The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-08-23 00:00:00

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This was an 'teflon for dinderous words spoken by
the defendant, before a Bench of Magistrates assem-
bled is 'l'ralee, under the Insnrreciiuu Act, during
the last winter. The libel complained of was to this
effect. That Francis Twins, (who is a Magistrate).
bad disarmed a :ratans and good constable, and armed
a noted leader of Insurgents, and the damages were
laid at 5,000/.
Mr. George Ilicksoo opened the pleadings, and Mr.
O'Connell stated the case, in his usual eloqnent style.
Mr. Edward Pcnnefailicr for the defendant, replied in
one of the most luminous speeches we lure heard for
a lung time, ■nd fraught with deep legal knowledge.
It appeared in evidence that the defendant resided in
the Barracks of Castlelsland. That during the dis-
turbances of last wittier, several families were obliged
to take refuge in that town, and some of them were ac-
commodated with apartments in the barracks, and where
stand of arms had been placed for safety. That
a sightly guard wits held there who patroled around the
barracks, and Mr. Tails employed the baronial
constable for that purpose, that during the dry their
arms were deposited in the Barrack, awl that at night
'hey were supplied with long muskets and bayonets,
as more efficient than their carbines, thrt upon one
occasion, Mr. Robert Twist, the brother of defendant,
and who is also a Magistrate, took one of those car-
bines to protect himself in his return to the house.
three miles from Castle-island, and neglected to re-
store it for some days. It appeared also that the de-
fendant knew nothingof the circumstance at this time
as the carbine was taken oat of an apartment occu-
pied by Doctor Loby.—lt further appeared that in
August last, and when no disturbances existed in the
county, the deft• dant lent a gun for the purpose of
spurting to a person of the name of Connell. who
lives in the neighbourhood of Breen', on the borders
of the county of Limerick. and who was a person of
good character and a wealthy farmer at that time, al-
though subsequently had been suspected of having
connected himself .4*.th the insurgents, and that
defendant had made several attempts to recover the
gun. It appeared also by the evidence ofJohn Bate-
man, Esq. that about Christmas last, Lord Brandon,
declared in his presence at Castle-island, that he had
the utmost confidence in the two M . Twins, as
Magistrates of that neighbourhood, in assisting him
to p the peace. The Counsel forplaistiff urged
that the Noble defendant bad malicionsly inverted
the order of these transaction', and had represented
the leading of the gun to Connell, and the taking of
the constable's arms, by plaintiff, in his report to the
Bench of Justices, with the intent, to excite in their
minds, and in the public opinion, a persuasion that
plaintiff had disarmed a good and x.talons constable
for the purpose of arming a noted leader of inane-
gents, and thereby to exhibit plaintiff as a person un-
fit to hold the commission of the Peaar. Hero the
case for plaintiff closed. For the defence it appeared

that Lord Brandon bad obtained two Civil Bill De-
crees against plaintiff for a balance at foot ~f a long and
heavy account of tithes held by plaintiff of the Noble
Lord. That the person named In those decrees had re-
presented to hiw(Lord Brandon)the plai otiff had threat
coed to shoot him or any other man who would attempt
to execute such decree, and that he carried pistols for
that purpose; that Lord Brandon communicated with
Mr. P. Chutte, a neighbouring Magistrate, on the sub-
ject, and called upon him to require plaintiff to enter
into recognizance. to keep the peace n iih this Bai-
liff, which Mr. Twiss refused to do, repeating, that
he carried pistols for his protection; that the No-
ble defendant felt it his duty to complain to the
beach of Magistrates then assembled in Tralee of so
great an offence against the laps on the part of one
of their own body, and upon that ocaasiou the de-
fendant stated as further cause of complaint against
plaintiff, and a reason to induce their investigation,
that the plaintiff had taken away the arms of a good
and zealous constable, and had armed a noted leader
of insurgents. Counsel argued, that in sta.iog Ibis
circumstance the defendant was not actuated by
malice or illwill towards the plaintiff, bat merely was
discharging hie duty as a Magistrate, and that he
considered the bench of Magistrates as the proper
tribunal before whom such complaints was cognisable,
The Learned Serjeaut (Torrents) before whom th..
Record was heard, summed up the evidence, and in
a clear and perspicuous charge to Jnry, explained the
law of libel, and the application of that law to the
present action. The Jury retired for about two hours,
and brought in a verdict for the plaintiff of 40s.
damages and ad. costs.

