The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-05-19 00:00:00

LJW NTRL LIG SNOB:
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COURT OF ICING'S BENCH. Mat HI. • '
VIE NINO U. JOserii MuuCauon. auCl•
Mr. W YI.D Meted to the Jury (which was Special),
that Ibis was en indictment against the Defendant, who.
um. a Megiatranar and who, not regarding his defy
is sock character, sod in violation of all his sacred
function., did licence one Thomas Wvieht to keep
a common ale-hoes., well knowing that he was a
Most improper person to keep suck !wain). There,
Were seven other eouots in the indictment, which
charged the Defendant sith WWII similarly coo.
ducted himself in seven several instances. At hair-
pin nine o'clock Mr. Jostles Abbot took his seat
upon the bench, and shortly afterwards the Jury
were impabelled sod swore.
. Mr. Scantarre, in opening the case .to the Jury,
bogged that VS any of theta that stem then on the
Ise, should ha►e served on Saturday, that they would
forget what had passed on that day. •The charge,
be observed, was one of a most salon nature, and
booditici►et know of an, one, under the shape of a•
'mhdemranoor, more serious.
Mi. Toronto he (Merited, that he, understood
that-fins et thelury, who served on Saturday, were
in the boijr-ent that he mentioned the eirMamstance
as a matter of objection.
Mr. JOllOl ABBOT.—The present charge is as W..
ferent acipossible from that of Saturday.
Mr. SeleuLarr said, he was passive on the subject:
Mr. H4CUARDSO2I stbeerved, that they did not
etij, •to any fifths Gentlemen.

mean to ► /act to any ___
Mr. Jilstice ABBOT stated, that if any objection to
aeon was to be received, it ought td'have been made.
befortetbe Jury sere sworn; but they haring been
wiled and sworn, the trial must go on : the question
we perfectly distinct from the one tried on Saturday :
ibis relates to his conduct as a Magistrate.
Mr. Merceron, who had taken his seat on the
goer, said that-he had not the slightest objection to
any of the/o'l,oBmeg, who composed the Jury.
'The trial was then .pioceeded
Mr. SCARLET; after tome very impressive anti'
eloquent remarks on the superior advantages which
the People of this country, as compared with every
other part of the world, possessed in the adminietra,-
lion of justice, from the highest officers down.to
those of-the most humble character ;.aod, after haw.
ing particularly described the important duties, as
well as the high trust and confidence which were re-
posed. in the Megistrates, proceeded, to. 1141(P, that
the charge agsiost the pretreat D.fetirlatit, who had
held the office of a Magistrate, was that of having
cam-op-11y abused the functions of Iris sacred situation.
lie then went on to observe, that among other duties
devolving upon the Defendant, was dot of granting
licences to public.loesses. •
The Learned. Gentlemen observed, that amongst
the machinery of a well-conducted Government, was
that of a Magisteste, who received no pay from Go- !
vernment, bot..who was entrusted to act upon his
own feelings of integrity and honour, but who was
called upon by theGovernmentand the People to die.
charge his duty conscientiously, and thereby he would
obtain the applause of these aroused him. It was the
peculiar province of a Magistrate se situated, to take
cave that the Public were not led intosilarea by the ap-
poi tit meat of improper persons to keep public-houses,
and thereby render, them, instead of receptacles for re-
freshment and accommodation, schools of.indecency,
immorality, aud every vicious propensity. The
Learned Gentleman -warned the Jury not to find the
Defendant guilty, unless the case should he. made nut
by, the most conclusive evidentlo. The Defending had,
foe many years, been a Magistrate for ttse County
of. Middlesex,• aid it was not its one solitary in-
etunce that he had violated his duty as a Magistrate,
bu.t in several instances in the years 1815 and
1816, even after he. had received the fullest infor-
mation that the houses were kept by highly impro-
per spersoas ; amongst these -were the following :
The Seven Stars, kept by T. Wright ; the King's
Ames, the Queen's Read,.the Turk and Slave, the
Adam and Eve, the Rem and Magpie, every one of
which, it would appear; 'bad been kept by persons
who allowed Rambling, and almost every other sort
of excess. In the year 1815, the conduct of the
persons wilts. kept those houses became so uot orioue,
that the constable thought lit to make a list of them,
and lay it before the Magistrates at the Quarter Ses-
sions; notwithstanding which, however, they were
all re_licensed. Some of them were the property of
Alr..Merzeron. and of others he received the rents.
- 'lnsider

