The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-15 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

LORD DERBY AND TIIE BURY IMPROVEMENT COMMIS-
SIONERS.—On Friday, in the Exchequer Chamber, the
question was raised whether the Bury Improvement Com-
missioners were justified in making a pier over the land of
the Earl of Derby. Mr. Justice Emmen reversed the
judgment of the Court of Exchequer, which had been
given for the plaintiff, the Earl of Deiby.

VOLUNTEERS IN TROUBLE.—A numher of volunteers
belonging to the 40th Middlesex corps were summoned at
the Clerkenwell Police-court, on Friday, for non-payment
of subscriptions. Great regret wal expressed on tl.e part
of the honorary colonel that such proceedings s'iould be
necessary, but they were taken in justice to the officers
and men who did pay, and to those of the public who
contributed towards the expenses of the corps. In most
of the cases the sums due were paid.
WANDSWORTH COMMON.—At the Wandsworth Police-
court, on Feiday, Mr. Buckmaster, a churchwarden of.
this parish, was summoned by a builder for Laving broken
dawn a fence on Wandsworth Coln mon. The comp!ainant
had purchased a piece of laud from the directors of the
Brightonnailway, not knowing ideas part of t'.e Common.
Mr. Duckmaster said the encs.osures on Wandsworth
Common now comprised 150 acres. The Fun. mons was
disinived.

CHALLENCING TO A DUEL.— On Fel; y a' the Wool-
wich Police-court, Edmund Valentin Valentin, a pro-
fessor at the Royal Military A c Ldemy, was tnm-
moned for assaulting and cl eigi:ig Professor
Cassal, of the Lundon Univels ty, to fight a
duel. Charles Cassal gave his evidence to the effect that
he and the defendant came to Eng'and as exiles in 1851,
and at one time were fritnds. At the beginning of this
month he went to see a friend who-eras ill. Mons. Valentin,
Rho happened to live at the same house, followed him out,
and struck him violently, refusing an explanation. Mr.
Epps, M.R.c.s., deposed to attending the complainant
after the assault, and found him suffering severely. M.
Bowiu t stated that he went to demand an expla-
nation from the defendant, who declared that lie
wished to fight a duel. The defendant justified his con-
duct. Mr. Patte7on committed him to take his trial at
the text sitting of the Central Criminal Court. He
agree Ito accept bail, the defendant in £2O an] two
sureties in £lOO each.

ATTEMPT TO DEFRAUD THE MIDLAND 111.1LWAT.—At
the Derby Police-court, a day or two since, a young man
named John Attrey, waT charged with attempting to
defraud the Midland Railway by endeavouring to obtain
cotrpmsation for a supposed injury. He bad written under
a false name to the company at the Derby Station, saying
that he had been hurt in a collision at Birmingham, his
hat smashed, and his ring injured, and asking for compen-
sation for the It.ng and the hat. It was admitted in the
course of the trial t!:at the prisoner bad ne:er been in any
railway accident, and he was committed for trial.
A HOPEFUL BM—William Helm, aged 11 years, has
been charged at Halifax with having cn the previous
evening knocked down a little girl in the street at Brig-
house, and robbed her of ls. 10. He was also charged
with having broken into the house of Mrs. Macmillan, of
Bridge End, and stolen a ,gold watch guard, about six
mouths ago. He was remanded for other charges of felony
which are to be brought against him.

.A FARMER'S DAUGHTER CHARGED WITH FORGERL—At
Cheltenham, a few days since, the daughter of a respect-
able farmer, named Ashchurch, was charged with forging
an oriler for goods on a draper of Cheltenham. She had
forged the name of Miss Jackson, a customer at the shop,
and obtained a quantity of valuable goods. She after-
wards obtained goods to the value of £27 10s. from another
shop in the town, but suspicions being excited, these
were fortunately recovered. She was committed for trial,
but admitted to bail on account of her health.

The example of Mr. G. Peabody has been fol-
lowed by Mr. A. 'l'. Stewart, of New York, who has given
six mill:on dollars for cl.aritable purposes. The bulk of
the money is to be expended in building two large hotels,
one for single working young women, and the other for
single working young men.

THE OLD COPPER PENCE. —MOSt of the old.
copper coins in use before the introduction of the hronz•
coinage have disappeared from circulation. With a view,
however, to their entire extinction, a proclamation has
been issued, ordering that, from the 31st December next,
the old copper money shall not be legally current in the
United Kingdom.

CABINET Con'Ncu. —At the Cabinet Council held
in Downing-street on Friday, the Ministers present
were the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, the Lord Chan.
cellor, Earl de Grey and Ripon, the Earl of Kimberley,
the Right Hon. 11. A. Bruce, the Earl of Clarendon, Earl
Granville, the Bight Hon. E. Cardwell, the Chancellor
of the Exclteqtier, the Right Hon. J. Bright, the Right
Iron. G. J. Goschen, the Marquis of Hartington, and the
Right Hon. C. Fortescue.

SHOCKING OCCURRENCE ON THE Mall LEVEL
ORYST4L PALACE Iti.III.WAY.-Chl Friday afternoon, 119
the 3.14 p.m. London, Chatham, and Dover train from
Victoria to the Crystal Palace was travelling between
Peckham llye and Honour Oak stations, a man, who
had got on the line near the Nunhead Cemetery, delibe-
rately threw (AT his hat, and cast himself in front
of the train. The act was observed by the driver and
fireman on the engine, and they stopped the train as
quickly as possible, when it was found that the man had
not been run over, but had been struck by the iron guard
of the eug:ne. His head was frightfully injured, but he
was still alive. The assistance of a policeman having been
secured the man was taken to Peckham, and thence to
Guy's Hospital ; but there is little hope of his life being
spared. From cardi and en him the man it; supposed
to be a carpenter named Clarke.