The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-06 00:00:00

TREATMENT OF A MILLINER

In the Queen's Bench, on Friday, was tried Greaves
v. Sowerby. It was an action for false imprisonment.
The plaintiff, Miss Eliza Greaves, lives in the establish-
ment of Miss Deacon, milliner, 11, Bruton-street, and
the defendants were Messrs. Sowerby, of Sowerby and
Talton, Regent-circus.—Miss Eliza Greaves, whose mode
of giving evidence excited the utmost interest in her
favour, si.id : I am the daughter of Lieutenant Greaves,
late of the Fusilier Guards. He is an assistant Poor-
law Commissioner. I was employed in the establish-
ment of Madame Deacon, 11, Bruton-street, Berkeley-
square. She is a milliner. I have been in her
establisment nine months. I have a sister named Olivia
in an establishment in George street, Hanover square.
On the 16th of October I borrowed 6s. of my sister.
I did not look at the money. It was two half-crowns
and a shilling. I had occasion to make some small pur-
chases, and went to Messrs. Sowerhy and Tattoo's, in
Regent-circus. I purchased several articles, and gave
two half-crowns in payment. I had to wait some time,
and the two young men asked me had I received my
change ? I said no, and a policeman then came in with
Mr. Wilson, the cashier. The policeman said he must
take me into custody for passing bad money. I told
him I did not know it was bad, that I had borrowed it
from my sister, and I gave him my sister's address, No.
9, George's-street. Hanover-square, which is within
five minutes walk of defendant's shop, and entreated
them to go there and see if what I had said was correct.
Mr. Wilson said he would not hear a word from me. A
crowd had collected. :It was eight o'clock, and I was
taken through the crowd, and kept in the street ten
minutes, till Mr. Wilson and ,Miss Flatman, who had
served me with the goods, could join us. It was very
wet under foot, and I was then brought to the station
and searched by the female searcher, who took everything
off me, and opened my mouth to search it ! I was kept
standing on the cold stones whilst my clothes were
searched, and my shoes and stockings were off. I was
kept in a cell for three hours, when Mr. Deacon (brother
to Miss Deacon, with whom I reside) came, and the
inspector allowed him to take me home in a cab. Next
morning I was put into the dock in the police office, and
was charged with passing bad money. Air. Wilson and
Miss Flatman persisted in the charge, hut the money
was proved to be good. I had been in delicate health
previous to that evening. Cross-examined : The
magistrate sent the half-crowns to Dr. Parkes to have
them tested, and they were found to be good. Witness
saw an apology published by Messrs. Sowerby in the
77;n2e$ and Morning _Post; they offered £5 compensation
in the first instance, and £lO afterwards. Part of the
apology in the paper was not true. It says I was
released on the appearance of my s'ste-, but I was not
released till Mr. Deacon came. Olivia Greaves said lam
the sister of the plaintiff. On the 16th of October last,
my sister borrowed some money of m•. I gave her two
half-crowns and a shilling. That evening a policeman
came, and I went with them to Mrs. So werby's. It was
about half-past i.ine o'clock. I told Mr. Sowerby I had
given my sister the money a short time before, and I
knew it was good. I told him how it had been dis-
coloured ; that I had some quicksilver in my pocket.
He said it was too late to interfere that night; they were
taking bad money every day, and they must make an
example of some one. I asked him if my sister was to be in
prison all night, and he said, " Yes." He then whispered
to the policeman and the other gentleman. I then left the
shop. John Chis well, the police constable, corroborated
the evidence of the plaintiff in the statement that she had
given her right address and the address of her sister, and
that she had repeatedly requested the shopman to send to
her sister's to ascertain the truth. It had been raining,
and it was rather damp. Witness had ascertained that the
plaintiff's statement about the money was correct, and he
went to a chemist to have the money examined. He then
went to Mr. Sowerby, and told him he had found her
statement to be correct. He said he was very sorry
the money was good 1 but he had left it in Mr. Wilson's
hands, and wished her to be let out on bail. I am sub-
poenaed by Mr. Haines (defendant's attorney). My
statement was taken down in the presence of the inspector.
Mr. Deacon said he went to the station about eleven
o'clock, and found the plaintiff crying and agitated. The
inspector said he thought the money was good, and took
witness's bail. Here Mr. James suggested to Sergeant
Wilkins to leave the decision of the case to the
judge. Sergeant Wilkins : So be it. Lord Camp-
bell then said as the law now stood the judge
was bound to try a case, if both sides wished
him to do so; and as both the learned counsel have
consented, he was ready to take that course. His opinion
was, that the sum of £lO was not sufficient. He had na
doubt about the respectability of the defendants,' and that
they meant to do what was right, and that this was a case
of suspicion, but he thought they had conducted them-
selves very harshly and inconsiderately. The appearance
of this young woman spoke for itself; he might say she
brought a letter of recommendation with her. Never
since he was a judge, or at the bar, had he seen a witness
whose conduct in the box was more unexceptionable.
Under all the circumstances he was of opinion that the
plaintiff ought to have an additional £lO. Verdict for the
plaintiff. Damages, £2O. Mr. Serjeant Wilkins asked his
Lordship to certify for a special jury, which his Lordship
said he would do accordingly. •

PRACTICAL JOKING.—Most of our readers know that for
some time past Dr. Mill has been lecturing in this town on
medicine and the various sci,nces with which it is connected.
Now, we are innocent in a great measure of a knowledge of
the truth or falsehood of what he says about the various
schools of medicine, and hope that we may never have to put
any of them to the test (his ownincluded) practically ; but
all who have heard him must acknowledge that, as a popu-
lar scientific lecturer, the doctor has few rivals. Well,
some of our medical men, offended perhaps by what he has
said, or by the popularity of an unorthodox practitioner,
have shown symptoms of irritation, and a couple of embryo
M.D.'s resolved upon testing his medical skill. They accord-
ingly called upon him, and one of them, a fine healthy
young man, with a roguish eye,
complained of certain pains
in the chest, a cough, night sweats, &c. The doctor heard
his tale, asked a number of questions, and, after a long
diagnosis, declared him to be in a deep consumption. This
was just what was wanted, and the young gents could hardly
control their mirth while Dr. Mill
it up an wrote his prescription,
sealed in envelope, and directed it to one of our
first chemists, pocketed his fee, and bowed them out of the
room.
To the chemist's they rushed to enjoy the pent-up
laug7 , and handing him the note, .
he read :—"This young
man is suffering from cerebra hernia in the region marked
self-esteem' by phrenologists. Pray therefore give him
common sense ii grains ; wit, i dracham ; horsewhip, ad
libitum.—J. M. We hardly expect the doctor will get
another professional patient here.—Banbury Advertiser.

Believe me to be, yours very truly,
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE.
All doubt, therefore, which may have existed in the
minds of any as to Miss Nightingale's acc.'Ptance of the
proposals is now at an end. The object to w hieh the fund
is to be applied—and which has met with
'uoh strong
support from all classes—has received the sanctit'a ot Miss Nightingale herself.