The Sun.
London, England, 1830-05-01 00:00:00

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Lord William Lennox appeared at this office yester-
day to answer a charge of assault alleged to have been
committed by his Lordship on James Price, a footman in
the service of Capt. Simpson, who resides in John-street,
Bedford-square.

The footman deposed that, as he was standing by his
master's coach in front of the stage entrance into Covent-
garden Theatre, on Thursday night, Lord William Len-
nox came out from the stage door, and in a peremptory
manner directed Capt. Sinipson's carriage to make way
for that of his Lordship. The coachman not having on
She moment obeyed this order, his Lordship, in a tone of
irritation, demanded to know why the way was not in-
st intly cleared, and whose carriage it was that caused the
obstruction? Complainant answered these questions fully,
and his Lordship thereupon exclaimed " It is a lie; and
you," meaning the complainant, " are a liar." This attack
upon his veracity excited his (complainant's) indignation,
arid in the warmth of his passion, he retorted, ".if you
say so, Sir, you are a liar ;" upon which Lord William
Lennox struck him several heavy blows across the bark
with a stick which he carried in his hand.

The coachman of Captain Simpson corroborated in all
material points the evidence.

Lord William Lennox stated, that having left the
theatre a short time before the close of the performances,
he came down to the stage entrance, and observing Capt.
Simpson's carriage drawn up c'ose to the door, and ac-
cording to the printed regulations on the subject, on the
wrong side of the way, he requested the coachman to
drive off, in order that his own carriage might draw up,
remarking that the performances had not then concluded,
and he (the coachman) could not be inconvenienced by do-
ing so. The coachman and the complainant, however, re-
fused to stir an inch; end he (Lord William Lennox)
asked whether the coach did not belong to Mr. Charles
Kemble. The complainant replied " yes," and he (Lord
L.) then threatened to complain to that gentleman of the
conduct of his servants ; upon which the coachman ac-
knowledged that they did not belong to Mr. Kemble, but
to Captain Simpson, of Adam-street, Adelphi. He (Lord
Lennox) then expressed his determination to complain of
them to their master; and the complainant, having uttered
something like defiance, ultimately called him (Lord Len-
nox) a liar, upon which, he admitted, he seized the com-
plainant by his collar, and struck him with a small cane a
few smart blows over the shoulders, when the complainant
ran away.

Footman—l did not stir. It was your Lordship who
ran away to avoid being given into custody; fur had you
remained I should have given charge of you to the first
policeman I saw.
Lord W. Lennox said that there were present gentle-
men who had accompanied him from the green-room and
witnessed the transaction. His Lordship then called
forward

Mr. Wood, the singer, who confirmed all that his
Lordship had stated, and described the conduct of the
complainant as most insolent.
The coachman denied that he had used any such ex-
pression; all he had said was that his master's carriage
had as much right to be there as that of Lady Lennox.

The MAGISTRATE told the coachman that he laboured
under a mistake, as no carriages were permitted to remain
at the stage entrance but those of the nobility, and a few
of the persons belonging to the theatre. The carriage of
his Lordship, no doubt, was among the privileged ; but
that of Captain Simpson had no right to wait at the stage
entrance.

Footman—But I submit to your Worship that even if
we were acting under a wrong impression with respect to
our right to remain there, surely that can form no justifi-
cation for the assault committed on me.

The MAGISTRATE was not quite satisfied on that
as, laying aside the disparity of rank between the parties,
there were few men who would brook being called a liar.
Footman—Your Worship seems to have forgotten that
I was the person to whom the lie was first given.

Lord Win. Lennox's coachman confirmed all that his
master had stated, and added, that he had heard the com-
plainant call his Lordship a liar.
Lord Win. Lennox here produced the fragments of the
small cane with which the assault had been committed.
The illactsTßATE observed, that this instrument could
not have done much mischief, being considerable smaller
than a Judge's thumb.—(A laugh).—Under all the cir-
cumstances he felt that he must discharge the warrant,
and leave the complainant to prosecute the matter at the
sessi,,ns if he should think fit.

The matter took place in the private room.
Lord Win. Lennox, with reference to that part of the
evidence in which Miss Paton is mentioned, exphined, that
that lady was recognised as Lady Lennox in all places but
at the theatre.