The Express.
London, England, 1851-11-21 00:00:00

SCENES IN THE LIVERPOOL COUNTY

COURT.-WIDNESDAT.

RINCITIORROW V. CONOLLY.

The plaintiff in this action, Nicholas Ringborrow, aned
Captain Samuel Conelly fur the sum of 2/. las , fur wages
due to him as a seafaring apprentice. Mr. Wilford appeared
for the plaintiff, and Mr. Orocott for the defendant.
Mr. Wilfurd called the plaintiff, who proceeded to give
the particulars of the case, when it appeared that, in order
to prove the apprenticeship to the defendant, it was neces-
sary to produce the indenture. Mr. Orocott did not pro-
duce the instrument, and bad commenced irregularly ex-
amining the defendaut before the plaintiff's case had closed.
The judge complained of this as having been done with
the intention of misleading him' and proceeded to say, that
it was such proceedings as this that had morally murdered
the late judge, and driven him out of existence. He could
not bear such treatment. A judge of a County Court, it
appeared, was expected to be something like an angelic
being omniprescient, omniscient, or, perhaps, possessed of
the attributes of Deity. " They have never," said he, , let
me alone a moment since I came here. They have tor-
mented me day and night ; they have almost morally mur-
dered me; I cannot live under this sort of treatment ; they
will torment me till I am dead, and I don't know whether
they will let me alone when I am in my grave."
Mr. Wilford—l hope not, your Honour. (Loud laughter
followed this malapropos remark.)
The Judge—They have been plaearding the walls of the
town this very day, publishing placards of a very disgraceful
description. It is disgraceful to those who have done so,
and to those who continue the system; and I will be
bound to say that there is not another town in England
where such a thing would be done. Here I have been
sitting, like an angel of life, from January to December,
going through the journey of like as smoothly as
I could. I must surely be supposed to be pos-
sessed of angelic qualities belonging to another state of
existence, or I should not have been insulted as I have been.
I am glad to say that it is not by the respectable portion of
the people that I have been se treated, and I trust I shall
have the respect of the respectable portion of the peope.
There are a number of parties who have come to this court
of justice who know that the judge has been insulted in
this court of justice. here I am the minister of the law,
the representative of her Majesty, sitting under her arms,
and 1 ought to be administering justice with tolerable com-
fort. I trust that the respectable inhabitants of this town
will rally round me and carry me triumphantly over the
backsliders who have opposed me. If this is not to be so. '
I know lam to be ruined and murdered. I say it is moral
murder fur a man to be attacked as I have been. I say it is
a moral murder. But I trust in being able to carry with I
me the good opinion of those persons who are in everyway '
able to judge ; and I know that they are of
opinion that I hate been unceasingly slandered,
abused, and calumniated, for the sole purpose of bring-
ing me into disrepute anti disgrace. It is most lamentable
to me to see the same sort of conspiracy going on that must
end in destroying me as it did the last judge. It is destroy-
ing me, by destroying my health, as it has destroyed my
comfort since I came to the towu. It must render me un-
able to live, if it is continued. At this moment I have not
a sixpence in my pocket for doing the work of this court for
the last twenty-two months. lam a couple of thousands of
pounds besides this out of pocket, owing to the expense to
which I have been put in defending myself against the
assaults of parties who are as heartless and base as their

insinuations'have been as false as were ever made against
human being.
llt,Pirriat ACCOUNT.—WOODBURN V. CULLEN.—The
plaintiff claimed the amount of fet. lOd., alleged to be duo
for grocery goods and provisions supplied to the defendant.
The defendant's wife appeared to answer the claim. After
the statements of the plaintiff, it transpired in the

course of the examination that, amongst other things
supplied was milk, which the defendant denied, and was
proceeding to do so when the examination proceeded thus :
Judge—. Don't go on that way, woman: listen to my
questions. Did you get the milk?" Defendant—l did not,
air." " Now take care what you aro about; I will not have
people coining here to tell me that which is not true. Did
you ever get the milk from her or anybody connected with
her ?" " Nut to my knowledge." "Did she ever come and
demand the mousy ?" " She came to my hou.e." Judge,
with sharpness, emphasising and pausing between each
word—" Did—she— ever—come,—ay,—or—no,—and—de-
mand—the—money ?" Witness—" She did, sir." The
witness was about to add something else, when the
judge hurriedly exclaimed, "Stop, stop, stop. You can't
act even decently here. I never am such a manner used
before a court of justice; coming storming in that sort of
manner—in that sort of way." The defendant, in her fur-

thcr statement, denied that 'he ever had had any milk front
the plaintiff. Plaintiff: " She came and got half a pound
of soap, and—" Judge: "Now, stop; did you (defen-
dant) ever get soap and candles? (The defendant hesi-
tated.) Your conduct (further said the learned judge) is
just that of the class who come here and deny just debts ;
they come to carry their canes by personal insolence and
bluster. They might just as well try to bluster the moon.
It will have no earthly effect upon me, and will bring
punishment upon them. Did you get any from the middle
of June to the middle of July? " Witness: "None, sir."
Judge: "If you go on telling me that which I find by
evidence to be untrue, you will very likely find yourself
before the judge at the assizes, to take your trial for per-
jury. I sent two people yesterday; .and I have taken
your measure already." Tho witness endeavoured
to offer an observation. Judge (with warmth) : " Hold
' your tongue ! Did yuu get soap, candles, or milk, from the
middle of J uue to the sth of July in this year ?" Witness:
" No." Judge, to the plaintiff: " Listen to the question.
Are you quite sure that these things were get within the
time you mention, from the middle of June to the sth of
July in this year ?" "Yes.' Judge: "Just
tell me the particulars. How much fur soap ? Refresh your
memory. Have you got a bill of the articles ?" A bill of
account was handed in, and the plaintiff said, " I put it
down on the cupboard door." Judge : " Never mind the
cupboard door. Why, this (looking at tho account which
was handed in) is all for soap and candles. There is no
milk." And etceteras." Judge: "No, there

