The National Register.
London, England, 1811-02-17 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

LAW REPORTS...

COURT OF KING'S BENCH,
ad) .
MONDAY, FEB. 11. •.,

LIBEL-SENTENCE.

THE KING V. F.UGENIUS ROCHE) ESQ.

Mr. Justice Gaost this day delivered the sentence of the
Court in this cause. The sentence was, that Mr. Roche be
,;(immitted to the custody of the Marshal of the Marshalsea for
the space of twelve months ; and that at the expiration of that
irrin he give sureties, himself in 5001. and two sufficient sure-
ties in 2501. each.

OUTRAGE.

Mr. GARROW applied for rules to chew cause why criminal
ioforthations should not he filed against James Churchyard,
Benjamin Garrot, William Hewitt, Philip Dykes, William
Moore, John Culpee,James Sheldrake, William Garlic, Richard
Bedwell, Edmund Hewitt, Tuffin and Close, for a most extra-
ordinary conduct and conspiracy. His motion was of great
consequence; on its result depended whether a large body of
Dissenters were to assemble in the county of Suffolk for the pur-
pose of public worship, or not. A Dissenting Minister (Mr.
Thompson,) residing at Wickham market, near Ipswich, in the
county of Suffolk, some short time since obtained a license in
the regular way, for a place of lublic worship. Having obtained
each license, it was advertised that the Meeting would be open-
ed on the 2d of September last. On that day it was opened, and
eoblic worship continued to be performed in this newly opened
Chapel till the 2d of December, when the congregation was
!•.:lally driven out, and the house pulled down ! The first open-
Ole of the chapel was marked by most outrageous proceedings,
ronu a crowd -who had assembled for the purpose of obstructing
the worship ; and those crowds invariably continued to assem-
ble for this object till the 2d of December. The persons whose
names he had mentioned had been conspicuous in this intolerant
proceeding. The men whose names he had repeated, were not
men in high situations of life ; they were hacked by persons
whose rank and education ought to have taught them better.—
The town-criers were sent about, admonishing the townsmen to
take cart of their property, as there were strange persons among
them, alluding to those who frequented the Dissenters' Meeting.
The lower order of the people at this place were taught to put
very peculiar construction upon the Tolen.tion Act. They
were told thatthey might make any sort of noise they pleased,
to obstruct the proceedings of a congregation in any way offen-
sive to them, provided they kept on the outside of the Chapel!
This sentiment did prevail in the county of Suffolk, still pre-
vailed, and would continue to prevail till that Court should con-
vince them to the contrary. Acting upon this construction, the
people assembled in thousands around the Meeting, and made
so much noise by means of shouting and hooting, aided by an
Indian gong, a drum, and other musical instruments equally
harmonious and noisy, that it was impossible for the congrega-
tion to hear what feli from the Clergyman. At other times they
would mock the Pastor, and pretend to adore their Creator in a
most ridiculous manner ; then a fellow, elevated upon a wag-
gon, dressed in a black frock, and cocked hat, would assume to
imitate a Clergyman, and would afterwards proceed to distribute
among the crowd small portions of bread. The motive of all
these proceeditn;s w.ts to create confusion. When the Minis; er
left the Meeting, this crowd, which never consisted of less than
a thousand people, would follow him, hooting and so acting,
jostling him and otherwise iusulting him, that his life was often
..ndangered. Nor did.these crowds confine themsolves to hoot-
ing and hissing, for they afterwards became so daring, that fire-
works were thrown into the Meeting ; and when the Minister
Lft it, he was pelted by the mob with rotten eggs, &c. and a
gallows was carried before him ! Fellows in masks, and with
most grotesque dresses on, would go to the Chapel, and exclaim
with a loudzvolee--" We come here to hear the word of God,
and by-God we will hear the word of God !" to addition to
exclamations of this nature, they pelted the congregation, and
broke the Windows. A..: one time these fellows, with their
masques and grotesque dresses, brought to the Chapel a scooped
turnip filled with human excrement, which was thrown at the
C!tizynian, and he was thereby besmeared all over with this
filth, as was the greater part of the congregation. At another
timers. basket of stinking sprats was brought into the passage
leatilog to the Chapel, and the contents were thrown among the
persons then assembled. The general exclamation in justifica-
tiOn cif this outrageous conduct was, that they would have no
l*raotittavong them, a name they gave to these Dissenters.—
To prove that Fermis of rank and consequence approved and
promotecl this conduct, hon=es were opened for the accomnioda-
tir4 a those who wut:ld hw:t down the Pognaus : and an order

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tha t the Pogrom hunters might not be in want of spirits they were
stimulated to exertion by having wine furnished them gratis, and
they were informed that nuorey would not be withheld if it
should be rtquired. One gentleman (a parochial officer) observ-
ed at a public meeting, that by would not mind giving lout.
tor the purpose of aiding those . who opposed the Pogroms; mo-
ney should not be wanted. The nun who occupied the cottage,
the two lower rooms of which were converted into a Chapet
was told that if he did not prevent the meetingof the "d
Pograms,"he would have a press gang sent after him. At ano-
ther time he was told that he would be shot if he did not submit;
for murder would ensue if the Pegreinis were not put down.—
The Learned Gentleman held in his hand affidavits, swearing
to what he had related, and describing the parts those persons
whose names he had repeated, had taken in this performance.—
The opposition had been regularly organized, and the outrage
had been continued ; and the people who had been guilty of thit
outrage ought to be told that they could not so act with impu-
nity. The various acts ascribed to the several persons, as de-
scribed in the affidavits, were then repeated; but the Court were
of opinion, that Rules Nisi could only- be granted against six
persons, namely, against James Churchyard, a farmer ; lienja-
min Garrot, a tailor ; Wil!iam Hewitt, a collar-maker; John
Culpee, a shoe-maker ; —Tuffin; and Close. The congrega-
tion was an infant one, and the first Dissenters' Meeting that bad
assembled in that county ; but the continuance of the Meeting
had been so prevented as he had described. Application had
been made to the Grand Jury of the count y, but without success,
which accounted fur this motion. The Rule Nisi granta.