The Sun. — 1840-06-29 (London, England)

THE QUEEN V. GWILT.  Sir FREDERICK POLLOCK stated that this was a criminal information that had been filed against the defendant for an assault, which had been committed on the prosecutor (Mr. Knyvett), a person occupyinr, the rank and character of a gentleman. The defendant did not appear to-day. either by himself or bis counsel, to offer any defence to the proceedings. It would appear that a gentleman of the name of Curry, residing in Berkshire, had a son at a school in Westminster, where the defendant was a tutor, and he had requested Mr. Knyvett to pay some attention to the lad, and see that he was conducting himself properly ; and accordingly, upon one occasion, he had felt it his duty to interpose, and he spoke to the defendant, who assumed an air of great dignity, and told him he would horsewhip him, which he afterwards did in the manner that would be described by the witness. A rule was afterwards obtained' for a criminal information, and it now came before them to say whether the defendant was or was not guilty. George Henry R..• Knyvett.—l am the prosecutor ; I know Mr. Curry, who lives near Abingdon ; I was spoken to by him in reference to a boy he had at Westminster school ; I talked to the boy, and I had a communication with Mr. Curry ; the boy told me of something relative to the defendant. In January the defendant came into my lodgings about a quarter to five with a horsewhip in his hand, and insisted upon knowing what I meant by saying if I could rescue the boy from his hands I should be too glad. I requested any complaint might be made on paper. He made a row, and I said I will tell you why : you have accompanied the boy to a house of ill-fame, and introduced him to a bad character, which I hold to- be disgraceful. He then in a very magnificent manner said, if he chose to spend the whole day in dissipation it was nothing to me. 1 said, if I found him leading any connection of a friend of mine into his profligacy I thought I ought to interfere, and no threat of his would prevent my so doing. He then called me names, and said it was Sunday, but the first time he met me in the street he would assault me ; he had his hat on the whole time; he afterwards left. On Tuesday, the 14th of January, I left my lodgings about five o'clock ; I went down Burton-street ; I saw the defendant ; he was standing by the side of a shop, evidently waiting for me ; he had a whip in his hand ; I saw him crossing the road, and I met him half-way ;he addressed me by saying, You are Mr. Knyvett, I believe ; I said I am ; he said, I told you I should assault you ; I replied, You did ; he said, I shall do so now ; I made him a very polite bow ; he then struck me across the shoulders ; I took him by the neckcloth, and put him into the mud ; he did a very dirty trick ; he bit my thumb to the bone ; I called for as,istance, but no one interfered ; a policeman came up, and I requested him to take the defendant into custody ; but he said he could not do so, as he did not see the assault, but I must get a warrant. The defendant was flourishing a pewter pot, which he had in his hand ; he said, " 1 did assault him, and I meant it." The policeman then took him in charge. I did not appear before the Magistrate, as I was recommended to move the Court for a criminal information. Lord DENNIAN told the Jury that the facts had been clearly proved. The Jary at once returned a verdict of Guilty. The defendant will be brought up for judgment in the course of next term. The case excited considerable interest from the circumstances which gave rise to the assault.  Lord Scarborough exhibited the same non (balance in the act of killing himself as he did when he • resigned his situation as Master of the Horse. He was reproache4 in the House of Peers with taking the King's part because he had a good place at Court. "My Lords," said he, " to prove to you that my opinion is independent of my place, I resign it this moment." He afterwards found himself in a perplexing dilemma between a mistress whom he loved, but to whom he had promised nothing, and a woman whom he esteemed, and to whom he had promised marriage. Not having sufficient resolution to decida which to choose, he killed himself to escape the embarrassment.—The Anatomy of Suicide.