The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-06 00:00:00

THE SU N, LONDON,

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
BAIL COURT, June 5.
(Sittings at Nisi Prius, before Justice WIGHTMAN and
a Common Jury.)
THE ARGYLE ROOMS.--JACOBS V. BIGNELL AND OTHERS.
Mr. M. Chambers, Mr. Heatly, and Mr. Barstow ap-
peared for the plaintiff; and the Attorney-General, Mr.
Lush, and Mr. Parry conducted the defence.
Mr. CHAMBERS, in stating the case to the jury, said,
this action, which was one of considerable public in-
terest and importance, was brought to recover five
penalties of 1001. each from the defendants, Bignell,
Laurent, Bryer, and others, for keeping a house or room
for public music and dancing, without being duly licensed
old
under the statute. The statute in question was as
Act of Parliament passed in the 25th year of thel reign
h
of George the Third, in consequence of the evils which
htihis
arose from unlicensed places of entertainmentless
subject
description. Without due regulations, and unless
greatest
to some kind of restriction, they held out t
became so captivated with the pleasures _
the
moans
temptations to those who frequentedthaeurnd,
aamneduspeemrseountss
which they offered as to be induced to supply.
practices.o f indulgingT inhe themA t dishonesth the
or r roergpur, ar
proprietorwhich were kept
publicct
entertainment without a
pbryovaiddeorthh)gat
licence, should
oprr,ieentofrosrofrooms, saloons, or gardens,
sum of 100 .
forfeit to every
l for personeaeh who
ist h
wo ualsd
ssou
ke
efpo
tr
ot
ph
en,
us, asmn ed t
hh
ee
dishoerrdwei se r
ly phuonuis
s ehsa. b 1 e asThe thep
la loaewudo iwr e directed
ri no
ot
oh
sei
dcears
se st
oonf
was well known as the Argyle Rooms, in Windmill.
street, Haymarket. Some might be old enough to recol-
lect that at ono time there existed in Regent-street
rooms for dancing, called the Argyle Rooms ; they
were burnt down several years ago, and recently, or
within the last two or three years, a splendid saloon was
erected in Windmill-street for music and dancing. In
1849, the persons who then appeared to be the managers
or proprietors were the present defendants. It was
opened in that year to the public without a licence.
The Act made it incumbent on the proprietor to have
written on some conspicuous part of the exterior
of the building a notification that it was licensed pur-
suant to Act of Parliament, and also to produce his
licence if any party not seeing such a notice outside
might request him to do so. In the present case the
defendants did not comply with these requirements of
the Act, and the natural inference was that the rooms
were opened without any licence. The plan, trick,
scheme, or contrivance by which they endeavoured to
evade the law was this: they announced that dancing
lessons would be given at the rooms, and they charged
each grown up lady or gentleman who entered one shil-
ling, under the pretence of their taking dancing lessons.
The defendant Bryer, it appeared, applied at the
Michaelmas Quarter Sessions in 1849 for a licence, but it
was refused by the magistrates, notwithstanding the
rooms were opened at that time for dancing. Charles
Emile Laurent, who was once a celebrated cornopean
player, took the management of the band, and Emile
Laurent, his father, had the general superintendence of
the affairs in the interior. There was a regular money-
taking place, but persons were stationed at the door
to prevent informers entering. In the following year,
1850, Charles Emile Laurent renewed his applica-
tion to the magistrates, and on stating that he bad hired
the rooms for three years from Mr. Bignell, a licence
was granted to him, and the rooms were now carried on
in the reguar way under that licence. He might men-
tion that Bignell was a well-known sporting gentleman,
and the owner of a cigar-shop and saloon adjoining the
Argyle Rooms. As soon as the dancing ceased, and the
lamps were extinguished, this saloon of his came into
requisition, and was kept open until a very late hour in
the morning; such ladies and gentlemen who wished to
prolong their amusements generally adjourning there
after the Argyle Rooms were closed. The penalties
now sought to be recovered wero for keeping the rooms
open unlicensed on the 4th, sth, 6th, 7th, and Bth of
June, 1849, and it would be for the jury to say whether
the plaintiff, under the circumstances which would be
adduced in evidence, was entitled to one or all of those
penalties.
Iqr. George Buggard, solicitor and vestry-clerk of St.
James's, Westminster, examined by Mr. iIEATLY, said he
was instructed by the governors and overseers of the
parish to oppose the application for a licence for the Ar-
gyle Rooms at the Michaelmas Quarter Sessions in Sep-
tember, 1349. He attended accoreingly on that occa-
sion, but the counsel who appeared for the proprietors of
the rooms withdrew his application. At the next ses-
sions, in 1850, he again attended to oppose a similar ap-
plication, but the magistrates granted a licence.
Cross-examined by the ATTORNEY- GENERAL—His
opposition in 1850 was unsuccessful. The magistrates
were almost unanimous in granting the licence; only
two or three opposed it out of twenty-two magistrates.
James Gregg, beadle at the sessions, gave similar
testimony.
Mr. John Willis, formerly a police-constable, was
called and examined by Mr. CHAMBERS--I was employed
by Mr. Bryer on the 19th October, 184e9, to attend the
Argyle Rooms to keep out disorderly pennons, prostitutes,
and pickpockets, which he did up to last. year. At the
time I was employed Mr. Bryer told me that he
made the engagement on behalf of Mr. Chris-
topher Brown whom he represeneed to be the
proprietor of the, rooms. I often saw Messrs. Bryer,
Laurent, and Bignell in the rooms, but only the former
took any part in the active managemena of the rooms.
The rooms were always conducted with strict order, and
care was taken to observe propriety wad decorum in
those who attended. The rooms were open from
eight o'clock till half-past eleven o'cicck every night.
I recollect a grand ball taking place on Tuesday, the 4th
of June, 1849, Messrs. Bryer and Bignell were there
that night, but I did not hear them give any direction.
Cross-examined by the ATTORNEY •GI:NERAL—I know
Mr. Christopher Brown. He was the lteesee, but I can't
say whether he hod the management td the rooms. I
have seen him there, taking part in tlz e management.
Mr. Bryer acted as director of the pr(eeeedings, and I
believe ho executed the decorations. On the night:of
the grand ball the rooms were re-decorated by Mr.
Bryer. Mr. Laurent, jun., was the leader of the band.
Everything was conducted in the rooms with perfect
propriety and decency.
Richard Francis—l know the Argyle :Rooms in Great
Windmill-street. I am a printer, and. I printed the
posting-bills for those rooms. I recollect the 4th of
June, 1849. I printed bills for that day, but Ido not
know whether they were posted. I have got a bill for
the ball, which I printed by direction of Mr. Bryer, bat
I saw neither Mr. Bignell nor Mr. Laurent about it.
The treasurer of the rooms, Mr. Bryer, usually paid
me. I also printed a general bill for the rooms by di-
rection of Mr. Bryer. I printed for tho rooms between
October, 1849, and August, 1850.
Cross-examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL—I was
employed on behalf of Mr. Christopher Brown, and I
debited him with the cost of the bills in my books.
Charles Nightingale—l was manager and conductor
of the Flora-gardens in the summer of 1850, and dur-
ing that year Mr. Bryer brought some bills to Mr.
Jacobs, who distributed'them about the gardens.
Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN—Who is Jacobs?
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—The virtuous plaintiff,
my Lord.
Mr. CHAMBERS—No. He does not come forward for
virtue.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—Of course not. He CODAS
forward for gain.—(A laugh.)
Witness said he had been at the rooms once, but he
did not pay to go in.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—You may go back to
Flora, Mr. Nightingale; but before leaving us tell us
who is Jacobs? Witness—He appears always like a
gentleman to me, but I am not clever enough to say
whether he has any profession or calling. I only knew
him as a frequenter of the Flora Gardens.
Mr. James Beresford, son of the late inspector of the
C division, was examined by Mr. CHAMBERS, and stated
that he plays the double bass in the orchestra of the
rooms. Mr. Laurent, sen., paid his salary.
Cross-examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL—young
Mr. Laurent found the music, and that is the custom of
the profession. Mr. Christopher Brown is in the rooms
every evening.

