The Express.
London, England, 1864-03-02 00:00:00

PEINCW&

TBss EVINING, PAM; EIRTAN.— Mesas. Ytning, Nelson.
Fisher. Madames Marston and Kate Barille.—THE COMEDY
Of ERRORS. Messrs. Vials& Nelson, and the Brothers Webb.
—And JACK'S ARRIVAL PROM CANTON.

LITIIIIL.

pm Immo, THE LOST CHILD. Mr. Wtddloomd. sod
KW P. Leclerc. —BEL DIMOND,. a Lora Story. Ileamrs.
Bechtel, Brougham.. trawl, Charles. sad Jordan Kamen
Kate Terry, Uranus. sad Ilawerthg, sad him Lea.

sarrmrigu.

THIS ETZIIIIIO. THE OUTCASTS. Mew& Reynolds. Cran-
ford. and Drummond: Ilesdanies Yornold and Miles—And
HICKORY. DICKORY DOCK. Mesdames B. Lane and Cranford.
The Inn en Clowns —The Fairy lounlahs.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Tim DAT Wanda& 7h. "_Om AftereociA 51. m.
To4IOIIAOIII.- Novato& th. .Aillegosa, 9d 13a.

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2.

AT length another monstrous trial has closed.
Of late years the changes in our law have been
many, and to those who understand the subject it
is not surprising that one of the most remarkable
results of the new state of things has been the
prolongation of trials. But with this change has
come the extraordinary fatigue to which the par-
ties engaged in a cause—whether judges, counsel,
attorneys, or jury—are now subjected. Yester-
day was, we believe, the eighth day which has been
consumed in trying the validity of the codicils of the
will of Mr. GEORGE Nrrram, of Matlock. Though
Mr. KARSLAKR, in his perspicuous and logical
reply, wasted no time in needless repetition, he
was compelled to speak from 11 o'clock until 5 in
the afternoon, with only a few minutes' intermis-
sion. And even so consummate a master as
Chief Justice COCKBURN occupied the whole of
yesterday in summing up the case to the jury. To
speak for six or seven hours without interruption
is no slight physical effort ; but when the
speaker does not condescend to refer even to his
notes or his brief, the intellectual effort must be
somewhat exhausting. In most cases it is diffi-
cult enough to master all the details, and to
bear iu mind the numerous dates and minute cir-
cumstances which must be laid before the jury.
But in a case like that which has just closed, in
which the peculiarities of the testator, of his
habits, and even of his handwriting, were of the
first importance, the merits of those who have to
discuss them become especially conspicuous.

. .
It may be remembered that the trial at Guild-
hall originated in Chancery, and is the third trial of
the same question. In the first, before Chief Jus-
tice ERLE, the verdict was in favour of the validity
of the three codicils. In the second trial, before
Chief Baron Pouocx, the verdict was against the
validity of these codicils. Neither of these judges
was dissatisfied with the verdict, although they were
directly contradictory of each other. The Mania
of the Rou.s, who had directed both trials, refused
to grant a new trial after the jury had found the
codicils to be forged. The Lonna JUSTICE,: were
divided as to whether there ought to be a new
trial. At length the House of Lords decided that
there ought to be a new trial, and directed that it
should take place before the Lord Chief Justice
COCKBURN and a special jtui at Guildhall. This
is the trial which has just taken place, and which
has occupied more than a week.
Mr. GEORGE NUTTALL lived in the town of
Matlock, in Derbyshire. Like his father and grand-
father, he was a land-surveyor, and from them had
inherited a small estate : by industry and
shrewdness he amassed a fortune. His rental
amounted to 2,0001. a year, and his personal pro-
perty was worth 8,0001. This Mr. Novram.
never was married, but lived as a bachelor, his
cousin, CATHERINE MARSDEN, keeping his house.
Besides carrying on the business of a surveyor,
Mr. Nurratt was engaged in the commutation of
tithes ; be acted as an arbitrator ; and he seems to
have been in the habit of making wills for other
persons. In carrying on his business be was as-
sisted by a man named Else, whom lie had
brought up from his boyhood, and who used to
copy writings for NUTTALL, and at length became
his constant assistant. ELSE has now reached the
age of 44 years, and some time ago married the sister
of CATHERINE 3leasozzi, the housekeeper. It
was shown beyond doubt that, although NUTTALL
was by no means given to sociality, Et.st
had obtained his master's entire confi-
dence. He collected Ni.,.'.t•rra rents ; he
helped to keep his accounts; whilst Nurram. did
everything to promote the young man's interest.
He got him appointed assistant-overseer, tax col-
lector, sub-bailiff of a county court, and, when
Ems married, Nut-rm.'. settled him in a house of
his own at a nominal rent. Nurrst.i. had no rela-
tions nearer than cousins, of whom CATHERINE
MARSDEN and her sisters formed one branch, and
a Mr. JOHN NUTTALL, manager to Messrs. 3lvEas
and Co., formed another branch. But it seems
that Mr. Nurratt of Matlock had never even
seen his cousin JOHN, or even known where he
lived. Indeed, Nt-rrazes only friends and
associates at Matlock consisted of JOHN ADAMS,
a medical man, JOB KNOWLES, a farmer, and his
attorney, Mr. Newaotn, all of whom were near
neighbours. GEORGE NUTTALL lived in an Old
house in Matlock which had been occupied by his
mother. In his bedroom was an old cabinet or
cupboard, where be kept his papers. Behind this
house there was a room or chamber, to which access
was obtained by stairs, and which was near the
hayloft.

Such being the circumstances of Gaosor Nrr-
TALI, about the end of the year 1854 he gave in-
structions to Mr. NEWBOLD, his attorney, to draw
up his will. These orders were obeyed. OrmsnE
Nurrstt himself made two fair copies of it, took
them to the attorney's office on the 10th of Sep-
tember, 1854, and on the same day executed both.
The effect of this will was to give his housekeeper,
CATHERINE 31ARSUEN, his house and furniture ; to
give ELSE about 1001, a year ; to give an eventual
interest to his cousin, JOHN Nurrsu. ; but the
bull• of his real estate he left to a Miss SnetrioN,
whose relations with the testator it is more easy to
conjecture than to describe. As the LORD CHIEF
JUSTICE said, such a will could not be considered
• satisfactory disposition of the testator's property. ;
Throughout he shows a peculiar, though perhaps not
unnatural, disposition to provide for persons whom
he describes as servant-maids, whilst he almost