The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-07-10 00:00:00

a consultation with him about repairs," and sr
was never in partnership with him," when the
Jury would have no hesitation in pronouncing the
Defendant guilty.
Mr. Samuel Harris was then called, and proved,
that the words attributed to the Defendant were
spoken by him on the trial, with the exception of
the word " consultation" which should have been
" conversation."
Mr. Serjeent Batr, Counsel for the Defendant
(on the former occasion be was of Counsel against
the son), took an exception to this part of the
record, which was admitted.
Witnesses were then called to prove the exist-
ence of the partnership in 1805 and 180 G, three
of whom hail been drawn into the snare ; they
swore that Defendant and sun mere understand to
be partners, joined their names in bills of es.
change, had cards and bills of parcel printed Nith
their direction, 46 Alexander and Sou, sworn.
brokers and appraisers, Duke-street, Aldgate,
and Charlotte-street,lVhitechapel.road," and were
generally credited as such.
Mr. Serjeant BPT then addressed the Jury :
lie said the charge being of a criminal nature, it
was their particular duty to see it was fully made
out ; and, whatever suspicion might attach to the
character of the Defendant, to ascertain whether
the words spoken were satisfactorily proved to
have been false. He had to call their attention to
one point only, that relative to the partnership,
no other haying been gone into. Admitting the'
Defendant to have been in partnership inlBos and
1808, they should have sbewn he was In partner.
'ship in 1807, at the time of the trial, for the
question was, " Arc you not in partnership with
'Altar son ?" which alone was answered, and not
whether he had ever been, although he chose to
reply, " I never was."
Mr. Gmtnow nas about to reply to this ob.
jection ; when
Lord ELLtssottouGn referred to the record,
and finding the allegation incorrectly stated, the
Defendant was in consequence acquitted.

RAPIER V. lITAIMIRT.

This action was to recover a balance on an ac-
count of 171. SU. and was undefended. The Plain.
tiff, constrained to prove his case, had bee► under
the necessity of calling witnesses from different
parts of Kent, Norfolk, and Souiersetshire. The
Defendant had been a Collecting Clerk, and the
several witnesses proved small balances, which,
in the gross, amounted to the sum laid in the de.
claration.

Lord ELLENSOROUGH—" This is a most de-
Mructive suit, the expeoce of witnuses will ruin
the mail."
The Counsel replied—" My Lord, with great
reluctance we have been compelled to pursue the
couple we have."
Verdict for the Plaintiff ill. Is.

—■saimm-
COURT OF COMMON PLEAS,
Saturday, July 8.

TkiE s•;

FIRE IN CONDUIT-STREET.
A dreadful fire broke out on Saturday night, in
the house of Mies Slack, milliner, No. 61, Con-
duit-street. It appears that no one was in the
house; for it was first discovered by the watch.
man, and he found the door open, with a blasts
of fire in the back parlour. He sprung his rattle
in the house, to alarm the family, but not a
creature heard him. He then alarmed the neigh-
bourhood, and Mr. Hurley, the grocer next door,
was raised from his bed; and his family wee saved.
No water was to be found, as usual, for more
than an hour, during which time the flames
gut such an ascendancy as to make the de.
struction of the houses No. 62 and 63, inevita-
ble; but it was hoped that the fine mansion, of the
Hon. Frederick North, situate next door to the
west, might escape the flames, on account of its
strong party walls; and the woman in possession
refused to open the door. The Right Honourable
Wiudham was drawn to the spot, by the
lively interest he took in the preservation of Mr.
North's inestimable library. The roof of the
house at length caught the flames, as the wind set
in that way—and at length the firemen broke open'
the doors. A number of the books, through the
indefatigable exertions of Mr. Windham and the:
Volunteers, were saved, and lodged at Mr. Win-
ter's opposite—but we lament to say, that in the
midst of their exertions the roof fell in, and
crushed three of the fire-men—and all that part
of the library which was in the upper part of the
house was destroyed. The loss to literature is
incalculable. The collection has been the labour
of Mr. North's life; and has been made with a
research, skill, taste, and perseverance unparal-1
Icled. He visited all the known stores and depo-
sitaries of the world for rarities in science and lite.
rature—and though a part has escaped the flames,
yet wo fear that the library is irreparably affected,
by sets being broken, others totally burnt, and the
whole essentially damaged. His house was most
superb in decoration and furniture, but that is of
little estimation when compared with the books
and manuscripts, and with the lives that we fear
are lost, for there are faint hopes of their reco-
very. Tbc flames were so violent that the walls
of Mr. North's house, as well as Miss Slack's, arc
totally destroyed. he skeleton of Mr. Hurley's
remains. Mr. North is uow on his way to Malta
and Constantinople, animated by the hope that
through the friendly intercourse re-established by
Mr. Adair, he may be able to pursue his search
after the precious relics of antiquity, and add to
the stock of human knowledge.