The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-22 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

BAIL COURT, APRIL 20.
GRADT V. SUDDEN.
This was an action of assumpsit upon an I 0 U for
91. 10s. 2d. The plaintiff followed the occupation of
head-waiter at a tavern in Adaaa-street, Adelphi, known
as the Adelphi Shades, a place of public entertainment,
considerably frequented by persons coming from the
theatres ; and the defendant was a gentleman of property,
residing in Crawford-street. About twelve o'clock on
the night of the 29th of November, the defendant, who
before that had occasionally visited " the Shades," and
was, therefore, known to the waiters, went into the room of
entertainment with a female companion, whom he had met
at the door. Before long he collected a party of friends
around him, consisting of three other gentlemen, and
a somewhat larger number, viz., five, of the fair sex. The
party supped together. The defendant was in a liberal
and jovial mood ; and the carouse, which was begun with
port and sherry, was continued with champagne, and con-
cluded with punch. It appeared, from the testimony of
the plaintiff's witnesses, that the defendant " treated every
one that went past him." By the practice adopted at this
house, the waiters are obliged to pay at once for whatever
refreshment they receive at the bar, and accordingly,
on this occasion, the plaintiff did pay the land.
bid of the house for all the wine which the defendant
ordered. The festivities continued until at length the
waiter refused to supply the defendant with any further
quantity, unless he gave his name and address, whereupon the
defendant called for pen, ink, and paper, and having direc-
ted the plaintiff to write the body of the acknowledgment,
wrote at the bottom his name and address; and when, for
some reason, a second paper to the same effect was writ-
ten, the defendant signed that also. The defendant had
pleaded in answer to the action that he had been induced
to sign this I 0 U by fraud, cunning, and misrepresen-
tation.

The Jury found a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages
9/. 10s. 2d.

'POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HO USE.
An old man, named John Mick'aril, who had been once
in flourishing circumstances as a shopkeeper in Fleet-
street, but whose condition has been most miserably re-
versed, complained to the Lord. Mayor, that though the
parish officers of the place in which he had a claim were
aware of the contrast between his past and his present
state, they took advantage of the power which the New
Poor-law gave them, and refused him the least relief, un-
less lie introduced his wife and family into the workhouse.
The Loan llavort—l should wish to hear the particu-
lars of the complaint.

Mr. Micklain said that nothing but absolute necessity
could prompt him to make the application ; he had been a
tobacco and snuff manufacturer at No. 141, Drury-lane,
and at No. 12, Fleet-street, upwards of forty years.
The LORD MAYOR asked him how it happened that he
dropped down into such miser) if he conducted himself in
a reputable manner.
Mr. Micklarn said that several matters combined to crush
him ; he had, at the time that a serious reduction took
place in the price of tobacco, a heavy stock of that article,
say 111,0001b5., the loss on which was, at 2s. 31d. per lb.,
16,3751. He had a large country trade, and about the
same time that the fall took place in the tobacco as many
as 8$ of his customers took the benefit of the Insolvent
Debtors' Act, or became bankrupt, to the amount of about
4,000/. in his debt. He had phased his eldest son in a
tobacco plantation in Virginia, by whose misfortunes in
business he was injured to the extent of 3,0001., and being
unable to meet such an accumulation of losses, which be-
came daily more aggravated, he was unable to pay the rent
of the house in Fleet-street. An execution was made
upon his goods for the sum of 95/., to meet which he sold
for 91. a tobacco-engine, which cost him 110/., and for 5/.,
presses which cost him 50/., and every other article in pro-
portion. Having lost all his property, and having no re-
source but the parish, he applied to the parochial authori-
ties of St. Dunstan's for relief, but was told by them that
they could do :nothirg for him, except he chose to go into
the workhouse with his wife and three small children. For
two and three days together they had not what ought to be
called a mouthful of bread, and for six months they had
not had a bed to lie on.
The LORD MAYOR observed that the story of the appli_
cant was certainly deplorable if the circumstances of it
were as they had been described.
Mr. Micklam assured his Lordship that he bad struggled
as hard as he could against the tide of misfortune, and now.
in the 72d year of his age, he was anxious to get a living
for himself and his family without appealing to parochial
bounty, but he had no friend who was able to assist him.
He belonged to the Pattenmakers' Company, and he re-
sided at No. 12, Sidney-street, Commercial-road.
Tho Loins MAYOR said, that in all probability the state-
ment would meet the eye of some person who would ie_
quire into the facts of the case, which, if found to be such
as bad been stated, was certainly calculated to excite sym-
pathy.
The unfortunate old man expressed Isis thanks to the
Lord Mayor for haying kindly and compassionately lis-
tened to his little history, and mentioned that his losses al-
together amounted to upwards of 25,375/.