The Statesman.
London, England, 1824-02-18 00:00:00

CASTLEIIAIN V. WELCH.

The ATTORNEY-GENBRAL, (with whom was Mr. Comyn)
stated the plaintiff's case. The action, he said, was brought
by the plaintiff, a dealer in wine and spirits, to recover a
sum of 1831. being the amount of wine and other liquors
supplied to the defendant. The defendant was a man of pro-
perty, but of eccentric habits, who being arrested for a bill
of exchange, which he conld easily pay, preferred going to
live in the Rules of the King's Bench to paying the debt.
Whilst living there, he had the liquors from the plaintiff,
for which the action was brought. He would not con-
ceal that a writ of Lunacy was issued against the de-
fendant, but that would not prevent the plaintiff's right to
a verdict. •
_ _

Thomas Swift examined—Witness lived as porter with
the plaintiff, who is a wine and spirit merchant in Newing-
ton Causeway, and carried wine and spirits to Mr. Welch
many times. Mr. Welch often called on Castlemain.
William Middieditch stated, that he was servant to Mr.
Welch from September 1922. to August 1923. Mr. Welch
lived in Prospect place the whole time ; his family consist-
ed of a brother-in-law, a maid servant, and witness ; he saw
company often; Mr. Castlemain supplied him with wine
and other liquors ; the quantity was considerable. wit-
ness proved a note produced to be defendant's writing. It
was directed to the plaintiff, and requested him to give de-
fendant credit fer wine and spirits till his dividends became
due, when he should be paid. Mr. Welch was possessed
of property, and received dividends at the Bank ; witness
went with him when he received his dividend at the Bank
in June, 1822, and went with him again in Nov. following,'
when the diiidends were refused, having been stopped by
Mr. Welch's nephew.
On his cross-examination, the witness stated, that Mr.
(Benny, who is the defendant's brother-in-law, had him
arrested and taken to the rules of the King's Bench, where
he lived with him, and entertained company frequently.—
Mr. Welch was quite childish, and was not allowed to sit
at the table. The wine and liquors supplied by the plain-
tiff were all used by Mr. Blenny and his company, except
some Cape wine, which was drank by Mr. Welch.—
Mr. Castlemain was frequently at the house where
lilenny and Welch lived, and knew Mr. Welch's state of
mind.

The Cuter JUSTICE here said, he thought there must be
a nonsuit.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL submitted that he was en-
titled to a verdict for the Cape wine drank by the de-
fendant.

Mr. SCARLETT said, if they went before the Master to
whom the lunatic's case was referred, they shoul}ll be
allowed for every thing that had been supplied for his nse.
The Cuter JUSTICI said, that would fully auswei
the justice of the case, and directed a nonsuit to be en-
tered.

MIDDLESEX SKSSIONS.—Tuesom

DISORDERLY House.— Mrs. Mary Osborne, a lady
dressed in silks and satins, with a capac►ous muff in her
hand, was put to the bar open an indictment charging her
with keeping a disorderly house in Cirencester-place,
Tottenham-court-road. There was a second count in the
indictment, describing the house in less doubtful terms.
Mr. ALLEY opened the case against the defendant, whose
husband, he stated, was included in the indictment,
although he did not think proper to attend. The house
of which she was the occupier, be said, hail been for
seven long years a nuisance to the neighbourhood in which
it was situated. Day after day, and night after night, the
most profligate scenes were exhibited, and the feelings of
all those who possessed a particle of modesty were shock-
ed by the repetition of such occurrences. In the day, ladies
of an accommodating disposition beckoned to the passen-
gers and decoyed them to their presence, while at night
the street was kept in a continual uproar by the arrival and
departure of carriages, and the incessant clamour and
quarrels of the servants. These things became no longer
sufferable, and at last the inhabitants joined together to
institute the present proceedings, 'The Learned Counsel
then called several persons who lived io opposite and ad-
joining houses to that kept by the defendant ; and having
by their evidence established the fact of the house being
disorderly, he abandoned the other and more offensive

count. - •
Alr. ANDRRWII and Mr. ADOLPHUS, who were Counsel
fqr the defendant, said that they had witn e to prove
that the house was most decorously conducted ; bit
The COURT being of opinion that the charge bad been
established, the defendant was pronounced guilty, and
committed, to be brought up for judgment on a future
day.
ASSAULT.
Henry4fhton, Robes; Quesny, and James Collins, were
indicted for assaulting Charles Claridge.
The prosecutor, it appeared, was a watchman. in the
parish of St. /Writes. and the defendants were—the parish
constable, the constable of the night, and a watchman in
the parish of St. Giles's. In the month of December last,
there happened to be a fire in Gate-street. Lincoln's-inn-
fields, and the prosecutor, although not on his beet, or io
lila own parish, went to lend his assistance, and among
other things, went to procure the, keys to get oat the
engine. The defendant Ashton, on seeing, him, accused
him of being troublesome on a former occasion. This be-
got recrimination,, and the prosecutor said he (Ashton)
had stolen a bottle of wine at a fire, on a previous day.
&Moo upon this give him into custody, and he was
actually carried to the watch-house, and sent to the black-
hole on the notable charge of " presuming to charge Ashton
with, waling a bottle of wine." Although a watchman, be
remained in this situation for three hours. when one of the
officers of his own parish bailed him, and discovered the
sauce of his detention.
In the defence, it was proved that the wine had been
given to Ashpo ; but this was considered to be no answer
to the charge of what, and false Imprisonment, and