The Sun. — London, England, 1858-08-24 00:00:00

COMMISSION OF LUNACY. Yesterday a commission of lunacy was opened before Mr. Commissioner Winslow and a special jury, at the large hall of St. element's-inn, Strand, for the purpose of ascertaining the state of mind of Mr. Lawrence Rack, of Sittingbourne, Kent, and Montgomeryshire. Mr. Montagu Chambers, Mr. Sergeant Ballantine, and Mr. Vaughan, appeared for the petitioner (the wife of the alleged lunatic) ; and Mr. Edwin James, Mr. Sergeant Petersderff, and Mr. Gordon' Allen for the alleged lunatic, who was present from the commencement. This gentleman is a military looking, middle-aged man, with a dark moustache, and having nothing in his appear ance indicative of insanity to an ordinary observer. He was seated behind his counsel, Mr. E. James, with whom he fre quently communicated, as if suggesting questions for cross— examination. After a short address from the commissioner in opening the proceedings, Mr. Montagu Chambers proceeded to open the case. Their duty, he said, was to inquire into the state of mind of a gentleman, named Lawrence Ruck, possessed of consider able property, who conducted himself with the greatest decorum and affection towards all his family till last year, when it was found necessary to place him under the care of Dr. Stillwell, the proprietor of an asylum at 111in9, - don, near Uxbridge, on the sth of November. As this was a case of the utmost importance to his wife, children, and himself, he begged the attention of the jury while he entered into some details. Mr. Ruck was possessed of property In Kent and elsewhere to the extent of about £1,500, and 17 years ago he was married to the daughter of Mr. Matthews, of Pantlldu, in Montgomeryshire, where he went to live. lie took the lease of a house and grounds there, dinner, where his health was proposed, instead of drinking his wine be threw it up to the ceiling. During the period when ➢lrs. Ruck resided at Aberdovey, she occasionally went, I believe, to Pantlldn. I never heard that they were separated. By Mr. E. James—The agricultural dinner of which I have spoken took place last October twelvemonth. It was m y wine, and no doubt he had drank some of it before throwing it up to the ceiling. (Laughter.) Thomas Jones, who, speaking Welsh, gave his evidence through an interpreter, on being examined by Mr. M. Cham bers, deposed—l am a blacksmith. I have known Mr. and Mrs. Ruck for 15 years. I remember their leaving Pantlldu to live at Aberdovcy. Latterly I observed a change in Mr. Ruck's wanner. Mr. Ruck came to Pan tlldu in October last. His conduct was mere odd than usual, but I don't remember anything special. He remainod at Pantlldu nine days, and during that time sometimes he walked out at night instead of going to bed ;he only did so two nights. My wife told me that he walked about the house in the daytime in a strange manner without shees. I remember his coming home one evening in a fly ' • I carried him into the house, and placed him on a sofa. A doctor was sent for. A per son named Mary Jones was staying there. I missed her for a day and night. I don't know where she was. I went about with Mrs. Ruck's mother, inquiring for her. The witness was here examined at some length with re gard to the burning of some clothes, but his answers were so confused that it was impossible to make anything of them. Cross-examined by Mr. James—l am a blacksmith in the village, and during the nine days I was at the house with my wife at Mr. Ruck's request. My wife can speak English well. She is not come to town. She waited on Mr. Ruck. I had nothing to do with him. 1 look after the farm at Pantlldu for Mrs. Ruck, and pay her all the money I receive for stock, &c. Mr. Ruck's coachman's wife has charge of the house. I don't know that my wife packed Mr. Ruck's portmanteau before be left Pantlldu. He went away be tween 9 and 10. Miss Jones left before. I don't know who carried his portmanteau. - - - .. __ Mary Williams said—l was servant to Mrs. Matthews — Mrs. Ruck's mother. She lived about three miles from Pantlldu, and frequently saw Mr. and Mrs. Ruck. She always conducted herself in a very proper manner. I noticed that Mr. Rack's conduct was very singular. Upon one occasion when they came to visit Mrs. Matthews he walked about nearly all night, and appeared very restless. When be returned to Pantlldu I went there to look after him. I arrived on the 29th of October. He was not in at that time, but be came home soon afterwards. He had something in his hand which he said was poison, and he was going to throw it into the brook. After this he dressed himself as if he was going ajourney, and he went to the stable and tried to get his horse out. He then went into the dressing-room and locked himself in, and there was a smell of burning, and we were all afraid that he would burn the house down. On the following morning, about five o'clock, he called me up and told me to make him some gruel, and he took some oatmeal out of a canister he had in his pocket. He re mained in the kitchen while I was making the gruel. When he went away he took with him two bottles full of water from the well. When I went into the dressing-room I found that he had cut up one of his coats, and a woollen scarf and shirt were torn up and partially burned. I after wards found that he bad taken the taps out of two barrels of beer, and let all the beer flow out. While he and his wife were living together he would frequently order the carriage and horses in the middle of the night, and drive about for four or five hours. Sometimes be would take Mrs. Ruck with him when he went out in this manner. I did not think that when he acted in this extraordinary manner it was the effect of drink, aid my opinion was that he was not in his right senses. (The witness then produced the remains of the articles she had referred to in her evidence.) Cross-examined—l had frequent opportunities of seeing 1 Mrs. and Mr. Ruck together. I know that Mrs. Ruck used 1 to live at one of Mr. Ruck's houses and he at another, but I do not think she was ever away from Lim for so long a period as two years. Mr. Ruck used to give orders dur ing his wife's absence, the same as any other master would, and in a reasonable and rational manner. Mr. Ruck was in the habit of going to the cellar to get what wine and spirits were wanted. I did not hear Mr. Ruck complain that Miss Jones had gone to his bureau and read ssme books she ought not to have read. I cannot say whether the smell of fire was the smell of burning books. Nobody told me to tike care of the remains of the burnt articles. I put them on one side; and Mr. Williams, the solicitor, told me to bring them here. Mr. Ruck walked about nearly the whole night about a fornight before he went away. He told me be could not rest in his bed, and he wished me to sit up to watch him. I got some gruel for him, but he did not tell me that he was ill, and this was the reason why he wished me to sit up. His manner was not that of a drunken man ; he looked so odd. I knew that he was in the habit of drinking, and that he carried a brandy flask about with him, and was in the habit of going to the different public-houses in the village. Re-examined—I have seen Mr. Ruck the worse for liquor. Ile was generally very quiet when he was in that stare. When he wandered about the house he walked steadily, and not like a drunken man, and he spoke quite plainly. Mr. Sergeant Petersdorff—Mrs. Matthews is not here to give evidence. Mrs. Jones said—l was nurse in Mr. Ruck's family for 13 years, but left him two years ago. He appeared to be kind and affectionate to his wife during the greater part of the period . I lived in the family. His conduct changed a good deal shortly before I left. He was very restless, and used to wander about the house during the night. Sometimes he used to walk into my bed-room, and when I told him to go out, he would make no answer, hut kept welkin.; about the room. I have spoken to him about the other servants, awl told him to leave them alone. He once offered me ,E,-30 to bring the nursery-maid down to trim. Ile afterwards offered me £3OO to bring her down. I left the service in consequence of his conduct. Sometimes when he came into my room he had nothing but his night dress on. Re went into a r„otn where two other servants slept, and I heard them scream, and saw Mr. Ruck go down stairs. Cross•examined—l did not tell my mistress what Mr. Ruck had said about the nursemaid until after Mr. Ruck had been placed in confinement. It was about a fortnight ego that I told her. I went to her at Aberdovey, and told her all about it. He first offered ,E5O for tire nursery girl, and afterwards £5OO. (A laugh.) I was 13 years in tire service, and I left because I was afraid of Mr. Ruck, his conduct was se strange. Attu' the birth of the first child Mr. and Mrs. Ruck occupied separate sleeping rooms for so long as two or three years. Miss Jones used to come to the house while Mrs. Ruck was absent, and when Mrs. Ruck removed to Aberdovey, Mies Jones came to live at the house with Mr. Ruck. Mrs.. Matthews, the mother-in law, was there at the same time as Miss Jones. I will nut swear I have not said that Mr. Ruck used to play these tricks when he came home excited by drink. I know that he used occasionally to drink to excess., but I cannot say whether it was while he was in that condition that he used to go into the servants' rooms. Re-examined— I did not tell my mistress at the time. be cause I did not like to make mischief between Mr. and Mrs. Rock. I don't know why they occupied separate beds. I never heard the slightest imputation suggested against the character of Mrs. Ruck. Miss Jones was first cousin to Mrs. Ruck, and used to visit as a relative, and no one sus pected anything improper between her and Mr. Ruck. Mr. Hugh Lloyd, a medical gentleman practising at. Machynlleth, said I have been in the habit of attending the family of Mr. Ruck for 15 years. Mr. and Mrs. Ruck appeared very affectionate towards each other. I was sent for to Pentlldu on the 25th Oct. last, and found Mr. Buck in the kitchen. He appeared harassed and jaded, and his appearance was different to his usual one. I should say that he was not in liqour. He asked me to take some bitter beer and I consented, and he poured a small quantity into a glass, and this struck me as being somewhat unusual. He got up suddenly and took out the bottle of ale, and I heard a sound as though he was pouring out the liquor. I met him two days after this and he appeared very sullen, and presented altogether an odd appearance. He was ping towards the river, and his appearance excited alarm, and I consulted with another medical gentleman and a