Star. — 1821-11-08 (London, England)

GUILDHALL.—A lamentable instance of the danger and mischief that ensues from the annual scene of riot and disorder exhibited in the Metropolis on the evening of the sth of November, by the discharge of fire-arms, fireworks, &c. came under the cognizance of Mr. Alderman LUCAS, the sitting Magistrate, at this Justice-room, yesterday.—A youth about 17, who gave his name William Whitaker Court, was brought up on the charge of a respectable looking man, a Mr. Mills, whose son, a boy about 14, had been very dangerously wounded by the contents of a gun-barrel, discharged by the pm isoner on Monday evening in Fleet-market, where a number of disorderly boys and others were ascentbled letting off fireworks, &c. to the great disgrace of the night officers in that district. By the account given by Mr. Mills, his child had been sent on an errand toward that quarter, and was unfortunately passing at the time the prisoner fired the gun-barrel, and received its contents immediately over the right eye: by the violence of the explosion the osfrontis was fractured so as to expose the brain, and the child's eye dreadfully lacerated and almost destroyed. He was taken to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, where he still remains, according to the surgeon's certificate, in a very dangerous state ; but by Mr. Mills's account, in such a situation that his life is despaired of. The prisoner, who was in tears during the whole of the examination, seemed deeply affected at the consequence of his imprudence; and the more so, that lie should have been apprehended and charged, as it appeared he had been by Mr. Mills, in the excess of his feeling, as a common murderer. He protested that it was entirely an accident ; that he did not know the unfortunate sufferer, and did not point the barrel at any one. He had fired it off once before, and had no suspicion of any accident. There were .several other boys letting off pistols and fireworks, and the watchmen standing by offered no molestation. He hoped the boy was not in so dangerous a state as Mr. Mills represented; the certificate of the surgeon was dated overnight, and he (the prisoner) had himself been to the Hospital that morning to inquire, and was told the patient had had some sleep, and was considered better.—Mr. Mills said the answer to his inquiries that morning was, that his son was not worse; indeed it seemed hardly possible that he should be, to be alive. The prisoner very readily explained his connection and situation : he was a writing clerk in the employ of a respectable Solicitor in Bloomsbury-square, and lodged in Fulwood's-rents,' Holborn.. The accident happened after he had left, the office, about ten o'clock at night. He had al ready lost his situation in consequence of it, and begged the Magistrate would not send him to prison, but admit, him to give bail.—Mr. Mills, when questioned by the Alderman as to his intentions toward the prisoner, said ne did not think he should do justice to his feelings as a father if he did not visit him with all the, severity of the law.—Mr. Payne, the Magistrate's, clerk, observed that, under such circumstances, the usual mode was to commit the accused, until the person should be pronounced out of danger, as it was impossible to say what degree of criminality a Coroner's Jury might attach to the prisoner's conduct, in the event of the boy's death.—The Alderman accordingly remanded the young man, until the state of the sufferer should be known, giving directions that should not be put among those that were confined for wilful crimes. Bow-