The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-12-02 00:00:00

I

from tlir tenor
, be ,

incurred where debts were absolutely recover-
Surely 9281. for 944 days, is enough—we
say ton much, tar Plaintiff's exertions.—
aid yet, beside that, the parties were to have 21
rr cent, for their trouble.""
This part of the case having failed, Mr. TOP..
no said he would apply himself to prove that the
Plaintiff lied beep employed by the Defendant, for
atotraiderable time in an attempt to recover her
Per-bench, for which lie claimed remuneration.
For this purism« It lied
Mr. &Awoke( oturitry, of Worcester—who
lea, that lie b:lifived the Plaintiff was appointed
by the Defendant to recover her free-beach. He
witness several times, its Loudon, to Mr.
the Lord of the Manor,
ou this subject. lie
:understood, from Plaintiff, that he was merely
acting for his mother-in.law, from motives of kind-
news. Witness ,n: ht have told him that his exer-
tions were worth 100/. He had certainly taken
much pains in the affair. Witness held a hill of
,rouge for 5100/. which was banded over to him
Mr. Thompsose. He considered it as a security
the expenses he was at, in endeavouring to re-
- the Defendant'. free-beech. She did not
it. He offered to give up the bill to Mr.
win, if mutual receipts in full were ear-
_ But, as that proposition was refused, he
t himself at liberty to withhold the hill.
On his grom-exasuirtation by Mr. SCA BLITT, he
' he never understood that the Plaintiff was
in recovering the free.kaelt. with a view
t. He conaideird it a mere eel of
Atich, if successful, d d A pre-
of a hundred pounds, if Mot. Glover was in.
ned to make it.
Mr. Tornio intimated that he could carry the
se no further.
The CHIMP .
0011014Nill ed." •
The Plaintiff was won-suited accordingly.

the Plaintiff tuust

MIDDLESEX SIt'ZiSIONS.
ailassirsuAlsour, WC. 1.

Fe ORM. Esq. Choiroton, and a 800 of
Magistrates.

Ater some unimportant business bad been gone
tbrnogh—
The Right Hon. Thomas Viscount Ranthigh.
John Byrne, and Jame* Gregg. servants to Ins
Lordship. were indicted for swanking James Hall,
- Waldo John Legaul. and James Co!burn.
pitch-fork, a doable-barrelled gun, and
on the 24th of July last, at his
place near Putney. Another count
Defendants with unlawfully imprison-
seven shillings in money from
said Prosecutors. There were other counts
the offence committed in different ways

