The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-01 00:00:00

Defendant—l was lawfully and regularly married to

him,

Plaintiff—Were you married to him abroad ?
Defendant—Oh, dear no. We were married in Eng
land.

Plaintff—Then your marriage is not recognised hero.
Defendant—My second husband was not exactly my
first husband's brother, but more Lko a brother in-law.
(Laughter.)
His Honour—Well, perhaps there might not be so much
objection to that.
Plaintiff—But the husbands were not brothers-in-law.
As I am informed, they were of the same name and brothers.
His Honour—Well, let us see. Now, Mrs English, what
was the name of your first husband P
Defendant—Robert Hall Engli,h, and he died in 1850,
His Honour—And what was the name of the second
husband ?
Defendant—James English. I married him in June, 1863.
His Honour—Well, were they brothers ?
Defendant—No, they were like brothers-in-law.
His Honour—How was that ?
Defendant—Old Mr English, the father, was twice mar-
ried, and his first wife bore him my first husband, his second
wife my second husband.
This answer caused no little surprise, calculation, and
argument in court.
His Honour—Then you see, Mrs English, that you have
_married two half-brothers,
Defendant—Yes, I think that is it.
His Honour (considering)—Well, I do not know, no, I
do not think it will do, Mrs English ; but it really is a very
nice question in common law. The question will be, " Cau
a woman marry her husband's half-brother ?" In my
opinion it is prohibited. It seems very hard, Mrs English,
but I am afraid you cannot set up your marriage as a
defence to the action.
Defendant—l had no idea that the marriage was not a
good one.

A young man here stepped forward, and said he was the
son of the old gentleman, known as the second husband.
He complained of the manner in which the plaintiff had
gone on with the case, and with some little warmth of
temper, said that the old gentleman had never been seen;
and yet plaintiff had the blushing effrontery to come for-
ward and say he had promised to pay the money.
His Honour—So far as the case has gone I have nothing
to do with the old gentleman at all ; the only matter for me
to consider is whether defendant is married, and if such
marriage is a good one. I do not think that in law a woman
can marry her first husband's half brother, ani so I am
bound to decide that defendant cannot plead her marriage.
However, as it does seem to be a hard case upon Mrs Eng-
lish, who might have fancied it was a good marriage, I will
let the case stand over so that the parties may come to some
arrangement about the payment.
Verdict for the plaintiff.

THE SHERIFFS OF LONDON AND MIDDLESEX.--
The ancient ceremony of cutting faggots, chopping sticks,
with a bill-hook and chopper, and counting horseshoes and
nails, as suit and service to the Crown for the right and pri-
vilege of the City of London to choose the Sheriffs of London
and Middlesex, took place yesterday morning before Mr W.
H. Walton, the Queen's Remembranoer and Senior Master
of the Court of Exchequer, at the Queen's Remem-
brancer's-office, Chancery-lane, with all the usual cere-
monies, Until within the last three or four years the
eeremony used to be carried out with all due civic pomp
and grandeur on the occasion of the Sheriffs of London
and Sheriff of Middlesex proceeding in State to Westmin•
ster-hall on the 30th of October, when they were pre-
sented in due form by the Recorder to the then Cursitor
Baron, the late Right lion. Mr Bankes, in the Court of
Exchequer, for the approval of the Crown. On those occa-
sions the court was always crowded. Some years ago, when
great reforms in law took place, and a number of patent
offices were abolished, the Cursitor Baron was made to
cease on the death of Mr Banker, When that event
took place the duty fell on the Barons of the Exchequer,
but that being found most inconvenient a short Act
of Parliament was passed to do away with the cere-
mony of presentation, but reserving all the other ancient
ceremonies, appointing the barons or their chief officer, the
Queen's Remembrancer, to see the ceremony performed.
Accordingly, yesterday morning the City solicitor, as repre-
senting the corporation, Mr: Davison, the senior under-
sheriff, as representing the Sheriff of Middlesex, and Mr
J. K. Potter, the Secondary, 'as repiesenting the Sheriffs of
London, attended at Queen's Remembrancer's-office, when
the usher of the court made the usual proclamations, and
the ceremony of cutting faggots and chopping sticks
was performed as suit and service for a piece of land called
the Moor, in Salop, and containing six horseshoes and 6l
nails as suit and service for a place called the Forge, in the
parish of St. Clement Dane. ,The usual warrants of attor-
ney to account having been filed and recorded, the cere-
mony terminated.