Inspector Wall, of the C division, examined by Mr.
CHAMBERS—I know these rooms, and have seen them
frequently. In the early part of June, 1850, there were
no such words as "Licensed by Act of Parliament."
This was the case for the plaintiff.
The ATTORNEY•GENERAL then addressed the jury for
the defence, and reminded the jury that Mr. Jacobs
brought this action as a common informer, which
be believed was his only calling. The plain-
tiff, the jury would remember, assisted to distribute
the bills for the ball, in June, 1850 ; an,d yet he brought
this action to recover penalties in ref ipect of that very
ball. The case reminded him (the A ttorney-General)
very forcibly of the well-known case where a publican
got up a concert in his house, for the benefit of a friend,
and that friend, after receiving the pro ceeds of the con-
cert, turned round upon his benefactor end filed an infor-
mation against him for having allovred music to be
played in his house without a licence. This case was
hot quite so bad as that, but it fell not very far short of
verdictoh sefedrisctrheeditdaebfleendparhoct,e.edHinegs
't_„ and he hoped the jury would mark their sense
defendants.
with strict order
case had been,
Themade out either against the rooms or the
m illy' nt a returningi
ne d that nao
by the evidence rooms it was admitted were conducted
andt decorum, while it had been proved
tar. G.veallhir. Christopher Brown was the
beer was only a managing director.
lessee, and
How, then, could it saidil that the latter gentleman
had kept a disorderl
prohibited by the 1
had been no concealment
one was advertised as the
Act of Parliament, vide tZgee,h as
in the matter Whatever; the
lessee, and the other as a
not do; but the reason 1
manager, and if this notion I
were brought for the real bone fide
ea'srs. Br7er—,dL.aureut, and Bignell had
the pauertfoons e
broughtot 3ra.
tecting tho public ,o wrhhyat Wasonot
against Brown?f
was
magistrates f
a this mesa
n was to shut their reeeeha 0 .
sion, or else would have told the jury what the real
They were no more than these. Some
facts were.
beenw h y t
dh re a rig agme dte
they
i ec
licence, and itunfortunatelyto the magistrates
Mr. Christo-
pher oa
wasdetermined to risk the, opening ee.stth;
pher Brown then
and these gentlemen he
time ago Mr. Bryer
rooms without a licence, .
applied
and it was preposterous to say
engaged as hi '3 managers,
keeping the establishment.
that they were the persons
So admirably, however, were the rooms conducted be.
fore the licence was obtained', that the parish authori-
ties
of St. James's, who repudiated all sympathy with
the action, voluntarily withdrew all opposition to this
Popular plaee of amusement, and the Middlesex
magistrates almost unanimouly, for there was
Only one:dissentient, agreed to grant a
license to the
present proprietors. No injury, therefore, had accrued
to the plaintiff from the existence of the se rooms prior
to the licence, and as the plaintiff had 'instituted these
proceedings not for the sake of vindicating the majesty
of the law, but to put into hi^ own pockets, he
money e
confi•ienil-relied -
, . j upon the verdict of the jury being in
favour of the defendants.
Mr. Justice Virecerretaer then briefly summed up, and
left it for the jury to say whether they thought the de•

