The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-24 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER.

LAMENTABLY DEFECTIVE STATE OF THE LAw.-A
young man, of very respectable appearance, solicited the
magistrate's advice under the following circumstances :
Applicant said that he had to complain of the bite of a'
mad dog, and the damage he had sustained in consequence,
Ho went into a shop yesterday in Westminster to inquire
the price of an article there for sale, and as ho was leav-
ing the house a dog rushed out from tho rear of the
promises, flew at him, and bit him on this leg.
Mr Selfe—Where were you at the time he bit you?
Applicant—Just leaving the door step in the street
when he seized me by the leg. I am well known at the
shop. I have bought several things there, and I think it
is a very bad thing to be bit by a dog in this way.
Mr Selfe—ls he in the habit of biting mankind or
womankind ?

Applicant—l don't know. I believe so. The doctor
that I went to said he had no doubt it was the same dog
that had bit some other people.
Mr Selfe—Can you prove that P
Applicant—No, I cannot,
Mr Selfe—Then, I cannot help you.
Applicant—lf you were to see the wound where the dog
seized me you would find it is very severe.
Mr Selfe—You cannot take a summons unless you can
prove that the dog is in the habit of biting people. You
would Lave no proof under the Police Act that it is going
about in a dangerous state. The mere fact of the dog's
biting you is not sufficient to empower me to grant you a
summons.

Applicant—He bit me severely—that shows he is dan-
gerous.

Mr. Selfe—He might have had a species of animosity to
you. You must show that he is in the habit of biting
other people.
Applicant—Can I have no redress for the damage done
to my trousers ?

Mr Selfe—Not here. You must go to the County Cour'
for any claim of that sort.

THAMES.

CUTTING AND Wouxnura.—Herman Menus, a 3erman
skin-dresser, was brought up on remand from yesterday
(Friday), to answer a charge of stabbing William Bryant,
fireman on board a steamer bound to Bordeaux, and who
will sail this afternoon in his vessel, in consequence of
which the case was taken early.
Mr C. Young, solicitor, defended the prisoner.
It appeared from the evidence cf the prosecutor, who said
he could not move the left side of his jaw, but who never-
theless treated the matter with great indifference, that on
Tuesday night last he was on his way home to No. 16,
Lambeth-street, Whitechapel, and between eight and nine
o'clock he was stabbed " by that here gentlemen there,"
pointing to the prisoner. The witness was directed to re-
late how the affair happened, and he said he was skylark-
ing, and the gentleman said something to him. One word
brought on another, and the " gentleman" hit him or
stabbed him, and cut down the side of the cheek. He had
pushed against the " gentleman." He had not moved one
side of his face since he was cut.

In cross-examination by Mr Charles Young, the witness
said he was drunk and did not recollect mucL at all about
the matter. Two other men were with him. He struck
against the prisoner, and the prisoner struck against him.

Several witnesses were examined on both side°, who made
out that the parties struck each other, but there was no
doubt from tho medical evidence of Mr John Comley, sur-
geon, of High- street, Whitechapel, that Bryant had been
cut down the left cheek with a sharp instrument.
Mr Charles Young said the prisoner in self-defence struck
Bryant with one of two tin cans he was carrying, and the
sharp edge of the can inflicted the wound.
Mr Partridge committed the prisoner for trial.

TAKING CARE 01' A FRIEND'S LUGGAGE.—CharIes
Williams, a man of colour, a West Indian, was brought
before Mr Partridge, charged with stealing a chest, con-
taining a large quantity of linen and wearing apparel, the
property of William Henry Long.
The prosecutor said he was a seaman, and lately belonged

to the ship William fell. Tho prisoner was also a seaman
abroad. On Saturday, last the 17th of September, he landed
at Southampton from llavre. His luggage was left at the
Custom-house, in Southampton, on the previous day.
When he went to the Custom-house, on Saturday, to claim
he found it was gone. His chest contained a pair of

trousers, a pair of slippers, 5 shirts, 6 singlets, a pair of
drawers, 4 pairs of stockings, a pair of mittens, a rug, a
feather pillow, and other small articles. He suspected
the prisoner, who had been at Havre with him, and
reached Southampton a day in advance. On making inqui-
ries he ascertamea that a man of colour, whose description
answered to the prisoner exactly, had been to the Custom-
house at Southampton, represented himself as the owner,
and obtained the chest and contents. He met the prisoner
last night in Rateliff-highway, and said to him, "Halloo,
have ycu got my chest The prisoner said "Yes," and
he then asked him to give it up. The prisoner said, "I'll
take you to my boarding-house and give you up all your
things." The prisoner walked him about the streets for
an hour without taking him to any boarding.house, and he
gave him in custody to a police-constable. The witness
then produced the key of his chest and identified his pro-
perty, which was produced.
John Ashbourn, a police constable No. 341 K, said he
went to Buleg's boarding-house, 233, High-street, Shad-
well, where the prisoner was lodging, and found there the
whole of the stolen property. Some of it was contained in
the prisoner's own chest and the remainder in the prose-
cutor's chest.

The prisoner made a long defence, which was in effect
that his chest and the prosecutor's ohest were both taken
on shore together at Southampton, and so he took both to
London. Ho intended to take care of Long's property.
Mr Partridge committed the prisoner to Newgate for

SPAIN AND THE AMERICAN STATES.—AWashing.
ton despatch to the New York World says :—" The United
States has been called upon by the United States of Colum-
bia, formerly New Granada, to fulful the stipulation of the
treaty of 1816, by which it agreed to guarantee, forcibly, if
need be, the neutrality of the Isthmus of Panama. P
calls upon Columbia, with whom she is on friendly terms,
to prevent the passage cf Spanish troops across the isthmus
fur purposes hostile to her. As Columbia has not the requi-
site strength to oppose such a purpose on the part of Spain,
she calls upon our Government to fu!ill the guaranty above
referred to. The only question was whether the United
States of Columbia were the proper party to demand the ful-
filment of the treaty, and the question was referred to the
Attorney-General for decision, and upon investigation of
the facts he finds that New Granada and the United States
of Cclumbia are one and the same Government. It there-
fore becomes our duty to send troops and vessels of war, if
necessary, to maintain the treaty and prevent Spain from
transporting troops across the isthmus."

ONLY A STICK.—"Da you see this stick ?"
said a wry stupid acquaintance to Sidney Smith. " This
stick bus been all round the world, sir ! " " Indeed," said
the remorseless Sidney, "aud yet it is only a stick."