The Sun.
London, England, 1839-01-15 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

THE NEW POOR LAW.

COURT OF CHANCERY, JAN. 14.
lIARDMAN V. ELLAMES AND OTHERS.
This cause, in
,whith the, plaintiff seeks to, recovet certain
land! in Laiicaihire; as the heir-at law of a testator of the naale
of Harditian; who died in 1755, was part bard:

On Saturday John Winter, a boy apparently about ten
years of age, was given into the custody of the police by John
Ellis;,bootirt+ker,iia, Mar lebone.streeti for stealing a pair of
breeches. The boy WiiB taken to the station-house in Vine-
Street, and he there told the inspettOr that e Bad taken the
trousers, and given them to. his big sister to pawn, in order fci
raise a trifle to buy food for his little sister, who was starving.
At his mi.ser.lble repisitntaticin in behalf of his little sister,
who, he said, was locked in the room, vtilthooi fond or ore,
Inspector Jervis, with creditable humanity, sent early on Biin-
day morning to the place, and found the representations of
the bey to be true. Having obtained admission to the room,
the police found a little girl, dbotit ate years of age, lying in
a corner of the room, in a clepletable state from starvation
and cold. The child was taken to St. James's workhouse;
and, as it was a case beyond question of urgent destitution,
she was admitted. Yesterday the boy was brought before
Mr. Chambers and Mr, Hall, at the Marlborough-street
Police-office, to answer the charge on which he had been held
in custody.
The prosecutor said the body had been in his service about
nine weeks as errand boy. The boy during the last week hail
committed several petty thefts. He had stolen two rings, and
on Saturday last he had taken a pair of trousers.
Mr. Cliakilgisa askid the boy what bad induced him to
steal the trousers? liov (crying)—My little sister hadn't got
anything to cat. I could'nt bear to see her cry because she
*as hungry; so I tock the trousers.
Mr. CiiatinEits--VVII did you not apply to the parish ?
B Both my mother and my sister haitl applied to the over-
seer, but he won't do anything for us. My mother is ill ill et,
James's workhouse, and has been there for a week.

tin the lice-C'hancellor's and thb Rolls Court, a few cases
were heard in part only, and these possessed no general interest. I

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Jeri. 1

BRAYSHAW V. BATON.

This WasAn of a tailor's bill,
to which there was a plea of infancy, arid it repliCation that the
things supplied were necessary. Thh cash wa4 triedhetofe
the Under-Slierift ror Middlesex, and a verdict found for the.

Mr. JAMES this morning applied for a rule to show cause
why the verdict should nut be set aside and a new trial bad,
and why, in the event of a new trial being granted, the cause
should not be tried befdro the superior Court. The Leah-10i
moved on tti ground of misdirection. He submitted
to the Court, upon various authorities, that the plaintiff was
bound to have proved that he had made reasonable inquiry
into the position of the young man ; and that having failed to
institute any inquiries, the Under. Sheriff ought to have non.
suited hitti.

The COURT granted a rule to show cause.
GIBSON AND ANOTHER, ASSIGNEES, V. BENNET,

. ...
This was an action Id rOpotter the artlotint or a bill or ex-
change, Which the plaintiffs alleged the bankrupt to hive de-
livered to the dc'endant, in contemplation of bankruptcy.
The case was tried at Guildhall, before tho Lord Chief J 1 s•
tice, when there Kas a verdict for the eeendant. It appeared
that the bankrupt had, long previous to ti-. 0 delivery of this
bill to the defend..nt, been in insolvent circumstances, and had
been in the habit of receiving advances from the defendart
on short credit ; but he did not become bankrupt until about
a month after the transaction in question ; and he had in the
meantime endeavoured to make a compromise with his cre-
ditors, and to obtain advan- es from his bankers,

Mr. HALL suggested to Mr. Chambers the propriety of
mding for Mr. Bryant, the acting overseer. In a few minutes
Mr. Bryant entered the Ate.

Mr. biAMIJERS—I hate sent for you, Mr. Hr ant, ly awe
here is a charge made by this boy which appears in some de-
gree to affect your palish. The boy is taken to the station-
honse, and he there states he stole the breeches to get food for
his little sister, who was in a starving state, and who had been
refused relief by youi' parish,
Mr. Bryant—This case is quite new to me. The little gill
is now in our workhouse, having been brought there on Sunday
after being deserted in the streets.
Inspector Jervis—No ; we found her in the room lying on
some shavings, and she was immediately sent to the workhouse.
Mr. Bryant —Where she was promptly received. The
mother also has been ill in our workhouse a week. She is
now di, charged. The boy's statement of having been refused
relief is not true.

The Lord Chief Justice, in summing up, kid the Jury
that it was not sufficient for the plaintiff to prove the bank-
rupt's insolvent circumstances, nor that he contempla!ed a
compromise with his creditors—nothing short of contempla-
tion of bankruptcy itself could be sufficient.
Mr. Sergeant Nitta moved to-day for a rule to show cause
why the verdict should not be set aside, and a new trial had,
on the ground of misdirection. He submitted that the Jury
ought to have been told, that although the bankrupt might
hope to effect a compromise, or to obtain an advance, still, if
he gave away the bill, so that one creditor might be protected
in the event of his endeavours to escape bankruptcy being un-
successful, the plaintiff would be entitle to their verdict.
The COURT granted a rule to show cause.

Boy—lt is. My mother applied some time age, and you
said you would do nothing for her. When she went into tho
workhouse my big sister was not able to support my little
sister, and on Tuesday she went with her to the workhouse,
and asked the person there to take her in, or she should be
obliged to leave her. • She was told that the parish would not
take the child, and if she deserted my little sister they would
give her a twelvemonth and a day.
Mr. Brysnt—l ask your Worships is it creditable that any
parish offices would couple such a threat as that of giving a
twelvemonth and a day to a person who applied for relief for
a child so circumstanced ? lam certain such a thing never
happened. Had an application been made to us, I am sure
relief would have been given.
The boy was ultimately discharged.

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDA Y JAN-VARY 15, H 39.