The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 5, 1864.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.---This Day,

SHERIFFS' COURT.
(Before Mr Under-Sheriff Burchall and a Jury),
STANFORD V. RANDFORD.

The plaintiff was formerly a member of the Corps of
Commissionaires, of which the defendant is the sergeant
major. He had brought an action for assault and false im-
prisonment, which being undefended, came to-day before
the court for the assesement of damages.
Mr Best appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Wood for the
defendant.
From the opening speech of the learned counsel for the
p'aintiff, afterwards supported by
evidence, it appeared that
Stanford had had considerable difficulty in
settlement of his claim upon Captain Walter, obtaining a
the znanagcr
of the corps, for services rendered as a member of the
band. On the 19. h January last he insisted on being papa,
when the defendant, taking offence it was supposed at the
persistence of the plaintiff, rushed at him and attempted to
take from him by force a euphonium which Stanford was
in the habit of playing. It was not disputed that this
musical instrument was the property of Captain Walter,
and had been entrusted to Stanford, in whose sole posses-
sion it had remained for several months, and who paid a
stipulated sum for its hire, as well as for the use of the two
suits of uniform supplied to him. Stanford demurred to
deliver up the instrument until he was paid, whereupon a
police-constable was sent for, and the officer declining to obey
Handford's command to take it forcibly from the plaintiff,
who, at the time, believed he had a lien upon it, was then
ordered by Handford to take the plaintiff into custody, on a
charge of stealing the musical instrument in question. He
was accordingly conveyed from the barracks of the corps,
in the Strand, to the police-station, in Bow-street, Hand-
ford accompanying the police-constable in charge of the
plaintiff. On the case being stated to the inspector, that
officer at once ordered the dicharge of the plaintiff on the
ground that there was no pretence for charging him with
felony. The euphonium and the clothes were afterwards
given up, but the plaintiff had failed to obtain payment of
what was due to him. It was alleged as an aggravation
that the defendant went to the office of the Vintage Wine
Company, where the plaintiff was engaged, and sought to
deprive him of his employment. Mr. Beat urged that the
character of his client, extending over 25 years good con-
duct in the army, and in the police force, ought not to have
been endangered by such arbitrary and illegal conduct, and
the learned counsel eloquently demanded redress.
Mr. Wood having addressed the jury in mitigation of
damages,
The Learned Under-Sheriff said it was most important
that people should distinguish between cases calling for cri-
minal proceedings and those requiring civil process. He
had heard in this case of a sergeant-major and his superior
officer', but although this corps appeared to have some-
thing like a military organisation, he believed it was not
regularly censtituted or legally recognised by the autho-
rities, but was a society mutually agreeing among them-

selves,
The jury returned a verdict: for the plaintiff, damages £lO.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr Commissioner (Uoulburli..)
IN RR RICHARDS.

This bankrupt was a carpenter, of Mile-end Old Tom,
and this was an application for release from custody.
Mr Sargood, on behalf of the trustees of a lady named
Hamilton, opposed on the ground that the bankrupt had
put the detaining creditors to a very large expense
in consequence of his having seized and taken
possession of certain property. The leases of
the property had fallen in, and the bankrupt, acting
as the agent of two females who had set up a claim
proceeded to collect the rents, and was charged be-
fore the magistrate and fined, but that had no efiect, for
the bankrupt continued his proceedings, and on the case
being again heard the question of title was raised, and the
trustees were compelled to bring an action to recover the
property, and a verdict was given against him. The trustees
had been put to £4OO expense, and the bankrupt was liable
for £lBO costs. Mr Sargood asked that the release should
stand over until after the choice of asssignees.
The release was therefore refused.
IN RE ESTCOURT.

This bankrupt was a barrister at the Isle of Wight, and
this was a meeting for laa examination and discharge,
whioh was adjourned till November next by consent.

Mr Cannon's behalf, and called a witness—Mr Porter, of 2,
Tavistock-street—who gave evidence which did not mate-
rially affect the evidence of the other witnesses.
Howley—l have spat blood all night, and have two hand-
kerchiefs saturated with it.

Mr John Powdrell, of 46, Great Marlborough-street,
M.R.C.S., said I have examined Howley,and do not think
there is any danger from the injury he has received.
Mr Knox—A more brutal and dastardly act 1 never heard
of. You (Mr Cannon) a man of enormous strength, knock
down and kick the waiter, who is a mere boy and scarcely
half your size. I will not send you to prison, which pro-
bably would have the result of ruining you for life, but I
shall inflict the highest penalty upon you that the law
allows, believing that the publicity the affair will obtain
will fix upon you a stain you will not get over for many a
long nay. You will have to pay £5, or be committed for a
month with hard labour. I am sorry that lam not enabled
by law to give the waiter some compensation.
Yhe floe was paid.

A WILD Buy's CAREER,--John Williams, a short
thick-set iY,)y, was charged before Mr Knox with stealing a
pair of boots itPra a bautruaker in the Tottenham-court-
road.
The case was proved against the boy, who all the while
he was in the dock grinneti, and seemod rather pleased at his

position.
Mr Knox asked him if he had any parents ?
The boy said he had no mother, and his father was in
America. _ _

Mr Knox ordered Barns, the gaoler of the court, to
make inquiries of the boy as to his history, and Barns after-
wards reported that the boy had informed him that he had
been in prison at Maidstone, Holloway, Wandsworth,
Coldbath-fields, and elsewhere for robberies, and that he
was anxious to go to sea.
The boy said lie had to steal for:a living, as he was not
allowed to beg.
Mr Knox--The boylwas to be pii ied, for, as he stated if he
begged he was locked up and he had no means of living.
hhei mea foraimeout
w
hoi
month, with hard labour ; and
p go to sea, and came
thehe was
u m
sincerewhen i
t tOf h tprison, he would see what
could be done for him.
The boy seemed much pleased at the result.
it He should
courtrct reallyo
w m