The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-10-30 00:00:00

TUE STATIeSMAN.

COVENT GeIRDEN THEATEII. •
The hired Prints arc now clubbing the small
remnant of their a its in a vain endeavour to per-
suade the People, that the opposition at the The-
atre has at last succumbed bt:ueath the detcipline of
the Proprieturs. True it is, that the whole of the
performances. of Saturday night were listened to
attentively by the dull, wearied orderly:, %%Ns
which the house, as usual, was stuffed. Whim
" the h,:tgarly account of empty iwuches, and
empty money boxes," shall be finally made up,
the fiery countenances of the Proprietors, now
bloated with rage, wi:l assume a length, corm-
spoihiently indicative of the true state of their
ease—

Fallen from their high estate."
McFsra. HARRIS, Sox, and KLMBLE, Will, at
last, had themselves

" Deserted at tl.dr utmost need,
ay those their former bounty fed."

What ! do the Proprietors delude themselves
with the fond expectatiuts of having subdued the
spirit of the public? Amongst the forty-one
Bills of indictment presented .at the IVestnintster
Sessions, not even a solitary instance is to be
found in which the Grand Jnry have returned a
true Bill fur horn-blowing, rattle-springing,
whistling, dancing, shouting, barking, or bias.
in. lii every instance the Bills were thrown
out where the parties had been indicted un any
of those charges.
Twelve Bills are fonntl.--but the caws tare, al-
most all, either for assaultt,or committing damage
on the property of the House. The Grand Jury, we
repeat it, have invariably thrown out the indict-
ments against those persons who were taken Into
enstody for blowing horns, siwin,;i rattles,
addressing the company after the performance,
whistling, 4c. (Sic. A nil we venture to predict,
that in the tvent of a repetition of such charges,
bills of indictment will continue to be thrown out.
We shall now see whether the Proprietors will
have the CC:IIAGE TO TRY THEIR li %NOS AGAIN
AT SEIZING TRUMPLTS, li')RNS, slid RATTLES.
We have never retracted our opinion, expressed
oe the very first night of the performance, as to
the legality of these sarions modes of expressing
disappruiution. That opinion the Orand .nary
have confirmed. Such, w firmly believe, is the
law ; autl such, we are firmly convinced mutt con.
tinue to be the law, or we ',hall hale nu s..cerity
against vain and rapidseribblers, eallingthemselvi
Poets, who would inundate Its with their s!..n.eless
Melo-Dramas; or ranting Actors, who wou!d
Ckese the getseret eve xith horrid speech !"

or
"'Paints-paled FeUmc, mho trou!d leer a paiiion to very
•"

BO IV,":711t E

On Saturday evening Richard Wood was
brought up to this Office, charged a ith assaulting
Mr. James Po:cell on the preceding Saturday, in
the Pit of Covent Garden Theatre.
The circumstances of this ease are not a little
curious—Mr. I'., who is infirm from gout, stated,
that on entering the Pit from the centre door, he
WWI endeavouring to step over thelast bench, when
the Prisoner suddenly approaching hint, said
64 d.-.n your eyes, what do you want ?" and im-
mediately struck him in ;he face. Mr. P. kept
his eye upon him during the remainder of the
evening, so that he hail a pet feet recollection of
the man ; but could not learn his name or trace
him out, until by accident, on Saturday morning,
he recognized him at the Sessions House in West-
minster, and instantly gave charge of hiin to an
Officer. Ile said his name was Richard Wood,
but the Officer, haritig nu warrant, shortly after
set him at liberty.
A warrant was obtained in the evening, and the
Officer immediately went into the Theatre, from
whence he returned in less than five minutes, with
tile Prisoner, accompanied by Mr. James Bran.
don and Mr. Barlow. Before the charge was
heard, Mr. Brandon addressed the Magistrate
(Mr. Gaanam.)---The tendency of his argument
seemed to be designed to show, that as the Pri.
soner had been origually taken into custody with.
out a warrant, the offence was not cognizable.
This Mr. Brandon laboured with much earnest.
nest, but the Magistrate, at once, decided that
being then under a warrant, the consideration of
the previous proceeding was wholly irrelevant.
Mr. Powell having stated his charge, the Pri-
soner in his defence said, that lie was silting in
the Pit in a very peaceable manner, when he
was greatly disturbed by a noise and tumult
etched by several persons near him, some of
whom, in particular, went " bow, wow, now,
" like a great mastiff dog ; and so, says I, gem'.
44 men, if I was a gem'man like you, I would
44 not bark like a dog, if I kept dugs, but I'd
44 bring nay dogs to bark ; and then, please your
" Worship, the mob squeezed upon me; and one
" man put his foot upon me, and so I just muted
" my arms about in this manner..-just to keep
64 Myself from being pushed down, but I never
66 struck a bit at the geneman...l might push
" him a leetle bit, but if I dill, I'm sure I could •
'' not help it." •
" An please your Worship," said a Carpenter,
" I works fur the House, and I was close by all
the time, and it happened just as he says, he'
never struck him at all; not a bit. I saw the
Gentleman, who hail a great huge thick stick." 1,
(" The cane I now hold in my hand," said Mr.
Powell.) " An please your Honour, it might
be that, but it seemed a very large stick. I be-
lieve as how, Gem'man was puslild uhf the
seat somehow or other, but there was a great row,,
and so your Lordship that *as all."
Another •Carpenter then came forward, with
pretty nearly the same account.
The Magistrate inquired the residence anal Greta;
potion of the Prisoner, who stated himself to boa"
smith, and to live with a coach-maker, in a street
not far from Russell-square.
Mr. Powell, on being asked how he could un--
dertakti to identify the Prisoner in such a tumult,*
and recollect his countenance at the end of a week,
stated, that he had watched him the whole even.

