The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-24 00:00:00

The Seizure of " Haunted Houses" in the

Blackfriars-road.

SOUTHWARK POLICE COURT.

The following appeared in a portion of our impression of
yesterday evening :

This afternoon Ann Cornich attended to answer a sum-
mons which had been obtained against her by Miss Reed,
to show by what authority she entered and kept possession
of certain premises situate in the Blackfriars-road.
Mr. Russell, barrister, said ho appeared on the part of
the complainant, to support a summons which had been
obtained by Miss Cordelia Angelica Reed, charging the
defendant with having, by force and strong hand,
taken possession of certain premises in the Black-
friars-road. On Monday last the defendant, with a
party of others took forcible possession of the premises No.
1, Stamford-street, Blackfriars-road, affixing a bill, on to
the door to the following effect :—" If any one has a better
claim to this house than Mrs. Cornish, let them call at 41,
Hatfield-street." Miss Reed's solicitor went to the place
and remonstrated with defendant, and told her she had
acted very improperly, even if she had a claim, and that
Miss Reed could not allow the premises, which had been
in the possession of her father for about 20 years and her-
self about 14 years, to be wrested from her in such a manner.
Later on the same day another razzia was made, and Miss
Reed being in the house, had to escape over the
roof of another to get from the fury of the
crowd who attended to support Mrs. Cornich. He con-
tended that the proper way to establish the plea of title
was by action, and the law did not allow a forcible seizure
to be returned as an answer to the summons. He hoped
that some steps would be taken to compel Mrs. Cornich to
return possession of the houses which she had illegally
seized. By the I.sth of Richard 11., chap. 2, and Bth of
Henry VI., chap. 9, thelmagistrate had the:power of pro-
ceeding to the spot where the illegal act was committed,
and if the premises were not delivered up on being de-
manded he could by the acts he had quoted inflict a fine on
the defendant, and also send her to prison.
Mr. Combe—Did you ever know that done ?

Mr. Russoll—No, but then I never knew such a despe-
rate act as that committed by the defendant to have taken
place before.
Mr. Combe—l've never known it done, but I've known
it refused. I don't feel disposed to act as a constable, I
can't go down to the houses. It is the duty of the police
to prevent a breach of the peace, and if more is required, the
Commissioners of Police are the proper persons to apply to.
The magistrates have no power. I don't think it would be
judicious, in the present day, to act upon such old law as
stautes passed some 470 years ago. That of Henry was
passed in the year 1429.
Mr. Russell—lt is very true the law is old, but it is still
the law. If you object to go and view the prewises, the 3d
section gave the justices the power to compel the Sheriff to
summon a jury, who would determine whether the illegal
possession still continued.

Mr. Combe—Very well; but I also see, by another sec-
tion of the very act you ar3 quoting, that the justice may
do just as he pleases—(laughter)—the words being "the
justices may in their discretion refuse altogether to inter-
fere, and the Court of King's Bench will not compel them
to proceed." (Loud laughter.)
Mr. Russell—Our object is only to regain possession of
the premises. _ .

Combo---Well, let me know what it is you want.
Mr. Russell—To go to the premises and ascertain whether
the illegal possession continues.
Mr. Combo —Well, I shall refuse to do that, and I think
it is a waste of time to try to induce me to alter my deter-
mination.

Mr. Russell—Very well: Then I will call my wit-
nesses. The getting the summons from you, sir, was to
induco you to act under the statutes quoted.
Mr. Combe—lf I had known that, I would not have
granted the summons on such grounds; let us hear what
your witnesses have to say.
Mr. Russell then called

Miss Cordelia Angelica Reed, an elderly female, who said—
I reside at 22, Stamford-street. Nos. 1,2, 3,5, 19, and 23
in the same street are in my possession. I have held the
houses for about 18 years, and my father for 40 years be-
fore me. In No. 1 I have some furniture. I am in the
habit of visiting the house to do what repairs I think
necessary. (Loud laughter.) Within the last three months
I have laid out a large sum of money on the roofs of the
houses, and I intend repairing them throughout with a
view to letting. The houses are locked up. I keep the keys
of them all. On Monday last I was going into one of them
No. 1, Stamford-street, with some workmen, about half-
past two in the afternoon, There was a large crowd about
the house.

Mr. Combe—What interest have you in the property
Witness—lf my solicitor thinks 1 ought to answer, I'vo
no objection to say. I claim a freehold.
Examination continued—When I went to the house Mrs.
Cornich was amongst the crowd. A man was also there, with
a crowbar in his hand. He was forcing the door. As soon
as the door was "busted," there was a loud hurra, and a
good many rushed in. The moment the door was forced,
Mrs. Cornich said to me, "Now, show your title deeds."
I treated the observation with silent contempt. (Laughter.)
I was not going to produce title deeds in the street. (Laugh-
ter.) I got away as well as I could from the crowd, and went
and told my solicitor, Mr. Meymott. 1 went to the house
later in the evening and found a padlock on the door. I
then got a smith and a carpenter, and by their aid I got
into the house and fastened the door inside. After we had
been there a short time I heard a loud noise outside the
door as of persons breaking into the place. The noise was
like tremendous hammering. Volleys of large granite
stones were then thrown in at the windows.

