The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-05-09 00:00:00

EXT.RAO_RDINARY CONDUCT OF A

CLERGYMAN.

THE Rev. Charles Fuge Lowder, one of the curates at
St. Barnabas Church, Pimlico, appeared on Tuesday, at
the Westminster Police•court, to a summons charging

itn with assaulting John LedWich.

Mr. Peckham, from the establishment of Mr. Hewitt,
solicitor, appeared on behalf of the complainant. In open-
ing the case, he said he might perhaps be allowed to state
the circumstances which had given rise to this extraordi-
nary charge. There was in the district of St. Paul and St.
Barnabas an election on Easter Tuesday for the office of
churchwarden. It was not necessary to mention, as im-
portant to the charge with which the magistrate had to
deal, the particular character of that contest ; but there
were two candidates for the office, the cause of one of which
was espoused by the defendant, whilst the complainant was
a man employed to carry a board by a committee seeking
to procure the return of the other candidate. The com-
plainant was carrying his board in Ebury-street on the
day in question, when be was astounded" to find himself
suddenly attacked by a number of lads throwing eggs and
stones at him. .

Mr. Broderip jocosely remarked that it was not only
unlawful to carry a board, but an attendant evil upon the
illegality seemed to be that it had the effect of attracting
eggs and stones, certainly not very pleasant things.
Mr. Peckham would say nothing about the legality or

illegality of carrying a board at pre-sent, as there was no
charge upon that subject at present before the magistrate.
It was unpleasant to the bearer that it had in this instance
the attractive qualities described. The circumstancebecame
the subject of inquiry by the committee, when, to their
surprise, it was ascertained that the eggs were furnished
to the persons throwing them by the defendant, and that
they were incited by him to commit the assault which was
the subject of the present charge.
Mr. Broderip expressed his opinion that there was some
difficulty in sustaining a charge like the present ; the very
first step in the case showed an illegal act on the part of
the complainant in carrying the board.
Mr. Peckham remarked that it was not the sort of
board prohibited by statute—it had no pole. The man
and his boards were what Mr. Charles Dickens had face-
tiously termed " an animated sandwich."
Mr. Broderip smiled, and thought' that if a man was
guarded like a tortoise by his shell, and had no pole, it was
a very ingenious way of avoiding an act of parliament
which, it seemed, must have a pole to make it of effect.
However, to leave the pole, if Mr. Peckham could prove
that defendant directed, or by words encouraged A B to
throw anything, it would be an assault. As there was
evidently much else behind this, would it not have been
better to have taken another course ? If the case were
competent of the proof described, defendant might have
been made answerable for a riot, instead of a common
assault.
Mr. Peckham admitted that if he had been consulted
before the summonses had been issued, he should not have
recommended proceedings to have been taken in the pre-
sent form, but as it had been done, he was in a condition
to support the charge in the present shape. After the
information received by the committee, the Churchwarden
mated upon the defendant, as they could not possibly be-
lieve that he had so far forgotten himself, when he made
a direct admission of the act imputed to him, stating that
it had been done in a moment of indiscretion and want of
reflection. This admission was followed up by a letter
from defendant, repeating it, and acknowledging that he
had incited the boys (the choristers at St. Barnabas) to
bedaub the boards, awl offering to make any reparation. to
the person who had carried them. As it was a public
offence, and required a public notice, the matter had been
brought to this court;; but if the defendant was now wil-
ling to express his regret publicly,as he had done privately,.
his (Mr. Peckham's) instructions warranted—nay, desired
him to retire from this prosecution.
The Rev. Defendant said he would most distinctly now
repeat his regret. He admitted that it was a most foolish
thing for him to have done..
Mr. Broderip was happy to see this gentlemanly feeling
exhibited in the matter ; but hoped that no more such
unseemly things would take place.
We understand the defendant gave the complainant £2
as a recompense for the pelting he had received.