Durham, Tuesday, August 1...
I Before Mr. Barori H OLLOCK,OandOa co0rmmon Jitry. This was an action brought by the plaintift5 who is a surgeon and stmaster at Hartlepool, to recover damages for the injury done to Iis character by certain defamatory words, which the defendant, who is n clergyman at the same place, had falsely and maliciously spoken galnat him. The slanderous words alleged to have bee used by the defendant were, that "D Dr. Thompson was repeatedly drurn, and very seldom sober." A witness was caUled to prove that the defendant had made use of them; but inocross-examination he ad- mitted that the words which he had heard formed only part of two conversations, (one at a public.house, and another in the market- lace), of which he had not heard the whole, and whicl might havc ad reference to various ether matters for any thing that he knew to the contrary, On the part of the defendant, it was nrged that these wordst, if used at all, might, as the witness had only heard part of the cooversation in wlhich they were used, lhave had a very different signification from that which the plaintift, for reasons best known to himself, bad attributed to them. For instance, said Ar. Brougham, pointing to the plaintifF, who was in Court, the cde- fendant might have been talking of the falacy of pkysiognomy. lie m tght have said; 6 You mnust not judge of men by their coun. tenancea, for, look at Mr. Thompson, you would judge by his face that he was repeatedly drunk, and very &cidoui sober; but l man nssure you that such is not the case." It was likewlse maintaned, that even If the words were spoken, they were not actionable ia themselves, and had not been attended by any danmage to the plaintiff After the learned Judge had shortly addressed the Jury, they re- turned a verdict for the defendant. Before Mr. JUStCt! BAYLEY. The court was crowded to excess* at a very early hour this morn. ing, by a number of the most respectable ladies, wbo had obtained admission into it through the gaoler's house. At nine o'dock the doors of the Court-house were thrown open to t.he public, and ins njediately afterwards the galerics were filled by an immense nuni. ber of spctators, wvho rushed in with the,greatest impetuosity. Oin M r. Justice B3A,Lry's entering the court, the prisoner .Gdgson was placed at the bar; but in consequence of an application made by.51r AwE asoi, on the paYt of the prweocution,his triai a bypistponed till to-moreowiorntnSg. This.determnilation disappointe Ehe ex pectatlons ,oF many persons in coutt, who had undergone, to lit. sl&purpose4grep?~at raae pSrevzoixrtonteatming t- the p meer his arraiganment. t tO-d% tuI n aeit exiyeterd2^ay ther ixi l There were n9 other causes of any Public interest in either of the Cduvts dwing the course of the day, DURHAAM. TyiRnAv A-rnt,r. 17 I THOMFSON V. WILSOV.