The Sun.
London, England, 1870-12-09 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

A TICKET-OF-LEAVE CONVICT.-A ticket-of-leave con-
vict, who gave the name of Walter Haslur, but whose
real name is believed to be John McGrath, was charged
before Mr. Lushington, at the, Thames Police-court,
with knowingly violating the conditions of his
license. George Foster,.a detective officer of the K Divi-
shm, said that at one o'clock that mornings he saw the
prisoner in company with a well-known convicted thief in
Whitechapel. He stopped them and asked the prisoner If
he was aware of the company ho was keeping and
what brought him out at that unseasonable hour. The
prisoner could give no satisfactory replies, and he took
him into custody. He believed the prisoner was a licence
holder. The prisoner told him after he was in custody
that he was a waterman by trade, and did odd jobs when
hd could. William Rogers, a police-constable, No. 317
A attached to the Prisoner's Aid Society, said the pri-
soner came from Portsmouth in July last with a convict's
license, generally called a ticket-of-leave, dated June 3,
1870, and put himself in charge of the society. The pri-
soner gave his address, No. 6, Kettleby-court, Blue
Anchor-yard, Rosemary-lane. Inquiries were made there
on the 12th of August, and he was not known at tha
place. Notice was then sent to the Commissioner of
Police of the Metropolis. The prisoner, in defence, said
he was not loitering as mentioned by Foster, but walking
very fast. Mr. Lushington : You were in bad company,
and violating one of the conditions of your licence.
Inquiries must be made about you, and I shall remand
you for a week for that purpose.

MURDEROUS ASSAULT.—Jane M'Cowan, a young
woman, was charged before Mr. Knox, at the Marl-
borough-street Police-court, with cutting and wounding
Thomas Hogan, of King-street, Drury-lane. The prose-
cutor
said that he lived with the prisoner some years,
and he lefb in July last, being obliged to do so in conse-
quence of her violence. While in the Black Horse public-
house, Tichborne-street, last night, the prisoner came in
and swore she would do for him, and then struck him
with a glass, which broke, and she then struck him two or
three times in the face and on the hands with the broken
glass. He lost a great deal of blood, and was very weak.
She had assaulted him before, and said she would have
his life. Police-constable Harris, 77 C, said that on
being called to the Black Horse, Tichborne-street, he found
the prosecutor bleeding from a wound on the f aoe, and
others on the backs of his hands. He took the prisoner
into custody, Bald at the station she made several attempts
to get at the prosecutor, exclaiming "As there is a living
God I will do for you, Tom." Dr. TothM, the divisional
surgeon, was sent for, and the prosecutor had his wounds
dressed. The prisoner said the injuries were as stated
done with a glass. She had lived with the prosecutor,
who left her in July last to live with another woman, and
she had had children by him, and he was in the habit of
aggravating her by walkin,gpast her with the other woman.
She last night lost her temper, and struck him. He had
often illused her and she had had to attend Charing Cross
• Hospital several times in consequence. Mr. Knox re-
manded the prisoner for a week for the attendance of Mr.
Tothill.