fendants, or any of them, acted as master or proprietor
of the rooms before their licence was obtained.
The jury, without a moment's hesitation, returned a
verdict for the defendants.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.
_

George B. Mayne was brought before Alderman Wire,
in custody of Daniel Forrester, charged with having
unlawfully attempted to obtain from the Monarch Fire
and Life Assurance Company, the sum of 1102 with a
view to defraud and cheat the said company.
Mr. Henry Eaton said—l am a clerk in the Monarch
Fire and Life Assurance Society. The following letter
addressed to the manager by the prisoner was received
at our office in the usual course of business:—
" Otter)* St. Mary, May 5, 1861.
" Dear Sir,—On my return home this morning I found
the enclosed (which came yesterday) awaiting me. I
am very sorry to have to send it, and heartily wish that
the insurances on all the thatched buildings in shy
agency were discontinued, particularly now that it is
likely I shall have some of another and difficult class
to insure. I will take Mr. Channon, an old builder and
surveyor of some standing, and whose property is in-
sured in the Monarch, with me to Thoverton, and you
may rely on my doing what I can for the office, and
will take care to instruct him to value fairly, so that
there shall be no more paid than what really ought to
be paid. I will write again after the inspection, with
the report, &c. I send my life proposal for 1501. Ido
not know whether in my last I asked you to send me s
copy of my wife's life proposal. If not, be kind enough
to oblige me by sending me a copy of it. I have sent
the necessary papera in my own case to Dr. Garland and
my private referee. " Yours truly,

" Gro-: D. MATNic."
(Enclosure)—" Sir,—By my aunt, Miss Vinnicombe's,
desire, I write to inform you that, by a fire which hap-
pened at Thoverton on Friday last, three of her cottages
insured in your offiee have been much damaged by fire,
and she wishes you to come over as soon as you can.
" Yours, &c.,
" Thoverton, May 3, 1851. "M. A. RIDMORE."
The prisoner, through whose means the policy bad been
effected, was our agent at Ottery St. Mary, and Miss
Vinnicombe was the party whose cottages were in-
sured. The following letter was next received by oar
manager:—

