The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-07-21 00:00:00

BOXING.

A match was made a fortnight since betwixt
Smith, the contemporary of O'Duntiel, and
George Green, a rising fighter of the present day.
The combatants had each beaten Dicon, the most
celebrated on the list of his weight, which is two
stone less than Green or Smith. The present
combatants stood high on the list of second raters,
and at one o'clock on Wednesday they met on the
spot where Richman and Wood fought, near King-
eon. with their seconds, Young Belcher and Blake
for Green, and Jones and Clarke for Smith.
Betting was 5 and 6t04 on Green. The contest
was a disappointment to the amateurs, who mus-
tered strongly iu expectation of a milling match
worth seeing. The combatants fought shy of each
other, but Green put in a stomacher in the second
round, which doubled up his adversary, and rose
the odds in his favour. This was the only hit of
consequence Green placed during the combat;
and Smith, whose greatest requisite is rujianing
his man, seemed at much lost. He fought careful
and hit but 'seldom, but he won the match, which
was for 20 guineas, in three quarters of an hoer,
without much harm to either party.
Another battle, much better contested than the
former, was fought between Lennox, a playful
little fighter of the old school, and a novice, which
was won by Lennox.

ANOTHER Hato Go"( !—On Tuesday evening,
the once celebrated Crab, who for some sears
shone a bright luminary of the pugilistic school,
paid the debt of nature, after a very short no.
tice, on board a Gravesend boat, on his return
to London. This hero was an elder of the
science; and after the revival of scientific pugi-
lism by the contests of Ryan and Johnson, Hum-
phries and Mendoza, and many other champions
of note, was one of the most dazzling brilliant:
in the gymnastic ring, long before the Game
Chicken was hatched into notice, or the Belcher:,
the Gullies, the Cribs, or the Gregsons, were so
much as heard of. Wormwood Scrubs, and all the
favourite boxing grounds, were often the scenes
of his prowess; and the Duke of Hamm-ton,
and all the noble amateurs of the manly art
in his day, were frequent witnesses of his
achievements. Tough as the tree whose name
he bore, and sour as its fruit to the feel.
ings of his antagonists, he was allowed to be one
of the most troublesome customers to his rivals
in the contest fur victory, and to serve out his
blows with a rapidity, dexterity, and effect, rarely
equalled, and seldomer excelled, by men of his
weight and inches. After years devoted in the
pursuit of pugilistic glory, he resigned the pro.
fession of knuckle:, and from a man of war, be.
tame an officer of peace under the Chief Marshal
of London, in which situation be conducted him-
self for some time with much propriety, never
commencing hostilities, but, like a wise com-
mander, fur the attainment of tranquillity ; never
wielding the weapons of mar bit for the mainte-
nance of peace. His quick eye beamed terror to
the light-fingered corps, who daily ply about the
Bank and Exchange, on the lark for booty ; and
his keen scent shrewdly nosed the secret haunts
of scamps, divers, and housebreakers. But, like
many a hero before him, 44 his race was run ;"
and Death, the universal victor, who, sooner or
later, levels all heroism with the dust---after spar.
ring a few short rounds with poor -Crab, in a
slight illness, at last put in a finishing blow.

Thetford Wool Fair, on Saturday last, was most
numerously and respectably attended, but very lit-
tle business was done ; Mr. COKE offered his
Southdown Wool at four guineas per tod, which
did not, however, sell at that price ; but it is said
that he had previously been offered 41. We are
also informed that Si. 17s. was given for a flock at
the fair.

~..

• •

- *' •
LAW liNpatIGENCE.
' COURT OrtriANCERY.
• Thursday, July 20.

iIIENEFIT SOCIETIES.
PEAR= AND OTHERS v. PIPER AND OTHERS.

This is unit which most materially concerns the
numerous Benefit Societies that abound in this me.
tropolis sod its vicinity.
It was an appeal from a decree of his Honour
the Master of the Rolls. The bill was originally
filed under the following circumstances. In the
year 1798, an annuity society was founded by a
number of respectable bakers, whose object was
to secure annuities to those who should become
members thereof, under regulations unanimously
agreed upon. In the year 1805, it being found
that the funds of the society were inadequate to
continue the annuities hitherto paid to some of the
claimants, and those who might hereafter become:
entitled, a general meeting was held, when it was
resolved to dksulre the society altogether, and
distribute the funds among the subscribers. A..
gainst this resolution the annuitants then entitled,
and to whom their annuities had been antecedently
paid, resorted to the protection which, by tho
rules of the society, a court of equity might af,
ford them, calling on the t ustees of the society to
continue the payment of their annuities. The case
was argued at considerable length in the Rolls
Court, and a decree was pronounced by his Ho-
nour in favour of the Plaintiffs.

