The Express.
London, England, 1863-03-05 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
(THIS DAY.)

COURT OF PROBATE AND DIVORCE.
(Before the Judge Ordinary and a Special Jury.)
BLACNNAN AND Win C. COLLINS AND HOLM
Mr. O. Malley, Q.C., Dr. Tristram, and Mr. Lloyd appeared
for the executors, the defendants ; Mr. Collier, Q.C., and
Dr. Spanks, for the plaintiff; who prayed the revocation of
a probate, which had been granted in common form.
The can opened on behalf of the defendants was as fol-
lows:—The testator. William Osborne, was origina a
farm bailiff, but in 1843 he retired from his last service
with a pension of 101. a year. He had, however,
saved a considerable sum, which he had incresaed
by speculations in the funds till, at the time of his
death, it amounted to nearly 4,0001. In 1843 he
went to lodge with a Miss Fletcher and her niece, who kept
• grocer's shop in the Slip at Walthamstow, Ere; where
be lived till the day of his death, the sth of Folmar', 1862.
By • previous will he had left his landlady and her niece
the sum of 4001. each ; and on the death of
Miss Fletcher, sen., he had made another testament,
bequeathing her 400/. to her niece, and giving the residue
of his property (estimated to be at that time worth
about 1,000/.) to his niece, Susannah Blackman. In 1850,
Miss Fletcher, jun., was married to the defendant Holmes,
who wished her to go with him to Loudon. The testator,
however, begged them not to do so, and said that if they
would stay at Walthamstow he would take care of them.
In 1861 he expressed • determination to make a sew die-
position of his affairs, remaking that he had more
motley to leave than he bad when he had executed
his former wills. An attorney named Houghton
was accordingly employed to draw up a will and
codicil, which were executed in the 10th of September
in that year. By these instruments be gave his niece
1,0001., and the defendants 1,0004, with the residue
of ha estate, after the payment of some small legacies,
but with remainder in both cases, to the children
of the partial. He died rather suddenly at an
age exceeding 00 years. An inquest was held on the
body, and the plaintiff, it was said, expressed herself satis-
fied with the treatment her node had received. She had
alma. it was alleged, acknowledged the will by asking the
residuary legatee to give her some small articles which bad
bake to the demised ; bat she had since called in the
probate on the ground that the documents in question had
not been duly executed, and that they bad been obtained
from the testator by the influence of the respoadents.
The case was still proceeding when we west to press.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr. Regietrar Winslow.)
IN RI GEORGE 871:1T.—DIVIDIND KILITDIO.
This wee a sitting for dividend under the bankruptcy of
George Stiff, late proprietor of emend cheap publications.
Mr. Linklater appeared for the magnets, and stated that
as the assets were not yet sufficiently realised to declare a
dividend, an adjournment would be neceetery.
An adjournment took place until the 7th ofolat. The
dividend is expected to be about 6s. Bd. in the p
(Wore Mr. Commissioner Goulburn.)
sr RS LEVAREIZVB.
' '

The bankrupt, JeisiHtiste Le;sa;ear, was described as
m • 'oral merchant, sad agent for wines, spirits, and
French goods. of Fenchurob.street. This we. the sitting
for examination and discharge. The bankrupt owes to un-
mated creditor. 3,000 f. ;no asseta. At • former sitting
be had aliened that his books and property had been stolen,
and as adjournment was directed, in order that inquiry
might be made into the circumstances.
His Honour asked in what period this large amount cf
debt bad been coetracted.

Mr. Stanzasld (the official assignee) Chiefly in 1862.
partly in 1861. It mime in this way-1,1521. for borrowed
money, and 1,8471. for loads.
The Commissioner—What has be given up'
Mr. Stansteld—Nothing. The amount of his expenditure
in the year next before the bankruptcy was 1204,
and the same in the preceding year. There are so books ;
the bankrupt came to the court in form! paripens ; no
creditors' assignee was appointed ; and no assets have bean
collected by the official assignee. He began with nothing ;
and as hie expenditure has been email, the question arises
what has become of the creditors' property.
Hie Honour asked what was the result of the inquiry as
to the robbery.
Mr. Goodday, who represented the official assignee,
mid there was no doubt of there having hese a robbery on
the bankrupt's premises, and that his boob had been
carried off by his clerks. He had stated upon oath that
they bad taken 1,4004 worth of goods and 5001. in money.
The matter had been in the hands of the detectives, but
they would give no informatics' of the result, or of the
meant of the robbery. The only evidence as to the
amount was the oath of the bankrupt. As he could not
render better accounts the official segues did not oppose
his passing his examination.
Mr. Miller, for the bankrupt, stated that daring his ab-
sence abroad, having loft two clerks is his office, the whole
of his boots bad bees stolen, and goods to the amount
Mated, his name had also been signed to certain bills. The
clerks bad abemoded, and were supposed to have
gone abroad. He had done all in his power
to bring them to justice, but wee unable to prosecute the
matter further for want of means. His principal creditors
had signed a testimonial in his favour.
His Honour was not at all satisfied with this mode of as.
counting for property by charging other' with robbery, acid
putting the matter in the bands of the police, as it was
called. Here Ina a large amount of debt, 3,0001., nearly
all contracted in 1862, and this was amounted for by alleging
that the whole of the property had been carried off by two
clerks._

