Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-01-13
POLICE OFLONDON.
GUILDHALL, Friday, Oct. Z.

OClLDdALL, Il IfC|4J3 OIks IL
A musical instrument maker, of Cornhill,
named Aston was charged with no less than
four different assaults upon two men, nam
ed GriEiths and Reese, ndboth their wives,
on the preceding night, in Long lane, Smith
iield. Itappeared that the defendant was
marching in quick time through the lane a.
bout eight O'Clock on Thursday night and
en- passing the houses of the complainants,
thought fit to amuse himself by playing a
sonata on their window shutter with pref
" full grown black thorn bludgeon he car
lied. This rude serenade brought out Mr..
Griffith, who is retailer Of ham and beef,
and who demanded the reason OF the noise.
FIR. Aston said he had right to make
noise If he pleased, and that the complainant
had no right to interfere. But Mr.. Grif-
hths, who is a Cambro' Britain, waxed
hot at his reply began to Aaxb On his con-
duct, and rejoinsd, that if the defendant
did SO again, nc would knock him down
fat. The defendant, whose temper was
IN alt upon his tllreat, Immediately Aou-
rishing his instrument, began to heat a tat
tag on the dlruz, heoi Of Mr.. Gsiffiehs. Ills
wife, aIMmed at The scsiHe, ran out coaG-
mare in a brisk movement, and screaming
torts demanded, IN sen,i dsmi qitayer, for
wha he struck her husband To which the
defendant only answered by beating time
with the same inssrument On the head Of the.
good lady. This in}sarasonious concert soon
attracted very numerous auditory; and
Mr.. Keese, the baker, feeling himself call
ed upon to play his part in the piece came
up in aid Of his neishbor Mr.. Grifiths bat
was so powerluIIv struck by the performance
of Mr.. Aston, that he moved by sudden
cadence to the kennel upon his back. His
wife, too, came forward eGfstta2&o, and I'M
mediaselv few, con sbirito, at the assaiiant
of aer ht.sband but received such cfaSh
OH her head from his instrument as brought
the blood streaming about her ears. Are
putable ne;ghbor integfcred, at much pei
sonal risk from the stacca'o touches OF Mr..
Astor's bludgeon, and with the aid of the
watch, secured, and conveyed him TO tn e
Compter.
Mr.. Aston contended in his defence,
that he had received the first assault.
The Magistrate however, after giving
the defendant pretty severe rec'tetf0e for
his outrageous conduct, tcll hlnl TO VITA
draw with the parties forthwith and maze
them satisfactory atonement, or else hna
bail for his appearance to take his trial.
Mr.. Astor accordingly Withdrew and aftcr
compromising the defendant to sore tn1e,
retired he17ssroso, resolved to da cqpo 70
more the like passages, and keep MS tenn
per more in piano for the iuture.
Il true sto-y.--Not long since, in small
country village in New England, store
keeper who was giolent democrat, bad his
little store very muck inte ted with rat
which he Was in TIE habit OF c ling Id
federa.ists. He told his son, oung ad, T.
set some traps, to catch tie teder5lstsI !,
which the boy accordingly I'D several mslifs,
With success, and at each tine Informed nls
father that he had caught a federaiist. at
length the boy caught mole IN BIS trap, an q
in great exu!tation, calls out 70 lis father,
have caught a democrat! Aye, ays.the ia
Their, how do you know him tobe democrat!
The boy replied, the others which caught
had eyes and you called them iederallsts -.
the one I have now caught has no eyes, lie
cannot see, of course he must be democrat.
Tie reasoning Of the boy was SO good that the
father could not forhear to tell the story,
ASSIZE OF BREAD aegt
Made of Suierfne Burr Ft0"r.
s.,