The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-12 00:00:00

THAMES.

BROTHER AND SISTER.—Mrs. Susannah Emmer-
son, a very respectable matron, of No. 22, Buros's-
street, St. George-in-the-East, appeared to answer
a summons which charged her with assaulting Mr.
Joseph IVoodley, ginger-beer maker.
The complainant, a tall, strong, and hearty man,
said--I live at .No. 4, Hope Cottage, Church-lane,
Limehouse. I was in the house of my sister. I
went there to ask for a few things belonging to me.
She flew into a violent rage and struck me over the
head and stunned me.

The complainant, having thus briefly delivered
himself, was about to leave the witness-box when
Charles Young, who appeared for the defendant,
said " Stop, Mr. Woodley ; I have a good deal to say
to you." He subjected the defendant to a long and
searching cross-examination. He said he was not
inebriated when he called on the defendant.
He asked her for a white sheet, and she said she had
it away. He did not say to her " Your husband
frightened me so much as to force me to bed." He
might have said she was a liar. He did not make
a hole in the wall with his fist. He did not break
a lamp.

Mr: Charles Young said this was a most un-
founded charge. The complainant, who was a
" great hulking brute and a coward," went to the
house of his sister and abused her. He slapped her
face twice, and then made a blow at her with his
fist, but fortunately he missed her, and 'sent his fist
through the lath and plaster division of her sitting
room. He also kicked at her. To prevent the
complainant preferring a charge of assault, he had
preferred a charge himself.
The defence was completely proved by witnesses,
and the summons was at once dismissed.

POOR-BOX RELIEF.—The principal city companies,
noblemen, gentlemen, and tradesmen having placed
at the disposal of the magistrates (Mr. Partridge
and Mr. Paget) large sums of money for the relief
of the poor a large amount of good has been effected.
This morning upwards of 500 destitute persons,
mostly aged females, thinly clad, and poor widows
with families, who had been recommended by the
clergy and respectable ratepayers known to the
officers of the court, were relieved with money and
tickets for coals, grocery, and bread. Mr. Living-
ston, the chief usher, who had made all the neces-
sary inquiries to prevent imposition, distributed the
cash and tickets, and he was assisted by his
son and Mr. Charles Young, the solicitor,
who entered heart and soul into the good
cause. People having business in the court were
put to some inconvenience by the assemblage of so
many persons opposite to, and in the passage of,
the court, but this was counterbalanced by the
gratification of so many of our necessitous fellow-
creatures being relieved at this inclement season of
the year. Great numbers asked for printed forms,
and were informed that no more would be issued by
the magistrates this year, and that those whose
forms had not been already filled up, and whose
cases had not been investigated, would be relieved
on Friday morning next. After that relief would
only be afforded in cases of well-known and urgent
distress arising out of investigations in open court.
Mr. Paget disposed of the urgent charges (only
five) at 11 o'clock, heard a summons, and adjourned
the court for an hour.