Star.
London, England, 1824-04-24 00:00:00

HALL V. FULLER.

This action was brought by Messrs. Hall, a mercan-
tile firm of great respectability, against Messrs. Fuller
and Company, the bankers, to recover a sum of 197/.
which they claimed as the balance of their account with
the defendants, and which claim they disputed. the
only question in the cause was, whether the defendants
had a right to set off against the money paid into their
hands, the sum of 200/. which they had paid under the
following circumstances :
On the 21th of August in last year, Ur. Samuel Hill,
now in the employ of Messrs. Broom and Co. carpet-
manufacturers, was visited by Wagstaff, who is now
under sentence of death, whom he had long known.—
Wagstaff stated that he wished to remit a small check
of Si. to his father in the country, and asked Hill to
give him a check for the purpose. Mr. Hill did not
himself keep an account with a banker, but ran in to
Mr. Hall, when Mr. John Hall gave him the check
which he asked for, and he immediately handed it over
to Wagstaff. The check was altered by discharging
the words and figures importing the sum, and inserting
2001. instead of the amount for which it was given,
leaving, of course, the genuine signature of Mr. Hall.
The check so altered was presented to Messrs. Fullers,
and paid without suspicion, at a time when the fonds
in their hands belonging to Messrs. Hall fell about 151.
short of the 2001. so paid. They contendeJ, that under
these peculiar circumstances, they were entitled to
charge this sum against their customer.
Mr. SCA RLETT, for the plaintiff, argued that he ought
not to be charged with this money, on the principle
which would have applied to the case of an entire for-
gery. Besides this argument on general grounds, he
urged that there was some particular neglect in this
case, because the account, by payment of the altered
'check, was overdrawn.
Mr. GURNEY, for the defendant, contended, that there
was nothing in the last argument ; for no banker would
or ought to refuse the check of a respectable firm, be-
cause it might exceed the balance of their account by a
few pounds. As he was entering on the general question,
The LORD CHIEF JUaTICE suggested, that as all the
facts were agreed on, it would be better to turn them
into a special case.—This suggestion was adopted, and
the Jury found a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages
1971. subject to the opinion of the Court on a special case.

Yesterday, a County Meeting of Householders took
place at Winchester, for the purpose of petitioning both
_Houses of Parliament for a reduction on the Assessed
Taxes, patticularly the House and Window Tax. WAL-
Ten LONG, Esq. High Sheriff of Hampshire, in the Chair.
Mr. CARTER, Mayor of Portsmouth, the Earl of CAR-
R RVON, Mr. FLEMING, Mr. JERVUISE, Mr. HUNT,
and others addressed the Meeting, when several
resolutions were proposed and agreed to, the gist of
which was expressive of the opinion of the Meeting,
in favour of the unrestricted principles of trade, lately
introduced into the commercial policy of the coun-
try, and hoping thereby that the increase of revenue
would enable the Government to reduce the Assessed
Taxes, particularly the Hcuse and Window-tax, and
Duty on Men-servants.
We yesterday gave an account of the robbery of the
Cork mail, and we now add the following particulars
from the Dublin Journal, ,< The Cotk mail-coach,
which left Dublin on Sunday morning last,was attacked
on the same evening, between nine and ten o'clock, at
a place called Grange, within three miles of Cashel.—':
The turnpike-gate there was closed and barricadoed
with stones, sticks, &c. On the approach of the coach
a discharge of fire arms commenced from both sides of,
the road ; the leaders were shot, and before the guard
could take up his arms, he received two desperate wounds
—one ball lodged in the abdomen, the other in his hip.
The coachman also was desperately wounded in the
arm, which must be amputated. In consequence of the
guard being disabled in the onset, no resistance was
offered to the sanguinary marauders. It is a singular
circumstance, that the heavy part of the mail, viz.'
the Cork branch, remained untouched (two of the Dub-
lin bags only being taken), while the principal attention
of the miscreants was directed to the fire-arms, the en-
tire of which they carried off. The guard and coach-
man, the unfortunate victims of those lawless depreda-
tors, ate now in the hospital at Cashel. Faint hopes
are entertained of the recovery of the guard. The
fellows also attacked the up coach, which reached
Dublin at half•past five o'clock on Monday evening.
—The guard, however, having spiritedly returned the
fire, the villains desisted from further violence."