watcher was sent after him. It was after this that his bed-room :It the Eagle was searched and the gun and pistol were found. I have never had any improper connec,ion with Mary Jones or with Mrs. Ruck. I certainly never went to her bed room door and asked her to let me in. There is not the slightest foundation for either of these suggestions. Cross-examined—l have known Mr. Ruck 17 or 18 years. I did not sign the certificate of his insanity. I was not asked to do so. I was the medical man to the family, but the last time I attended upon any of the family was in 1836. It was reported that Mr. Ruck was addicted to drinking to excess. Delirium tremens is frequently the result, hut I do not of course consider that a permanent Insanity. When the cause is removed, tire patient will recover. The effect of drinking affects different constitutions in different ways, and I am un able to say what effect liquor had upon Mr. Ruck. Re-exateined—l never heard the slightestimputation upon the reputation of Mre. Ruck. Delirium tremens is seldom accompanied by unfounded dislikes and suspicions, such as exist in cases of acute mania. So far as I could judge, ire was not suffering from delirium tremens when I saw him on the 25th of October. By the Commissioner —I formed the conclusion that Mr. Ruck was not of sound mind from what I considered authoritative information given me by other parties, coupled with what had come to my own knowledge. Mr. Ruck looks very different to-day to what he did at the time I refer to. He looks much better, but there is something about his eye that does not exactly please me. (A laugh.) Lewis Williams, a e aToom in the service of Mr. Ruck, proved that he was employed to drive him to different places. He was told that the road was very bad to one of the places, but Mr. Ruck insisted upon his proceeding. He had to cross a river, and the water came into the carriage, and it was very dangerous. They arrived at the place about one o'clock in the morning. Mr. Ruck ordered him to return, and to drive out of the way to cross another river. At one place where they stopped Mr. Ruck went into a public-house, and he gave the landlord two herrings and told him to cook them for dinner. Mr. Ruck did not appear to have any business that required him to make these journeys, and he often set out in the middle of the night. Upon one occasion he saw him take down all the pictures t!. the drawing-room, and he \me told that he undressed h u:ielf quite na k e d. Ab ou t t h e same t i me h e poisoned two (1'• 2 at the his dugs. W yt nh na ta A t ab f y t e e After he Arms, e l ioe been dMrbroe.b robbed Rocks o k f is r a. heßuck ou w tet e kl e n t t ohf i e u rw t e o i service naenda nhde told him i so . mellet ook walnuts; h and th at he had fl5O and h e lost some of t him into n litu to the bed-room to tell him this and locked the door, and he kept him there for se an m lio r ur ß or more. n e w h i a tb d He was afraid to go out of th e room an a gun and a pistol in the room, and he c was med . dli u g k them, and he thought he might use them. Cross-examined — He was discharged by Mr. Ruck. Did not know what he was discharged fir. Hewes formerly in the service of Sir John Edwards, and was discharged by him. The reason for his being discharged was that he got married. (A laugh.) Mr. Ruck gave him the poison to poison his own dogs. One of the dogs that was poisoned was a setter. There was nothing the matter with this dog. One dog was peisoned accidentally by eatfeg some poisoned bait that was set to r a fo x . I t was t h e g i r l s w h o to ld hi m th a t M r . R uc k un dressed i tiroself naked before the picture in the dressing room, he did not s ea him i n t h a t s t a t e himself. (A iaugn.) lie-examined --The dog that w a s p o i sone d was a ver y useful te dog for Sporting li p r urposes. The arsenic would not and thtene case l kill the dog, g bisste the Court was adjourned. Mr. James applied for Mr. Ruck to spared the excitement of being taken backwards and fo l r 'e ilr a d t s to Uxbridge every bienraitifiiierwy,e,aintdosraeimdw it would he advisable in at some hotel or other place in London, where he would have tdhaayt duringbs lio u t l i i r l e conferring with his legal advieers, an opportunity of Mr. Chambers saitl he was not instructed to off opposition to the application if the Court thoughter any fit to accede to it. Tire Commissioner said he thought the application was a very reasonable one. Dr. Stillwell reminded the Court that he bad no power to ellow any person who was consigned to his custody as a l u natic to rem a in out of the estab lishment for 24 hours with, n` obtaining an authority for that purpose from'the Commissioners of Lunacy. After some conversation, it was understood that some arraneement would be made for Mr. Ruck to remain ip London doriug the inqe7ry. which being in a dilapidated condition needed repairs, bu he never had those repairs effected. He lived with his wife and children in the greatest possible happiness, until at ast there appeared to be certain delusions in his mind, which had the effect of entirely changing his conduct. It was noticed by various members of the family, and by the domestics and the neighbours, that he was peculiar and ec centric in his manners in 1855 and 1856, when he gave way to habits of intemperance. He should show that in 1855 Mr. Ruck exhibited unmistakeable indi cations of a disordered mind. He was excessively rest less; would get up at all hours of the eight, and wander about, would call up his servants and orders the horses to be put to the carriage, and be driven over the most desolate Part of Wales in the dead of the night without any apparent object. On one occasion he made the coachman drive him through the river, and on several nights he made his wife get up and go out with him. One erroneous impression under which he laboured was, that his estates abounded with copper and tin mines. Things remained in this state till October, 1857, when the unfortunate gentleman had, on returning from the Manchester Exhibition, so behaved that it was found necessary to call in a surgeon. He laboured under the delusion that everybody wanted to poison him. On one occasion he went to a neighbouring inn, and, with a loaded gun and pistol, intimidated every one who came in his way. He ordered dinner and a bottle of wine, and Instead of eating in the usual way, he picked the meat with his fingers, and poured the wine into the chamber utensil. A most extraordinary circumstance occurred about this time. A girl named Mary Jones, a niece of Mrs. Ruck was always supposed to he a virtuous girl until the change in the mind of Mr. Ruck, when it was found she ha l had two illegitimate children by . liim. Without any foundation whatever he swore that she had murdered these children. Another and perhaps the most important of the delusions was that his wife was untrue to him. In various places he charged her with being a common street-walker and everything else that was bad. He even went so far as to say that the very navigators on the railway knew his wife better than he did. Mr. Chambers proceeded to de scribe various acts of the alleged lunatic, and said he should bring evidence to prove to the jury that the unfortunate gentleman was nor cspable of conducting his own affairs. Charles Frederick Thurston—l have known Mr. Rack since his marriage in 1841, and have been very intimate with him. It always struck me that he was odd and eccentric. My intimacy with him ceased about two years ago, without any particular cause. The last time that I saw him was October, 1855, when I had a dinner party; he came after dinner. There were ladies and gentlemen in the drawing room, and he remained with them for some hours. \Veen he was going away he took part of a glass of brandy and water, having had nothing scarcely before. Immediately after drinking it he tittered a fearful howl, and kicked me violently in the pit of the stomach. He then rushed out of the Louse and made motions on the grass. Ile went away on his pony, and after that time I saw nothing of him. I after wards met him riding on horseback, and he rode right at me. I had never given him any cause of offence. I struck the horse and went on. In October last, a few dap befor.. he was taken to the asylum, I saw him in the road turning his toes in and looking at them, and I observed to my wife, who was with me, " There's poor Ruck gone mad." A keeper was then set to watch him. In conse quence of information which I received I had hi 3 room door picked by a locksmith. lie had made use of the chamber pot instead of Lf6ing to the water-cleset. On opening his pornnanteau I found a doubled-barrelled pistol loaaed balls. Not being able to draw the charges, I wetted the nipple. There was also a double-barrelled gun. The port manteau contained bits of paper and extraordinary saes-es. I had many opportunities of observing Mrs. Ruck's conduct. It was that of the purest person in the world. She was affeetianate to him under trying circumstances, and also affectionate to her children. Cross-examined by Mr. E. James—Mr. Rock had two residences, and Mrs. Ruck lived a good deal apart from Mtn. I do not know that she was separated from her husband for about two years. He was frequently away from her. She lived away from him for about two years before be was con fined. The residence at which she lived had no farming land to it. Mr. Ruck was a director of a railway in October last. Mr. Ruck never intimated to me that my visits to ' Mrs. Ruck were disagreeable to him. I did visit Mrs. Ruck while she was livin4 away from her husband. I am not aware that he ever objected to my calling her " Mary Ann." I did call her by that name. Mr. Ruck was a man of retired habits, and his wife frequently -visited in the neighbourhood without him. On the oc casion when Mr. Ruck kicked me in the pit of the stomach Mrs. Ruck did not dine at my house. He continued farm ing down to the moment of his confinement. I have never been to his farm since. Mrs. Ituck had been staying in my house during Mr. Rack's confinement in the asylum. I don't know who has taken possession of the property. When I met him in the road and thoueht he was mad, he looked wild and vacant to a great degree. I believe he had been drinking excessively before I went to his bedroom as before mentioned. I cannot say whether or not the gun was in the gun-case or in two pieces. He was then staying at the Eagle Ihn, in the vicinity of one of his residences. The pistol was in a wooden case. There were clothes in the portmanteau ; there were also little bags of rag and cloth and paper. Mr. Ruck had some slate quarries at the top of a distant mountain. I believe