The Press.
London, England, 1854-03-04 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

amount. The forgery was effectually established in
the case of one note for 2,4801. It was shown that
the defendant had enjoyed great credit, and that re-
spectable houses had had transactions with him to
the amount of more than 100,0001. The jury found
him Guilty. Judgment was postponed.
A BREACH or PROMISE CASE was tried at the Ox-
ford Assizes on Monday. The plaintiff was a widow
of fifty, and landlady of an inn in the town of Oxford
called the Dolphin. The defendant was a custom-
house officer, about forty five years of age, who, in
his communications with the widow and her friends,
represented himself as in receipt of a salary of 3001.,
and an income of 4001. a year more .from houses in
the parish of St. Giles, Spitalfields, London :
In the month of December, 1852, he called for the first time at
the Dolphin, and ordered dinner. After dinner he went into the
bar, unit there formed an acquaintance with the plaintiff, which
he continued to improve daily, till, on the 2Gth of December, he
nir.de her an offer of marriage—that is, as her barmaid on cross-
examination explained, he told her he wanted a wife, and not a
young one, and that she was of it suitable age for him. Such
progress was made in the arrangements that in the mouth of
January attorneys were engaged on behalf of both parties in pre-
paring a settlement, the defendant having agreed to settle 2001.
a yea' ou her. However, the defendant, though he promised to
produce his deeds, never did do so. The marriage was first fixed
for February, but was postponed till the 28th of March. The de-
fendant did not appear in time for the ceremony. and the plaintiff,
having remained at home till three o'clock, left fur Norbury, near
Leatnington, where her son-in-law resided, telling her barmaid
to inform the defendant, if lie culled, where shehad gone, and that
he might go after her or not, as he pleased. Next day (Tuesday)
he came down from London, and ou receiving the message he
became very angry, and said lie would have nothing more to do
with the plaintiff. On the following Saturday plaintiff went to a
solicitor to complain of her wrongs, and on the 7th of April de-
fendant received intimation that proceedings hail commenced.
On the 2nd of May he wrote a letter to the plaintiff, in which he
was willing to fulfil his promise, and to marry her at a day's no-
tire, but warned her agamst going to law with him, as he always
won his suits, and would spend a thousand pounds rather than
she should get a penny by him.

_
The jury returned a verdict for 2501.
A RUFFIAN named Calvert has been charged at
Clerkenwell Police Court, by the Society for the Pre-
vention of Cruelty to Animals, with skinning cats
alive. He dealt in the skins, which it is stated are
improved in value by being taken off while the
animal is alive. Mr. Yardley, who heard the charge,
declared that the investigation almost chilled his
blood. He sentenced the prisoner to three months'
hard labour.
AN ACTION for having published a malicious libel
was brought against George Brown and William
Knighton, and tried at Winchester Assizes. Mrs.
Mary Harvey was the complainant. The libel
consisted of a picture in which the prosecutrix was
portrayed with the inscription " The Handsome
Woman" :
It appeared that Mrs. Harvey kept a beershop at Portsea, and
the defendants, who were navigators, conceiving some animosity
to her, opened a beershop just opposite to her house, and as a
sign they had her " vilely painted;' and over the picture, wbich
was exactly like her, and dressed in the same manner, was
written " The Handsome Woman." This led to great bickering,
and crowds of people constantly collected inside the house, to
whom the defendants would point out the sign.
Mr. Baron MARTIN suggested that the best termi-
nation of the case was for the defendants to paint out
" The Handsome Woman," and undertake not to
annoy Mr•s. Harvey any more. This suggestion was
adopted, and it was arranged that the defendants
should plead guilty tothe libel, on the understanding
that they should not be called up for judgment if
they took down " The Handsome Woman." The
picture was produced in court, and excited great
merriment.
THE MAYOR OF RYE, Mr. Jeremiah Smith, was
tried at the Central Criminal Court for perjury. The
charge was founded on evidence given by the defend-
ant before an election committee. He had, it ap-
peared, always been active in electioneering affairs,
and especially in the election for the borough of Rye
which took place in 1852, when Mr. Alexander
Mackinnon was returned :
Against that return a petition was presented and a committee
appointed, before whom on the sth of March last year the pri•
water was examined touching a certain dinner which was given
to the electors. The dinner took place on the 2nd of July. The
defendant was naked who had paid for that dinner, and he said
that he had, and that he had nothing to do with paying Mr.
Mackinnon's bills; that he had never seen a shilling of Mr.
Mackinnon's money, and that he looked to Mr. Curteis, the re-
tiring member, to pay for it. The dinner cost 2261. The de-
fendant was again examined, and ch. a said he was very sorry for
what had taken place; that he had received the money from Mr.
Mackinnon to pay for the dinner. He received 2301. from a Mr.
Reeves, and he knew it came from Mr. Mackinnon, and that he
received it the day after the dinner. Ho had no intention of
saying what was not true, but that, having made one false step,
he had made others.
The actual transfer of this money to the prisoner was
proved by the testimony of Mr. Mackinnon himself,
and of Mr. Reeves. The former said :
I was candidate for the borough of Rye in 1552. I recom•
mended that the dinner should be given on the 2nd of July.
Upon the 3rd, the day after, I drew 2301. in notes from the Lon-
don and County Bank at Rye.
What did yon do with that money ?--Plit it in a particular
place, having been desired to do so.
Lotus know where that particular place was ?—lt was behind
a cushion on a sofa at the Red Lion.
Was there any one there at the time ?—I did not see any one.
I did not see any one come in. I do not know who took it. It
was taken away. (Roars of laughter.)
Cross-examined: I was not consulted about the dinner. There
was not any feeling of rivalry about who should give the dinner.
I only thought I bad gone far enough. (Laughter.) I did not
know what the money was wanted for. I only knew I was to
put it iu that particular place. (Roars of laughter.)

SATURDAY,

Mr. Reeves gave evidence tracing the further dis-
posal of the notes in question.
- -

Mr. Lawrence Reeves, farmer, of Bye: I do not know of any
notes being given to defendant. I did give him a roll of paper.
Do you call notes paper at Rye?—lt was like a bundle of
notes.
Where did you find it?—l found it upon the sofa. Buller was
there, and said it was/parable it should be given to Smith.
That was very kind ; where was Smith?—He was at the Red
Lion.
Did he seem surprised ?—No, not at all.
By the REconnEn : I swear I do not know what the bundle
contained.
Had you no belief as to what was there?—No, none.
After some hesitation, and being pressed very closely by the
Recorder, he admitted that he believed the bundle was a roll of
notes.