Star.
London, England, 1823-05-15 00:00:00

LOXING.

The match between Ben Rowers, the Wiltshire blacksmith,
and Jekrs•4rr, the American black, took place yesterday :naming,
in a twenty-four feet ring. at l-4eston, Surrey. It was a merry
fight of twenty-one rounds in forty-two minutes, when the
Black was completely vanquished.
ROWING AND WALKING.

The singular wager that was to take place at lilackfriars.brlige,
on the 20th, of rowing 60 times through the bridge, and going
five times along the bridge on,foot and thence to the Obelisk,
within an hour, is put off to the following day, Wednesday, the
21st, at four o'clock in the afternoon.

Saturday se'nnight, as Mr: Davis, a respectable
farmer, of the Moorhouse, near Tenbury, Worcester-
shire, was driving a bull to Bromyard Fair, when
but a short distai,ce from his owl, premises, he was
attacked by the animal, and, gored in so dreadful a
manner, that, after enduring the most acute agony
for a feve hours, the unairtunate man expired, leaving
a wife and family to deploie his untimely fate.
Wednes•iay se'nnight, Rachael Perkins, a daughter
of Mr. Perkins, of the Butcher Bank, Newcastle,
cork--cutter. aged about eight years, was unfortu-
smotliered, by being accidentallly shut up in a
press-bed.
. Tuesday se'nnight, the congiegation of Lochgelly
presented Ohandsoine silver cup, with a suitable in-
scription, to the Rev. Mr. Gam, on his completing
the fiftieth year of his ministry; the Ladies of the
congregation at the same time presented him with an
elegant•gown, as marks of their esteem and gratitude
for the faithful and laborious services of their worthy
pastor, during the above unusually lung period.
• . Early on Sunday morning a fire was discovered in
the extensive outhouses of Mr. Hutchinson, coal-
merchant, . Ramsgate, by Mr. Hills, the Blockade-
Officer stationed there, but for whose prompt exer-
tions in getting it under, the whble of the buildings,
and a brig (about to be launched) was preserved.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

•
COURTOFCOMMON PLEAS, MAY 14.
R. W. ELLISTON, ISQ. D. WEDSTILIL

Mr. Serjeant TADDY said, that in this ease the,
plaintiff, who is the le•,see of Drury-One Theatre,.
had thought it necessary to bring an action against
the defendant, who was a performer, for a breach of
contract. The action was brought, not for the pur-
pose of obtaining damages, but to shew that his en-
gagements were not to be broken at the arbitrary
will of pet for rrters. The defendant did not periorni
very higlr characters, yet if the letters he had sent,
soliciting an engagement, might be *relied on, it
would seem that he was a very useful individual, for
he offered to play IThsencrantz or Guildcnstern, Har-
lequin or Pantaloon, or the Waking, Gentleman. To
the latter character, indeed, he seemed particularly
attached, and had performed it too well; for, having
played a few months, he triok it into his head to play
the Walking Gentleman" to perfection, by walking
off to Birmingham. The Jury, however, would
teach him on such occasions to "'go slow," and to
mind his contracts. •

------ -
The letters of the defendant, dated in Augnst and
September, 1820, and ip July, 1821, soliciting an
engagement, were then put in and proved.
Mr. Winston was called.—He stated that he was
acting. Manager of Drury-Lane Theatre. Saw the de-
fendant after the receipt of the letters in the course
of August, 1821. Witness then told him that Mr.
Elliston agreed to engage him for the next season at
a small advance, but not at the advance proposed.—
'The salary for him an•l his wife would then be 21.55.
a week. It had been previously but 21. That en-
gagement was for 1821 and 1822. The salary was
pl.tyhouse pay—that Was, pay only when the house
w.:s open. In Lent, for instance, there was no pay.
IMendant and his skife :melded during pact of that
season. On the 18th of May, 1822, after having re-
ceived his salary, he absented himself. He then sent
a note, declaring that " business obliged him to .leave
iown." lie played that niht, but not afterwards.
Witness ttild the defendant to meet'hirn at Mr. El-
listen's room, which he did. Mr. Elliston then ad-
vised the defendant not to go, as his engagement
would be enforced in a court of law. Defendant
said he would ; and front that time to the end of she
season he absented himself.

