The Sun.
London, England, 1836-11-10 00:00:00

xt6DAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1836

Legion in Spain, came up to-day for adjudication. The
ease stood over, in order that the Insolvent might obtain
some information relative to the execution of a deed after
his return from the service of Don Pedro, in 1835. He
stated that he had not the curiosity to ascertain its purport.
Mr. WOODROFIT prayed, on the part of the Insolvent,
whose health had been seriously impaired by a wound in his
head received at St. Sebastian, under General Evans, that
his discharge might issue instanter.

Mr. Commissioner Lew granted the application, and the
isolvent was discharged accordingly.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STREET.
ATROCIOUS ATTEMPT TO rVlUßDEß.—Yesterday after-
noon, Fletcher, the officer, reported to the Sitting Magis-
trates the results of an investigation of an important and
serious kind, in which he had, by their orders, been engaged
for the last fortnight, at a village called Benson, near Wal-
lingford, Berks. The following were the circumstances, as
related by the officer :

Mr. Smith, a wealthy farmer, residing at Benson, had
some years ago built a number of small cottages, on a re-
tired part of his farm, which were hired from him by the
parish officers, at a very small rental, for the abode of per-
sons of the labouring class, who were receiving what is called
out-door relief. When the Poor Law Amendment Act
came into operation, and guardians of the poor were ap-
pointed, they refused to pay the rental, or to afford any
other out-door relief, and consequently Mr. S. could look
only to the occupants for his rent. Among the rest of
his tenants were a large family of the name of Webb,
and another of the name of Bowler, all related by
marriage, and they refused so pay either rent, or to
quit the cottages, and Mr. Smith served them with for-
mal notices of ejectment, with an intimation that unless
these were complied with, force would be used to turn
them out. This they expressed a determination to resist,
and also declared that if Mr. Smith persisted, he would
suffer for it. Mr. Smith still, however, declared he would
have possession of his property. He is greatly afflicted
with rheumatism in the legs and feet, and it was his habit,
when an acute attack come on at night, to get out of bed
and walk about for a time. On the night of Saturday, the
22d of October, about half-past nine o'clock, he was walk-
ing about his bed-room, the blinds of which had not been
closed, and stood for some moments at the window, there
being a night-lamp burning, when, feeling fatigued, he
went again to his bed. He had scarcely lain down, when
he heard the report of a gun, which was instantly followed
by the crashing of the glass and frame of the window
of his apartment, all of which were shattered to pieces.
He gave an alarm, and his son, who was in an out-
house, ran round to the front of the house, and thence
through one or two meadows, but could find no one
about. A quarter of an hour afterwards, a watchman,
who had been hired in consequence of the numerous
depredations committed in the neighbourhood, and who
had heard the report of tlae gun, saw two men, whom
he well knew as Charles Webb and James Bowler,
sitting on a stile, one of them having a gun over his
shoulder. The watchman lay down to conceal himself, and
heard Bowler say to Webb, " My eyes, lets have another
rally—have you got any more of those things about you ?"
" No, but I will go and fetch some," was Webb's reply,
and they went away, the watchman not attempting to stop
them. Half an hour afterwards the watchman found them
at the same stile, Bowler then having the gun, and he told
them that he had overheard their conversation when they
were there before ; but they denied having had any until
he repeated the words, and then they laughed at him and
said, " Well, what of it ?" He taxed them with having
fired at Mr. Smith, but they denied it, and he proceeded to
take the gun from Bowler. The latter, however, forced it
from him again, and the watchman walked away, but had
not gone many yards before one of them, he could not tell
which, " let loose" at him, and he distinctly heard the whiz
of shot very close to him, but was not hit. As he said
afterwards, when before the Magistrates, he did not think
they meant to shoot him, and so he didn't think it worth his
while to turn back.

