The Sun.
London, England, 1819-11-19 00:00:00

THE KING V. CHARLES WHITCOMB.

This defemlnot, an Excise Officer, was convicted
before Mr. BMA!) Graham, of forging thecertll7-
care of a Sul vr) or of Excise. •

Mr. A. Muotto moved in arrest Ofjudgment Upon
a point of pleading ; and, under all the circum•
stances of the case,
The defendant was ordered to he discharge&

• THE KING V. BRYCE STORE, ESQ.
This Gentleman was convicted at the last Assizes
for Hereford, of an assault upon Richard Bidden,
a surveyor of taxes. The prosecution had been
taker up by the Board of Taxes. It appeared,
that at an election dinner at Hereford the defen-
dant refuied•to drink the health at a Gentleman
proposed. This gave offence to the prosecutor,
who making an insulting 'commentary upon the
occasion, the defendant flung a glass bottle at his
head, which wounded him severely.
Mr. JARVIS now prayed the judgment at the
Court upon the defendant, for whom air. 0.
Rimell appeared.

Tbe CouRT, after animadverting upon the cir-
cumstance of the prosecution being taken up by
the Board of Taxes, and the oppressive meaSore
of removing an indictment into this Court, which
might. have been well disposed of at the Sessionn,
and at the same time observing with some warmth
upon the prosecutor's ovoking conduct, ordered
the defendant to be discharged on his own recog-
nizance ti 1001, to *court op 'for judgment when

called upon, anti to keep the peace towards the
prosecutor.

THE KING V. JOHN HUTCHINSON.

Thig defendant was convicted at the last Essex
Assizes of assaulting and obstructing an excise
officer, named William Ford, in the execution of
his duty. He *as sentenced to pay a fine of NI.

THE KING V. WILLIAM SOUTER AND DANIEL

H(LLES.

These defendants were convicted at the last Sus-
sex Assizes of a conspiracy, by perjured evidence,
to condemn the sloop Judith, Oil a charge of
suttiggling. It will he recollected that the de-
fendant Sauter was one of the persons convicted
in the beginning of the year of perjury, in prefer-
ring a false twusation of smuggling against Mr.
Hem y, of Arundel, and that he was then sen-
tenced to two years imprisonment. Both de-
tentlants were now sentenced to two years impri-
sonment each in Horsham Gaol.