LIVERPOOL, Oct. 31.—FEDERAL CRUISERS AND
BLOCKADE RUNNERS.—The Bat steamer, from this,
port, with machinery, was captured off Wilmington October
10 by the Federal steamer Montgomery; one of the crew
was wounded and afterwards died. She arrived at Boston
in charge of a priz3 crew on the 17th. A blockade•running
paddle steamer, withsmoke stacks, two masts, was sunk by
the blockading vessels off Charleston on the sth of October,
while trying to run in by the inner channel. Her mast
and smoke stacks were visible, but her hull was entirely
submerged. She was sunk at a point off Long Island out
of reach of the Confederate batteries, and it was probable
that she might be raised and portions of her cargo saved.
The Confederate steamer Florida was reported off Salt Key
Banks steering towards Havannah.

MR E. H. KNATCHBULL-HIMESSEN, M.P., AND
HIS CONSTITUENTS.—Mr E. H. Knatchbull-Hugessen,
M.P., addressed a meeting of his constituents, in accordance
with an annual custom, at Deal, on Friday evening. The
meeting took place in the Town Hall, which was well filled
with electors, and the chair was occupied by Mr George
Hughes. The hon gentleman spcke at some length on the
various topics of the day; and at the close of his address a
vote of renewed confidence in him was passed,
GENERAL TODLEBEN.—GeneraI Todleben and
other officers in the Russian set vice visited Woolwich yes-
terday morning, and were received at the dockyard by Com-
modore Superintendent Hugh Dunlop, C.B. At 11 o'clock
the party embarked on board the Admiralty steam-vessel
Vivid, Staff-Commander Allen, which proceeded down the
river to Long-reach, passing the immense works now in
progress for the southern metropolitan sewage outfall, and
the scene of the recent gunpowder explosion at Erith. The
Vivid returned to Woolwich at 12 o'clock, an intended
voyage to Shoeburyness, for the purpose of witnessing gun-
nery experiments, being, it is stated, postponed. After
lauding at the jetty the general and party, accompanied by
Major-General Warde, C.B , paid a second visit to the
Royal Arsenal, and returned to London about 2 o'clock.
DETENTION OF THE ROYAL TRAIN.—About 2
o'clock a.m. on Saturday a goods train from War-
rington, while travelling on the up line near to Minshull
Vernon, was thrown off the rails by a valuable horse stray-
ing on the line. The animal had been grazing in a field ;
and our informant, who visited the place, says that a gate,
regularly fastened with a chain round it, had been lifted off
its hinges and thrown into the field. It would have been a
work of great difficulty to have thrown it on the line. The
animal had passed through the gate. The Royal train,
containing her Majesty, was detained nearly an hour in
consequence. The line was blocked several hours, two or
three carriages having been pitched clean over. This matter
calls for strict inquiry, as it must have been no easy matter
to raise the gate off its hinges.—llfanchesier Courier.

TBAGIC OCCURRENCE AT WETMOUTH.—E2rIy
yesterday morning the inmates of the residence of
Captain Dow, of Rodwell, Weymouth, were startled by the
cries of " Murder " proceeding from the upper part of the
rear of the house. Upon hastening to one of the servant's
rooms it was discovered she was greatly excited, and said
that a man had just escaped from the window who had
pounced upon her whilst asleep and nearly strangled her.
Upon search being made, a ladder, which had been removed
from a house undergoing repair a short distance off, was
found raised against the bedroom window, and it was no
doubt by this means that the man gained access to the
room, Marks of violence were found on the neck of the
girl, and the house was in a state of a'arm till daybreak,
soon after which it was discovered that the man who had
entered the house was lying dead at the bottom of one of
the Weymouth and Portland Rlilway cuttings near the
back of the house. He was a marine named Henry Stokes,
belonging to her Majesty's ship Black Prince, and in his
flight had evidently fallen down the cutting, which is hewn
out of stone, and was killed. Footmarks which correspond
with deceased's boots were visible from the ladder to the
cutting. An inquest was held, when a verdict in accord-
ance with the facts was recorded,