The Sun.
London, England, 1869-11-18 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

A SINGVIAIt CASE.—A case has been brought before
Vice-Chancellor James, in which an old man named
Frees, 73 years of age, applied to have a conveyance
executed by him in in 1554 set aside. Tho substance of his
statement was that he was lessee for a long term of some
property in Wales subject to certain mortgages. The
mortgagee died while a foreclosure suit which he had in-
stituted was pending ; but the old man was
persuaded by the solidtor for the mortgagee that he
had no further interest in the property, and he was induced
under the threat of legal proceedings to execute a deed of
assignment to the solicitor, a sum of £5O being given him.
The solicitor was since dead, and his executors maintained
that the old man's story was incorrect. However, the
Vice-Chancellor thought that advantage had been taken of
the old man's position, and said the deed must be set aside,
the plaintiff having his costs.

S3fomta IN A COLLIERY.—At the Aberdare Police-
court, a collier, named William Gray, was sentenced to a
month's imprisonment for having been found with a
tobacco-pipe in his possession in Navigation Colliery on the
22,g( October.

ATTEMPTED Muumu.—John Faskett was brought up at
the Lambeth Police-court, charged with attempting to
murder Mary Ann Talbot. His attack was prompted by a
fit of jealousy, and he afterwards attempted to cut his own
throat. The girl was wounded but has since recovered.
lie was committed for trial.

EXPENSIT:I LITIGATION.—A suit has been heard before
Vice-Chancellor 3.laEns, which has occupied six days, and
required twenty witnesses and 110 affidavits. It was
instituted by the patentee of an improved plan for the
"skidding" of wheels and the value of the saving to the
defendant could be only a few pounds a year until 1373,
when the patent would expire. The Vice-Chancellor
granted the plaintiff a perpetual injunction, with costs,
remarking at the same time on the unnecessary litigation.
PLOUGHING ur A. POOTPATIL—A case from a bench of
magistrates in Worcestershire, has been heard in the
Court of Queen's Bench, raising the question whether a
person may plough up a footpath on his land. The magis-
trates referred the point to the Court on account
of its frequent occurrence. The Court held that
the complaint could not bo sustained. The owner
of land was not bound to make a public footway,
and if he did he might do so with a reservation. There
would be great injustice in converting the qualified right
of the public into an absolute right. Judgment for the
defendant.

THE REVISING BAHRISTER OF BRADFORD.—An appeal
from the decision of the Revizir4g Barrister of the borough
of Bradford has been heard in the Court of Common Pjeas.
The appellant had been an inhabitant occupier as tenant
of a house under £lO rent, and during the last three
months of his year of occupation had lot a furnished room
to a lodger, whereupon the barrister disallowed his claim,
holding him to be a joint occupier with his lodger. It was
stated that many persons in the borough were in a similar
position, and would be affected by the decision. Tho
Chief Justice thought the appeal must be allowed, as the
lodger was not occupier or owner of the house at all, but
merely a lodger, who might acquire rights as such. Appeal
affirmed, without costs.
THE REVISING BARRISTER OF LONDON.—An appeal from
a decision of the Revising Barrister for the City of London
was heard in the same court. The appellant, a barrister,
occupied a set of chambers in the Temple, paying £7O rent.
He let off two rooms in the set of chambers to two other
barristers at £3O a year. They each had a key and the use
of the clerk. The Barrister disallowed the vote on the
ground that the appellant only occupied " part of a house
or chambers." Seventy other cases depended on the decision
which was in favour of the appellant.

RESIGNATION OF THE GRAND MASTER OF FREE-
MASONS.—An announcement has just been made to the
officers of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons
of England that it is not the intention of the Earl of
Zetland, Most Worshipful Grand Master, again to offer
himself for nomination to that high office at the Grand
Lodge, to be held in December next. The noble Earl hal
held this distinguished position for twenty six years. It
is believed that Earl de Grey and Ripen, who has held the
office of Deputy Grand Master since the retirement of the
Earl of Dalhousie, will be put in nomination for the office
of Grand Master, and from the high respect in which he
is held by the craft, there is every probability that he will
be elected. The Prince of Wales has too recently joined
Freemasonry to be elected to the office.

THE LATE Mn. PEABODY.—Respecting the death
of Mr. Peabody, the New York Times says :—" Mr. Pea-
body, as the cable informs us, died at his residence in
Eaton-square' It was one of the peculiarities of Mr.
Peabody that he never would have a house of his own.
He cared little for himself in all things—it was his
habit, for instance, to dine off a mutton chop at the grand
dinners he used to give, where every luxury was spread
upon the table. He had a room in the house of his old
friend, Sir Curtis M. Lampoon, in Eaton-square, and it
was there that he died. He used to live there in the most
quiet and retired manner, and his name did not appear in
any directory or' Court Guide' Ho has suffered much
during the last four years, and could very seldom be in-
duced to call in a doctor; whoa he did he neither obeyed
the doctor's orders nc.r took his medicine. As ono of his
rhy.sician3 complained a short time ago, Mr. Peabody was
a most unsatizfactory patient. He hated to be asked after
his health, or to have any fuss made over him."
A LITTLE STORY ABOUT Mn. LncoLN.—Mr.
Lincoln was much pestered by oclice-seekers. A gentle-
man from Illinois, who thought himself peculiarly fitted
to renresent the country abroad, followed Mr. Lincoln
with treat pertinacity, buttonholing him at all times and
in every place without the slightest mercy. Finally, till
Pre:,ident, with a pleasant smile, asked if he could speak
Spanish. " No," " Well, learn Spanish, and I'll tell you of
a good thing you can get." After three months of hard
study the would-be diplomat returned to the charge, and
ilsured him he had thoroughly mastered the Spanish
"Fell," said Mr. Lincoln, "I promised to tell
you of a good thing you could get. Get Don Quixote and
road it; it will mako you laugh."