try
Clerk; Mr. Gutteridge, surgeon; Mr. Freer, and others, took their
places in a pew on the north side of the organ. Mr. Muntz, Mr. George
Edmonds, Mr. Pare, Mr. Trow, and others in great numbers, sat on
the south. The Rector took the chair, and proposed Mr. Reeves as
his warden for the coming year. To this, of course, there was no
opposition, but on the rector saying he should now proceed to elect a
people's warden, a row began. Mr. Pare contended that the rector--_ex
officio_--had no right to act as chairman while the parishioners
elected _their_ warden. Muntz proposed another chairman; the parish
books were demanded to be shown; but Mr. Baker put them under his feet
and stood upon them. Muntz mounted to the top of the pew and demanded
the books, and a scene of great disorder and riot ended in nothing
being done. The whole scene appears to have been one of indescribable
confusion. The rector was a timid, nervous man, who seemed during the
whole proceedings to have almost lost his wits. When Baker refused to
give up the books, a rush was made upon the rector's pew, amid cries
of "Pitch him over," "Get the books," &c. The panelling of the pew was
smashed to atoms. In the midst of the scene, Muntz's burly form was
seen, brandishing his well-known stick. Gutteridge is described as
"making incessant grimaces and gesticulations, in a manner which
induced the crowd to call him 'Punch,' and to ask him why he had
not brought 'Judy' with him." In fact, the whole proceeding was a
disgraceful brawl.

For his complicity in this business a criminal information was laid
against Muntz, and he was brought, with two or three others, to trial
at Warwick, before Chief Justice Park and a special jury. The charge
was "tumult, riot, and assault upon Gutteridge and Rawlins." The trial
commenced on Friday, March 30, 1838, and lasted three entire days. The
result was a virtual acquittal, Mr. Muntz having been found guilty
of "an affray," and not guilty on the other twelve counts of the
indictment. Campbell was counsel for the prosecution, and Wilde for
the defence, and some sparring took place between them. Campbell in a
very rude and insulting manner, _chaffed_ Muntz about his beard, and
Wilde retorted with considerable scorn. The cost of the defence was
over L2,000.

In January, 1840, upon the retirement of Mr. Attwood from Parliament,
Mr. Muntz became a candidate for the vacant seat, and was opposed by
the notoriously bigoted Tory, Sir