The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-04 00:00:00

THE SUN'. L'O,4IDON, WEDNESO,%:II EVENING, JUNE 4, 1862,

COMM OF ALDERMEN.

Yesterday, at a meeting of the Aldermen of the
city of London, held at Guildhall, Alderman Finnis
presiding, their attention was called by Mr. Wood-
thorpe, the town clerk, to an official communication
addressed to him by the Commissioners of Sewers
relative to the storing of American petroleum in
premises No. 8, St. Mary-Axe. It enclosed an ex•
tract from a recent report of Dr. Letheby, the
medical officer of health, stating that, complaints
having been made to him on the subject, he had
visited the house and found the ground floor used
in storing petroleum. Some of the American oils,
ho added, were exceedingly inflammable, and
would take fire on exposure to flame at a consider-
able distance from the vessels containing them ;
and, seeing how carelessly the oils were treated,
not merely in the storage of them in places where
they were likely to take fire, but also in their com-
mercial management, he was of opinion that some
regulations should be agreed upon in respect of
them. These, he stated, were necessary as well for
the public health as for the public safety. Already
regulations were in operation as to the storage of
other inflammable commodities, such as gunpowder,
phosphorus matches, and methylated spirit. The
Commissioners of Sewall stated that they had
deemed it their duty to bring the subject under the
consideration of the magistrates of the city, with
whom they were advised the power lay to issue
such orders, and take such measures as they might
think fit for the public safety with respect to the
dangerous material in question. Alderman Cope-
land, M.P., observing upon the grave importance of
the circumstances disclosed by the Commissioners,
moved that the communication be referred for con-
sideration to the General Purposes Committee, and
that in the summons convening them the subject be
distinctly indicated, in order to secure as full a
meeting as possible. Alderman Lawrence sub-
mitted that, having regard to the highly combus-
tibie nature of this material and to its storage in a
populous part of the city, the Court should at once
Froceed to frame regulations with respect to it, see-
ing that before the committee could meet, or while
they were deliberating on the subject, an accident
might posssibly take place. Alderman Wilson
questioned whether the magistrates had any power
to regulate the storage of this particular material,
though they might do so in the case of gunpowder.
Eventually, on the suggestion of Alderman Challis,
the motion was modified, to the effect that the
committee forthwith take such steps in the matter
as might appear advisable in the opinion of the
corporation, and in that shape it passed. Con-
formably to a request by the Executive Committee
of the National Association for the Promotion of
Social Science, the Court then, on the motion of
Alderman Copeland, unanimously placed their
chamber at Guildhall at the disposal of L3rd
Brougham and the Council of the Association
during its forthcoming election: The Court next
proceeded to consider the petition of Mr.
Joseph Gwyer Lovell, a merchant at Bristol,
complaining of the conduct of Mr, Wm. Frederick
Stanton, a broker in the city. The complaint
turned upon an alleged contract made in the begin-
ning of December last for the sale to the petitioner
of 50 tons of tallow, at the price of £2,564 odd. In
this transaction Mr. Stanton had acted as broker,
and the petitioner alleged substantially that he
(Mr. Stanton) had substituted the names of Thomp-
son, Benner, and Co. for those of Colchester and
Co., as the vendors of the tallow, and had, in con-
travention of the terms of his bond as a broker, not
kept a book disclosing the names of his principals
in the transaction and the terms of the contract. To
these allegations Mr. Stanton replied in effect that
he had named no other venders in the matter than
Thompson, Bonner, and Co.,and that the petitioner
called on him and inspected his book containing an
entry of the sale and did not question the contract
until a loss had arisen upon it. He added, he be-
lieved the petitioner's object now was to force him
to bear a loss which he himself had wilfully incurred.
Mr. Charles Pollock, barrister, was heard for the
petitioner, and a mass of correspondence was read
on the subject. The petitioner was called as a wit-
ness, and stated that in an interview he had with
Mr. Stanton, in January, the latter mentioned
Messrs. Colehester and Co. as the sellers, giving
afterwards at another interview, in February, the
names of Thompson and Bonner for the first time.
In March he saw the defendant at his office, after
waiting there for five hours, and asked to see his
contract-book. The defendant on that occasion
produced some loose papers and a small memoran-
dum book (produced) containing an entry of the
transaction. At this stage of the proceedings the
court was cleared on the motion of Alderman Chal-
lis, and on the readmission of strangers Mr. Russell
Gurney, the Recorder, announced that the Court
was of opinion that no sufficient case had been made
out to render it necessary to take any further pro-
ceedings on the petition, which was dismissed.
Alderman Challis, Chairman of the Gaol Committee, a
presented a report from that body recommending
gratuity of £5O to Mr. Constable, chief warder of the
Debtors' Prison, and an increase of salary of £5O a
year, to be paid out of fees received at the prison.—
Agreed to. A report from Sheriffs Cockerell and
Twentyman was handed in, stating that the num-
ber of prisoners in the gaol of Newgate was 101, in
the Debtors' Prison, 93 ; and in the gaol at Hollo-
way, 352. Of the whole number 18 only were in
the infirmaries.

