The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-29 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF LIBEL.

At the Mansion . House Police Court on Monday,
Frederick Sims, aged 13, was brought before the Lord
Mayor, under circumstances- of - somewhat a peculiar
nature, being charged with wilfully publishing a defame.
tory libel of and concerning the Bank of London and the
directors thereof. Suspended round his neck by a string
was a placard containing the following words, Bank of
London—Retirement of 140 shareholders. For list of
names see the Joint Stock Companies' Journal—Sold here.''
Mr. Paine, solicitor, who appeared for the proiecution,
said he had the h=onour to appear by instructions from the
directors of the Bank of London to conduct a case,
properlydo understand which it would be necessary to go
at some length into the history of the bank. Shortly after
starting the bank, an action was broueht against the
directors by a .persbn named LaWson for using 'the name
" Bank Of London," to which he professed to have a claim.
'The directors who were not aware that the name had
heen•preViouslyvEed, demurred to the action, and open the
demurer the decision was in favour of the bank. Subse-
quently, a Mr. Pringle was broneelit before the late Lard
Mayor, charged with a!I empl leg to extort reeeey from
•the bank by trans oft • eatenine, lettere. letters being
found upon him at t' • 7:tne •of •his apprehension which
plainly showed him •'a canneetion, with L fcvson; his
was committed for trial at. the Central Criminal Court
and appeared there, but as he apelogised the Aireetorg
did not wish to proceed will.' severity against hire, and
the charge was consequently withdrawn, But from that
time to the present a series of articles, many of which it
was true were not, in law, libellous, as the whole Were
concerted with an object of annoyance, had aSeared in ft
puleication called the Joint Stock Companies' Journal, and
on Thursday last a number appeared containing an article
of a decidedly libellous nature. This being brought to
the knowledge of the Bank, notice was given to the re"
spectable newsvendors, who one and all declined to sell
the paper. But • that very morning a party (whose
name was well known), who bad at various- times
endeavoured to procure advertisements from the
Bank trot' London for the Joint Stock Comp aniee'
Journal, and who, it could be proved, had attempted to
bribe a clerk in order to_do so. called at the bank for a list
narenoluers, aim wa called ariewarub Ercil pineiug,
placard, in connection with that number of the journal,
round the neck of a boy in Treadneedle street, not far
from the bank, and he (Mr. Paine) should consequently
Apply for a summons against him. The number of the
Joint Stock Companies' Journal referred to, dated April 18,
contained the articles in connection with the Bank 'of
London, one purporting to be a list of shareholders who
had sold out, without mentioning the fact that. others had
at the same time beught in—and the other being a libellous
attack on the director's, about which he (the selieitor) in
another hour was to have a consultation with Sir F.
Thesiger, for the purpose of taking steps for filing a
criminal information.: He must mention that there eves
no registry of propraeors or publisher of the. Joint Stock
Companies' Journal at Somerset. House, that its publisher
could not be found, and that 'the place where it was
said• to be oprine'd, upon enquiry, proved, to be a
sort of -carpenters shop. He had every, reason to
believe that there were several persons the con-
spiracy, and the directors, w Ito were anxious for
the fullest possible enquiry; he'd authorised him to give a
complete contradiction to the articles which had appeared.
Lord M,:yor ;' Then am I to understand that the boy was
given into custody for carrying the placard abont ? -Mr.
Paine: -Yes ;- but we. have .no wish to proceed against
him. Lord Mayor:. Your object is to obtain a summons
airainstene'of the publishers and vendors. Mr. Paine :
Yes, that is our object. A man who had also been hicught
into court, but not placed at the ,bar, for selling sound
copies-of the Joint Stock Companies' Journal containing the
Obnoxious articles, in front of the bank, said :—"A
gentleman whO had got a crowd round him offered him a
job it he wanted one, and when he replied he should be
glad of employment. gave him a dozen journals, with the
promise of one shilling if he sold t hem all, which he soon
did." Frpm the information of this man, it appeared* the
gentleman was the individual who had, as stated by Mr.
Paine, applied at the bank shortly before tor a list of
shareholders,- and against whom a summons was applied
'for. `llls lordship acceded to the application without
hesitation, and the prisoner was then discharged.

