The Express.
London, England, 1864-05-12 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.

~ittiop at Nisi Prins in Middlesex.--(Befors Mr. Justice
Ryles sad a Common Jury.)

MLLIANS V. WALRIII.-LIBIL.-SZLIOUS- 6IAIIOI AGAINST

PARISH OITICISS.

The beariog of this mime, which was on yeeteriay, we. re-
sumed this morning. It was an action against the &ikon:ditch
r to recover damages for libel, and there was a plea
in justification, which alleged that the publication which
sem principally complained of was true. The matter arose
out of charges brought by the plaintiff against wartime
parish officials in Sboreditch, Islington, and Clerkenwen,
end also against other official persons connected with the
Whitochapel District Board of Worts. In the enure of
the case most of the gentlemen upon whom imputations
were cast gave evidence deeyiog the truth of what had been
said spinet them.
Mr. Digby Seymour, Q.C., Mr. Sleigh, and Mr. Kydd,
appeared for the plaintiff ; and Mr. Serjeant Salentine
sod Mr. Pearce for the defendant.

--ifr7lslgby ilei;ertTr-con—crOded hie reply, coateading that
the plea of justification had not been made oat.
Mr. Justice Byles summed ttp„ and directed the jury
that a libel was anything put upon paper which we.
calculated to bring a man into hatred, ridicule, or contempt,
but still if such statement were true no action would be upon
t. The jury would have to consider whether the detaidaat
had shown that the plaintiff was a common liar and &Le-
derer, and not to be believed upon his oath, and that he
had made statements to impose upon several vestries, and
to extort money from contractors. There we. no doubt
that those person. had stated that the plaintiff was not to
believed upon his oath, but that would not finely
the defendant in repeating that statement in kW
paper, anises he was prepared to show that tbe
statement was true. The wood libel alluded to the
plaintiff as "The informer Williams," and the IMMO& in the
declaration was that It was meant that it was hie practice
to lay fictitious informations against others. This, however,
seemed to be a harsh construction to put epos the phrase,
aid probably the jury would think that the wooed pub&
cation was not libellous.

Mr. &power eailite would withdraw that Fart of the

Jostles By* in coctinaation, said that it wag sot
Decessary for the defendant to prove his allegation in
every instance, if he proved that in some Instances the
imputations he had made were true. It world not be
enough that the defendant should prove that the plaintiff
had made reckless sharps • he mad, to support hie piss,
prove that the plaintiff hid made charges which were
wilfully false, for the papaw of extorting money from
cootrectors.

—The jars, after considering the matter twin hoarLsent to
UT that there was DO ChiDOB of • am wombat and
to-sak whether the verdict of the majority would be taken.
The parties did not agree to this propositioa, and the jury
were informed that they must mane toe decision one way or
other.
(The jury had not come to a decision whoa oar report Wt.]

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Moro Mr. Ocoorraisocrer Irsum.)
T C. !lOW.
. .

The bankrupt, duealibZd ine ;genileums, formerly of the
-road, ad sass of Brampton, had been .• caw
Fbitrroky. He mane to the court on his ova patios,
owing about 1,3001. This waa the sitting for emanation
and discharge. There had been several adjoaresseets at
the Mama of the bankrupt, who held out the hags of
being ale to make same arrangement with his medgra.
The bakraptdid sot sew appear.
On the application of Mr. X. Reed he was sajesmaill awe
die, without pr.:400M0..