The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-05 00:00:00

SCIENTIFIC AND ORNAMENTAL PRESENTS.

ORNAMENTS for the Drawing-room, Library,
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ralogiet to her 11aiesty, 149, Stand, W.C., Lonaon.

Mr. Tennant arranges elementary collections of ROCKS,
SI [NEI{ A LS, and FOSSILS, to illustrate the new edition
of LyelPs Elements of Geology; they will greatly .acilitate
tne interesting study of MINERALOGY and GEOLOGY,
and can be had at 2,5, 10, 20, 50, to 100 guineas each.
PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION in GEOLOGY and MINE.
id.A.LOGY is given by Mr. TENNAN r. at 149, Strand W.C.

Fracas at Aldershot—Assault by Major
Wood on Major Steel.
Yesterday, at the Sheriffs' Court, Red Lion-square, be-
fore Mr. Undersheriff Burchell and a special jury, a case in
the Common Pleas, " Steel v. Wood," created considerable
interest. It was an action for an assault committed at Al-
dershot by Major Henry Evelyn Wood, son of Sir John
Wood, on Major Charles Steel, son of the late Lieut.-Gen.
Sir Scudamore Steel. Damages were laid at £5OO, and as
defendant had suffered judgment to go by default, a writ of
inquiry was executed to assess the amount to be awarded.
Mr. Sergeant Ballantine, with whom was Mr. C. Pollock,
appeared for the plaintiff ; Mr. Bushby for defendant.
Mr. Sergeant Ballantine, in opening the case, regretted
the necessity he felt in bringing it before the public. A
public outrage had been committed on his client, and as
Major Wood, who, besides being the son of Sir John
Wood was nephew of Vice-Chancellor Wood, had refused
to make an apology (and even now he would accept one
with nominal damages), and as he had been refused a court
martial, he was for the sake of his character obliged to
bring the case into court. Major Steel had, in 1858, mar-
ried the sister of the defendant, and she soon afterwards
left her husband's house. There was no moral imputa-
tion on Major Steel, but she had absented herself, and he
had been most anxious for her return. In December, 1863,
at the time of the court-martial on Colonel Crawley at
Aldershot, the plaintiff met his wife there and a young
gentlemen with her. He asked the name of the young
gentleman, and he appeared to be Major Wood. The
plaintiff went up and asked his wife to speak to him, hold-
ing out his hand. She refused, and the defendant prevented
her. He followed towards thb cabstand, wishing to ascer-
tain the residence of his wife, and the defendant struck
him two or three blows in his face and his nose bled.
For this outrage on a brother officer in public an apo-
logy was demanded, and had been several times refused.
Major Steel, who had been in the Lancers and Hussars,
had been refused a court-martial because he was on
half-pay, and had been obliged to come into court to
establish his character before the public. It was ex-
plained that the action had not been tried sooner from
the illness of the plaintiff and the recent death of
his father, after which event notice had been given by his
attorney, Mr. Henry Berry. The learned sergeant stated
that the plaintiff had served in India, and that the de-
fendant was a distinguished officer might be inferred from
the fact that he had obtained the Victoria Cross.
The plaintiff and a cabman were called in support of the
opening statement. Two or three blows were given, and
the plaintiff said without provocation the defendant struck
him in the face two or three blows which made his nose
bleed, and then jumped into a cab, in which he had placed
his sister. Re (plaintiff) put his foot on the cab, and the
defendant said, "I shall strike you again, and that will be
a bore." (Laughter.)
The defendant, Lieutenant Mansell, Sergeant Lynch,
and two privates in the same regiment, the 73d, were called
in mitigation of damages. Tho defendant and the other
witnesses stated that the plaintiff impeded his way with his
sister, and was cautioned several times. When his sister
got into the cab the plaintiff pressed forward, and withhis
left hand he (the defendant) gave him a "feeler," expect-
ing it would bo returned, and he could then use his right
,‘ feeler" was the language used in the
he had learnt from " Boxiana," a work
hand.prize
ring,
nTgh, ewwhoi
erhd
on the prize ring. (A laugh.) He certainly only struck
one blow and that not a severe one.
On the part of the defendant it was contended that the
blow had been well earned by the plaintiff, who had tried
to recapture his wife, adopting the custom among some
wild Indians. It was simply a case for the smallest damages.
Mr. Sergeant Ballantine commented in strong terms on
what he called the wrong-headed obstinacy of the defen-
dant, who had committed a public outrage on a brother
officer, and refused to apologise. Major Steel had been
obliged to come before the public,. It was a case for sub-
stantial damages.
on
whether
part the
e modef
tu
Mr. Under-Sheriff Burchell, placing tn.,' case before
the jury, told them it was their province to asseb.lq the
addaemaptgedest.o
claim
saywashnieot.,iviffoerwhaismprutodent u
plaintiff, but the blow in such a place wax Tory ea".