Mr. M. Gore proposed the first resolution, to the
effect that the conduct of those who had risked their
own lives in the rescue of others R as deserving the
approbation of the meeting. Sir W.lraser seconded
the resolution, and in doing so remarked how small
a proportion of the inhabitants on our coasts were
able to swim. Ho thought that measures should be
taken to force people to learn; in many eases the
lives of swimmers were imperilled by their at-
tempting to rescue those who were unable to do so.
The resolution was carried. The Chairman regretted
that there were only two persons present to receive
the rewards which had been granted by the society
during the past year; the others, however, would
be forwarded to their respective owners. He then
presented the silver medallions to Mr. H. O'Dono-
van and to Mr. Ramsay, who both returned
thanks. The other cases were W. Williams, Cap-
tain Henecge, Lieutenant Oxford S. Cameron, and
Mr. M‘Farlane, of her Majesty's ship Isis. Mr.
T. E. Baker then proposed a vote of thanks
to the chairman, and observed that, although this
was called the Royal Humane Society, it received
no grant from Government, but was supported en-
tirely by voluntary contributions. Sir W. Stirling
seconded the resolution, which was carried, and the
proceedings terminated.

THE EXPLOSION AND LOSS OF LIFE IN
SHOREDITCH,

Yesterday Mr. John Humphreys, the coroner for
Middlesex, resumed, at the London Hospital, the
adjourned inquest respecting the circumstances
attending the death of Hannah Smith, who unfor-
tunately lost her life at the explosion which oc-
curred in Church-street, Shoreditch, on Wednesday
evening last. Some particulars of the occurrence
and a report of the former inquest have already ap-
peared in this journal.
Mr. Sergeant Ballantine, instructed by Mr. Pugh,
appeared for the Commercial Gas Company ; Mr.
Kerslake, Q C., for Messrs. Brassey, the contractors
for the sewer; Mr. Padmore, for the husband of
the deceased; Mr. Moss, for several of the persons
injured; and Mr. Fry, from the Commissioners of
the Board of Works.

The jury, and also the coroner, in the first in-
stance, viewed the body, and also the sewer.
The Coroner said that his colleague (Mr. Wakley)
whilst in Madeira was upset out of a boat and took
cold, was seized with coughing, and by the exertion
he ruptured a blood-vessel, and on the 15th became
insensible from haemorrhage, and he died on the
16th. Previously to his becoming insensible he
wrote several letters to his family, and drew up
certain legal documents. Owing to his decease, he
would not be able to go as fully into the case as he
intended, as it was necessary that he should take
two cases that afternoon in the western division of
the county. He should therefore sit only during
the morning, and then adjourn the inquiry until
Monday next.
Gee. W. Wright, a bellows maker, of Church-
street, Bethnal-green, said on Wednesday evening
last my attention was called by a Mrs. Manning to
the pavement, when I saw the pavement sinking,
and in the course of a few minutes the explosion
took place. The kerb and pavement were slanting
towards the cutting, whilst men were employed in
removing the weight from the arch of the pave.ment.
By the Coroner—He should say that the weight
of the stones piled upon the pavement had caused
it to slant into the cutting. There were banks, and
one or two of them kept up the water-mains. After
the explosion the banks gave way. It would appear
to any reasonable being that the banks gave way
before the explosion, bnt he was not certain. There
was confusion before the explosion by men shifting
the engines. He had apprehended danger before,
owing to the men placing such heavy weights of
stones upon the pavement. He had spoken to one
of the gangers, whose name he thought was Lund,
upon the danger of placing so many stones on the
footpath; but he only laughed at him, and said it
was not his place to go and ask his neighbours
where he should place the stones. He told him that
his house was a heavy one, and he thought the men
were not using proper precautions to protect it. The
man then said if the house was waxed together it
would fall, but if it was well built it would stand.
John Brown, 22, Mark-street, Paul-street, Fins-
bury, said that he was at work for Mr. Brassey in
the cutting, and noticed the earth giving way at 12
o'clock in the day, in front of the house blown down.
The planks at the side did not go to the bottom of
the cutting. The men were there busy putting
boards up at the side of the cutting at that time.
The ground at the same time was curving. The
timber man and ganger were then busily employed
in the cutting, endeavouring to keep the ground up,
but the weight was too much, and it forced the
ground down. There was a clerk of the works, but
he did not mention to him what he had seen before
the explosion, as it was not his place. He told Mr.
Blunder, as he called him, but his name was Lund,
on Thursday morning, that the earth was settling
the previous day at 12 o'clock. He said " Don't
open your mouth too wide. I don't do so myself."
The day before the explosion took place the ground
was settling towards the cutting, and he assisted in
removing the engine. At the time of the explosion
the engines was working.
By a Juror—There wanted two or three frames
in the cutting when the fall took place, When he
mentioned what was the cause of the accident, he
was told to keep his peace or Mr. Brassey would
have to pay for it.
At this stage of the proceedings the inquiry was
adjourned.

