The Sun.
London, England, 1822-04-20 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS, APRIL 19.

PARISH OF ST. GEORGE, HANOVER-SQUARE, V. PEACHY.
Mr..AssltEw s stated, that he appeared for the Parish of
St. George, Hanover-square, to have the order of a Magistrate
confirmed against Mr. Peachy, who is an ironmonger in Ilan-
over-street, Hanover-square. On the Ist January last, about
six o'clock in the evening, a fire was discovered issuing from
the chimney of Mr. Peachy's smithery ; the engines came to
quench it ; the Parish in the first place had to pay the reward
according to law, and this subject was brought forward because
Mr. Peachy refused to remunerate the Parish.
Mr. ANDREWS called a young chimney sweep, who saw
sparks issue from Mr. Peachey's chimney, and who then ran
for the engines.
Several -firemen said they saw on their arrival sparks from
the flue of Mr. Peachy's work shop, and believed the same to
be on fire. •
Mr. ADOLPHUS, against the confirmation of the order, argu-
ed that if it was confirmed, no tradesman or manufacturer in
London using forced fires, could for a day be safe from the
visits of firemen, and other interested persons, who would ruin
them in their business, by coining with fire engines to their
houses every time a few sparks were seen issuing from the tops
of their manufactories. Mr. Peachy's flue was so constructed,
that with the great draft of air passing through it when his men
were at work, it was impossible it could take ,fire, and it was
built quite perpendicular, so that no soot could lodge therein.
—The Learned Counsel said, that the present case was an ex-
periment tried by the chimney-sweeps and firemen against his
client, and if they succeeded, by the order being confirmed, no
worker in metals,,especially the rougher ones; could continue
their occupation in London. .
Several witnesses were called by Mr. ADOLPHUS, all of
whom stated that no alarm of fire was given ' • some of them liv-
ed 16 years the near neighbours of Mr. Peachy, and constantly
saw sparks from the flue of his workshop without the least ap-
prehension of danger.
It was proved by Mr. Riddell, a coach-maker, that no fire-
place could be safer than Mr. Peachy's.
The order of the Magistrate was quashed.
John Pui:fiehl was put to the bar, charged with fraud of the
most vicious nature. In July, 1819, the defendant called at the
banking-house of Messrs. Drummond and Co., representing him-
self to be Treasurer to a Charitable Institution for providing the
Poor with Meat, Vegetables, &c., at reduced prices. He pro-
duced printed receipts, and requested a donation in favour of the
Institution he represented. With their usual liberality 51. ss.
were instantly paid him; he also produced a sort of Prospectus of
the Charity, containing the names of some of the first indivi-
duals in the country for rank and philanthropy as Patrons to
the Institution. The defendant also obtained the same day
two guineas from Messrs. Cox and Greenwood for the same
benevolent purpose.
Some time afterwards a person in distress was sent by Messrs.
Drummond to this " Laudable Institution," as it was termed,
at 23, Castle-street East, Oxford-market, when it was disco-
vered that no Charity of the kind existed.
The defendant pleaded guilty, and
Mr. ADOL s (fbr the prosecution) stated, that from the
extreme old age aid poverty of the defendant, it was not in-
tended to press against him the severity of the law.
He was therefore discharged on his own recognizance.

OLD BAILEY, APRIL 19.

Elijah Gooch, a middle-aged man of decent appearance, was
indicted for the wilful murder of Barnard Downes. The cir-
cumstances of the case, the investigation of which occupied the
Court several hours, were proved by the following witnesses :
, George Pepys swore, that he was a waterman on the hack.
ney-coach stand at the corner of Vere-street, Oxford-street.—
On the morning of the 25th of February, he saw the prisoner
driving towards Tyburn-turnpike in a light cart, with nothing
in it. He was driving with reins at a fast trot, and witness
called out to him, " Hallo ! are you going to run over us? He
went on a little way, and then turned back. He was not go-
ing very fast at that time ; he stood a short time, and then
turned back again towards Tyburn-turnpike. He went quite
away, and was gone about an hour and a half, when wit-
ness saw him return at full gallop, using his whip all the way ,
he went. Witness called out to him, " For Gods sake don't
go so fast ; you'll be .over somebody.", The prisoner made no
answer, but went on still whipping his horse. Witness knew
the deceased, who swept the crossing from Bond-street to Vere-
street. He was a man much advanced in years. Witness saw
the prisoner drive over the deceased, and he did not stop, but
continued his course at a furious rate. Witness did, not hear
the people call out to the prisoner.
John 011ey, a hackney-coachman, swore that he saw the
prisoner driving at a full gallop, and whipping his horse under
the belly. He called out to him not to go so fast. The de-
ceased, at the moment witness called out, was in the middle of
the crossing, going towards the pavement, to get out of the
way. He turned sideways, and the shaft of the cart and the
shoulders of the horse struck him on the head and sides. The
deceased was driven about a yard and a half and fell, and the
wheel of the cart driven by the prisoner went over his body.
The prisoner immediately whipped on his horse still more fu-
riously, in order to get away, but he was stopped.
Wm. Thurston, another coachman, conhrmed the evidence
of the foregoing witnesses. The deceased was taken to the Mid-
dlesex Hospital.
Mr. Sweetman, surgeon to the Middlesex Hospital, remem-
bered the deceased being brought in there on the day in question.
His right thigh was broken, and he had received very serious
injuries about the head. To these latter injuries the death of
the deceased was, in the opinion of the witness, to be attributed.
—On the head being opened, a quantity of extravasated blood
was found.
The prisoner said nothing in defence, but called five wit-
nesses, who gave him a good character for humanity, parental
kindness, and industrious habits. The witnesses:also described
him to be a very good and careful driver when sober.
The Jury found him Guilty of Manslaugnter, but recom-
mended him to mercy, on account of his previous good cha-
racter.
Mr. Justice PARK said that, as at present informed, the
case appeared to him to be of a most aggravated nature, and
one which called for the most severe punishment the law could
inflict. He would, however, most certainly attend to the re-
commendation of the Jury. It' was perhaps necessary they
should know that the Court, as the law now stood, had no
power to inflict any punishment beyond imprisonment.
The Foreman of the Jury said the recommendation was an
individual one.
William. Backbutton, a boy of 14., was indicted for assaulting
James Newson, a child, on the highway, and taking from his
person a sovereign and a tin-box.
The boy Newson had been sent to pay the money to a per-
son named Powell, when he was met by the prisoner, who had
got acquainted with the fact of his being intrusted with the
sovereign, and who took it from him.
The -prisoner was found guilty of stealing from the person,
but not with force and violence.