The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-12 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.

(Sittings in Banco, before Lord Chief Justice Bovill, and
Justices Willes, Keating, and Smith.)
KNIGHT V. WHEELER.

Mr. M. Chambers, Q.C., moved on behalf of the defen-
dant for a rule nisi, calling on the plaintiff to show why
a verdict for £2O 155., which he had obtained, should not
be set aside as being against evidence. The case was heard
before Mr. Justice Keating at the sitting after last term at
Middlesex. The plaintiff was a stonemason, carrying on
business at Devon Wharf, Mile-end, and the defendant was a
bankerand brewer at High Wycombe. The plaintiff entered
into a contract with the Board of Works at High Wycombe
for the paving of the town on April 7, 1865. Some extra
paving was required, and at the request of private indivi-
duals it was executed. A portion of this work formed the
plaintiff's claim. It appeared that the defendant was ono
of the local board of works, and it was alleged that he gave
the order on his own responsibility. The defendant de-
nied this, and the case turned on the credibility of the evi-
dence pro and con.

The court considered that thero was a sufficient case
made out for a rule, which was accordingly granted.

SIIOREDITCH COUNTY COURT.
(Before Mr. Dasont.)
SUTTON V. PARKER.

This was an action to recover the value of a ring, under
somewhat singular circumstances.

Mrs. Sutton said before her marriage she lived with
her sister, and defendant was a lodger in the house. On
the 18th Juno last a party, including herself and defendant,
went for a walk through the Victoria Park. As they were
going along they began to "lark," and defendant caught
sight of the ring on her finger. He took it off and put it
in his pocket, saying that she should not have it
any more. She begged defendant to give it back
to her, as it was a present from Robert, to whpm
she was then engaged, and is now married. Defendant
then declared that he had lost it, but agreed to make it
good.

His Honour—Was it an engagement ring ?
Mrs. Sutton—lt Was.

Defendant admitted having taken the ring off Mrs. Sut-
ton's finger for a lark, but he had no intention of keeping
it. After he put the ring in his pocket he jumped over
some hurdles, and he supposed the ring must have got out
of his pocket. He told Mrs. Sutton ho would got her ano-
ther, but he had not done so.

His Honour —You see, defendant, it is a very dangerour
thing to lark with young ladies' engagement rings. It is
quite clear that you are liable for the money now sued for,
and you must pay it.
Verdict for the plaintiff, with costs.
A SOI-DISANT HEIR OF KING JAMES TILE SECOND.

A middle-aged man, who stated that his name was Wil-
liam Derbyshire, and that ho was son of James Derby-
shire, handed in a paper, and said be had been authorised
by order of a judge to come before the court and prove
that ho was the heir •f King James the Second. (A
laugh.)

T paperour.t was formally received by ono of the registrars
of thehe Court.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE. This Day.

M.A.RLBOROUGLI-STREET.

THE LOWEST DEPTH OF MlSERY.—Churchill Long, 11,
Stephen David Long, 10, and Thomas Fields, 8, were
charged before Mr. Knox with begging.
Sergeant Btmce,
50 (3, said that about eight o'clock yes-
terday evening, he saw the boys standingiby the door of
Mr. Cook's, the :confectioner, in Coventry-street, two on
one side of the door and one on tho other. They seemed
to bo nearly dropping for want, and begged of different
ladies for pence. lie took the boys to .the station and
sent for food for them, they stating that they were very
hungry. lie afterwards went and made inquiries re-
specting the boys, and found that Fields had no father,
and that his mother, who got her living by washing, lived
in Crown-street, Soho. Tho father of the Longs, who
Drury-lane, was a shoemaker,
bad state of health that ho
pptehaered to be respectable
mother was hourly
livedexpectedwb
uats i
unablein n P •
soi
un
cc
dthe
o' se cwao uo
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b,
They
a
ad
people overpowered by
asked. her to lot him go out with some
s and poverty. Field's mother
(crying bitterly) said that her boy, seeing the distressed
getwainiew halfpence. She had other children.
to work when she could got it, and before
the death of her husband never had to do so.
fussessSt ha She went sheetnt tout o

Mr. Knox asked the poor woman whether she would like
her boy to go to school, and she said she would.
The father of the Longs came forward, and he appeared
to be in a sad state of health. He said that he had only
been a week out of bed, and that he was scarcely able to
attend the court that morning, his wife being so ill that he
left her senseless when he came away.
Mr. Knox ordered the boy Field to be sent to Feltham,
and gave tho boys Long back to their father, stating that
if ho would like them to go to school, and could attend
again, he would see what could be done.
Some temporary assistance from the poor box was
kindly ordered by Mr. Knox to be given to the poor man,
who seemed very grateful for it.