they were riot then being worked ; be bad attempted to work them with three or four men. I found nothing in the room besides the gun and the pistol and the portmanteau. Re-examined—At the time when Mrs. Ruck resided at Aberdovey the house at Fantlldu was under repair. In speaking of Mrs. Ruck to Mr. Ruck I always used her name Mary Ann, having known her from her childhood. She continued at my house with my wife during my absence train home. One compartment of the portmanteau was entirely filled with rags and paper. Charles Lloyd—l am the proprietor of the Wynnstay Arms, at Maechyllth. Mr. Ruck was in the habit of corning there. The Wynnstay Arms and the Eagle are the same place. His manner has of late been different from what it used to be—more excited. I recollect his coming to my house on the evening of the 27th of October last. He ordered some dinner and some port wine, which were both given to him. During his dinner I saw him with a mutton chop in his hand, walking in the dining-room pas sage. He kept walking backwards and forwards. He shook his head angrily at me about the wine, and said I should suffer for it. I saw it in the chamber pot afterwards. In the commercial-room there was a traveller, who rang the bell and said, " You must do something with this man ; he has been reading my letters." He slept at the inn that night. I took the precaution to place two men to watch. I heard him snoring when I went to bed, and about three o'clock he got up and ordered supper. Supper was provided and he ate ir. The next morn i ng he break fasted, walking backwards and forwards. T o knowledge he took nothing but two glasses of bitt er beer my during his stay. Ile did not dine at my house on th e second day. He left by the mai l about 12, and went, I believe, to Pantlldu. He came back on the following day and said he wanted a fly to go off'. He had flys for several successive days and nights. I don't know where he went with them. ' One day he called me into a private room and made a com munication with regard to Mary Jones. He said, " Lloyd, Mary Jones has bad two children by me. She has mur dered them both. Here's a lock of the hair, and she will have to swing for it." He wished me to fetch a policeman. On one occasion I refused to let him have a fly, when he went to the stable to get the horse himself. I refused because Mrs. Ruck was coming by the mail, and I wished her to eee him. I had known Mr. Ruck and 5; Mrs. Ruck for many years, and their behaviour towards o i ward4each other was alwayi very kind and affectionate . Mrs. was always the best of wives. I never heard of any imputation on her character. Cross-examined by Mr. E. James—From outward appear ance I did not thin k the y lived ha pp il y together. He did not go to church w ith her or pay her the kind attentions which a husband ought to pay to his wife, I have known Mr. Ruck for 12 years, and saw him about once in two months. I bad dealings with him, selling and buyin g . up to the time when he came to my house insuch an excited state I frequently conversed with him, anwhetsp.atre ea- Deble of attending to business. ' sayd tem I have said that Ile carried a flask of brandy wills him. I cannot say whether lie had one on said the occasion any toone which I refer. I don't recollect ha vin g to tat liquor. I may be came to my house excite d by have said so to Mr. W a i n wright, Mr. Ruck's soli- He trifler citor, when he came down to make inquiries. have been excited by some stimulant. I hav e heard of_ his taking opium. The quantity of port wine wh ich he ordered NV Els a pint. I cannot mention any act of Mr. Ruck's that was eccentric previous to the 27th of October . 1 bought and sold cattle fonhirn. One eccentric thing - was his riding ‘nto the town the back way, which no one else did. I can not at this moment remember any other eccentric act. There wasee railway meeting held at my house on the 10th of last October. I cannot say whether Mr. Ruck was pre "sent as a directs. I was present myself as a shareholder. In speaking to me about the port wine, lie said that if he drank it I should suffer for it, not that he should suffer for - it. At the time when he told me that Miss Jones had had two children by him I thought it was a delusion. He did not complain that he could get no information as to where the children were. Ilis statement was that she had mur dered them. I don't know who is in possession of the p:o• Re-examined by Mr. M. Chan-ll:en—At an agricultural THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 24, 1858. Pay me down the debt you owe For such praise as few bestow ; I can never take for this Tottering teeth and slobbering kiss— Teeth, to say the least, as long As another woman's tongue; Some athwart like windmill sails, Others fitter for park pales ; • Kiss as foul as muskets are After the Crimean war. I will tell you briefly what I just now arm driving at. Tho' you've made her pale and thin As the child of death by sin, When you've done with Caroline, Bid her for a night be mine ; You shall have her all the day Following to repeat our play. Whether you do this or not, What is done is unforget, Fate for you shall sheathe her shears, You shall live some hundred years." He would give them another passage from the book " To CAINA. " At the cart's tail some years ago The female thief was dragged on slow, And the stern beadle's eager whip Followed the naked haunch to clip. If no such custom now prevails, Is it that carts have lost their tails? Rejoice, 0 Caine ! raise thy voice, Not where it should be, but rejoice." And there was another libel on page 288: ' 4 CANIDIA AND CAINA " Caindia shared her prey with owls and foxes, The daintier Caina feeds on litter foxes." That was the case which the plaintiff would have to lay before the jury. The defendant had acted a cruel part. He had put no plea of justification on the record, so as to have admitted of a ventilation of the facts, and he (the learned counsel) asked for such damages as would protect Mrs. Yescombe's character from future calumny, and teach Mr. Landor that he was not to degrade the great talents with which Providence bad gifted him. Mr. Nichols, the publisher, Mr. Slack, the plaintiff's soli citor, Col. Fitzgerald, Col. Smith, the Rev. Mr. Yescombe, and other witnesses were called to prove the opening. Mr. Slack and Mr. Yescombe were cross-examined at great length, with a view to elicit that there were rumours as to the matters alleged in the pamphlet, and that the charges were not invented by Mr. Landor. Mr. Phinn then addressed the jury for the defendant. After referring to the altered rule which had latterly pre vailed in respect to the power of counsel to exercise a dis cretion on behalf of their clients, he admitted that the libels could not be justified by him, nor indeed could some passages in them be excused. lie asked the jury, however, not to judge Mr. Landor as they would judge a writer in the vigour of his manhood, but to estimate him as a gentleman who, educated in the manners of a past age, when free license was accorded to satire, and literature bad not been puri fied, and who, with the virtues, had imbibed some of the vices, of the earlier poets. With respect to the question of damages he reminded the jury that they would have no right to award them as a punishment upon the de fendant, but merely to meet the injury which they con sidered that the plaintiff had sustained. The learned counsel weighed and examined the evidence adduced on the part of the plaintiff, and left it to the jury to deal with the case as they considered that its merits demanded. __ . . .. ....... Mr. Baron Channell:tthem summed up the evidence, leavinglit to the jury to divide their verdict :by saying, first, what damages they awarded to the three first counts as to the libels in the " Dry Sticks, " and next as to the fourth count, alleging the breach o f le undertaking. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff—damages, £750 on the first three counts, and £-250 on the fourth. REMARKABLE CASE OF LIBEL, At the Bristol assizes, yesterday, before Mr. Baron Clan nell and a special jury, the following remarkable case was tried : YESCOMBE AND ANOTHER v. WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR. Mr. Slade, Mr. M. Smith, and Mr. Buller were for the plaintiffs; Mr. Phinn and Mr. Collier for the defence. Mr. Buller opened the pleadings. The Rev. Morris Yes combe and Mary Jane, his wife, were the plaintiffs, and Mr. Walter Savage Landor, the defendant. The declara tion contained four counts. The first three charged the defendant with having printed and published certain libels, and the last count was on a contract. It alleged that a former action had been brought by the plaintiffs against the defendant, which had been compromised, on an undertak ing by the defendant that he never would repeat the charges again, and it charged the breach of that contract. The defendant, by his pleadings, denied the publication, denied his undertaking, and denied the breach. Mr. Slade, in opening the case, said the Rev. Mr. Yes combe was a clergyman of the Church of England ; he was a married gentleman with a family of five children, and had moved in respectable circles in the city of Bath. The de fendant was Mr. Walter Savage Landor, the celebrated author and poet, and of course any matter emanating from the pen of such a writer—unless it was by way of joke— could not be passed over, but must have serious notice taken of it. The present action was brought for the purpose of clearing the character of Mrs. Yescombe from a most false, foul, and malicious libel, which had come from the pen of Mr. Landor, and which was contained in a book which he had published, called "Dry Sticks, fagotted byW.S.Landor." That book had become a library book. He had asked in vain for any assignable motive which could have actuated Mr. Landor in the course he had pur sued, for, up to May, 1857, he and Mr. and Mrs. Yes combe were on the most friendly terms. The only possible motive which could be assigned was the course which Mrs. Yescombe had thought it right to pursue with regard to a young lady of 15 or 16, who was the daughter of a gentle man residing next door to her, and who, in order to assist her in her education, she kindly allowed to participate in the education of her own children, and become a part of her own family; and because Mr. Yescombe thought it better far the interests of that young lady that she should be sent to Cheltenham would seem to have arisen all the venom of Mr.Landor. From that mement Mr.Landor began to pen his scandalous libels. In the first place he put out a pamphlet called " Walter Savage Landor and the Hon. Mrs. Yes combe," in which he