The Express.
London, England, 1862-01-29 00:00:00

tab; inttlligtnce.
COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.-JAN. 28.

Sittings in Banco In Hilary Terre.—(Before Lad Chief
Justice Cockburn, and JOU= Wirrtman, Crompton,
and Mellor.)
THZ QUAY F. HAMLI.TON.—CILIMINAL INFORMATION.
Mr. Bovill moved on the part of Mr. Byng and the other
directors of the South Eastern Hallway Company, and of the
secretary Mr. Smiles, for a rule eau` upon Mr. John J.
Hamilton to show OWN why • criminal information should
not be filed against hint for certain libels reflecting upon
their character. The learned commit said that the matter
was one of considerable importance atthe prosenttime, math,
annual meeting of the company was about to take pleas. sod
as the object of the publicstious complained of was to obtain
a changettf the directors, sad the dismimal et the serotary,
Mr. Smiles, who was well known as the author of
the " Life of Stephenson," and "Lives of Eminent En.
ewers." In the summer of last year the directors had
under their consideration the subject of the competition to
which the South Eastern company was exposed by the
London, Chatham, and Dover line, and they came to the
conclusion that the best way to meet it was to reduce their
fares. Mr. Hamilton, who wee • large shareholder in the
South Eastern, took a different view, and enforced his
opinions by • eerie* of circulars and letters which he ad.
drooled to the directors and the shareholders. In these he
accused Mr. Smiles of having designedly made certain
untrue statements with regard to the traffic and other sub-
limes, and the directors with having been in complicity
with him in the matter. The passage mainly relict
epos was this : " There is such • thing as
low, cunning, despicable meanness, that goes be-
yond the bounds of profligacy and depravity the
mat unblushing ; but all this fails to convey an idea of the
abym of moral degradation into which men must have sunk
who would wilfully and designedly concoct a mass of
villain= representations, and then, under the guise of
friendly, counsel, point to an article which Mr. Smiles has
written to • paper (the Railway Times) and tell those
whom he has duped and whose breed he is eating that they
will find all the bearings of the subject there fairly die-
cussed." Mr. Hamilton also spoke of Mr. Smiles ea shook
maker and seller who was of no use to the company as secre-
tary, and whose conduct was demoralising to the whole
company's staff. The learned counsel said Mr. Smiles de-
nied that he had written the article to which reference
was made, or that he had made any false repessentations.
The Lord Chief Justice said it was more an attack upon
Mr. Smiles than upon the directors.
Mr. Bovill—The directors are charged with being parties
to the comeection of misrepresentations, and this is done
with the express object of preventing their re-election.
Mr. Justice Crompton—Ought the court to interim an
proposed by its high receptive because • man utters some
lasted trash
The Lard Chief Justice—When • man his recourse to
turgid vitnperatiou in general terms, you invariably find
that there is mot much beneath it
Mr. Bovill said this whet the directon mot Mr. Hamil-
ton • copy of a remolution they bad pared expressive of
their entire confiders in Mr. Smiles, be replied that he
deeply deplored the eamplieity between them and their
secretary. He also reiwesi:gio =Pee, wad dollop& the
directors to disprove his on
The Lord Chia Jusliee—l think there ought to be • rule
as regards Mr. Saliba The embetemos cd the libel is that
Me. Hamilton charges Mr. Smiles with having ramseeled
systernatiodly • sense of false statements for the yawn
of mideading and deluding the South IliMm
holders, whose servant he wee. That is •my slim
charge to make against a man holding a ...ad
public position like that of Mr. Smiles, and throw I
think you should have a rule as to hint. With moot be
the directors, all I can my is that, looking to the wMiem
they hold, and to the fact that they eery the iss al
the great body of the shareholders, they eta well ilea to
treat with indifference unsupported aesuestioes el this ogee
mid general nature.
The other judges being of the same opinion,
A rade was granted.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.—JAN. 28.
Biainp in Binco.--(Balors Lord Mist Judas
Jus Erls and
tices Winans, Willa, and Isaias.)
THE DM OF JZAUPORT I. TIM FAIL OP ASIBUILXIIAIL—

INFLUZIITILL MIMI&
This was an action to try the right to certain wage leads,
and also the right of speed( over some land near the
town of Bream, sad in that meaty the venue was laid. A
few days ago a robe was mated to change the verse from
Bream to Hereford opal time ground that an impartial jury
could act be obtained is Brecon because the duke was so
indiesatial there ; sad smother ground relied upon was that
Hereford would be a mere esavemmient place to try.
Mr. Groves now apparel to show canes spirit the mils,
and Mr. Serjesat Pigott to support it.
It was today stated that although it was tree that the
duke bad a shooting-box in Bream, dill he was only in the
meaty ahw weeks ia the year ; whilst on the other head
the earl had coi-siderable property in the county of Her
ford.
The Lard Chief Justice thought that there was no=
for saying that an impartial jurycould not be
where the venue was laid. It aught be most ocammiest
for the defendant to try in Hereford, and for the phhrtiff to
try in Brew° ; but the point wwasthat at arm a local whoa,
aed therefore the plaintiff bad a right to keep the weave is
the county where the mass of whoa arose.
Bede discharged.

BANCO arnvans OW& TIMM.
"This court will on Thursday, the Bth; Friday, the 7th ;
Saturday, the Bth ; lioaday, the 10th ; lad Tuesday, the
11th days of February next, hold sittings ia hum, sod will
pysucsreeedd with the cue is the special paper et the Great
Osotral Oas Common' Company v. Clarke, with the CYO
standing is the old sew trial paper, and with the remaining
cases in the speciel paper. And this court will also at such
sitting give judgment in the cans which will then be
stands. over for the conaidruatioa d the court.
" By the Court."