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

London, 6.51 I

MISCELLANEOUS.
International Financial Society, lim.,
Italian Irrigation (Canal Cavour), 5i
Royal Mail Steam, 64
S. African Irrigation Investment (Urn.), 41

The inhabitants of Peronne (Suname) were alarmed
two evenings since by :seeing what appeared to be a cloud
of dark smoke precseding from the top of the tower of
the Church of St. Jean. It was at first thought that
the tower must be on fire. • and several persons
ascended to ascertain the fact. After searching in vain in-
side, some of them went out on ilia platform at the top, and
there made the discovery that the appearance which had
caused so much alarm was produced by an immense swarm
of gnats fluttering in the evening breeze.
EGYPTIAN AND AMERICAN COTTON PROM TIM-
KEY.—In the Smyrna Mail of Tuesday, June 16
(just received), we read—" We have got thus far into our
cotton year, and with good prospects seed has been exten-
sively distributed by the Government, which has pro-
mised to continue its efforts next year, and furnished seed for
the unsupplied districts, and thus the whole country will le
provided in time with Egyptian seed. It remains to do
the same thing for the American, for until we can grow a
good supply of American we shall never satisfy our Man-
chester friends. Still there will be an increase of
American."
THE STEAM BOATS —The steam boats of the
General Steam Navigation Company now run daily between
London and Margate and vice versa, the boats at present in
use being the Prince of Wales and the Eagle.

IFS Lordship cceupied 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, before 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 Commerc:_al-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 he 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 Vogwell 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 suede 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 defendant 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
had b-en 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 tor £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, &e., the property of Mr. Saba-
tiere Paty, of 10A, Charles-street, Middlesex Hospital.
It appears that the prisoner called cn Mrs. Paty, on the
31st of March last, and asked her tb 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 Hat'e'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 belringing 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.

This morning, shortly before 4 o'clock, a fire broke out in
the extensive premises occupied by Messrs. Ash and Co„
wholesale ironmongers, &c., Union. street, Borough. The
flames very speedily got firm hold of the woodwork in the
building, and fnr a c_nsiderable time defied all the exertions
of the firemen to extinguish them, notwithstanding their
were present all the engines from the principal stations of
the fire brigade, and also the newly-invented land steam •
engine. A mastery was at 1.-ngth obtained over the con-
flagration, but not before Messrs. Ash's premises were
very nearly consumed, and those adjoining very severely
damaged. Unfortunately one life fell a sacrifice to the
flames—viz., that of a young man named Dickson. The
who!e of the inmates had a very narrow escape.

MARKETS—This Day.