charged that lady with six offences of the most heinous kind ; such, in fact, as it was impossible for her to pass over without taking steps upon them. In a limited circle like Bath the libels circu lated with great rapidity. The pamphlet charged Mrs. Yescombe with six distinct offences, of which be would give them the heads. In the first place Mr. Landor charged Mrs. Yescombe that at a trial which took place in the County Court at Bath, between Mr. Yescombe and a Mr. Roche, she committed wilful and deliberate perjury; second, that on one occasion he had given Mrs. Yescombe £l3 for the purpose of paying for some music given to the young lady, and that Mrs. Yescombe deliberately purloined half the money; third, that she extracted a£s note which he bad put into a letter for the purpose of being sent ofi to a nurse. The fourth charge was that a tradesman of the name of Jolly had sent Mrs. Yescombe a receipt for some goods which she had had at his shop, that the money was ❑ot returned with the receipt, and Mrs. Yescombe took advantage of the receipt having been sent, and refused to pay the money; fifth, that she was in the shop of a shoemaker who resides at Bath, when 149. were on the counter, and that in some inexplicable way 7s. disappeared; and 6th, that she had obtained £lOO from the young lady by false pretences. Those deliberate charges were piloted and circulated through Bath, and it became necessary that Mrs. Yescombe should either appeal to a court cf justice or insist ou Mr. Landor utterly withdrawing the libels. Mrs. Yescombe communicated with her solici tor. Mr. Slack wrote a letter urging him to withdraw the charges, and requiring him, if he declined to du so, to com municate the name of his solicitor. That letter was written on the 12th June, and no answer was returned to It; but another pamphlet was published by Mr. ;Lander, i❑ which that person chose to make a most indecent attack on Mr. Slack. The work was called " Walter Savage Lander Threatened," and the opening passage was, " I am threatened as below. The writer's name is no invention of any author of farce, of comedy, or satire, bet is really and truly Slack.' Whether it has au alias I never ascertained or inquired. It will be unlawful to order a chairman to cudgel this fellow for his insolence." After that no other course remained to be pursued by Mrs. Yescombe than to bring her action for libel in a court of justice, where the libeller might, if he pleased, prove the truth of his charges. The case went on near to trial, briefs were prepared and counsel retained, when a gentle man narsed Forster, a gentleman of some eminence in the literary world, anti who was also editor of the Examiner, came down from London as an intimate friend of Mr. Lander, and presented himself on the 25th July at Mr. Slack's office at Bath, and endeavoured to see if the matter might not he settled by Mr. Lawlor making an apology, and, after negotiations, the following was signed by Mr. Landor and tendered to Mr. Slack :—" The two published statements concerning Mrs. Yescombe, and entitled, Walter Savage Lander and the Hon. Mrs. Yescombe,' and t Mr. Landor Threatened,' having, at the request of tra3 friends, been referred to Mr. Forster to institute an inquiry into the circumstances connected therewith, and it having been this day reported tome, as the result of such inquiry, in Mr. Forster's opinion, that I had no sufficient authority on which to make the charges affecting the honesty and charac ter of Mrs. Yescombe, I hereby fully and unreservedly withdraw all such charges contained in the statements above referred to.—Bath, 27th July, 1857." When the apology was submitted to Mr. Slack he took objection to the word "sufficient," and also expressed his wi-h that Mr. Landor should express some regret. Mr. Forster assured him that the apology was ample, and on Mr. Slack refusing to receive the apolcgy unless accompanied by an undertaking not to repeat the libel, the document was sent back to Mr. Landor by Col. Brockman, and such an undertaking having been added, Mr. Slack gave a letter of acceptance. The ink was hardly dry with which the apology was written when a series of most beastly, disgusting, and offensive anonymous letters were written by Mr. Lander and sent to this unfor tunate lady. The first was dated the 4th August, 1857, and was addressed "To the Hon. Mrs. Yescombe, 21, Green park, Bath." It was supposed to be a sonnet to a Mr. Clark, the surgeon who attended Mrs. Yescombe, and was in these terms : " The weakest of the devil's imps, Younger or older, seldom limps ; Come, Church, prepare the sable pills, Yescomhe's are common human ills. I limped a I . ?. )low-sufferer Last year, and know the cure for her ; Cone, my good fellow, pound away, And salivate without delay." That letter was followed by another, dated February 9 METAMORPHOSES. " A shy gazelle (so once you thought), Turned to a jackal], soon was taught By a lean lioness to prowl Before her, and give up the whole." And also:— " To A BATH LADY WHOSE OATH A JUDGE AND JURY DOUBTED. " Heap not fresh coals upon your head, for there Lies no protection in the scanty hair." Then came another letter addressed to "Camas, conva lescent," and in his work he gave a meaning to the name as the female of Cain : " Our race, 0 Caina, we have run, From all besetting perils free ; I with Apollo now have done, And you (I hope) with Mercury." Besides those letters, there was one of which Mr. Yes combe would speak, and which was so horribly bad, so offensive in every way, that it had to be destroyed. Bad as those letters were, the plaintiff would have taken no notice of them had not Mr. Landor followed them up by the pub lication of a work called " Dry Sticks, fagotted by Walter Savage Landor." In the original copy of the work was a poem addressed to an unnatural mother, which ran thus— " Unnatural mother ! Why hasten to smother N l 4 hatever is fairest and fondest in child ? In hell's bitter water You plunge ycur own daughter, Nor have wept when she wept, nor have smiled when she smiled. " If sorrows assail you, Who then will bewail you ? The true and the tender for ever is gone. Unnatural mother ! Ah ! never another Will love and lament you as she would have done." The learned counsel was proceeding to express regret that the defendant should have so degraded his great intellect when ......... Mr. Baron Channell suggested whether, as there was no plea of justification, some course ought not to be taken by the defendant. Mr. Phinn said his lordship knew what were the respon sibilities of counsel. He could only say that be had sought' for authority and sought it in vain. Mr. Slade went on to say that Mr. Landor had with drawn the poem last read from his book, because some L bi a s n p d friend had told Lim that it was a libel, and he expressed his poem e r then :a; wp austtibnian thesegl p recourse mesot rite o:T:rI:n: t o regret to the publisher that be could not publish it. Mr. of Mother Yeicombe, he used the word " pestcombe," and a flimsy artifice, and instead Isilemlwpsinygouwubperaet y e o v u er l y at f e a l l y l , :31:onuorn pocket, o tl e e k n e denies __ Mother` Tun PILFERED TO THE PILFERER. You were ever true to - lies; So the father of them all found Showing artnlet, showing locker, Twit f;oor nurse's lost five pound. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.—Ana. 23. (Before Mr. Commissioner Pane.) IN RE FELIX CALVERT AND CO. A trader-debtor summons taken out against the above firm by a Mr. Kentish for £l,OOO, due on a promissory note, was returnable to-day. It appeared that a former summons for the same sum had be e n p r eviously issued an; dismissed on technical grounds. It was now objected that the summons was *till deficient in formal particulars, but which it was urged were essential, and not merely technically necessary and requisite under rule 70. The Commissioner said for anything that appeared the promissory note might have been given 100 year ago. At any rate, it might certainly have been in existence more than six years. It was stated, in reply to this observation, that interest had been duly paid on the £l,OOO, which it was urged would bar the sta , ute of limitations. The Commissioner thought it was impossible for him to act upon the summons in its present form. The best lawyers in the world were apt to take a wrong turning when tra velling a new road. He would adjourn the hearing until 12 o'clock to-morrow, and suggested that in the meantime it vvotil4. he as well if the solicitor for Mr. Kentish consulted some practitioner better acquainted than he appeared to be with the rules and practice of this court. Adjoaraed accordingly. IN RE HOLLIS. This was an application for certificate by Richard Augus tus Hollis, of 78, Judd-street, New-road ; 25, Chapel-street, Somers-town, and 34, Sidmouth-street, Gray's-inn-road, grocer and tea dealer. Mr. Pook appeared for the assignees ; Mr. Lewis (Har rison and Lewis) for the bankrupt. The accounts showed debts £2,176, assets £920. Mr. Lewis asked for a second class certificate. The bank rupt had been in business for 20 years and never failed be fore. Ile had three places of business. The Commissioner—That would be enough to make auy man bankrupt. Mr. Lewis said the neighbourhood of Judd-street, where the bankrupt had been for so many years, had been gra dually going down, and the business had become " worn out." _ . . . . .. r. Pock said he wag inOructed to consent to the appli cation, and the Court grantEd an immediate certificate of the second class. IN RR SKEEN AND FREEMAN. Tlie bankrupts were timber brokers, of Old Broad-street, and this T.72s an examination meeting. It appeared that Messrs. Clarke and Solly, of Moorgate street, had been diligently engaged in the preparation of the balance-sheet, to complete which further time was required. On the application of Mr. Shepheard, of Moor gate-street, an adjournment was ordered to the 3d of Novem ber, the question of allowance being reserved. Several proofs were admitted, including one on behalf of Stuckey's Banking Company for £1,311. IN RE COLLINS. Assignees were chosen under the estate of E. B. Collins, of Peckham and Charlton, bricktnaker. The prelithinaly statetnent of Messrs. Hart shows debts, £3,074 ; assets, £1,416. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. WESTERN CIRCUIT.