Mr. Combe—Are there any windows left. I thought
there were none ? (Loud laughter.)
Witness—Well, there is the remains of them. (Laugh-
ter.) After the hammering had continued some time, and
finding the door giving way, the carpenter, by my direc-
tion, opened it, and Mrs. Cornish entered, followed
by a mob. I'm not a nervous woman, but I must confess
I felt frightened when I looked out of the drawing-room
window—(laughter)—and saw half the street was full of
people. Fearing the riotous mob, I with the carpenter
got out the house by the roof. (Laughter,) I left the
smith in the house, (Laughter,)
Cross-examined—l was not much hurt by the mob. I
have heard that some person has laid a claim to my pro-
perty. I've never heard the houses called the haunted
houses. I live in them.

Mr. Combe—Do you sleep in them (Laughter.)
Witness—Oh, no. (Laughter.) I live at No. 22.
Re-examined—Mrs. Cornich has no right whatever to
the property.
z_---croggs, the blacksmith, gave his version of the affair
which was exactly to the same effect as that of Miss Reed.
Mr. Rusbell said the carpenter would only prove the
same facts, and therefore he did not think there was any
need of examining him.
Mr. Combe—Then you want the case to go to the Ses-
sions ? You would prefer its going to the Court of Queen's
Bench, but I have no power to send it there.
Mr. Brough (for the defendant)—What is your applica-
tion. The principal question is one of title. and therefore
it cannot be entered into here.

Mr. Russell—That the defendant may be committed to

abide any indictment that may be preferred against her.
No doubt an indictment will be preferred for riot and for-
cible entry. _

Mr. Brough—But you, sir, don't order an indictment to
be drawn up.
Mr. Combe—No. I only bind the defendant over to
meet the charge.
Mr. Brough—You will take bail, of course, sir.
Mr. Combe—Yes ; two sureties of £lO each.
The son of the defendant said the sureties would be in
attendance as soon as possible.

RECENT WILLS AND BEQUESTS.

(From the Illustrated London News.)

The will of General Sir James Watson, of Wen-
dover-house, Bucks, was administered to in the London
Court by his sons, James Watson, Esq , and John Wat-
son, Esq., who are two of the residuary legatees, the exe-
cutors having all died in the lifetime of the General, who
attained the great age of 90. Many of the legatees are also
dead, the will having been executed so far back as 1837.
The gallant General directs that all his effects shall be sold,
except the presentation-plate given to him by the officers of
the Saugor Field Force, at Java, and those of the 14th Foot,
of which regiment he was Colonel. There is a legacy of
£2,500 to a granddaughteriu
bedivi
divided
m
theatoens testator. The
the
surviving
irveimn
gainder
of the property will
resi-
duary legatees.
The will of the late James Howard, Esq., of Park-hill,
near Staleybridge, which was proved at Chester, contains
the following charitable bequests, payable on the demise of
the testator's relict :—To the British and Foreign Bible
Society, £1,000; London Missionary Society, £1,000;
Church Missionary Society, £1,000; Religious Tract So-
ciety, 4500 ; Home and Schools for the Sons of Missions-
Manchester Royal Infirmary, £l,OOO ; Infir-
mary at Ashton-under-Lyne, £1,000; Deaf and Dumb
Asylum at Old Trafford, £1,000; Manchester City Mission,
£I,COO ; Methodist New Connexion Missions, £1,000;
Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (Foreign Mission),
£,lOOO. The trustees under the will are the testator's
widow, together with Mr. W. Vaudrez, Mr. Aaron An- -
drew, and Mr. Frank Andrew.
The will of John Garnet Tyrie, Esq., of Kensington
Garden-terrace, Hyde-park, was proved in London under
£70,000 personalty. The testator, who died in December
last, at Bath, executed his will in 1858, which is very brief,
disposing in one clause of the whole of his estate and effects)
whatsoever and wheresoever, to his relict absolutely, ap..
pointing her also sole executrix.
By the will, just proved, of a wealthy gentleman lately
deceased, William Taylor, Esq., of Dorset-square, the fol-
lowing charities will be benefitted free of legacy duty, viz. :
—The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, £l,OOO
Ragged School Union, Royal Free Hospital, St. Mary'
Hospital, Orthopaedic Hospital, Samaritan Hospital
Asylum for Idiots, Society for Teaching the Blind, and th'
Clergy Orphan Schools, each £5OO. With the exception e
a few other legacies to personal friends, the remainder of the
property falls to a near relative of the testator ; Hilary
Ni°129114 Islifisen)Eoq., who i# appoiAted residuary legatee •