The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-17 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE—(This Day.)

SHERIFF'S COURT.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Kerr.)
HAMDEN V. HITMPHERY.

This was an action against the defendant, who is an
auctioneer of Coleman-street, to recover damages alleged
to have been sustained through the misdescription of a
certain article in a sale over which the defendant pre-
sided.

Plaintiff said that ho attended the sale in question, and
bid for a carpet. Defendant said that the carpet contained
35 yards, and plaintiff bid accordingly.
Defendant denied that he had mado any such statement,
and the catalogue was handed up to his Honour, who
found that no number of yards was in it, the space being
left blank.

On the part of defendant two witnesses were called, and
they deposed that they were present at the sale, and heard
all that took place. It was quite true that defendant was
asked how many yards the carpet contained, but while he
expressed an opinion that there were 35 yards in the car-
pet, he declined to say that such was positively the num-
ber.

Plaintiff called a witness, who now swore that, in the
first instance, defendant positively stated there were fifty
yards in the carpet, and upon being contradicted, he said he
was sure there must be thirty-five.
His Honour was of opinion that this evidence did not
make out any warranty, and found a verdict for the
defendant.

Verdict for defendant, who did not ask for any costs.
INFANT TRADERS IN THE CITY.—IMPORTANT QUESTION,

SKETCHLEY V. CORBETT.

This was an action to recover the amount of a bill for
meat, and defendant pleaded " infancy."
Mr. J. 13. Pearce, of Giltspur-street, appeared for the
plaintiff, and said that defendant was bound to make out
his plea.

His Honour—Well, defendant, how do you make ou
that you are an infant ?

Defendant—By the Bible at home. My age is entered
in our Bible, and I know by that that I am not yet of age.
llis Honour—ls there anybody here to prove it ?
Defendant—Yes. My mother can prove it.
Mr. Pearce—There is one point in this case which may
perhaps settle the question. The defendant is a trader
carrying on his business in the Newgate market, where he
buys and sells meat upon his own account.

Defendant did not deny this, and plaintiff said he had a
shop for which he paid 15s. to 16s. per week, and was just
married.

Mr. Pearce—l understand that your honour has decided
that when an infant traded in the City he could not set,
up this plea.

His Honour said he had ruled in accordanCe with an'old
custom to be found in the Liber Albus, that an infant
trader was liable for his debts, and this was both reason-
able and common sense. Ho had no doubt under the
old powers aof the Act governing this court, that
defendant was liable, but the recent Equitable
Jurisdiction Act raised a question as to whether the juris-
diction of this court had not been materially affected. If
plaintiff liked to risk a judgment, he might take it, but
there was a doubt.

Plaintiff said he would pay defendant by instalments,

ilie honour made the usual order.

Verdict for plaintiff.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.--This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

COMING HOME FROM THE DERBY.—John Shute, a fish-
monger, of No. 24, Upper Cleveland-street, was charged
before Mr. Barker, with being drunk, furious driving, and
damaging cab No. 12,644 in Park-lane.
Henry Richards, cab driver, badge 16,013, said that on
the previous night about 9 o'clock, while proceeding down
Park-lane, he heard a female, who was in a cart with the
defendant and another man, screaming. The defendant
was driving and urging the horse on by whipping it, and
it was going at a furious rate, the cart being on the wrong
side of the lane. He endeavoured to avoid a collision but
could not, and his cab was driven into another following
him, and damaged to the extent of 50s.

George Bretts, another cab driver, said he was following
them with his cab, a fare inside, when the last witness's
cab was driven on to his, and his shafts went right through
the back panel. The defendant was going at full gallop,
and was whipping his horse.
In answer to Mr. Barker, the witness said that both
men were drunk.

Police-constable Coulson, 216 0, said that, on going up
after the collision, he found the defendant and the man in
the cab drunk, but the female was sober.

The defendant said he had been to the Derby, and got
along all right without a scratch till he got into Park-lane,
where the cabman drove his cab right across the road, and
then the other cab ran into his cab.

Wm. Shute, the defendant's brother, said the damage
was caused by the cabman himself. He denied being the
worse for drink.

The constable said the witness was more intoxicated
,han the defendant.

Mr. Barker ordered the defendant to pay a fine of 40s
for being drunk and furious driving, and 50s. the amount
of damages, or 21 days.

INCITING AN ITALIAN BoY TO BEG. —Melio Bonelli, 8, was
charged with begging in Regent-street, and Marco Maja
Bonelli, about 18, was charged with inciting the prisoner
to beg.

Wm. Breach, 199 0, proved seeing the younger prisoner
go up to several carriages in Regent-street and beg of
ladies, and he afterwards followed a lady into a shop and
begged, and received a sixpence. Ho afterwards saw the
boy beg of some ladies and receive some money, and the
elder prisoner took the money from him and put it in a
purse, which was afterwards found to contain about 7s.
He then took the prisoners into custody.
The elder prisoner said he had only been in London
three days.

Hewitt, Mendicity Society's officer, said that was not the
case, as he had seen him a fortnight ago. It was the prac-
tice of the prisoner not to send children out with Monkeys
as they used to do, but with a violin.

The elder prisoner again, (through Mr. Albert, the in-
terpreter) said he had only been in London three days,
and that he was playing in front of a; house, and not
begging.
The constable said there was no violin being played.

Mr. Baker said the elder prisoner would be committed
for a month, with hard labour, and the other would be re-
manded for a week, and the officer could communicate
with the Italian Society.