The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-01 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.--(THIS DA J

COURT OF CHANCERY.
(Befoie the Lord Chancellor.)
APPEAL.-JUDGMENT.-CROUCH V. WALLER.

This was an appeal from a decree of the Master of the
Rolls dismissing the plaintiff's bill.
The suit was instituted by Emma Christian Crouch, by
her next friend, against her husband, Charles Richmond
Crouch, to recover the arrears of an annuity of £6O given
to the plaintiff by indenture of settlement, dated Dec. 31,
1850. In March Mrs. Crouch separated from her husband.
In the month of August, 1848, the husband agreed to make
a settlement of £6O a year in favour of the wife, but no
deed was executed at the time. After certain legal
proceedings against Mr. Crouch and a reference to arbitra-
tion, he executed two deeds, which gave rise to the present
suit. As to the first deed of separation it was provided
that Mrs. Crouch, so long as she remained separate from
her husband, was to have the custody of her two children.
The deed contained a proviso that the same should become
void if the husband and wife should at any time thereafter
by mutual consent come together and cohabit as man and
wife ; and by the second an annuity of £6O was given to
the plaintiff, and after her decease an annuity of £5O to the
two children—the same to be a charge on Mr. Crouch's pro-
perty. Mrs. Crouch now claimed the original annuity, with
arrears. An agreement was made in April, 1852, by which
Mrs. Crouch agreed to take £3O a year in lieu of the original
annuity of £6O. Mrs. Crouch now claimed the original
annuity, with arrears. It appeared from the evidence that
she was leading a very dissolute life, which she did not
deny; and also that after the deed of separation was exe-
cuted she and her husband cohabited together. The Master
of the Rolls held. that such a deed must be sustained or fall
altogether. •

The Lord Chancellor said—The question in this case
arises under the deed of settlement of 31st December, 1850,
by which Charles Richard Crouch gave an annuity of £6O
to his wife Emma Christian Crouch, out of certain fr,e-
hold, copyhold, and leasehold property belonging to him
under the will of his father. His lordship considered this
was an absolute deed, not affected by the subsequent volun-
tary deed of separation, nor by anything that took place
under it, and that the plaintiff, Mrs. Crouch, was entitled to
the payment of this annuity of £6O, and also the arrears,
whether she educates and maintains the children or not,
and declared accordingly.

His Lordship allowed the appeal. Costs of all parties to
be paid out of the estate.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-(THIS .DA E

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

SPOILT FOR THE DEREY.—John Kennard was placed at
the bar, before Mr. Bingham, charged with stealing a pork
pie, under the following circumstances :
It appeared from the evidence adduced, that at about half-
past two this morning the prisoner, with several companions,
both male and female, went into Mr. Turner's House, a
licensed victuallers, 162, Oxford-street, and called for some
gin and peppermint. Shortly after they had been supplied
with this, the barman heard the glass which covered a pork
pie lifted from the counter, and, on looking round, saw the
pie in the prisoner's hand. Upon being taxed with the
theft he indignantly denied any intention of stealing it, and
offered to pay for it, but, upon being searched, no money
was found upon him.
Prisoner, in reply to the charge, said he had had the mis..
fortune to fall into bad company. He denied any intention
of stealing, the pie, which he said, was handed to him by one of
the "ladies " in front of the bar. Instead of being there

(in the dock), he ought to be at the races, as a relation of
his, named Green, a rider in the races, had sent him a let-
ter, saying that if he could manage to come down he would
lend him some money to go on with, as he was out of work.
Mr. Bingham said he would spoil him from going to the
"Derby" to-day by ordering him to pay a fine of 205., or,
in default, 14 days' imprisonment.

PROVIDENT CLERKS' BENEVOLT,NT

FUND.

An election of six' nore annuitants upon this fund took
place yesterday-et the office of the Provident Clerks' Asso-
ciation,
.15, Moorgate-street, when one clerk and five
widows were electeq, to annuities varying from £l5 to £3O
each.
There is, perhaps, no benevOlent institution in Londco
which has achieved co much good in proportion to its
means as the Provident Clerks' Benevolent Fund. It has
been the means of relieving many cases of distress and of
providing for the declining age of some, and the widowed
and helpless condition of others. In this benevolent pur-
suit it has now been -engacrbed for many years, and already
annuitants absorbing fully £l,OOO a -year are placed upon
its books, while, as an encouragement to those who are eli-
gible for its benefits, we are enabled to record that every cler k
who has presented himself for an annuity has been elected,
the appointment on the present occasion having been made
without a contest. This is the more creditable to the energy
of the management, as the cost of membership is so small
as to be almost nominal. It wants, however, but a little
further extension of the sympathy manifested by the em-
ployers of clerks, and by the mercantile and commercial
classes generally, to render the boon of an annuity a cer-
tainty to every applicant for many years to come.
It is not too much to ask that every one in this great
city, interested in this institution (and who is there in the
great commercial metropolis not interested in its well-
being ?), should contribute a trifle annually to its funds.
Considering the class of society to which the clerks belong,
the necessity which exists for their maintaining a respect-
able exterior, and the too often insufficient remuneration
awarded to their services, this institution may be said to
possess peculiar claims to sympathy and support, more
especially as its benefits are restricted to those whose pru-
dence and self-denial has led them, at their own cost, to
become members.

The chair yesterday was taken by Richard Henry
Jones, Esq., Chairman of the Board, who addressed'a few
observations to the members assembled, pointing out the
duty which devolved upon them of promoting, by every
means in their power, the well-being of the Fund, and th.
advantages they themselves would reap from their lending
it their best efforts.

The poll was then formally opened, and was closed at
three o'clock, when the following were found to be elected,
viz. : •

• James Grint, to an annuity of .. £3O
Cecilia A. Barrett
Ann Ady .; • .
Emma M. CoSta
Mary J. Drower
Ann Harris
•h " " • 15
The result was received with much satisfaction, and a few
appropriate words were addressed by the chairman to the
successful candidates and others present, calling upon them
to make known the benefits of the fund, and thereby in-
crease its power of doing good. An unanimous vote of thanks
was then given to the Chairman and to the much-esteemed
Treasurer, John Abel Smith, Esq., who was present dur-
ing a part of the proceedings, and the meeting then ter-
minated.

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