The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-27 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

THE JOINT-STOCK DISCOUNT COMPANY.—In the Rolls
Court an application has been made to set aside the com-
promise made in the action recently brought by Messrs.
Capper, Escombe, and Lawson, on the part of the official
liquidator of this company, by Mr. Holt, solicitor for Mr.
James Freeling Wilkinson. Counsel argued on behalf
both of Mr. Holt and Messrs. Escombe and Co. against
the application, contending that the compromise was a
bond fide one, entered into in a directly hostile suit, and
was not instigated by any fraudulent agreement between
the plaintiff and the defendants. Lord Romilly said that
he would take time to consider his judgment.
ACTION FOR FALSE harnisoNNE.Nr.—A case in which
the plaintiff was a boot-maker at Chatham, and the
defendant the registrar of the county court at the same
place, has been tried at the Maidstone Assizes. During
tho hearing a point of great interest was raised. The
plaintiff was summoned to the county court, and the
writ should have been returnable on the 2Gth February.
Ey a mistake of the defendant's clerk, however,
the words "27th of March" were substituted. Judg-
ment was obtained, and eventually the plaintiff, on a
judges order, was committed to prison, and for this deten-
tion he brought the present action. A verdict was taken
by consent, with 230 damages, subject to the ruling of the
eourt above.

ACTION FOR SLANDER.—At the Exeter Assizes the case
of Isaac v. Gorwyn was heard. It was an action
to recover damages for slander. The plaintiff was a
farmer, and the defendant was a gentleman of property. In
January, 1867, a cottage and barn on the plaintiff's pro-
perty were burnt, and the defendant had been heard to
express an opinion that the plaintiff had himself set fire to
the place. The defendant withdrew all imputations, and
verdict was taken for 40s. with costs.
HEAVY DAMAGES AGAINST A SURGEON.—At the same
assizes the cause of Spear v. Doidge was disposed
of. The plaintiff was a farmer at Clovelly, and
during last March met with an accident whilst
threshing wheat. The defendant, who is a surgeon, was
sent for, and, on examining Mr. Spear, said that a frac-
ture of the bones of the arm had taken place, and pro-
ceeded to reduce it. The plaintiff was kept in bed
for thirteen weeks, and at the end of that time, on
further assistance being called in, it was discovered that
there had been a dislocation of the arm. It was then
too late to do anything to it, and the result has been that
the plaintiff's right arm is perfectly stiff and utterly useless
to him. It was proved by medical evidence that the arm
was dislocated, and not fractured. For the defendant it
was urged that the plaintiff was so pained that the injuries
which had occurred were occasioned through his not being
able to keep the bandages and splints on his arm in a
proper position. The jury gave £162 103. damages to the
plaintiff.
BREACH OF PROMISE.—At the Lancaster Assizes Mr.

'copper, an old man sixty years old, was sued for damages
uy Miss Blundell, a lady who has attained a similar age,
for breach of promise to marry. Several witnesses were
called to prove the promise of marriage, and the intimate
terms on which they lived; but nobody deposed to any
promise having been overheard later than ten years ago.
The jury gave £35 damages.
A WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH.—At the Lincoln
Assizes, Lucy Buxton was indicted for the wilful
murder of her male child, which at the time of its
death was five months old. The accused, with her child,
was stopping at her brother's, and was seen to feed her
offspring several times. A day or so after her arrival, the
inmates of the house were out, and the prisoner, in
a very excited manner, shewed the child to a
neighbour, and said that it was very ill. A surgeon was
sent for, but life was extinct on his arrival. A post-
mortem examination was made, and the stomach was sent
to l'rofessor Taylor, who found a small quantity of
" vermin killer" in the intestines, from the effects of
which poison the child had died. The prisoner, it was
proved, knew where this composition was kept, and the
evidence clearly pointed out that the accused was the
murderess of her chill. Sentence of death was passed in
the usual form on hearing which the wretched woman
fainted.

GREAT EASTERN RAlLwec—The half-year's
account will, we expect, shew not only sufficient to pay all
preference charges, but a balance over, too small to divide
as dividend, but of some moment in aid of next half-year's
dividend fund. In a few days, howver, our readers will
have an opportunity of seeing whether the foregoing (and
that which we have all along Ino of tlio cenabaitiviof we
Vialissurtitrovath.