are no etceteras. Do von mean to sly that this is
correct, or incorrect? There is no milk here. If this
contains all, there is no milk here, or any etceteras."
Plaintiff: "Then I have sold the milk, and have not
put it down." Judge: "Arc you sure this bill is right ?"
Plaintiff: "Yea," and the plaintiff was about to offer some
explanation. Judge : " Now, don't go on in that way, but
Isom to answer questions without making speeches. On
the 28th of June there is soap and candles, 3s. Sid ; is that
right ?" Plaintiff :" It is, sir." Judge, to the defend-
ant : " Were soap and candles got on June 28th to the
amount of 3s. 64d. ?" Defendant :" Se she said, sir." The
Sadao repeated the question twice, and then said, " Now
I ask you a third time, were soap and candles got on June
220, to the amount of 34. 6)d ?" Defendant : " She
says so." Judge : " You have said that already ; I want
to know whether they were got or not ?" " They were not
got, to my knowledge." Judge : " Third answer—'they
were not got to my knowledge.' Now uto July sth, as to
the amount of 3s. 31d." Defendant :" I don't know the
date, sir, but I paid her 3e. 31d." Judge :" I did not ask
whether you paid her. Will you answer my question ?
Were soap and candles got on July 5 to the amount of
34. ?" Defendant : They were not got to my know-
ledge ; hut I paid her." Judge ; " Are you in
the habit of paying people for things which you do
not get ?" The defendant said, " No, sir," and was
about to add something more, when the Judge said,
" Stop a moment, woman. If you give your evident is •
decent sort of way, I may give some attention to it. Ti.
come here in a blustering sort of way, and instead of OOPPer•
ing questions you make speeches. You won't answer/11mM
Did your daughter or your servant get anything fee 2w;
were they in the habit of gettithings for you ?" Diem.
dent : Never " Judge: " What age is your doughtier
Defendant: " She is there, sir" (pointing to the yaw
girl). Judge: " I did not ask you if she was there; we
you tell me what her age is ?" Defendant: " Fifteen, sir."
The Judge further questioned the defendant as to• whether
she had not been in the habit of paying for goods which
her daughter and servant got from different shops? The
defendant replied in the negative, and was about to offer
some explanatory observations. Judge: " There yea p
rambling on. You have answered in the negative—. I
never paid for things which they got.' That is the ant
answer. In the second you say, I never paid but for these
things.' Then you did pay her for some things they have
got.' The defendant hesitated. Judge, impatiently: " Will ,
you answer me, or I will impose a fine of 51. upon you
before you are a few minutes older ? You come here and
studiously insult me. Do you not know that it is highly
disgraceful for me to have to drag things out of you by
the neck, as it were, in this sort of way ? You seem to
be a person lost to the common decencies of life, and do not
know how to behave yourself. If you can't here, I don't
know what you will elsewhere, when the whole court are
gazing at you, having the same idea as me. I ask you whe-
ther you paid her for some things you got ?" Defendant:
" I did pay her." The J edge then, at great length, questioned
the defendant as to whether it was before er after the 28th
of June when the goods were got? Defendant: "I do not
know, sir; I never keep any account of the time." Judge,
facetiously laughing: "Then I think I shall keep au account
of my time. I shan't waste any more over you. Have you got
any witnesses?" Defendant: ' have my daughter." Judge:
" If you mean to press it to that, you may ; but I shall,
perhaps, send you and your daughter somewhere else. You
don't know, perhaps, that I committed some people yester
day for perjury, and that they will be tried at the neat
emus ? Do you know that this court has power to com-
mit you for perjury ? (The defendant remained silent.)
Dent you know that ?" (TUB queetion was repeated many
thews, and at length the debsdent said, "I do.") Judge •
"'Then I would advise yes to ISM care what you are
sleet. Year oath is is appellant Is the oath of this good
worm I mil nod yes to psi, Old send your daughter
is the Mlle beat slag with yea. I never saw a person
give their miaow is a more *mend way in my life, or
ie seeded dramdrea more impieperly." After some fur-
ther questions reistive to the NM of June, the Judge
laid, " Are yea pi to soy say more ? Do you mean
to call your witness 2' Defendant: " Here ismy"
Judge: " I order iminediMe payment of Is. 10d. and
I shall amide' whet I inn do with this 'lad I
shall eel eek
y, ler nebripe=2itere bombs& Übe be-
hued hainif muff km
paw wonso-•thap OEM& Wiligneribit irk her meat
what Ide othiliseto Siseorreey eigthse she did
get. It wpm, Ilse she soil her dregloor are in the
habit of getting talky the ithethelves. She admitted that
they did. She did net draw the gist of my quad's. I put
a Itleethre se • tholleggoolos. ea that it was quite obvious,
igIMIS I Wield OD OM rig peedthlar answer, she answered
the tentsesay. MIS Irian Wbo a person who will
swear anything. This I. •lIIWASZ of those disgraceful cases
which reflect eternal diagram urn such persons. She comes
here dressed out in silks and satins, and though a poor
woman comes dressed humbly in life, I will believe her