The Sun.
London, England, 1851-02-24 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Feb. 22.

(Sittings at Nisi Pritv, at Guildhall, before the LORD
CmEr JUSTICE and a Common Jury.)
POLTER V. ENGLAND.
_

This was nn aciC)ntorcCo- verdamag-es for false impri-
sonment brought by the defendant, who is a domestic
servant, ag&inet his former master.

Mr. Sergeant Allen appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr,
Lush conducted the defence.

From the evidence it appeared that plaintiff had for-
merly been in the service Jr the defendant, and had then re-
ceived 201. a year, with liveries found. There was, hoe ever,
a stipulation that all the livery coats should be delivered
up by the plaintiff on leaving•, and it was a rule with the
defendant not to allow his servants any perquisites. The
plaintiff left his service to be married, and on 911 doing,
delivered up all the clothes which he had had from
his master, with the exception of one coat, which
was afterwards missed, and found by a po-
lice:nan, sent to search for it, in the posses-
sion of the plaintiff, who alleged that it had been
given to him by his master. The plaintiff was then
given into custody on a charge of steal►ng the coat, but
was dismissed by the magistrate before whom the case
was heard; and it was to recover damages for this im-
prisonment that the present action was brought.
Verdict for the plaintiff—Damages, one farthing.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
NORTHARN ClRCUlT.—Appleby, Feb. 21.
Mr. Baron Platc arrived here yesterday afternoon,
and immediately opened the commission; after which
his Lordship proceeded to church and heard Divine
service.

This morning his Lordship sat for the trial of priso-
ners at half-past ten o'clock.
There was no civil business whatever, not a single
cause being entered for trial.
The calendar was rather heavier than usual, there
being 15 prisoners. Two of them were charged with
setting fire to a steam-vessel on Lake Windermere; one
was charged with arson in setting fire to a stack; all
the rest were in custody under ordinary charges of
larceny. _

John M'Donald was indicted for having, en the 24th of
November last, set fire to a stack of oats at Brough
Sowerby, belonging to Thomas Kilvington.
The jury acquitted the prisoner.
James Rudy, a respectable looking man, and Wm.
Jackson Archer, were charged with setting fire to a
steam-vessel called the Lord of the Isles, the property of
the Windermere Steam Yacht Company, on the 31st of
July last.
_ _

Mr.
Overend and Mr. M'Oubray appeared for the pro-
secution, and Mr. Sergeant Murphy and Mr. Hodgson
for the prisoners.
It appeared, from the opening of the Learned Counsel
for the prosecution, that a company called the Wiuder-
mere Steam Yacht Company had two steam-vessels ply-
ing on Lake Windermere, one called the Lord of the
Isles, and the other the Lady of the Lake, which plyed
alternately between Ambleside and Newby-bridge,
calling at Bowness. On the evening of the 31st of
July last both vessels were moored for the night at
the pier at Bowness. The prisoner Hilly was fireman on
board the Lord of the Isles, and the prisoner Archer was
fireman on board the Lady of the Lake. Shortly
before the Lord of the Isles reached Bowness that
night, Hilly went to the captain and said he smelt fire
on board the vessel. In consequence every part of the
vessel was examined, but no traces of any fire whatever
were discovered. This, it was suggested, had been done
by him to disarm suspicion as against himself, as he
knew what was going to happen. A man named Hay-
dock was watchman on board these two vessels at night,
and before Haydock went on board the two prisoners
were only left on board each his own vessel. On going
down to the lake's side about ten o'clock that night,
Haydock met the prisoner Archer, and asked him where
he had left Hilly, and was told he was still on board the
Lord of the Isles. Haydock went on board that vessel
and shouted for him below, but received no answer, and
then stepped on board the other vessel which was
moored close to, and went below to bed. He had not
been below many minutes before he heard a footstep
cross the deck from the Lord of the Isles. About three
o'clock next morning Haydock was awoke by the noise
of fire, and on getting on to the deck he saw Hanes
issuing out of the cabin windows of the Lord of the
Isles. He immediately gave the alarm, and by the
exertions of the inhabitants of the place the fire was got
out, but neither of the prisoners, though informed of the
fire, got up or gave the slightest assistance. This, and
some conversations which they had of a suspicious cha-
racter With other persons, was all the evidence affecting
them. The vessel was afterwards examined by expe-
rienced persons om Liverpool, who gave it as their
opinion that she had been set on file wilfully.
At the close of the Learned Counsel's opening,
Mr. Sergeant MURPHY, for the prisoners, asked his
Lordship's opinion whether there was any case for the
jury against the prisoners beyond suspicion?
Hie LORDSHIP being of opinion that there was not,
The Learned Counsel for the prosecution said he
could carry the case no further, and would not, therefore,
persevere with it.

