The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-10-26 00:00:00

CHALLENGE TO FIGHT A DUEL.

Mr. Richard West, the princspai proprietor of
the Chelsea stage-coaches, was indicted for !Priding
a challenge with intent to provoke Mr. Robert
Newman Cumming, a surgeon and apothecary, re•
siding in the same neighbourhood, to fight a duel.
Mr. ADOLPIIUS stated the case for the prosecu-
tion, and in the course of his speech highly com-
mended the Plaintiff for not meeting in the field a
venial' of the rank of the Defendant, whom he re.
presented as a livery-stable-keeper. The Learned
Gentleman observed, that the middle classes were
studiously shut out by the laws of honour from hav-
ing the benefit of such a mode of appeal to avenge
private insults. _ The first witness was

H. Newman Cumming, who stated, that he was
a surgeon, residing at Chelsea; he knew the De-
fendant, who was %cheery-stable-keeper. Witness
had received a letter from a lady, which he re.
turned to her without any answer. The Defeo-
dant came to him on of August, and after
nettling some accounts, sletmisided of him why he
sent back the lady's note? • Witness replied that
no explanation was neeetwary, 1101 should he give
any. Defendant then said he -should demand ants.
faction from him. Witness replied, if it was legal
satisfaction he wanted, he would send his attorney
to him. The Defendant said, it was not legal satin.
faction, for he d—d that; he must have Personal
satisfaction. Witness replied he would ndt. give it
to him, and added, that however he might ha in.
dined' to go out with • Gentleman, lie. certainly
should never fight a duel with • livery-stable-
keeper. .Defendant then called him a c1.4-d mean
spiritless fellow, and went away. Thr same even-
ing Mr. Uplold, a clerk in Chelsea Hospital,
culled on witness, and demanded au apology, which
he refused. He then demanded of him to give
personal satisfaction. which witness declined. Mr.
Uplold then said that he would brand him as a
d`—d coward in every company in which he went,
and that the Defendant would do the same.

Cross-ezamined by Mr. ALLEY—.Wds the fa.
mily apothecary, and occasional guest of the De.
feminist. He believed he dined with him once,
and yet he did not consider him a lit associate in
the field. Nothing was certainly said about pia•
tole. He did not think it beneath his dignity to
apologise for offending a lady, by returning her
note unanswered, but he did not think he had of-
fended by so doing. The Defendant, certainly re-
buked him for not answering Mrs. 'West's note.
He did not choose to answer the Learned Counsel's
question, " Whether he did, or did not, traduce
Mrs. West's character at Captain Butterfield's
house?" He never traduced any body's character ;
but he admitted, that when the Defendant charged
him with reviling his family, he gave .hint the lie,
because the charge made by the Defendant was
untrue.

Mr. ALLEY, for the Defendant, made an ani-
mated appeal to the Jury on the part of the Dr.
fendant, in the course of which he animadveried
in severe terms upon the apotheca►y, for arrogating
to himself a superiority of rank over the Defen-
dant, who war a man of property and respectability
in the neighbourhood.
The CuminLikw charged the Jury, who after
half an hour'. consideration, returned a verdict of
Gvihy.
The CHAIRMAN, in passing sentence, regretted
that a gentleman of the Defendant's character,
should have so far violated the laws of his country,
as to do an act so directly tending to a breach of
the peace ; but on consideration of his thiuking
that he had received some provocation, the sentence
of the Court was wily that he should pay a line
of 101.
Mr. Upfold, the gentleman who took the mes-
sage from the last Defendant to Mr. Cumming,
was then put to the bar and arraigned for a similar
offence.
By the advice of Mr. All.l.lilf he pleaded Goihy,
and the COURT sentenced him to pay a fine of Si.
ARSA LILTS.
Mary Lydia and William Jordax were iudicted
for arsaultiog Jane Turner. I
The ['meet:inns exhibited her arm, which '
evident marks of ■ severe blow, that