The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — 1824-04-02 (London, England)

THOMPSON. . .. _  Mr. ADOLPHUS (with whom were Mr. Platt and Mr. Claridge) stated this was an action for slanderous words, conveying charges of the most heinous and revolting nature, against the plaintiff; who was the son of a most respectable brewer at Croydon. The father of the plaintiff had, in a great measure, retired from the active management of the brewery, confiding it to the care of his son. The defendant had for upwards of twenty years been in the employ of 31r. Harman, sen. ; he first came into the brewery as a clerk in the counting-house, since which he rose from one situation to another till he filled the most confidential. In the early part of last year Mr. Thompson had been discharged; he had, however, during the long period of his servitude, acquired a sufficiency to establish himself as a private brewer in the same town with his old employer. Fur tome short period preceding the defendant's discharge, it had been observed that the walls of Croydon and its neighbourhood had been chalked with inscriptions of the most diabolical description, imputing to the plaintiff conduct the most abhorrent to manly feelings. This had been observed for some time without its being known how the foul charge had originated, or who was the concealed assassin • at length the defendant thought proper to repeat, in the most public manner, to several persons, , that the plaintiff, Mr. Charles Harman, had been guilty of a most I atrocious offence. It appeared that the plaintiff's father had for some years occupied Hale Park, near Croydon. The defendant, in the same conversations, had added, that ' three females had gone into Hale Park, two of whom were found, but the third was lourdered ; that she was never found ;" insinuating that the plaintiff was concerned in such murder. When these charges were publicly ' made, there was but one course for the plaintiff to adopt. if 112 meant to hold up his head in society. Ile had, immediately the author of these slanders were known, appealed to a Jury of his country. The damages had been laid at s,ofittl., which he thought the pleader had not over-rated, if the charges were made without any foundation, of which the Jury would be convinced, for the defendant, had there been the shadow of a pretence for them, would have put a justification on the record ; he had, however, contented himself with pleading that he had not uttered the words. The Learned Counsel concluded a most eloquent appeal to the reason and feelings of the Jury ; and called several witnesses, who I proved the expressions imputed to the defendant in the record. Mr. Martarat (with whom were Mr. Gurney and Mr. Sergeant TaLdp-addressed the Jury for the defendant, endeavour. mg to shew that the words uttered were wholly without malice, and had merely been a repetition of what had been written on the walls. The time the father of the plaintiff had continued the de, fendant in his employ was sufficieut to prove he could not be the character now sought to be affixed to him. A verdict, however, must pus against him, because he was not in a situation us dia. prove the uttering the language. The circumstances of the de. ' fondant vat very narrow, and he had a wife and children depend. in on him fur support ; he hoped, therefore, the Jury would not I indict en friar, by their verdict, what must be his ruin. The LORD CHIEF B•RON summed up the evidence, stating that it was very slight indeed as to chalking the walls; with respect to the other part of the case, no doubt could remain. i The Jury retired for a quarter of an hour, and returned a revdiet for the plaintiff—Damages 5001 ; the Foreman adding, that I the atrocity of the conduct of the defendant would have induced them to have given a much larger sum, but from a feeling for his family, and their ignorance of his circumstances.