The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-06-14 00:00:00

. THE' BRITISH PRESS

POLICE.

MANSION-HOUSE.
The Assistant Waterbailiff complained to the lewd Mayor that
in the execution of hisdoty he narrowly escaped the punishment of
death a few days ago. He had gone down the River for the pur.
pose of checking the practice of fishing fur white bait ;'and after
having seized some nets which were in use for that purpose, ob-
served that a very destructive net was In the water close to 11'001-
wich He forthwita rowed up to the spot, in order to
eau the net, but the moment the sentinels in the yard perceived
his intention, they presented their muskets st hint, and would, he
had no doubt, have shot him dead,-had not some persons in the
yard, who knew him, interposed to prevent the catastrophe. He
had, nomitbetanding the danger he incurred, determined to make
himself master of the unlawful article, and had made himself
known as an officer of the City, in the expectation that such in.
formation would have the desired effect ; bat how was he astonished
when the sentinel., as if with one mind, took fuU aim at him. The
moment he desisted from the performance of his duty the net was
bawled in, and he learned that it belonged to the military gentle-
men on guard, who were in the habit of living upon the plunder of
the bed of the river. He told the people belonging to the yard that
he should apply to the Lord Mayor on the subject, and they re-
quested that he would not, but no offer was made to gire up the
net ; and he thought it was incumbent upon him to represest the
fads 54, if he was to be subject to such a desperate plan of resis-
tance to his authority, there would be no longer any utility in his
attempts to carry into effect the Act of Parliament.
The LORD 31avoa thought this account of the occurrence a
linle overstrained, and told Nelson his fears of death mast have
interfered with his judgment, and represented the hideous image
to his mind without reason.
Nelson deeland that he was convinced that if he had persevered
in getting possession of the net, be wool dhave been shot as dead as
a knit. He thought it more necessary to make this complaint, as
the fishermen would be apt to abandon their allegiance upon hear-
ing that the soldiers had forcibly possessed themselves of their un-
lawful net.
The Loma MAYOR said the waterbailiff had, according to this
statement, the accuracy of which he had no reason to doubt, been
most improperly resisted. His Lordship believed that the sentinels
would not have fired if the net had been seized, notwithstanding the
menace, but the proceeding was exceedingly culpable, and he
should write to the Commissioner of the Dockyard, in order to
secure the future protection of his officer.
Nelson said that the Lord knew he had enough to do to keep the
fishermen in order, and that it was &Amen hardship upon hint to
have to contend with those whose balances it was to fight, and who
could, in the twinkling of an eye, knock him u dead as the last
sturgeon he had disposed of to royalty,
MA R I.IIOROUGH-STR EFT.
On Saturday last Sir Jame, Caterers, who had twice before ap.
peered at this office, at the instance of the parish officers of St.
George's, Hanover.squee, -who wished to be relieved from the
burthen of suppnetiele his wife Lady C,lburn, who had become
chargeable on the funds of that parish, again came before the
Magistrate, with a view of proving that the parish officers of St.
George's, at all events, had no claim to be indemnified by him for
any advances they might have made to her Ladyship, inasmuch as
he had no legal mulenient hithin that pariah.
Sir James. being sworn, stated, that in the year 1815 he occupied
lodgings in liathbone.place, in the parish of Alary-la-bonne, for a
space of time seeeeding three months, for which he paid a weekly
rent of ten shilling. ; and from that period to the present time lie
had not paid a sufficient rent or done any other set which would
entitle him to a residence in any other parish in England. From
the year 1813 until a very late period he had been out of the coun-
try, chiefly in the West Indies, and since his return he had never
lived at all in the parish of St. George. He was married, he said,
to his present wife, Henrietta, in Ireland, in the year 1791. To
some questions put to hint by the Magistrate, Sir James said that
he was quite unable, if he were even so disposed, to support his
wife, as the only means of support he possessed for himself was a
salary of lOW. from a situation he holds in a public office. There
were however circumstances connected with his situation as re.
garded Lady Colbum, which it was unnecessary to state there,
' but which determined him not to allow her anything, if he even
could.
The Magisdate said it was to be regretted that such ciecum.
stances existed, but the ease was now out of the hands of the
parish officers of St,. George's, and rested entirely with those of
Mary-la-bonne parish, as it was in the latter parish that Sir James
had last paid the sufficient weekly rent to entitle him to a legal
settlement.
Sir James and his Solicitor then retired.
Lady Coburn was waiting in the passage of the office for the
decision of the case. She looked the picture of distress and want.
QUEEN.SQUARE.
Yesterday George Keathrg was charged with entering the area of
Dlr. Spotteswoode, of No. 16, Great George-street, end stealing
from the coal cellar I. shovel.
Prisoner was observed in the area at about nine o'clock yester.
day morning, golng into the coal cellar, and subsequently, ascending
the steps with the shovel, was pursued and taken.