of the Defendents wore livery.
While the indictment was reading, and for a
rrt time after, Lord Ranelagh stood at the table
under the Bench, and then sat in the saute place
till she trial was over.
Mr. Kew opened the indictment, sad
Mr. Asoi.rnus stated the case to the Jury.
The case, he said, had so much of singularity in
that they had seen a Nobleman of high cha-
and his servants, indicted for assaulting.
money from, and imprisoning until the
was unlawfully obtained, four Gentlemen
respectability. He believed also that
his Lordship evinced that liberality of feel-
since the transaction, which his exalted sta-
tion especially demanded, the care never would
have come there. Lord Ranelagh was there to
hear the truth spoken of his conduct. It was
one of the glorious privileges of English law, that,
the eye of it, all persons. from the peer to the
peasant, were equal—and it would be unworthy iu
liiinself to crouch before the rank of any man, or
shrink from uttering what the interests of justice
and of liis client requiters. The first prosecutor,
Mr. Hall, junior, was as much • gentlemen, and sa
much entitled to respect, as Lord Ranelagh
Ile was a member of a laborious
he believed, the same to which he
himself belonged—the son of a .highly respected
Minister of the Church of England, resident in
Herefordshire, and his conduct had been that of a
ottoman throughout. Mr. Adolphus then entered
into a detail of the circumstances previous to and at
Putney—the going down in a boat, taking shelter
from a thunder storm, rencontre with Lord
Ranelagh, and payment of the seven shillings to hie
servant by his Lordship's direction. The latter be
apposed his Lordship only meant as a revival of lb.
iold bar • I proceedings, and levying of contrib..
hone. After Mr. Hall, lie proceeded, had par.
ichaeed his ransom, and come to town, he wrote to
Lord Ranelagh, raying, that though lie was fully
'conscious of the unjustifiable teeatmeres be sod
friends had experienced, yet if his Lordship would
:knowledge the injury done to him, and cruse the
money to be refunded, the matter should there he
dropped. To this no answer was sent—he applied.]
again, and vent the letter to Lord Bootleg,' by a
private hand : still no answer was returned. On this
his father was made acquainted with the transaction,
and Caine to town ; lie applied at Bow-street, and
a message was sent from that place to Lord Rant-
lat!h to attend on a d.y appointed ; be promised ;
Nlr. Hall and Ili, soil, with the other Gentlemen
who had been of the party. attended, but no Lurd
Ranelagh appeared. Mr. Hall then asked the Ma-
gistrates there what course they would recommend.
They replied, they were unwilling to issue a war-
taut, on account of the length of time which had
elapsed since the occurrence, but that an indict.
spent would probably procure effectual justice.—
Mr. Hell did not know the names of the servants
who hail assisted at the assault, and on applying to
learn them, a wrong name had been given; the
cousepience was, that the Prosecutors could only
swear to one of the men at the bar, the man iii
li-
very (Byrne) ; they had nothing to say against the
other, and he might walk away if he thought
proper.
The CII 4 IRMAN then observed, that as there ap-
peared to be no evidence against Gregg, lie had
better stand aside, and if wanted, he might be
called.
Gregg was accordingly removed from the bar,

James Hell was then sworn and examined. Is
the son of • Clergyman in Herefordshire, and a
student in the office of Messrs. Elbaton and Hon.
dleby, solicitors; remembers the 24th July lasi;
hired a boat on the eveuiug of that day. to go up
the river. in company with Mi. Waldo, Mr. Legaul.
and Mr. Colburn ; rowed nearly as far as Putney-
bridge ; was prevented from going farther by a
violent thunder-storm, accompanied with heavy
rain ; landed for shelter near some large trees—the
trees were two or three yards distant from the
shore ; there was a path behind them ; they
had some provisions on board, some sandwiches
and a little portes—rio wine; they took the
provisions out of the boat, and ate them under'
the trees. He weut into the boat on some occa..
sion, and when he came out saw first one man ap-
proach the spot where they were; he was followed
by two others, and three more came up from dif-
ferent parts of the ground ; one, whom he since un-
derstands to have been Lord Rauelegli, wit. armed
with, a double-barrelled gun, another carried a
pitchfork. and two others had bludgeons; the
man with the pitchfot k stood on this right side
of him and his companions. end he with the
double-barrelled gun on his left. The loiter
asked witness. what brought hint there.- he must
knows lie was trespassing ? Witness answered, lie
had come on shore for water ; he had 00l been
aware that he was trespassing, and was very sorry
for it. Lord Raitelagh said his grounds vere very
much infested with thieves. Witness replied, that
he was no such person, that he was • gentleman.
and a student in the office of two very respectable
solicitors.. Lord Rauelegli said his grounds were
most iufcsted with well-dressed rogues. and that he
slid not believe him. He seemed to be griwitig
angry ; witness gave bun his card ; he could nut
get to the boat. the person with the pitchfork
intercepting his passage. On desiring to be al-
lowed to get auto the boat, Lord Rarielagli
waived his arm to the men, and said, " No.
no ; you shall not get otf so easily ; you .must
attend my servants to Bow-street, and answer for
your conduct there." Mines, replied, he was very
willing to go there. He asked Mr. Waldo also who
he was. who mid he was a gentleman, and referred
him for a character to Mr. Scott, a Magistrate at
Hammersmith. On remonstrating with him. he at
last said, " I will let you go. if yon will give soy
servants remuneration for their trouble." Wilma.
consulted with his (rivals, and gave one of the set-
nate seven shillings; it was the Prisoner at the bar
who received it.