" Ottery St. Mary, May 8, 1851.
" Dear Sir,—Re N'innicombe—l enclose claim and es-
timate. The latter, in my opinion, is very fair, and the
office has had justice done it. Two of the three cottages
are entirely burnt; one other very much burnt; the
other two have their roofs injured (the thatch, &c.,
having been stripped off), and have sustained other da-
mage. Mr. Channon estimates the cost of reinstating at
1121. 103. Miss Nrinnicombe claimed 1301. I offered
105/., and intimated to Miss V. that her claim amounted
to much more than. the sum at which our surveyor
estimated the damage, and that I was quite sure the
office would not give more than what he recommended.
This morning Miss Radmore came to me and intimated
to me that her aunt, who is very infirm, old, and unfit
for much business., wants no more than is fair,
and although she had been told that it would cast
1301. to put the same buildings in the same state as they
were before the fire, yet she was quite ready to abide by
the valuation of our surveyor and sot gi►e any more
trouble to the office than was necessary. I told her I
had no doubt the office would be mainly guided by their
surveyor's ♦aluation, and that I would acquaint you
hereof. Subsequently I offered, subject to your appro-
val, 1101., she to pay the fire-engine expenses, &c.,
amounting to some 51. or 61. From what I could gather
I think she would accept 1101., and we pay the expenses;
but she has promised to write me to-morrow, with her
aunt's determination. After I have heard I will again
write. If, however, she will take 1101. and pay half the
expenses, I think it would be better to close, although
by holding out I think we may perhaps get her to ac-
cept 1101. and pay the expenses. Still we shall better
see how to act after I hear from her. I told Miss Rad-
more that I would write her directly I heard from you,
and that if the claim were satisfactory very little trouble
would be given as to the payment. The fire took place
in the evening, and originated in a house adjoining to
one of those insured in this office and burnt, and from
the same cause from which so many of our fires origi-
nate, viz., the chimney. I enclose my wife's life propo-
sal. Perhaps you will get mine and her policies ready
as soon as possible, as our birthdays are rapidly ap-
proaching.—l am, dear sir, yours truly,
"To G. H. Jay, Eaq." " GBO. D. MATIM.
The enclosure purports to be an estimate by a builder
of tho damage done to the buildings, amounting to 1121.
10s. Our office next received the enclosed from the pri-
soner, purporting to be addressed to him :
" Sir,—l beg to inform you that I claim of the direc-
tors of the Monarch,' late • Licensed Victuallers'-
office,' the sum of 1301. for damage done to my cottages
at Thoverton, by fire, on Friday last.—Your obedient
servant, " ANN VINNICOMBE.

" Thoverton, May 6th, 1831."
Subsequently the following letters were received by our
manager :
"Re Vieinioombe s Fire.—Dear Sir—l have heard
from Miss Radmore, and she says her aunt will accept
1101., the office paying the expenses ; or if the office
will give 1151. she will pay the fire expenses. If you
resolve on adopting either of these plans, the latter will
not be the most preferable, inasmuch as the expenses are
about 61. She positively refuges to accept less than
1101. I believe this is a trifle less than the valuation
which you have. Aro mine and my wife's policies pre-
pared? I wish them to be settled before my wife's
next birth-day.—Yours, &c.

" GEORGE D. MAYNE.
" Ottery St. Mary, May 16, 1851."
"Re Vinnicombe.—Dear Sir,—lf the directors have
re9olred on paying Miss Vinnicombe 110/., they paying
the expenses, or 1151., she paying the expenses, I shall
be glad to receive such amount as will enable me to pay
her. I shall be going to Thoverton on Tuesday next. re-
ceiving tithes, and could then settle the matter, if I ant
placed in such a position as will enable me to do so.
Be kind enough to send me mine and my wife's policies.
" Your obedient servant,
"GEORGE D. MAYNE.