DUBLIN, APRIL 21.—Monday afternoon, about ten
or twelve hundred persons assembled in a field between Ranelagli
and Chatlemont-bridge, for the purpose of witnessing a wrestling
match. Chief Peace Officer Goodison, of College-street Divisional
Office, having heard of the circumstance, proceeded with a party
of the horse patrol, and six or seven foot police, to disperse them.
They would not disperse on being required to do so; 51r. Goodison
having used much remonstrance to induce them to do so, without
effect. Oue of the wrestlers was then taken into custody. The
police left the field with their prisoner, when the whole party,
horse and loot, were attacked by the mob with stones, on entering
the road. The horsemen endeavoured to secure %ante of the as-
sailants, but in this they were repeatedly disappointed, by their
securing themselves from their approach behind the ditches, from
whence they still kept up a continued attacl: on the police, nine of
whom were severely hurt. The police ultimately found it neces-
sary to fire over their heads, in order to intimidate them. A rein-
forcement of police having shortly afterwards arrived from Kevin-
street Barracks, they at length succeeded in clearing the roads and
fields. Eight persons were taken into custody, seven of whom
have been identified for throwing stones, and being concerned in
the lint. Mr. Graves, one of the Allistrates of th.• Head Office
of rolice,arrived on the ground, with-a party of liussars, just as
the rioters had dispersed.
_

Saturday night the mill on Graves-
end, was broken open, at:.l three backs of flour btolcr;.

LICENSED VICTUALLERS.

-..►-

A Meeting of the Licensed Victuallers was held yes- I
terday at the Freemasons' Tavern, pursuant to. Adve-
rtisement, to consider of the propriety of petitionin4
Parliament against the Bill now pending in the House
of
,Commons, to enable brewers to sell beer by retail.
The Chairman, MI Cu russuT, explained the objects '
of the Meeting. He said it was to induce the Licensed ;
N ictuallers of the Metropolis to attend to their own in-
terests, which would be materially affected by the Bill
now in progress through the House of Commons, and
for the puipose of
petitioning the House that such Bill
might not pass into a law. The Bill was to enable any
individual to brew and sell beer without the cognizance
of a Magistrate ; and the only restriction that accom
panied it sea:, that the beer should be taken a little way
from the premises and drank. But this re,triction could
be easily evaded. Any person who wished might go
and sit on a bench tzar the brewhouse, and chink any
quantity of beer; or the brewer might have a friend or
!elation who resided 'opposite his brewery, and every
accommodation might be there prepared for those who
drank the beer. The object of the Meeting was to en•
deavour to prevent from being put into execution a plan
which would so greatly injure the Licensed Victuallers.
Mr. SELF said that it was for the Licensed Victuallers
to consider whether they ought not to rise and evade
the blow that threatened. He thought that something
should be done immediately to prevent, if possible, the
13111 from passing into a law ; and he hoped that the
Meeting would form, from artiong the iespectable body
which they represented, a Committee on the subject.
Mr. SELF then proposed the two following Resolu-
tions, which were carried unanimously :
Ist. That the Meeting feel fully persuaded that the Bill now be-
fore the !louse of Commons, to enable brewers to retail beer, tends
greatly to injure the interests of the licensed victuallers, and ear-
nestly hope that said Hill will nut be allowed to pass into a law.
2d. Tbat a Committee he appointed, to consist of .even persons,
with power to add to their number, to watch the progress of said
Bill, and to call a meeting of the trade whenever it shall be deemed
necessary.
-he CHAIRMAN observed, that it, would be for the
Committee to decide whether it were better to petition
the House of Commons against the Bill, or to pray to
be heard against it by Counsel.
Mr. STEPHENS said, that lie knew the liberality of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, and *us sure that he would
do what was right.
Mr. VOWSLEY said, he believed that it was Mr. Cal-
vert who had stated in Parliament that the profit of
the publicans was I in every sd. and it was not to lee
wondered at that his Majesty's Ministers had listened to
such an assertion coming from such a source. He (Mr.
Vowsley) was happy that the country had at the head
of the Administration, persons of the most liberal and
the best principles—( Hear, hear)—and who, he was
sure, could not be aware of the mischievous tendency
of the Bill.

A Committee of eleven persons was then appointed,
and it was agreed that they should meet on Monday
next, at the house of the Chairman, who liberally offered
a room for the purpose, at 29, BerneCs-street, 0 ford-st.
A subscription was entered into for defraying any ex•
penses that might attend on their proceedings.
Thanks were voted to Mr. Cuthbert and Mr. Self, for
their exertions on behalf of the publicans, and the Meet-
ing separated.

