The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1810.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

SHERIFF'S COURT, GUILDHALL, SRrr. 16.

HAMILTON AND GRANT V. SLATER.

Mr. Hyland appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr. Chad-
wick Jones for the defendant.

The Learned Counsel said this was an action brought
for the recovery of the sum of seventeen guineas, alleged
to be due to the plaintiffs under the following circum-
stances. They were the proprietors and publishers of
a work called " London and its Environs," which gave
a description of its particular localities, in separate num-
bers, and was used as a medium of advertising by the
tradesmen residinr, there. This work was a continua-
tion of a book called' " Street Views," published by Mr.
Tallis. The defendant was an upholsterer, residing at
No, 3, Queen's-building", Knightsbridge, and agreed
with the plaintiffs to pay the sum of eight guineas for
two advertisements, and a further sum of six guineas
for inserting a vignette of the defendant's premises in
the publication. The defendant was likewise suppled
with 1,000 cards struck off from the vignette plate, for
which the plaintiffs claimed a suns of three guineas.
In support of the case he called a number of witnesses.
Mr. Jones characterised this action as a gross and
fraudulent attempt on his client. He should be able
to prove, by a host of witnesses, that numbers of re-
spectable tradesmen in the neighbourhood of Knights-
bridge and Belgrave-square had been imposed on by
the last witness, who represented that the work in
question had a most extensive sale (50 000 copies),
when it never averaged more than 300 copies. In
fact, it was rather apoeryphal if there were such per-
sons as Messrs. Hamilton and Grant in existence at all.
A host of witnesses were accordingly called.
Upwards of twenty highly respectable tradesmen, in
the nighbourhood of Knightsbridge and Belgrave-square,
proved that they tad paid various sums, from three to
fourteen guineas for advertisements in the work, on the
strength of Walker's guaranteeing a circulation of
60,000 copies, but they never by any chance could see
one, save those which they got themselves as subscribers.
The Jury returned a verdict for the defendant, with-
out quitting the box.

CENTRA.L CRIMiNAL COURT.

OLD COURT.

(Before Mr. Justice Matn.n and Mr. Baron ROLFE.)
John Hollingswort/z, described as a surgeon, aged
20, was indicted for assaulting and wounding Thomas
Smith Hollingsworth, with intent to do him grievous
bodily harm.
Mr. Payne appeared for the prosecution.
The prisoner, at the sittin; of the Court. pleaded
guilty to the charge before Mr. Sergeant Arabin.
Mr. Payne now said he had received instructions
that at the time the offence was committed the prisoner
was of unsound mind ; and he had the permission of
the Learned Sergeant, before whom the prisoner had
been arraigned, to ask their Lordships whether his plea
of guilty ought to be recorded.
Mr. Justice MAULE said, that if the prisoner was of
unsound mind, he ought not to have pleaded.
Mr. Gilbert M'Murdo, the surgeon of Newgate,
and Mr. William Rayner, another medical gentleman,
were then examined, and they both expressed their opi-
nion that he was of unsound mind.

The Learned Judges, after consulting together, al-
lowed the plea of guilty to be retracted, and the priso-
ner pleaded Not Guilty, and the evidence was gone into.
Thomas Smith Hollingsworth deposed that he re-
sided with his father at Torrington- place, St. Pancras.
On Sunday, the Gth of September, witness was at din-
ner with his father and mother and the prisoner, who
was his brother. The prisoner suddenly took up a
glass and threw at him, and then seized a knife, and wit-
ness ran out of the room to escape from his violence.
The glass cut him on the head, and the wound was
dressed by Dr. Hunter. The prisoner had threatened
to murder him on the evening before the Sunday in
question. Witness gave him no provocation before he
threw the glass. _ _

John Biggins deposed that he was the second husband
of the p:isoner's mother. He remembered the day in
question, and he remarked that when the prisoner came
down to dinner he seemed like a person endeavouring to
suppress his raze. He sat down for a few minutes, and
then took up a tumbler and threw it at his brother, and
at the same time said he would have his revenge while
one of the family was alive. When he had thrown the
tumbler he took up a carving knife, and witness, with
assistance, wrested it from hire, and prevented further
injury being done.
By Mr. Justice MAULE.—Had known the prisoner
for four years.
By Mr. Payne.—Thought the prisoner was insane
at the resent time, and also when he committed the
act. Upon one occasion the prisoner said he would go
to church and address the congregation, and another
time it e threw up the window and called out " police,"
and said he would go to prison.
Mr. Hunter, the medical gentleman, who had been
called in, described the wound as one of a contused click-
\meter, and said that it might have been inflicted by a
tumbler. He saw the prisoner after the occurrence,
and he considered that he was not of sound mind.

