In the Consistory Court, on Wednesday, Dr. Addams applied for
a remission of that part of the sentence against Mr. and Mrs. Ramsdale (mentioned in the Spectator last week) which enjoined them to do public penance in the church of Hampton Wick. The ground of the application was, the weak state of health of the parties, and the preparations for exulting over them made by certain persons in the parish who had promoted the suit against them. The King's Advocate agreed to the postponement of the penance, but not to its remission. Dr. Lushington said— The affidavit of Mr. Taylor, the medical man who bad attended upon the parties in the suit, stated that Mr. Ilarnsdale has had an attack of brain fever, and that the most disastrous circumstances might result from the enforcement of the sentence with regard to the penance. As to Joan Chick, she IA also been seriously affected in her health ; was pregnant; and if exposed to performance of the sentence, her nervous system might be seriously affected. He was bound to believe that the affidavit of the medical man contained an accurate statement of facts ; and it became the duty of the Court not to run any hazard, as it never could have been intended that the public recantation of the offences the parties had been found guilty of should be enforced if it might lead to serious consequences. He should therefore not attempt to enforce the penance at the present time. It remained, therefore, for the Court to consider whether he should not merely suspend the penance, or whether lie should do away with it altogether. In his judgment, if the infliction of the penance would injure the health of the parties, the allowing the threat to hang over the head of the female, that after her confinement the penance should be enforced, the suspense that would be occasioned might prove as detrimental as the performance of the penance itself; and as to Mr. Itamsdide, the same reasons would apply. Under all the circumstances, therefore, he thought it right and fitting to remit that part of the sentence which enjoined the parties to the performance of penance.
The Court of King's Bench, on Monday, made absolute the rule for setting aside the nonsuit ordered by Lord Denman in the case of Dewar versus Purday; which our readers will remember referred to the copyright of the song called " The Old English Gentleman."
In the Court of Common Pleas, on Wednesday, Miss Wood, the daughter of a Manchester attorney, obtained a verdict of 3500/. damages against Mr. Hurd, the son of a wealthy attorney of London, for breach of promise of marriage. Nothing against the character of the gentleman or lady appeared on the trial ; that of Miss Wood was admitted to be spotless. Mr. Hurd seems to have changed his mind merely, after going too far with the lady.
On Tuesday evening, Messrs. Maurice and John O'Connell were bound over, by Mr. Hoskins, of the 14Iarylebone Office, to keep the peace towards all his Majesty's subjects for the remainder of the present year. The sureties were Mr. Rigby Wason, Dr. Elmore, and Mr. John Robertson. The proceedings were private, and the reporters excluded ; which is the cause of the meagreness of this account.
At the Marlborough Street Office, on Wednesday, the driver of a Kennington omnibus was fined 4/. and costs, for damaging the cabriolet of Colonel Fitzgibbon, by driving against it in Piccadilly.
At the Mansionhouse, on Monday, James Farrell, a lad, appeared against a gentleman whom he had caused to be apprehended for horsewhipping him.
The complainant, who is what is called a flying messenger about the inns in the city, stated that he had been sent on a message; and as he was in the habit of beating the omnibuses and other vehicles in speed, he thought he might as well outrun the defendant's gig. He accordingly ran before the horse ; but the defendant, without any other cause than that Ile had been outstripped, leaped down from the seat and lashed him most unmercifully. The Lord Mayor—" Are you sure vou are telling the whole truth ?" Prosecutor—" Yes, my Lord. I did nothing in the world but just run before his horse." A witness stated that he saw the lashing, which made the lad caper about in a very remarkable manner. He saw no provocation given, and thought it was quite unnecessary.
The Lord Mayor—" Perhaps you saw the lad capering about before he got the lashing ?" Witness—" No, I saw nothing of that."
" The defendant said, that the Lord Mayor had put a question to the complainant, which, if answered truly, would have fully explained the matter. The fact was, the complainant took it into his head to cut capers and antics before the horse, a very spirited young animal, while the defendant was driving through Whitechapel. The horse several times reared ; and the crowd were apprehensive of great danger, and called out to the boy to drop his clownish antics.. The remonstrance was disregarded ; and all the way to Gracechurch.Street did the flying messenger lead the way, flinging his legs and arias about in the genuine Grimaldi style. The more crowded the streets became, the more dangerous, of course, this sort of exhibition !coati, ed to I e. To put a complete check to it, the horsewhip was certainly used ; and aw,:y danctd the complainaut, crying out " MurtUr !"
A gentletnan who wa atsing se:ul, that the boy frightened the horse, and that the defendant was in considerable danger.
The Lord Mayor said the complainant deserved much more than he got, and it was to be hoped that if he e.eer cut his capers again nada such circumstances horsewhip would be more liherally used upon him. At the Thames Police Office, on Thursday, John Gaining, a noted smuggler, was fined 100/. for attempting to take on shore about twelve pounds of tobacco on which no duty had been paid, from the Joanna, a Patch vessel, lying in the Thames. This was his thii d conviction. It appeared also that he had paid for this tobacco with a gilt farthing, which he passed for a sovereign.
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