12.--The Yarmouth magistrates issued a warrant "to apprehend the bodies
of George Danby Palmer and James Cherry, charged on the oath of William
Norton Burroughes with being about to commit a breach of the peace by
fighting a duel." The incident arose out of an extraordinary scene at a
public meeting, where "Mr. Palmer gave the lie to Mr. Cherry."
14.--Died at Rackheath Hall, in his 83rd year, Sir Edward Hardinge John
Stracey, second baronet. He was born in India, came to this country as a
boy, and was educated at Norwich Grammar School and Christ Church,
Oxford. He was subsequently called to the Bar, was for a time Clerk of
the House of Commons, and succeeded his uncle, Mr. Hardinge Stracey, as
counsel to the Chairmen of Committees of the House of Lords on Mr. Pitt's
appointment to office. For several years he was Chairman of Quarter
Sessions for Cheshire, and a magistrate for that county as well as for
Norfolk and Suffolk.
26.--At the Norfolk Assizes, before Lord Chief Baron Pollock and a
special jury, was tried the action, Baldry _v._ Ellis. This was an issue
directed to be tried by the late Master of the Rolls, and involved the
disposal of a sum of about 25,000 pounds. The jury had to decide whether
one Bailey Bird, deceased, who contracted marriage in the year 1818, was
competent to make that contract. A large number of witnesses deposed
that Bird was of perfectly sound mind at the time of his marriage; an
equally large number, including several medical men, asserted that he was
an idiot. The jury were of opinion that Bird was not of sound mind at
the time of the celebration of his marriage, and returned a verdict for
the defendant.
28.--Henry Groom (42) was indicted at the Norfolk Assizes, before Mr.
Justice Cresswell, for the murder of John Ayton, by shooting him with a
pistol, at Burnham Thorpe, on July 4th. He was executed on the Castle
Hill, Norwich, on August 16th.