The Sun.
London, England, 1834-08-18 00:00:00

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

SINGULAR AFFRAY.—As the business of this office
was about to close on Saturday afternoon, two gentlemen,
accompanied by a policeman, came before Messrs. DYER
and CHAMBERS, the sitting magistrates, one of them hav-
ing a charge of assault to prefer against the other. The
complainant appeared with one of the tails of his frock-coat
minus, and the defendant exhibited symptoms of very con-
siderable excitement.

Mr. DYER inquired of the policeman if he had any evi-
dence to give in the matter ? Policeman C 53, said he

knew nothing more than that he had been informed the de-
fendant had committed an assault on the complainant, who
was in his gig, and that he had torn one of the tails off
his coat.

The complainant then stated that he was in a pony-
chaise, driving through Berkeley-square, about half an
hour previous, when the defendant, who was walking, ac-
companied by two younr, females, " halloed" to him,and he
pulled up. The defendant' asked him to give him his ad-
dress, to which complainant replied, he had not the plea-
sure of knowing who it was that made the demand. The
defendant answered, that had nothing to do with the case,
and insisted upon havint, his address ; the defendant added
that he was the friend of Colonel Lawtie, and he must have
his card before he left him, at the same time laying hold of
.the pony with the view of stopping the animal. Complain-
ant attempted to drive on, upon which the defendant laid
hold of the tail of his coat and tore it off he (the defen-
dant), being thrown down in consequence of the horse going
forward.

Defendant (vehemently)—Did you not raise the whip to
me ? Complainant—No, I did not.
-The Magistrates requested the defendant to moderate
his anger, and to give his explanation of the affair.
Defendant—l am Colonel Grant, and a friend to Colonel
Lawtie, who is an old man, between 70 and SO years of
age, between whom and the complainant some quarrel has
occurred. My old friend Colonel Lawtie has been as-
saulted barbarously several times by a monster as he has
been walking in the public streets, and on his mentioning
the treatment he had received to me, I told him I was
sorry I had not been present on those occasions. As I was
walking with a young lady and my daughter through
I3erkeley-square this day, the young lady pointed out the
defendant, who was in a chaise, and told me •he was the
man who had so grossly treated Colonel Lawtie. I imme-
diately went up to him, with the sole view, upon my oath
and honour, as a public man, for I did not wish the name
of any parties to be lugged before the public, of telling him
that a warrant was out against him, and that if he gave me
his address, and promised not to molest the poor gentleman
again, the matter would not be proceeded with ; but before
Iliad time to explain, he lashed his horse and me furiously,
and as the horse went on I was thrown against the rails,
and being naarly stunned, I caught hold of the first thing I
could to save myself, which happened to be the complain-
ant's coat tail. I was thrown down on the ground, and the
coat tail was left in my hand.

Complainant—Did I not stop my horse when you
beckoned to me ? Defendant—l took off my- hat cour-
teously to you when I asked for your address ; and s?eing
you put your hand in your pocket, I thought it was for the
purpose of giving in,. your card ; but you drove off sud-
denly, and I was obliged to lay hold of whatever came in
my way.
Mr. DYER asked if the complainant had any witnesses?
James Whitnell, carpenter, said he saw the transaction ;
and though the complainant did not strike the defendant
with his whip, he was of opinion he ought to have done so
pretty " loudly."
Mr. CHAMBERS—This is not St. Monday, man. Have
you not been drinking? Witness—l'll own to have taken a
glass or two.
The daughter of Colonel Grant, who was walking in his
company when the affair occurred, camp forward and said,
when the defendant was pointed out by a young lady who
was walking with her father, her father beckoned to him ;
and on the complainant pulling up, took off his hat, and
asked for his address ; the answer of the complainant wit-
ness could not hear, but she saw him whip her father over
the shoulders as hard as he could.

Colonel Grant informed the Magistrates that the young
lady was present ;., but he did not wish to have her name
transpire, as it wonld be exceedingly distressing to her
friends to know that it had been necessary for her to appear
at the police office.
Mr. CHAMBERS—There is a warrant out against you,
S!r (to the complainant,) and, therefore, it will be necessary
for you to tell your address before you quit this office.
Complainant—My name is Felix Whitmore, and I live
at No. 43, Bridge-place, Harrow-road.
Mr. CHAMBERS—What are you ? Complainant—No-
thing at all. Colonel Lawtie knows my family intimately,
and he must be acquainted with ni y address. Colonel
Lawtie has grossly assaulted me several times ; and I was
obliged to proceed against him when in Paris, for spitting
in my face. Colonel Lawtie then made an ample apology
before three judges.

Mr. DYER remarked, the Bench could know nothing
judicially of the disagreements betwixt the complainant, and
Colonel Lawtie ; and as Colonel Lawtie was not present,
it would be better to abstain from all allusion to them until
the warrant was heard.

Colonel Grant declared he was entirely ignorant of the
merits of the quarrel between the parties, his object in ac-
costing the defendant being merely with a view of pacifica-
tion.

The complainant having re-asserted that he did not whip
Colonel Grant intentionally, and that Colonel Grant tore
off his coat tail in the attempt to stop him,
The MAGISTRATES allowed Mr. Whitmore's groom to
be called in.

The groom merely said, if the whip did touch Colonel
'Grant, it did not hurt him, and he saw Colonel Grant lay
hold of the skirt of his master's coat.

Colonel Grant then said he would _call the young lady
fon:yard, if the Magistrates would allow her name to be kept
secret.

The complainant said he did not wish her name to trans-
pire, and the Bench assented to this arrangement.
A young and handsome lady then stepped forward, and,
judging from the looks of indignation which she darted at
the complainant, she appeared to take a very particular in-
terest in the matter. t Having whispered her name to the
clerk, her evidence went to the complete corroboration of
Miss Grant's.
The Magistrates expressed themselves satisfied that the
assault had not been proved, and therefore dismissed the
complaint.
Mr. ClumßEßs informed Colonel Grant that their deci-
sion would prevent any other proceedings in a superior
court taking place.
The parties then retired.
MAR YLEBONE.

John Liddle, a Yorkshireman, ;pplied to the sitting ma-
gistrate for a summons against the Governor of the House
of Correction, Coldbath-fields, for refusing to pay him two
months' wages for picking oakum when in that prison.
Mr. SHUTT, the Magistrate, addressing himself to the
applicant, said, " But the Governor had to maintain you
out of the work."
Applicant—Maintain me, indeed ! I had nothing but
water-gruel, which costs little or nothing.
MAnisTRATE—I am sorry I cannot assist you ; you
must apply to the Visiting Justices at the Sessions House.
Applicant—God bless you, I thought all Magistrates
were Visitine, Justices ; at least I know that I was visited
pretty severely at this office for merely giving a policeman a
blow which he richly deserved.
The applicant, on being again told by the Magistrate
that he could not assist him, left the office.

WORSHIP-STREET.
A middle-aged woman, named Elizabeth Cainteen, was
brought before Mr. HosiciNs, charged with having damaged
the clothes of several persons by throwing out of her win-
dow, in the Willow-walk, St. Luke's, a bottle of oil of vitriol
on them. The woman said the bottle fell out of her hand
accidentally. It having been proved to the satisfaction of
the Magistrate, that the thing was intentional, he ordered
her to pay 195., the amount of injury done to the clothes of
the only person who appeared. In default of payment she
was locked up.