Star.
London, England, 1809-11-14 00:00:00

SHAW v. suetTox.,

Mr. Serjeant BEST said, that this Was a case of very
extraordinary fraud. His application to the Court,
was for a rule to shew cause why judgment upon a
warrant of attorney should not be arrested.
Two Ladies, residing in the neighbourhood of
Maidstone, were desirous to dispose of their interest
in a School ; a man of the name of Shelton applied
in order to become a purchaser, and referred to Mr.
Matson, in Tower-street, for a character ; there cer.
tainly was in Tower-street a very respectable gentle-
Irnan of that name, but unfortunately for these young
Ladies there was another gentleman (he begged par-
don of the Court ftir calling him a gentleman), a per-
son of the same name, in the same street. '1 his was
an artifice too common, he was afraid, with swind-
lers, bearing or assuming the names of men of res-
pectability. This other Mr. Matson of course gave
the best of all possible characters to his friend Mr.
Shelton, and these young Ladies confounding him
with the respectable person of that name, the unfor-
tunate result was, an implicit confidence in the ho-
nesty And solvency of this Shelton the defendant, ac-
mrdbagly the school and premises arc given up to
bim, on his sect.rities for a sum between 7 and 8001.
At the expiration of the first quarter, Shelton got in
all the monies coming due from the parents of the
children, and all others indebted to the establishment,
and conveying all the furniture that could be con-
veyed away, without exciting the alarm of the neigh-
bourhood, he abruptly quitted Maidstone, leaving
Mrs. Shelton behind him. Shortly after down conwsj
the plaintiff, Mr. Shaw, with a sham warrant of at-
torney, to execute the judgment against the rest of 1
the furniture, and having thus got them into his pos-
session, carries Mrs. Shelton up to London, where,
they, took a hackney coach, discharged it in the mid-
dle of the street, and got into another to avoid being
traced, and.thea drove to Westminster Bridge, where
.having again dismissed the coach, they took another
and drove to Paddington, to which place his client
had the good fortune to
-trace them, and where they'
have been discovered.
Matson, who gave Shelton the character, was flaw
a prisoner in the Fleet, and of course within their
Lordships' jurisdiction. This fellow had confessed
to Mr. Richardson, his client's attorney, that the
whole business was a sham—that Shaw and Shelton
were in collusion—but when Mr. Richardson pressed
him to make an affidavit to this effect, he refused to
do so unless hs was first paid for it, which Mr. Ri-
chardson very properly declined doing. They were,
therefore without this man's affidavit • ' but, as there)
was Mr. Richardson's to the truth of this convene-1
tion having passed, and those of others to the truth
of the circumstances he had detailed, he hoped their
Lordships wculd not refuse the Rule, because they
bad not Matson's affidavit.
Sit; JAMES MANSFIELD-14 They should be all indict-
ed for a conspiracy. Take a Rule.”--,ltoinvented.

Some ancient deeds belonging to the ORMOND Fa-
mily, of considerable importance, being supposed to
remain in a subtermeous room called the Evidence
Chamber, in Ormond Castle, in the town of Jilkenny,
which had not been explored in the memory of man,
the Law Agent of the family ( Mr. Sic evros ) proposed
to descend into it, which he did with considerable dif-
ficulty, preceded by two chimney-sweepers boys with
torches; after a close research, he found an iron-bound
oak trunk, in which many extraordinary papers were '
discovered, though not the records particularly sought
for ; amongst them were three in the hand-writing of
King JAMES, some in that of the Duke of MONMOUTH,
and the then Duke of ORMOND, and tour from the cele-
brated Nrr...t. GIVTNNIN complaining of the non-pay-
ment of hex Court annuity ; and several addressed to
the Duke of ORNIOND, recommending the distressful'
situation of di Poor BELLI" to his serious consider-
ation ; brit the family have no clue by which to trace
who this unfortunate fair one was.
Tuesday se'nniet, a game of cricket was played
on Erridge Green, between Kent and Sussex, for a
fat sheep, to be roasted, we suppose whole ; and, on
account of the advanced season, and shortness of the
days, it was agreed that one innings should decide the
game, which was accordingly eQuttnenced, and well
, contested, having terminated with three notches only
in favour of the Sussex gentlemen.

CHURCH MILITA

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR.

HADDTNGTON, NOV. 4.
Sin—ln your Paper of the Ist inst. I observed a
paragraph entitled The Church Militant, from lindding-
ton. I beg leave, for your insertion in next paper, to
give you a few particulars respecting the Church
Fracas there mentioned, which will in part explain
the origin of it. In the year 1802 the incorporated
trades of this burgh got leave by a Special Act of
Council, for their Convener for the time being to sit
in the council seat along with the Magistrates: for this
purpose, a Bible and chain were provided similar to
theirs. Conveners DteksoN, F. and A. NISBETTS, each
severally enjoyed this privilege. In October 1808,
the present convener Harti.Ev, was by a majority
elected : a message was sent to him from the Magis-
trates, informing him that he would not be allowed
to sit along with them ; the first and second Sundays
he attempted to get into the door of the Council seat,
but was prevented by the town officers, executing the
Provost's orders. No further attempt was made till
Sunday the 22d ult. Being re-elected on the 21st, he
was determined in the second year of his reign to make
good his right, as well as that of the Trades, knowing
well that it was not in the Magistrates' power to pre
vent him without a rescinding Act of Council. The
Magistrates, the very day previous, dined with the
Convener and his Court, and from the great familia-
rities passing then between both parties, he had no
doubt of obtaining admission ; but his hopes were de-
lusive ; the Town Officers still prevented him ; he
was even denied the right of a Council Deacon, by
the door of the back council seat being guarded.
Galled and enraged, as he well might, he left the
place of obstruction, went down the middle of the
Church, boldly rushed through the school seat, and
from thence stepped over the front of the Council seat,
and in a moment made good that right which the
Magistrates thought proper to refuse. The Rev Dr.
SIBBALD having just entered the pulpit, no disturbance
took place at that time ; but in the afternoon the per-
formance beginning rather sooner, the Convener in
stepping from the school seat to the magisterial one,
was repelled by Dean of Guild MARTrw, who forcibly
drove him on his back twice; he again got up, again
attempted, and again succeeded to the general sutssfa:.
lion of a nswerous congrgation. Had this contest conti-
nued two minutes longer, the whole church would
have been a scene of confusion, for the cries of Push
in, awn' Garda Theatre for ever, No Private Boxes:
IVell done Convener, and the attempt to leap the gal-
leries, were already become common.
The power of Magistrates is certainly great ; but
bow far they of themselves can infringe on the laws
of their constituents, a higher Court must dew.rmine.
I remain, Sir, your most obedient servant,

N. N.