The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-06 00:00:00

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.

DEATH OF MR. COMMISSIONER FONBLANQIIE
This morniing was officially announced the death of Mr.
Commissioner Fonblanque, the senior commissioner of the
Court of Bankruptcy. This gentleman, who had sat for
many years, was obliged some three years ago to discon-
tinue his sittings personally, Mr. Registrar Winslow being
appointed deputy commissioner. In consequence, how-
ever, of the death of the late respected Commissioner, Mr.
Winslowhas no power to act, and his court was necessarily
adjourned. Messrs. Commissioners Holroyd and Fonblanque
alluded to the loss of their old friend and brother judge in
feeling language, after which theusual business was taken.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Holroyd.)
IN RE SIR J. R. MACKENZIE, BART.

This bankrupt has been before the Court on many occa-
sions, and to-day he again applied for his order of dis-
charge. The debts are very heavy, nearly £lOO,OOO, but
the creditors, the largest of whom are the executors under
the will of the late Earl of Fitzwilliam, are to a certain
extent secured. It was stated that another adjournment
was imperative, as the accounts required the fullest inves-
tigation, and the case accordingly stood adjourned till a
future day.

SHERIFFS' COURT,
(Before Mr. Commissioner Kerr.)

EXTRAORDINARY HISTORY OF A SILVER SNUFF-BOX-COL-

LINGWOOD V. RORWOOD.

This was an action to recover £lO, the alleged value of
a silver presentation snuff-box, detained by the defendant.
Mr. Talfourd Salter (instructed by Mr. Buchanan) ap-
peared for the plaintiff ; Mr. Russell (instructed by Mr.
Burt) representing defendant.

Mr. Salter said that this was rather a singular action,
and it required a few words of explanation. Now the plain-
tiff's father had been during his lifetime one of the church-
wardens of St. George's, Bloomsbury, and while acting in
that capacity, in the year 1822, was presented with a silver
snuff-box. Plaintiff was the eldest son, and it would be
shown that the box remained in possession of the old
gentleman until the year 1845. Upon his death it was
found that the box was missing, although it had been left
specially to the plaintiff. Defendant had married plain-
tiff's sister, to whom the box had been lent, and upon her
death plaintiff demanded tho box from defendant, who
claimed the box as the executor under the will of the de-
ceased lady.

His Honour—Can you make this an heir-loom ?

Mr. Salter considered that it did become so.

Mr. Russell said ho denied the facts as stated by Mr.
Salter, and urged that this box could not be considered
as an heir-loom.

Mr. Salter replied that when the Duke of Marlborough's
sword, which was presented to him by the nation, was the
subject of an action it was held to be an heirloom, and
surely the snuffbox given by a vestry would also be con-
sidered a heirloom. The learned counsel said he would
deal with the various pleas in their proper order. He
would show also that the plaintiff had taken out letters of
administration to his late father's estate. It was quite true
that there was a will, but it was pretty sure that defendant
would never venture to prove it before the Probate Court.
Mr. Russell said he had the will in Court.
Mr. Salter—Why was it not proved before ?
Mr. Russell—Because it was not worth it.
His Honour said that if defendant filed his bill in Chan-
cery under the will, the first thing the Court would do
would be to stay this action.

Mr. Russell said that he had letters to prove that the
present claim had been abandoned.
Mr. Salter said that all this should be explained.
His Honour said ho should adjourn the case to enable the
defendant to prove the will.

Mr. Salter thought this ought not to be done.

Mr. Russell said he had another defence, which was, that
the original holder of the box was bankrupt, and the snuff-
box thus became the property of the assignee.
Mr. Salter said it had been retained by the old gentleman
at the request of his assignee, who was present, and would
prove it.
Mr. Russell urged also that the present suit was barred
by the Statute of Limitations, as the box came into defen-
dant's possession ten or twelve years ago.
His Honour said ho should adjourn the case to enable
defendant to prove the will.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

DISCHARGING FIREWORKS IN THE STREETS.—Thomas
Garrett, a rough-looking lad, was ehargod before Mr. Tyr-
whitt with discharging fireworks in the streets, and also
with assaulting Police-constable Kennedy, 130 F.
The constable said that on Saturday night he saw the
prisoner discharging fireworks in Dudley-street, and on
taking him into custody he kicked him several times on
the legs.

Mr. Tyrwhitt fined the prisoner 10s., or seven days.
Arthur Balker, a lad, was charged with discharging fire-
works in Leicester-square.

Police-constable West, 75 0, proved seeing the prisoner
discharge fireworks last night in amongst persons passing
the Alhambra Palace, Leicester-square.
Two little boys, named Thomas Williams and John
Frost, were also charged with letting off fireworks, but as
they had been locked up some time, Mr. Tyrwhitt, after
cautioning them, ordered them to be discharged.

OUTRAGEOUS ASSAULT.—Mary Conner and Honorah
Bryant, two coarse-looking young women, calling them-
selves dust sifters, were charged before Mr. Tyrwhitt with
being drunk and assaulting Mr. Henry Ross, a painter, of
No. 6, Midbourn-street, St. Pancras.
The prosecutor said that on Saturday evening he was
walking with his wife in Grafton-street, when the pri-
soners and another woman came up to him and called him
a "Slop," thinking he was a constable in plain clothes.
They then set to striking him and knocked him down in
the road. They then bit his face and his thumb, and had
so hurt his shoulder that ho could scarcely move his arm,
and he believed his shoulder was put out.
Mrs. Ross, wife of the prosecutor, said that when tho
prisoner and the other woman, who managed to escape,
first came up to her and her husband, ono of them spat in
her husband's face, and called him a " slop." They then
threw him into the road, covering him with mud, and set
to biting him. There were four Irishvromen all attacking
her husband at once. They then flew at her like wild
cats and struck her and tore her hair and smashed her
bonnet. She (witness) at last managed to escape from
them.

Burgess, 83 E, proved finding the prosecutor covered with
mud, and his face bleeding, and his wife having tho ap-
pearance of having been evidently pulled about. A butcher
had tried to save the prosecutor from the prisoners' vio-
lence. The prisoners were both drunk.

Mr. Tyrwhitt—l must say I look on the prisoners like
wild savages let loose in a civilised town. What business
have you (prisoners) to attack respectable persons in the
street ? You will be committed for a month each with hard
labour.

THE PAST SUMMER.—The English Registrar-
General has to report that the mean temperature
of the six months from April to September, 1865 - namely,
59.37 deg., has exceeded any to be found in the records of
the last 94 years. Yet the degree of heat was never equal
to that of several quite recent summers. The highest of all
the returns made to the Registrar-General this year was 92
deg., reported by the late Dr. Barker of Bedford ; and in
1858 the same gentleman had to report a heat of 97 deg. at
that place. But in all the 94 years the mean temperature
of the six months never before reached oven 58 deg., except
in five years, and in only one of those exceeded 59 dog.—
' namely, in 1846, when it was 59.13.