—BRISTOL, Aug. 23. (Before Mr. Baron Channel and Special Juries.) GARTON AND ANOTHER V. THE GREAT WESTERN RAIL- WAY COMPANY. As soon as the Court sat this morning it was announced that the wife of one of the jurors bad (lied since Saturday, and he could not in consequence attend. Mr. Collier said they could proceed with 11. Mr. Smith said they could not go on. A long con‘ultatiou then took place between the counsel, to in as they resumed h u u lTe t ihr a e t sel l ea e at t s : r g .n t e l d i i ß t aarpopneasraeidd something v oll ai g n ilt to be done. He had thought a great deal about the case, and he believed it to be impossible to obtain a satisfactory verdict. There were very great difficulties in the case. The counsel again conferred, and at length it was stated that an arrangement had been come to. There would be a verdict for the plaintiffs for £lO on the money counts, the crate to be returned, the notice of action waved, and the jury to be discharged on all the other matters. llad it not beer for this arrangement the trial most pro bably would have lasted the day. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE. Mar woman, intent to commit self-destruc tion Foreman a decently was charged with swallowing dressed t i m ty k o li f i f o e x - a a g i i e c d c e vi'a ; and Samuel Foreman, her husband, was charged with aiding and abetting her in that attempt. Police-constable 414, said—On Saturday evening between 7 and 8 o'clock I was informed that a woman had taken poison at a house in Lahour-in-vain-yard, Fish-street-hill. Upon proceeding there I found the female prisoner sitting on a bed and vomiting. The male prisoner and his son came up stairs immediately afterwards, and the former said "I give my wife into your custody for taking oxalic acid." I asked where she got it from, when the son said his mother gave him some money and he went and purchased it at Mr. Wright's, a chemist, in Old Fish-street. In another room, on the same floor, I found the tumbler which I now produce, and in which a small portion of the poison is still left. I then took the woman to a doctor, who gave her something to increase her vomiting, and told roe to take her to Guy's Hospital. I took her there in a cab, and they used the stomach pump. In about an hour I brought her away from there and took her to the station-house, where she said her husband gave her the money to purchase the poison, knowing that she intended to take it, and the hus band was taken into custody also. Inspector Newnham said he was at the station at the time, and heard the female prisoner make this statement; but the husband denied it. Lord Mayor—Well, where is the son who said he pur chased the poison ? If he is in court let him be examined. Samuel Foreman then stood up and said—Tbe prisoners are my parents. I bought the poison. My mother gave me some money on Saturday evening and told me to get twopennyworth, but I did not know what she wanted it for. I got it at Mr. Wright's, but I don't know now what it was. Lord Mayor—Was it oxalic acid ? Witness—l think it was. Lord Mayor—Did the chemist ask you w hat y ou wanted it for? Witness—Yes, he did, and I told him I did not know. Lord Mayor—And when you told him that , h e gave it to you ? Witness—Yes, sir. Lord Mayor—Well, what did you do with it when you got home? Witness—l gave it to my mother. Lord Mayor—Had your father and she been quarrelling Witness—No, sir, they had not. Mr. GLodthan (chief clerk) —Was your father present when you gave it to her ? Witness—Yes, he was. Mr. Gocdman—What took place then ? Witness—l don't know; I did net see liar take it, but soon after I went into the other room, and saw the paper in which it had been wrappe d l y i ng on the floor empty. I said, " Father, here's the paper on the floor in which I bought the poison," and he se nt me a f ter a po li ceman directly. Lord Mayor—Well, th a t seems r i g ht enough. (To the male prisoner) : Yo u did not k now an ything about the poison till your son told y ou ? Male prisoner—Yes, I did ; I will tell you all abou t it. On Saturday I went home to dinner, but I tonna t here was none ready, and that my wife w as th e wot se for drink. I told her it would not do, that she was the worse for liquor. She said she was not; and I told her to make haste and get me some din ner, and before I went away again I told her to be done in the afternoon, so as to get everything comfortable before I went home in the evening, and she promised to do se. But when I went home a little before seven, I found that she was not much better, and I said, " You are not quite sober yet." She said she was, and after another word or two I went and sat against the window, looking out; and while I was there she said, " If I knew what would poison me, I would take it." I turned round laughingly, and told her that if she took some oxalic acid, that would do for her soon enough. She then gave the boy twopence and told him to get some, but I told him not to go. She, however, insisted that he should go, and as I thought they would not serve him, I let him go. When be came back, he gave it to her. I was surprised to find that he had been able to get it so easily, but I thought she would never take it, and I said to her, " The best thing you can do with it is to put it on the fire at once." She promised to do so, and went into the back room, from which she came out in a minute or two, and said he had taken it ; but I did not believe she had done so until my son came in with the paper which he had picked up from the floor ; and then, as the best thing which I could do, I sent at once for a policeman. Lord Mayor—Well, now, that explanation is quite satis factory ; and if you had given it to the officers, I am sure they would not have taken you into custody. Leave tke bar at once, for, of course, you must be discharged. As for you, Mrs. Foreman, your conduct is highly criminal. Prisoner—l did not know what I was doing, for I had been worreted all Saturday. Lord Mayor—Yes, with drink, I suppose. How many children have you ? Prisoner—Only one, who has been a witness here. Lord Mayor—Well, he seems a respectable and intelli gent child. Don't you think he is worth living for ? Prisoner—Yes, he is a good boy, indeed. Lord Mayor—And yet you sent him for poison to destroy his mother's life ? Prisoner—l did net think it was poison. I thought they were only having some fun with me. The Lord Mayor, however, refused to accept this expla nation, and remanded the prisoner for a week to give her time for reflection. TILE CASE OF MRS. SODEN.—Received for Mrs. Soden 54., from "H.B. ;" from "a Bristol Gentleman ;" and ss. Anonymous. For the Poor-box.-6s. 3d., as " Forfeiture of wares for procuring a false character," by a servant ; and 2 s. 6 d. from " Mrs. E. 8.," in grateful acknowledgment of kindness and assistance extended to her by the Lord Mayor, in December last. GUILDHALL.—" COFFEE-HOUSE ROBJERIES."— Richard Jones, a seafaring man, descrihing himself as a steward, was placed at the bar before Alderman Wire charged with the following robbery : Mrs. Main, a coffee-house keeper, of GG, Long-lane, said —The prisoner came to my house on Saturday last and engaged a bed. My servant showed him to his room, and when she came down stairs she said she was sure the prisoner was the same man who robbed me three weeks ago. In the morning when the prisoner was leaving his room I sent the servant up to examine the bed, and in the meantime the prisoner made his way into the coffee-room and offered a girl in my service Gd. to let him out to go and get shaved ; but upon hearing my servant calling out to me that the sheets were gone from the bed he ran up stairs and locked himself in his bedroom. I followed, and threatened to give him Into custody, but he would not open the door. I sent for a policeman, who shortly after arrived, and then the prisoner opened the door; but upon again examining the bed we found three sheets there instead of two which the servant had missed, and they were lying on the top of the bed. I afterwards found that the third sheet had been taken from the bed in the next room. The officer said there was another charge against the prisoner. Sophia Hennings said—l am chambermaid at the Vic toria coffee-house, opposite Astley's Theatre. The prisoner came to our house with a female about half-past one o'clock, on Wednesday morning last, and engaged a bed. He slept there with the female, and in the morning he sent her down to order breakfast. He did not leave his room till between 10 and 11 o'clock, and then made an excuse to leave the house to get change for a £5 note, but he never re turned. The female remained, and paid for her own breakfast. After the prisoner was gone I misaed the sheets from the bed. Officer—lf the prisoner be remanded for a few days I have no doubt there will be many other charges against him as soon as it is known he is in custody. Alderman Wire—Have you anything to say why I should not remand you? Prisoner—All I have to say is, sir, that I came up from the Isle or Wight to see an uncle in the Excise living at Hackney, and when I got there f found he had removed to Andover, where he died very suddenly. I had no money left, and distress drove me to this course. Alderman Wire—You appear to have been pursuing a system of plunder, by which I have as doubt you have been netting your living far some time ; but if you can bring any one forward to corroborate what you say, and give you a good character, it will meet with the consideration it de serves. The prisoner was then remanded till Saturday. Albert Laurent, a young Frenchnaan, lately employed at t!Qe Crystal Palace as a cook and confectioner, was charged with stealing a £5 Bank of England note from the premises of Mr. Thompson, a licensed victualler, of Cloth-fair. Mr. John Thompson, jun., said—l live with my father, who keeps the Rising Sun, at 38, Cloth-fair. I have known the prisoner about 12 or 18 months. On Monday last I gave change to a Mr. Daniels for a £5 note, which I placed in a leather bag on a small shelf in the bar. The prisoner then came in and took a seat in the bar and remained there shout an hour and a-tsalf. My father came in, and I told hint in the presence of the prisoner that the £5 was in the bag, and then went up stairs to dress. When I came down I went out with the prisoner, who promised to call in the evening. He did so, but I was not at home. When I returned I m'-ssed the £5 note from the bag, and as my father knew nothing about it I concluded the prisoner had taken it. He called again in the morning, but I did not see him. Alderman Wire—Has the note been traced to the pri soner ? Mullineux (the detective officer)—Yes, sir; and he has admitted tsking it. Mr. Daniels, of 4, Cloth-fair, said—l changed the £5 note now produced at Mr. Thompson's on Monday last. I know it is the same note by the manner in which the two halves are pasted together. William Packer, assistant to Messrs. Nixon and Harnett, of Skinner-street, Snow-bill, said—The prisoner came to our shop on Monday last and bought some tea