Mr. William Rayner deposed that the prisoner was
his apprentice, and he had attended him while suffering
under a brain fever. This description of malady fre-
quently led to insanity, with, however, lucid intervals ;
and in witness's opinion the prisoner was occasionally
insane. He had the strongest affection for his brother;
and it was a remarkable medical fact, that affection
was frequently turned to hatred, when an individual
became insane.

The brother of this witress gave similar testimony.

The prisoner on being called upon for his defence,
burst into tears and said, that when he committed the
act he could not help it. He then exclaimed, " Oh,
I'm sure I love my brother."
The Learned JUDGE then summed up the evidence,
and told the Jury that if they believed that at the time
the prisoner committed the act in question, he was in
such a state of mind as not to be cognizant of what he
was about, or to distinguish between right and wrong,
it would bo their duty to acquit him out the ground of
insanity.
The Jury immediately returned a verdict of Not
Guilty upon the ground of insanity.
The prisoner was then ordered to be detained until
the pleasure of her Majesty should be made known re-
specting him.

- A man named George Diamond, fifty-three years of
age, was capitally convicted upon two indictments, of an
offence, the character of which may not be further
alluded to.

The prisoner was left for execution without any hope
of mercy being extended to him.

(Before the RECORDER.)
Timothy Sheehan, 49, was indicted for cutting and
wounding Robert Hood, with intent to murder him, or
to do him some grievous bodily harm.
Mr. Phillips defended the prisoner.
It appeared from the evidence that the prosecutor
was 15 years of age, and the nephew of Mr. T. Mar-
tin, a lithographic printer; in Long-acre. The prisoner
had been in his uncle's service, but was discharged about
a fortnight before this transaction took place. The as-
sault took place on the 22d of August, about nine o'clock
in the morning, when the prosecutor opened the shop-
door to let a person out ; and when he had done so, the
prisoner rushed in, and immediately commenced a vio-
lent attack upon him with an instrument called a bas-
ket-maker's knife, which is a sharp pointed iron instru-
ment, about a foot in length, and fixed in a handle, and
with this he struck him several tremendous blows on the
arm and head, and then ran away, but was pursued and
taken into custody. The wounds bled profusely, and
the prosecutor was for some time under the care of a
surgeon. There appeared to have been no provocation
for this outrageous proceeding, except that the prosecu-
tor had been instrumental in getting him out of his si-
tuation, but for which, it appeared, there was not the
slightest ground.
In answer to a question from the Court, the witness
said that the prisoner made no other observation when
he commenced the attack upon him, then calling him
" a - heretic ;" and he added that he supposed the
prisoner meant that he was a Protestant, the prisoner,
who is an Irishman, being a Catholic.
The evidence of the prosecutor was corroborated by
other witnesses ; and it also appeared that the prisoner
had borrowed the tool in question of a basket-maker
named Higgins, on the same morning the assault was
committed.

The Jury
On cross-examination the witnesses stated that the
prisoner appeared to be either mad or di uuk, at the
time of the occurrence.
Several witnesses
gave the prisoner a good character.
the prosecutor, v.ith intent to do him some grievous
bodily harm found the prisoner guilty of an assault upon
; and the Recorder sentenced him to be
transported for fifteen years.
Charles Mitchell, twenty-three, was indicted for steal-
ing, a gold watch, eh ' &:e the property of Mary
Anne Ivers. atn,
"

l'hc prosecutor was the keeper of a brothel in York-
square, Regent's Park, and she lost the watch in
question on the 15th of August. On the 29th the
stolen watch was found in the possession of the prisoner.
The Jury found the risoner Not Guilty.
The Grand Jury hpaving concluded thei: labours,
made a communication to the Court to :oat effect, and
at the same time made a presentrue,;;,, expressing their
high opinion of the efficacy or the New Police, and
clear and excellent manner they gave their evi-
Gr'arnlide 111. it
said he was glad to find that the
dence.
~r ary concurred in the opinion that had been so
r erently expressed by other Juries.
file Grand Jury were then discharged.

THE REPORTED Loss OF HER MAJESTY'S
Snit, FArn RosAmoxn —Fears have for some time been
entertained that the above vessel was lost, which were in-
creased by a report which appeared in our paper of the
13th inst., as furnished byceived the information from the
the Duncan, arrived in the river
on the 11th, which had re
Lord Wellingtou, from Sierra Leone to London, spoken
with on 231 August. All uncertainty on the subject is,
however, to day dispelled, as by a tel,'graphic messaire
received yesterday afternoon at the Admiralty, sho h
stated to have arrived on tae English coast.