THE KING V. JOHN REEVES AND SEVEN OTHERS.
These defendants were convicted at the last
Sussex Assizes of a riot in the town of Selsey,
and of an assault upon Charles Saunders, an Ex-
cise-officer, in the execution of his duty. The
detendauts were sentenced as follows :—John
Reeves, six months imprison oent in Horsham
gaol, a fine of 501., and fiod security for his good
behaviour for three years, -himsellin MI, and
two stiredeS in 501 each ; William Bennell, the
like term of inapt i,ownLai, al the same gaol, and
to find security for three years, himself io ;001
anal ca,a sureties in 251. each ; William Page and
Chat les Benoeli, t h re:: innoths' inyrisonment,
and to find seenril for tat like term as the others,
themselves iu 501., and two sureties in 201 each;
and Joint Page, din Appleton. and Charles Ben-
nell, two mon hi' imprisonment, and to find se-
entities for three years, themselves in 501., and
two Snteiies itr 101. each.
ALUMED OUTRAGES AT COVENTRY.
Mr CHITTY tooved for a title to spew cause
why a re iminal twormation should not be filed
ireainst Jeremi:ilt Goodall, High Constable of the
City of Coven ry, and certain other persons
named in the Jfidavits, for certain alleged acts of
outrage comtnit red at a public meeting, held on the
15th inst. in the neighbourhood of Coventry.
The Learned Counsel stated the following facts
from the affidavits, in support of the motion :—A
short time previous to the 15th inst. a requisition,
signed by upwards of 700 of the most respectable
inhabitants of Coventry, was presented to the
Mayor of that city, calling upon him to convene
a public meeting, to take into consideratiou the
late ttinsactions at Manchester; but with which
revisi:ion the Mayor ;dosed to comply, assign.
log for reason that he had a strong disinclination
to have any such meeting in the town. In con-
seqoeuce of this refusal, a hand-bill, signed by the
said requisitionists, and expressed in terms which
removed all idea of violating the public peace, or
of creating any disturbance, was circulated, an-
nounciog that the said intended meeting would
nevertheless take place at Friar's-green, being
about the distance of half a mile from the town.
In pursuance of this notice, a meeting accordingly
took place on thelsth inst. at the appointed spot,
at which from two to three hundred respectable
inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood were
present, when, a Chairman being appointed, a
calm and temperate discussion upon the sobjeci of
the Meeting took place. No disposition to riot
or disturbance was manifested by any indiv;dual,
not withstanding the inflammatory nature of the
subject, which had previously agitated the public
mind in different parts of the conntly. Tempo-
rary hustings had been erected ; and Or,: affida-
vits then proceeded to state, that whilst the dis-
cussion was in its progress, a large body of spe-
Cial constables, to the amount of 600, at the head
of whom was Mr.Goodall, rushed in amongst the
crowd, for,the purpose of dispersing them by vio-
lence. Many of these special constables were
armed with cudgels, loaded at the head witi lead,
and without any previous intimation, warning to
disperse, or notice that the Meeting was unlaw-
ful, proceeded to lay about them, right and left,
amongst the unarmed multitude. Beating every
person,who came in their way, with these dan-
gerous weapons, they at length succeeded in dis-
persing file Meeting. The affidavits proceeded to
state, that many of the people, thus exposed in a
defenceless state to the violence of the assailants,
were seriously injured and wounded.
Mr. Justice BAYLEY--Have you the names of
those persons so stated to be injured ?
Mr. CHITTY..-NO, Iny Lord ; but the facts I
have stated are vouched by the affidavits of several
respectable individuals.
The CHIEF JUSTICE—OH whose behalf do you
make this application, and whw are the persons
that make the affidavits ?
Mr. CHITTY--My Lord, I make the application
at the instance of the Secretary of the Meeting,
who was present on the occasion, Mr. Lewis, a
respectable inhabitant of Coventry, and to whom
the people in that part of tile country look tip for
protection and support. l'he•aiffidsvits proceed
to state, that the constables immediately began
to Pull down the hustings, "%Without producing any
-warrant -or authority for their conduct. The
people attempted to disperse in the most peace-
able mariner, but instead of being permitted so to
.do, the constables lay about them as heavily as
they could with the weapons I have described ;
and the affidavits then state, that a great number
of the persons. so dispersed are materially injured..
This application is made against the High Coo-
stable and other individuals, who took the most
active part of the transaction:— ' -
• Mr. Justice BAYLEY—HOW far do you impli-
cate these persons•with this transaction
Mr. CHITTY—The affidavits state, that they
came on the hustings, and were employed in ac-
tively encouraging their. assistants to lay on the
people with their sticks. My Lords, 1 trust 1
need not urge any argument to slim the import-
ance of having the question, whether these meet-
ings May be- so dispersed, deliberately•discussed,
in order to quiet the, minds of the people. upon a
subject so interesting to the feelings and preju-
dices of Englishmen. In this point of view alone
I should hope your Lordships would entertain this
mot ion,

Air. Justice BAYLEY.—.It is certainly illegal for
any Officer ()fins! ice, in the execution of tiffs duty,
to use weapons of a dangerous nature, unless the

necessity of the case requires it. The case you
represent upon these affidavits seems sufficient t°
justify the Court in calling upon these parties for
some answer to the application.
The Judges (Mr. Justice Holroyd was absent)
having delibera,ed for a few momt•nts,
The CHIEF JUSTICE said, take a rule to she/
cause.—Rule to whew cause granted.

COURT OF ME DEAN AND CHAPTER OF ST. PAUL'S'

NULLITY OF MARRIAGE.

