Surrey Sessions.
The Times, 1824-06-15T00:00:00

Yesterdsv the General Quarter Sessions for this cotnty coni- nienced, before Lord EAsTXoR, and a fbll Bench of M1agistrates. Jlr. 't SSIGER stated, that the prosecutor in this case Was the Rev. iMlr. Saurin, a beneficed clergyman and son ofIheBisbop of Dromore,andthedefendant was a gentleman, who,hehadunder- stood, had been in the army. The Rev. lr. Saurin had found him- self compelled to institute these proceedings against the defendant in cessequence of having been assaulted rb him, under circumstances whllichl imperiously called on him to seck the interventien ofa court of justice. 'The learned counsel then fully detaied the particulars of the assault, and eallcd the following evidence:- The Rev. 3ames Saurin, of No. 26, Glocester-place, Portman.n square, stated, that on the 29th of April lat, he, accompanied by his friend, Mr. Bland, wentto Deptfordonhorseback,forthepurpose of visitingtheDDicovervShips.In theafternoon, whilehe was waiting i atthe doorof theLordD uncanpublic.house, tohavehishorse broughllt out, hesawacarriagepass by, in which weresomeladies, andthe de, fendantirt the dickey. Capt. O'Callaghan,as he passed, stared atbiri, and continued to do so until the carriage had passed out of sight. He afterwards overtook the cArriage on thie road, and looked into it, supposing that he might possibly know somne of the ladies, from the steadfast manner in which the defendant had previously loeked at him. In the carriage there were four ladies; but not knowing either of tliem, he proceeded forward at a smart pace. The carriage, however, overtook them, and as it passed. the de- fendant, who was in the dickey with another gentleman, stood up and said, " Are yoa satisfied ?" To this observation no reply was made; but, as Captain O'CaUalghsn's manners were so very singular, it oceurred to the vitness that le had been taking too much refreshment, and, for that reason, he was about to put spurs to his horse, whep the defendant called out, " Sir, you are no gentleman; you are a scoundrel" and, at the same mao- ment, demanded .he witness's card. This conduct confirmed the opinion that the defendant was intoxicated, amd lie remarked to his friend (llr. Bland) that it would be better to gallop on. and avoid coming in collision. or entering into an alterca- tion with such a person. They kept before the carriage until they arrived at the New Cross Turnpike Gate, and while they were pay- ing the tol[, the carriage droveup. and witness heard the defendant reproaching the post-boy for not forcing his way through the gate. Witness and his friend paid ito attention to the -remarks of the de- fendant, but kept a-head of the carriageuntil it arrived at Camber- well-green. At this time the prosecutor exnected the carriage had gune zpotler road, but on looking round, he saw it fast approach- ng, and en overtaking them, the defendant dropped from the &ickey, seized the bridleofthe prosecutor's horse, and used very opprobrious language. The defendant was cautioned on the extreme impropriety of hiisbeiadviour, and tlat he wascommitting a breach of the peace; bitt, in the violence of the moment, he seized the stick from the prosecutor's hand, and struck him with it across the slhoulder.. Af- ter wlichl the defendant again demanded prosecutor's card making an observation that he was a disgrace to his country. l}efore he gave his card he tore offthe " Reverend," and substituted i "Mr." before his name; but this card-the defendant and his friends refus- ed to accept, adl denianded a perfect one, which, to avoid further dispute, he gave, and imamediately rode off. The following day a -omplaint was made before I~. B. Allen and R. Hedger, Es4rs., n3agistrates of Union-hall, and the defendant was held to bai to an- awer tliecharge at the present sessions. . - Cross.examnined br dlr.PFurLLrvs.{e is a beneficed elergyman, and his living issn thc north of Ireland..They passed thecarriage about five times from the time they leftDeptford until theg arrived atVaux- hall. It did not orcur to him that there was any thing particularly rude in the manner in which the defendant at first looked at him, bat he thought he might have known some of the party, and there. fore while on the road he looked into the carriage, hebeliered,twice afterwards. He did not percelve thatthe carriage-blinds were put up In consequence ofhis looking into the coach. lHe never iheard the defenLantt desire him to desist from-insulting the ladies before he dropped from thedicke of thb cattiige. His object for tearing his card was to give thicde dad'int nopportutnityof having satisfaction. if his (witne s-)*ftends advised him so.to do. lf your friends had advised, woul you have consented to have foughta duel with the defiendant.9 Ur. Saurin.-Yes, certainly; for if I 'wore a blue coat, I would not hsesitate in seelmg that satisfaetioa wbich one gentleman expects ,frora uanother whee he considers himself i.sulted. And yoa would have done go? althoegh yht wxe t6eneSced Ceorgy& man ?-I would ; but I am still of opinion that lUr. O'Callaghan was intoxicated. Dlr. Bland, a student in Oxford University, of Lower Berkeley. street, geve a similar stateDient of all the material parts of the case. Mlr. 11William Trew, a gentleman residing at Camberwell, proved that he saw the defendant aligkt from the dickey of a carriage, and assault the prosecutor with a stick across the shoulders. MUr. PHILLIPS, On the part of the defendant, aniuiadvertedJin se- Vere terms, on the conduct of the prosecutor in this transaction. lrs.T'helwall examined.-Shefirstsaw theprosecutor standing at the dour of an inn in Deptford. She afterwarnls saw two gentlemien on horseback pass by the carriage, and look in at the window, They soon after dropped behind the carriage- and again came to the win- dow and looked in, in a nmanner w:bich appeared to her to be very marked and rude. It was so much so that ahe was compelled to turn her head aside. The prosecutor rode up to the carriage a se- cond and third time; but considering an offence was offered to her, she did not look at him. NlIr. Boyle, a bookseller, also saw the prosecutor behave In an in. sulting nanner to the ladies along the road. The defendant having in vain asked for his card, before he finally left the carriage, they overtook him again at Camberwell-xreen; and there Mlr. O'Calla- ghan havinzleft the coach, seized the bridle of Alir. Sautin's horse, and demanded his card. An altercation followed, in which the de- fendant struckthe prosecutor a clight blow over the shouldeY with a stick. ilr. O'Callaghan certainly was not in the slightest degree in- toxicated. iMIr. Tlelwnl.l and M}i5s Boyle also gave evidence of the offen- sive manlier in which they considered the prosecutor to have acted. Nr. TlEsSiGER replied. The Chairman (Lord EAST.OR) said, it was clear that an as- sault had been committed, without there bebig any thing, as ap- peared to him, to justify it. The Jury found the defendant guilty, but strongly' recommended him to mercy, on account of thepreviousprovoention hehad received. The Court then sentenced the defendant to be imprisoned for one month, and to pay a fine of 201. to the King. SUIRREY SESSIONS. TILE XING V. LUKE COURNELIUS O'CALLAGRAE.