The Sun.
London, England, 1858-02-08 00:00:00

e--
c-

_

PE it

7"

COXVICTIOX OF .A QUIRGY MAN FOR

DR UNKENNESS.

Oa Thursday afternoon, at the Town-hall, Little
Bolton, (before W. F. Hulton, P. R. Arrowsniith,
and H. Blair, 'Esqs.), the Rev. John Swithenbank,
curate of Belmont' was pummoned by the superin-
tendent of police for being drunk on Sunday, the
24th January.
James Hcoley, one of the county. constabulary,
was near the Belmont Church on Sunday afternoon
about a quarter past 2 o'clock, and saw Mr.
Swithenbank fall on the steps entt ring the church-
yard. He went to him, and assisted in getting
him up and taking him home. He smelt of spirits,
and appeared to be tipsy.
James Metcalfe, a boy, stated that about half-past
12 o'-ulOck on Sunday, Jan. 24, he saw Mr. Sti,ithin
bank g Aug on the lodge bank at Belmont. About
five minu.es after he saW him fall against a wall 011 ,
the ditch side.. He could not get up again, and
Heury Higham went to him and got him up. Wm.
Reed also came and assisted in raising him from the
ground. They all three-went hom., with h'm, and
took him into the passage. Mr. Swithenb2nk sat-
dlwn in the kitchen,• and witness was with him:
from half-past 12 o'clock, when be saw him on the
lodge bank, until half-pant 2, when the balls rang
for church. During that litne Mr..Scrithenbank
had -only ab ut three parts of a glass of „le. Except
this he hid nothing ei her to eat or drink. Witness •
did not hear him say that he was unWel. When
the bells rang for afternoon service Mr. Swithen
bank got .ready to go to church. Witne• s went be-
hind him as far as the church wall, and saw that
when he put his fo3t on the step he staggered and
fal. Witness then went up to him,and was attempt-
ing to rai e him, when -the policeman and Wm.
Recd came up. Mr. Switheubank was unable to
czo to c!iurch, and there was no sm.% ice that after- -
noon.

Wm. RTed,.who stated that he was occasionally
a teaciier at the B2lmont Church Sunday School,
said he was at church when Mr. Swithenbank offi-
ciated. The service was over at fivo miuutts past:
12 o'clock. He did not preach-as he ought to Nava
done ; lie scauclaliPed the people of the village..
Witness saw him leave the church after s-rvlca.
He stumbled as he wunt, first ok one ade and t ea
on the otht r. He did not read itiayers as he bh tad
have done. He miesed part of the third command- '
ment.

Mr. Thos. Dewhunt, a member of Mr. Switten-
bank's choir, said be had occasion to go to Mr.
S ithen hank in the v; stry on the morning in ques-
tion, and noticed that h,3 sni It very strongly of
liquo-. During prayers he wade many mistakes,
and sitcom had no doubt that 11,3 was in liquor. Ia
the afternoon wiheAs said-he was at church, and
.is at the door when Mr. Swithenbank f! 11.
Mr. Iticiaardstm addressed the magistrates for the,
dc ft nda n t, and called the defendant; who stated that-
the eariypart Nov. he hid b- en much en-
giTed• in visiting his congrogation, in.conscquetee
of the h:reralence of typhus tev,r. In one Wilily
had ben nine cases, and 1:0 had bean with'
them at all hours. His heal:11 had suffered in Conse-
quence, and Le was also subject to epileptic ft a.
011 Sunday, at noon, ho received a note from Mr.
Wraith, surgeon, requeating him to administer the
list consota•fons of religion to Mrs. Sinn, who
was dying, and Laying got his dinner in a few
minutes,' he took a wine-glass of gin mixed w-th
wa'er, as recommended by Mr. Wralh, as a dis-
infe,:tivo, and then starred for Smith's house, which
is about two miles off. This was the first spirits
he had tasted that day, and he solemnly declared
Le was not drunk.

. Mr.. S. H.. Wraith, surgeon, Over -Darweu, had
equently met the defendant at Smith s, and, there
co many cas•-s of typhus fever in the house,
he thJught it his dety to recommend the reverend
gentlemeo. to take a little spirits and water, and to
smoke, if Le c)uld, before visiting stv.:ll cases. The
defendant might-stagger cr fall either from epilepsy
or ex.au3tion.

The magistnteP, having careully considered the
case, regretted that th'y could coma to no other
conclusion than that the charge was proved, and
that the usual fine of ss. must, I.)J imposed.
Mr. Richardson said he should he couspelled to
resist the conviction in every way ho could, in
order to def,nd the character of his client, which
was injured thtongh appearances, which admitted
of explanation.

~\` ~/4q
'J\!\`Y

.- - --;--- ''
At Wickwar Mr. Smith procured a g , giving-life;
name as Mr. Henry Johnson; of 7, it 4 qyeetviif:Lry St. Paul's, Bristol, and was driven to dgiirjo.._....l street. On Thursday Sergeant Russe ,--Aer then S
440,
Glocestershir e county police came to Bristelram4, :
accompaniei by one of the det,:ctive force of that
city, proceeded to the residedce of Mr. Smith at
Clifton, where they apprehended both him and his '
wife on a charge of highway robbery and attempted .
murder. In searching the house a parcel contain-
ing a shirt, collar, satin scarf, fir-4' i,ockat hauder-
CI i r,-Lai-i.arkedwith Mr. Leach's name, was
found. The prisoners, as already stated, were on
Fti-lay brought before the Rev. W. Mocrhouse at
the Clft3n Union. The prosecutor was too unwell.,
t 3 be a‘ile to aitead, but sufficient evidence wag
adduced to warrant a remand till Thursday next,
trail being accepted for their appearance on that._
day,