The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-06-06 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

THE KING AT THI PROBBCUTON OF JAMBS BROWNI,
IBQ. AGAINST ROBIRT BINGHAM, HQ.
This was a prosecution for endavouring to fight a
duel. The prosecutor is one of the representatives in
Parliament for the county of Mayo, of which the de-
fendant is the present High Sheriff.
Mr. Phillips, the Irish Barrister, who has been lately
called to the Bar in this country, stated the case for
the prosecution in a brilliant speech.
The facts, as stated by the Learned Gentleman, and
proved in evidence, were simply as follows :—Sorne
time in the month of Feb. last, the prosecutor being at
the time on a visit at the house of his father-in-law, iu
Kent, the defendant called on him, and stated that he
had come over from Ireland, for the purpose of com-
plaining to him of the conduct of the Postmaster of
Ennis, near which town in Ireland the defendant re-
rides, and who, he said, was unsulTerably uncivil to
him and his family. He proceeded to say, that he
understood the Postmaster had been appointed
through the influence of the prosecutor's father (the
Right H.'n. Denis Browne), and therefore he applied
to the prosecutor to procure him redress, by the re-
moval of the Postmaster from his situation. The
prosecutor enured the defendant that he would ar•
quaint his father with the complaint the defendant
had made. The prosecutor accordingly lost no time
in making his father acquainted with the defendant's
complaint of the Postmaster, in consequence of which
his father gave him a written paper, stating, that it
was not through his interest the Postmaster had
been appointed. In a short time after the defendant
called again on the prosecutor, who laid this paper on
the table, and was about to leave the room without
any further explanation, when the defendant
him back, said he had other business with him, for,
said he, " Your father has made my uncle promises
which must be enforced, and I have brought a friend
from Ireland for that purpose, and l expect a meet-
ing from you." The prosecutor replied he had no-
thing more to say, anti was leaving, the room, whets
the defendant called him again, and insisted on a
meeting, saying at the same time, " We can't fight
iu
this country: I am going to Alayo, and I know you
will be there soon." Some time alter this the de-
fendant wrote a letter to time prosecutor. which clearly
manifested his determination to force the prosecutor
to fight a duel.
James Browne, Esq. the prosecutor, proved the
facts, and stated, that he never hail any quarrel or
dispute with time defendant, nor had he ever given
hint the slightest provocation.
Mr. Au.ev addressed the Jury on behalf of the
defendant.
The CitAIRMAN charged the Jury, that if they
believed the defendant intended to provoke the pro-
secutor to• fight a duel, they must find a verdict of
The Jury, without any hesitation, ttund the de-
fendant and the Court sentenced him to pay a
fine of 501. and find security for keeping the peace,
himself in t? 110/. and two sureties in 10111. for two
years.
The defendant paid the fine in Court, and was al-
lowed to depart.

Letters from all the grape-growing parts of France
concur in stating., that incalculable damage has been
done to the vineyards by the sharp frosts and hail
storms at the close of the last month, particularly in
the nights of the 29th and 29th. Several vineyards
which promised an abundant vintage are laid waste.
On Saturday last, a covey of young partridges,
about 12 in number, and apparently more than a
week old, were seen at Sherwood, about three miles
from Exeter, upon an Estate, the property of Thos.
Flood, Esq. We never before heard of a covey being
batched so early.—(Exeter Gazette.)
The schooner General ()oldie, IVilliatn Ralph, urts-
ter, of Dumfries, which sailed from Waterford on the
sth ult. with a cargo of wheat, for Liverpool, has not
since been heard of, and great fears are entertained fur
her safety. Until the 7th instant she kept in company
with the Wellington of Whitehaven, and they spoke
one another off Holyhead, at 2 r.at. on that day. At
this time the lowering of the clouds and the swelling
of the waves gave evident indications of an approach.
ing tempest—so much so, that both vessels immediate-
ly furled to the last reef their principal sails, and, as
the only means of safety, stood far to the northward.
Our readers cannot yet have forgotten the night of the
7th of May ; and it is almost needless to add, that the
storm which proved so fearful on land was felt as still
more tremendous on the open ocean, After losing
every thing on deck, together with her boat, and sus-
taining other damage, the Wellington reached Liver•
pool on the following day; and the master, in describ-
ing one of the most terrible gales he had e►er encoun-
tered, appeared to take it for granted that the General
Goldie must have gone to the bottom. Still, however,
there was hope ; but from the circumstance of a muti-
lated boat and several firkins of butter having been
cost ashore at Formby, (the latter bearing the same
brand-mark as those shipped on board the General
()oldie). the owners have now made up their minds as
to the fate of their vessel. The crew consisted of a
muter and four men, not one of whom, it is believed,
has survived to tell the mournful tale. The master,
William Ralph, bore an excellent character, and was
one of the best looking men, and ablest seamen, be-
longing to Dumfries. Before tailing to Waterford the
Oeneral Goldie had touched at Glasgow, where the
master took on board his wife, who had never been at
sea before, and who, we regret to say, together with
an infant at her breast, must have shared the fate of
her emfortnnate husband. Considering the size oft he
Amid, wb• have seldom heard 110( a lIIVIO tielahcholy
flatipwTerk.

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