London Adjourned Sessions...
The Times, 1824-07-23T00:00:00

f Jiejre .e-fr. SCrgedalt AiRABTN tind a 7JC1h/ of Ald rnwe.) Wim. Gcari-igClfrkson, a tproctorof so8Ue respectability in Doc- tors' Commonis, stood indicted for a violent and unprovoked assault upon Mr. Thomas Wiisoon, the bookseller, at the corner of Dean's- court. Every bodv must recollect theobstructions and annoyances whiQb, till very latefy, were occasioned in St. Paul's church-yard, at the entrance of Dean's-court, by a set of fellows plying there as porters; and who, in thelcapacity of barkers for some of the proctors, accosted every individual, male or female, whom they suspected itighl hare business in the ComFnons, with offers oF their services to take them to a proctor. A knot of.these fellows were a short lime since convicted under the new Sewers' Ac-, for ilhis sort of Db. struction and annc.yance. In bringing about this conviction, r. NWilson, it seems, took an active part, and to that he attributes the animosity on the part of Mlr. CI4rkson which led to the assault of which he now comnplained. He bad, he said, observed Mlr. Claskson apparenitly watching about for two days, as if waiting an opportunity to insult bim. On the d,ay following, viz., the 8tlh of June, he (ifMr. Wilson) having occasion to go down into his cellar, steppeo across the court to the lodge to ask the poTter to give an eye to his shop dur- ing liis absence, and while talking to hiim, the defendant came walk,. ing backwards and trod very hard upon his toes. Suspecting it was purposely done, he asketl Sim "w what ha did that for ?" the de- fen an.,who had IIis tootlipick carelessly in his mouthl said " Pure accitdent, Sir; pure accid,tL." The sneering manner in which this wat delivered provoketl him to tell him that he was ' a blackguard ant deservedl to have his hcad knockedI about for it." " Oh," replied the defendant, " you are a tighter I believe?" He told him he was no fighter, and turaed fronm him to go into his shop, when the tle- fendant followed hin, strmck hin violently right and left, got his head unler his arn, or. in the pugilistic dialect, put his head in ciuancery, and fibbed him very severclv. hlr. ADoLsilus eross-examined Mir. Wilson very closely, to mnake him allow that lie had first called the defendant a thief and a swindler; but he firmly denied having used any opprobious epithet at all, or done any thing to provoke the assault beyond what he had already stated. Two,other witnesses also proved the assault, MIr. Huirloclc, the surgeon, describetl the nature of the injuries the prosecutor had ieceived, wicih rendered himn unfit to attend to his business for several days. Tilenury found the defendantgui4tt; and Alr.Sergeant A ruAnhs, in pwassing setntence, gnid thie Court Yelt tbis ,o be a rase of an ex- tremey. aggravated nature, and taking into their consideration the respectable s ation in life of the individual who had becet assaulted, as well as of the defetidant himself, arljudgcd him to. pay a fine of 251. to the Kinig. Thonueas Clark, and CMesle,: Morecrafl, tvo journeymen chuim- nev.sweepers, were charged switb a brutal assault upon a little ch,uiney.si 'eep boy, about J2 years of age, namedRichard Porter, and one or two gentlemen who interfered to protect him from their violEnce. The child himself was examnlned. He had been sent out with' Clark, who is journeynian to the sanic master, to look for work. Clark bad him Fo into a house that was repairing, to'look for thejob to sweep the chimiies; he did so and oti his re urning without get- ting thejob, Clark angrily said. lAe never did get any worlc; and at the samne thne gave him a violent kick in the side, whicl laid him sprawvling-on the ground, and while down, kicked hira again several times, so that lie was scarcely able to walk home. ilr. Sihbering, an attortley in Union-street, and Mlr. Evan's, a master bricklayer, whb had witnessed Clark' b ratality towards the child, said en their interposing to protect him they were assaulted theroselves, and that .orecraft, ini particular, struck MIr. Evans se- The Jury instantly returned a verdict of gui4Wy against both tht defendants, and the Court sentenced them to hard labour in the tLouse of Correction-A.lorecraft for six nmonths, and Clark for otne year. I LONDON ADJOURN1ED SESSIONS. THTTUsDAV. .TTrr. 22.