The Sun.
London, England, 1806-06-09 00:00:00

CERTIFICiITES.

Tune 2S. Peter Stitham the younger, late of Manchester,
dealer.
Wm.. Dewdney, of Fleet-street, London, jeweller.
Wm. Buckler, late of Cheapside,, London, warehouseman.
Wm. Taney, late or Philpot- lane, London, money-scrivener.
Robert Penniall Butcher, late of Laurence Poultney -lane,

_
. 'London, wine-merchant. •
Samuel Reddish, William' Reddish, Joseph Reddish, and
James Reddish, of Presthury, county of Chester, cotton-.
manufadwiers' and co-partners.
John Life, of Ripley, Yorkshire, grocer.

LAW REPORT.

COURT OF KING's BENCPI, 7.

THE KING V. JOHN BOSWELL.

The Defendant had been conviaed before Mr.
Baron Tnompsos, at the last Hampshire Assizes,
of endeavouring to provoke Thomas Andrew Min-
chen ,to figfit a duel. He this day,appeared to receive
the sentence of the Court. The report of the Learned
Judge -who presided at the trial was read by Mr.
Justice LE 13LANC, from Whith the following dream-
...stances appeared. On the .1 9th of November a meet-
ing of the trustees for public workS was held in the
town of Gosport, for the purpose of the ele&ion of a
Clerk, for which situation the Defendant, and a Gen-
tleman of the name of Parsons, were candidates. - In
this contest Mr. Minchen took an aetive part against
the Defendant, which gave rise to the following ob-
servation from him, to one of his friends of the name
of Collins : it was made: in the public room, during
tide time the elelion was proceeding, in the hearing
of Mr. Minchen : " I wonder, Mr. Collins; after the
opinion you have given of him, that you a& with .that
`rascal." To this the Proseeutor coolly replied, he
treated what was said with Contempt. This exertion
of moderation by Mr. Minchen so much irritated the
Defendant, that he instantly exclaimed, " If you did
nottreat it so, I would presently make you feel the
consequences. You are a scoundrel ; I tell you, you
are a scoundrel." Two Magistrates, one of whom
was namedle tti COE, were then present,and heard this
conversation, but refused to interfere, and the .Pro-
secutor, was obliged, to put up with the affront. On
.a subsequent' day (the 13th of January) another
meeting was held for the same purpose, when the
Defendant repeated his insults, proclaiming to the
persons present that lie would affront Mr. Minchen
wherever he met him. Some Gentlemen present
took dOwn the conversation, which was signed by a
.number of auditors, and among others .by the.De-
fendanta who, at the same time observed, " You
may insert it, if you will, in the Hampshire Tele-
graph, the Sun, or the'Star, if you like it, and every
other Newspaper; I do not care." Evidence was
likewise produced at the trial which proved that the
,Defendant, even during the proceedings, inserted
these words on the back of a seat, with' a view of
re-publishing his insults on the Prosectitor, " The-
King Boswell, fot calling Mt. Minchen a scoun-
drel." ,

No Affidavits being produced on either side,
Mr.JEKYiL addressed their Lordships for the De-
fendant, in mitigation of punishment. He said, that
the miscondua of the Defendant arose at a time the
Most likely for the feelings to be agitated, during- the.
time of an ele6tion, and was not the conseqUence of
any deliberate animosity. The answer of the Pro-
secutor was extremely irritating, when he said he
treated'it with contempt.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH-" How would' ou have
him treat it—with civility ? Certabily he treated it
with the contempt it deserved."
After Mr. Buititoudns had been heard for the
Plain ti ff, .

Lord ELLENBOROUGH said, this certainly was one
of the most disgraceful scenes that ever had been
brought betbre a Court. The behaviour of the
Magistrates was at least as culpable, if net much more
so, than that of the Defendant—protec`•lion was ap-
plied for and refused. His Lordship had great doubt
whether it would not be fit that proceedings should
be had against them through another channel. He
then dire&ect that the Defendant should be com-'
mitted to the custody of the Marshal, and be brought
up on Monday se'nnight.