and coffee, for which he paid me with a£s note. I wrote en the back of the note the name and address he gave me, which was " Deltnint, 13, Bishopsgate-stree." That note was paid into the Commercial Hank of London. The note produced is the same I received from the prisoner. The prisoner here intimated, through Minshull, one of the Mansion-house officers, who acted as interpreter, that he bought neither tea nor coffee. Packer said—ln answer to that, I may say that on the way to the station the prisoner admitted buying tea and coffee, as well as taking the £5 from Mr. Thotnpson's ; and added, that he meant to make restitution. Mr. R. A. Bailey, a clerk in the Bank of England, pro duced the note in question, which had since been cancelled, and said it was paid in on the 19th of the present month. Mullineux said—W hen I told the prisoner the charge, he said he had the note, and changed it at a grocer's in Skinner-street, but that he received it from a friend in Perla. With the change he bought a pair of boots, and took a gold watch and a pair of boots out of pledge. He afterwards said he took the note, and would pay Mr. Thompson again. I searched him and his lodgings, and found the gold watch, but no money. The prisoner was committed for trial. Edwin Shepherd, of 176, Fleet-street, lozenge maker and confectioner, appeared in answer to a summons charge in , him with assaulting Mra. Harriet Thurgate. Mrs. Thurgate stated that she wrote to the defendant ap prising him that she would call upon him for money owing is her, and accordingly she went on Wednesday last to the manufactory at 12, Crane-court, Fleet-street; but finding no one there she went to 176, Fleet-street and inquired for the defendant. The shopman said he was not in; but as she could see him in the back-room she told the shopman so, and requested him to call him out. At the same moment the defendant rushed out and gave her a push backwards which threw her violently to the ground, injuring her back and breaking her parasol. He then retreated into the count ing-house and locked himself in, and finding she could not get at him she left the slop. Cron-examined —She had not received notice from the defendant to refrain from going to 176, Fleet-street. Alderman Wire said if she had it would not justify the assault. He held that such a notice given bv a debtor to prevent a creditor applying for her money could not be de fended fur an instant. Mr. Wontner said the defendant owed her no money. Alderman Wire said there were bills for about £4OO, which the complainant had put in, showing that money was owing to her. Mr. Wontner said those bills were drawn and accepted by the defendant's brothers for money lent to them, not to the defendant. Mrs. Thurgate said she lent the money to the firm, which consisted of the defendant, his two brothers, and their sister a nd mother. She bad received £5 on account of two bills for ,E 35 hut nothing off the £3OO bill, which was overdue. The defendant said there bad been no firm. The busi ness did belong to his mother, and at her death it came to his sister, in whose employ he now was. Alderman Wire fined the defendant 20s. and costs, and recommended the family to settle Mrs. Thurgate's claim, as it was evidently a family affair. WESTMINSTER.—CHARGE OF FURIOUS DRIVING. —R. Smith, a cab-driver in the employment of Mr. James Benham, cab proprietor, Green-street, Chelsea, appeared before Mr. Paynter on remand to a summons, in which he was charged with furiously driving his horse which was in a cab, and by which he unlawfully damaged a horse, the pro perty of Mr. Bernard John Graham, Edge Farm, Battersea park. He was also charged with being drunk at the time. It appeared from the evidence that about nine o'clock at night on the 11th inst., the prisoner was proceeding along Lower Sloane-street, when, at about 150 yards from Chelsea Suspension-bridge, he came in collision with the horse in Mr. Graham's brougham, and the shaft entered the animal's chest. It was alleged by complainant that the driver was going at a furious rate, and that he was intoxicated at the time. The complainant stated that a short time ago he was offered £l3O for the horse, and that in consequence of the injury it had received it was now useless to him. The defendant denied that be was furiously driving or that he was tipsy, and be brought a witness forward who supported his statement, and he said he would bring for ward the police-constable on duty at the bridge, who would swear that he was sober, when the case was remanded. Police-constable B 254 now stated that the prisoner was sober, and other witnesses spoke to the same effect. The constable stated that at the spot where the accident occurred it was so dark than collisions were very frequent. Complaints were made by the railway authorities that this was a most dangerous part of the road. Other witnesses gave similar evidence, while the pre ponderance of the evidence went to sh o w that the prisoner was going at a rapid pace. Mr. Paynter said it was clear that the prisoner was driving furiously. The prisoner was fined 403. fir furiously driving, or in default, a month in the House of Correction. WORSHIP - STREET. FEMALE DEPRAVITY.-- A woman, who gave the name of Mnry Johnson, was placed before Mr. D'Eyncourt for re-examination on several charges of felony, her practice halting been to take temporary lodgings with the complainants and make off at the earliest opportunity with anything she could lay hands on. Mr. Quintell, a coffee-house keeper in St. George's-place, Old-street-road, proved that on Monday, the 16th, the prisoner engaged a lodging in his house, but went out in the evening, taking with her the key of the room door , and did not return. In th e morn i ng the room was entered and examined, when the sheets from the bed, a shawl, and other things. were missing. A Mrs. Emily Dodd also stated that on Sunday last the prisoner came to her house, and the witness lent her a shawl to wear during the day. She remained for the night, but left early the next morning, carrying off not only the shawl but several other articles, some of which did not belong to the complainant herself, but had been intrusted to her to be mended. Another complainant, Mrs. Susan Edwards, stated that the prisoner had in the same way robbed her lodgings of sheets, a blanket, &c. Several other complainants appeared against her. The police-constable who took her into custody found upon her 15 pawnbrokers' duplicates, some of them for the articles in question, which had been pawned immediately after they were stolen, and were now produced aad iden tified. The magistrate having directed inquiry to be made as to the prisoner's antecedents, was now informed that she was a married woman, wife of a pensioned revenue officer, but not living with her husband, and cohabiting with another man. She pleaded guilty, and was sentenced under the Criminal Justice Act to six months' imprisonment. A SAVAGE.—Dennis Flynn, a powerful young Irish man, was charged with assaults. It appeared that on Sunday afternoon he was given in charge to Policeman Luark, 12G, for baying committed a wanton and brutal assault upon a boy, when be then sud denly threw his arm round the constable's neck, and com pressed his throat until he became quite purple in the face, and spat blood, and would inevitably have been strangled had he not been rescued by a City policeman. The fellow had nothing to say in defence, and was com mitted for one month for the assault on the constable, the boy not being in attendance. MARYL EBONE. RUFFIANLY OUTRAGES BY A DRUNKEN CABMAN.—Andrew Richardson, a cabman, was brought before Mr. Long, at the instance of Mr. Durdle, inspector of the Great Western Railway police at Padding ton, charged with drunkenness and ruffianly assaults. It appeared from the evidence that on Saturday last, upon the arrival of the 6 p.m. train, the prisoner, who was intoxicated, drove into the premises, and commenced quar relling with another driver about a fare. The noise attracted the attention of Mr. Durdle, by whose directions the pri soner was taken into custody. On the way to the station house be kicked Hawkins, one of the railway officers, five or six times with great force ; and in addition thereto he attacked another officer, named Barrs, grasping the latter furiously by the thigh, and endeavouring to bite one of his hands. Mr. Long told the prisoner that it was his duty to punish him severely. He had been guilty of drunkenness while in his employ as a cabman, and also of two separate assaults. On each of the charges he was fined 205., or fourteen days, making in the whole £3, or six weeks in the House of Cor rection. Not being prepared to pay, he was removed by Arnold, the gaoler, and locked up. INDISCRIMINATE ALMSGIVING.—SeveraI persons were brought up by Sergeant Potter, 10, and Lee, 190 D, charged with begging. One of the prisoners, a strong, hearty looking fellow, on being asked what he had to say, replied " Does your worship think it likely, now, that it would answer my purpose to go begging ? No one would relieve me, imagining me to be in distress." Ar. Ding observed that a great many people gave to any one who asked them for assistance, and while believing that in reality they did good, they too frequently did a deal of harm. A month's imprisonment was the penalty in each case. CRUELTY TO A HORSE.—John Harris, cab proprietor, Northumberland-mews, blarylebone, attended on a sum mons which had been obtained against him by Mr. Love, chief constable of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, to produce the driver of one of his cabs to answer the charge of cruelly abusing and torturing a horse. Mr. Love stated that on Wednesday, the 18th instant, he was in Park-street, when he saw the man driving a horse and cab The poor animal seemed to have the greatest difficulty i❑ moving along, and was evidently suffering considerable pain ; and on witness stopping it, and asking defendant what was the matter with the horse's legs, he said " Oh, not much—it's all right." The knee of one of the animal's legs, upon examination, was found to be swollen to about three times its natural size, and the surface thereof presented a shocking appearance ; the top skin bad been entirely taken away, and there was a discharge of festering matter. Witness asked him how he came to work the animal while in such a condition, when he said be had only had it out for a few hours, and as it was the first time it had been worked for a long while, he imagined that a little exercise would do it good ; upon which witness gave him to understand that there was a vast difference between giving a horse moderate exercise and driving it about over the stones with a heavy four-wheeled cab behind it. He said he had just put down a fare for which he had received 2s. The defendant denied that the horse was in the state tie scribed by the officer ; and said that he had produced it in order that his worship might see it. Mr. Long proceeded to view the animal, which was standing at the front entrance to the court; and being satis fied that the case was one of cruelty, for which he was bound to inflict a penalty, fined defendant 20s. and costs. CLERKENWELL. MURDEROUS ASSAULT UPON THREE CONSTABLES AND A FEMALE.