'he. met the Prisoner, who attacked lute •iiiiet grey*,
violence, snatched the shilliug out Of. her 611041,7*
. tore her bonnet from het head,: and her.rieckete
chief from her neck, end continued besting her titnscar
inhuinanly until two watchmen CiltllC:trp hod '4,4
cued her frotu his hands,. arid took him ii4o'cittitod.C.• •
-The- 'Prisoner protested *his inuopetice'itt. t .i.:
Strongest manner, end called ltiteadpktye,rs whetter, .
bilde most excellent character. , - , , ._.y. -..-%..
The -Jury, after a few tainetee..cerneultatieffr •
foand the Prisoner Guilty, but yeeommended liliG.
'to mercy on account of his fbtairegitod 'i.;herseter:
The COMMON SZAJNANII,:. who tried the 1)1 i.
saner, avail, he should certainly forward the recom-
mendation of the jurj,.to,„the.Crown ; but when
they considered
.t he dreadftil 'talc of the public
streei a, ' .especially .in. that pert of the town (Rose- ..
enary-laae) where the offence wee committed, thry-
a/m*ld not wonder 'if' he thosld forbear to add li!I
own'recommendation to theirs. Llirsides, the' great •
and' onnecestary violence
.Whick the
.Prisoner heti .-
used in the commission of therrobbery, sliould net ••
be lost sight of ; and that, in all probability, he wi:
only prevented by the interposition cif the watch.
men laird perpetrating the death of the Prosecn-.
trix. .1-le then recommended the Prisoner not Art •
trust too strongly to the weight of the rectinsmenda- .
lion in his favour, bat seriously to prepare to meet
the awful fate which he would probably have to
undergo.

George Timmins, only 12 years of age, wss found '
guilty of stealing a coral necklace, the property 1.1
James Scott. from the person of Mary Aim Ve
non, a child only three years old. The young cul-
prit, was seen to unclasp the uetklace-by a lath"
girl, who immediately told the circumstance, and
pointed out the Prisoner to the pe: ram' who had the
child in charge. The parents of the toy appear&
to be very honest people, and the best possibly es-
ample seemed to lisye.heeti before hint at home.
The COMMON SEN./ CANT gravely admonished
him on the wickednesi of his conduct, and tpld hunt
he should be severely chastised, aryl kept to Mad
labour for a short period.

Henry Harris, aged 14, Richard Prendergatt.
aged 12, and 11lichael Anderson, urged only to
years. were indicted torrsetsling from the person of
a child of Peter Wright, in the parish of St. Cites, •
a coral necklace, his property.
The Prisoners accused one another o' the thefi,
hot each asserted his own innocence, ■nd gave as
a reason for running away, that each thought one of
the others had hurt the child, which was observed.
by a passenger to be crying ai the Prisouers ram
away from it.
The masters of Prendergast and Anderson spoke
favourably of their characters,• and promised to re-
ceive them hack, if discharged, and •to take 'part:.
miler care of them.
They ware all found Guilty, and sentenced to be
immediately. taken from the Court and well whip.,
pet!, and Prendergast and Anderson► to be then de-
livered into the charge of their masters; and Harris
to be detained at the request of his mother, who is
a widow, until she eau provide for his being. sent to .
sea, as the only mews, of restraining him from the
continuance of his wicked prim:time. • •
• L-•

... ... .
POLICE. '''' ' ' 4- . " •
. . .., .
~ . . ...
so*sTirtr.•
Yesterday James Litferre, a respectable young man, un--.
IlefWeld •n etasniiiatiOn before Sir fin-lived Rirsmie, IN-"-
sitting Magistrate, charged with rubbing Meters. lloolifitch,
coach-makers„ in Long. acre, with whom he is his apprew,
lice, of I articles of harness, and severatsilver mike .
• and tea Spoons, front the house. - „.
Fur some time past a great nambtr of articles had. toitan -.
missed from the premises, and the Prisoner being suspected.,
hip coaditet was watched; one 1.4 the silver tale 01)004*.
was traced to William Hotto•Townsheud, .• pawnbrokers -0
. in Little Russell-street, Covent garden, who attended yero •
tetchily with the spoon, and slated that. he received if ••••.
in pledge from the Prikorter on the 10th of Septemblo.,..
whew he interrogated him as to how lie beesine•posseascd elr..
. it, to which the Prisoner replied, that it belonged to firs:,
father, why had been a butler in a ircittleman's family, aril -.
rhis father had given him the spoon with a number of utge r
articles: he was wog satisSed with this representation, an I
desired him to go •nd send his father to him. Ia a stoic. - •
time after a ago came and personated his father. and Ites.t,
all the Prisoner had said was perfectly right, whirls indnciii .•
- him to lend Vs. en the spoon.
..• The Prisoner pave a false samara of himself, stating tb-it
he was an - apprentice to 'Mr. Winds Hufft I, • bet/stow:-
maker, in Drary-laite. He was committed. fur further'ex-'
amiustion.
William Hammond and James Williams were com:'
Milted roe trial, charged with nitibing a prison unknown
between Brydges.itreet and the Pi sssss at covout..gardvii, • •
the gentleman robbed neglecting to attend, although he pr...
mired to do so. ' , .
William lilanejleld, James Arden, and 'Thomas threinee-,
were charged with stealing ha a Yicre °foam.' from Covent •
garden market, yesterday morning, with which they were "‘
.stopped in the Strand, about two o'clock. by a wiitchmati!_.•
'The-grapes wert identified by Mr. Was. Itriffett, of flariori.'
terrace, who sent them by WSW. Clevely's boat, habit lindetVf• •
at the stairs of the .Fux ouster the Heil, near the Adelphi.-•-• '
• They were committiol for trial,'
~ •. :
_.;-:, ..v., -xi, 1i... :
Wm. Horse, lb* coach proprietor at the Golden OM,
Charing Cron, appeared to a summons charging him *IA