The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-22 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.—(This Day.)

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.
(Before Mr. Justice Hill and a Special Jury.)
STONE V. LORD LLANOVER.-LIBEL.
The learned Judge said, before this painful case pro-
coeded any further, he wished to ask Mr. James whether

he entertained any hope that the jury would return a ver.

diet in his favour after the distinct denials made by the
plaintiff and the witness Harrison.
Mr. Edwin James said the case had had his and his
learned friend's most earnest and careful consideration, and
he felt it right to take the responsibility on himself, and he
did so with the concurrence of the noble defendant, of
withdrawing the pleas of justification. There could be no
doubt the plaintiff had been guilty of acts of indiscretion
which thoroughly justified the defendant in the course
he had taken. He would, therefore, withdraw the plea,
and the jury would be relieved from delivering a verdict.
Sir Fitzroy Kelly, on the part of the plaintiff, in assent-
ing to the course, said he felt bound to state that he and his
friends who had been in consultation with the plaintiti be-
lieve that he was entirely innocent of the charges preferred
against him, at the same time he must say he had been
guilty of acts of such a grave character that justified many
of the rumours that prevailed, and the noble defendant was
not at all to be blamed, from his position in society, for
pursuing the course he had done.
Lord Llanover being sworn, entered into a long statement
as to the circumstance that had brought him into this
matter. His statement wag to the effect that he lived at
Llanover, in Monmouth, and had a married daughter, Mrs.
Herbert, residing near them. In 1858 he had a letter from
his brother in Bath, casually mentioning that there were
some unpleasant rumours at Bath relative to Mr. Stone ;
subsequent letters disclosed what those rumours were. In
1859 he fOund on his return from Germany that Mr.
Stone had taken a place, Llangsdard, which was
about midway between his residence and his daughter's,
Mr. Stone being introduced to that part of the coun-
try by a lady and gentleman highly respected, Mr. and
Mrs. Jones. His lordship again wrote to his brother recal-
ling to his mind the rumours as to Mr. Stone, and, in reply,
his brother said that inquiries had been made as to them at
Bath and the result was unsatisfactory. Mr. Stone attended
the archery meeting, and on being introduced by Mr. Jones,
his lordship mentioned what he had heard to Mr. Herbert
and Capt. Stretton, and it
Was agreed Mr. Jones ought to
be seen on the subject, and that was done ; his lordship on
every occasion asserting he did not wish t- be Mr. Stone's
accuser, for the matter was far too serious. Regarding it
as such, he took the grew est care of the letters from his bro-
ther that they should fall into no other hands ; even the copy
he sent of one to his son-in•law. He requested him to re-
turn it, which he did. His only object was to get the matter
cleared up that they might know whether Mr. Stone, who
had come to reside amongst them, was a person fit to be
associated with or not. On the 6th of September Mr. Scroop
saw Lord Llanover, and having had some conversation on
the subject with his lordship said, as he had done on pre-
' vious occasions, that Mr. Stone ought to have prosecuted
the first parties who made the charge.
In reply to Mr. James, his lordship added he had not the
slightest ill .will towards Mr. Stone, and he had left him-
self in this matter entirely in the hands of his counsel.
Sir Fitzroy Kelly said he would not ask the noble lord
one question. Ho was convinced of the blamelessness of his
client, but he did not hesitate to admit that his lordship
was perfectly justified, nay more, called on to take the
steps he did take when the rumours reached him, affecting,
as they did, those by whom he was surrounded. Having
stated that, he had only to say, in great sincerity, that if
he had stated anything in his address calculated to raise a
ground of displeasure to his lordship, he now most gladly
withdrew it.
Lord Llanover assured the learned counsel he had said
nothing which could be considered offensive to him in ad-
dressing the court.
The learned Judge said he was happy that this inquiry
was terminated. The pleas and the charges therein con-
tained were withdrawn, removing the imputation from Mr.
Stone, and he thought the conduct of Lord Llanover in the
matter was perfectly becoming his position, and he was en-
tirely blameless.
The jury were then discharged without giving a verdict.

The model of the statue of Handel, which has
recently been erected at Halle, by Heidel, the sculptor, of
Berlin, was submitted to the inspection of the Prince Con-
sort yestei day morning, at Buckingham Palace, by Sir
George Smart, the President, and Mr. Klingermann, the
Secretary to the London Committee of the Handel Statute.
THE WEATHER.—Reports from twenty-five Bri-
tish towns were received last night. There was rain at only
two—Cowes and Falmouth. At Weymouth there was much
wind ; at Berwick and Sunderland fog, From eight towns
the report is "dull" or "cloudy," from the remaining
twelve 4‘ fine