Star.
London, England, 1823-09-09 00:00:00

LONDON SESSIONS.

Yesterday, the Sessions for the City of London
were held before the LORD MAYOR, the RECORDER,
Aldermen Sir U. C. GLYN, C. &UM, COS, LUCAS,
and Thomism

The RECORDER, in his charge to the Grand Jury,
said, he regretted to state to them that the calendar
for the ensuing Sessions was unusually heavy, and
that the number was greater than he remembered for
many years, particularly on the London side.
T. Forster, the driver of a Blackheath coach, was
charged with having, on the 20th of May last, driven
a certain coach wilfully and carelessly, so as to in-
flict an injury on the person of a Gentleman named
Finlaysan.
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Mr. BOLLAND stated the case for the prosecution,
which, he said, was the first that had been instituted
under a very salutary Act, which had been passed
about two years ago for the protection of the Public
against the careless driving in which men of the de-
fendant's class were apt to indulge. The prosecutor,
Mr. Finlayson, was probably known to the Jury as
the publisher of the Price Current, which went under
his name. The first witness examined by the Learned
Counsel was

Michael Davison, who deposed, that he is the
.driver of a Blackheath coach. The defendant was
also the driver of a Blackheath coach. On the 20th
of May last, witness was returning to Blackheath,
when he drew up at the foot of Fish-street-hill, to
take up a passenger. Witness drew up on the near,
or left side of the road, not close to the curb, nor far
enough from it to allow a coach to pass clear be-
tween. Mr. Finlayson was an outside passenger.--
The witness's coach was in the position described,
and the passenger was about to step into it when the
defendant came down the hill, and instead of passing
on the off side, as he ought to have done, he drove in
between witness's coach and the curb. Witness's
coach was upset by the violence of the shock, and the
hind wheel was smashed. Witness, at the moment of
the shock, was too much frightened to observe what
had happened behind, but he afterwards found Mr.
Finlayson on the ground, with his leg broken. A
wheel had probably gone over it. The defendant
drove on, though he was called after.
The cad or guard of the coach driven by the last
witness, deposed, that he opened the door on the left
side to let in the passenger. The passenger was just
stepping in, when the defendant drove in, and obliged
witness and the passenger to save themselves by'
running off. The coach was then upset, and Mr.
Finlayson's leg run over. Witness saw a bone from
his leg picked out of the kennel.
Mr. Finlayson was then examined. He sat during
the examination. He corroborated the statement of
the two fist witnesses, as• to the situation of their
coach, and the manner in which the defendant drove
pn the wrong side between it and the curb. Witness
felt the coach going over, and after that was insen-
sible, until lie found that he had been taken up with
his leg broken. It had since been amputated. Wit-
ness was still under professional care.
Mr. Travers stated, that he found Mr. Finlayson
labouring under a compound fracture, which ren-
dered amputation necessary.
The defendant, in his defence, expressed his regret
for what had happened ; but said it was owing to
the first witness not drawing up his coach in a proper
manner close to the curb.

For the defence, one of the passengers gave a dif-
ferent account of what had happened : but it ap-
peared the witness was not in a situation from whence
he could see all that happened. The defendant was
conside►ed a steady driver. -
The RECORDER, in his charge, said, by the new
Act, which, in fact, was only declaratory of the law
as it stood before, it was made the duty of these
coachmen to drive with such a degree of care as to
avoid danger as far as human beings could avoid it ;
and if by want of due care they occasioned an injury
to any one, they were answerable for that injury to
the extent of their want of care.

The Jury found the defendant Guilty. The defend-
, ant cried exces,ively, and pleaded the month's im-
, prisoninent he had already undergone in mitigation.
The RX.CORDER said, it should be made known
amongst the coachmen that the hair-breadth driving
to which they were accustomed, could not be per-
mitted, and that they must not run any danger for
their own convenience. It was the duty of the de-
fendant to have stopped at the least hazard, for coach=
men were not to be allowed to take-the chance of
danger to any one. In consideration of the impzison-
ment he had already undergone, the sentence of the
Court was, that the defendant should be imprisoned
fur three months in the Compeer.
MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.
Yesterday these Sessions commenced before FRAN
CIS Cotisr, Esq. Chairman. There was a very thin
attendance of Grand Jurors.

James. Perry was indicted for assaulting a man
named Kapol. The defendant, it appeared, is a pastry-
cook in Oxford-street, and the pi opriewr of a farm

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at Paddington. The prosecutor acted as his steward.
Upon
,the day laid in the indictment, Perry was at
the farm, and finding fault with the way in which
some hay was scattered about, a dialogue ensued be-
tween him and Kapol, in the course of which, he
called the latter " an insulting fellow ;" and was told
in reply that ".he was an old pastry-cook fellow,"
and a 44 leering fellow; upon which he threatened
to knock Kapol's head from his shoulders. Kapol
told him he might do it as soon as he liked. He im-
mediately knocked Kapol off the stool on which he
was sitting milking a cow; and seizing a pitchfork,
stuck him In the jaw and hand with it; and struck
. him several blows on the ribs while down. • In some
time afterwards, When turning him out of the house,
he held his arm against the post of the door, and
threatened to break it, if he did not instantly leave
the house. The surgeon's hill for attendance on the
prosecutor, in consequence of the injuries he received
upon this occasion, amounted to six guineas. When
Kapol was first struck, he told the defendant that was
all he wanted, and he should take the law of him.
The Jury found a verdict of Guilty ; and the de-
fendant was sentenced to pay a fine of 201.
Articles of the peace were exhibited by Mr. Anot.-
elms, on behalf of Mrs. Chatterley, against Mrs.
Christmas. The facts were not read aloud; but from
one or two observations interchanged by the Court
and Counsel, it appeared that Mrs. Chatterley com-
plained of Mrs. Christmas following her in the streets
and various other places, even occasionally disguised,
and molesting her wherever she found her.
M. Riley, lVm. Dee, Emanuel Levi, and —Jack-
son, were indicted for keeping an unlawful gaming-
house, in St. James's ; but no evidence appearing in
support of the indictment, they were acquitted.
During the remainder-of the day the Court was
occupied with assault cases of no public interest.