Star.
London, England, 1824-12-17 00:00:00

HUNT V. NEWCOMB AND OTHERS.

Mr.. Hunt appeared on the floor of the Court to conduct his own
case, and addressed the Jury at considerable length.
This was an action against the defendants, who, he understood,
were Gentlemen not only of great wealth, but of high respectabi-
lity of character; but the more the respectability, the more urgent •
was the necessity of bringing them before a Jury, for the purpose
of vindicating his character from what he should call a most malig-
nant libel, published In the Paper abovementionecl, purporting to be
an account of a public meeting at which he attended, at Lincoln,
the Earl of Carnarron in the chair; and at which several
distinguished persons, as well as himself, took part in the dis-
cussion—the subject being the reduction of the Assessed Taxes.
The libel of which he complained charged hint with behaving in a
very improper manner, insulting the distinguished characters at
that meeting, and expressing surprise that he should be permitted
to hold up hi. head again in the company of Gentlemen. It con-
cluded with severe animadversions on his radical coffee, which it
described as poisonous, quoting some pretended medical authority
that rye :was poisonous, and which he sold at a profit of two or
three hundred per cent. Here Mr. Hunt went into a history of
the great virtues and properties of this breakfast-powder. He
( Mr. Hunt) had presented his M:.jesty with 9.lbs. of it, each
of the Judges and Members of both Houses of Parliament with
one you nd parcels, besides some of the leading Counsel, who were
all so delighted with it, that they continued to be his constant cus-
tomers, and he would take upon himself to say, that Mr. Scarictt,
his Learned Friend, if he:might so call him, his Honourable Friend
(isughter),who looked so sleek, had tasted and relished the invention.
Ile sold it under an express Act of Parliament, made to legalize
the sale of what ?—why, to legalize the sale and diffusion of what the
libel called poison—radical poison in the shape of roasted corn, if it
was true according to this libel, that such in reality was of a poi-
sonous quality—(.laughter.)—Mr. liunt proceeded, at some length,
in defence of his character, which had been so attacked, and should
call Mr. Carter, the Mayor of Poitunouth, and the respectable
County Members, to prove, that he was meant by the title of Orator
Hunt—a title which his Learned Friend (pointing to Mr. Scarlett)
had long before conferred on him (Hunt) in this Court. Mr. H.
after making several other observations, concluded by calling his
witness*. to prove the libel.
The proprietorship of the Paper being proved,
Mr. Carter, Mayor of Portsmouth, being called, was asked if he
understood the appellation " Orator Hunt" to apply to him ? and
answered in the affis mauve.

The Times Reporter gave the like testimony. On his cross-
examination be said he was at the Lincoln Meeting, the proceed-
ings of which he reported.
Mr. Scaat.rrr, fir the defendants, now rose, and addressed the
Jury in a very hiunorous manner for his clients, and concluded a
most eloquent appeal to them, by maintaining that their verdict
Must be fur the defendants.
The Loan CHIEF JUSTICZ summed up the evidence; and the
Jury, after a few minutes consultation, found a verdict for the
plaintiff—Damages 2001.
On the Jury giving their verdict; the whole Court was convulsed
in a roar of laughter, to see Mr. Ham present to Mr. Scarlett a
pound of radical coffee, which that Gentleman politely accepted.

A meeting took place on Wednesday morning, at the
back of the powder magazine, Hyde Park, between Ensign G—s,
and IL 0. Esq. ?dr. B. fired ffrst, and slightly wounded
Ensign G. in the shoulder—upon which the latter fired bis pistol in
the air. The seconds then interfered, aad the parties left the ground.
MANCHESTER, DEC. 14.—This evening, about six
o'clock, the neighbourhood of Portland•street was
dreadfully alarmed by a sudden and violent explosion,
which shook the houses, and shattered the windows in
all directions.' It appears to have been the bursting of
:a steam-boiler, attached to a machine shop in Major-
street, near Portland-street, occupied by Windsors and
j Hyde. The whole building was blown up, and with it
several of the workmen. I went to Major-street, and
saw the ruins, surrounded by the military, and persons
holding lighted torches; workmen were busily employed
in renewing the bricks, &c. a'td searching for bodies ;
but at the time 1 write (9 p. m.) it is impossible to ascer-
tain the full extent of the accident. I went to the Vo-
lunteer Tavern, and saw the dead body of an aged man,
dreadfully disfigured by bruises and burns; his mouth
was full of ashes, a hole in his cheek, and his body cut
in several places. I then sent to the Infirmary, to
which had been conveyed six men; I found two dead,
a third just expiring, and according to she opinion of
the surgeons, lit•le or no hopes were to be entertained
of the recovery of two mote. One of them was shock-
ingly scalded ; set/el al have been carried to their homes,
-but the number of those it is impossible yet to say.

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