The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-20 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.---DEO. 19.
;Sittings at Nisi Prius at Guildhall.--Before Lord Camp-
bell and Special Juries.)
COCK V. NELSON.-RUNNING DOWN CASE.

Mr. Watson, with. Mr. Phipson, was counsel for the
plaintiff ; Mr. K. Macaulay, with another learned gen-
tleman, appeared for the defendant.
This was an action brought against the proprietor of
the " Wellington" (omnibus) which runs down the Park-
road, to recover damages for injuries which had been
sustained by the plaintiff, in consequence, as it was
alleged, of the negligence of the defendant's servant.
It appeared that on the morning of the 9th June last,
the plaintiff was an outside passenger on an " Atlas"
omnibus, of which a person named Brooks is the pro-
prietor and driver ; when, just as the "Atlas" was start-
ing, after having taken up a passenger, the " Welling-
ton" drove up against it, broke off the iron on the front
seat, and threw the plaintiff into the road, when the fore-
wheel of the " Atlas" passed over his:leg and considerably
injured it.
The defence was that the Atlas was endeavouring to
cross the road in front of the Wellington when the acci-
dent occurred.
A great number of witnesses were called upon either
side, being the persons riding in both of the omnibuses,
and bystanders who had witnessed the occurrence, who
gave very contradictory evidence with regard to which
of the drivers was in fault.
The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff. Dam-
ages 2001.
Lord Campbell refused to certify for a special jury, as
he thought a common jury might have disposed of the
case very satisfactorily.
WILLI.AXS V. LANG.-DREADFUL ACCIDENT ON BOARD A

was that I have a little account of aboutlt. to make up, -
to pay' in -Walbrook ;" and he pulled out his porte
monnaie ; and that moment Mr. Fortescue came up the
stairs and saidto me, "Do you know that party ?" I
said "No, he has just called upon me and said be was
a particular friend of yours." Mr. Fortescue said the
prisoner had just called upon and said he claimed the
acquaintance and friendship of me. I said, " I never
saw the prisoner before in my life." The prisoner then
said, " I beg your pardon, Mr. Weston ; I have seen
you frequently." I asked him where. He replied at
the house opposite. I asked what house. He said at
a public-house: There was no public-house. He then
said at Lake's dining-rooms in Cheapside. I stated that
I had not been there for two years, and Mr. Fortescue
said the prisoner was an impostor, and gave him in
charge to a policeman.
The prisoner said, upon receiving the usual caution
from his lordship—l hope you will be inclined to think
that it is more an error of the head than any intention
to defraud. It is true I do not question their evidence
that I did as they described. I have had three attacks
of delirium tremens, and I was, on the 24th of last
month, discharged from St. Thomas's Hospital, after
having had the third attack, and such is my prostration
of mind and body with the recollection of what has oc-
curred and the severance of friendships I held most dear
that sometimes I do not recollect what has occurred. In
May last I charged myself with embezzlement, which
was not true. In fact lam a perfect wreck, and if it
please the Almighty to take me I shall be thankful
indeed.

A lioensed victualler who sat in the justice-room said
—I have known the prisoner for some years. He came
to me and two others four years ago, and victimised us
exactly in the same way.
The prisoner was then committed for trial.
The Lord Mayor requested that the press would
acknowledge his receipt of 1/. is. from A,LC, for the
poor-box.

GUILDHALL.—George Parker, John Saunders,
alias M‘Guire, Charles Marshall, and Lewis Myers,
were placed at the bar before Sir R. Carden and Alder-
man Humphery, charged with being concerned in the
late extensive aobbery of plate, watches, and jewellery,
at Leighton Bnzzard.
Mr. Waller, who appeared for the prosecution, said
that Mr. Reuben Rouse Rowell, a watchmaker, and
jeweller, of Oxford, was present to complain of a similar
robbery committed upon his premises in July last, when
a quantity of watches were stolen, one of which was
ultimately offered to him again for sale. He was en-
abled thereby to trace the possession of it through seve-
ral hands to Mr. Jones, the refiner, of Wilderness-row,
who declined to tell of whom he purchased it, and as a
cheque for 151. of Jones's, of a subsequen.t date to that
of the robbery, was found in Myer's possession, Mr.
Rowell was indueed to believe that the prisoners at the
bar were concerned in the burglary at Oxford, as well
as the one with which they stood charged.
Alderman Humpheiy said that was a distinct charge,
and he would take care and have Mr. Jones before him
to account for his possession of the stolen watch. _ _

A number of Other witnesses were then examined ;
and the following letter found at Marslhall's lodgings
was also read :

" London, Dec. 7, 1353.

" Friend Henry,—You must excuse •me writing to
you, but I have left the Royal Oak, as Mr. Parker is
not there. Write to me by return of -post, as I shall
operate next Sunday night if possible.—:[ remain yours,
&c. FRIEND.

" Direct for me, No. 84, Hill-street, Walworth-road,
London. I have left Union-street."
This letter was 'addressed " Mr. H. Auckland, at Mr,
Coupland's, farmer, Carlton, near Worksop, Notting.
hamshire."

Mr. Waller said the prisoners were apprehended on
the night before the Sunday specified in the letter for
the writer and his friend to " operate," or in other
words, to rob Mr. Coupland's premises, and their in-
tended visit was therefore prevented.
Huggett said Marshall had been living in 'Union-street
until very lately.
Henry Passant was then called to show that Mar-
shall occupied , the room in which the letter was
found, and that since the burglary at Leighton Buz-
zard he had purchased about 6/. or 71. worth of new
furniture.
Sir R. Carden intimated his intention to remand all
the prisoners to Leighton Buzzard. The possession by
Myers of stolen property, so soon after the commission
of the crime, was a good reason for including him in the
charge. If he were acquitted he might then be tried
at the Old Bailey for the unlawful possession of stolen
goods in London.
Mr. Solomon, for Myers, asked if the worthy alder-
man would take bail for his client ?

