The Sun.
London, England, 1869-07-09 00:00:00

THE EDMUNDS SCANDAL.

The Court of Arbitration, consisting of Mr. Manisty,
Q.C. (umpire), the Hon. G. Denman, Q.C., and Mr. C.
Pollock, Q.C. (arbitrators), appointed to inquire into a'l
matters in dispute between Mr. Leonard Edmunds and
the Crown, held a preliminary meeting on Wednesday
in the Court of Common Pleas, Westminster Hall. Mr.
Digby Seymour, Q.C., Mr. Napier Higgins, and Mr.
Haviland Burke appeared for Mr. Edmunds ; and the
Attorney-General, Mr. Field, Q.C., and Mr. Archibald
for the Crown.

At the sitting of the court Mr. Denman, Q.C., stated
that he and Mr. Pollock, Q.C., acting under an order of
the Court of Common Pleas, had chosen Mr. Manisty,
Q.C., as umpire. This court (he added) will
sit and hear the whole case together. But the
arbitrators wish it to be thoroughly understood by all par-
ties, in order to prevent any sort of misconception, that
neither of us would have accepted this reference on any
other terms than that we should sit here as joint arbi-
trators between Mr. Edmunds and the Crown, that we
should not be considered the one as arbitrator for Mr.
Edmunds and the other as arbitrator for the Crown,
but that we sit Lere strictly as joint arbitrators
to see justice done in this case. When we have
• difference on any point, then we shall have
an opportunity of consulting the umpire, a gentleman
in whom we both have the utmost confidence. The next
point is, as to the object of this meeting. Our minds are
perfectly open on this subject, and we must be treated as
nersons who know nothing whatever about it. But we
have come to the conclusion, looking at the importance of
the case and the several counsel engaged in it, and
the circuits intervening, that it would be desirable
:o appoint a day upon which we could proceed with
the inquiry de die in diem as far as possible, and go on
from the beginning to the end.
After some discussion the arbitration was adjourned till
Thursday, the 21st of October next, at ten o'clock, when
the court will sit de die in diem.

THE DUKE OF .NEJVCASTLE'S AFFAIRS

--.0.

In the Court of Exchequer, on Wednesday, before Mr.
Baron Bramwell, the case of " Padwick v. Peters"

came on.

t was an interpleader issue, directed to be tried by
;kir. Baron Martin, to determine whether a certain execu-
tion and judgment, obtained in May last by Henry
Padwick in an action against Henry Pelham Alexander
Duke of Newcastle were legal and valid ; and, secondly,
whether certain horses seized at the suit of the defendants
on the 3rd June, in execution by the Sheriff of
r Notting-
hamshire, under writ of feri facia:, were at the time of
the seizure the property of Henry Padwick.
Mr. Hawkins, Q.C., proceeded to give an account of
the Duke of Newcastle's dealings with Mr. Padwick.
The Duke, when Lord Lincoln, and afterwards, when he
had succeeded to his present title, had been " on the
Turf," and in 186 G his first pecuniary transaction with
Mr. Padwick took place. In that year he bought a con-
siderable number of racehorses from Mr. Padwick, and
these constituted the first item of debt in respect of which
the judgment in question was obtained. From July
1866, down to the beginning of February last, Mr. Padwick
had not only a large claim against the Duke for horses,
but had advanced him various sums of money,
for whi.:ll he had obtained security in the shape of the
Duke's accceptance, for no less an amount than £BO,OOO.
At last Mr. Padwick became extremely anxious about
Iris money, made several attempts to secure repay-
ment, and on the fail...e of these, was ruLueu to
himself. Accordingly a writ was issued, and
served on the Duke's solicitor ; the declaration was
delivered in due course, and there being no dispute about
the claim, no plea was prepared, and judgment having
been signed, execution was issued, and under it Mr.
Padwick seized the property in question. If it were
necessary, he (the learned counsel) could place before
the jury dozens of letters from the Duke, admitting
his liability for debts owing to Mr. Padwick, which
at that time amounted to no less a sum than
£95,000. It was for that sum that the execution issued.
As regarded the horses which were seized at Clumber at
the suit of the defendants, the well-known coachmakers
in London, there could be no doubt they belonged to
Mr. Padwick. The Duke desired to dispose of the horses
to Mr. Padwick if he woull give a fair price for them.
Mr. Padwick agreed to buy them for £B,OOO, and he wrote
off £5,500 from the Duke's debt, and paid to the trainer
£2o'oo, he having a lien upon them for that amount.
Mr. Henry James, on the part of the defendant, stated
that his clients had been only desirous to satisfy them-
selves as to the bond fide character of Mr. Padwick's judg-
ment. Being now satisfied, they at once withdrew from
the case, consenting to a verdict for the plaintiff.
Mr. Baron Bramwell complimented the defendants on
this course, and a verdict for the plaintiff was given.

