The Court of Common Pleas was occupied for some time
on Thurs- day with the trial of an action brought by Mr. Henry Dundas Perrott, formerly a midshipman in the Navy, against Mr. Alarie Watts, to re- cover damages for a libel published in the United Service Gazette and Naval and Military Chronicle, of which Mr. Watts is editor and pro- prietor. It appeared that the defendant had brought serious charges against the plaintiff in his paper of the 8th of August last. Mr. Per- ron was said to have obtained a pension by fraud ; having falsely pre- tended that he lost *his arm in the King's service, whereas it was shat- tered by the bursting of a fowling-piece; that he was then dismissed the service, and having been restored by an act of favour at the Admi- ralty, was found guilty of procuring money from seamen under pre- tence of giving them protection against impressment, and again dis- missed. It was added, that Sir Edward Codrington, who had pre- sented a petition in behalf of Perron to the House of Commons, bad not done any thing to his credit. The defendant attempted to prove all the allegations in the libel ; but, as the verdict obtained against Perrott for cheating the seamen was set aside by Lord Ellen- borough on account of an informality, Chief Justice Tindal charged the Jury that the plaintiff must be held innocent of the offence, and was therefore entitled to a verdict on that plea of the defendant's justi- fication. The Jury then found a verdict for the plaintiff—damages 304
In the Court of Exchequer, on Monday, an action for the recovery of a Newfoundland dog was tried. The question was one of identity, and there was a good deal of opposing evidence. The Jury found for the plaintiff—damages 101., and the dog to be restored : but the defendant refused to give up the dog ; and as Lord Abinger informed the Jury they could not compel restitution, the Jury amended their verdict and gave the plaintiff 201. damages.
At the Westminster Sessions, on Thursday, Philip Stroud was in. dieted for keeping a gaming-house in St. James's Square. The case for the prosecution broke down, owing to the non-attendance of the witnesses. The Honourable and Reverend Fitzroy Stanhope, Sir St. Vincent Cotton, Mr. Charles Cracroft, and Count Alfred D'Orsay, bad all been submenaed ; but, on their names being called, did not answer. So the defendant was acquitted.
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