Cross-exuatimed.—Has been at the place since ; it
has undergone great alterations; it wasj half an
hour from the time they landed before the servants
came up; one of the Gentlemen with him had his
coat off; cannot recollect whether his own hat was
on when Lord Ranelagh came up ; the servant
who first came up did not tell him that if lie would
treat I handsomely his Lordship should not hear
any thing about it; did not thank Lord Ranelagh
fur his courtesy.
A letter was then handed to witness, which he
allowed to be in his hand-writing.
Henry Waldo of the office of Morris and Co.
Army Agents, being exa ;;; ; ied, corroborated the
statement of the former witness, and added that
Lord Rauelsgh observed to theist at first, that
people used to come on his grounds to steal his
flowers and break the branches of his trees, and
that the clubs or bludgeons were of a tremendous
size.
John Legaul confirmed the testimony of the two
former witnesses. He deposed farther, that Ins
party were only about ten minutes under the tree,
during the whole of which the rein continued.
After leaving Lord Ranelagh's grounds they went
to no public-house. The oars were not brought
out of the boat at all. _

In answer to the Chairman—They did not laud for
the purpose of rambling through the grounds, and
did nut, in fact, do so. Is quire sure the mention
of the money was made by Lord Rruthigh ; consi-
dered the payment of it as a necessary step towards
abtainiug his liberty.
The evidence for the prosecution having closed,
Mr. ALLEY stated the case for the Deferidarits.
He was sorry that the course pursued. by his
Learned Friend for the prosecution was calculated
to confound the different orders of society, on
keeping up the distinctions between which. the
general peace and prosperity so einitiently depended.
He contended that Mr. Hall and his friends were
four young trespassers, who, because they had re-
ceived a generous pardon from Lord Ranehigh,
and experienced nothing but courtesy at his hands,
thought proper to compose and send to him an
atrocious libel against his character, which ought to
hate brought them into Court as defendants in-
stead of prosecutors. He then read the first letter
from Mr. Hall to Lord Ranelsgh. It stated the
impropriety of surrounding him and his friend* with
armed mere, merely for seeking shelter front a storm.
that the fear of being turned adrift on die uric
alone prevented him refusing compliance with the
unjust demand for money, which the writer had since
the transaction been informed by his fiends could
be considered in uo other light but actual robbery
—and concluded with • request that the money
would be returned, and a suitable apology made.
otherwise • warrant would be applied for at Bow-
street against himself and his servants. It was
signed James Hall." This. Mr. Alley contended,
was a base libel, and he would recommend a young
gentleman, in the language of Horace, *ape styles*
verlere, to consider well before he sat clown and
produced such • composition again—a composition
which betrayed an utter ignorance of his profession,
and only entitled him to the characier of a vain,
foolish libeller. He should cull witnesses to prove
that there was no rain whidever at the time—that
the Prisoner at the bar was not the man who re-
ceived the money—and that ohatever money hail
been received was a perfectly free gift, in acknow-
ledgment of the pulite behaviour of Lord Raise-
, lagh ; and, he trusted that it would then be seen.
and that the verdict of the Jury world skew, that
Lord Ranelagh was nut the man hr had been re-
preserited, who could violate the tights of hospita-
lity so fligrantly—who could rush upon and insuit
the wuy-worn traveller, and practise extortion,
which would scarcely disgrace the must utipria-
cipled.