MYSTERIO DISAPPEARANCE OF A
GENTLEMAN.

Great and painful excitement has been caused at
Wimbledon ever since Friday of last week, in con-
sequence of the sudden and inexplicable disappear-
ance of Mr. Dodd, a well-known solicitor, of the
firm of Tate and Dodd, 32, Bucklershury, London.
This gentleman has for many years occupied a cot-
tage belonging to Mr. William Bradfield, on the
common, near the National Schools. There he
resided in unusual privacy and retirement alone,
scarcely any person ever being permitted to cross
his threshold, although out of doors he was familiar
with many, and possessed a genial flow of spirits,
and was fond of instructive conversation and the
arts and sciences. For some time previous to the
above-named day Mr. Dodd had been unwell, and
his medical adviser, strongly in opposition to his
own wishes, ei.joinotl. a Relation of rest and medical
regimen as being absolutely necessary. This was
reluctantly acted upon, and returning health
evinced itself so much, that for some days preceding
Friday ho was enabled to take, with his attached
dog, short walks upon the common, which afforded
him great pleasure. On that day he went out at
about ono o'clock, and as punctuality was one
characteristic in which he at all times prided him-
self, his return was expected at three o'clock. That
hour, however, arrived, and also four, still, how-
ever, ho did not return ; when Mr. Bradfield's
family became alarmed, and immediate search was
instituted. The only tidings gleaned, however,
were, that he had been seen conversing with some
gipsies, encamped on a portion of the common,
during the afternoon. These- were interrogated,
and at once admitted having seen him, and
that lie bad conversed with one of the tribe,
after which they saw him no more. Within
a few minutes of this the gipsies in
great haste struck their tents and pre-
cipitately decamped in various directions. The
search, thus commenced, has been continued
up to the present moment without, we are sorry to
add;success. Every portion of the common has
been explored, and the woods adjoining searched.
Detectives have been down to Scotland-yard, and
rewards of £5O have been offered for the recovery
of the body if dead, and the same for information
of Mr, Dodd's whereabouts if living, but all are
unavailing. The whole matter is at present wrapped
up in mystery. That the gentleman could have
strolled off the common unperceived is out of the
question, as he is well known, and so many per-
sons were working there, erecting the boarding for
the forthcoming rifle competition. That foul play
has ensued we ate reluctantly compelled to admit.
This' is our fear, as Mr. Dodd had on his person a
gold watch and chain, worth 60 guineas, and up-
wards of £25 in gold and silver, besides other valu.
ables.—Sussex Express.

LORD DUND.REARY'S DERBY PROPHECY

(From Punch.)