PO '.ICE.

4

OCILDBALL.—John O.:Veil!, a very sfeepeetable
looking lad of IS, apprentice to Mr. David Parry,
tobacconist, of Beech•street, liarbican, wee charged
by his master with embezzling and converting to his
own use various sums of money he had been intrusted
to receive. The prisoner, it appeared, had been sent
out on Wednesday, as nsual, to collect sundry small
debt*, and on his return home, after an absence of a
few boors, informed his master that be had been on.
successful, and had Dot received a single bill.
Perry having latterly had cause to entertain some
suspicion of the pris.mer's integrity, made out a small
hill, amounting to 19s. due from a neighbour, one of
those upon whom O'Neill bad been direeted to call,
and sent it by the shoputan, who returned immediately
with an answer that the bill had been paid, and
brought with him a written receipt for the amount,
signed by the prisoner, and dated that very morning.
As the individual from whom the prisoner received
the money was not in atteedance, the case could not
be fully gone into, and the worthy Alderman perceiv
ing the prisoner in tears, and apparently deeply af-
fected isi:h his situation, bumautly taking advantage
..1 this absence of evidence, called the prosecutor to
,him, and suggested the dreadful consequences and
utter ruin that must ensue to the prisoner, if the ease
was proceeded in, inquiring at eke same time if ►is
conduct was such at to render it probable this was hi.
first offence?

SMA N.

Mr. Parry replied dilate had reason to sn•pect Lim
of trilling depredations some time previously, and b•
feared that this system of emb, :element had beer.
earried on by the prisoner to a considerable event.
Mr. Ald. Mon' rap d his regret, but ob,erved.
that under such circuusstancet, the ease must hr pro-
ceeded in, and the prisoner was accordingly remanded
for further examination.
Manz,noaoroe-eraser.—Y•sterdsy a young G•a-
tleman of the medical profession, whose family connec-
tions are of some consideration, was bruaght from
St. Anne's watch-house, charged with baring attempt-
ed to poison himself:
The prisoner, nho is a tall, prep In yonng
man, was accompanied by several relatives. anti in
the ',reser:es of the Magistrate, Roe, Esq., he
maintained a thoughtful silence, as if something weigh- •
ed heavily on his wind,
It appeared that on Wednesday evenior last, the
prisoner, accompanied by a friend, who was present,
went into the Coffee-couns at the liar and Ragged
Staff, Piccadilly, for the purpose of haring some
refreshments the ptiaoner's (dead called for two
gl f brandy and water, bet the forme: retested
taking any, and requested the waiter to bring him an
empty tumbler. The prisnnees tone and manner, to-
gether adds some recent circumstances that occurred
convinced his friend that his mind was disturbed. On
the tumbler being procured, the prisoner took a phial
from his pocket, and poured the coolants into Ms
glass, and when be was patting its to his mouth, il
was snatched by his friend, who felt convinced that
the the prisoner had a design on his life. The con-
tents proved to be opiew. •lie was then taken to the
watch-hose. The prisoner gave no cense why he at
tempted the act-

Mr. Roe endeavoured to corvine, him of the hein
onsets' of the crime he was about to hare committed,
and that it would be far better for the prisoner to
bear any little weight that might be on his mind, with
fortitude, than to involve both himself and family in
the disgrace that such an act would ioevitabty heap on
them.