It is said that rats are getting so scarce in Paris that
the price of kid gloves has gone up to five francs per pair.
A. SIIPERSCRIPTION.—A day or two since the treasurer
of the United States received a letter on public business
with the following superscription, written evidently in
dead earnest : —" You night E D States Treser."— frath-
ington S ar, •
To my own knowledge several of the most stolid of
peasants, born and bred in this " vervecunt patria," have
learned to read and write well during a voyage to Aus-
tralia—the first uninterrupted opportunity that their lives
have afforded them, and that a brief one.—Letter in the
Times.

Captain John Cline, aged 78 years —a hero of the last
war With Great B:itain, to whom the citizens of Boston
many years ago presented a valuable sword for services
therein—was married on the 191 of March in Harring-
ton, Maine, to Miss Joanna Strout, aged_73 years. Captain
Alline resides in Brookline, Maine.

.The works of the Cemsyton Coal Company, Mon..
mou'hshire, have been brought to a stand still, in
consequence of the hands there emplo3ed having turned
out on strko, and having either so far enlisted the s 3
pattties of, or intimidated, the work nen obtained by the
company with a view to supplying their lace=, as to
prevent them from working.
LADY FRANKLIN'S ARCTIC EXPEDITION.—Lady Franklin
has effected the purcha4e of a steam yacht admirably
adapted for the requisite Arctic service, and the eminent
and experienced Arctic voyager and explorer, Captain
M'Clintock, his accepted the command of the expedition.
These facts abundantly show that Lady Franklin is in
earnest in her intention of carrying out the greit-duty
which has devolved upon her.
A new description of breech loading gun, manufactured
by M. A. M. Montinny of Antwerp, was on Saturday
landed at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. The weisht of
the piece is two tons, and it is intended as a sample for
the approval of the authorities. Two wrought iron guns
a nine and three pounder—have likewise been delivered
at the arsenal from the Nile foundry, Birmingham, also, as
samples, with a view of introclucing some important
improvements into the artillery service of the army.
MEXICAN HOSPITALITY.—Three enormous whales, one
ninety feet in length, recently paid a visit to the harbour
of Acapulco, on the Pacific coast, where they sojourned
four days, enjoying the 13,auties and excellent sea-bathing
of that fine bay. In the hospitality of his heatt, the
captain of the port refused permission to take them—a
stretch of authority very much condemned at the capital,
as one of the monsters would have yielded oil enough to
light the whole Republic for months,—N. 0. Pic.
NATIVE AMERICAN CAMELS.—We have some camels in
Texas to whom the naturalisation laws would not app'y—
three having been born under the stars and stripes. ' The
Washington Star says that they are thriving, and five' or
six more births are erected. From the reports of Abe
condition of the animals, at present, and through the
eleven months that the first importations have been on the
Continent, we may regard all doubts as to their acclima-
tion dissipater), and that so much of the experiment is a
fired fact. The only remaining indeterminate point is the
character of the stock that may be produced. For this,
time will be required.
Serious trouble has arisen from the Indians in lowa.
We have a letter dated at Webster City, in that State,
March 22, containing the following.:—" Our town is con-
siderably excited in regard to trouble with the Indians.
Nineteen dead bodies have been found near Spirit Lake,
about sixty miles northwest of Fort Dodge. The Indians
heve been committing their depredations for some little
time, and are daily growing bolder and more reckless in
their attacks. The people of this and the adjoining towns
are raising, men and munitions. A company will leave
Fort Dodge on the 24th well provided for, and determined
to aver ge their murdered brothers and friends "
POPULAR BELIEF IN WITCRCRAFT.—A friend has told me
that on his lately asking the boys of a school class the
meaning of "a witch," every boy save one answered
simultaneously, "There's one at —, sir ; there's another
at &c. Each boy knew of some poor creature
upon whom this 'nolo fame had settled, and who of course
suffers something from it, though she escapes the stake.
I was walking home from a wedding about the time in
ques
asked the bride and
ion by the side of the wedding party, all of whom
were believers in "them things." I.
her smart friend " how they woo d like their own characters
to be tatted in the river, with their present buoyant-looking
petticoats." They dt clined the trial. I then asked them,
" What was I expect ed to do with old Mrs. C—, if she
had floated?" Answer, with the gravest look .—" Why,
then, sir, of course, she would have to be made away with."
—Letter in the Times.