ing, and was le perfectly satiificill, that he had no
hesitation in s %scaring to him. The Prisoner, and
his &nisi/rein s, all admitted their having seen the
Ge'mman st here he stated. _

The Magistrate then delivered his opinion to
the folloWing effect : " That amidst the tumult
and confusion incident to a riot, it was extremely
dilfistilt, even where a blow was given, to identify
the striker ; and that, e►en could that be done,
more difficult to ascertain the intent. If a man,
who went to hear, as well as see, the performance
.at a Theatre, was annoyed by imitations of the bark-
ing of dogs, and other hideous noise, and pushed
and pressed upon by surrounding disorderly,
riotous persons, his situation became not.
only uncomfortable, but to remain in still.
ness might endanger his pertonal safety. Un-
der such circumstances, it was, therefore, per.
fectiv naturai that he should move his arms about,
from aide to side, for the mere purpose of prolec.
lion and self def:nce ; and in so doing, might in.
advertently push, or perhaps, strike another,
though unintentionally. Mr. Powell stated posi.
lively, the words spoken by the Prisoner, and that
the blow was a straightforward blow, defile.
rately aimed at him. The Magistrate stated,
that, under all the circumstances of the case, and
considering that it was Saturday night, he could
nut think of holding the Prisoner to bail. Mr.
Powell knew where to find him ; he would be
forthcoming whenever called for, and Mr. Parcell
might take his remedy. This charge was thus
dismissed.

This case is a luminous exposition of the ae.'
duct u►ed towards the Public by the Proprietors
of this Theatre. Here is a journeyman black-
smith, can find both time and money nightly to
visit the Pit of Covent-Garden Theatre—a peace-
able, quiet, harmless creature, who goes to hear
and see the performance, and knocks peoplo down,
merely by the natural motion of his arms in his ne-
cessary struggle In protect lansself against a mob--
innocent soul.' lie has nothing to do with theThe-
rare, not he, a mere harmless spectator! Now let us
sec where he is first seen, after the assault---at
the Sessions-house in Westminster, in attendance
as a principal witness agaenst the snob, the rioters
in the Pit. This simple, iitioffeitiling, harmless
creature, happened to be coutitnially annoyed by
by rioters. Where is he found after the war.
rant is granted ? Hard by, in the Pit of the
Theatre, is this hirer of the Dramis found,
as harmless as e•rer. By w hum is this same
blacksmith accompanied to the office ? By his
dear friend and associate, the Professor Jemmy ,'
who acts as Counsel fur the hero of the (writ,
and the ci-devant Treasurer of Co►ent-garden,
Mr. Barlow. Who perform the parts of wit-
nesses?—two journeymen carpenters in the em.
ployment of the Proprietors. All this is truly
cst.sistent.

We have but to add one observation. A spirit
of forbearance and mildness in the administration
of justice by a Magistrate, at all times merits and
insures applause ; but it is impossible to refrain
from expressing our deep regret that the tenderuess
and forbearance displayed in the ease of the
Knight of the Anvil had not been displayed in the
numerous cases of those individuals who, on the
oaths of Jews, Bullies, Bruisers, Ruffians,and Pro.
lessors, have, even on Saturday nights, been coin.
milted for want of bail, to Tuthill-fields Beide% un—
to ber,be it remembered, a helpless young female,
.ilary Alstia, was carmine(' for springing a
penny rattle---that young woman tuund no mercy,
though the case of a blacksmith, who attends in
the two-fold character of ruffian and witness, is
dismissed on disclosing his abode. And be it fur.
ther remembered, that after incarcerating 11/Ipy
Austin amongst rogues and vagabundl, in a cow-
nton jail—the Proprietors have not dared to pre-
sent an indictment against that oppressed victim!!

