Middlesex Sessions, Tuesd...
The Times, 1824-09-15T00:00:00

GAMYTG ItOUSE.-'rsrTE ICIN)G V. POND AND GtNGLE. Mr. PIHILLIPS itforsnled the Chairriman, that the prosecutors in thiu case had discovered that the defenidants, who were indietcd fot keeping a. gqming-house, had been only servants in, and not pro- prietors ot, thle establishmenlt; aud as they i4ad geine bef'ore tite grand tury, wile upon thecir teStimany had found a true bill against the bona,/fide proprietor, the prosecutors had determinedl to forego all f urttrer proccedings against thtem. Th~e HArRatAii saida trathtte Court could not consent to any ar- rangement of tlat kiid. The deftendants, upon their own showing, were servants its the house, and therefore equally liable with the proprietors. Mr. PLATT, for the defetndants. observed, titat it was upon the faith of a promise of indulgence that they liad gone before the grand Isury. The CHAIrTtlAN.-Do what you like; but don't ask the Court to be a pal ty to it. M Mr. PrerLr.lps.-Then let the defendants be puit to tite bar; and( we will offer no evideirce against them. This was accordingly done, and a verdict of acquittal pronounced. Javirns Bear,Iitt, a dismounted patrol, was irldicted for assaulting Mir. HeItpel, a gentleman resitting in the neighbourhood of Balas- wvater, wito stated that on the nigirt of the niav ituentioned in the in- Iicttneat he was acc,mpanying his wife home from town. Site taving a small parcel in one hand, and holding tier skirt up witht lte othier, declined to keep himir by the arttm and lie therefore walked l little behind her in the usual man-andi-wife style. Wirhes tirey hIad ,early reached a lane leaditig fromn tie Bayswater-road to .'ir. Hep- )el's iouse, tlte (lefennlaitt came up'to AMrs.1-eppel, and said, " Prav, nra'am, is that manl (pointing to the prosecutor) in your company a" Mlrs. Heppel, without answering him, innneediately turned to her rusband and thirust ier arm untder his, wltilst the latter replied to he defendiant's question " Mrhat is that to vou '-'" I will let you tee that," said the defendant, pulling out liis staff; " I am an of- leer, and belongto Bow-st-.cet." The prosecutor sail he might be a seace-officercecrtinly, but that did not warrant him to interrrupt espectabie persons waliking quietly lhome. " Perhaps you would like :o see my warrant," said thre defendant. Mr. Heppe! said he would apon which thedefenAant immediately seized him by the collar ot .he coat, waistcoat, and shirt, and told him he would take him to a ,lace where lie worrld see his authoritv. Mlrs. Heppel, in the mlcan ime, became greatly alarmed, antd asked the (lef'enrltnt tn allow her usbantl to see her home through that dark and lonesome laite at :hit late hoar of the night. This was ref'used, and ste was obligedi Fo makc the best of her wvay lIome by herself' The defendant,wir h- )ut once letting go hiis holdI of hr. Heppel, drageed that gentleman 'Iong witir him back to town, and thien, by a circuitous route, to Marylebone watch-house, wliere the prosecutor's man-servant was waiting for him, Mrs. Heppel having sent hrim in search of him as toon as sie reached her hoiome. Mr.leppel immediately deerratched tlis servant to a gentleman of his acquaintance, tn request he wouldl ret out of bed, and come to hirit to the watch-house to answer for tis app-aranr^ next day before the mr -istrates. A fLer the servant tad gone, the night constable told Miir. Ileppel he was s:- hisfied of ,his respectability, anti lie w% at libertv to go. This Mr. lleppel declined to (lo, saving, that as hct hIad given !i's rieried tie trouble of getting orit of bed at that hour of'the night. he wo6tld wait, and be disclirtrged in the regular way. Upon his friend's irrival, this was accordingly tcone. They went before the magistrate n High-street office next day, when AMr. Grif hs, upon hearing the :ircumrstances related to hini, exnsressed tlre greatest indignation at .he conduct of the patrol. Mr. Heppel stated, itat as trhe rIefendlant was dragging him along to the watcli-lrouse, he said to him i' Are vou not a irretty fellow to be intrusted with the protection of hiis M11l- ie3ty's subjects ? Instead of whlich, you are vourtrelt thie person to *ssault a respectable ian ; artd afterseparating titn from his wife at X late hour of the night, to ill-treat hiim in this way." To whir!h the defendant replied, *' If you sav one irripudent word, Pil knock you down." The defendlant had since iffered to apologize. Mr. ALLEY, for tire det'endant, addresserd the jury in palliation Df his covduct, which he admitteci coul(t not be justified: at the same time that lie was provoked by the uncivil answer ot' IMr. Heppel, when he was only intending to3 protect MSlrs. ileppei fromir being tmolested by a mars whom hre saw walkineg nfrfer fer, and whoai he could not suppore to he her husband, ache w.,s not affording her the protection ofl~t is arar. He Itad commnittech an error, certaitriv )ut hre hoped tire jury vvottd see it was arc error of the liearl, and not af tihc heatt. The CHAIR3MANf strongly reprobated the cotrdrict of the patrol. who, if he ihad mistaken Mr. lIeppel in the first instance, rmist in- stantlv have perceived his error; irotwithstannling wrlichi, ie con- tinued to ill-treat him in the grossest manner, draggirrg hinir by tLIe -ollar all the wav to Alarylebone watchhouse, altirouglr ire knew him to be a respectable and unoffendi rg person. Tire jury instantly pronounced a verdict of Cuitriv. The COURT deferred ijrdgnrent until to-morrow (thiis day.) The Court was occrrpied for the renrainder of the day witr corn- mnon assault cases, nrostly originating in squabbles arrrongst tire co- lonists of St. Giles's. I ' AftMD JLSEX SESSIONS, TUESDA'Y. SP1'. 14.