The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-24 00:00:00

BAIL COURT.

(Sittings at Nisi Prius before Mr. Justice Coleridge and
Common Juries.)
WYLD V. CALVEB.T.

Mr. E. James and Mr. Needham were counsel for the
plaintiff; Mr. Sergeant Byles and Mr. Hawkins for the
defendant.

This was an action brought by the plaintiff, who is
the well-known map-seller and proprietor of the Great
Globe in Leicester-square, against the defendant, for a
breach of contract.

It appeared that the defendant had recently returned
from Australia, and (according to the plaintiff's case)
called on the plaintiff in 1853, and stated to him that,
having recently returned from Australia, where he had
resided for 15 years, he had made a fine collection of
geological specimens, and a considerable collection of
specimens of gold, in nuggets, &c., and he stated that
he was anxious to enter into an arrangement with some
person to exhibit them. Several interviews took place
between them, and eventually an arrangement was en-
tered into between them that the plaintiff should exhibit
them for one year at the Great Globe, and that the de-
fendant should receive 1501. for the use of them. A
memorandum of agreement was drawn up, and it was to
the effect that the defendant should deposit the specimens
by a certain day and arrange them ; and he was also to
arrange the geological specimens in addition to the speci-
mens of gold and nuggets. There were to between 200
and 300 models of large nuggets, which the defendant
said were too valuable to keep together. A number of
specimens were sent, and they were to be arranged by a
certain day, on which Mr. Wyld caused cases to be made
for them at considerable expense, and he had a number
of labels made for -the specimens, and then had 2,000
tickets printed, requesting the attendance of many of the
nobility, gentry, and scientific persons, to a private view
of the exhibition. A number of persons came to this
private view, but a very small quantity of the specimens
promised to be sent were sent, nor were those which
were sent arranged by the defendant. Some of the nug-
gets were described as "gold found in pipeclay," "gold
found in the debris of the river Tortu," &c., and one was
described as from a rock, which was valued at 28,000/.
The, specimens were exhibited for some time, and the
plaintiff continued to press the defendant to send the rest
of the specimens and arrange the minerals, which he pro-
mised to do ; but at last a gentleman who saw the nug-
gets told Mr. Wyld that he doubted that they were gold,
on which an examination was made of them, and it was
discovered that there was not a single gold nugget
amongst them, but that they were all models made in
lead and gilded. The defendant had repeatedly repre-
sented them as gold, and said that some of them were of
his own collecting, while on others were placed labels
showing them to be models. Mr. Wyld bad been at the
ir
on
bars (at the defendant's suggestion) of having
bars put up to protect the supposed gold nuggets, and a
policeman was kept there, armed with a revolver, to
shoot all the robbers who might come attracted by the
shining treasures there displayed. Mr. Wyld proved
the above facts, and was strictly cross-examined by Ser-
geant Bytes, but his evidence wag nc4 shaken. In the
course of the cross-examination, be was asked whether
he had not suggested to the defendant that there should
be a robbery at the Great Globe, as " the shillings would
then come in by hundreds to view the place." Mr.
Wyld most indignantly denied that there was the slight-
est truth in the suggestion, and added that no one but
ORO who had been the associate of convicts for fifteen
years would have ventured to suggest such a question to
the learned sergeant.
Mr. Justice Coleridge said that the witness should
content himself with a simple denial of the question.
Mr. Wyld said the question was a most offensive one
to him as a gentleman, and ought not to have been put.
The foreman of the jury said that the jury thought it
a most improper question, and in their opinion ought
not to have been put ' • it was also wholly irrelevant,
The question the jury had to decide was, as he under-
stood it, whether the defendant had deceived the plain-
tiff, and broken his contract with him, or whether the
plaintiff had combined with the defendant to deceive the
public.

Mr. Sergeant Bytes!said that ho was instructed to ask
the question, and must do his duty.
The Juror—Yes, but draw it a little mild—a little
mild. (Much laughter.)
At the close of the plaintiff's me the Court rose. -