Sir Robert Carden— Certainly not.
Mr. Solomon had only asked the question, in order
that he might apply to one of the judges to take bail. -
;Alderman Humphery did not think any judge would
accept bail in such a case.
Parker complained that they were abov.t to be sent to a
place to be tried where there' was already an unfavour-
able impression against them, and they did not consider
they were getting fair play. They had no funds to
take their legal advisers down with them into the coun-
try, so that they were entirely in the hands of the police.
Sir Robert Carden thought the police engaged in the
case had shown the most praiseworthy zeal, and they
deserved great credit for the manner in which they had
traced the prisoners and recovered portions of the stolen
property. He felt convinced that in the hands of such
experienced officers the prisoners would meet with every
fairness, and all the assistance consistent with their
duty. _ _ _ _

The depositions were completed in the course of the
afternoon, and will be sent with the prisoners this morn-
ing to Leighton Buzzard.
Alderman Humphrey acknowledged the receipt of 101.
from " C, V." for the poor-box.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.—The police made an-
other attack on the Cocoa-tree Club, St. James's-
street, better known as "Charles Lyley's," the
fourth within about six months, and, as will be seen,
with no better result than in the preceding instances.
The parties found in the house and taken into custody
in the majority of instances gave fictitious names. The
police, however, succeded in obtaining real names and
addresses, as far as they could do so with certainty, and
the police sheet, as altered, presented the following list
—Real names :—Charles 'Harrington, William Boswell,
John Watson, Edward Herbert, Arthur Pearson, George
Williams, William Richards, James Winsett, Frederick
Lyley, James Wilkinson, James Griffiths, George Lyley,
Charles Lyley, Hon. F. A. Carey, George Brown, (door-
keeper), Nathaniel Kemp, and Captain Scott. Fictiti-
ous names : Arthur Cooper, Nathanial Kemp, and Sam-
uel Brown—twenty persons in the whole.
Mr. Clarkson was present for the defendants.
Superintendent O'Brien, of the C Division, produced
the usual authority from the Police Commissioners for
entering the house known as the Cocoa-tree Club, No.
64, St. James's-street. About 3 o'clock yesterday
morning, witness, accompanied by other constables,
went to the house, and rang the outer-door bell. After
a short delay the door was opened by the door-keeper,
Brown. Witness went through the passage, and passed
through other doors. He was stopped by a fourth door,
which was strongly secured with iron bolts, stays, and
bars. Witness told the constable to try to force the door.
The constable did so for some time, but without effect.
The door at last was opened, and witness proceeded up-
stairs, and in the lobby met Charles Lyley, one of the
defendants, who was taken into custody. The other
defendants were found in a room on the first floor. Two
of them were not present in court—the Hon. Mr. Carey
and a military gentleman named John Scott. The room
in which the defendants were found was fitted up as a
billiard room, with three tables. The room was
thoroughly searched, but no gaming implements were
found in their possession, but some of them had consid-
erable sums of money about them. When taken to the
station-house, several of the defendants gave fictitious
names ; but after inquiries had been made, they gave
their right names. •
Mr. Bingham inquired if this was the whole of the
evidence.

The superintendent said it was.
Mr. Bingham—There is no case made out against the
defendants. They must be discharged.
The defendant having been liberated,
The superintendent applied for a warrant against the
two parties who had neglected to make their appearance.
A. solicitor, on behalf of the two gentlemen, said they
were prepared with a sufficient excuse for their non-ap-
pearance.
Mr. Bingham had no objection, provided a sufficient
excuse were made out, to allow the matter to stand over
for a short time.

MARYLEBONE.—WiIIiam. Stratton, the keeper of
a coffee-stall at Wharf-road, Paddington, was charged
with having sold spirits without a license.
Brown, 299 D, deposed that on the previous morn-
ing, at 6 o'clock, he was supplied with a cup of coffee
at'the defendant's stall, and on witness remarking that
it was a very cold frosty morning, the defendant said,
" I have a little rum here, and you can have a drop."
The rum was poured out from a tin bottle at the back of
the stall. The defendant was then taken into custody.
The prisoner said that on the Saturday night he had
provided himself with a half-pint of rum to oblige par-
ties corning up by the mail train. They had previously
given him the money to pay for it.
Mr. Broughton inflicted a mitigated penalty of 251.,
and in default of payment three months' hard labour in
the House of Correction.

THE NEW CAB Aar.—Sir R. Mayne, Commissioner
of Police, has applied, by a circular, to the various
boards of trustees for lighting the roads leading from
the metropolis, to the effect, that the most effectual
mode of giving information to the public, at night as
well as by day, of the point of the circumference of a
circle of four miles radius from Charing-cross (with
reference to the new cab law of last session) it is to
place a lamp post at the spot, upon which a notice of
the distance may be affixed. The trustees are therefore
requested to cause a lamp-post to be put up at places,
which will be pointed out to them by the superintendents
of the respective divisions of police in which they
are situated ; and who will supply the iron plates on
which the notice is embossed in white raised letters
upon a black ground.
SUDDEN DEATH AT THE LONDON-BRIDGE STATION.—
On Saturday Mr. Payne held an inquest on the body of
Mr. William Matthews, who had died at the North
Kent Railway station, London-bridge, on the previous
night. The deceased had suddenly fallen down and ex-
pired. Mr. John Matthews, of No. 10, Church-street,
Woolwich, son of the deceased, said that his father was
a butcher. He had had pretty good health, but he had
been troubled about family affairs, and he had complained
of a heavy weight or pressure on his chest. The jury
returned a verdict of " Natural death."