Well, now, I don't know how to begin with my
prophecy, and I almost wish that Mr. Punch hadn't
asked mo to do it for him, I mean that I don't
wish I had asked him to let me. For I never made
a prophecy before, you know, except after it had
happened, the event I mean, and that isn't exactly
a prophecy, which means the foretelling of events
that never happen. I think that Dr. Cumming
might have done it, only you see that reverend
doesn't at tend races, and so he could hot be supposed
to be up in the horses, for you can't have
races without horses, you know, except races of
ginger, and it would be ridiculous to prophecy
about ginger, you must see that, quite ridiculous,
and you might burn your mouth like the man in
the South eating the road to Norwich—no, he
couldn't eat a road, could he ?—that's not right.
Stop, doesn't Shakspeare—great creature, Shak-
speare—say something about seeming in running to
devour the way ? Couldn't devour whey, you know,
curds you might, though, but you can't rrophecy
about curds, except so far as saying they arc very
nasty. IVhat was I saying ?-oh, yes, ginger and
curds and prophecies. Well, only one horse can
win, that is quite certain, and he must be the win-
ner, unless he comes in after another; then he'll
be second, or more than that—second-hand in fact
—a second-hand horse. You wouldn't like that,
would you ? Stop, though, all horses must be
second-hand, unless you grow them yourselves.
Grow them—is that right ?—do horses grow ?
Of course they do, some are taller than others,
and some of them must be shorter, it's ridiculous
to say horses don't grow like trees. Certainly
they do, and blow like trees also—will anybody tell
me a horse don't blow ? I dare say that Miss Todd
blew—at least her horse—she only blew up, when
Lord Knox was had up before Essex—stop, that's
not right. Essex is a county and has calves;
this was a coachman, he hadn't calves,. footmen
have calves though, which they stick—at least,
they stick'em on behind. But Epsom is not
in Essex, quite the reverse, Epsom is in the
Downs, where the British fleet was moored
when black-eyed Susan came on board. I like
black eyes, you know—not such as you get fighting
of course, but a lady's black eyes, though very few
ladies have black eyes, I've remarked that, and a
man that would strike a lady deserves to be hanged
—but I don't mean that sort of eyes. All in the
downs—though—how can that be ? ships can't be
moored on dry land ; but you'll say Epsom isn't
always dry. Anyhow, a ship can't sail there, ridi-
culous, Epsom salts are not the salt sea, you must
see that. But about the horses, where's the list?
List, as Hamlet says to the Ghost, because a ghost
on the stage walks in list slippers, very proper. Ace
of Clubs—that's a queer name for a horse—horses
don't go to clubs—asses do though, I believe. He's
to prepare the way for a Whitewall crack. What's
the good of preparing for a crack in a white wall ;
better stop it up, eh—stop, yes, quite proper ; then
when the crack comes you won't jump. Well, he
won't win, unless he's thrown down on the table,
and you can't throw a horse on a table, though you
can a pony. Next is a long ward. Argo—dessay
it's a mistake forcargo, these papers are so ignorant
—stop, Argonaut. Nought means nothing, and
that's his chances. To be sure Wells rides him, if
he don't ride something else, and Wells are deep
you know. Wells ? Ah! when he's in the saddle
he's Sadler's Wells, eh ? I'll send that to Punch.
Stop, I can't do that because I am at Epsom, and
Sadler's Wells is at Islington, ridiculous. Well,
hero's Brighton ; I don't mean the place, Parklane
super mare, you know, but the horse. I think he
has done all he knows has Brighton, and it's very
pleasant to go down and dine at the Bedford, and
the asparagus is monstrous good—not monstrous
asparagus, I don't like that ; it should be small and
green like an amethyst—no, amethysts are not
green ; my aunt wears one and she isn't green
neither—quite the reverse. I suppose I mean
an emerald ; but emeralds are not like asparagus
—you must see that. Cat—cat—yes, Caterer,
that's the comparative of cat, caterer, or
more cat ; very good name, easily said—
sounds like " flatterer ;" but I shan't flatter this
cat—this comparative cat—a horse a com-
parative cat ! Comparisons are odious; so are cats
to some people, not me, I like them, when they
don't scratch. I don't think Caterer will scratch—
horses don't scratch, you know—l think he won't
be scratched, but I don't think he'll be the first to
scratch against the winning post. Clarissa colt, she
must be a daughter of Mr. Colt, who revolved pis-
tols in his mind. What would be the good of that,
and what use is a pistol at a race, unless it's a pre-
destinarian race, and you want to startle the men—
et least not startle 'em, or they would'nt run well,
of course, but Clarissa—what a pretty name, rhymes
to Harlowe—no, it don't neither, what made me
think of that ? Well, she won't win—stop, it
isn't a she, but a colt. Bat they are all colts ; it's
quite ridiculous calling one by a she-Christian name,
it's bigamy. No, it isn't quite that; but she won't
win, whether her father fires a pistol or not. Cel-
larius, that's a good name ; there used to bo a polka
called the Mazurka polka—what's that got to do
with it ? Now what put polking in my head ? We
don't come to Epsom to polk, do we ? When I was
at school I learned a Latin word—l don't mean only
one, heaps, millions, but one which I think was
cellarius, and meant " very fast," and if this is a very
fast horse the namo is good, which comes of having
a gentleman's education. Everybody should know
Latin, then we should all be gentlemen. Stop, I
don't want that, though ; who'd clean the boots ?
Boots must be cleaned, you know, but the Latins
didn't wear boots, which accounts for it. The Latin
horse won't win. Now here's a long one. I should
like to sneeze before I try it, for I shall never be
able to sneeze in the middle of that horse, like a
Centaur. But it's no use, I can't—Caractacus. I've
read of him, and how he envied Napoleon a humble
cottage in Rome. Stop, was it Napoleon ? Yes, he
was King of Rome, that's quite right; but it was
) ridiculous to envy a humble cottage, ho might as
well have envied a humble bee. This horse—l can't
say him again—he has been doing something at
Bath, perhaps getting his head shaved, to make
him run lighter, and he frightens some of them—l
am not frightened, a nobleman ought never to bo
frightened ; noblesse oblige, you know ; not that all
the nobility is obliging—quite the reverse; my
uncle isn't, for he won't let me come into his title,
which is nepotism. This horse may win, if he can
—that I am nearly certain about. Now we come
to The Marquis. What nonsense the Marquis, and
not saying of where—not Marquis of Ware, I don't
mean that, but of someplace, and Ware would do as
well as anywhere. But perhaps a horse wouldn't
like to be a Marquis, I mean a Marquis mighn't like
to be a horse, and have his name in the mouths of all
the legs. Stop ; do legs have mouths ? I suppose so
—I have heard of gout in the gums, and that ac-
counts for it. Well, as The Marquis is a nobleman
I —that is, a noble horse, he may have the blue ri-
band, which is the order of the garter, you know,
and it is always given to the winner of the Derby,
and Lord Derby is a Knight of the Garter, though
he never won, but the moral is the same. But a
Duke's higher than a Marquis, though not higher
than a marquee, or else he couldn't'go inside it, you
must see that, and here is Duke Rollo. Some say
Wells rosy ride him, but he can't ride him and
Cargo together—unless he puts a leg on each and
stands upright, and I don't think the Jockey Club
would stand that. Anyhow a duke is more entitled
to a blue riband than an anonymous Marquis, you
must agree to that, Now, then Zetland, he's a
freemason, at least Lord Zetland is, so Zetland
must be a free and accepted horse, don't you see ?
Fancy a horse a mason—wouldn't mind being fired,
eh ? That's good, monstrous good. Now for ano-
ther. Lord Glasgow's e. What's Lord Glasgow's
e. ? He isn't a bishop, is he ? Ridiculous, bishops
don't keep racers. Dam—l don't mean that, you
know, but a mamma, a mother in fact, a parent as
it were. Dam by Orlando out of Brown Bess, also
another by I3arbatus out of Brown Bess. Then that
must be the uncle of the other ; come, I. do under-
stand a pedigree, if I don't understand anything
else, which I do. Then an uncle and a nephew are
to run against one another. That's mere nepotism.
And E'tockweH is the father of one. That's a good
father, but what the horse wants is a godfather,

