The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-08-13 00:00:00

144 tid Jury, ta Ito proved that the bill was presented by Hp
def. ;Want. and ignored by Mots, If and his fellows.
Ur. Jr!.'ice PARK said the creation of probable cause was
eNt:nsrely fur himself; and he would never hold that the
mere tact of a Grand Jury throwing out a bill, which they
o.ic la Jo from reprice, was evidence that it was preferred
wit bout probable cause.
Mc.aemuson replietlAkej„ lie never contended for sago,
nter:ithat the mere rejection of the bill was sufficient. But
I.e ;;fetr.g4ll himself to prove that, at the time of the pre-
terittd-mesult, no blow was given—no threatening gesture
user4that no worrl,eveo of reproach, escaped his client ;
hut that the defendant, irritated by the plaintiff's insisting
on • copy of the precept, went away, .saying " he would
see what be could do for him." When, atter this, a charge
warlaid-•—the defendant only being present; and when af-
terwards a bill was presented by the defendant, surely there
was evidence on which the Jury might say whether the
Proc-eedings issued from the same source, and on which the
Jorfre* might decide the question of probable cause.
Yr ',gin, PARK teCliffed to the want of proof of
O. inform tion, which he still thought fatal, though he
she, Id reg et extremely if it pion ented any one from obtain-
ing name.
Mr. rasasow urged that this observation was entirely
rnabplicable to the fourth count, which was merely for pre-
ferring a bill.
The learned Judge,however, declared he was quite satis
fied that the plaintiff must be called, nod accordingly the
plaintiff was nonsuited.
Mr.. PeaßsoN intimated that he should move to set the
sensuit aside.,
Mr. Justice r ARK replied, that the learned Counsel had
an undoubted llght to move, but Mat he could not give him
leave to do soon by so doing he should imply doubts which
be did not entertain.
DOWN V. KEEN AND WATTS.
This was an action by a clothier of Suomi against too
'constables of that place, for imprisoning hint without cause.
It appeared on the oildence for the plaintiff, that on the
1.1 of December last, he went into a public house at Stroud,
called the Crown and Anchor, to inquire after his father, 1
his mother being ill. He was going away, finding
that his father was not there, when a man
named Nicholls called to him, and told him that be owed
him a shilling. The plaintiff took out a shilling, and
offered to pay. Nicholls proposed to spend it in liquor
and Down accordingly. after adding sixpence to the sum,
sate down to erlak. Nicholls then began to banter him by
asking, " if he had not range and Laze! at home, „which
are slang expressions, mean embezzled cloth. Down took
the question in jest, replying, " he did not know, but they
were welcome to search his house, and he would wait while
they did so ;" but on the question being several times re-
feaied, he grew angry and said, though not in a violent
s • inter, "If you bother me I'll knock our head off."
'it-bolls, however, insisted; words ensued'; when Keen,
.
being a constable, interfered. and ordered Watts, also a
corstable, to take Down into custody, and carry him to the
blindhouee. The landlord; surprised at this, said to Watts,
" Surely you must be jesting, you cannot mean to take this
man to the blindhouse ;" on which Watts consulted Keen,
tint Keen told him to do his duty, or he would fine hint :ff.
Thus directed, Watts took Bown to the blindhonse, a dark
dungeon with a stone floor and dirty straw, and there lie
bras locked up till eleven the next day, when he was released
On hail to appear at the Sessions. At the Sessions he at-
:tended with his witnesses, bet no charge was preferred
against him.
' The defence set pp was, that the plaintiff wag quite in-
boxiiatfd, and committed a breach of the peace viit bin view
of the constable, who was therefore justified in tak'ng him
itto, custody. No breach of the peace was proved, but
witnest:s spoke M the state and demeanour of flown in di.
rice ooposition to the landlord and other witnesses for the
plati ff.
Mi. Justice Nam Rammed up the evidence, observing,
that' Ilse injury was not a Might one; and
'the ion found a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages 20/.

SCOTLAND.
POPULATION.—By the last Census taken in 1921, it ap-
pears that the mnst populous county in Scotland is Lanark,
there being in it 244,31;7 persons' and 14,617 *males more
than males. In the county of Edinhnegh, including the
city, there are 101,511 persons, and noir', tbbs 154196 fe-
males mcra than males. The greatest inereiteof papule.
tion for the last ten yeate appears in the ronnttee of Aber-
deen and Ayr, judging from their population, 'Aberdeen
bawl% increased '0,312, and Ayr, 23,345. The stationary
coo ne.des appear to be Peebles and Sntherlandl. The first
of arse, with a population of 10,046, has only increased
111 in the last ten years ; and the last, with a population
of 23,840, has only increased 211. The lease populous
county in Scotland is Selkirk, which contains 6647 pet sons,
and only about !.:00 females more than males ;its increase for
the last 10 years, however, has been 740.
linasnow, Aug. 7.—Some hopes were entertalnd don
llordav and Wednesday that the weather was about to
mend ;.but this forenoon it rains as heavily as ever. Tu
be sure, it almost always rains abont Lammas ; but another
ten days of ungenial weather woult in alt likelihood make
the oat crop later than it Was ever witnessed by the present
generation. The potatoes in must situations promise to be
abundant.
Our accounts of the crops at present are highly favour-
able, if we could now have fair weather.—(Edinburgh
UL-
server.)
A curious mistake occurred on Sunday, relative to a prod
clamation of marriage bans. The Elder, who is a married
man, bad by mistake written down his own name, instead
of the bridegroom's, along with that of the bride, and the
proclamation was made in church accordingly. The asto-
nishment of the young couple may be easily conceived.
The mistake will, however, be productive of no other evil
t h an-a week's delay.—(Dundee Advertiser.)
On Monday week the Strathmore Telegraph coach took
fire twice on the road between Forfar and lirechin, owing
to the friction of the wheels on the axle-tree. In both in-
stances the fire ass discovered in sufficient time to prevent
any serious cansequences. The coach was heavily laden
with luggage and passengers. From the attention of the
guard and driver, a little delay in their journey was the
only inconvenience felt by the passengers.—(Edinbur,o
Courant.)

On Monday acme labourers began to be emplord in
opening a drain sufficiently wide to carry off the eater in
a short time from the canal, in St. James's Park. It is in-
tended to cleanse the bottom of the canal from the mnd and
ether putrid depositions, which hare so long been accumu-
lating in it. Afterwards, the tide will be admitted into it
by the communication which now exists with the Thames;
and as an inch or two of water can thus be withdrawn
daily, and its place supplied, by fresh water from the riser,
the contents of the canal may be preserved sweet for a long
series of years.
A few days since, a penny of Win. the Conqueror was
deg ep in the Friars in this city. On the obverse is a full-.
faced bust extending to the edge of the coin, and crowned
with an arched crown; the right hand holding a sceptre,
is placed upon the left breast. Round the head is the
geed PILLILM lux (r was the Saxon w.) The reverse has
a smile cross extending nearly to the inner circle, with an
annolet ht every quarter, each innate% containing one of
these letters, P. A Y. e. The whole is surrounded with the
laseription IRWIN* ON PINT. Near the same spot wse
found a London peony of Edward I. On the obverse tie
bead extends only to the inner circle—is full faced, and
crowned with an open crown of three fleur-deat. The
epigraph is BOW. a. ANOL. DNS. DTI. The reverse is a sin-
gle broad cross, extended to the outer edge, with three pel-
lets in each quarter. and circumscribed with the words m-
ercer; LONDox.--(osford Herald.)