The Sun.
London, England, 1829-07-27 00:00:00

bIARYLEBONE.

On Saturday John Griffith, a man of fashion, and
said to be a Captain in the army, was brought be-
fore Mr. HOSKINS and Mr. GRIFFITH, to answer
charges made against him by Miss Frances Carver,
of No. 34, Pancras-place, New-road, and her sister.
The young ladies a ere accompanied by their
mother, and the eldest, who appears about 19,
stated, that on the night of the 13th of April she
was detained until a late hour in Chancery-lane;
and as she and her sister were returning home about
eleven o'clock, the defendant came up, and asked if
he might ►walk home with than. She gave him to
understand that they were females of good reputa-
tion, and desired hint to leave their company, but—
" Oh !" said he, " if I may not go ►with you, come
with me, and I will give you some wine." He
caught up her sister (►who is a year or two younger
than herself) in his arms, and kissed her, and be-
haved ►►ith great indelicacy in other respects to-
wards her. The witness resented his conduct by
throwing her pattens at him, and he in return struck
her with a thick stick, and dislocated two of her
ribs. She never saw the defendant before that
night, and did not meet ►with him again until Mon-
day, and then she watched him to his lodgings at
No. 12, Smith-street, Somers-town, and obtained a
►warrant for his apprehension.
The defendant treated the charge with contempt,
and said it was in great measure fabricated, for the
purpose of extorting money.

Mr. HOSKINS asked him if he denied striking the
complainant'?
" 1 do not deny striking her," replied the de-
fendant, " but it was with this stick (a very small
cane), and it is impossible for her to have received
the injury she complains of from it. At the time
mentioned, Sir, I saw these two girls walking to-
gether, and they looked at me, and smiled : it was
the levity of their conduct, in fact, which drew my
attention towards them. I asked them to take
some wine with me. I told the little one she was
well made, and her pretty little waist was well set
off by a good bustle. 1 put my arms round her
neck, and kissed her : she tried to prevent me, and
I said, Get away, you cross little vagabond,' and
left. I had not walked many steps when I heard a
patter whiz by my bead ; I turned round and said,
You little vagabond, if you do that again I will give
you a blow upon your bottom.' The complainant
threw another at me, arid I returned and struck her
gently with this switch upon her bustle, and not
near her side. As soon as I got home, I told my
landlady I had been attacked by two women, and
they threw their pattens at me. If, Sir, I had
done the mischief complained of, I should not have
mentioned the circumstance to any one, and I say
again it is an attempt to extort money."
Miss Carver said the stick which the defendant
carried that night was a large one, and Burridge, the
officer, who took Mr. Griffith into custody, told the
Magistrates he had seen the surgeon who attended
Miss Carver on the occasion for three weeks, and he
confirmed her story.

Mr. HOSKINS told the defendant he had made a
very bad case worse, by the imputation he had cast
upon the complainant, of endeavouring to extort
money, and be should fine him 5/. " Very well,
Sir," said Mr. Griffith, and he drew some notes
from his pocket, but Mrs. Carver preferred prose-
cuting him, and, instead of paying a fine, be was
ordered to give bail for his appearance at the sessions.
Mr. Griffith asked permission to make pecuniary
compensation for the injury Miss Carver complained
of, for he had promised to join company with some
friends immediately on the Continent, and he could
not be present at the sessions.

Mr. Hosmss told him he would not be a party to
any compromise. He must be present at the ses-
sions, and he mould be held in custody until he gave
the b3il required.