The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-16 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

DXCAVATIONS INJURING PREMISES.—III the suit of
Barnett v. Marzetti,Vice-Chancellor Wood, on Saturday,
granted an injunction. The object of the proceedings was
to restrain an excavation of the ground in the Minories
for the foundation of a large bonded warehouse, about to
be erected by the defendants, as such excavation occa-
sioned damage and injury to plaintiff's warehouses and
buildings.

ACTION FOR FALSE I3IPRISONDIENT.—A case was tried
In the Court of Exchequer illustrating forcibly the manner
in which cases arc " got up" by police officers. It was an
action for false imprisonment, to recover certain goods,
and for trespass, The plaintiff had formerly been a par-
cels' porter for eight years in the service of the Brighton
Railway Company. The defendants were that company
and three police-officers. While the plaintiff was on duty
in November 1866, happening to come across the
desk of one Green, he caused certain coppers inside
to jingle. One of the clerks told Green that he had seen
plaintiff put his hand into the desk, and the plaintiff was
given into custody for stealing the sum of 3d. the
same evening. Defendant was searched, and 4d. found
on him. No one prosecuting, however, he was liberated.
Plaintiff's house was subsequently searched, without a
warrant, and two watches and other articles were taken pos-
session of. These articles were accounted for, but plaintiff
was again arrested and taken before a magistrate. His case
was dismissed. He therefore brought this action. There
were several questions to be decided—whether the com-
pany gave leave to prosecute, whether one of the watches
was the property of the plaintiff, and the amount of
damages. The jury answered the first two questions in
the affirmative, and gave £3O for the trespass, £5O for the
false imprisonment, and £5 for the watch (which had been
given to someone who claimed it) ; in all £B5 damages.

CASES ARISING OUT OF THE EXPLOSION AT THE HOUSE
OF DETENTION, CLERKENWELL.-Eight cases of pocket-
picking came before the magistrate at the Clerkenwell
Police-court on Saturday. All of them were cases in
which the prisoners attempted to pick the pockets of
people in the crowd at Clerkenwell. Some of the pri-
soners were discharged, the evidence not being conclusive.
Others received sentences of from six to tiree months'
imprisonment.

BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE; £4OO DAMAGES.—
On Friday, at the Liverpool Assizes, Miss Georgina
Reeves, 30 years of age, brought an action for breach of
promise of marriage against Mr. Joseph Joplin, wine and
spirit merchant. It was stated that the courtship com-
menced in the early part of last year, and in its course the
usual amatory letters, verses, &c., were perpetrated and
afforded much amusement when read in court. After
eighteen months had elapsed the defendant changed his
mind, raising some objections to the family of the lady.
He also denied that he had ever promised to marry Miss
Reeves. The jury found for the plaintiff ; damages, £4OO.
EXTRAORDINARY ROBBERY IN DCBLIN.—On Friday, at
the Head Police-office, Dublin, Mary M`Mullen was
brought up in custody, charged on suspicion with having
robbed her mistress, Mrs. M`Keshin, of a sum of £4O and
several valuable articles of jewellery. The prisoner had
been a servant to Mrs. M`Keshin for three years and a half.
The lady went out to dine on Friday, and left the prisoner
in charge of her house. On her return the prisoner said,
in a very excited manner, " I have been nearly murdered
The house has been robbed of everything by robbers,
who bloke in the hall-door, and when they could not get
into the parlour went into your bed-room and took away
everything with them." A policeman was at once sent
for, and on a search being made it was found that £4O,
a topaz ring, a bracelet, a diamond ring, and a massive
gold ring had been taken from a dressing-case in the
lady's bed-room. The prisoner was remanded.
CONVICTION FOR ATTEMPTING TO UPSET A TRAIN.—
David Williamson, a boy of 13, was charged at Chester
Assizes with an attempt to upset a railway train at
c.;'headle Bulkeley, on August 14, by placing ten railway
-.hairs upon the rails. Evidence was adduced that the
boy had acknowledged to several persons that he and
other boys placed the chairs upon the line for the purpose
of having "a spill and a smash." He was found guilty,
and upon being sentenced, the judge said that had be been
a grown-up man he would have been sentenced to penal
servitude for life. He WM sentenced to one month's hard
labour, to be once whipped with a birch rod, and after-
wards to be sent to a reformatory school for five years.
CURIOUS CLAIM UPON A CLERGYMAN.—A case of some
:mportance to the clergy, owners of property, and parochial
authorities in London has just been heard before Mr.
Barker, at the Clerkenwell Police-court. The defendant,
Elie Rev. A. R. G. Thomas, incumbent of St. Paul's
church, Camden-square, had a claim made upon
him for £OOO 11s. 10d. for paths and footways made
round his church. It was contended that as the
incumbent of the church he was the owner of the free-
hold, because induction to the church made him the 'free-
holder of the church. Mr. Thomas was therefore sued as
a corporation sole,
. representing the whole interests of the
church for the ti being. For the defence it was con-
tended that, for the purposes of the Act, Mr. Thomas
was not the " owner "of the property. The owner must
be the person who receives the rack rent. Mr. Thomas
was a salaried officer, paid £4OO a year by the trustees, to
whom the pew rents were assigned. The magistrate said
he should reserve his opinion. In any case the matter will,
it is believed, he taken to the Court of Queen's Bench.