The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY' EVENING, FEBRUARY 24, 1866.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.

(Sittings at Nisi Prins, at Guildhall, before Mr. Justice
Shea and a Common Jury.)
CONEY V. CLARKSON-BETTING TRANSACTION.

Mr. Huddleston, Q.C., and Mr. M. Williams appeared
for the plaintiff, and Mr. Sergeant Parry for the defendant.
From the opening statement of counsel it appeared that
the plaintiff was a restaurant keeper in Panton-street, and
was also engaged in betting transactions, and the defen-
dant was a gentleman living near Ipswich. The action
was brought to recover a sum of £6O, and the defendant
pleaded not indebted. The transaction arose out cf a bet
which plaintiff alleged he was directed to lay of 60 to 40 on
Heenan in the fight which came on in 1863 between him
and King. This money was paid into the bands of Mr.
Owen Swift, at his house in Tichbuurne-street, about a
month prior before the fight. The wager was made with
a Mr. Toss Parker, and the money was deposited duly,
although there was no entry of the amount.
John Coney, the plaintiff, was examined by Mr. Wil-
liams—He had paid the money to Swift on the same
evening that he bad seen Mr. Clarkson, with whom ho
was on intimate terms for some years previously. The
defendant asked him if he could make a wager on his be-
half, backing Heenan, who was the favourite, at odds 'of
£6O to £4O. The witness had already backed Heenan at
the same odds. He paid £l5 deposit to Swift, and when
Heenan lost the fight he paid the balance of £45. It was
not usual to have wagers entered.

The plaintiff was cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Parry
He had made the bet on his own account with Major Brown
the evening before ho saw Mr. Clarkson. Swift had been
a fighting man, but at present ho was better known in
connection with racing. His house was a late one, and he
permitted prostitutes to congregate there. The licence of
his house was in the name of a Mr. Bushnell. He had on
several occasions been fined by the magistrates, and on
one occasion he had been fined £2O for keeping his house
open late and allowing loose females to assemble there. He
had never been fined for allowing gambling to be carried
on in his premises. Here a letter was read in the hand-
writing of the plaintiff, but notwithstanding that docu-
ment ho adhered to his statement as to having received
positive instructions from Mr. Clarkson to make the
wager. He had seen Mr. Clarkson frequently drunk, and
he was addicted to intemperance. He swore most posi-
tively that he was not intoxicated when he gave witness
the order about laying odds in favour of Heenan.
Owen Swift was examined, and said that he kept a
public-house in Tichbourne-street, and he had received
the money from the plaintiff for the wager on behalf of the
defendant.

Mr. Sergeant Parry said that ho was placed in a posi-
tion of difficulty owing to some incorrectness in the infor-
mation he received, and under the circumstances he trusted
the Court would allow him to amend his plead by adding
that the transaction was illegal by a wager.

After some discussion between the counsel the learned
judge decided that he could not alter the amendment of
the plea.
Mr. Sergeant Parry then addressed the jury on behalf of
his client, who said he had been a man of considerable
property, and no doubt he led such a life as could not be
regarded with approval by a number of respectable men.
The fact was that the affairs of the defendant were in the
hands of trustees, who were desirous of terminating his
connection with persons of such a description as the plain-
tiff. He contended that the plaintiff, having lost consider-
able sums by betting 'on the fight between Heenan and
King, he wanted to recoup himself by making the defen-
dant•pay him a sum of £6O.
Simon Cutting, a bailiff, said that he was in the employ-
ment of the defendant, who was confined to his bed by
rheumatic fever.

There was no other evidence adduced for the defence.
Mr. Huddleston having addressed the jury,
The learned judge summed up.

The jury, without retiring, returned a verdict for the
defendant.

COURT OF PROBATE AND DIVORCE.
(Before the Judge Ordinary.)
BELLEW V. BELLEW, PAIN, AND OTHERS.

This extraordinary cause was resumed this morning.,
Mr. O'Malley opening the case for the plaintiff.
The case will not certainly, from present appearances,
terminate before Wednesday next.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

A MURDER PREVENTED—AN UNNATURAL MOTHER.
Ellen O'Geary, of 23, Prince's-row, Newport-market, was
charged before Mr. Knox with being drunk and cruelly
beating her two children, aged 14 and 9.
Police-constable John 'Watkins, 303 A, said—About 5
o'clock yesterday afternoon I was told that a mother was
cruelly ill-using her children in Prince's-row. I went to
No. 23, and found a large crowd round the house, and
screams proceeding from some one upstairs. I went up-
stairs to the first floor front room, and found the prisoner
having hold of a girl about 14 years of age by the hair,
and knocking her head against the bedpost. The prisoner
also had a knife in her hand, and said "I'll do for you—
I'll do for you." i took the prisoner away from the girl,
and, in doing so, a quantity of the girl's hair came out.
The prisoner then seized hold of the baby and threw it
down on the floor. As the prisoner, who was drunk, had
a knife in her hand, and fearing she would do further
mischief, I took her into custody.
_ _

