The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-02-27 00:00:00

COURT OF EXCISE, SATVIDAY, FEE. 25.

TAZ ZING U. rent.
This sou an information exhibited against Mr. R. Page, a pro-
fessor of dancing and proprietoratCollett !louse Dancing Academy
1. the Commercial-road, Chit isi him with having infringed on
the Revenue !Well, by retailing apiritous liquors at his Academy
to his pupils. young ladles a gentlemen, for which offence he
Lad made himself liable to a penahy of one hundred pounds, he
notbeing licensed so to do.
Edward Welton stated that he Is an Excise officer, and is sta-
tioned et Row, in Middlesex, and hiving been told that the de-
tenthmt was in the habit of retailing large quantities of spirits
to his pupils and the rest of his company, who assembled two
sides a week at a bell given at his residence, Collett How,
iitt.pl.ce, Commerelid-road: and well knowing that his sea.'
due, was an wienegyed plage, and ooraequently not licensed, be
Aeeieett a plat to &wet bite in bat Wogs' traffic. Te gain ad-
alliliklb_ to the beitesons wittiest being
_lntroduced by some person,
he liewli so he Otto* bnpoestlsio. However, a ball champeire
yin t be gird' the Miming eight, Siserefore no time was to be

lost; and fortunately he fell in with a Certain 111• Whiteley, who
happened to be an adult pupil of the defendant. The conversation
turned upon dancing, and witness expressed himself particularly
,anxious, as a lover of Terpsichore, to take a few lessons to the
polite accomplishment, but who was the meat finished master that
he could place himself under he was at a loss to conjecture.
" Mr. Page, of Collett House Academy," replied Capt. 111'White-
ley ; " and if you think proper, as there is to be a grand ball there
to-morrow evening, you shall make one of the party at quadrilles,
and 111 Introduce you to the M. (." %Witness willingly ac-
cepted the offer ; and on the next evening he attired himself
a la gentillionime, and met Captain 3l•Whiteley according
to appointment. " What name shall I have the honour to
introduce you by ?" said the Captain. '• I%ot:tin Johnson,"
slid witness. They then proceeded to Collett House Academe,
where on their arrival they were shown into an ante-rem adjoining
the wile rt^ thine, and witness was introduced with ail due
ties to Mr. Page, as Captain Johnson, vitro wished to take a few.
lessons in dancing. 31r. Page then introduced him into the ball.
room, and procured for him a young lady as a partner in the ban.
ciers' Quadrille. Witness hobbled through the business as well as
he was competent, and then he proceeded to business of a more.im.
portant nature. As brandy and water appeared.to be the order of
the night, he called for a glass, which was brought him by Mr.
Page himself into the refreshment MOM, and for which he paid a
shilling. Another set of quadrilles was called, in which witness
also joined, and after it was danced lie called for anothe, glass,
which was served him by the defendant again. Ile took the
brandy, which was in a quart bottle, from a cupboard, where there
seemed plenty more. Witness and the defendant drank. this glass
together, after which he quitted the house, and gave information ct
the *Weir at the Eseitte office. .

The Entry Clerk--
proved that Collett Hour! Academy was not
entered to tell Spirits.
Mr: Edmituo, a tailor, residing in Birchirklane, Gornhm. said
that he attended on the part of Mr. Page, who was dangeiously
He was inwructed to say, that if he had acted illegally in rilling
liquors lie did it through ignOrance of the revenue laws. He had
supplied the brandy and water to his pupils merely for their ac-
commodation, and not fur the sake of emolument.
31r.Mayow,theSolleitor—Then were all the company assembled
on this occasion Mr. Page's pupils?
Mr. Edmiston seemed rather posed at this question, and an.
totted, Yes, or intended to become pupils: (A laugh.) From
the small quantity of liquors he retailed, it would not have au-
swered his purpose to have taken out a license.
Mr. MAT ow—He could not have taken out a license if he had
been ever so inclined.
Mr. Edmiston said he had nothing farther to sly on the Part of
his friend, only that he begged the clemency of the Court, allot
was now in the meta indigent state, scarcely able to provide proper'
sustenance for his family. lie is about to quit the profession, as
he could safely say that it had not yielded hon a pound in the last
three Weeks.