Letters front Bourdeaus, of the 10th instant,
were received on Saturday. Preparations arc
making for the French forces in the direction of
the Pyrenees ; a fine military payed road at an
immense expence hail been long since constructed,
with barracks, bake-houses, and accommodations
to facilitate the transmission of 4 nnmerous army
with great rapidity. There is another road from
Germany to Spain, much shorter, and on many
accounts, from the extent of the population, and
the supplies to be obtained. more convenient. It
proceeds through Franche Compte, the Lyonois,
Languedoc and Rossilion, from whence, through
the tictiics adjacent to the magnificent fortress of
Bellegardc, an easy entrance to Spain is afforded
by descending the Pyrenees in the immediate
nity of Gerona. •
On Saturday evening, between seven and eight
o'clock, as Mr. Brooks, timber-merchant, of Cal.
tic.street, Holborn, was returning to town in a
one horse chaise, accompanied by Mrs. Brooks
and son, a boy about twelve years old, ou arriving
at Pimlico turnpike gate, the turnpike-gate man
demanded the toll. Mr. Brooks said he must have
recollected him going through that morning : the
man then demanded the ticket. Mr. B. said the
ticket was in his great coat pocket, and that was
underneath in the seat of the chaise, and would give
hint agrcat deal of trouble to get at it, but that the
later for the day was y. The man immediately
mixed the horse by the reins, arsd insisted on his
demand. Mrs. B. instantly pulled out a shilling'
to pay, but Mr. B. would not permit her, observ.
ing, that he never would countenance an imposition;
the turnpike man then struck the horse, and be.
gan backing hint, so as to admit of two brewer's'
drays out of three to pass, the gate being open,
and on the third dray advancing, and the man still
hacking Mr. B.'s horse, the whc of the dray
came in contact with the cl;aise and upset if, and
likewise threw down Mr. B.'s horse. Mr. H. was
pitched out at one side, Mrs. B. at the other, and
the boy was pitched forward, and fell underneath
(he horse ; Mr. B. %las slightly bur!, but Mrs.
13. received a severe contusion on the back part
of her head ; the 14.1 y was taken up in a senseless
state, and was, oat) Mrs. B. conveyed to a che-
mist's near the gate. The boy's life is depaired of.
An indictment for perjury is said to have been
found against the Lady who lately preferred a
serious charge against a Gentleman for an astruat
at Worthing.

Irks TMINSTER SESSIONS.

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

A Reefs of the Persons indicted by the Pro-
prietors of Covent. Garden Theatre :
BAKER, GEORGE - True Bill
BLACK, JOHN - - Not Found
BLACKEURNE. Wllf. - but mood
BIRNIE, ROBERT - Not Fue..d
BRYAN, MICH. - - True IL:1
BROWNE, JOHN - - True lilt
BURSLEM. J. - - Not Fuubd
COATS, WM. - - - Not Fovi:.l.
CURRY, THUS. - Not Fou:,-,
CHEEKS. ALEX. - - Not Putti-3
CRISP, JOHN - - - Not Found
CURVILLE, E. - - Nut Fourxi
D U DEI E LD,SAM. (Ora- Nut Yourd
for in the Pit)
DESMARDIEU. JOHN N,lt Fouled
DWYER. WM. - - True Bill
EYRE, J. - - - Not 1-nun.l
GURNEY. CHAS. • - True Bill
GOODLY, JOHN - Not Found
HILLHOUSE. WK. - True Ilia
HOOPER. J. - - Net 1 :Hind
JONES, WM. lIANBURY 1111
JOHNSON. JOHN - True Ltill
KF.NYON K. - - Not En:, id
LLOYD *rd. - but Fou•id
POCOCk. THOS. - Not Foam!
RAY JOHN Not Found
RANSON.-- - - Not Foils:T:1
REES, - - Not Found
ROBB, - - True Hill
ROSS. ALEX. • - True BEI
STALLARD, J9IIN - True Hill tttio
SCOTT, mom. . Not Fund
.5111TH, THOS. SELLON Nut Found
WM. - Not Fuitod
SOAVE, JOHN • - Not imuid
SAVAGE, WM. - . Not Fourl
TURVILLE, CHAS. - 'Prue Bill
VINEALL, - - Not
WILLS, JAMES - - Nut Found
.Win. Redgrare did not answer.
Thrown out
Found - 11
th.decidei - - 4-41
No indictment was preferred against the Pe:7.:.
Ralik—MAßY ACSTIN.

Some of the above were very aggravated cases,
is the opinion of the Magisti ate,.
Several tremendous rattles and dustmen', bells
were produced, to give the prosecution prul►cr
stage erect.

SPEECH uF THS GREeIT ro THE

(Eater in the costume of Othello. )
Mast potent, grave, and reverend Hew Users,
My very noble ant approved good Customers,
That ! °ball/site and persrazring am
1i is most true; true, I am wedded to obstinacy,
Tire very head and front of my offending
Halls this extent, nal more. Rule am lin my speech,
Aod quite unaest with any Orate of peace ;
" Perseverance and Cmrvixer" is my motto,
And since ibis husky vo::-e bad berm years growth,
My longs hose wonders work'd mimic field ;
Till now souse three weeks wa.ted, since t!.r.e
Little of this great !lowa ran 1 now speak,
More than pertains to feats of broil ant battle,
By braising Jews and paglilsta flachristinni
By Hewitson the Bison, and Gibbons long;
An/ VIP Ay cause
Its spakiwg
.fur rhylc:f : yet b gracious pat Imes
I will* muol and vartthshei
(Cnes of " Off, 'of l —Ns 4:. a: maw.
zit-.(salko)—beitt jag.