Star.
London, England, 1824-07-22 00:00:00

ItIARY-LA-BONNE OFFICE.

DIMLING AND HORSZWHIPTINCL—Yesterday, towards the conclu-
sion of the business of this Office, two young Gentlemen, fashion-
ably dressed, were observed slowly approaching the office entrance,
and were quickly followed by two others of equally elegant exterior,
one of whom commenced the Smart application of a horsewhip to
the shoulders of one of the two who had preceded him. The as.
saulted Gentleman instantly turned upon the assaulter, and attacked
him with great quickness and determination with a small bamboo
cane ; but at the same time the Gentleman coolly and forcibly ap.
plied his horsewhip, and indeed it would be difficult to say who had
the best of the bout, as an officer rushed between them, and con-
ducted them into the office, where, in the agitation or irritation such
a circumstance occasions, they were unsparing in the exercise of vi.
tuperative language, the term coward being applied more than once
to the Gentleman who used the bamboo cane.
Edward Dix Pittman, Es .of Lincoln's Inn, the Gentleman who
had used the horsewhip, and Thomas Dex, Esq. were placed at the
bar, the former as defendant, and the latter complainant. The
charge was for provoking Mr. W. Dex to fight a duel ; but as the
particulars were rather delicate to detail, their recital was spared.
Mr. De: then confined himself to the before-mentioned assault,
which'he described as having been done in a cowardly manner. He
had received a letter from Mr. Pittman containing a challenge, and
wishing to avoid any further annoyance, he had adopted the present
course, and handed in three or four letters, the last of which con-
tained the challenge.

Mr. Plttmo add; the ecodeet of Mr. thrsAltio gross, that he;
in the outraged state of hii feelings, could only aiiratterist him as
a blaelignard, for which he bad horsewhipped him. If it was re.
quired, he would explain the nature of the insult. It was first of.
freed to his
The Magistrate would not admit of any discussion extraneous to
the subject, and asked hint if he admitted writing the letters ?
Mr. Pittman—l do, Sir, and fully believe their contents to be
true. The rascal had attempted to borrow--
Mr. Dee said he was sorry he did not accept the invitation.
The. Magistrate then called on Mr. Pittman to find sureties to
keep the peace; whith he said he would Immediately do.
Mr. Dex left the office by another door.

ANION HALL +.
Samuel Dawes,' a coachman bf James Brogden, Esq. M.P. was
brought before L. B. Au.tes, Esq. charged with having assaulted a
toll-collector of the Surrey New-road Trust.
Mr. Brogden attended as a witness.
Oliver Smith, toll-collector at the Vauxhall Gate, stated, that nn
Monday night, at a little after eleven o'clock,a carriage drove up to
the gate; the coachman called out 73. Witness replied, that wr,„ki
not do, 48 being the number of the day. Witness seeing that the
defendant was not inclined to stop, ran towards the heads of the
horses, when the Gentleman standing there (pointing to Mr. Brog-
den) immediately let down the carriage window, put his bead out,
and called to the coachman to " Drive on, drive on." Witness still
remained at the head of the horses. The coachman,on receiving the
order from his master, did attempt to drive on, and in his (wit-
, ness's) endeavour to prevent the evading of the toll, or obtaining
the right number of the day-ticket, he received some severe lashes
on the head and face from the defendant, who continued to use
the whip, although he saw the blood flowing down the witness's
face from the`effects of it. The witness added, that he held the
horses until he ascertained that the carriage belonged to James
Brogden, Esq. of Clapham.
Several witnesses deposed to the circumstances of the assault, and
that Mr. Brogden called out to the coachman—" Drive on ; drive
lover him."

Mr. Brogden said, he was convinced the toll-keeper must have
known it was his carriage ; his (Mr. Brogden's) carriage was in the
constant habit of passing through the Vauxhall Gate, backwards and
forwards to Clapham every day, and the complainant must have
been apprised of the fact. He did not use the language " drive over
him," as imputed to him.
The footman was then examined, who admitted that he had called
out the wrong number of the ticket.
' Mr. Actin,: observed, that a clear case of assault had been made
out against the defendant.
Mr. Ilrogden appeared surprised at this decision.—The defend.
ant was convicted in the penalty of 40s. and costs for the obstruc-
tion, and the parties left the Office.
HIGHWAY ROBBERY.—John Parsons, a young fellow ha►ing the
appearance of a countryman, was charged with being concerned
with two other men, not yet in custody, in committing a mo!t
daring highway robbery.
Mr. Shatlock, the country traveller for the house of a respectable
silversmith in Holborn, stated, that on last Tuesday fortnight, he
was coming from Sydenhatn to London, and passing up Forest-hill,
he was stopped by three men dressed as countrymen, who had a
little dog with them ; the foremost of them knocked him doss :F,
and beat him with great violence, and took from him silver articl s
value about £6O; there were amongst the goods about £lB worth
of silver thimbles. He had given a description of the rubbers to
the officers, Rice and Grossraith.
Rice and Grossmith being examined, stated that they had re-
ceived a description from the prosecutor of the patties who had
committed the robbery, and they had twice been dowaa to Syden-
ham, Forest-hill, and that neighbourhood, to endeavour to find oat
the thieves, and they took the prisoner into custody, after receiving
strong evidence to satisfy them that he was one of the party ; is
addition to which, his dress and person corresponded with one of
the robbers, as described to them by the prosecutor.
Mr. Shatlock now looked at the prisoner, and said, " That is the
man who came up to me first, and knocked me down."—The pri-
soner denied that he was one of the robbers.—He was committed.