The Express.
London, England, 1849-06-11 00:00:00

SHERIFFS' COURT-SATURDAY.

CRAWFORD V. COOll.- IMPORTANT TO TATIRW/LTISPIRS.
DAMAORS /OR BRING REFUSED • BID.
. . . _

The plaintiff in this case is a Chancery barrister and the
defendant is proprietor of the Clarence Hotel, Aldersgate-
street. The eetion was brought to rec.ver 40s. damages
under the following circumstances :
The plaintiff stated that he went to the defendant's hotel
ma the 29th of February last, about seven o'clock, and after
dining there and taking a pint of wine, requested that he
might be provided with a bed. The rain was pouring in
torrents at the time, and his clothes were completely
saturated. The proprietor, however, refused to allow him to
remain there all night, observiog that it was not his custom
to provide beds for parties who came without luggage, unless
they gave a respectable reference. He (plaintiff) tendered a
sovereign, and said he thought that that was the best luu•
gate he could offer. Defendant, however, still refused to
provide him with the accommodation he required, and ob-
served that he had recently had his house robbed by quite as
respectable a looking man as le was. The result was that
he (plaintiff) was obliged to turn out in kis wet clothes, and
to seek shelter the best way be could. The learned gentle-
man cited several eases to show that an innkeeper was bound
by the law to provide a bed for any one decently attired who
fright require such accommodation. It had been held by
Mr. Justice Coleridge, in the We of Hex v. Ireland, that a
person requiring such accommodation was not even bound to
give his name, and yet the defendant had endeavoured to
repeal the common law of England.
Mr. Smith, solicitor, called Mr. Crocker, the superinten-
dent of the hotel, who stated that it was not the custom of
respectable tavern-keepers to provide a bed for strangers,
unless they gave a reference. The waiter informed him
(defendant) that the plaintiff was a " ramtny"-looking cus-
tomer ; and he, observing that he was very shabbily attired,
and had large holes in his boots, thought it quit* right, for
the protection of the public, to refuse the accommodation he
required, tulles, he could furnish him with a reference, seve-
ral hotels having recently been robbed to a very great extent.
The plaintiff was incorrect in statirg that it was seven o'ekek
when he left; be came in about three, and left at five.
Plaintiff refused to give a reference, and it was untrue that
he had tendered a sovereign.
His Honour said teat the defendant wee at liberty to re-
fuss accommodation if he thought proper, but the law was
against him, and found for the pLtintiff, damages 20s. and costs.
The defendant said he should certainly feel it to be a duty
te call a meeting of hotel and tavern-keepers, to petition
parliament for the repeal of such an obnoxious law.