— J ohn Redding, sen., John Reddi;ng , jun., and Dennis Bedding, were placed at the bar before Mr. Tyrwhitt, charged with being drunk and violently assaulting Sergeant Choune, 5 E, Police-constables Bass, 154 E, Manson, 69 E, and Mrs. Redding, the aunt of the younger prisoner. From the evidence it appeared that o❑ Saturday niglat, between 11 and 12, Sergeant Choune, 5 E, was:passing alr•ng Little Coram-street, when hearing a great disturb ance in Russell-place, he went to quell it. He took a female in custody, but had no sooner done so than the three prisoners tell upon him, knocked him about, and kicked him very violently. The other constables coming up they were also assaulted and knocked about, and the female rescued from their custody. Dennis Redding also got away f,r a short time, and because his aunt would not let the female, who made her escape, go into her house, he struck her, blaekered her eye very much, and bit her two fingers. She got under the bed to escape his violence, when he kicked her in the most shameful manner, and, out of malice, broke a valuable looking-glass and some other articles. Sergeant Choune — said that Ittissell-place was a very bad neighbourhood, and the police were surrounded by the worst of characters. The prisoner, Dennis Redding, said he was the worse for liquor and was sorry for what he had done; the other pri soners said they were sober, and denied having assaulted the police. Mr. Tyrwhitt fined the elder prisoner 20s. or a month, John Redding - , jun., bs. or a week, and Dennis, 20s. or a month, for the assault on the police, 10s. or a week, for the wilful damage, and one month, without the option of a flue, for the assault on the female. DISGRACEFUL CRUELTY TO A SHERI'. —TV illiarn Perry, a big surly-looking fellow, a drover, was charged, at the instance of Mr. W. Love, the chief constable of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, with the following cruel treatment to a sheep : From the evidence of Guest and Sell, two of the Royal Society's constables, it appeared that they were at the New Cattle Market, where they saw the prisoner, with two or three other drovers, driving a flock of sheep. One of the sheep to get out of the way of the dogs separated itself from the drove, when the prisoner set a lar2e dog after it. The dog flew at the sheep, caught it by the ear, worried it in this way votne minutes, and caused the blood to flow from the ear, the prisoner continuing to urge the dog on. The sheep at length got away, and rushed towards the pans, the prisoner sending the dogs after it. In making its escape from the dog the poor sheep rushed against an iron rail and fell backwards. The animal kicked and plunged in great agony, and was taken away immediately and slaughtered, when it was found its neck was broken. The prisoner, in repli - to the - shame, denied that it was he who set the dog on the sheep, and said it was one of the other drovers. Mr. Tyrwhitt remarked that the case was clearly proved against the prisoner. He was a very brutal fellow, and for such disgraceful conduct, in default of paying a fine of 205., he should commit him to the House of Correction for a month, and he might depend upon getting a heavier punish ment if brought up again on such a charge. ILLEGALLY PAWNING.—John _Evans, aged 39, a watch engraver, residing at 20, Great John-street, Clerkenwell, was brought up in the custody of police-constable Hughes titan, 163 G, one of the warrant officers of the court, and charged with unlawfully pawning a gold watchcase, the property of Mr. Joseph Layne, at Clerkenwell. The offence was clearly proved, the prisoner having sent his wife to the prosecutor with the pawn ticket; and Mr. Tyrwhitt ordered the defendant to pay the value, £3 and a fine of 405., or, in default of payment, three calen dar months' hard labour in the House of Correction. The prisoner was locked up in default. SOUTHWARK.—A LUCKY THIEF—ALLEGED HIGH WAY ROBBERY.—Sarah Bunce, a notorious street thief, who has been three times tried and convicted of highway robbery, was brought before Mr. Combe charged with steal ing a silver watch from the person of James Lint. The prosecutor said be was a clerk, and resided at the Dover Castle, Retherhithe- wall. About ten o'clock on Tues day night last be was proceeding home, and on turning down Tooley-street the prisoner accosted hint, and walked as far as John-street, under the railway, where they stopped talk ing a short time. He had his watch in his waistcoat pocket attached to a ribbon a minute before she accosted him. After remaining talking to her about a minute she ran away from him suddenly, and he then missed his watch from the ribbon. He saw nothing snore of the prisoner until Saturday night, when he met her in Tooley-street and gave her ints custody. In cross-examination he raid be was perfectly sober at the titne ; but he neither saw nor felt her take the watch ; but he knew nobody else could have stolen it but her, as he spoke to no other person. Mr. Combe asked whether she was known to the police ? Scannels, 177 M, a detective officer, said that she had been tried and convicted three times at this court for street robberies. She had also been tried and convicted at the Old Bailey for highway robbery with violence. She denied all knowledge of the watch. Mr. Combe told her that whatever her former conduct was there was not sufficient in the evidence before him to warrant his sending her for trial. She must therefore be discharged. LAMBETH.—CAUTION TO LUCIFER MATCH MAKERS. —Benjamin Jonas, a match dealer in the Minories, appeared before Mr. Elliott to answer to a summons charg ing him with attempting to send by the South-Western Railway a chest of Inciter matches withaut making the officers of the company aware of the contents of such pack age, for which offence be bad incurred a penalty not ex ceeding £2O. From the statement of Inspector Bent, who appeared to support the summons, and the testimony of the witnesses called by him, it appeared that on the 11th instant a chest was brought from the shop of the defendant to the railway station at Nine Elms. T he chest was described as contain ing toys ; but the company's officers discovered the contents to be lucifer matches, and the present proceedings were taken. The defendant, in reply to the charge, said that from the way in which the package had been made up the officers could have easily discovered what its cont c e o n m ts p m aitde or frnoomwat and it would have been at their option to take . n e t y r i l e e s , It was denied that this discovery could be d external appearance of the package having remarked that the most s erio ; us an consequences and result from the indis criminatethe magistrate Costs les, convicted the de destruction of valuable property mightart_ ASSAULT—BITING 313 t and d G A costs. NOSE OFF.— conveyance of such an, an Irish labourer, was brought up on re mand on a charge of violently assaulting Lawrence Crannige, a countryman of his, and biting his nose off. Th e complainant, who whose hoals)rafe appeared with the remains of his nose strapped up, and ppearedfor and , from his appeared that the affair was an Irish one ; that no previous enmity existed ; and that t some statementdays in great danger, gave his evidencle the encounter between them, and which resulted in the loss of the nose, was more like that between two wild animals than human beings. The prisoner was convicted In a penalty of £5 or two months for biting off the nose, and £3 or one month for an assault on another person. TH AMES.—Tun CASE OF MRS. SPIJ RLING.7-PoliCe serg!apt Egerton, No. 24 H, who had been directed to make winhqouirinrteas:raifeit,er Samuel Spurling, a recruiting sergeant, a respectable woman, the widow of Patrick Readdy, an Irish soldier, on the 9th inst., and abandoned her on the foll ow i ng day, came before Mr. Selfe and stated that Spurling came to the Leman-street station and gave himself up, but as there was no charge of which he paid take cog nisance or keep him in custody, he advised him to attend th e court and ma k e an exp l anat i on . Spurling bad been de p! ived of his situation as a recruiting sergeant, and his uni form had been taken from him. The police-sergeant added that the staff-officer of the pensioners intended to attach Spurling's pension, until the £lO he had received with his newly married wife, and which had been paid to her by the Indian Mutiny Relief Fund Committee, had been repaid. Mr. Selfe—Then Spurting will not be employed as a recruiting sergeant any longer? Egerton—No, sir. Samuel Spurting, who had often appeared in this court with recruits, in the uniform of a sergeant, and decorated with ribbons, then got into the witness-box attired in an old and dirty suit of a civilian. He looked much chopfallen. He stated, in answer to questions put to him by Mr. Selfe, as follows :—I am a pensioned private and have served in the army. I was a recruiting sergeant. I was married on the 9th of this month—this day fortnight—to an Irishwoman named Readdy, the widow of Patrick Readdy. She was in the receipt of a pension of 7s. Gd. per week. Of course she lost that when she married me. She had £lO given her on the day of her marriage with me. I drew that money myself on the day of the marriage. I did not want to go away from her, but she did not stop in her lodgings till I came back. I have been in different parts of the town since I left her on the day after our mar riage, because I had ini. , sed a recruit. Two women went away with me, but they were not loose women, as was re ported in the newspapers, but two soldiers' wives. I told the two women to wait at the Tower until I returned from Westminster. I returned to the Tower and the two women were gone. Mr. Selfe—Then why not return to your wife ? Spurting said the magistrate was too quick for him. He did not return to Back Church-lane, where his wife was staying, certainly. Mr. Selfe—The substance of your story is this :—You marry on the Monday; you get £lO from the Indian Mutiny Relief Committee; you abandon your wife on the following day, and go away with two women ; you expend the £lO for your own