The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-04 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, Mao( 2.
IN RE JAMES MOORE.
This day was fixed for his final examination.
The debts and liabilities are upwards of 50,0001., and the
estimated assets at nearly 42,000/. The examination of the
bankrupt as to various. items in his balance-sheet occupied four
hours and a half, and that being concluded,
The Learned COMMISSIONER said he never met a ba'ance-
sheet prepared with greater accuracy, nor a bankrupt who ap-
peared more willing to give every explanation to his creditors.
The bankrupt then passed his final examination.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT,BCH 2.
IN THE MATTER OF HENNY HALL.
The insolvent, a comedian at the Adelphi Theatre, was dis.
charged on sureties until his hearing.'
John Dale, of the Victoria Theatre, another comedian, was
the next insolvent bailed out on a similar application.
A respectable solicitor, who had been engaged it' Chancery
proceedings, applied to be liberated on bail.
The petitioner had been engaged as a solicitor in a number
of Chancery suits, and he had in his schedule good debts to
10,0001. He had, in fact, 16,000 i. owing to him more than
he owed.

The Court, after a good deal of discussion, granted the aF-
pheation.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—NEWCASTLE, MARCH 1.
WOOD V. FEN WICK AND OTHERS.
The plaintiff in this case is a lad of eighteen years of age, a
" putter," as it is called, in the West Cramlington Collis ry.
The defendants are Magistrates who meet in petty cessions at
Tynemouth. Tce action was brought to recover compensation
in damages for the alleged illegal imprisonment of the plaintiff.
The plaintiff, it appeared, had, with a number of other in-
dividuals, entered into what is called a pit bond, engaging
them to work at certain wages for the owners of the West
Cramlington Colliery, from thelst of April, 1840, to the Ist
of April, 1841. The plaintiff continued to work under this
agreement up to July, 1840. On the 31st ofJuly as. rike took place.
The pits continued idle till the sth of August, when a consi-.
derable number returned to work. The plaintiff, among the rest,
wrought until the 7th of August, which was the Friday, on
which day he went to Mr. Taylor, who was a son of one of the
proprietors, and superintended the working of the pit. He
said, "Mr. Taylor, I will consider myself free from this even-
ing." On the Monday the plaintiff did not return to his work,
and on the Tuesday, a warrant having been applied for, he was
taken before the present defendants, sitting at Tynemouth in
Petty Sessions, and charged under the statute with having im-
properly left his employment The defendants committed him
to the House of Correction of Tynemouth for the period of one
calendar month. In the meantime the other persons who had
struck woi k returned to their employment, and the plaintiff
himself, on the expiration of his imprisonment, preferred act-
ing as " putter" in the coalpit to being committed for another
month, wt.ich it appvars would have been the . consequence of
his refusal.

Mr. GRAINGER, in slating the as:, to the Jury, submitted,
on the,point of law, that it was competent to the plaintiff to
put_ an end to his own employment, as he had done, by notice.
The Learned Counsel then went into the question of the
amount damages, which, he submitted, white they should
not be vindictive, should be ample, and a full compensation
to the plaintiff for the loss of his liberty and the personal suf-
fering which had been inflicted on him.

Witnesses in support of plaintiff's case having been called,
and Mr. Alexander having aidreised the Jury for the defen-
dants,

Mr. Justice Mautx said he was of opinion that the question
was one of law for the Court, and that the contract must be
clearly beneficial to bring it within the rule. In case, how-
ever, he should be wrong, the opinion of the Jury might be
taken on that point, and the whole might be embodied in a
special case for the opinion of the Court above.
Mr. GRAINGE/1 hay* addres€ed the Jury on this point,
and on the ground of tEe amount of damiges, his Lordship
summed up, and the Jury, after retiring to consult, brought
in a verdict, in case the Court above should find the point of
law in favour of the plaintiff, of 5/. camases, expressing also
their opinion that the contract was for the benefit of the infant.

A similar case, in which another "°. putter" in the same col-
liery was plaintiff, and the same Magistrates defendants, it was
agreed should share the fate of Wood v. Fenwick.

-Before lir. Baron Rolfe a few cases of no public importance
were tried, and the Court, having concluded the business on
the criminal side, rose at an early hour.

HOME CIRCUIT—HERTFORD, MARCH 3.
The Commission of A'size for the c.,urity of Herts was
opened this day at the Shire Hall. Mr. Baron Parke arrived
in the town, escorted by the Sheriff and the usual cavalcade,
about two o'clock, and having attended divine service at St.
Andrew's church, he proceeded to open the Commission.
The calendar is not only unusually heavy, but the charges
are also of a serious character. A number of causes are not
down for trial ; the complete cause list is not yet made up.
Both Courts proceed to business this morning at ten o'clock.
Lord Denman will preside in the Crown Court, and Mr. Baron
Parke at Nisi Prius.