Star.
London, England, 1826-09-07 00:00:00

UNION HALL

Cauttrr TO Asnatat.s.—Yesterday, William Wilson charged
George Atkins, a carpenter, residing at %Valworth, with the follow.
log alleged case of brutality
William Wilson, the complainant, a Gentleman somewhat "in
the vale of years," stated, that his auricular nerves were sensibly
disturbed almost every hour of his life, by the malicious treatment
of the defendant towards his dumb animals. Indeed, the complain.,
ant did not rest here, for he was not merely distressed by the howl-
ing of the" poor creatures," but almost every morning he was pre-
sented with the most frightful proofs of human barbarity on tilt
animals. "If beasts could speak," said he, in a tont of tearful
sympathy, "what a tale would they unfold." " Yesterday morn.
ing," continued the complaisant, "the defendant set two large bull
dogs, I think y.,ti call them, at my cat, and I am not exaggereing,
when I assure the Bench that they actually tore the animal to
pieces. Ido not bring this case before you because the cat was a
favourite, but because I think it an act of wanton cruelty, I have
no wish to injure the defendant, but I do think if he is insensible
to humanity towards the brute creation—he ought to be taught it."
The blaotsTaasa said, that a more Inhuman act had scarciely ever
come before him, and he should therefore order the defendant to
pay one pound to some charitable institution, and the expences of
the warrant, in default of which be should commit him.

The defendant's mother left the office, for the purpose of comply-
ing with the Magistrate's decision.

Yesterday the defendants, Jdin Standish, Hurley Abbott, .Qt*
Curtis, Guns% and Dixon, all of whom were brought up to this
office the day beibre, except Curtis, on a charge of having assaulted
three officers of the Court of Requests, attended before the sitting
Magistrate, M. SRAMIRT, Esq. for the purpose of • answering the
charges aleged against them.—The complainants repeated the
previous statements of the assaults committed upon thrtn by the
defendants, and produced some of their clothes stained with blood
as evidences of the violent conduct pursued towards them on the
29th of August.
Standish was now called upon to state what defence he hid to
make for committing so violent an assault upon the officers of the
Court of Requests ? He declared that the whole of the t'atts *ere
grossly exaggerated, and said that it was all a matter of spite against
bins on the part of the officers; that it was not his money they
wanted. but himself. With respect to the complainants' assertions
of being threatened with flinging them over the bridge, there was
not one jot of truth iu it; neither was it true that they (the de-
fendants) had beaten them in the manner described. The dis-
turbance was entirely attributable to the intemperate conduct of
the officers of the Court of Requests, and he added that he had
witnesses of respectability in attendance who would prove that tact.
The other defendants were then individually asked whether they
wished to say anything. They replied in the affirmative, and each
of them declared most solemnly that the Officers of the Court of
Requests were the aggressors. The " Pet of the Fancy" gave his
word of honour that he never lifted his hand against the officers—
that he was merely a spectator near where the disturbance took
place. to witness a race, and that the complainants knowing hint to
be a " public man," fixed upon him.
The Magistrates, M. SWABEY and D. Knit, Ewa. having con-
sulted together, decided that Standish should enter into his own re.
cognisances iu the sum of 401. and the rest of the defendants Lot
each, to appear at the next Sessions to answer any charges that may
be preferred against them.