The Daily Herald

SUPERIOR COURT.

Milo Holchkiss vs. Levi Barnes and others.

This was an action of assault and battery against said Barnes and ten others, for an attack on the Plaintiff, at Meriden, on the 11th of October, 1837. It appeared that notice had been previously given that a lecture would be delivered on that day, before the Anti-Slavery Society, by the Rev. Mr. Ludlow of New Haven. The audience had assembled in the basement of the Congregational Church, when the plaintiff drove up with his wife, with a view of attending the meeting. A collection of persons standing by the church commenced throwing eggs at the plaintiff, and covered him with their contents. They then pried open the door of the lecture room, and by throwing eggs at Mr. Ludlow and at the audience generally, broke up the meeting.

It was not proved that all the defendants were actually engaged in the attack upon the plaintiff; but he claimed that a combination had been entered into by the defendants and others, to prevent the delivery of the lecture, and that consequently, all are liable for the acts of each done in pursuance of this unlawful design.

The defendants claimed that the plaintiff had good reason to believe, that such a result would naturally follow, from an attendance on the lecture, and the assault was to be attributed to his own indiscretion, in being present on that occasion.

The case was commenced on Friday morning, and committed to the jury last evening—of course the verdict has not been rendered.

Counsel for the plaintiff, Messrs. Hungerford, Fellows and Munson; for defendants, Messrs. Ellsworth and Chapman.—Conn. Courant.