The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-27 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVId:NING, JUNE 1363.

LAW INTELLIGENCE--This Day,

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.
(Before the Lord Chief Justice and it Special Jury.)
DICKSON V. THE EARL OF WILTON AND LORD COMBER •

MERE.
THE VERDICT.

His Lordship occupied nearly three hours this morning
in summing up the evidence in this case.
At its conclusion the jury returned a verdict for the
defendants.

(Sittings at Guildhall, beforo Mr. Justice Mellor.)
JOHNSON V. VOGWELL.-BREACH OF PROMISE.

This was an action brought for breach of promise of
marriage. The plaintiff was the daughter of a sailmaker
now residing in the Commercial-road, and the defendant a
captain of a trading vessel. An acquaintance between the
plaintiff's father and the defendant familiarly sprung up
many years ago when the defendant was an apprentice at
Durham. On that occasion be was confined to his bed with
typhoid fever, and the family of Mr. Johnson attended
him until his recovery, when he expressed himself under
great obligations to them. He then left to follow his
occupation on board ship, and nothing was heard of him
for many years. During this time Mr. Johnson quitted
Durham and came to London, where, by accident, about 15
years after, he heard that a ship had arrived in dock ac-
companied by a Captain Vogwell, and he naturally became
anxious to ascertain whether it was the young man who had
been an inmate of his house at Durham. He accordingly
went to the docks, and on his finding it was the same, a
warm acquaintance sprung up, and the result was an invi-
tation to the plaintiffs house. At the time his visits com-
menced, Miss Mary Austin Johnson was residing with
her parents, and a mutual attachment between her and
Captain Yogweil ensued. After some time the defendant
left the house of the plaintiff to perform a voyage,
and a correspondence began, which tended to confirm
the young lady in her belief that the defendant
intended to fulfil his promise of marriage he made her.
The defendant during his absence at sea wrote several
letters to the plaintiff, all breathing the warmest attach-
ment, and regretting she was not by his side sharing his
pleasures and his dangers, but expressed the hope that that
happiness would not long be denied him. The courtship
commenced in 1860, but after the captain had gone to sea
he appeared to grow cool of his attachment, and ultimately
he ceased writing to the young lady altogether. The
learned counsel then read a number of letters from the
defendant, all expressing the warmest attachment to her.
Some he concluded by offering her his " whole heart,"
others with " kisses innumerable," and in one he advised
her not coquette with " Old Briggs" too much, or she
would drive the poor fellow to commit felo de se, and
although he knew she was strongly attached to him (de-
fendant) he did not wish her to involve herself in any way
with any other person. At the conclusion of the reading
of the letters, which were all written in rather a more sen-
sible style than love effusions generally, the learned gentle-
man told the jury in assessing the damages they must take
into consideration the position of the defendant, which was
that of a captain of a merchant vessel, and whatever might
be said on the other side he did not think they would be of
opinion that the fact of the defendant being some ten
or fifteen years older than the plaintiff would be
a great disparity of age. The defendant pleaded that he
never gave the promise, and if he did so, that the plaintiff
was not willing and ready to marry him. It was true the
shock occasioned to the feelings of the young lady by the
treatment of the lefendant had been very severe, but as
the defendant had now married another lady he did not
think he need trouble them with any remarks as to the wil-
lingness of Miss Johnson to perform her part of the con-
tract.

The mother of the plaintiff was then called, and was
about to give her evidence,

When the counsel for the defendant intimated that he had
no objection to a verdict being taken for the plaintiff. He
felt he could not struggle against the correspondence that
bad been read, and at the same time he must remark that the
plaintiff was a young lady, of whom nothing but what was
praiseworthy could be uttered, and he could only account
for the state of affairs as one of those circumstances which
frequently spring up in domestic society, and for which
there was no accounting.
Mr. Justice Mellor said the letters written by defendant
were conclusive, and the only question remaining for the
jury was one of damages.
Mr. Hawkins, who appeared for the plaintiff, said he
would consent to a verdict for £lOO.

This being agreed to, the jury accordingly returned a
verdict against the defendant for that amount.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

ROBBERIES BY A LAUNDRESS.—Ann Sullivan, a laun-
dress, was charged before Mr. Knox with stealing several
shirts, pocket handkerchiefs, Svc., the property of Mr. Saba-
tiere Paty, of 10A, Charles-street, Middlesex Hospital.
It appears that the prisoner called on Mrs. Paty, on the
31st of March last, and asked her to give her washing.
Mrs. Paty did so, the articles being of the value of 30s.
The prisoner promised to return the things on a certain
day, but did not do so, and called on Mrs. Paty, telling her
that she should have them in a day or two, at the same
time giving Mrs. Paty a written address, which
proved to be fictitious. Mrs. Paty saw no
more of the prisoner till yesterday afternoon, when
she saw her in Haye's-court, Newport-market, dancing in
front of a man playing an organ. On asking the prisoner
where her property was, she said she would tell her when
the organman had done playing, and she then walked and
was followed as far as Holborn-hill by Mrs. Paty, who
then gave her in charge to a City constable,

Venass, 265 C, said he found some duplicates on the
prisoner relating to articles beVnging to Mr. Paty, and
which had been pledged at Mr. Gush's, Stanhope-street,
Clare-market, and also some relating to another robbery.
Henry Burnell, assistant to Mr. Gush, produced several
articles, which were identified by Mrs. Paty.
Mr. Knox remanded the prisoner.