FREEMASONS.—The Duke of MODENA published, on
the 27th ult. a Decree, absolutely prohibiting all Lodges
of Freemasons within his States. He declares Free-
masonry to be the parent stock of the Carbonari, Illu.
minati, Ade &c. and to keep up a constant connec-
tion with these disturbers of social order.

Yesterday, the Freemasons of the Grand Lodge, and
of Windsor, Egham, Hampton, and all parts of Surrey,
&c. attended at Brother RATTEN'S, the Severn inn,
Chettsey, to open the new Lodge held there, called St.
George's Lodge. After many masonic ceremonies they
all went to Church, where an excellent sermon was
preached by the Rev. Wm. Wiwi.; of Allhallows
Barking. After walking in procession, with their grand
orders, headed by a Noble Lord, they returned to Bro-
ther RATTEN's, to partake of a good dinner, and spend
the evening.

A curious question, as affecting some of our fashion-
able Clubs and Subscription Houses, is likely soon to
come before one of the Courts in Westminster Hall. It

has hitherto been supposed that these places do not
come within the strict letter of the law against gaming
houses, owing to their not being kept " for the gain,
lucre, or living," of any individual. It has lately, how-
ever, been ascertained that in some of them a large
profit accrues to the Club by the sale of the cards ; and
that the house-steward, or factotum, has sundry profits
from the billiard-tables, &c. beyond his salary, w filch
circumstances, it is contended, bring him and the Com-
mittee within the law, and subject to indictment in
common with the keeper of any other house at which
unlawful games" are played.
Sunday morning, about three o'clock, on the arrival
of the Boston Mail-coach at the Wrestlers, in Cam-
bridge, fresh horses were put to, as usual, when it was
found that the bridles had been changed, and the horse-
keeper took one of them off, upon which the animal
became alarmed, and instantly moving forward, all the
horses set off at full speed. The coachman and assist-
ant-guard were standing on each side of the coach,
taking out the parcels, both of whom were thrown some
distance. The horse-keeper was knocked down, and his
leg broken by the wheel passing over it. The horses
proceeded at full speed, and on arriving at the Hunt-
ingdon-gate turnpike, forced the gate off its hinges,
soon after which the leaders extricated themselves. The
other two horses went forward about two miles, when
they were overtaken by a man on horseback, who, on
attempting to stop them, was thrown down, and the
coach overturned. The passengers, fortunately, had
alighted at the inn.
A boy two years and a half old, at Symondsbuty,
near Bi idpoi t, who had been left only a few minutes by
the fire-side, drank boiling water from the spout of a
tea-kettle, which occasioned its death in a few hours.
DISTRESSING ACCIDENT. A Mr. Penile, who had
lately retired from his professional duties, was driving
his wife towards his residence on Egham-hill, last
Wednesday, he attempted to pass a Taunton waggon on
the near side, bat finding there was not sufficient room,
be backed and attempted to proceed on the off side ; in
doing which, by some accident, the gig became en.
tangled with the chain braces of the waggon and was
unfortunately overturned, when the Lady was precipi-
tated under the waggon, and the wheel passing over
her head caused instant death.

The inhabitants of Andover have erected, in the
Church of that town, a neat monument to the memory of the late
Rev. W. rennta who was thirty-two years curate of that palish.

BOW STREET--THIS DAY.
Room° COAL-WilAllft—Jagus ileynell, one a the firemen be-
lofting to the Imperial Insurance Office, was put to the bar,
charged with robbing one of the barges lying at Hungerford, be-
longing to Air. Lum'ey, coal.merchaat. Prom the extensive losses
the merchi.urs have of late sustained, a st:Kt watch has been for
some time kept, but without effect, unt.l about a quarter past four
o'clock this morning, the pii,oner, in company with : titer, wt.a
seen to go on board :he bat got rd commence the work or plunder.
Atter Stealing a considerable quantity they began to r,:iiitive a p:irc
of it, when the watchman on duty secured the ptkoner, but hit
companion eseaped.—Toe prisoner strongly protested his innocence,
and called a brother wattrotan to prov: that he found the pitc,
produced on the causeway. This, however, did not avail him, 4'4.1
he was committed tor the larceny, aud the parties buutkl over to
pr.oa.cute.