After a very feeling remonstrinee, the prisoner was
discharged, and quitted the effi -e with his friends,
who were advised to look strictly. after the prisoner.
—lt was supposed that a lore affair was the cause of
the attempt.
Oa Mor.day, the driver of the hackney-coach, 336,
was summoned to this office by Dean, the inspector of
St. James's, charged tinder the Street Act. with ob-
structing the passage of foot passengers. It appeared
in evidence that the prisoner suffered his coach to
stand at the end of Dover street, Piccadilly. for the
space of 25 minutes, while he was soliciting passen-
gers fora fare, and on Dean cautioning him, be abused
him very much, on which Sir. Chester, the manager
at Hatebett's, remonstrated with him and he old him
" to go and cut his Is--y throat like Lord Castle-
reagh."
The prisoner had been veen in similar situations
before, to the annoyance of the passengers. The pri-
soner denied the charge, but he was convicted In
the penalty of 10.. sad costs, making 14s. 6d. in
the whole.

Qin EN-SQUAII.--James Conway, a wretched look-
ing man, who said he was a barber and hair dresser,
living at s chandler's shop, in Duck-lane, W2S
'Drought np on a charge of nveri•g a counterfeit
sovereign, and assaulting Mr. Jones, • publican, in
Tothill•street.

The complainant stated, that the prisoner called
at his boas. on Wednesday afternoon, for half a pint
of giTi and a pot of porter, and tendered a soverrign.
which he was told was a bad one. He then became
very abusive, and was told to go about his business,
which lie refused to do ; and on the complainant and
his father attempting to put him nut of the ►ouse, he I
struck them both, whereupon they took him to the
watch•hoase.

The prisoner, in his defence, said, that having
been out all the forenoon drinking, he returned home
between three and four o'clock, and found a woman
named Mary Davenport, to his apartments, with-his
wife, who gave him the sovereign to go and fetch
some liquor. lie went to two or three different houses
fur that purpose, and the igo was refused ; and
being a little intoxicated, and thinking the sove-
reign to be good gold, he grew angry, and in
the scuffle struck Mr. Jones, for which he was very
sorry.
The woman alluded to by the prisoner being pre-
sent at the examination, now came forward, and con-
firmed his statement as to the sovereign, which, she
said, was given to her by a Gentleman is the street,
The only account she would give of herself was,
that she was an unfortunate woman, without any
fixed residence.

The sovereign was extremely well executed, and
would have deceived the eye of any common observer
On being cut, it appeared to be made of a white mix-
tare of metals, probably a composition of platima and
titans, and was so strongly gilt as to stand the test
of aqua fortis. It was, however, @Oily detected by
.
naging.
Mr. Jones being satisfied with the prisoner's apo
logy for the aessait, be and his female friend were
both discharged.
STannitio.—Sarah Featherstone, an unfortunate
cyprian, living in Leader-street, Chrleea Common, was
brought up by the watch house-keeper of Knights
bridge, from whose statement, and that of Richard
Jones, a watchman, it appeared that between tea awl
eleven o'clock on Wednesday night she was pu.beil
into the watch-house by two young men, one of
whom, named John Allen, living in Chapel street.
Portman Chapel, said, •• Site has stabbed me in the
back, take charge of her while I go to a surgeon;'
and as he turned round it was perceived that he was
bleeding very much. He went to St. tieorge's Hospi-
tal, and his wound being dressed, Le was then con
veyed home by a friend in a hackney coach.
The prisoner was reamnded for further exami-
nation, when the wounded man or his friend can
attend.
Wousatr-evezev.—The Rev. Mr. Eyre, the clergy-
man from Buckinghamshire, was yesterday again
brought up for re-examination. Mr. WILICS. the Soli-
citor, attended for the parish of St. Luke, and Mr. At.
LUCY fur the Reverend prisoner. Me. Mi wentlia. and Me.
Urea were in attendance, besides the Sitting Magistrate,
Mr:FP/SWORD. Considerable discussion took place as
to the coarse to be adopted. It was suggested that as
the offence was alleged to have been committed in the
county of Buckingham, it would be more proper to
'band the prisoner over to some Magistrate°, that conn•