TILE REGISTRATION COMMITTEE.—Considerable
annoyance has been experienced at the publication in
.extenso of the report of this committee in the columns of a
provincial contemporary previously to its being placed in
the hands of members. It is said that only two copies
were ordered to be printed, and one of these had
unaccountably found its way down to Liverpool. Mr.
Vernon Harcourt is, we believe, the chairman of the com-
mittee; and he, no doubt, possesses the means of dis-
covering who is the author of this slight upon the House
of Commons.—Herald.

THE TRADES UNIONS BILL—The Council of the
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce has adopted a petition
to Parliament against the Trades Unions Bill of Messrs.
Mundella and Hughes. The petitioners consider the
measure too sweeping, and that it would remove to some
extent the protection against intimidation hitherto
possessed by masters. The council is favourable to the
protection of the funds of trade societies. Mr. George
Dixon, one of the Birmingham members, has been entrusted
with the petition.
THE RESULT OF ELECTION EXCITEMENT. —At
Southampton, an evening or two ago, John Smith, a
publican, went to the police.station, and commencing a
conversation with the inspector, told him that
he had cut his wife's throat. The inspector
treated the matter somewhat lightly, but sent two con-
stables to the house with the man, where the wife was
found to have sustained a severe wound in the throat,
though, the windpipe not being severed, it is expected
she will recover. Smith having been mixed up with
election matters, at the time of hearing the election
petition was served with a subpcsna and hanged himself,
but was cut down before he was dead. He now talks in-
coherently upon the subject, and it is believed his mind is
affected.

GREAT FIRE IN THE MEntoroms.—On Wednes-
day night, about half•past ten o'clock, an alarming fire
broke out at Dockhead, Bermondsey, on the premises of
Messrs. Vegan Brothers and Co., grain merchants, Mill
Wharf, Mill-street. The building was a very large one,
and adjoined some valuable property, including Meriton's
Wharf and the biscuit manufactory of Messrs. Peek,
Frean, and Co. A powerful steam-engine, with
Captain Shaw, the chief officer, and a dozen
men, at once proceeded to the spot, closely followed
by others from RAlit Tooley-street, Southwark,
Kennington, Waterloo-road, Chandos-street, Islington,
W.stininster, Holb.;rn; Farringdon-street. The three
floats of the Brigade, each capable of throwing four tons
of water per minute, also went to the scene of the fire,
the granaries being very near the river, and adjoining
St. Saviour's Dock: The Rotherhithe float, on nearing
the wharf, was run into, it is understood, by a large
steamer, and' sank shortly afterwards. It was not
known hether any lives bad been lost. There
were on the spot, in all, eight steam and four manual
engines, and about 120 firemen. Large crowds of people
flocked from the Borough and Bermondsey to Mill-street,
and it was impossible to approach the place. The fire was
raging till pastmidnight, but it was hoped that the adjoin.
ing premises would be saved from any considerable dam-
age, althorgh it was considered likely that they would not
escape altogether. Messrs. Vogan's premises were all but
destroyed about midnight, and by that hour the fire was
visibly decreasing. The damage will, no doubt von.,