Star.
London, England, 1818-10-06 00:00:00

SCOTLAND.

aRCUIT COURT OF JUSTIC7_!RY,

TRIAL FOR CHALLENGE TO FIGHT A DUEL
PERTH. OCTOBER I.
The Court proceeded to the tri4l of Lieht. James
Rollo, of the 59th Regiment of Foot, on the complaint
of Thomas Ritchie, younger, 01 Cultoulundie, pri-
vate prosecutor, with concurrence of his NlAJEtry's.
Aavocara —under an Act pusedin the sixth Session
of the first Parliament of his Mijesty King William,
whereby it is statuted and enacted, That whoso-
!ever, principal cr second, or other intcrposeJ person,
gives a challenge to tight a duel or siagle combat,
' or whosoever accepts the same, or whosoever, either
principal or second, on either side, engages therein,
albeit no fighting ensues, shall be punished with the
pain of banishment, and escheat of moveables, with-
out prejudice to the Act already made against the
fightiag of duels." The circumstances o< the case,
as stated in the indictment, and proved by the evi-
dence, were as follows :
That on the 24th November last, Lieutenant Rollo,
when shooting on the property of Mr. Dron, of Black
Ruthven, was accosted by the said Thomas Ritchie
and charged with having a few minutes before tres-
passed on his father's proderty, and shot a hare—
high words upon this took place, and the coase-
quence was; that, on the 25th November. Lieutenant
Rollo addressed to Mr. Ritchie a letter in the fol-
lowing words :
" Perth, November 2.5, 1817.
N Sta—t have sent herewith my friend, Captain Dregliorn,
to denumd you will give me th.: us .st amide unifacti ns for the
gross manner in which you insulted me yesterday, by the un-
justifiable and ungentlenuntlike manner in which you accosted me.
" I am &C. " JAMCS aou.o.
_ _

" To Mr. Thomas Riichic, &c."

On receipt of the Above, Mr. Ritchie declined either
to make an apology, to name a friend to settle the
affair, or to accept the challenge.—Mr. Rollo after-
w•ards addressed a letter to him in the full, vi,11,4 words .

41 I erth, Novell or ;5, 1817.
- .

" Sia—l am extremely sorry that I have ii—ue so gross a
mistake this day, in concaring yuu to be a gentleman, and I am
sorry I hive staved tlfur Mow my anti at as even condescending
to give you the s tisfaction of a gentleman, and shall this night
post you as a colourd.—l am, &e. Bee. " :mess nosco."

Placards accordingly were put up in the Exchange
Coffee-room. and on the entry leading thereto, con-
taining the following words :
" Penh, 2..1th November, 1817.
" i hereby post Mr. Thomas Ritchie, younger of Couplintly,
as a coward, and an unfit associate for any gentleman,
" JAMES SULLO "

After the examination of several witnesses, the Jury
were addressed on the part of the prosecutor by Mr.
MONCRIEFF, and by Mr KAY for the defender. A
minute de:ail of the evidence was then laid before
them by the tom) JLTsTICE CLERK, and the Jury
having retired, soon after returned with a verdict,
finding, by a plurali,y of voices. the libel proven.
Before the sentence was pronounced, Mr. Mot:-
CRIMPS' stated to the Court that his cliei,t had autho-
rised him to move his Lordship to defer I renouncing
judgment, and in order that the verakt 'Light not.
hang over the head of Mr. Rollo, Mr. Ritchie now
deserted the diet against the defender, and therefore
he (Mr. Moncrieff) tnoved his Lordship to discharge
him rimpliciter.
In doing so the LORD Jusrrca CLERK congratu-
4atiiid Mr. Rollo on the very handsome manner in
41rhich Mr. Ritchie had terminated the prosecution.
His Lordship remarked, that he was happy that an
.opportunity had been this day afforded of chewing
the efficacy of the laws of our country, that Mr.
Ritchie's appeal to them had been completely sus-,
tabled, while his honour and character were vindi-
ca:ed ; and that by his conduct he had completely
vindiCated himself from the aspersion of having rais-
ed and carried on. the prosecution from any vindictive
feeling. At the same time his Lordship observed that
the Act before quoted had certainly been as it were
raked up for this prosecution ; that few trials, and
few or no convictions, had proceeded upon it for
nearly a century ; but yet the Stztute was not obso-
lete. His Lordship in conclusion hoped, however,
that Mr. Rollo would now return without any slur
on his honour, or stigma on his character, to that
society in which he had hitherto moved, but from
which. had it not been fur the liberal behaviour of
the private prosecutor, he must inevitably have been
for ever separated.
This case seemed to excite great interest. During
the discussion the Court was much crowded, and we
observed a considerable number of Ladies •in the
front of the gallery.