THE POLICE COURTS.
CLIIRKEN WELL.
ATROCIOUS CRUELTY TO A COlL—Tempest Fletcher, a
gmagroeer in York street, City-road, was charged, at the
issuance of Mr. Thome, the secretary to the Royal Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Aniass'e, with cutting and
maiming a dog et the St. Bernard breed, the property of a
gentlemsn named Gibb., of Plummer's-row, City road. It
appeared that the animal stopped in front of the defendant's
house ; and Fletcher, who was trimming some rhubarb with
a knife, rushed up to it, and ripped it up from the flank to
the loins. The dog was brought into court, and its appear-
ance occasioned a sickening amnion and ems of shame.
Mr. Gibbs, in reply to the magistrate, said the dog was
it the breed kept up by the monks of St. Bernard, to dis-
sever travellers who might be lest in snow-storms ; and he
added that he had been offered, but had refused, 201. for it.
The prisoner, in reply, said the dog flew at him, and that
be acted in selfdefence.
The person who had charge of the animal at the time is
qtrosslioa, denied the truth of this defence.
Mr. Tyrebitt regretted that the statute did not empower
him to award against the prisoner the amount of damage
done to the poor animal. He characterised the conduct of
the defendant.. cruel, and fined him in the highest pushy,
namely, 404 , with costs, or a month's imprisonment.
MARLISOROIIOH-STREET.
AO AT THS ARMY AND NAVY CLOB.—J. Boyle and
Thomas Pafterson were charged with having stolen a quan-
tity of lead from the Amy and Navy Club in Pall mall, not
yet completed. It appeared that the two prisoners were
plumbers, in the employ of Mr. Ttego, the contractor for the
works, and were engaged, Boyle at a guinea, and Patterson
at eighteen shillings per week. In consequence of lead
having been missed from the works, some under the care et
Patterson was marked, and it was subsequently discovered
to be gone. On Friday night, Ile Harking, the foreman of
the works, about seven o'clock, told the men that they mat
submit to be marched. and that those who refused would be
given into custody. On putting his band on Boyle 101bs. of
lead were fund under his shift, end Patterson, who bad
his picket off, denied having any lead, but subsequently
produced three pieeo s, and afterwards two more.—Buth pri-
soners were committed for trial.
MARRIAGE UNDIR • FAL63 NAME.—An elderly female
wished to submit a cue of .rest importance for the magis-
trate's opidien. She was married some years ego, and she
had discovered that her husband bad married her in a
wrong name.
Mr. Bingham asked whether her husband was known es
well by the name in which he married her as by his real
name The applicant npliede great deal better.
Mr. Bingham then raid they might rely upon it the mar-
riage was a perfectly good marriage in law.—The applicant
raid this was sot the main point. She mad separated from
her husband, and two years ago she ascertained he had mar-
ri-d another woman.
Mr. Bingham said she could proceed against him.—The
applicant said, with a little bashfulness, teat was not the
main point. She wished also to marry another man, and
she wanted to know if, under the circumstances, she could
not follow her inclinations ?
Mr. Bingham said the applicant asked him a very odd
question—whether she could not commit bigamy, because
her husband bad committed bigamy. He should advise her
not to make the experiment, for he could assure her it was
not lawful.
The applicant thanked the magistrate with a disconsolate
air, and withdrew.
THAMES.
DISCIPLIE or J SOurwoont.—Mr. CharlaWaf-
sots, an elderly person, ens charged with using threaten-
Jae and abusive Wigwam towards a person named William
Miller, who described himself es minister of the Apostolic
Chapel, Parliament -curt, BMr. Pelham stated theresPr""eLtke promeatioa, from ,
which it appeared the, parties were disciples of the doe- '
trims of Johanna Bruthcote;and that the Waist', of the
sect was in the practice of visiting Mr. Watson and his fa-
mily. and had done so for many ran, until within the
last two or three maths, when Mr. Watson suddenly be-
came jealous of Ohs, and entertained a suspicion that be
bad milled ma aa improper intercourse with Mrs.
Weamila. AO ill mother of a family. Mr. Wilt-
on had mass me of personal threats towards the
amend Mr. 1 Ise, and had threatened to shoot
him, and to banal him, mail he compelled him
Sart aieP Mm. He (Mr. Pelham) assured
the suegintate that Mr.Watem was labouring and. r a &M-
-AI., and that Mr. Miller never visited Mr. and Mrs. Wat-
son; mime to advise with them spiritually, and that he bad
been annoyed by the reports Tread by Mr. Watson respect-
leg his. canine% with Mrs. Watson, such reports bob:steam:
lewd te_Ajetre bin In the estimation of his flock.
Mr. Miller detailed on enth the particular. of his 00(141Lin.
tunes with Mr. Witten aid hi. family, whom he bad been
to the practice of visiting fhr some years put. and it was not
until within the lett two or three months that be heard that
defendant entertained suspicions of him. He they went on
to ante the nature of the annoyances experienced from the
defendant, and said he war in personal fear. For litany
Sundays past the conduct of the defendant was such as to
warner. belief that it was his intention to disturb the wor-
ship of the chapel in Parliament•comt, and a polloeman was