The Statesman.
London, England, 1824-01-14 00:00:00

MI DDLESEK SEPAONS.-;tiiiiiiiii.
r
' - ASSAULT. .. .

Thomas Borges, was indicted for assaultinz Mrs. Herr. 1
Mrs. Roia Hart, the wife of Mr. Aaron Hart, stated,
that on the 13th of November, she was returning home
la the evening, about balf-past six, to her house at Totten-
' ham she got into the Edmonton stage coach at the
' Plower Pat, in Bisbopsgate Street, at which time there
were two females in the coach. At Kingsland the de-
fendant got into the coach, and took his seat by her side,
and whispered in ber ear language of the most disgusting
and fulsome description. At Newington, the ladies got
out, and he and her remained in the coach. The defend-
ant forced his elbows two or three times into her side; she
told him repeatedly, that she, was in the family way, and
be would hurt her; be continued to insult her, and took
the most indecent liberties with her.
Cross examined by Mr. Ananta.—The defendant and
-her husband bad been intimate from their childhood ; but
she had never been intimate with him. She could not
say that there bad been a dispute between them. Thy.
was a young gentleman in the coach at the time the
defendant offered her the insults she had stated.
Mr. Lower was one of the passengers in the coach on the
evening in question. and beard the defendant ask Mrs.
Hart how her sister was ? and observed that she was a
good girl. Mrs. Hart said, am I not a good girl? I have
been married sixteen months, and have had one child, and
am large with another. The defendant then whispered in
her ear, and she said, Oh, you nasty blackguard—you
*My ',ferment." lie did not see him assault .her. nor did
its beat' What he whispered in her ear. The witness heard
no abuse on the part of the defendant.
A Doctor was then called to prove the injury done to
Mrs. Hart.
Mr. Astanta.—This is doctoring a case with a ven-
geance.
The Jury instantly acquitted the defendant,
Ifilliam Strickland, John Pask, and John Cattle,
were indicted for obtaining money under false pre•
tenses.
Mr. Mowbray, umbrella manufacturer, of ('ow Cross
Street, stated. that on the 17th of November, he left two
boric. in St. Martin's Lane,in the care of a lad ; on return.
big to the horses, Strickland came up to him, pushed him,
sand took the horses away to the Green Yard ; he asked
Why the horses were detained, and then he saw Cuttle,
• the keeper of the Green Yard, and they then told him he
had incurred a penalty of 40s. fur allowing his horses
to stand in the street ; Strickland then (having the Act of
Parliament in his hand) said lie would mitigate the penalty
to ss. each horse, and Ios. expenses, which he was ablii4ed

to pay to obtain 1114 horses.
Cross examined by Mr. ALLav—Went to Bow Street.
• hut the defendants were discharged, and be had to pas
the.costs; two of the defendants were homilies of the parish
and the other the keeper of the Green Yard ; paid LOs. to
Cottle, who gave a receipt for it.
The CHAIRMAN read the indictment, which stated the
pretence of the defendants to be that the horses i►crc
in the street for sale.
The %fitness added—lie told them the horses were no►

fur sale; lie ►uerely left them in core of s bov until he Kent
into Aldridge's Repository, in Little St. Slartin's Lane.
When before the Illagistrales, the defends/Ifs ►vere not
ordered to return the 2Us.; it was at one o'clock in the

day.
James ItudJock, errand boy to the last witness, stated
that he was ordered to take care of his horses. lle was
there only ten minutes when his master came back.
Mr. ALLtv said that he would prove that the defend-
ants, thinking themselves acting correctly, took the
heroes to the green yard, imposed the penalty npon the
prosecutor, and paid it fairly over to the Commissioners.
The facts were these: in St. Mart!n's Lane was Mr.
.Aldridge's Repository for the sale of horses, a place of
•Ereat nuisance to the iahabitants. Not (observed the
Jammed Counsel) as fir as Mr. Aldridge was co-ocerned ;
there many persons exhibited their horses in the street,
in the hope of attracting the attention of the persons
frequenting this repository ; and tlse.e persons thole saved
• the usual fee for tithing the horses into the repository: The
• defendants had acted, as they imagined correctly, because
the horses were illegally exposed for sale in the street, and
Were authorised to take theta to the Green Yard; they did
so, levied the fine, gave a receipt for it, and paid it over to
the proper quarter.
Mr. ALLEY read the section of the Act which authorizes

any .persons appointed by the Committee of the parish
to seize any goods, tl/4.c. in the street, and cause to impose
a penalty of 10s. sad not less than as. Mr. Alley con-
tended that the defendants were authorised to do what
they bad done without going before a Magistrate.
Mr. Samuel Hawkrs, clerk to the Paving Conitnittee,
stated that the Act produced was their local act ; the two
beadles (defendants) were appointed by the Colninittee;
they brought to hint 104 , the penalty from the prosecutor
within half an hour of their having received it. They
• bear good characters.
Robert Belt/rood, a housekeeper near Aldridge's Ile•
pository, deposed to the nuisance of a member of horses
Laing teft in the street, so as to endanger the lives of the
.passengers.
Mr. Latchford, Mr. Holland, and Mr. Canning, re-
fitting near the spot, deposed to the oui4ance 'very
• Wellnes.iay.
The CHAIRMAN said the case was very simple ; the ques-
tion was whether the money was fraudulently taken;
under the Act alluded to the defendants had nu right to
take the horse.; whether they took the horses right or
wrong, they diditeena Ms I the act was not done sly
or for purposes of profit; they took them to the Green
Yard and imposed a penalty, which was paid over to the
-proper authorities. There was no false'preteuee used, bit;
t it was evidently a mistake; therefore the Jury would re-
• quit: the defendants of the fraudulent pretence. The
proper mode would be fur the prosecutor to summon the
Coutmittee for the money.
The Jury found them Not Guilty.
Thomas Erswell was indicted for committing ad assault
en the person of Mary Webb.
• It appeared from the evidence, that the prosecutor lived
as 3 servant with the defendant, who was a baker, residing
in Compton Street, Clerkenwell. The prosecutrix was 15
parader. It was her duty to sit up to let the ivothmen
so. On the night of the 19th of November, she was sitting
as usual on a sofa, in the parlour. awaiting the arrival of
the men, when the defendant came to her, and proceeded
to take indecent liberties with her. The prosecutrix
struvglell very much, and cried out, and the prisoner,
thinking he heard somebody coining down stairs, left her.
The'defendaut is a married man.
• The defendant called a •woman named Taylor, a
• lodger in his house, who stated that she bad on several
occasions seen the defendant and the prosecutrix kissing
• •caels other.
• The COURT, under thesicircurostances,directed the Jury
to acquit the defendant.
The Jury accordingly returned a verdict of—Noi
_

Goi ' • - : .
• The t'ornv observed that the defendant's conduct bad
• Leen most disgraceful. •
James Goddard, &constable was indicted for falsely in,
pri.oning William Hoskins, • and extorting five shillings
'from Mtn; 1
Hoskins stated, that on the 7th of October he irentld
the (;ibraltay puhhe house, Bethnaltireeti, with .I.ttnee
J:xtanian ; wltite lbw, the Lilo was rubbed of w%tch
censevroce they went.to :the defendant, who tante iO
the house a..d it/Itched without effect. The laatiltsrd then
.0 awe theist in charge **drank and disorderly. and Horhiarc
towelled thsni to the watchloosts whence tberrent.the
'Hat wadrving to the polies oSce„, where thr,y.wers dis-