The ‘gin and water’ brigade were scared out of their wits when a ‘comedian’ threatened them with a pistol at a tavern in Bloomsbury.
“A jolly sort of gentleman, who absorbed at least a tea-spoonful of scotch snuff every minute, and very pompously and syllabiatically, as it were, gave his name John – Stephen – Ward – was charged at Bow-street office on Monday with having frightened every body out of their wits, at the Orange-tree Tavern, Bloomsbury-place, and also taking a pistol from his pocket, declared he would shoot any man who might dareto treat him with disrespect ! There sere several Sunday gentlemen peaceably sipping their gin and water there at the moment, and they were so astonished at the war-like tone of this threat, and the lofty bearing of the threatener, that they deserted their gin and water, and made the best of their way out of the room. Mr. John – Stephen – Ward was graciously pleased to construe their retreat as an act of disrespect; and, agreeably to his threat in that case already made and provided, he sallied forth after them, pistol in hand, to inflict the punishment due. Some of them rushed at once out of the house, but others took refuge in the tap-room – hiding themselves under tables, in clock-cases &c., whilst Mr.-John -Stephen – Ward roved round the room in quest of them (like a lion in his den), and exclaiming continually, ‘Come on, ye cowards! – ye were born in fear, thought ye were got in – England!’ The comely landlady shut herself up in her bar and called for help though the keyhole; the pot-boys anc scullions scampered up stairs into the garret; the gin and water gentlemen trembled in their hiding places; one of them ‘was so frightened that you might have knocked him down with a straw;’ and all was breathless and perspiring terror, when, as good luck would have it – a party of the Bow-street p[atrol, going their rounds by the door, hear several strange noised issuing from the interior of the house, and, instantly going in, they found things in the state above-mentioned. But the ~Bow-street patrol are not so easily terrified` at the sight of a pistol as some people, and one of them disamred Mr. John – Stephen – Ward, in the twinkling of a truncheon; and then it was discovered that the dealy weapon was – not chardged” – neither had it any lock! and these things haveing been fully ascertained, the gin and water gentlemen emerged from their concealment. Mr. John – Stephen – Ward, however, though disarmed was still unquelled, and thundered out the anger of this heart with impetuous volubility, till at length his valour so far got the better of this judgement, that he struck Amsden, the patrol, on the head, and there his achievements ended, for in the next minute, almost, he was under lock and key, in that comfortless cooling-place called a watch-house. – This was the substance of the complaint against him; and, when it was ended, he desired to be heard in his defence; but the poor gentleman was so tipsy that he could not make any, and the Magistrate ordered that he should find bail for the assault.
After the turnkey had removed him, several persons of respectable appearance came forward, and spoke of him as a gentleman of great respectability. They said he was a comedian belonging to the Haymarket company, and that in general he conducted himself with strict propriety, but within these few days he had taken to drinking excessively, and they were of the opinion that something was preying upon his mind. – The Magistrate directed that every species of liquid, except pure water, should be kept from him whilst he remained in custody, and recommended the gentleman to apprise the manager of the theatre of his situation.
The Stamford Mercury, 27th September, 1822.