Anthony Mecquet tens then called and sworn.
Is servant to Lord kimiebigli; remembers going

deobs, from the terms of the deed, whether 'any and the trial pruttuued :NOW 1.0,4
thing could be recovered for *optimist, except they Byrne. a
were incurred where debts were absolutely recover- James Hull was then sworn and I
. Surely Nee for 924 days, is enough—we the sou of • Clergyman in Neter°,
won't say ton much, for Plaintiff's exertions.— student in the office of Messrs. Ellis
Asi.l yet, beside that, the parties were to hove 21 dleby, solicitors; remembers the 24
.
. per cent. for their trouble.' hired a boat on the eve oo itt g of that al
, t} This part of the case having failed, Mr. TOP-. the river, in company with Mr:Waldo
PING said he wonld apply himself to prove that the and Mr. Colburn ; rowed nearly as f
Plaintiff had beep employed by the Defendant, for bridge ; was prevented from going
a comiderable time in an attempt to recover her violent thunder-storm, accompanier
Pee.bench, for which lie claimed remuneration. rain ; landed for shelter near some la
, . For this purpmerieirealled— trees were two or three yards dist
' Mr. Slim& . ney, of Worcester—who shore; there was a path behind
stated, that he bell4f
4eltlie Plaintiff was appointed had some provisions on board, son
by the Defendant to recover her free-beach. He and a little porter—no wine; th
attended *Auras several times, in London, to Mr. provisions nut of the boat, and at
Hall, the Lord of the Manor, ou this subject. Ile the trees. He went into the boat c
a
understood. from Plaintiff, that he was merely sion, and when he came out saw first
..• acting for his mother-its-law, from motives of kind- proach the spot where they were; he
news. Witness might have told him that his exer- by two others, and three more came
lions were worth 100/. He had certainly taken &rent !parts of the ground ; one, whoa
much pains in the affair. Witness held a hill of derstands to have been Lord itilUeINN
klChallgP for 2001. which was banded over to him with a double-barrelled gun, root
by Mr. Thompson. He considered it as a security pitchfork. and two others had blt
fur the expenses he was at, in endeavouring to re- man with the pitchfork stood on I
1.,.-. cover the Defendant'. free-beech. She did not of him and his companions. lied
... recover it. He offered to give up the bill to Mr. double-barrelled gust on his left.
Thompson, if mutual receipts in full were ext.- asked witness. what brought him th
*red. But, as that proposition was refused, he knows lie was trespassing ? Witness
felt himself at liberty to withhold the bill. had come its shore for water ; lie I
- • On his cross-examination by Mr. SCARLITT, he aware that he was trespassing, and
said, he never understood that the Plaintiff was for it. Lord Ranelagh said his grew
~ • • - lord in recovering thefroo-boods. with a view much infested with thieves. Williebi
• emolument. He cousideard it a mere act of he was sin such person, that he was
friendship—which, of suCcsasful, d d A pre- end a student in the office of two vet
mut of a hundred pounds, if Mrs. Glover was lii. solicitors.. Lord Rattelegh said his
dined to make it. - most iufcated with well-dressed rogue
Mr. Tornio intimated that he could carry the slid not believe him. He seemed t
case no further. espy ; witness gave bun his card ;
The Cuts? JUSTICII—". Then the Plaintiff must get to the tort, the person with
. , son-suited." . intercepting his passage. On desiri
The Plaititiff was mus.strited accordingly. lowed to get auto the boat, Lo
waived his arm to the men, and
ho; you shall not get off so easily
MIDDLES EX S.I.Qi.NIONS., attend my servants to Bow-street, a
et.aaaeasesermasaux, WC i. your conduct there." Witness replies
.
willing to go there. He asked Mr. ‘N
—........
he was. who said he was a gentleman
&Art F. Cotten, Esq. Citoirmes, and a Beech of him for a character to Mr. Scott, a
Magistrates. . Hammersmith. Oil remonstrating wi
_-_ last said, ,r I will let you go• if Yost
....
After some unimportant business had been gone servants remuneration for their troubl
' . throogh— consulted with his friends, and gave o
The Right Hon. Thomas Viscount Ranelagh. seven shillings; it was the Prism
John Byrne, and James Gregg. servants to tits who received it.
Lordship. were indicted for smutting James Hall, Cross-exuatined.—Has been at the i:
Henry Waldo John Legaul. and James Colintrn. has undergone great alterations; it
with a pitch-fork, a donble-berrelled gun, and hour from the time they landed before
other.weepoits, on the 24th of July host, at his came up; one of the Gentlemen wilt
' - Lairdabip's place near Putney. Another count coat off; cannot recollect whether hiss
. the Defendants with unlawfully imprison- on when Lord Ranelagh came up ;
- inik and extorting seven shillings in money irons who first came up did not tell him the
the said Prosecutors. There were other counts treat I ' handsomely his Lordship sit
describing the offence committed in different ways any thing about it; did not thank Le
for his courtesy.
—one of the Defendants wore livery.
• While the indictment was reading, and for • A letter was then handed to miters
short time after, Lord Ranelagh stood at the table allowed to be in his hand-writing.
under the Bench, and then sat in the 611111 t place Henry Waldo of the office of M
till the trio' was over. Army Agents, being exa 000 i t teal. con
Mr. Kans. opened the indictment, sad statement of the former witness, an
Mr. Aeompuus stated the case to the Jury. Lord Rauelagh observed to theist i
The case, he said. had so much of singularity no people used to come on his ground,
it, that they had seen a Nobleman of high chi- flowers and break the branches of Is
meter, and his servants, indicted for assaulting, that the clubs or bludgeons were of
extorting money from, and imprisoning until the size-
money was unlawfully obtaisted. four Gentlemen John Legaul confirmed the testirnoi
of high respectability. He believed also that former wituesaes. He deposed fort)
had his Lordship evinced that liberality of feel- party were only about ten minutes it
ing since the transaction, which his exalted sta. during the whole of which the nil
lion especially demanded, the case never would After leaving Lord Ranelagh'a grout
have come there. Lord Ranelagh was there to to no public-house. The oars were
hear the truth spoken of his conduct. It war out of the boat at all.
one of the glorious privileges of English law, that, In answer to tlie Chairmau—.They di
the eye of it, all persons, from the peer to the the purpose of rambling through the
peasant, were equal—aud it would be unworthy iu did nut, in furl, do so. Is quite ours
himself to crouch before the rank of any man, or of the money was made by Lord Raul
shrink from tittering what the interests of justice dered the payment of it as a necessary
and of Isis client requiter'. The first prosecutor, stern tt it rg his liberty.
Mr. Hall, junior, was as much a gentlemen, and as The evidence for the prosecution ha
muds entitled to respect, as Lord Ratiehigh Mr. ALLEY stated the case for the
himself. Ile was a member of a laborious He was sorry that the course pus
profession, he believed, the same to which he Learned Friend for the prosecution ii
• himself belonged—the son of a .highly respected Ito confound the different orders of
' Minister of then Church of England. resident in keeping up the distinctions betwee
Herefordoltire. and his conduct had been that of a general peace and prosperity so mitten
gentleman throughout. Mr. Adolphus then entered He contended than Mr. Hall and his
into a detail of the circumstance+ previous to and at four young trespassers, who, because
Putney—the going down in • boat, taking shelter ceived a generous pardon from Lo
from a thunder storm, rencontre with Lord and experienced nothing but courtesy
Ranelagh, and payment of the seven shillings to his thought proper to compose and set
servant by his Lordship's direction. The latter he atrocious libel against his character, w
hare brought them into Court as d
supposed his Lordship only meant as a revival of the
old bar • I proceedipgs, and levying of contribu- stead of prosecutors. He then read t
tinny. After Mr. Hall, lie proceeded, had par. from Mr. Hall to Lord Ranelagh. 1
chased his ransom, and come to town, he wrote to impropriety of surrounding him and hi
Lord Ranelagh, saying, that though he was folly armed mess, merely for seeking shelter
conscious of the unjustifiable essatmeret he suit his that the fees of being turned adrift
pd rein coni
friends had experienced, yet if his Lordship would , alone
a Riau demand revente
for him
money, fuswhic g h thepli wi
acknowledge the injury dune to him, and cause the i
._ ._..s._._ 1.- . the transaction beets informed by his