The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-07 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME ClRCUlT..—lthrosirow, Aram 6.
(Before Lord Chief Aurtioe Brie and a Special Jury.)
/MAN V. TATIS.--STWOULAIR CAPP OP YALU IY•

This was an action to mover damages for smelt and
false imprisonment.
Serjeant Parry and Kr. Joy°, were for the plaintiff, and
the Hon. G. Denman, Q.C., appeared for the defendant.
The plaintiff in this action is a bricklayer, living in Croy-
don, and the defendant is an elderly gentleman possessed
of considerable property, who resides in the village of Bed-
dington, a short distance from Croydon, and the action was
brought to recover damages from the defendent for having,
as was alleged by the plaintiff, assaulted and falsely impri-
soned him, under very peculiar circumstances. It appeared
that on the afternoon of the 6th of October lid the
quiet village where the defendant ridded was thrown intoa
state of considerable excitement by several man rushing
through it, calling out that there bad been a robbery, and
although by what mans did not very clearly appear, an
impression appeared to have been created that the hones
of a gentleman named Mutton, who lived at Beddington,
had been robbed of • quantity of plate, and that the
thieve+ had started off with their booty in the direction of
Croydon. Without matins any inquiry the defendant
appeared to have started off in pursuit, and on the way he
was joined another inhabitant named Start, and the
two pmeededby far nearly • mile in pursuit of the
culprits. When they were in the middle of a IMPtheyd
maw the plaintiff in the act of getting out of a hole, where
he had apparently been concealing himself, and the defend-
ant and Yr. Strut went up to him and told him that a rob-
bery had been committed, and they suspected he was con-
earned in it, and wished him to aosonspany them back to
Beddington in order that the matter ought be investi.
gated. The plaintiff seemed to have agreed to do ea,
and the three went back a short distance, when they met a
police-oonstable, and it appeared that by this time it bad
been assertabied that no robbery had been committed, and
that the proceeding on the part of the men who had Brat
given the alarm was merely a stupid hoax to disturb the
quiet of the village, and the plaintiff was consequently
allowed to depart. Under these eircumetances the present
action was tersight against the defendant, end the plain-
tiff, in ceder to prove the assault, swore that the defendant
ordered him, at** Jame time saying that be was one el
the gang who had stolen the plate ; and with regard to
the imprisonment, it was contended that hs was under
dames until the policeman same up, and that this
amounted to a false imprisonment of the plaintiff, for
which he wee entitled to damage,.
Kr. Denman, in his address to the jury for the &dna-
ant, argued that the action wee one el a most trumpery
character, which sever ought to have been brought wind
the defendant, who had really dens no mere than any other
honest man would have done under similar circumstances.
He really believed that one of his neighbours had been
robbed of a quantity of valuable property, and he went in
pursuit of the potions whom he might very reasonably
harem g werein •of it, sad seeing the plain-
tiff from a p where he had apparently been
encl.e.% to conceal himself, he went op to him and,
seeing that e was very much flushed and excited from
running fast, told him that a robbery bad been com-
mitted, and asked him to come beck and give some account
of limed!. It was peasilde that the defendant might have
touched the plaintiff when he quested him to socom4 pan
hint beak to Beddgt, but be denied most
Lively that he haocoollllared him, or done an
that could be reasonably construed into an am ,
he said that with regard to the alleged false imprison-
ment, the plaintiff was willing to accompany Kr. Yetis
back to Beddington, and when the policeman came up and
it was ascertained that no robbery Bad been committed, he
was immediately allowed to go away. The learned counsel
also observed that, although the plaintiff had denied that
he had anything to do with the hem that was perpe-
trated. it was clear that he was one of the psalms who
were running away, and if he was concerned in the affair,
he had brought all the inconvenience upon himself.
Chief Jostles ISM having summed up, the jury almost
maiediately returned • verdict for the defendant.
This ease eencluded the business of the Home Circuit.

OXFORD CHWIIIT.--Gtouczsm, Arm. 6.
Nutt Pim COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice Pigott.)

NORTON T. OBRA? WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY.

---•--
This case, an action for damages for injury sustained by
the plaintiff, a Bilstou boot and shoemaker. ix the terrible
acei&sit to an excursion train at Retinal, Shropshire, last
Jam, terminated in a verdict for the plaintiff—damages,
451 X.