The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-09 00:00:00

Mr. Hawkins, Q.C.,—I think it would be hard work to
eat pancakes for two hours. (Laughter.)
Cross-examined—He was upstairs examining the fittings.
He took up the flooring to see the state of the pipes, and
found them very defective. He did not take the pipes in
his hand. As a practical man, he could see whether they
were in good condition or not.
The case will not conclude to-day.

COURT OF DIVORCE.
(Before Sir J. P. Wilde and a Common Jury.)
BILINGAY V. BILINGAY AND THOMAS.

The hearing of this case, which commenced yesterday,
was resumed this morning. It was a suit by the husband,
who had formerly been in business in connection with the
ironmongers' trade, at Newcastle-on-Tyne, for a dissolu-
tion of marriage on the ground of his wife's adultery with
the co-respondent, who held a situation under the East
India Company. The petitioner also claimed damages.
Both defendants appeared, but merely traversed the
allegation of adultery.

Dr. Deane, Q.C., and Mr. Bayford were counsel for the
petitioner, the Queen's Advocate and Dr. Spinks for the
respondent, and Mr. Denman, Q.C., and Dr. TriAram for
the co-respondent.

It appeared that the parties were married in 1846, and
the cohabitation continued until March last, during which
time there were three children issue of the marriage. For
some time they resided at Newcastle-on-Tyne, but the
petitioner being embarrassed in his circumstances
they removed to London, and the respondent en-
deavoured to contribute to the support of her hus-
band and children by accepting a situation as
matron in a charitable institution, and subsequently
at a lunatic asylum. The evidence was to the effect that
the co-respondent became acquainted with Mrs. Bilingay
in 1863 in consequence of his having engaged her to at-
tend his mother, who was labouring under mental disease,
and was living in Northumberland. On the 11th of March
last it was stated that they left the Great Northern Rail-
way by the down train at 9 o'clock in the evening, and
spent the evening together at the Great Northern Hotel,
Peterborough, occupying the same bedroom. The petitioner
and his wife lived together afterwards,and it was deposed in
the course of the evidence that he was kind and affectionate
to his wife, and appeared to be a man of religious charac-
ter. A considerable portion of the evidence as to identity
depended upon photographs of the defendants. It appeared
also that the co-respondent was acquainted with Mr.
Charles Reads, the popular novelist, who was examined
yesterday, and the acquaintance between him and respon-
dent originated in a visit which they both paid to the
lunatic asylum, where his mother was confined, and with
a view to inquire into the circumstances of a patient al-
leged to be confined there improperly.
No witnesses were called for the defence.
The jury, after more than an hour's consultation, found
that the adultery was proved, and assessed the damages at
£3OO.
Decree nisi with costs.

CLERKENWELL COUNTY COURT.
(Before Mr. Forster.)
THE MERCY OF LAW.-A PAINFUL SCENE.

In the course of a batch of judgment summonses, in
which one plaintiff brought up a number of poor defaulter;
one case excited a great deal of commiseration. A decent-
looking working man, who carried in his arms a young
child, aged about two years, stepped forward in answer
to his name, but appeared to be in the most profound afflic-
tion. He kept his face covered with a handkerchief, and
when questioned by Mr. Cheere, registrar of the court,
as to his reason for not obeying the order of the judge as
made upon a former occasion, the poor fellow was unable
to articulate a single word. One of the officers of the
court handed a piece of paper in to the registrar, and that
gentleman said to the plaintiff, " You.see the condition of
this man and how he is suffering. Is it your wish to go
on with this summons?" The plaintiff replied that he
wanted his money; to which the registrar rejoined, "If
you wish to go on of course I must proceed, but I should
have thought you would have withdrawn from such a
case as this, and I should have been well pleased had you
done so." The plaintiff, however,: persisted in his right,
and Mr. Cheere said that no doubt the defendant was in
a groat deal of trouble, and he should not think of sending
him to prison. The case would be adjourned until the
middle of January, and then the Court would consider
whether he could pay the debt by instalments. The de-
fendant bowed to his merciful judge, and muttering in
a broken voice "Thank you," left the court. It subse-
quently transpired that his wife was laying dead at his
house, and that he had otherwise experienced great
trouble.