The Sun.
London, England, 1836-11-28 00:00:00

COMMON PLEAS.-(THIS DAY

(Sittings at Nisi Prius before the LORD CHIEF JUSTICE al
Guildhall.)
COLLINSON V. ANGEIV.

Mr. 'Max stated this case to be an action brought by
the plaintiff against the trustees of the parish of Lambeth, to
recover compensation for the expenses which he had been
put to in lighting a certain portion of the parish of Lambeth
from the 29th of September, 1835, to the 25th of Decem-
ber of the same year. There were 512 lamps for this pe-
riod, and for a few remaining days this number decreased at
the rate of 100 lamps per day. It turned out that the
question had been lighted by a gas company, and
parishttla i
that the trustees of the parish and the gas company having
come to a quarrel, the company refused to light the parish
any longer. The parish were placed in a situation of very
great difficulty at the shortness of the notice, and they ap-
plied to the plaintiff to light the district in ques-
tion, and he did enter into an agreement to light the
lamps. Before January, however, another gas com-
pany was got to light the parish, and inasmuch as it
weal be incenvenieot to put in ON lamps at once

_--• _,

b

is

e;

~r,

Coliiuson agreed to keep up the lights a few nights
and it was arranged that he should decrease the number
at the rate of 100 lamps per night, and that the new gas
company should put on 100. The plaintiff now brought
this action to recover the sum of 3041. The defendant tics
ds
paid all except 1001., and the question between the part!e
was, whether or not the plaintiff was entitled to the remain-
ing 1001. The sum charged by the plaintiff was 3d. p.er
night per lamp, and they would beyond all question establish
that the plaintiff had given out during the time mentioned al
sufficient quantity of oil, that the oil was of a goo(
description, that the cotton was good, that there were
proper burners, and that he employed persons who were
fit to be employed in such a business, and there could
be no doubt but that the sum mentioned of 3d. Pet
night per lamp was an extremely low charge, and that
.the
plaintiff must lose by the charge, for though at the
he entered into the engagement oil was sold at 235., it
subsequently rose to 4i3s. Notwithstanding, it thus be-
came a losing concern, the plaintiff gave out a sufficient
quantity of good oil. The defence set up by the defendant_
was, that whatever oil the plaintiff gave out, the lighting of
the lamps was a considerable ground of complaint in the Ransil,
and that the people expressed themselves much dissatisfied.
In answer to this, it turned out, beyond all question, that
tun.c
the lamps were in the district before, and were the propertY
of the defendants, and they were bound to supply them,
while the plaintiff supplied the oil, cotton burners, Sze.
That, in respect of bad repair, and original bad construc-
tion, it being unfit for oil, during the time when the wind
was strong, the lamps went out.
The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE—It was a dispute between the
oil and the lamps.—(A laugh.)
Mr. ERLE—It was. The lamps, from their original con-
struction were unfit fbr burning oil ; and, besides, a large
number of them was out of repair. There was no doubt
but that the lanterns were originally intended for gas
burners ; they had been used as such from 1833 to 183.5
and to gas burners they bad now returned. There
was a great difference between the two species of light—ln
the one there was a very strong current of air and a Po"
erful flame ; but in the oil lamps the flame was not nearly
so strong, and was very liable to be blown out by a strong
current of air. There were some hundreds of lamps e%"
tremely out of repair, and this was to be taken into con-
sideration, together with the original faulty construction.
It would be for the Jury to consider all these questing,
and to say whether or not the plaintiff was entitled to the
charge he had made.
The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE, before any witness was csa
mined, put it to the parties whether it would not be better
to settle the matter amicably.
After a short conversation, it was agreed between the
parties that a verdict should be taken for the plaintiff, on
the usual terms.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT-
(THIS DAY.)

SUMMARY STATEMENT, DESCRIPTIVE OF THE VARIOUS OFFENCES iviTII•- -
WHICH THE PRISONERS SEVERALLY STAND CHARGED.
Uttering and having Couutcrleit Aiding and assisting to commit 1
Coin in possession
Stealing in a dwelling-house Burglary to
above the value of 5/ 8 Housebreaking ........................ 1t
Stealing from the person 25 Embezzlement ......................•• i
Ditto by Servants 24 Manslaughter ......................... a
Receiving stolen goods
Obtaining goods under false pre- Arson ................................. ... 9
pretences
Larcenies
Total ............... 22",

STATE OF HIS MAJESTY'S GAOL OF NENVGATE,
aalvelei •
MADE UP TO SATURDAY EVENING. Males. .-- 6
Prisoners under sentence of death
Prisoners under sentence of transportation for life 0 10
14 years .... 0 35
7 years .... 3 59
Ditto, for trial at the present Sessions
Ditto, whose judgments are respited
.. . . _

Ditto, acquitted On the ground Of insanity, but remain dur 0
ing Royal pleasure 4 0
Ditto, committed by Commissioners of Bankruptcy 1 0
Ditto, under sentence of confinement 1
.....
ill
185
Total
In addition to the above number, there are about "'
I
other prisoners in a course of examination at the sevens
police-offices, so that before the session terminates the ag;
gregate number will be little short of 300. The Deconbe
Sessions commence this day fortnight.

This morning the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, ece°4ll
panied by the Recorder, Aldermen Sir Chapman ger;
shall and Farebrother, the Common Sergeant, and th
City Sheriff, opened the business of the present Sessloo9'
The Grand Jury having been sworn,
The RECORDER proceeded to address them. He said
it would not be necessary to occupy their time at an
length respecting the discharge of their ordinary duties, bu':
he should advert to circumstances which, he understood
sometimes interfered with their full performance. Th_e
great object of the institution of a grand jury being net
unnecessarily to place in jeopardy the liberty of any Per;
son by putting him upon trial without. the existence e'
such evidence as uncontradicted, would be sufficient to ci6;
tablish his guilt, the gentlemen whom he addressed would
take care to have in all cases such a detail of facts a'Aci
cumttancos as would upon an exparte view induce them
believe the prisoner guilty. But the attention of the C..,"ourtbs"
been called to the fact that bills were frequently ignored ibr
want of a proper sifting of the evidence, or without °,l
examination of all the witnesses who might be require
to substantiate the charge. It not unfroquently bac
pened that the party prosecuting was not himself cog,,,'
zant of all the circumstances, and it would be neceet
to call in the policeman, who, in addition t', Navin;lke
prisoner in custody, often saw the crime committed. '',„„
would therefore recommend the grand jury tso exam":,"l
all the witnesses whose names appeared on the back
the bill of indictment, unless they were previously satila
tied by the examination of one or more. Neither shoabe
they ignore the bills, where prosecutors, probably from t.oir
trifling value of articles stolen from them, or from .t 4
influenced by the friends of the accused, seemed not inchn,
to press the charge. He trusted the present grand jury sve-0,
diligently attend to this part of their duty, and apply th.e 0,
selves more closely to the examination of the evidence, in
much as they had not the assistance, as in the King's nelltie
of an officer of the Court to direct them in its discharge• cl
made these observations because it had been commutr,eatea,
by the Magistrates that from the causes to which. be 11,0.
vertcd bills were ignored, where, after due and v.nxious "1,1
quiry, they returned depositions in such a strAte viltir
warrant an investigation before a petty jury. The crilq-$4
dar for the present sessions contained the names 01,:the
prisoners, and probably before the close of the wee co'
number might be increased to 300. The Recorder Pof
ceeded to notice the circumstance of two cases, °Pie be
child murder, the other for arson, which they ivotliubel
called on inquire into, and said he had no doubt talc!
would give to them, as well as to all those which 'oreit
come before them, that attention which the public We'
required.