sensual gratification, and you now come her• to excuse yourself. _ _ Spurling—l maintained that woman for a month before married her. Mr. Selfe—You did. What has that to do with it ? Mrs. Spurling—l maintained myself. I had 7s. 6d. per week pension up to the day of my marriage. Mr. Selfe asked if Spurling had any other statement to make, or any arrangement to suggest for the benefit of hie wife ? Spurling said he did not want to make any statement. f his wife was willing to come back he would take her. Mr. Selfe—You left her. What has become of the £10? Spurling evaded this question by saying he left his wife 183. to pay two or three little debts with, and tkat, in con sequence of the untrue statements made about him, the staff officer had taken away his regimentals and dismissed him from the recruiting staff. Mr. Sclfe—l think you are very properly dismissed. I don't see that anything untrue has been said about you. Spurling said that since he had left his wife he had frequently seen her, though she had not seen him. Mr. Selfe—What do you mean by that ? These are mani fest falsehoods. Since Mrs. Spurling was here last I have made inquiries, and have now seen you, and you have con firmed all that has been said about you, and I believe you to be a very vverthless fellow. Spurling then turned round to his wife, and in an autho ritative manner said, " Do you mean to come and live with me ?" Mrs. Spurling—No; I do not. Mr. Selfe—lt you don't bring evidence to alter her state ment I will grant a warrant against you on the application of the parish officers. Spurling then turned round and marched out of court as rapidly as possible. luroRTANT CONTICTION..—• Richard Sanderson, a common lodging-house keeper, was summoned at the instance of Inspector Price, an officer appointed to carry out the provisions of that excellent sanitary measure, the Common Lodging-houses Act, for as infringement Of the regulations. The defendant when called upon did not appear, and it was proved by police-sergeant Kirby, 53 A, that the defen dant kept a registered lodging-house, at 142, High-street, Shadwell, and that he had been twice convicted for keeping his house in a filthy condition and not properly lime wash ing the walls. The neighbours complained of the house, and said it was a nuisance. He visited the defendant's house again, a few days ago, and it was then in a very dirty and dilapidated state, and quite unfit for the reception of lodgers, of whom there were, unfortunately, many in the house. He again visited the house on Friday. It was as bad as ever. The defendant had been twice convicted of a similar offence, and on one occasion summoned for keeping swine, and then sold them. Mr. Selfe said the defendant had been already twice con victed for offences against the act, and had acted contuma ciouely and in open violatio❑ of the law. He now fined the defendant 405., deprived him of his license, and prohibited him from keeping another registered lodging-house for five 3 ears. The fine and order were to be immediately enforced. DAGGERS AND KNUCKLE-DUSTERS.—OUTRAGE MY FOREIGNERS.—Martin Lewis and John Sieg, Spanish seamen, were charged with assaulting and beating William Savage, police-constable 212 H, and a man named Samuel Sutton. It appeared that Savage was passing by the Cock and Neptune public-house, in Rateliff-highway, and heard cries of " Murder." He looked in. There was a general row and a fierce conflict going on among foreign seamen, prostitutes, and others, and many were armed with knives and daggers, and upon the hands of several were brass " knuckle-dusters," a diabolicel American invention to break heads and knock out eyes. An English sailor ran out with blood streaming from his face. He was followed by the two prisoners, one with a finely worked dagger, with bright steel blade, and the other armed with a large stone. The Englishman had been struck in the Cock and Neptune; he narrowly escaped the knives and daggers of Italians and Greeks, and when he got out of the public-house Sieg got him down, beat him with a stone, and cut his head. Lewis made a cut at the Englishman with his dagger, and Savage fortunately hit the villain's arm on one side and prevented the blow taking effect. The prisoner then turned upon Savage and beat him. He called several persons to his aid, and the prisoners were secured. A dagger was taken from Lewis, and knuckle-dusters from. Sieg. Savage received a contused wound on the head, and was kicked. Samuel Sutton, an English sailor, was much hurt in assisting to take the prisoners into custody. Some of the foreigners had sticks and the others knives. Lewis said he intended the dagger as a present to a friend in Spain, and he threw it away because he should net be suspected of using a knife. Mr. Selfe could not understand why there were such con tinual outrages in and near the Cock and Neptune. A police-constable said a new landlord bad lately come into the house. Mr. Selfe—lt has been going on ever since I have been a magistrate, now more than two years. I do not understand why the licensing magistrates continue to license such houses as this Cock and Neptune, which furnish cases every day for this court, and sometimes more than one. Mr. Bowdler, the second clerk, said, on a proper repre sentation of the case to the licensing magistrates, they would take serious notice of the Cock and Neptune. Mr. Selfe—What could these foreigners do with those weapons, except for the purposes of offence ? It is necessary to visit such cases as these with severity. A rush was made at Savage with the dagger, and he narrowly escaped. I sentence the prisoners to one month's imprisonment for assaulting the police-constable, and to pay a fine of £5 for assaulting Sutton, or be further imprisoned far one month. COUNTRY MARKRTS. YORK. CORN—Ara. 21. At our corn exchange this morning there was but a moderate supply of wheat on offer, but some samples of this year's growth were shown, in prime condition. The trade was slow, but priced were the turn higher than the rates of last week. Prices—White wheat, 49s to —s ; extra, —s; red wheat, 42s to 465; extra, —s ; barley, 30s to —s ; beans, 46s to 49s ; oats, is 3d to is 4d per stone. LEICESTER CORN-AuG. 21. Our market this morning was well attended, and a fair averaga amount of business was transacted in wheat, at an advance of 2s over the currencies of last market day. Good samples of white brought 50s, and red 46s per qr. Barley in small supply, selling at 3is to 3Ss. Oats in request, and realised fully late rates, selling at 35s per 24 stone. Beans were limited, and the turn higher, good sorts selling from 50s to 55s per 38 stone, GRANTHAM-Ai:G. 21. A small supply of both old and new wheat, which sold fairly at Is to 9 s per qr. higher. Fine samples of new white made 51s and red 48s. But little inquiry for barley. Oats made full currencies, with a fair demand. Beans in limited show and the turn. higher in price. Wheat, white 469 Od t0:503 Od Oats ...................Os Od to 34s Od 42s Octto 47s Oct Ditto ne w Ditto, rod°Ss Od to 32s Od Barley 28s Od to 30s Od Beans its Od to —s Od Peas 4s to 46s per 36 stone. GLOUCESTER CORN-AUG. 21. The heavy rains which have fallen this week have much hindered the progress of harvest, and the samples of wheat and barley gar nered since last week will be vastly inferior to those seucred earlier The market is rather firmer to-day than for some weeks past, with a good deal of new wheat, CHELTENHAM CORN-Am. 20. A dull trade to-day, and wheat was is per qr. cheaper, b,•gt the farmers are not much inclined to part with their grain at this de cline. Oats Is more money. Spring corn generally in, demand. Beans and peas unaltered in value, with a fair busineB,4, LINCOLN COPS—Auo. n. At our exchange yesterday the supply of wheat was moderate the new that was on offer was of various quality. A fair demand for the new crop, and a good business was done at fully the rates of last week. White samples, 48s, and 468 for reds. Not much barley on offer, at about last week's prices; heavy parcels selling at 385 to 40s. A small show of oats at about late rates, good samples selling at 32s per 24 stone. Beans we re a scanty supply, and rather dearer—prices ranging from 46$ to 50 8 per SS stone. a [ADVERTISEMENT].— Holloway's Pills the most Efficacious Remedy for Bilious Complaints.—John Tomp kinson, of Faversham, Kent, to use his own words, suffereda martyrdom from sick headache, accompanied by an overflow of bile, and general ill health. He was under the treatment of medical men for three years, but received no benefit, and. his friends became alarmed at the severity and frequency of the attacks of his disorder. He commenced using HO loway's Pills five weeks ago, and by them alone has been perfectly cured. He has desired Professor Holloway to make these facts known to the public for the benefit of the thousands suffering from disorders of the liver and stomach. Directions for the use of the pills accompany each box. BIRTHS LONGLAND—On the 19th inst., at SoMhtleld House, Henler-011- Thames, the wife of the Rev. 0. P. Longland, of a daughter. MoacaN.—On the 19th inst., at Clapham, the wife of T. Morgan, jun., Esq., of a daughter. MARRIAGES. GRANT—MARSH.—On the 18th inst., at Christ Church, Folkestone, by the Rev. G. S. Elwin, assisted by the Rev. M. Woodward, John Grant, of Linton, Kent, to Charlotte Jane, third daughter of Richard Marsh, Esq., formerly of Uphill-House, Folkestone. MAcKENzrz—SnyTir.—On the 16th inst., at St. Peter's Church, Dublin, by the Rev. Mitchell Smyth, Rector of Errigal, and uncle of the bride, Sir William Mackenzie, of Coul, Baronet, to Agnes,. second daughter of Ross Thompson Smyth, Esq., of Ardmorei, county of Londonderry. DEATHS. DIXON.—On the 18th inst., at Upper Stamford-street, Catherine Anne Sophia, youngest daughter of the late Jacob Mau, Esq., of Dumbarton. DIIMAS.—On the 14th inst., at Troyes, France, Emile Dumas, Esq. second son of the late J.l". Dumas, Esq., of Ilar,nburg and Paris, aged sixty-three. URQUITAIIT.-02 the 21st inst., at Sydenham, Prances, relict of C. J Urquhart, Esq., aged seventy-seven. Wy.yrwoarii.—On the 19th inst., at Brighton, Sophia, youngest daughter of the late William Wentvmrth, E3q., of Park House, Tooting. WORDINGHAM.-011 the 16th inst., at Hastings, Alice, wife of Mg. w. u. Wordinghas, aged twenty-eight. LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOU'SG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Offim, No 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in of Middlesex, Tuesday, Aug u st 24,1858. th e Junti Eve Admix at ttic Crnmc LET be ma LECT porta DR receil On V splen nett( great durii Adm INC Gar I C MA 10. 1 ha Ch r r '~, Z