The Sun. — 1808-10-08 (London, England)

GUILDHALL, OCT. 7.—Mr. . strurnent-maker, Cornhill, was charged with cotn. miffing a violent assault Qn several persons, shop., keepers, in Lang-lane,. last night. • . Griffiths stated, that,be kept a cook's-shop;." Ott Longrlane.. Last night, about, ten b'cloek, he heard a noise of a stick running across his shcls- ; he thought 9.ome, of ,the glasshad bear broken. He went into , the street, and asked. the Prisoner why be had endangered his windows ?, lie replied, for fun, awl be would do it. again ; he then brandished .a stick of, Herculean size, performed the' sarneoperation on the windows, and_ produce& the • satne kind of Music. The witness,then told • if he did not desist, he wouldapply his foot to a.certain part, where there would, not, be any danger of, breaking belles—the *Prisoner immedtately•lifted up., his bludgeon hind struck him. The , witness's wife' ,‘ came out, and he gave herataste al,:b of his,shillela.•  His next door neighbdur, Mr. 4,e.e1e,. baker,,camo; out, and obs'etye that the Prisoner had used his win-. dth,v in the same Way. The Prisoner_ ilmnediately • ! struck him—hiS wife came out, - and she .receiv-, ed a blow from the stick, which cut.her forehead in a desperate. manner. The Prisoner still continued strikin every per'son he could get at. The watchmen were afraid to go near him. Atlast. a gentleman rushed on him, and by his superior strength overpowered him, and lodged him in the watch. , house. Keefe, his wife, and several other persons, corroborated the above testimony.  The Prisoner, in his deletice,'said, that he thought the witnesses were the aggressors; ,but. he wal a little flushed with wine, found himself surrounded " by a number of persons, and having considerable t. property aboot him, did make use. of his stick to extricate himself. He lost his watch, hat, and still: in the scuffle.  A Quaker Gentleman said, he came up after the affray, and from what he could le.arn from the witnesses, they were to blame in the first instance, and the first witness was in a state of intoxication,  • The Constable of the Watch declared that the first witness, 'and every one of the other witnesses; were perfectly sober.A Gentleman then came forward, and stated, that he was the person who secured the Prisoner; at the risk of his life; he lived sixty yards from the, place v.,here the • affray happened. The 'condua of. the Pris Oner was so outrageous, that it brought him out of his house; he was striking every one around him, and, from the size of the stick, he was afraid he might coptnit murder ; it was. with some difficulty that he could secure him.—He was astonished that any Gentleman, in the garb of a Quaker, would come ',into a COuit of Justice, and, speak what was not truth. None of the persons that bad ,been injured were were the least intoxicate_; for persons in their situations of life, none could bear better cbaratiersthey had been 'housekeepers fora length of time, and were highly respeeled in their neighbourhood.• The Quaker Gentleman came up after the affray was over, and, by an improper interference, was near agitating • the atiray anew. The 'Worthy Magistrate said, lie was sorry and surprised- to see a Gentlermin in the station of life the Prisoner was in brought befortt him on so disgraceful a charge; a 'person ought to be the pre'Server instead of the breaker of the peace. lie would advise birri to try to make it up ,with the :Prosecia.. tors, bytoiing them some compensation, if they would be satisfied with that kind .of atonement; if not, it would be his duty to bind, him over to take his trial at ,the Sessions, and if it came before a Jury of his countrymen; the Court would be more. severe on him than they would on an ignorant person, as he transgressed with a full knowledge of the extent of the offence.  • The Prosecutors were satisfied to compromise the matter, and went out of Court and -adjusted it., when the Prisoner was discharged.