So alarming an occurrence induced the gentlemen of the
vicinity to send off to Bow-street for the assistance of an
officer, and Fletcher went down. Mr. Smith's room was
narrowly examined, and in a portion of the window-sash,
and also in the ceiling and wall, were found a great number
of shots, Nos. 1 and 2, and two leaden pellets, cast in a
very peculiar shape. A mark was also found upon the
grass on the top of a bank a short distance from the house,
which it was evident was occasioned by a gun having been
placed there with the muzzle in the direction of Mr. Smith's
bed-room, and some pieces of paper such as are used for
wadding, were also found strewed about. The dwellings of
the Webbs and Bowlers were then searched, and a gun
found, together with a tag containing a quantity of shot
Nos. 1 and 2, and some leaden pellets, exactly correspond-
ing in size and shape with those fired into Mr. Smith's
room. Fletcher was accompanied by Mr. Smith, jun.,
and some other persons, and while making their search they
were attacked by four brothers of Webb and their mother,
assisted by other relatives, and Smith was knocked down
with a heavy blow on the head with a pole with which one
of the assailants was armed ; but having his gun with him
he jumped up and returned the salute by knocking him
down with the butt end. Finally Webb and Bowler, with
the four brothers of the former, were secured, and taken to
prisoa. In the course of the search seven sacks of stolen
wheat were discovered, the property of a farmer about
seven miles off.
The six prisoners were taken on the following day before
the Bench of Magistrates, and, after a very full investiga-
tion, the two former were fully committed on the capital
charge of shooting at Mr. Smith, with intent to kill, &c. ;
Robert Webb, for stealing the wheat; and the other three
for assaulting the parties who went to apprehend them.
The farm occupied by Mr. Smith is in a very retired and
wild part of the country, bordering upon the three coun-
ties of Bucks, Berks, and Oxford, where for some time a
portion of the peasantry have been acting in a most lawless
manner. While the search described above was going on,
the mother of the Webbs, with one or two more, went
into another of Mr. Smith's cottages, armed with axes,
hammers, &c., and had proceeded far in demolishing the
little abode, before they could be stopped. A very 'short
time ago a farmer, who had given some offence to the worst
portion of the people in the neighbourhood, found in the
morning, in one of his fields, five valuable rams with their
throats cut, and their sides and backs trodden in and crushed,
evidently by persons wearing iron-tipped shoes, in order to
render the meat unsaleable.

HATTON-GARDEN.

A few days ago Mr. Van Sandon, solicitor, of No. 31
Mecklenburgh-square, attended at this office, and applied
to Mr. Laing for a warrant of assault against a Mr. James
Dignam, solicitor ; and a peace warrant against a Major
Quarle.
Mr. Van Sandon stated that Mr. Dignam had horse-
whipped bin), and Major Quark had threatened to see him
in his grave. Mr. Laing granted the warrant against Mr.
Dignam, but not against the Major ; and on Saturday last
the parties attended at the effice, when Mr. Dignam was
ordered to put in hail, himself in 1001., and two sureties
in 501. each. Major Quark being present, Mr. Sandon
made his charge against him, when the Major said that a
quarrel took place between the parties, and he merely inter-
fered in the character of a mediator ; and Mr. Laing or-
dered him to put in his own recognizances of 50/. to keep
the peace towards the complainant, which be did immediately.
Yesterday Mr. Van Sandon applied for a copy of the
recognizances, which was refused him by the clerk ; and
shortly altar he entered the office evidently excited, and
whilst the clerk was taking down the evidence in a ease of
felony he addressed Mr. Laing, and requested to have a-
copy of the recognizances in the above cases.
Mr. LAING refused him, and said that he had decided
on the cases, and he would not deviate from the regular
course adopted at that office.
Mr. Van Sandon (violently)—Then I insist upon having
a sight of them, in order to show who the parties are, and
I claim it as a right.
Mr. LAING said he liad no right to make such a claim,
and he would not grant his request.
Mr. Van Sandon--I again insist upon it as a right, as I
have a case in the Court of King's Bench, where it will be
necessary to prove who and what they are.
Mr. LAING—You shall not have what von ask for.
Mr. Van Sandon—You have no legal right to refuse
me ; am I to understand that you positively deny me ?
Mr. LUNG—Most certainly I do.
Mr. Van Sandon—Then, if you do, I shall apply to the
Secretary of State, and see what he says about the matter.
1 now ask you whether Major Quarle put in his recog-
nizance in that name, to ascertain whether he has given
that as his real name ?

Mr. LAING—He put in his personal recognizance here,
and if you make any disturbance here and interfere with
the regular business I shall call upon my brother-magis-
trate (Mr. RouEo to assist me and exercise his authority.
Mr. ROGERS concurred with Mr. LAING that he had no
right to claim a copy of the recognizance, and suggested
that he would be silent.
Mr. Van Sandon said he bowed with submission to the
Bench ; but he still contended that he was claiming only a
right to enable him to produce necessary evidence in a case
coming on in the King's Bench.
Mr. LAING told him that the Court was now sitting,
and he might if he thought proper apply for " his right"
there.

Mr. Van Sendon than left the office with his friend, com-
plaining that he had not been justly treated, and that he
would apply to the Secretary of State upon the subject.
Mr. LAING said to Mr. ROGERS that as the Court of
King's Bench was now sitting if the applicant thought he
could claim it as his right, he could apply for a mandamus.