From the Dublin Morning Register, 19 July 1838:
“THE DUBLIN POLICE OFFICE
A demure-looking old gentleman, named Moses Miller, came to the office to complain of a law-student, bearing the appropriate name of Joseph Law, for having given him annoyance, and for continuing to occupy apartments in his house, contrary to his wish.
The magistrates said that, with regard to the latter part of the charge, they could not interfere; if he kept illegal possession, complainant should eject him.
Mr Miller – I dread entering into anything like a protracted suit with him, as he is studying the law; I wish to be summary; I dread law.
Magistrate – As you dread the law, you must act according to it. State your complaint.
Complainant – Well, your worship, Mr Law came to me, and told me that he had put his name down at the King’s Inns as a law student, and took two garret rooms from me; I thought he would have no person in the rooms but himself; but instead of that, he brought three other persons there, whom he said were students also, and made a profit on me, by setting them lodgings; and at night, your worship, when I do be at my prayers, he is perpetually going on making speeches, as if addressing a jury, and when I called to him to desist, he asked me did I ever hear of Demosthenes, or Demochares his nephew; I said I never heard of any such people in my life, nor did I want to know them; I thought, your worship, that he was proposing them to me as bailmen for the rent, and I told him that I would forgive him a week and three days that he owed me, if he would leave the house, but he said in reply that I was an ignorant old ass, that he was practising oratory like Demosthenes, and that he would do so as long as he remained in the house.
Mr Law said he submitted to the magistrates that there was no ground of complaint against him, he had a right to speak in his own apartments, and he did no more.
Mr Miller – I think you are a deceiver. I am sure such a clown as you are cannot be a law student, for although you live in a garret, when you are speaking of the floor of your room you call it the ground.
The magistrates dismissed the complaint, telling Mr Miller if he was not satisfied with his tenant, he should eject him in the regular way.”
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