BRITTEN AGAINST NICtIoLRON,. FALSELY CALLING
HERSELF BRITTEN. •
In this cause, which is one of Nullity of Mar'
riage, by reason of minority, it appears that Win.
Britten, the parry, promoting the snit, %vas bur"
in the parish of St. James, in the city of Bristol,
no the 9th of May, 1793 ; and that oo the
26th of April, in the year 1814, a license for
the marriage of these parties was applied for and
obtained from the office of the Consistoriar Court
in London, by Charlotte Rebecca Nicholson, then
a spinster. The marriage was solemnized on the
Ist of May following, n it hoot, as it was pleaded,
the consent of the father of Wm.- Britten, a minor,
he being at that time of the age of twenty years
and upwards, but under 21. On this libel five.
witnesses had been examined, and interrogatories
administered, bit no counter allegation given in'
The dates both of the birth and baptism of the
party promoting the suit appe4red from an-entrt
made by Benjamin Britten, the father, in an old
Bible, which was brought into Court. 'r
he
evidence of the mother went to depose, that the
marriage was had altogether without the priciti
or consent either of het husband or herself, and
t ha: she had learned from another son, 3-5e1)1"
Britten (deceased), that an improper intercourse
had subsisted previously berveen his hi-other aml
the articulate Charlotte Rebecca.; that tile Whet'
manifested the greatest divress and vexation 00
the news being communicated to hint; and that
the first intimation she hersdf had had of the
event, was on the occasioi• of her seein, the de"
fentignt looking through the window of (40/1
counting-hotise, when her son said, as she ,ticingb.!
inculaily, pointing to defendant, " Mrs. B. 'mu.
The deposition of the father was to the same ef'
feet, on the material points of the birth and 1411'
tism ; as was that of Ann Waters, a servant wit':
had formerly lived with the fat herand mother, an",
on calling on the latter on the 10th May,' 793,1000
that her late mistress had been delivered, on the
preceding day, of the child who is the minor in this
suit. Among the exhibits, the entry of haptisnl,
from the registry of the parish church of St, James'
Mistol, on the 9th August, 1793, and mentioning
the birth as occorring-on the Dub May, 1793, "731,
pleaded as strongly corroborative of the fact "`
minority.
The Learned Ju'dge (Dr. JENNE R), at el stating
the occasion of the suit, observed, that both par'
ties were minors. At the obtaining of the licence'
C. R. Nicholson, the party proceeded ag4iiisf,tyfa
attended by, and preductd the consent of, her 13'
ther. So that it was perfectly valid as on net
part ; 'hut, as 'had been well observed, the hl'
band wds, at the time of its solemnization, witFitl
only eight. days of his majority. Dates, tl!ere-
fore, were of the most essential importance;
these not being pleaded with sufficient acuraelrf
the Court thought itself bound, in justice to la'
the pa;lics, to obscrve the same course that ‘O5
taken in "...Johnston and Parker," by giving theili
air opportunity to examine the Bible, and t
the exhibits, with the utmost care, and to [Ace"'
them with the most minute particularity.—CW
elusion of the cause rescinded.

CRUP.LTY TO ANlMALS.—Richard Merryman,
Smithfield drover, was brought before the Sitting
Magistrate at Queen-square, charged us jot'
lows :—On Monday night, the prisoner, driving $
flock of sheep through Tothill-street to a slaug"
ter-house, one of them ran round, the
ner, but it was stopped, and it mixed wit'
the rest. The priltmer, however, selectirig
it out, brought it back, and beat the pout:
Creature so dreadfully with a stick upon the lie°
and nose, that it dropped down, apparently dead;
when, to make it rise again, he began to probe
ric;
eyes and head with an iron spike, till the gro'"),
was covered with blood. A great mob co lectel
and several reprobated him tor his brutality
which he appeared regardless, and still continue('
his inhumanity. A Gentleman passing by rall°";
strated with him, but in .vain ; he in the m°'
menacing manner threatened to serve him is the
same way, unless he held his tongue, sating rt
was no business of his, and he had no right to in-
terfere. The Gentleman immediately represented
the case at this Office, when a' warrant was grant
ed against him, and lie was taken into cusfel
I'uple.—Theby Magistrate censured his contW
in the severest terms, and fined him, conformabil
to the Act of Parliament, in the penalty of giij
which being linable to pay, he was committed t
Tothill•tields litidewell for the space of one mgOir;
tii
A CatmON.—A Mll aof decent and respectilu„,;
appearance came the other evening into a
House, in Oxford-street, and after. pretending
read the newspaper, he exchanged his hat, Er
walked off with the topcoat and umbrella, 0,e.;
longing to a Gentleman who was at dinner ill gu
same room.
The feelings of the people in Dundee are st
present muck agitated, on account of the n!lrnb
ee
of dead bodies carried off from. the burying-
grounds. The persons employed in (1)13 abort'.
m
liable traffic have raised, according to report, _
bodies last week, and packed the in six .bps 116".
which were sent to Edinburgh by one a t -
smacks.

-.-

MARRIED. f
Brigbt°l
On the 16th inst. at Sheffield, Mr. E. Valiance,
to Miss Ashhurst.
•

Dr n. . $t 6014
On the 18th inst. in his 74th year, the Rer.T.C.mg
44 years Minister of the Hamburgh Church.
,ffitric6.
A few days ago, at the seat of her brother, in corls"`dol•-
of a locked jaw, which proceeded from baring a tootnnh 0014,
the week before, Miss Gordan, sister to Chalks ',.••• -- ,
Esq. of Wiscomb Park, in Downshsre.
_.......!

G►eat
LONDON: Printed 113. B. CARSTAIRS, of No. 2'4 IV, 3'
Ormond-street, Wuen-square; and published tiV
SCRIPPS, of No. 7, South lolton-street, at Tgjrdcrfr
(Mice, No. 112. s:rand ; where Adveitisements)
larttcr, &c. (post-pnii) must be adirassed•

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