The Learned Counsel entered at cot. cable length
into the, circumstances of the, case, anciconclutled by
observing, that corrupt motives were attributable to
< .
the peferidant, for no man would act corruptly
fin-
less he had a mative far so doing.
Mr Unwin, fraw the Office of the Clerk of the Peace of
Middlesex, pr,duccd the'ComMlssion in which the D feudant's
name wits inietted as n Magistrate.
gr. Jolm Whitby Perry. wits Head Constable of the Pariah,'
of Si. Matthew, Bethnal green, for 1815, mud, accompanied by
on doe
he had frequently goneentrud to inspect did
conduct of the public--ouses, among others, most particebillyt
the Seven. Siam, in Fleet-street, Bethnal: green. It was elm-
ducted io a Very bad manner; it was kept open till one or two
in thelatorsiniV it was frequented by the rower orders, yoga*
people of bath sexes, generally playing at cards. sometimes SO,
111, or-t 0 At, a time; the Milani remonstrated with the la,
lord ; 'but wrieddlitr he went meal it lirtesille same ; the Maeda
was opal dart* Ditine Service tai Bandayso and kis rensess
strtsaces received no attention. lie bad alsis,,sisited the Kitten
Arms., in Genre-street,as.d there he found the game of shuffle-,
bdard played at u 16rtgy,ble, and about 9(f pewee drinking
and smoking, d ring Di It Service; be bad Segliial tines* snood
the loposenpen dialog chortle boars, bet he ba,d Atte the game
played may once • the 'house was frequently 'open at :delve or
ode tic ark in the morning ; he again dffis4.restidoideated.,add
threntened in vain. lie also visited tbe.goifeWit Head,.in Flask'
street, which was net less irregular thaa the othelr two ; cards,
b, d hoses, and .open during liivine Servki.. -The Turk aid'
Slave. is Brick-lasse, was 114 iB tenancy/id asliewthetsw suaso.,
times i' wag shut, as if empty; once, on Gloaming admin.'s:p...l
after much difficulty. he found 30 or 40 men drinking up-stairs:
this was at one or two O'clock in die morning. He laid often
found ;sans persons drinhirs and smokin below when the land-
lord de, hired that' here was no peiiiin there; hd turned 11141
out Al she ride-Baste, and while- du- wham was going sot. ne;
the fro*, the laadlord. them at die s de. The witi,
nett was always accompanied by some of the beadboroughs.—
Four or Ave days before the licensing:day, in September, ltfli;
the is know was sentlfor by*, Defendant, to his office in Brick.'
lane: be enquired whether the witness bad any complaints in
tnnke azainst any licensed victuallers; the sill nelos atom ered in
the affirmative, fur he bob fithnd many of the pst.licans very
dirdisfeklili dinning iitietieatat }false ZyvW aboattnesibered, and
giving Me details. The wiIWW said alit their conduct aas very
repreignsible , illbellley-cieght to be yonished, *MAW* he must
report( todullierad-die Licemtiog Hoard. Merceron bade him
be careful. aat4.slttS t'd tie thigiiiissontneltuepresensmions might
be the means losing their lit !pet, thee • aud 'Melt
ft motes retraced toir#genrj. me inlets to d hint that he ap-,
joctiendoilte *COW have Its take lOW Midi before the Maxis-
Ithid, elitist swear th the ir,eridaritieslie biltd*en. Mer-
cy-10h isollwerejt that he would send to die yeblicane, and after
rineetistritne, their deateatmur ninth] no ddabl be biter-