Sunday sennight, while the newly elected Magis-
trites of .ibetdeen were going to church, a crowd of
disorderly persons assembled on the streetc, and fol-1
lowed them from the Town-house to the Church,l
halloing after them, and assailing them with stones,
pieces of turf, &c. In order to mark these disorderly
proceedings with their disapprobation, a general and
crowded Meeting of the heritors and inhabitants was
held next day, A. B4NNERMAN, Esq. in the Chair.
Mr. ItleNzlits of Pitfoddles proposed to the Meeting
certain Resolutions, reprobating, in the strongest
terms, the disgraceful conduct exhibited by some per-
' sons on the streets the receding thy, and offering a
reward of Fifty Guineas for the apprehension of the
persons implicated in the outrageous proceedings.
Mr. JOLT moved, as an rimendmeat, that the follow-
ing Resolutions should, be adopted by the Meeting,
which was carried :

" That this Meeting having taken into consideration the truss
and unwarrantable outrage yesterday (the Loan's day) offered
to the person of 'Alexander 13rebner, Esq. of Lairney, at pre-
sent Chief Magistrate of this City, in going to attend Divine
Worship, by throwing at him stones or °tin r missiles, express
their abhorrence of such a wicked and unprincipled proceed-
log, and will zealously use every effort for bringing the authors
or instigators of it to condign punidinunt ; and rccommenil to
the proper officers to take steps for that purpose. That while
the lds•eting deisecate any outrage or insult offered to the M. 1..
gistrates and Town Council, they cannot help o.presr_ing their,
regret, that any set of blag.strates should have persisted in pur-
suing measures contrary to their own recorded opinion, and to
the opinion of the great body of all classic of the inhabitants."

After the meeting, Mr. BANNERMAN received a
letter from the Chairman of the Committee of Bur-
g'esses of Guild, reprobating, in the str,,ngest manner,
the disgraceful praceedings, and stating that the
Guildry had, at a meeting held the same afternoon,
unanimously resolved to place fifty guineas at Mr.
BA NNLRM A N'S disposal, as Chapman ut the Meeting,
for the purpose of detecting the actors or instigators
of the otr.rage. A reward of Fifty Guineas is also
loffered by the Procurator Fiscal for their detection,

DRURY•LANP.—The Duenna was rpeated at this
Theatre last nib 11, in ccmpliance with the particular
desire of the Grand Duke MICHAEL. llis Imperial
Highness did i,ot arrive until nearly the conclusion
of the Opera, when "God ague the King" was sung.
The distingui,hed visitor, with a part of his suite, or,.
cupied Prince LEOPOLD'S box, and was noticed with
that cordial expression of good feeling, which ever
animates die English people towards strangers. llis
Imperial Highness did not remain above an hour at
the Theatre, and sat so retired, as to be scarcely vi-
sible to audience. The performers acquitted them•
selves with great spirit and success. Madame BELL.
OAR, no longer discomposed by apprehension, brit
evidently animated by the kind enc,.urapement which
she received on her first appearance, executed het
songs with increased satisfaction. The Children in t*.
Woo./ followed; and Mr. H. JouNstoY, as Walter,
was highly applauded.

. .
COVENTA ROE N.--After the Comedy of Mr Way
,to Keep .Hint in which Mr. FAIMEN repeaeithe
part of Sir Bashful Constant, with the greatest suc-
cess, the pantomime of Harlequin Gulliver was per-
formed, last night, at th Theatre, for the purpose of
'exhibiting two french tumblers. According to the
play-bills, their performances had " astoni•hed and
delighted all the Courts of the Contirent." If such
has been tl.e fact, continental crowned I eads and
courtiers are more e tsily astonished and delighted
than the audieace of last night at Covent-Gardem--
lhe tumbler met with a mixed reception of bissitig
.tad applause. Their feats are fat from extraordinary..
l'hey executed somersets through circles, over men's
heads; and lastly over a posr-chaise and horses, lon-
gitudinally : but the leaps were made from an elits
tic platform, nearly on a level with the rings. the py-
ramidal column of men, and the chaise. This ern
teitaining pantomime produced, as usual, a great
deal of merriment.