The case was now again argued, with great feel.
lug, on behalf of the appellants, by Sir S. Ro-
l/ILLY, who pointed out the extreme injnstice
which would be done to his clients if the decree of
his Honour the Master of the Rolls was nut con-
firmed by the Lnrd Chancellor ; for these unfor.
tunate persons who had in the course of the vigor.
ous part of their life abridged themselves of those
comforts which could render existence desirable,
for the sake of providing a source of maintenance
in the decline of their dAys, would now behold,
that the specious and seductive plan of the society
originally promulged was a complete delusion, and
that they had now no other consolation than to
find that they were the dupes of ether people's ig.
norance. If, however, it should be his Lordship's
opinion that the decree of his Honour was wrong,
he trusted that some plan would be adopted, ou the
dissolution of the society, for affording to then
persons the most liberal share of the funds aecu.
mulated that could be devised. This he thought
they werelustly entitled to, by the greater risks
they had run than any other subscribers, before
they attained the age at which they could claim the
annuities.

Mr. RICHARDS, for the Respondents, contend-
ed that the Appellants were nut entitled to be ex_
elusively favoured with the discharge of their an-
nuities, at the expenco of the other members of
the sochty, who must hereafter labour under the
same disadvantages of which they now complained,
in consequence of the iusufficlency of their funds
to meet the claims. This society was originally
founded on the most shortaighted ignorance and
error. Their means were entirely inadequate to
accomplish the great suds they believed they could
effect. On the slightest examination of its princi-
ples and regulations, such a conclusion must be at
once drawn by the most ordinary observer. It
was impossible, where the subscriptions were so
small, that such liberal advantages could be derived
to the subscribers as was at first proposed. Ia
a word, he thought it was a complete bubble.
Under these circumstances, he was of opinion
that it was not competent in the Court, according
to principles of equity, to compel the D-fendants
to psy the Plaintifii at the ex pence of other mem.
bers of the Society. Nor could the C.,urt extend
its authority so wide as to reach the individuals of
so numerous a society as this was composed of.
Re expressed a difficulty also with respect to the
individual Defendants on this record, wbo only
held their situation of trustees by the regulation of
the society fur three years. The cause bad now
been nearly three years on the record, and it
would be difficult to appoint new trustees, whin
it was not in the ppwer of those already in exist.
ence to compel the society to elect others. The
same observation would hold good with respect to
the dissolution of the society, for it was impossi-
ble to compel them to that measure by an order of
this Court.

ifhe LORD CHANCELLOR said he would not pro.
nounce his judgment until Monday, for the sake
of examining a case which Sir Samuel Romilly
hinted at, which bore some analogy to the pre.
sent. At the same time he observed, that the
great difficulty he felt in confirming the decree
was, that if the funds of the society were to be
appropriated to the payment of the present ennui_
tents, there would be nothing left for future claim.
acts. He feared the original constitution the
society was so defective as sot to afford him enffi.
cient ground upon which he could grant relief.—
His Lordship, with the greatest anxiety for ex.
tending encouragement to such beneficial societies,
had often from that seat cautioned such societies
that they should be more circumspect in their for-
mation towards the attainment of their proposed
object.

COURT OF KIYG'S BIiXCII.
Thursday, July 20.

SITTINGS It LORD aLLlNSollouCills, LIP SPLC/111.

JVRINS IN GOILDRILL.

THE DING V. WILLIAM HOLDEN, ESQ. AND THEIS

OTUZRO.

The Arroft rt.-GENERA t. stated, that this was
an indictment against the Defendants. Mr. Golden
and three other gentlemen, for having acted eon.
trars, to the provisions of an Act of Parliament ;
but he had little to say. to the Jury in this case)
because, although it rasa criminal prosecitti is,
it would really resolve itself altogether into •
point of law, there being but little, in point of
fact, to wJet to their consideration ; he had
only drily to state what he should as clearly ► rove,
what the conduct of these Defendants had been on
the subject now in question, and then to leave it
to his Lorsiship to say whether they hail n•it,
indeed they clearly haft, tended against the Act