The Express.
London, England, 1864-12-13 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURIS.

WESTMLNSTER.
Mr. E. C. Morley, solicitor, King's Beach-walk, Temple,
aocompanied toy Str. C. E. lons. • geotlemas, applied to
the megietrate for • sun:rooes arising out of the followitia
• ,

The circumstances of the case were somewhat peculiar, e_lacard: which bas been distributed widely upon the Saudi
The plaintiff, Henry Herman Meyer, • young man, and a Western Railway
native of Prussia, carried on in this country the business of a " Rewards for the Conviction of Smokers at Railway
general merchant, but dealt chiefly in silks. He lived at Stations sod in theCarriages.—Smokers are now exceedingly
sfildmay-park, lslingtos, but kept no office or warehouse, insolent. They are become an insufferable nuisance at
and deposited his goods on the premises of a person named railway teatimes mid io the carriages, and in order to test
Cohen, • cap and mantle maker, who occupied the gist how far it is practicable to arrest this custom, we shall begin
floor, consisting of two rooms, at 42, Noble-street, St. Ilar- at the Waterloo, Richmood, and intervening railway
tin's-le-Grand. Oo the 2iid May last the plaintiff effected stations, and shall give from this office-1. One pound to
an insurance for 1,0001. with the Western Fire Insurance the first pawn •ho shall convict a passenger of smoking
Company, upon the goods which he kept at Cohen's. It at any of the above stations or ia the carriages. 2. Ow
appeared that a short time previously Cohen had insured his Pound tee shillings if the convicted Pat► is
goods with the name dB.), and that he introduced the plain- an gime of whom shamefully bemuse them.
tiff as an insurer. On Saturday night, the 7th May, shortly selves with fumes of tohacco, and serious accidents
before 11 o'clock, after all had left for several hours, a fire are the natural result. 3. Two pounds if the convicted
broke out on the first floor. The firemen buret open the party is a rail say director. 4. Teo shillings to a porter or
doors and succeeded in • few minutes in putting out the any office' who may merely aid io the conviction of an
flames. The plaintiff now claimed 343/, being the value, offeoder.—Teomas REYNOLDS, Secretary. British Mai-
ls he alleged,of the silk which he had on the premises Tobacco Society's Office, le, Camdenequare, London, N.W.,
when the tire occurred. Evidence was given to show that Nov. 2, 1844.
the plaintiff purchased from a merchaut in SL Paul's. I "N.B. We have been instructed to offer the above re.
churchyard, on the 14th April, 27 pieces of silk, and on the wards by gentlemen who are impelled from a sows of duty
18th some other pieces, for which he paid • total sum of to do something for the protection of themselves and other
6131. 12s. sd. in cash. These he sent to Cohen's, and the son-smoking travellers."
portion remaining unsold, consisting of 18 pieces, wore I Mr. Morley said that his application was for a summons
stated to have been destroyed. A young man, named Shore, I against Mr. Thomas Reynolds, of 10, Csuiden-square.
&clerk to Cohen, depoed to the goods being on the premises Camden-tows, whose name was appended to thu handbill
when he left hetween o audio is the evening. He said that es the secretary cf the society. Mr. inure on Monday last
a Mr. Phillips." a printer, called about 5 o'clock to had arrived at the Barnes Railway Station, and having to
see Cohen, Out they all left together, and that he wait something like three-quarters of so hour for a train,
locked the door and gave the key to Cebu. He did was smoking. The station, as is well keown, was us-
not bear of the fire until Monday morning, when be enclosed. There was only ore person besides himself on
went to the warehouse at 11 o'clock. He had the platform; he had positioned himself at a remote part of
only bees io Cohen's service • month before the it, so that he might literally he said to be smoking on Baran
fire, and did not know where Cohen was now, but he bad Common, and could not be causing an offence to aeyese ;
lived in Weolock-street, New North-road. Cohen paid him when his tame and address were denuded and taken far
his salary on the Huntley after the fire, and be met Cohen smoking on the platform. Anxious that the circumstances
two months afterwards, when be told the witness that be should not be misrepresented, be communicated with the
had not gone into business again. and thought he was secretary of the British Anti-Tobacco Society, and received
going to Germany. Another of Coben's clerks, William the following reply :
Noble, who had been in his service about two month., said " December e, 1864.—5ir,-1 sent your letter to the
there were between 18 and 20 pieces of silk on the premises. gentlemen who have offered the rower& for the conviction
He said he wrote letters, and sometimes travelled, but kept of smokers, and I send on the other side a verbatim copy of
no books, as Cohen kept his own books. He added that their reply. It remains with you to decide whether the
there was no tire on the premises derive the day, but that ' matter shall be proceeded with, or whether you pay the fine
whys they left Cohen gave him and Phillipson • cigar each, and avoid the costs mud exposure.-1 am, sit, your obedient
and that the cigars must have been lighted in the house, servant, T. REYNOLDS. C. E. limes, Esq.—P.S. 1 will
as they went out smoking. Cokes paid him his wages on not allow any steps to be taken until Tbersday morning."
the Saturday sight. A young woman, also in the employ , The communication alluded to on the other side ran as
of Colima, gave similar evidence as to the silk being in the follows :—" Dear Sir,—The reward is offered to be given
rooms when she left on Saturday night. It appeared after conviction. If the offender confess his fault and pay
that her father was agent of the Western luso- the fine, 405., he may avoid prosecution, and the reward
ranee Company, and also • shareholder in the company. shall of course be given is addition to what may be ob.
Phillipson said he was a friend of Cohen's, but their tamed from the guilty party. The parties are thus secured
acquaintance hail only been of short duration. On the against any lose of time. The present case seems clear. If
Saturday evening he went with Cohen to an evening party, the smoker will not arrange quietly and most be prime-
where they remained until half-past eleven or twenty crated, the instant he is convicted the complainants legally
mites to 12, and then left together. He parted from claim, and shall receive the reward, as well as the 21. to
Cohen at his own door, in Wenlock-strest. They made an which the offender is liable by the laws of the railway
appointment to meet on the Sunday at three o'clock, but company."
Coheo did not keep his appointment, and he went to see him Mr. Morley said that the object of his appearing there
on the Monday morning, and then be ascertained that • fire I war to prevent this eystetu of annoyance against timid per-
had taken place. The witness. said be never saw the plain. sons, who shrieking from the fear of publicity might be is-
tiff until last Wednesday, when he called upon him (wit- i clued to comply with such terms as proposed. Hie client,
ness) and asked for Coheres address. Witham, lighted his ; Mr. Dues was not a man disposed to submit to math we.
cigar outside the door on the Saturday night, but he saw duct, and had felt it hie duty to the public to take legal