"Marlborough Street.—William Smart, the proprietor of a gaming-house in the Quadrant, called the 'Regent Circus Club,' appeared before Mr. Dyer, yesterday, on a warrant charging him with committing an assault on a man named John Ward, under the following circumstances. The complainant stated that he had for some time filled a situation in the gaming-house kept by the defendant, but no longer wishing to have anything to do with such disgraceful proceedings, he gave the defendant warning to leave; but, when he applied for his wages, he was attacked by the defendant, and most cruelly beaten by him.
"The defendant, in answer to the charge, stated it was totally false, and that the first assault had been committed by the complainant himself. The truth was, that he had been discharged from his situation on account of his having retained some money which did not belong to him. The complainant denied this statement, and said that his reason for leaving the service was on account of the disgust he felt at the proceedings that were going forward, and the system of robbery that was practised upon the gentlemen who went to the defendant's house. He here handed to the magistrate a couple of the dice that were made use of in the defendant's house, saying, at the same time, that they were loaded for the purposes of deception.
"Mr. Dyer, after examining the dice, said that although it was certainly very disgraceful, if it were true, to make use of such instruments to rob the persons who might be foolish enough to enter a house of such a description, yet that had nothing to do with the present question. He considered the assault proved, and therefore called upon the defendant to find bail.
"A person, who said he attended professionally for the defendant, said they had now to make a charge against the complainant of having wilfully broken a valuable pane of plate glass. It appeared that this occurrence took place at a house of a similar description to that kept by the defendant, and which belonged to one of his friends or a relation, called 'The Melton Club,' in Park Lane.
"Ward, the complainant, said that he went there for the purpose of asking for his money, but could not gain admittance. He accidentally broke the window, and gained admission as far as 'the tiger.'
"Mr. Dyer asked what was meant by 'the tiger?'
"Ward replied that it meant the second door at a gaming-house, which was a very strong one, which enabled the persons inside to shut out any one they did not like to admit.
"Mr. Dyer asked the person who made the charge why it had not been brought forward before?—He replied that it was so paltry, that he did not think it worth while to bring it forward.
"Mr. Dyer said that, whether it was a paltry one or not, it would have looked much better if it had been brought forward before a charge had been made by the complainant. He then said that the defendant must find bail for the assault, and, with respect to the counter-charge which had been made, he should not interfere in it, but leave the parties to take their legal remedies."
In this year was finished a monument to the memory of George IV., which was erected at Battle Bridge, now known as King's Cross. It was a composition statue of the king, about eleven feet high, and it stood atop of an octagon building of brick and cement, which was used first as a police station, and afterwards as a public house, whilst the pediment of the statue was utilized as a "Camera obscura." It was demolished in 1845, and it is said that the basis of the statue's nose was a draining tile, and that it was offered to a gentleman for sixpence!