The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-07-21 00:00:00

MARY-LA-BONNE,

ATTACKING AN ANNOTANCEJGST:-=Yelllerdly Mr. Thome'
Shortland, butcher, of Norton-otreet, Mary-la-bonne, appeared on
a summons, charging him with having wantonly and maliciously
made an attack upon John
.Reading, beadle, and a certain number
of persons forming a lest jury, to prevent them destroying scales
which had become forfeited. The charge was made under the 35th
Geo.III. cap. 53.
The defendant pleaded Not Guilty, and a justification of his
conduct.
Reading, the beadle, being sworn, stated that an the 25th of June
he was attending the Annoyance Jury and Court Leet round his
district; they -ailed at the defendant's shop and found him there ;
they proceeded to examine the scales, and on applying the usual
lest the scales were found to be very imperfect ; consequently the
Taverns having taken the sense of the Jury, by their desire di-
mmed the 'Pimento break them, upon which the defendant, seizing '
, a voy large Imßle, held it out, and swore violently he would rip
Letfirst Mat dared touch the scales. For the moment the
appeared appalled and retreated, but the witness made the
Manspe sod falai He then followed the Jury, the defendant mill
Imenedng wish great violence; but on seeing him (tile witness)
lam the shop, be put down the knife; the witness instantly re-
'eased end grasped it, and took it away with hint. He acted under
rhS dined°n of the Jury.
Mr. Dowse, the Foreman of the Lem, confirmed this evidence,
adding, that on a former occasion the defendant's weights had been '
found deficient and were destroyed; he hail experienced much
lenity on other occasions.
Mr. Gale e'en asked the defendant what lie had to offer in ex-
tenuation of this most serious charge, involving, as regarded him,
conduct oldie most disgraceful kind.
The defendant commenced by making use of same very coarse
observations, as applying to the Jury, declaring they had rudely '
entered hiashop, sonic of their body being prejudiced, and deter-
mined to injure him, having on a former occasion destroyed his
weights without properly going though the process of eta-
mination.
Mr. Dowse, the Foreman of the Jury, declared this was not the
cam, and assured the Magierate the Jurors had no vindictive feel.
logs; they could have no such feelings, being in situations of life far
removed from the defendant, who was a very turbulent nian.
Mr. GRIFFITH said he had no doubt of it; as was often the
case, the defence aggravated the charge.
The defendant, after some other remarks of a very vituperative
kind, said he had certainly seized a knife, but not the one pro-
duced, to defend his property ; the scales were not incorrect, but
the very reverse.
Mr. Dowse said, the difference between each scale was nearly an
ounee.
The defendant called a witness, who said he was in the shop
daring the time the jury was there; he had heard the defendant
I say he did not care for the jury, his scales and weight, had only a
few days before been examined land stamped at the Court office.
At the time of examining the scales, one of them was covered with
grease, and a large piece of fat was in the scale, which the jury
would not allow him to remove. They behaved very improperly,
and seemed to have an antipathy against Shortland ; one of them
asked him if he had forged the stamps on his weights. The beadle
rushed into the shop, and seizing a knife, exclaimed, " This is all
we want, now we have you." The witness considered their con-
, duct like " men in office, and calculated to cause a breach of the
P
oem
Several of the Jurors denied the language attributed to them
&boat forging the stamps, and one of them hinted the witness was
net in the shop at all.
Mr. Onterte PI said, the defendant had not given any justifica-
tion of himself; it was manifest that his scales and weights were
such that he could easily cheat with them, and he was to under-
stand that gentlemen who undertook the gratuitous and unpleasant
office of Jurors were not to be obstructed in the exercise of a duty
absolutely necessary for the protection of the public ; therefore for
that otferice he would convict him in the penalty of forty shillings
and costs.
The defendant said he would not
.pay it, and was locked up.
The case was instituted by direction of the Jury.
UNION-HALL.
Cuaaok or ARSON.—Yesterday a man, named Andrew pew,
was beought before R. J. eliambets, Esti. charged with having
miliciously act tire to a house, situate No. 24, Salisbury-place,
Bermondsey.
Anne Walker stated, that she lives with her father and mother
in the above house, and the prisoner lodged in the front garret. On
Wednesday morning last the prisoner came down about nine
o'clock, and asked her mother if the fire was at leisure. Her
mother replied that it was. and desired hint to take his breakfast
(which he usually did with the family). and bring down his sauce-
pan. lie went up stairs, and brought down his saucepan, into which
he had his tea for breakfast put. In about a quarterof an hour after
he had taken up his breakfast, he brought down a candle, and lighted ,
It., and took it up stairs; and about ten o'clock witness went out of
the house, to shut the gate, when the next door neighbour asked
her if there was any fire up stain. She hurried up to the prisoner's
apartment, and found it so full of smoke that she could not gut in.
She then ran down stairs for the purpose of getting water, and call.
ing for assistance, when several persons entered, who, by. their
exertions, quenched the flames, which were rapidly communicating
to the furniture. During this time the prisoner left the house. On
t xamining the room, after the fire was pet out, she discovered that
the prisoner had removed his Sunday clothes, and left nothing in
the from but a bundle of rags. Ilex mother bad repeatedly given
the prisoner notice to quit, ar.d he was to have left the lodging on
Friday. She added, that the prisoner had frequently threatened to
kill her mother, and witness has crone reasons to suspect the pri-
soner entertained malice ag.,inst her mother, for having ordered hint
to leave the house. _ _ _

William Painter, a constable, of Bermondsey. stated, that he
heard of the fire, and on going into the house. saw the door of the
prisoner's room, which was much burnt. Ile did cot succeed in
finding the prisoner until Saturday last, when he apprehended him,
atter a desperate resistance.
The prisoner said nothing in his defence. He was fully com-
mitted for trial.

UTILITY OF SFARROWS.-Mr. Bradley shows that a
pair of sparrows, during the time they have their young to
feed, destroy, on an aversrte, every week, 3,360 caterpillars.
This calculation lie founds upon actual observation.
A serious accident happened on Alonday evening to
John Stratford Best, Esq. son of Thomas Best, Esq. of
Long's Hotel. When riding in the Park, his horse
took fright, and ran away with him, though an excellent
equestrian ; he endeavouted to ler.p him over the rails, but
unfortunately the horse ran against them and fell backwards,
whereby the collar-bone of the unfortunate gentleman was
broken, and he was much bruistrl. Some gentlemen passing
by at the time, recognising the young gentleman, took
Into to his uncle's, Admiral Tollemaelie, in Piccadilly,
when he was immediately attmded by vvcral eminent
surgeons. He was insensible from the moment of the ac-
/I clan t until yesterday often:eon, when hops were mita-
raked of his recovery.