Cros-examined.— Did not recollect that the defend-
ant had complained of Mr.Elliston'stteatmeut of him.
Serjeant VA VGIIAN.—Do you recollect the defend.
ant having complained of Elliston's having• taken im-
proper liberties with his wife more than once?
Witness.—l do not recollect that he made any such
• Mr. Serjeant VA VG IT AN.—Upon your solemn oath,
‘vill you swear that Mr. an 4 Mrs. Webster did not
complain that he hadtaken improper liberties with her?
NVitness.—l ant sure they did not say he had taken
improper libel ties with her.
Mr. Serjeant VA ucausN.-z--Nlr that le had taken
improm liberties with other females in her presence?
Air. Justice Bunnoutni here stopped the t samina-
tion, and said; that whatever liberties Mr. Elliston
might have taken with other females, they could not
be maintained as evidence in this cace.

Mr. Serjeant Vauonm:.—What! if ElliAon's con-
duct has been ever so gross in the presence of Mrs.
INebster, am I precluded from going into evidence
tlf,Oil it?
Mr. Justice BunnOt-cm—Certainly, in this case.
Mr. Setjeant yol!.t N.—Then I must confme my-
self to his conduct to lArs. Webster.

Mr. Justice IlurtntAron.— If you attempt that and
fail, I shall advise the plaintiff to go for damages.
Mr. Serjeant TARDY.—Certainly I shall, my Lord.
Mr. Serjeant VAUWIAN..--YOU'il go for whatever
you can get, and jet whatever the Jury think you
eiaitled to.

Witness resumed.—lle did not hear any complaint
of the sort from Mr. and. Mrs. Webster. The season
did not usually end in Passion Week. It did so end
in the first year of Mr. Webster's engagement, and in
the second year also': that arose from Mr. Kean's.,
going to America, and from the nature of Mr.:Ellis-
ton's lease of the Theatce. None of the actors ►ere
at liberty to go at the end of Passion Week, except
these engaged by artic•es. A bill was here placed in
witness's hand, dated the 30th of March, in which
that day was stated to be the end of the season. Wit--
ness explained this, by'saying, that if the performers'
went on alter that day, itavas to be considered as an
engagement for the nextbseason. Defendant conti-
nued to play after that time until the following May.
Serjeant VAUGIIAN here submitted two objections:
the first was, that every count in the declaration
stated the season of 200 nights to begin in October,
and alleged a breach of the engagement during that
season. By the evidence it appeared, that the season
properly ended on the 30th of March, and that' the
time in which the house continued open after that pe-
riod, was strictly a second season. It was proved
that the defendant had not broken his engagement
until May, which wits clearly not a part of the season
stated in the declaration. The second objection-was,
that the letters of the defendant, if offered in evidence
as part of the contract, should have been stamped.
Mr. Justice BURROUGH was of opinion that the first
objection was fatal, but he would reserve both points
for the consideration of the Court above.

A verdict was then taken for the plaintiff for nomi-
nal datnages, with liberty to move to set it aside on
thee objections.

OLD BAILEY SESSIONS, MAY 14.

The calendar for this Session is a very light one,
both as respects the number of offenders, and the na-
ture of the offences committed. The whole number
of prisoners for trialis only 114; and of these five*re
for burglary, one for perjury, 19 for stealing from
the person, and 75 for various larcenies.

The Sessions commenced this morning before Mr.
Justice BAYLNY and Mr. Justice HULLOOK.

Two young men of respectable appearance, named
Connor and Cooley, were capitally convicted for steal-
ing from the dwelling-house of David Bevan a quan-
tity of plate, to the value of about £4O.
Win. Morlard was put to the bar on an indictment
charging him with stealing, on the 2d of May, in the
parish of St. Clement Danes, two saws, a square, a
pair of pincers, and other articles, the property ofl
Samuel Wigley.
The prosecutor, who could literally hardly stand
without holding by something, from the effects of
liquor, gave his evidence in such a mm ner as to is

duce the Court to put it to the Jury tway whether,
under all the circumstances of -the case, they could
place such reliance on the testimony of the man as to
wart ant them in finding.the prisoner guilty, and they
accordingly acquitted him.
Mr. Justice BAYLEY ordered the prosecutor to
again come forward, and he accordingly staggered
up to the witness's box. His Lordship then addressed
him as follows:—" At present, according to the evi-
dence of Sharpe, the officer, you are in A state of
great intoxication, which is a high contempt of the
Court, and for which I shall now commit you to pri-
son, and the Court will say, when you are sober, how
at will act towards you."
The prisoner was then removed from the bar in the
custody of the officers, and conveyed into Newgate,
Mr. Justice BAYLEY having given directions thut be
should be kept apart from the felons.