Mr. M AVOW to the Officer—Hid the defendant act as Muter of
the Ceremonies, and did he dance himself?—He was Master of the
Ceremonies, and led the quadrilles and other dances during the
even ir g.
v:11 AVOW—Did it appear that he was instructing the company.
or was the entertainment got up for their amusement?—The cop.
pang generally appeared to be quite proficient, it was evidently, a
bail given tor their amusement.
Mr. Edmiston said there were two ball nights in the season, the
other nights were appropriated to instruction. He again alluded
to the distressed situation of Mr. Page, and stated on oath that he
had taken the benefit of tit.: Insolvent Act only in July last; and
he himself had lately lent him money to provide necessaries for his
infant family.
The Court said that the case had been fully established on the
pan of the revenue; but o, account of the indigence of the defend.
ant they felt inclined to be merciful towards him; Therefore they
would, in this instance, remit the penalty to ten shillings, but
should he be detected again, the Court would visit him with the
whole penalty.
31r. Edmiston paid the fine and retired.

COURT OF COMMISSIONERS OF BANKRUPTS,
BASINGHALL-STREET, SATURDAY, FE8.23.

IR TUE MATTER OF R. W. G. DOUGLAS.

Mr. POSE said that in this case it was his duty to meet thestate-
ments that had been unfairly and unfoundedly made against a sin-
gle lady named Morgan, assignee under this commission. On a
former occasion Mr. Montagu made some unjustifiable and wild
attacks on the characters of Miss Morgan and the bankrupt that
had teen committed to the press by a person in the exercise of a fair
and proper discretion, but that had been made the subject °fan
action. All they asked was, that nothing should be set down in
malice. He complained that Miss Mprgan had been described by
various charts, though she had only tut of friendship which she
bore to the bankrupt's wife, advanced money to prop up his fallen
fortunes. Ile now called on Mr. Montagu, or any one else, to say
when or where she had gone by any other name than Miss Morgan.
He hoped Mr. M. would retract those expressiJna, which were
gross, scandalous, and malicious libels.
Mr. HORACE Twtss, on the part of the bankrupt, defended
him against attacks made on him (the bankrupt) by Mr. Montagu.
lie (Mr. M.) had asked the bankrupt questions on certain bills of
exchange, by which the latter had been placed in a situation of
being either committed by the Commissioners, or being subjected
ma criminal prosecution. Mr. Douglas was no needy adventurer
trading without funds. He had large sums due to him from a Mr.
Chippendale, who had gone abroad with much money belonging to
other persons. He denied that Mr. Douglas travelled wi,h a young
lady, and called himself Earl Douglas, or that he drew bills on
persons who had no existence. Unfortunately he got drawn in by
money lenders, to whom he gave large sums for liberty to draw upon
them. Ile did not say that Mr. Douglas had not been guilty of
indiscretion and unwarrantable conduct, but the bills were boria_ idt.
transactions, and gave the holders a claim on hi, estate. Mr.
Douglas had brought an action for the libels on his character, and
he (Mr. Twin) had no doubt of his successfully vindicating him-
self against the charges of swindling.
Mr. MONTAGU here entered the Court, and on
beingasked if
he was engaged in the Douglas case, he answered, " No."
A Commissioner (Mr. COLLINSON) said he wished Mr. ,Moo-
tagu had been present, as much had been said of his having, on a
former occasion, stated matters affecting a third person, for which
an action had been brought.
Mr. Moarractr—l never remember anything without a re-
fresher. My mouth is hermetically sealed. If an action has been
brought, let them call me as a witness.
Mr. COLLINSON said that even now the bankrupt's Counsel had
admitted that he had must imprudently gone on drawing bills on
persons, into whose circumstances it was the duty of his creditors
to inquire.
Mr. MoseTAou said that of what passed on a former occasion he
had no distinct recollection, but the impression on his mind was,
that be had not gone so far as his instructions would have carried
him.

Mr. DAMPIER (a Commissioner) said " we must have done
without this."

Mr. Cow ivsow read from the bankrupt's balance-sheet an item
of 8,000!. and upwards, of which he had no account, for living fur
about eleven years.
Mr. Tams said the bankrupt had certainly been most improvi.
dart.

Mr. Com.tweow said there were accounts which ought to be
investigated by the creditors.
Mr. Twrse said the bankrupt bad led a careless, extravagant
life, till about half a year ago, when he took to be a coach proprie-
tor. Some persons were anxious that he should state that the 31r.
Chippendale he had alluded to was not of Queen..treet.

From the inquiry of 31r. CoHinson it ap—peared that no creditor
was present who desired to investigate the bankrupt's accounts be-
fore his examination was passed.—Examination passed.
It should be stated that Mr. Collinson said the attacks of 311.
Montagu, on the previous examination, on the conduct of the bank.
rupt, and on the character of Miss Morgan, though ueitliet
per nor irrelevant, had now been refuted.