A STRANGER IN PonT.—At the Arch-street wharf lies
a Simon Pure Russian clipper, with a Russian skipper,
Cos.zrek crew, and through-going Cussaek rigging and
quarter deck arrangements. She brings a cargo of
foreign fruit, and last sailed from Paton] On
Good Friday, the devout tars lowered their flag to
half mast, took the " taut" out of the rigging, furled the
sails, knocked off work, restrietel themselves to a faAing
diet, and spent the day in genuflections and deVotional
exercises in a truly exemplary manner. The scene was a
striking contrast to that presented on other vessels, whe.e
Jack 'I ar usually signalises a holiday by " bowsing
jib" and indulging in sundry hilarious joys supposed to
be peculiar to the working sons of Neptune, "To etown
all, and render the •Seene more impressive, the Russian
tars arranged the spars in the form of h Greek cross, as is
the custom in Russia. All who have visited the ports of
Spain and other Cattolic countries will remember that
it is usual for Harbour Masters to rcqucst erg. a favour
that on Good Friday all vessels will so arrange their
spars ; and, as an act of courtesy, it is always done, even
by the most ultra of Protestant nations.—Pktladelphia
North Atmerica

_....NEVER GO TO A THEATRE
at least never go to that one in Williatnso a-square, without
remembering that you are within a few yards of a certain pl ace
THE—BU rTEII PLACE.
____.

THE RIGHT MAN IN THE RIGHf PLAUE
M. KELLY—to remain lot the preent in "The Butter
Place," and thinit nn more of Parliament until the mixt Election.

ACAULAY'S NEW ZEALANDER.

Extract froin his Journal, A.D., 3 -57.—Af er crossing miles of
sand, we arrived at the Place a ice so celebrated as the Port of
Liverpool." The onl., trace of its former creatnesa was a splendid
ruin, which my guide said had been a Fit ii LI iSRARY AND
MUSitUM.

Ab ut a quarter of a mile further 01, I noticel a spot where the
Ind had not yet intruded. It is a circle of lu uriant grass, bordered
with pretty ii tle fiowars, which they call daisies, primroses, and
BUTTERCUPS. I a,iked John how this delightful hit of earth had
escaoed the desolation. That, salt he, was " the " BUTTER
PLACE.

THE GEYVAN BAHRY.

During the time the Turkish vessel lay here, Arif, the commander,
was ,eard to say. My watchword formerly was, " THE it F. IS NO
DEITY BUT ALLAH, AND MAHOMET IS HIS PROPHET;"
hut for the remainthr of my life it shall be, "THERE IS NO FORT
LIKE LIVERPOOL, AND ITS BUTTERMAN IS KELLY I"

MORE CRUELTIES ON BOARD AMERI-
CAN VFSSELS!!!—The crew is al ways supplied
with the ordinary Liverpool Butter ; but in the cabin, they only use
Butter from a certain well known "Place."

TWENTY-SIX SHILLINGS PER DOZEN.

PURE]AND,VER.Y PALE

C AN AR Y WINE.
A BEAUTIFUL AND DELICATE WRITE WINE,

Much superior to the 13ronte,and lower class of Sherries now sold.

D. AN
WINE AHD SPIRIT MERCHANiT,
5, CASTLE STREET, LIVERPOOL.

D. ANDBRION has secured a coantity of this:Wine, and can with
confidence recommead It.

SCOTCH ANDIIRISH WHISKY. :OLD COGNAC BRANDY

MERCHANTS' NEW DINING ROOMS.