Prisoner pretended to be deaf, when asked what he hal to say in
answer to the charge; but witness observed that he had full posse.
sion of his auricular faculty when taken yesterday.—Committed
fur trial.
M'aita..WTY or Meer.—A labouring man applied to the Si..
tine Magistrate for a summons against a butcher, for selling him
stinking meat, which he had warranted to keep/or a week ; on cut-
ting the Meat, however, on-his arrival ott-home he discovered the
bad quality of the article, and immediately taoli it back.
The butcher refusing to return daineconey he had paid for the
meat, was the cause of this application.
GREGORIE.—If I grant you a summons, the butcher wiil
laugh at me. Have you ever bought meat of him before Saturday
night ?
Applicant. —Oh yes, very frequently.
Mr. OR Eoortte.—Then turn him off—that is the only remedy
you have, I believe.
William Malting, the 'River of the hackney coach No. 40R, was
charged with leaving his coach unattended, opposite the King's door
of the Opera House, between ten and eleven o'clock on the night
of the 3d inst.
The information being fully supported, the Magistrate disco-
veinal an onii,stion in the body of the summons which must be
fatal, viz. the absence of any informer's name.—Discharged.
UNION-HALL.Yesterday the two Carrisca, the pugilists, were brought up in
custody before the sitting Magistrate, R. J. Coaxes:as, Insq.,
charged with beating and assaulting half a dozen people, consult-
in ot' three blacksmiths and their wives.
One of the female complainants was thechief spokes woman.
She stated, that as she and the rest of her party were returning
alter
home alt spending the afternoonwith some friends, they obsuved
' the two CUTUSIM and another person standing together at the corner
of Union-street in conversation. When witness came nearly
abreast of them, one of the defendants (Dick) gave her a shove that
'mulled in pieces a large jug which she carried in her hand.
" Upon turning round to ask the cause of such treatment," said
the fur complainant, " and to demand satisfaction, I saw that I
bad rather a rough customer to deal with, so instead of tackling
' with him myself' leans my husband, that there little man, your
Worship (pointing to her husband, who had two desperate black
eyes), and desired him to have satisfaction for the assault. The
moment the poor man opened his mouth to speak he had a list
thrust into his face and was floored in an instant"
Both the Curtiees here interrupted the witness, declaring that
neither of them laid their hands upon the man with the black eyes.
The fact was, that person was so intoxicated at the time, that his
wile carried him along the street on her back, and it was while she
was thus engaged that the jug spoken ofwas broken, in conse-
quence of her having jostled against one of them (the defendants)
with her load as described.
The 31agiatrilte observed, that the man must 'have been very
severely beaten by somebody, for his face and eyes proved it.
William Curia federal, that wither he nor his brother inflicted
the punishment on the man ; it must, he was convinced, have been
done by his wife, for of all the Billingsgates he ever heard he
never heard co complete a one as that blacksmith's wife, and all she
had stated concerning them (the Curtiate) were falsehoods from be.
ginning to end.
The female complainant proceeded to state, that aßer her hus-
band was well licked by the defendants, the rest of her party inter-
fered to prevent his being beaten when down on the ground, and
they all shared the same fate, " and as for myself (added she, dis-
playing her bare brawny arm up to the shoulder, which exhi-
bited several black marks), I could show your Worship more
bruises and marks en other parts of my body, if you would be
pleased to look at them."
The Magistrate remarked that there was no necessity for further
exposure.
The complainant then concluded her charge in these words—" I
"do declare, your Honour, that we were all beaten in the manner
' you see by them two wagsbone lighting men, the Mr. Curtines."
The defendant said, that it was past two o'clock in the morning
when this alleged assault was committed; they were returning home,
and when near their house they saw the party who now brought
the•charge against them, all blind drunk, reeling fromone side
of the pavement to the other, when the female champion, who had
I just stated the ease,`carne close to them ; she gave a reel towards
them, and broke a quart Mg that she had In her hand, and com-
menced heating one of them (Bell) about the head with the rt.
maining part until it was wrested from her hands, and while this
was doing the rest of her friendi fell upon them (the defendants)
right and left. In their own defence they submitted they had a
right to administer a little pepper to get rid of such roagh
Customers us the blacksmiths themselves, whose fists were like their
sledge hammers, but as for touching their fair partners both the
defendants most solemnly denied it.
The Magistrate having been informed that the whole of the com-
plainants' party were extremely noisy and drunk when it the
watchbouse, discharged both the defendants,
It is stated that the late Owen Putland Meyrick, Esq.
of Bodorgan, left 60,0001. each to his ten gratmekhildren.
An Association is formed for carrying on the seal, whale,
cal, and salmon fisheries at Newfoundland and Gulf of
St. Lawrence. Applications for shares, addressed to the
Directors, may be left at Everett, Walker, Maltby, Ellis,
and Co., bankers to the Coinpany.
The Liverpool Mechanics' Institution goes on very well.
Contributions to the amount of 3001., and annual subserip-
' 'dons exceeding SOL have been received.