The bankrupt, being esambred, said that one of the clerks,
who came from Paris, had been with him 18 month., and
the other two months.
His Honour said be did not believe a word of the ban k•
rupt's statement, and should therefore adjourn the exami-
nation sine die, giving protection for two months, in order
Meat that the bankrupt might, if he chose to do so, make • clean
of it.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

(THIS DAY.)

• (Before Mr. Justice Williams.)
Fitt
uj surrendered to take he trial upon an indict-
ment 'rag him with manslaughter.
Mr. L y prosecuted, sad Mr. Montague Williams dr
!aided the prisoner.
It appeared that on the evening of the Ibth of January
the prisoner was in the Royal•road, Walworth, driving
two home I. a hum. He was driving at a very furious
rate, and whipping the bones in a very violent manner.
One of the witnesses stated that the prisoner wee driving
at the rate of fifteen or sixteen miles an hour, sad
another withers expressed his opinion that he we. driving
at the rate of twelve miles an hour. On peering as of the
street., his vehicle came in contact with a light cart which
was turning the corner, and threw the driver eat of the
cart and inflicted some very serious injuries, free which
be died very shortly after. The witnemes expressed an
opiaion that the primer was under the influence of liquor.
The prisoner at the time tried to explain his reason for
whipping the hones wu that part of the strap which kept
the homes to the pole was broker', and he whipped the
horses for the purpose of keeping their heads together.
The defence was that the catastrophe arose from acci-
dent, in which by the breaking of the pole-strap the pri-
soner had lost all control over his horses, and not from any
negligence om his part which would make him criminally
respoosible.
Several respectable witnesses were called and concurred in
giving the prisoner an excellent character as a steady,
careful driver and a sober and respectable young man.
Mr. Justice Williams summed up the evidence to the
Nry, who skier a short consultatice returned a verdict of
Noe Godly.

NEW COURT.
(Refute Mr. Bann Bramwell.)
At the sitting of the court, the prisoner James Hagan,
who was last night found frailty of the manslaughter of his
wife, was brought up for sentence.
Hi. lordship in passing sentence said that the prisoner
had received much provocation from the deceased woman,
although he (the primmer) had been the primary cause of it,
and as he (the judge) did not believe th►t the prisoner
intended to injure his wife to the extent he had done, he
should psis upon him a sentence of Nix months' imprison-
ment. _ _

Sari,=wok, a Chinaman, was indicted for the murder
of one Ali Aqui.
Mr. Orruln/prosecuted, and Mr. Langford and Mr. fields
defended.

The prisoner in this case is • Chinese 1141101\11, as also was
the declined man. and up to the time of the occurrence were
friends, and upon the evening of the 12th February they went
out together, and about half-past ten that evening the de-
ceased was found in • place called Narrow- a, Lime-
hone, with • frightful stab in his bowels, sad sr dying
charged the prisoner with the act. The primmer alleged
that the dewed attacked him ant and that in the struggle
for the knife the deceased had received the wound by ac-
cident.
The jury Acquitted the primmer.

THE POLICE COURTS.
(THIS DAY.)

CLERICWWKLL.
♦ /11CrITLI illl•lPZEt.

Henry Jokinion: Tcourt, Kiogsland, woe
="with stealing two watches and chains from Ellen
,dof 7, Great Unioottreet, Neviegtoo, and Harriet
Harrison, of 4, Cleveland-street, Nile.end, draw makers.
The male primer fell in with the complaisant§ in the
City-rced, and took them to the Vernon Arms public.
house, and treated them to some ale. Whilst there soother
men came is with same card' and began *eying with them.
The prisoner and soother man bet 101. and paid it, and
then played and lost soother la. The primmer took off their
chains sod watches and handed them to the man with the
cards, asyleg that he would go sod damage ~501. note. They
west out with the prisoner who decamped, and when they
went heck they fouled that the man who had the watches
had also goes.