William Pennington, residing at 23, Prince's-row, said—
Hearing cries of " Murder," I went upstairs and saw the
prisoner holding the girl down on the floor with a knife in
her hand. I parted them and left, but had to go up again,
and then found her holding the girl down again, and as I
was trying to get the girl from her she jobbed the handle
of the knife into my eye, and it has been bleeding all night.
The prisoner is in the habit of ill using her children every
day, and I feel sure she will, if not prevented, destroy the
girl before long.
Julia Leary, a meek speaking girl, and who evidently
appeared afraid of her mother, said—About five o'clock
yesterday afternoon my mother was pitching the things
out of the window and into the fire. I then tried to pre-
vent her, when she caught hold of me by the hair, struck
me, knocked me down, and knocked my head against the
bedpost, having a knife in her hand at the time. I screamed
out "Murder," and Mr. Pennington came up and took my
mother from me. My mother then said that she would
murder me and my sister, and began beating me again. Mr.
Pennington came up again and parted us, and my mother
struck Mr. Pennington in the eye with the handle of a
knife, and the constable then came and put an end to it.
My mother also pushed my sister, but did not hurt her
much, and threw the baby on the floor, and my elder sister
then took it away. I am afraid to be at home, as my mother
threatens frequently that she will take my life. My father
took out a summons against my mother, but forgave her.
The prisoner—It's all false.

Mr. Knox—lt is not the first time you have been before
me for assaults. You are not fit to be at large, and I shall
commit you for trial.

The charge of assaulting the socond child—the assault
not being a serious one—was not proceeded with.

THAMES.
Six MONTHS AGO.—Frederick Wilkin, a German sugar-
baker, wan brought before Mr. Partridge, on remand,
charged with assaulting and wounding Ann Rebecca
Struve.

Tho outrage on the woman was committed ou the 17th
of Ju,y last. The prisoner was quarelling with the wo-
man's husband, who is also a German and a sugar-baker.
The woman said "You ought not to quarrel wfth a mar-
ried man," and that he ought to be ashamed of himself.
He immediately kicked her on the lower part of the person,
and, as she was pregnant at the time, he put her to much
pain and inconvenience. She was afterwards confined to
her bed under medical treatment for several weeks. The
prisoner was brought before Mr. Knox at this court on
the 18th day of July last, and remanded for a week.
He was liberated on entering into his own personal
recognisance in the sum of £4O and one surety in £2O to
appear on the 25th of July. He did not attend, and Phillip
Schmidt, a foreman sugar-baker, who was bail for him, was
compelled to pay £2O. On Thursday morning Schmidt,
who was accompanied by Mr. Wintzin, the German inter-
preter to the court, applied for a warrant to apprehend
Wilkin, and Mr. Partridge said he could be taken without
one. He was immediately arrested and brought before the
magistrate, who remanded him till this day. The case was
now fully made out, the dreadful sufferings of the woman
described, and it was also proved that the prisoner had
been to Germany since the outrage on the woman,.and had
promised to pay Schmidt the £2O forfeited by the latter,
but having failed to do so he was sought after after and
taken into custody.
Mr. Partridge said as the transaction took place more
than six months' ago, he had no alternative but to commit
the prisoner for trial.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—This day.

-

LONDON, Feb. 24.—Wind this day at noon—North.
Westerly; moderate breeze, and fine weather, but rather
cloudy.

BRISTOL, Feb. 23.—Wiud S.W.—Arrived—Amabile,
from Mazagan.

YAnmorrn, Feb. 23.—Wind W.—Arrived—Obey, from
River Plate for Leith.
CARDIFF, Feb. 23.—Wind S.W.—Sailed.—P. 11. Coch-
ran, for Monte Video.

KINGROAD, Feb. 22.—Wind W.N.W.—Arrived—John
Souchay, from Demerara.

LIVERPOOL, Feb. 23.—Wind N.E.—Arrived--Prineeton,
from New York.
AntitnEEN,yeb. 23.—Wind W.—Arrived—The Warner
from Leith.•

LBY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.
GRAVESEND, Saturday Morning.
Arrived, Feb. 23—Edward, from Manilla ; Lord Clyde,
from Shanghai.
Sailed, Feb. 24—Neptune, steamer, from Krageroe ; Zoe,
from Singapore.