The Express.
London, England, 1858-02-17 00:00:00

THE EXPRE3S. WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 17, 1858.

IMPORTANT PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE
OONZON LODGING-NOM .ACT.

(From lionch.)
Mr. John Bull, koo rof a common lodging house,
auseh frequented by was charged with various
castes ander the Common Lodging-louse Aot, and gene-
rally with keeping a disorderly house, and harbouring not*.
rlomiy bed oharacten.

The principal witness against him was a Frenchman,
formerly a lodger is the house, who gave his name Chula
Louis hapoleoa. The witness stated that Mr. Bull, the
landlord of the house, systematically violated the proAelou
of the act, which requital him to open the windows of his
rooms fora attain number of hours daily, to turn down the
bed-clothes, and merrily to keep up &close mtrveillanos over
the inmates of his house, and ventilate everything In the
te occupied by
lodgers.lie farther stated that
:71:r:the act bound the landlord to give notice to the
police of all dangerous came of contagious or eFddeenio dis-
orders, and of all attacks arising from such disorders that
might occur on the premise., with a view at once to the re-
moval to safe custody of those in whom they might break
out, and the preservation of three they might attack, Mr.
Bull had been in the habit of allowing such cases to get to a
height without informing the police, and of permitting his
lodgers to associate indiscriminately with persons suffering
from the most dangerous and contagious disorders,,partico.-
larly what was celled in France "La Firers Rouge.'
Ma Magistrate wished to know if this was the same as
scarlet fever and begged the witness to be a little more pre-
cise in Ilia statements, and to express himself in English, as
he seemed to know the language well.
The witness said he did, having long resided in England,
in Mr. Bull's house. He had been a special constable here
In 1848, shortly after which he left England, seeing an
opsthg for an active young man in France, where he bad
sineheld various responsible situations, and was now earn-
ing my high wages. La Fiery Rouge was an epidemic
which had made great ravages in Franco, and was much
worse than the worst kind of scarlet fever known In Eng-
land. It was a highly inflammatory diocese of the most con-
Mewls character, and attended with delirium.
The Magistrate inquired what pert of the body it
attacked P

The witness said it generally attacked the upper extremi-
ties, at the crown.
The to inquired if the witness warn a medical prac-
tidos& P _

The witness said be bad practised in Prance for the last
nine years, five of them on his own account, and had parti-
cularly devoted himself to the treatment of this very dis-
order. He believed his treatment was considered highly
successful. It connoted in letting blood freely, followed by
lowering and suppressive treatment, and the strictest separa-
tion and close confinement of the sufferers. Change of air,
too, he had found useful, particularly removal to hot climate;
like Algeria. Ile considered Cayenne almost a specific, and
bad administered it in large doses, especially during the vary
severe outbreak of the disorder in 1862. All movement was
dangerous, and all mental exertion. He considered the worst
oases were those which had originated among Mr. Bull's
lodgers, who often brought the disease into France. Comi-
dared Mr. Bull guilty under the act, for not bringing these
mass to the knowledge of the police.
The witness was closely cross-examined by the defendant.
Admitted he had several times been a lodger in the de-
fendant's house; declined to state what his means of sub-
sistence were while in this country. Might have been
charged with attempts at burglary at Boulogne and Stras-
bourg. Would not say he had not been tried fora murder
arising out of the former charge. Would not swear he had
not been imprisoned on that charge. Might have expressed
strong opinions to Mr. Balton the subject of this act during
the time he lodged with him. Would not say he had not
told him the police had no business on his premises. The
windows of his room were generally kept shut. Never com-
tined then. Wu not in good circumstances at that time.
ed • ht have borrow money of Mr. Bull. Would not swear
ha ad not left in his debt. Might have had La Freers Rouge
himself ; had associated freely with persona suffering from it.
Might have told Mr. Bull it was not dangerous • knew better
now. Did not see what that had to do with the present
charge. Declined to state whether he bad made any com-
munication to the police. Had friends in the police now, and
considered it an honour. Thought Mr. Bull's house
ought to be shut up, and his license as a common lodging-
hour keeper taken away, for the safety of society at large.
Was vary much interested for society at large. Considered
he had saved society at large. Was not aware if that opinion
was mend, but a day seldom passed without his being told
soby persons in the highest positions in France.
Mr. Bull called several witnesses to speak to the character
of his house, including en old Austrian of the name of Met-
ternich (whose cautious and roundabout way of giving his
evidence much amused the court), several members of a
family of the name of Bourbon, whose father had lodged
with Mr. Bull under-the name of Smith, and a host of Hun •
miens, Italians, Poles, and Frenchmen, who ;moved that
Mr. Bull complied strictly with the terms of the set, and
that they had no complaint to make of the house. Several
members of the police force also gave evidence. It ap-
peared on croes•examination that the informer had for several
ymn_past been in the habit of making complaint against
Mr. Bull's house, and had endeavoured to induce the
police to enter the premises in disguise. Ile had had the act
explained to him, and had always been told that any charge
of violation of an of its provisions would be strictly looked
into. There might be a grudge on the informer's past
against Mr. Bull.
The Magistrate, after careful consideration of the act, said
It did not appear to him that the charges were made out.
There was no proof that the defendant knew of the existence
of the alleged cases of the very serious disorder deposed to by
the principal witness. Mr. Bull was not bound to inform
the police of suspected cases. He had no power to detain
his Wgius, or to prevent their leaving his house. All powers
of an inquisitorial character required to be exercised cau-
tiously in this country. He thought it 11l became the witness,
who, by his own account, eeemed to be under considerable
obligations to Mr. Bull, to bring such a charge as the present
on such loose and unreliable foundation. Mr. Bull would
leave this court without any stain on his character. The
magistrate saw no grounds whatever for taking away the
license of the house. On the contrary, it seemed to ham to
be very well conducted, and It wee a great blessing to many
distressed foreigners that they had such a place to resort to.
The decision of the worthy magistrate was loudly cheered,
and Mr. Bull on leaving the court was warmly greeted by
his numerous lodgers. The witness, Napoleon, was allowed
to leave the court by the private entrance in • cab, as there
seemed a considerable disposition among the crowd assembled
in the neighbourhood to handle him roughly.