The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-10 00:00:00

EVENING, FEBRUARY 10, 1848.

VALE OF HEATH RAILWAY.

The fourth ordinary general meeting of the share-
holders in this company was held yesterday morning, at
the offices of the company, 449, West Strand ; Lord
Villiers in the chair.

The SECRETARY read the report, which stated that
at the general meeting held on the 25th of February
last, that the South \Vales Railway Company had
consented to subscribe for 6,389 shares in the Vale of
Neath Railway Company, but in consequence of some
ambiguity in the wording of the Act of 1846, which
rendered it doubtful whether this arrangement could be
legally carried out, the directors had, at the request
of the South Wales Railway Company, applied to
Parliament for a confirmation of this subscription,
and a Bill had been introduced for that purpose. The
directors intended to apply for the full extension of
time allowed for the completion of the works by the
new General Railway Act. In consequence of the
continued depressed state of the money market, the
directors had not thought it right to press on the
works on the line with that rapidity which they could
otherwise have wished.

The report stated that Mr. R. F. Gower had re•
ired from the board.

The engineer's report did not give a very satis-
factory statement with regard to the progress of the
works, delay having been occasioned in obtaining the
land; but all obstacles, he stated, were in a fair way
of being removed, so that they might proceed with
the letting of the contracts for the completion of the
main line.

• The total amount of receipts up to 31st December,
1847, was 104,9701.; the total amount of pay-
ments, 30,0861. ls. ld., leaving a balance of
74,884/. 18s. 11d.
The CHAIRMAN stated that the great object of the
directors had been to husband the resources of the
company as much as possible until a more favourable
state of things should arise. They had entered into
two contracts for the construction of about eight or
nine miles of the railway, which they expected
would be open for traffic by the beginning
of next year, and these contracts were of
a most satisfactory description. They intended
to apply for an extension of the time allowed by the
Act tor the purchase of land, and the completion of
the works, but that would have no injurious effect
upon the prosperity of the company, as a great por-
tion of the traffic on the line would depend upon its
communication with others which had applied for
similar powers.
A SHAREHOLDER asked when the directors intended
to make arwther call ?

The CHAIRMAN said that, in all probability, the
directors would have to make a call before the month
of June. He could not state whether it would be
necessary to make two calls this year.
The report was then received and adopted.
The directors who retired by rotation were re-
elected.
Mr. T. Wayne was re-elected auditor of the
company's accounts.
A vote of thanks having been passed to the chair,
the meeting separated.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, Feb. 9.
DUX) OF BRUNSWICK e. PEPPER.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday,

Several other witnesses were then called in support
of the plaintiff's case, at the conclusion of which
Mr. COCKBURN addressed the jury at some length
on behalf of the defendant.
The Learned JUDGE having summed up,
The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff—
Damages, 1,000%

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Feb. 9.

(Sittings at Nisi Prius, before Chief Justice WILDE

and a Special. Jury.)

DUKE OF BRUNSWICK V. SLOWMAN AND OTHERS

This action was brought to recover damages
for a trespass committed by the defendants, in
breaking open the door of the Duke of Brunswick's
residence, and obtaining a forcible entrance into it for
the purpose of serving a writ of fi. fa. The trial
occupied the Court nearly the whole of yesterday
and to-day.
Mr. Sergeant Allen and Messrs. Lush and Hen-
niker were counsel for the Duke ; Slowman was re-
presented by Mr. Sergeant Byles; Mr. Sergeant
Wilkins and Mr. Cleasby appeared for Miles and
Townsend ; and Mr. E. James for Baker and Brown.

Joseph Bute, the porter of the Duke, examined by
Mr. Lush, stated—On Saturday, the sth of May last,
he heard a ring at the outer entrance, and seeing a
➢lr. Gates, an artist, at the gate, he opened it, but
before Gates could enter, the witne:s was knocked
down by Baker, who rushed in and made for the door
of the house, which, however, was closed. Witness

immediately followed, and seized him at the foot of
the steps leading to the door. A struggle ensued,
and Baker was dragged back to the gate, which
opened to let him out, when Miles and Brown dashed
in. The witness then called out for help ; two of his
fellow-servants came out, and a general scuffle took
place between the Duke's people and the sheriff's
officers, which was terminated by a couple of police-
men, who were attracted by the loud cries of the
cDmbatants, scrambling over the wall which sepa-
rates the grounds from the public road. Baker then
departed, but soon returned in company with Towns-
end, and joined the other men at the door of the
house. The secretary of the Duke then emerged
from the area gate, and proposed to them to
seize the Duke's carriage and horses. Baker, never-
theless, and Townsend proceeded to arm them-
selves with huge stones, which they threw repeatedly
against the door until a panel was broken, through
which the men crept into the house. In the course
of the night Baker went out and returned with eight
men, with whom he remained in the house until
Monday, the 17th.
On cross• examination the witness said that the
Duke of Brunswick had been expecting for some days
that the sheriff's officers would make their appearance.
The Duke had his dinner sent to him daily from a
pastry cook called Grcndoni, who handed it down to
a servant in the area. Witness kept a look out
through a small hole in the door for suspicious-looking
characters, and another person was outside the gate
to watch. Was quite sure that Baker had not got
into the house before the door was broken open, and
had never said that he had chucked Baker out of the
house, and would do so again fifty times if necessary.
William Burfield, the groom, and Mr. James Gates,
artist, corroborated the preceding.
William Oddy, examined by Mr. Sergeant ALLEN
—ls the secretary of the Duke. On the evening in
question he begged the Sheriff's men to seize the
carriages and horses, which were worth 1,0004, but
not to break into the house, as he thought it not
unlik:ly that if they did the Duke would shoot some
of them. The door, however, was broken, and the
men entered the house. Witness then asked Baker
how much he claimed ? To which Baker answered
2201. Witness went to the Duke (who was in the
house during the whole of the proceeding), and