The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-10 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.—(This Day.)

CITY SHERIFFS' COURT.
(Before Mr. Prendergast, Q.C.)
THE " CLASHING " OF THE " COURTS."-BOSSY V.

THOMPSON.
This was a judgment summons adjourned from June
last.

Mr. Buchanan, Basinghall-street, appeared for the
defendant, who had obtained a final order from the In-
solvent Court before the judgment of this court issued,
and the name of the creditor, the present plaintiff, ap-
peared in the schedule filed in the Insolvent Court, and
due notice had been given to him as required by the act.
The case was adjourned until to-day to see whether the
defendant would be in a condition to pay the whole or
any part of the debt.

The defendant now said he was not in a position to
pay any Fart of the debt, as he had a wife and eight
children to support.

His Honour said the case had been adjourned to give
him time to recover himself; and unless he now made
some satisfactory offer he must be committed.
Mr. Buchanan submitted that though his Honour had
power to commit under the City Act, yet that could only
be on being satisfied that the defendant had means and
refused to pay, and that it was a matter entirely in the
discretion of the judge. He then went through the
several acts relating to insolvency, and finally referred
to the 19th and 20th section, 108 Vic., which repeated
the 102 d section of the General County Court Act, as to
the commitment of bankrupts who had obtained their
certificate of conformity under the Bankrupt Laws, or
a bankrupt had obtained his final order under the Insol-
vency. The City bad not been diligent enough to get
their act amended, and he had no doubt his Honour, in
the exercise of the discretion vested in him, would not
enforce a power under the City Act, which could not
be exercised under the County Courts Act if his Honour
were presiding at Whitechapel.
His Honour said he would and did, and ordered the
defendant to be committed for 14 days.
Mr. Buchanan said he must respectfully express hie in-
tention to immediately apply to the Commissioner of the
Insolvent Court, who, acting on precedent, would order
the defendant's discharge. It appeared to be unjust
that a man who had undergone the ordeal of passing
one court and had been absolv3d from his debts, should
be made pay by another.'
His Honour intimated that if the defendant were
discharged and again brought before him on another
summons he should commit again.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE. (This Day.)

GUILDHALL.

ATTEMPTED SITICIIDE.—Kate Finhagan, a young wo-
man 20 years of age, was placed at the bar before Sir P.
Laurie, charged with attempting self-de-truction.
It appeared from the evidence of police-constable 709,
that this morning, about a quarter before two o'clock,
he was on duty near Blackfriare-bridge. He saw the
prisoner on the steps near the water, and went to her
and asked her what she was doing. She said she was
waiting for the tide to rise to destroy herself. She was
in a very agitated state, but she promised not to destroy
herself, and he let her go. Oa his return to the bridge
he again found her there, when be took ht,r into custody.
After she was locked up she attempted to strangle her-
self with a piece of bonnet ribbon. This was the third
time she had attempted self-destruction.
Her mother, a wretched looking woman, was present,
and in answer to the alderman's question-, said that
her daughter was a servant, but had been out Gf service
about two years. She believed the cause of li'r conduct
on this occasion was grief at her father's illness, who
was not expected to live out the day. She attempted
self-destruction at Blackfriare-bridge about six months
ago. Drink was then the cause of it.
Police-constable 709 said that the girl told him she
had had words with her mother that induced her to
leave her home.
Sir P. Laurie expressed his doubts that the mother's
explanation was the true cause of the prisoner's conduct.
Police-constable 707—Her mother t)ld him that the
prisoner took poison once.
The prisoner having promised not to offend again in a
similar manner, was discharged.
Sir P. Laurie said that a very important inquiry was
now going on relative to the number of attempted
suicides that had taken place in this way, and ho
many had been prevented. It would be ready about the
end of the month. It was a subject ho had paid much
attention to with a view to its prevention, and when the
return he alluded to was furnished the public woul I
have an opportunity of judging how far he had been
eoccessful.
'The prisoner then left the dock.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
DIRINCS WATCH ROMBERY.—Edward M'Cave and
Rachel Wiliam* were placed at the bar before Mr.
Beadon, charged with stealing a valuable gold watch
from the person of Mr. George Turner, engraver, 43,
Berwick-street, Soho.
It appeared from the evidence of police-constable 194
C, that he was on du:,y in Dean-street when his atten-
tion was called to the two prisoners, who appeared to be
watching the movements of the prosecutor, who was
coming down the street. Seeing that the litter was
rather the worse for liquor he kept his eye upon the
prisoners' actions, and at last the male prisoner left the
woman and walked up t. the prosecutor whom he deli-
berately felled to the ground by a violent blow with his
fist. The male prisoner then joined the female and they
both ran away. Witness stepped from his hiding place
and intercepted them, and took them into custody. The
prosecutor then came up and informed him that the
prisoner M'Cave had robbed him of his watch, which
witness subsequently picked up about 20 yards from the
spot. Witness added that the prosecutor was not in
attendance at present, and therefore wished to have the
prisoners remanded.
Remanded accordingly till the 17th inst.

THAMES.
SINGULAR ROBBRRY AT A RAILWAY STATION.—Han-
oak Fossett, a ♦ulgar looking woman, aged 34 years, of
No. 7, Globe-lane, Mile-end-road, was brought before
Mr. Yardley, charged with stealing a portmonnaie con-
taining three half sovereigns, two half crowns, a florin,
a shilling, six sixpences, and a fonrpenny piece, from the
person of George Haynes, of No. 9, Cross street, Homer-
ton.
The prosecutor stated that he was porter at the Bow
station of the North London Railway. At about twelve
o'clock last night he was at the station waiting for a late
excursion train ;when the prisoner came there, sat down
on a form alongside of him and entered into conversation
with him. She got close to him but he took no notice of
that until he found Iris purse being withdrawn from his
pocket. He rose from his seat and the prisoner rushed
up-stairs, and when she had gotto the top near the office
he heard something drop. It was a florin which he
picked up. He then attempted to secure the prisoner
who flung something from her on to the railway, and
he heard the dropping of gold and silver upon it. He
gave the prisoner into custody, and then went up and
down the line with a lanthorn and saw the porte mon-
naie in one place, three half sovereigns about a yard
from it, and the silver strewed about in all directions on
the line between the metals. He recovered the whole
of the money he had lost.
The prisoner denied that she had robbed the prose-
cutor at all. She was not near him.
The prisoner was recalled, and said the prisoner sat
close by to him on the left hand side. The ports monnaie
was in the left hand trousers pocket. Re felt the pri-
soner drawing the porte monnaie out of his pocket. It
was done in an instant.
A police constable said the prisoner was a most noto-
rious thief. He had seen her prowling about the Mile-
end-road and Bow-road after sunset for long time pas'.
Mr. Yardley directed Mr. Bowden, the second clerk,
to take the depositions, and when they were completed
asked the prisoner if she pleaded guilty or not guilty.
The prisoner—Not guilty.
Mr. Yardley—Then, I commit you for trial.