Why don't Glasgow name his horses? I suppose
he's a Pcedobaptist. As for Warminster, if it isn't
a mistake for Westminster, where the Abbey is,
you know, and Parliament, only Parliament's all
at :Epsom to-day. Warininster's a winning kind of
name, only you don't win with your name, except
when you aro a Lord, and want to be be married,
and ac for an Ensign, why, my brother Bill's an
ensign, and
,he can't run a bit. To be sure that
right, because a British soldier—Bill's an officer,
but the moral is the same—l say a British moral
officer ought not to run, and then Exchequer, what
a name. I've heard of runs on the Exchequer,
but never of an Exchequer running, though Mr.
Gladstone runs on any time. Fancy Mr. Gladstone
running for the Derby, quite inconsistent, I should
say, and he had better be taking off taxes than squan-
dering his time doNvn here, drinking champagne,
which is sure to disagree with him, and make him
fractions, like a baby when you give him rhubarb
on your finger, though I dare say Mr. Gladstone's
champagne is not of rhubarb, and indeed he is not
here, which accounts for it, besides Exchequer be-
ing scratched, Neptunus is the same as Neptune,
who was the god of the inferior regions, and, if so,
he must be an inferior horse, and not likely to win,
though he struck the earth, and carried off Porcu-
pine to be queen down there. Stop, was her name
Porcupine or Prospero ? It could not have been
Prospero, because I have seen Mr. Macready play
that, but then, to be sure, it was a revival, which
is different. Also, I think it was Plato, at least I
know somebody reasoned well, and therefore ho
may win after all, for there goes eggs to the roast-
ing of reason. No, you can't roast reasons, though
you may bake raisins—something wrong there.
Malek was the name of Mr. Coeta's opera, and I
remember that did not run, so perhaps this will
not, and if he does not run he can't conduct an
opera, which Mr. Costa can, nobody better; and
here is St. Alexis. Putting a saint in a race, what
Puseyism ! I suppose that's in compliment to Mr.
Gladstone, who has no business here at all, he
hasn't, and indeed he is not here, for it would not
do to have a horse-racing Lord Chancellor, who has
quite enough to do to feed his seals. Stop, though,
the seals feed him, I have heard—l must ask Dr.
Solater the next time I see the theological gardens
—they call'em that because fellows go there on
Sunday. Well, that's about all, and I should like
to sneeze. Eh ? But I haven't prophesied, after
all. Well, that's ridiculous enough. Prophesy,
let's see, I'm to foretell what is to come, that is,
what is to come to the post, and come first. Well,
noblesse oblige, don't you see? It wouldn't be the
thing for me—living under his roof, don't you see,
at least you don't see his roof, and I don't live
under it, except when I'm acting, but the moral is
the same. I mean that it wouldn't do, you see.
Eh ? 0, why you must see that I only prophesy
one way—it would be a bad compliment to our
American cousins—at least, he isn't an American,
nor my cousin, but performs that part, which ac-
counts .for it. I couldn't mention anybody but
Buckstone. I want to sneeze.

