The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-06-04 00:00:00

POLICE.

ZOW-STREET.
Yesterday came on to he heard !fore Mr. RE in
and Mr. NARES, two itifOrMationtS against 11r.
Stockdale, the bookseller, in Pall-mall, at the prose.
cation of the Commissioners of the Stamp-Are,
charging him with publishing two pamphlets, with°, t
paying the duty, or registering them at the `tam,
office, according to t':e directions of the Act of Pa,,
liameut. Mr. Francs, the Solicitor to the Storni .
office, attended to conduct the prosecution. The fir t
charge brought forward by him against the Deferie.
ant, was for publishing a pamphlet on the 4th of
May last, entitled "Alter/cm of the Conduct of
Ills Royal llighness the Prink Regent and the O.
positiun,"—being larger than one sheet, and not
exceeding six, without having paki the duty of Bereft
shillings, and registered the same at the Stamp.
office, as the Act directs.—The Defendant pleaded—.
Rot Guilty.

John Decks proved his purchasing the above
pamphlet, at the Defendant's shop, in Patl-mall,
the 4th of May last, and paid 2s. ad. for it.
The Defendant asked him mho he purchased it
for ? Ile replitd, by direction of the Solicitor to
the Stamp-office.

Charles ::talker, the Register of Pamphlets at the
Stamp.oltiee, proved that the Pamphlet was not re.
gistered, or paid the ditty. That it Contained three
sheets and a half, and that it was within we Mt of
Parliament, it being less than six sheets.

The Ds,fetidant questioned him as to whether he did
not send a number of pamphlets to pay the duty mid
to be registered, on the 13th of May, to the .rani).
office, and that some of them were returned without
registration or the duty being taken :—one of them
was subject to duty he was certain.
The Register replied, he recollected receiving a
number of pamphlets from the Defendant, on the day
lw stated, and that he returned some; but that was
not an uncommon case, as booksellers frequently
sent pamphlets that were not nece,sary to be regis.
tered, or to pay duty, and he of course returned
them without either. lie was positive that the pam-
phlet in question was not tote of them.

- The Defendant insisted that a pamphlet of only
two sheets had been returned on the above day, with.
out being registered or the duty taken.
The Defendant, in his defence, called his shopman
to prove his taking a number of pamphlets to the
Stamp-office on the 13th of May ; and with a view to
prove that it was his master's direction to take tint
pamphlet in question, and if he did not, •it was his
mistake ; however in this he failed. •

Mr, Sock dale addressed the Magist►ate, and: said
he came to the office without the assistance den ,A: tor.
ney or a Counsellor, therefore he was nut .preiann•d
to take the athantage of any legal qUibble that nugut
be in his favour, and he had only a plain tale to tell.
He was afraid the letter of the Acct of Parliament w.a•
against him, yet he contended that frequently Acts of
Parliament were put aside for conveuience sake, and
the custom with booksellers and the Stamp-office was
quite at variance with the Act. They did riot sad
every single pamphlet within six days.ofthe tinblica-
tion, but delayed it till they had • sevetal, and the
duty amounted to 21. or 31. ; and this was sailific.
tory to the Stamp-office. In this case It con d Dot
possibly be supposed he wished to dhfraud the re.
venue, as the publicity of the title of the pamphlet
rendered that impossible, it having been rep,•atedly
advertised in 25 different Newspapers. 0 , the 28th
of May he sent the pamphlet in question to the S. amp.
office to be registered, and to pay the duty, hut w kich
was refused, and he received for answer, that an
formation had been laid for it, although he was not
served with any process till late on Monday ni„,ht.,-.
He considered this a malicious prosecution.
Mr. Fit ANCS the Solicitor, in reply, admitted that
the Defendant had sent the pamphlet to be registered
and to pay the duty, but at that time he must ham
known that the information was laid, as the process,
was served on Mr. Stockdale, sen. the day previous,
by mistake. Ile denied that this was a malicious
prosecution, and was about to enter into an eNplana-
lion, but the Magistrates declined hearing it. The
Defendant was convicted in the penalty of 201. but
mitigated to 51. and 21. costs.
The other information was of a similar description,
for a pamphlet entitled " An Account of the Wad
of Java from Augerie in the Strait of Scuola to Beta-
via." The Defendant said, his defence to this was
exactly the same as the other, and therefore hP would
not give the Magistrates any trouble. lie
victed on this charge In 51. and 11. cost..

The following is considered a singular
..ircurm
stance :—k thrtish, which for four years past has
built her nest in the garden of Mr. Antliot+v Thew-
son, at St. Bees, has this year changed her residence,
but not quitted the premises. She has taken up her
abode in a bottle rick, and built her nest in the
vity of a bottle bottom ! This her cottage i
more than a couple of yards from a back bor,
through• which some or other of the family ac( ire-
quently passing. The thrush is at present in 168
quiet state of incubation, and so familiar;:ed i- hit
old friends and protectors, as to suffer them to tn)se
her back whilst she feeds off their hangs with the
greatest composure.

• • BIRTHS.
Ou Sunday, last, the. Lady alit. Wilkinson, Esq. of
Norfolk-street, of a son.
Sameday, in ( besterfield-street, the Lady of W. I C
tiers; Elq, of a son

•

• MARRIED:
Yesterday, at Sunbury, Middlette -14:' B. P.iutl, heart.
DpettionetCommons, tolifary Jane, elderf daughtvr of the
S. Curtels, T.I. D. of the former place.
On Yeursdiro last, at hiandygn ydd, Cardigain hi re, Jolt'
Buck, Esq. or the Middle Temple, to Sophia, don:
of Wm. Owita Brigstocke, Esq. of Blathipant, the count
CardiTu gas.
Ou esday last, at St. Margaier, Westtnimter, (-apt
Ferguson, R. N. to Elizabeth llolarnbe, only damewl'
heireas of John Woodhouse. figs of Aramstuue HOMO
Yatton Court,

. • ,
• DIED.
beely. the Ree. Ir;vitinfield, Rector of Fioutore, al
conoty of ,Bucks.
Olt 'The2day hist, Wos..:Bridges, &q. of Limehoue, aged
yeatf. .
On Thursday last, George, von of Major-Cc letal /Ili."'
Conbirlatrd-unet, Portman-square. aged &nett vicar'.
r-
_...
On thoySti ult. at Epplog, Alfred, slw sou of Isaac
' di verirLmtm.._
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LONDON: Printed and •I'ohlishrptAr O...liehrsu. st
STAI C 4 AN ONFICS, rii-Ilirt-itiVit.

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