" Ottery St. Mary, May 22, 1851."
In consequence of certain information which the office
received, suspicion was entertained that no fire had
taken place. I accordingly went to Thoverton on last
Friday week, taking with me a copy of the policy, and
I found on inspecting the buildings insured that they
had not been burnt, and that no damage whatever had
been done to them by fire. If the 1101. had been for-
warded to the prisoner, as requested in his last letter,
the office would have been defrauded of that amount.
The prisoner aLimitted to me that all the letters were
in his handwriting. _ _

Alderman Wise then asked the prisoner, who was
evidently suffering severe mental and bodily pain, and
who had been accommodated with a chair during the exa-
mination, whether he had anything to say in answer to
the charge, at the same time giving him the usual caution
that any statement he made might be given in evidence
against him on his trial.
Prisoner handed to the Alderman the following
paper :
" Sir,—l deeply regret to state that the claim I made
upon the office on behalf of Miss Vinnicombe for com-
pensation for damages alleged to have been sustained
by her in consequence of fire to three cottages at Tho-
verton, was fraudulently made by me, I knowing at the
time that no such fire had occurred. I make this ad-
mission in order to save the office the trouble and ex-
pense of producing evidence against me, and throw my-
self entirely on the mercy of the directors.—l am, Sir,
your very obedient servant,

" GEORGE D. MAYNE.
" To J. G. Jay, Esq., Manager of the Monarch
Fire and Life Assurance Society."
The prisoner was then fully committed for trial.
THAMES.
THE Ti ncE SYSTEM.—In the case of the man named
Hutchinson, who was charged by a ballast hearer named
Cullen, and three others, with attempting to foist un-
wholesome and disgusting meat upon them in lieu of
their labour, and who was ordered on Wednesday by
Mr. Yardley, whe expressed great indignation at the
case, to pay 245., the amount claimed, together with ss.
eacb, Cullen came before Mr. Ingham, the sitting ma-
gistrate, yesterday, to complain that though Taplin, a
summoning officer of the court, had gone with him and
his mates, Hutchinson refused to abide by the magis-
trate's decision. His language to Taplin was of the moat
defiant character. " I'll be -," said he, "if I pay a
shilling for all the magistrates in the country. My goods
are in the hands of the landlord, and they may do their
best or their worst."
Mr. INGHAM, on hearing this statement, immediately
issued a distress warrant, and it remains to be seen whe-
ther between Mr. Hutchinson and his landlord the deci-
sion of the magistrates can be set at defiance.

ATTEMPTED MURDER AT WANDS-

W()RTLI.

On Wednesday night, &boat half-past ten o'clock, W.
Walker, 98, V division of police, having received infor-
mation that a man living at Point Pleasant had mur-
dered his wife, ho wont to the house of William East-
wood, a man about 40 yearli of age, who is an ex-police-
man of the V division, and bad latterly obtained his
living as a broker's man. The constable went to the
prisoner's house and knocked at the door, which was
opened by the prisoner, who had a baby in his arms, and
asked what the constable wanted. He told him he bad
come to make inquires about his wife, and he said he
would tell him all about it. He then said, "I was sit-
ting down at the table eating my supper, when my wife
made use of some words, and as she was leaning over
me the knife ran into her, and there is the knife," point-
ing to one on the table. Mr. Browne, of the firm of
Finch and Browne, arrived at this juncture, as also Mr.
Bicknell, the superintendent, and the constable then took
the prisoner to the station, and charged him with the
attempt to murder. Mr. Browne continued the most
assiduous attentions to the dying woman during the re-
mainder of the night and morning, and Walker, the con-
stable, remained in the house to insure to her quiet and
proper attendance.
tsetanbob'icialogchki,s.thweifperiEsolinzerh wials brought
. up from the cells
wi.tih,hir:
morning, on the opening of the court, soon after
and placed in the dock before Mr. Beadon, charged with
Sarah Taylor wasw the
be being
nine
table-knife, it intent to murder her.
efitrstEwaisttnweos
so d
examined,inthel e ftanbdre breast
worn said—l live at the Point. Last night, be-
tweenine and ten o'clock, heard Eastwood's children
ltsencee: door,eadlnn wgb.eunt
tlnionwteoontntheteoewEammasshetbwood's house and knocked at
and as the door was not
was the matter with the child,l saer ,maa
arms. I
thhee r
answered,
pri-
soner
with a young child in his
she
said
Bh. Eastwood what was the
I asked him what
nssawwe rtehde, 'lMrs
e was stabbed. I asked
can't say." I then asked
icn:rtt twe
who
owi
by,th her,
ad and
she
said
by
from under the left
the room at the time, but I fohr;ert whetannediheHmeawdeasanin
remark. Myself and another woman undressed Mrs
Eastwood, and found her bleeding