ALLEGED BREACH OF PROMISE.—At the Consolidated
Chamber, Dublin, Mr. Justice Keogh sat to dispose of the
case of Agnes Joyce v. Theobald Blake. This was an
action to recover £12,000 for alleged breach of promise of
marriage. The summons and plaint set forth that the
plaintiff and defendant in the month of September, 1869,
agreed to marry one another, and a reasonable time for
such marriage has elapsed, and the plaintiff has always
been ready and willin,, to marry the defendant, yet he
had neglected and refused to marry her. Mr. Hugh
Dermott for the defendant, instructed by Mr. P. J.
Kelly, moved for liberty to plead several defences. First,
that a reasonable time had not elapsed ; a traverse of the
alleged agreement ; a plea of recision ; a plea of exonera-
tion before breach, and a plea of substituted contract.
—Mr. Justice Keogh : Have you an affidavit verifying
these defences ?—Mr. M`Dermott : We have, my lord.—
Mr. Justice Keogh : And how can you swear all this ?
Mr. M`Dermott : We admit the promise.—Mr. Justice
Keogh : Then why not perform it ?—Mr. M`Dermott :
We say that the time has not yet come for the performance
of the substituted contract, which is to marry early next
year.—Mr. Justice Keogh : Early next year ! Mr.
M`Dermott : Yes, in the month of February ; and we
say the time has not elapsed. The defences are very
simple.—Mr. Justice Keogh : They are so simple that I
suppose you intend to marry the lady before the trial (a
laugh). You may take the order.
THE LICENSE OF MUSIC HALLS.—At the Lambeth
Police Court, a strange case has been heard. Carlo Gatti,
the proprietor of " Gatti's Music Hall," in the West-
miaster-bridge-road, had three summonses against him,
at the -instance of the London and Provincial
Theatrical Managers' Association, for performing
stage plays, and thereby offending against the
Act 6 and 7 Victoria, c. 68. Mr. Mead attended to
prosecute, and Mr. John Thompson for the defendant,
who was stated to be in Switzerland. Counsel for the
prosecution produced a programme of the performance of
a grand ballet called " Enchantment," and said that the
• evidence he should call would prove that the production
was a stage play. He cited several cases, and especially
the last one, " Wigan v. Strange," to shew that
the piece produced was a " stage play." Mr.
Moreton, a comedian, was oallod. He had
been lessee of the Royalty Theatre, and described
the plot of " Enchanment," and the songs introduced
into the piece. There was a dialogue and ballet on a
stage, with footlights, and all the appliances of a theatre.
He attended at the request of the association, from his ex-
perience of theatrical pieces. Allusion to the topics of the
day were introduced, such as the baby show and barmaid
contest. After the notice from the association the piece
was altered, but there was still dialogue and action. Mr.
Fredericks, another comedian, said he saw the piece on one
occasion only, and his impression was that only one of the
characters spoke, and was answered by pantomimic action.
It was proposed by Mr. Mead to call Mr. Johns from the
Lord Chamberlain's office to shew, as an " expert," that
the piece was a stage play. Mr. Thompson objected to
such evidence. It was a question of fact, and as Mr. Johns
had not witnessed the performance, his evidence on the
point at issue was inadmissible. Mr. Thompson, for the
defendant, denied that he had performed a stage play as
defined by the Act 6 and 7 Victoria. Mr. Maynard, the
manager at Gatti's was called. He said there was no dia-
logue in the piece, and, after notice, it had been very much
altered. On being asked whether there was a plot in the
piece, he said it was not a fair question. Mr. Chance
said the question raised was, no doubt, an important one,
and he would look into the statute and consider what
definition could be given to the expression " stage play."
His impression was that the case came within the statute.
He should be sorry to strain the statute, but as at present
advised he thought it came within the definition. The
case was adjourned. The court was thronged with music-
hall proprietors and theatrical managers. The decision will
affect, it is expected, many other establishments.

An Amerien letter says there are bears expressed
that the steamer Algoma, which plies on Lake Superior
between the various Canadian ports has been lost. She
has been out nearly 25 days, and had over 100 persons
aboard. The Algona will be remembered as one of the
vessels that carried the recent Canadian expedition on a
portion of its journey to Winnipeg.

The experment of importing teas from China by
way of the Suez Canal has been inaugurated by Ameri-
cans. • The steamer Magdala, from Shanghai August 16,
arrived at New York on November 21, after a voyage of
96 days, with a cargo of teas and silks brought through
the Suez Canal. The Magdala was built at Leith, Scot-
land, and registers 549 tons. For speed the voyage is a
failure, the vessel being much overdue ; and the bringing
of American cargoes in this way cannot compete with the
much shorter time by the Pacific Railway.
NOTICE. —KINAHAN'S 1.. L. Whisky Depot. Kinahan
and Co. have removed to their new and spacious premises,
No. 6a, Great Titchfiold-street, Oxford-street, leading
from Margaret-street, Regent-street, and Market-street,
Oxford-street. Kinahan's LI4. Whisky.—'This famous
and most delicious old mellow spirit is the very cream of
Irish whiskies, in quality unrivalled, perfectly pure,
and more wholesome than the finest cognac brandy.
Can be obtained all over the kingdom, in the well-known
sealed and labelled bottles, or in bond for exportation at
the London Docks. Wholesale Agents to Messrs. Bass,
Guinness, and Younger, and Dealers in Foreign Wines
and Spirits.