- The prisoners sere thereupon Acquitted.
This case concluded the criminal baldness, the assiz
terminating about six o'clock.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE
MARLBOROUGH-STREE7'.

Arthur Loughs and Charles L. Douglas, two fashion-
ably-dressed young men, were brought before Mr. Hard-
wick, charged on the police-sheet with having obtained
a quantity of goods from Mr. Henry Gabell, hosier, 6,
Burlington-gardens, by false pretences.
Mr. Gabell said that on the 7th of January last the
prisoners drove up to his shop in a fashionable dog-cart,
and told him they had just returned from France, and
had lost their portmanteau, containing all their linen
and under-clothing, and they wished to have a fresh
supply front him. He told them it was not usual to
give credit without knowing something of the party.
They replied that their father was a respectable man,
living in Kent, and ho need be under no apprehension
about his money. The prisoners then gave a list of ar-
ticles which would amount to about 151., observing that
the order would be a very nice one fur him. The pri-
soners took away some articles, and one of the prisoners
at that moment had on a neck-tie obtaited6, from him.
e
The prisoners gave the address, No. i
terrace, Pimlico. Witness went to that address,
and made inquiries as to the prisoners' re-
spectability. The servant replied that the prisoners
bad occupied apartments in the house for some time, and
were highly respectable. Witness then went on with the
order, and sent in some of the articles. Some short time
afterwards witness sent a further portion of the goods,
but they were brought back. From certain other cir-
cumstances which witness subsequently became ac-
quainted with, he considered he had been defrauded, and
he caused the defendants to be taken into custody.
Police-constable Downing, 1) 46, said that in conse-
quence of innumerable complaints at the station-house
by tradesmen, who said they had been defrauded of
goods by two young men, who answered the description
of the prisoners, witness looked after them, and suc-
ceeded in taking them into custody. The prisoners had
defrauded Mr. Morrison, tailor, St. Paul's-churchyard, of
a pair of trousers, and Mr. Morrison would attend at a
future time. Several other cases would no doubt be
brought against the prisoners if they were remanded.
Mr. Hartley, bootmaker, King-street, St. James's, said
that the prisoners and a third young man drove up to
his shop in a dog-cart, and one of them said he wanted a
pair of dress boots, to go to a ball in Kent. The pri-
soner gave the name of Douglas, but the one now calling
courtdeep
interest
himself Arthur assumed the name of Lionel. The other,
calling himself Charles, said his name was Arthur. The
third person he believed was aatpptheaatred momentto
take i n a
(pointing
in to
the pra youngoeee
na g n whos)but he would not swear to him.
While witness was engaged in taking the order of his
supposed customer a pair of dress boots was nipped up
by one of the parties. A second pair was also taken
away at the same time. The prisoners ordered several
pairs of boots to be made, and then left. The address
given visa No. 6, Belgrave-place, not terrace, and of
course the prisoners were not known there. Witness
met the prisoners afterwards by accident, and he then
got their address, No. 6, Belgrave-terrace. Witness ap-
plied at the house, and was given to understand that
either the father or the uncle of the prisoners lived there,
who promised to see him paid. Witness had not been
paid.
Mr. Cross, who attended for the prisoners, contended
that the cases were nothing more than debts, and that
no pretence existed for charging the prisoners with fraud.
Mr. HARDWICY could not take the same view of the
case. He should require the prisoners to find good bail
to appear again next Wednesday.
LAMBETH.
A lady of prepossessing appearance, who described
herself as Lady Hunlingtower, appeared before the Hon.
G. C. Norton, presiding magistrate, and presented a me-
morial setting forth that she had been deserted by her
husband in 1848, and that his family had refused to re-
cognise her claims or supply her with any maintenance.
Consequently, she was left with three infant children in a
state of destitution.
The Rev. Mr. Cuff, a clergyman of the district, stated
that he had made inquiry into her case, and bore testi-
mony to her respectability before and since her marriage
to Lord Huntingtower.
In reply to the question of Mr. NORTON, the lady said
that previous to her acquaintance with Lord Hunting-
tower she had lived as housekeeper to a clergyman in the
vicinity of Bath. and also as companion to the lady of
the Reverend Gentleman. While there she bad been
engaged by a gentleman, who described himself as a bar-
rister, to be lady's maid and companion, as she under-
stood, to Lady Dysart. But on entering the service
Lord Huntingtower at once made proposals of marriage
to her, but said that he was in such a state of embar-
rassment at that time that he must go to Scotland to get
married. She consented to accompany his Lordship,
but only on the distinct understanding that he should
perform his promise on reaching Scotland. On
reaching Scotland they did not go through
OD, ceremony, allying introduced her as