The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-07 00:00:00

SHARE MARKETS.—This Day.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

--__--o.


ORDINARY SHARES AND STOCKS.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.

(Sittings at Nisi Prins, before Lord Chief Justice Cockburn
and a Special Jury.)
SPRINGETT V. BALLS.

The plaintiff in this case was a widow, and she brought
an action against the defendant, an omnibus proprietor,
for compensation in damages for the loss she sustained by
the death of her husband through the negligence of one
of his (defendant's) servants. The defendant pleaded
that the accident was contributed to by the deceased, and
that his servant was not to blame.
Mr. Sergeant Robinson and Mr. Dowdesvilla were
counsel for the plaintiff, and Mr. Sergeant Ballantine and
another learned gentleman for the defendant.

From the opening statement of counsel, and the evidence
for the plaintiff, it appeared that the deceased was a hop
inspector and sampler, and had lived at 19, Doyenll-street
Dover-road, Southwark. His occupation was profitable,
as, during the busy time in the hop trade he could earn .£1
a day. The accident occurred so far back as the 18th of
November, 1861, about 7 o'clock in the evening. The
deceased, with some sacks on his shoulders, was crossing
the road from St. Thomas-street, in the Borough,
to the other side, when the omnibus of the
defendant came down at a rapid pace from the
direction of London-bridge. He was struck by the pole,
knocked down, and the omnibus passed over him. He was
taken to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, but his injuries were
so severe that he•died on the 22d of the month. He left
the plaintiff and wo children,who were wholly dependent
on him, and since his death they had been in great dis-
tress. It was elicited from the plaintiff in the examination
that her husband occasionally indulged in drink, and that
she had to bring him before the magistrate in consequence
of his violence and threats; but she said that he
was quite sober on the day of the accident and
when she saw him in the hospital. It was deposed to most
positively, by.persons who witnessed the accident, that the
omnibus came at a very rapid pace down the incline from
London Bridge to St. Thomas's-street, that there It as no
"skid" on, and that it was impossible for the deceased to
have avoided the accident.

For the defence the driver was called, and said that he
made every endeavour to pulliup the horses in time, and
that except that the deceased was laden with sacks, which
prevented his seeing or hearing, the accident would not
have occurred.

The jury returned a verdict for the defendant.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.---This Day..

MANSION-HOUSE.

THE CHARGE OF SCUTTLING THE SHIP SEVERN.—This
morning the Justice Room at the Mansion House was
crowded with the leading members of marine insurance
companies in consequence of its being known that Hold-
worth, who lately carried on the business of a ship and
insurance broker in Fenchurch-street, wl'o stood charged
with being concerned in scuttling the ship Severn, and for
whose apprehension a reward of £2OO had been offered,
would be placed at the bar, ho having been taken into cus-
tody abroad. He accordingly took his place with the other
prisoners, viz., Bennett, the reported owner of the Severn;
Webb, the mate ; and Dean, the clerk of Holdworth, before
Alderman Finnis, and was formally charged with the
offence. _ _

_______
Mr. Lewis, who appeared for Lloyd's Salvage Associa-
tion, conducted the prosecution, stated that, as he had an-
ticipated on the last occasion when he was before his
lordship, the prisoner Holdsworth had been apprehended
at Basle, in Switzerland, mainly through the instrumen-
tality of Mr. Pollaky, and conveyed to England by con-
stable Webb, of the City Detective Force. When the
constable arrived in Switzerland, the prisoner Lionel
Holdsworth was in custody of the police, and on Webb
seeing him, he told him he held a warrant for his appre-
hension on a charge of being concerned in the scuttling
of the ship Severn with intent to defraud. He
did not attempt to question the legality of
his capture, and the necessary forms having been
gone through, ha was brought across the Channel last
night, and as he had not been present when the former
evidence was taken, it would be necessary to read it over
in his presence.
Captain Layland then entered the witness-box, and the
whole of his evidence given previous to the apprehension
was read over to the prisoner, the most important portion
of it being that he (prisoner) gave the witness to under-
stand that the owners of the ship knew she was to be
" potted."
The ease was again remanded.

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 7, 1866.