ENGLISH OPERA.—This Theatre closed last night,
with a series of very entertaining performances, and
a house as full as it could hold, for the benefit of
Miss KELLY. The Pieces represented were,
.rerres, The Rendezvous, and the Rival Soldiers. The
following farewell Address was spoken by Mr. HAR-
LEY, at the close of the performance:
" I.Aatss dons CUTLCIIICY—As I have frequently the ban:-
ness to make you laugh, I scarcely know how to present mys.if
on so melancholy an occasion as that of bidding you farewell--
The Proprietor, however, having deputed me to perform tce
funeral ob,ecules of the season, you will, I trust, excuse me, If
I should not acquit myself on so colemn a busimss, with the
usual and becoming gravity.
" The Proprietor, Ladies and Gentlemen, has redeemed the
promise he made at the close of the last seascn.—l le has exerted
every effort to m: alt a continuance of your favour, and has b.s.n
imply repaid by a season of unprecedented prosperity —nor.vitts-
standing the s el- whack which the strength of the Corr.-
par.y has sustaired by the lon severe illness of Miss ICCI,LT,
who is cow so happily restored to us.
'" In less thanpur maths. Leo fewer than tkirteen new Pier Jut
and revivals have been brought out: Seed it is no small boast; In
the present state of Theatricals, to say that the novelties pro-
duced, have, without a sii.gk exception, been satctioned ax
TOUR runic APP111•116714/34

" Thus encouraged, the Proprietor desires me to assure rola
of his continued efforts to conciliate your favour; and theuph
the unexpec.ed limitation of his English Opera License to (Gut
months only, has shackled his means of providiog you arnust-
nrnit, he trusts that his Theatre may still be kept in yourfrierdly
recoil, ction, and that, without inflinging on the supposed rights
of Patent 510710pd4:1r, be may occuion.aly be enabled to illtit3
you here, with lush perfortnnices and exhibitions as Ll:elated/tax!
" The Proprietor, Ladies and Gentlemen, tenders, you through
me, his warmest acknowledgments; anti in my own name, and •
the names of all the Performers, whom you hay:: so kindly Lo_
poured with Lora' of applause, I bog to offer you • LOTS' of
thanks, and Lon' of gent 'tithes till we mart again r ,

MISS STEP/MRS has joined the theatrical arrateprt
of the Kilkenny Theatre; at which she performed
Ophelia, on Friday last.
Merrnews performed Loveedd in the Miser,
Chip, in the Farce of A Chip of the Old Black, and
Lingo, at the Swansea Theatre, yesterday week, for
the benefit of an old brother comedian, and attracted
a very full house.
Madame POINOR does not resume her situation the
ensuing season at the King's Theatre, but, after taki r6i''
leave pf the Liverpool Musical Amateurs, proceeds
to the Continent, to fulfil het engagements there.
A shopkeeper has advertised a fashioaaNle stock ref
beaver hats for sale, among which he enumerates ;2
different shapes as being in high estimation, viz.
The Bang-up The Marquis The Regent: .
The Petersham The Wellington The Tallyho
The Tilbury The Kent The ShAvar
The Noble Lord The Jclliffe The Dandy:
The Cubourg post-ceac'a was overturned in the
night of Monday se Knight going down Hopwas-!tin,
about two miles from Tamworth. - One passenger on •
the outside-had his head so dreadfully cut, that when
taken up, he was in a state of insensibility. A person
inside bad his face and eyes very much' bruised and
his wrist strained, and another passenger was consi-
derably hurt.
The number of sheep and lambs penned at Le- es
old Cliffe Fair, on Friday, did not exceed 5000. which
caused the sale for lambs to be very brisk, at full 2s.
per head higher than they fetched at the late-neve
fair e ewes' not so much in demand) averaged at
about Is. per heed hither ; the best wethen were re •
jected at 42e and di iven away unsold.
LECTURES ON TUE Fate—Thursday., MT. CURTIS,
of Soho-square, Aurist to his Royal Highness the
PRINCE Ratter, commenced his interesting Course •
of Lecturer., for the third season, on the Anatomy, •
Physiology, and Pathology of the Ear, at the Royal,
Divensary for Diseases of the Ear, Carlisle-street.
Since last season the Lecturer has considerably h%-
creased his collection of rare Anatomical I'repara-
dons of the year ; indeed, from his exertitms and die'
lity, he deserve! our warmest commendation, parti-
cularly in his indefatigable seal to relieve the louse
orders placed.under has care at the Royal Dispensary.
That Institution was certainly a desideratum muCh
wanted in the Metropolis ; and, from the number of
cases daily cured there, some remarkable ones Of '
which have been published, it cannot but be highly
pleasing to the Governors of this Charity to observe
the benefits they have conferred on society by such:*
establishment, and the importance and utility *hie' Il
. this branch of surgical practice:els derived, by con-
centrating a vast number of patients labouring under
diseases of one organ.—These circumstances, it a
hoped,
cannot fail to do away the prejudice so gene.
rally entertained, of the Diseases of the Ear being
incurable, in opposing which the Lecturer dwelt witlt
great effect, more especially as it applied to the cases
of young persons, with .whom, he observed, early
means of relief woe.. too often neglected. .