LATV INTELLIGENCE.—June 3.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.

(Sittings in Banco, before Lord Chief Justice Erle,
and Justices Williams, Williams, and Byles.)
TOWNE V. DANIELLS-LIBEL.

The plaintiff in this case was a solicitor at Rams-
gate, and the defendant was a dissenting minister
and lecturer in that town. In December, 1861, the
plaintiff was employed by Messrs. Volckman, con-
fectioners in London, to collect a small debt due by
the defendant for confectionery, which had been
supplied upon his order to start a poor woman in
business ; and the plaintiff first wrote a letter de-
manding payment, and having received no answer,
issued a writ. The defendant before the service of
the writ paid the plaintiff the debt, and ss. for the
letter, and afterwards wrote to Messrs. Volckman
saying what he had done, and referring to the
plaintiff, added, "He has not had the civility to
send me any acknowledgment, and, not being igno-
rant of his antecedents, I have felt it best to give
you information that he has the money." The
plaintiff claimed damages, contending that this was
a libel upon him, but at the trial before Mr. Justice
Keating a few days ago the verdict was for the
defendant.
Mr. Edward James now moved for a rule for a
new trial, and stated that in addressing the jury he
submitted to them that the words used imputed
dishonesty to the plaintiff; and his lordship, in
summing up, left it to the jury to say whether the
words had this meaning, but did not tell them that
even if the words did not mean this they might still
be libellous. The jury, under these circumstances,
might have been under the impression that it was
only in the event of dishonesty being imputed that
an action would lie, and it was submitted that this
amounted to misdirection.

The Lord Chief Justice said the judge left to the
jury the question whether the words bore the
meaning which the plaintiff's counsel contended for;
and the great complaint was, that the defendant's
counsel having contended for a more favourable con-
struction, the judge said nothing to do away with
the effect of this. Certainly this did not amount to
misdirection.—Rule refused.

COURT OF PROBATE AND DIVORCE.
(Before Sir C. Cresswell.)
DYKE N. WILLIAMS.

Dr. Wambey, on the part of the defendant, who
claims to be nephew and next lawful heir to the late
Mrs. Elmsley, who was murdered about two years
ago at Stepney, applied to the court to direct the
Queen's Proctor to allow his client to inspect cer-
tain documents in his possession. The papers in
question had been transferred from the custody of the
police to the hands of the Queen's Proctor, and this
inspection was necessary to enable his client to
establish the legitimacy of the deceased, and prove
his own pedigree.
Dr. Spinks opposed the application.
Sir C. Cresswell said that this was a very vague
application, as no particular papers were specified,
and the object of the applicant appeared to be to
have a roving commission to inspect the brief of the
opposition side. He felt bound to refuse the appli-
cation.
Dr. Spinks said that the papers in question were
in the hands of the Court of Chancery.