The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-08 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON. WEDNESDAY

LAW INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Goulburn).

IN RE IV. J. ROSS.-THEATRICAL SPECULATIONS.

This bankrupt was described as a theatrical
manager, lately in partnership with Messrs. Framp-
ton and Fenton, the late lessees of the Victoria
Theatre, and he came up to-day for his order of
discharge, the accounts showing debts £452 due to
unsecured creditors, and £925 upon accommodation
hills.

Mr. Robertson Griffiths, -who appeared for the
bankrupt, stated that his client came from India
some time ago with a capital of £2,000. lie heard
that Messrs. Frampton and Fenton ha I taken the
Victoria Theatre, and intended to make a great im-
provement in the plays produced at that trattspoA-
tine home. Being inclined to theatrical specu-
lation, although he had never indulged
in it before, the bankrupt invested his
Indian savings in the Royal Victoria, and, said the
learned counsel, he lost every farthing. He ha?
certainly dealt in accommodation bills to help the
concern, because the ballet girls and others must
be paid, and he also thought the lease of the theatre,
which cost £1,500, and which was handed over to
him as security, was worth money.
His Honour granted the order of discharge, and
cautioned the bankrupt against indulging his fancy
in future.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT—This Day.

----s---

NEW COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice Smith.)
ATTEMPT TO MURDER.

John Blake, a young-looking man, was indicted
for having feloniously attempted to murder
Thomas Whelard on the night of the 26th of Oc-
tober last.

Mr. Pater, instructed by Mr. Chapple, appeared
for the prosecution, and the prisoner was unde-
def ended.

The facts of the case were these : That prosecutor,
with a female cousin of his named Wren, about
half-past nine o'clock, on the 26th October, went
together to Woolwich, and on their return, as they
were coming by Armstrong-street arm in arm, as
the cousin was a cripple and used a crutch, they
were walking in the road quietly, when they saw
the prisoner shortly afterwards, and, according
to their statement, Mr. Whelard was struck
from behind by the prisoner. The female
witness said that she saw him afterwards
knocked down and receive several blows
from the prisoner. He then proceeded to take her
crutch, and she screamed out " Murder." He got
her crutch and knocked W helard over the head
with it several times. The crutch was broken, and
she got home with a broom-stick, which was lent her
by a young man. Mr.Whelard was much knocked
about, and suffered from partial compression of the
brain. Several persons living in Armstrong-street
gave confirmatory testimony, and a medical prac-
titioner iu the neighbourhood stated that Whelard
was not likely to completely recover from his

injuries.
The prisoner's statement was that he had just
taken off his boots and coat, and was asking for a
candle to go to bed, when his landlady's daughter
said she heard screams, and that there was a row
in the street. Prisoner went out with them
to see it without his boots. He saw the
female struggling with the prosecutor, and
heard her say " You are trying to lead
me astray." He went to her assistance, and the
man and woman, according to his account, both
began to beat him. They fell down each of them
two or three times, and at last some one said,
" Here come the bobbies,'" and he then ran away
and went in doors, put on his boots, and went to
Woolwich to have his head dressed.

To confirm this statement he called his landlady's
daughter.

The learned Judge, in summing up, remarked
upon the peculiar contradictions of the case, and
stated that he considered that the evidence which
supported the indictment charging the prisoner with
attempt to murder was very slight.
The jury returned a verdict of " unlawfully
wounding," and the prisoner was sentenced to one
year's imprisonment.

OLD COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice Shee.)

Thomas Clarke was indicted for the wilfni murder
of Annie Smith, at Lambeth. It will be recollected
that the prisoner surrendered himself into custody,
and this morning, on being placed in the dock, and
formally arraigned on the capital charge, pleaded
guilty.

The Learned Judge explained to the prisoner the
full effect of such a plea, and asked, after such ex-
planation, whether he still persisted in his plea of
guilty.

The prisoner still refused to withdraw his plea,
when it was arranged that sentence should be de-
ferred until next session, in order that the state of
his mind might be ascertained.

POLICE INTre,LLIGENCE.—This Day.

WESTMINSTER.

DOG STEALTYG.—John Thompson, 35, painter,
was charged before Mr. Arnold with stealing a dog
valued £5, the property of a lady residing at 6,
Arlington-street, Piccadilly.

Mrs. Laura Millicent llblyoake said—l was. at
llyde-park-corner yesterday, at fire o'clock, and
had with me a vsluable little dog. I crossed to go
over to Halkin-si;Dlet, and was just turning down
Grosvenor-place when I missed my dog, and asked
my maid if she saw it. I had just seen a man pass
with a short pipe, and on turning to look I saw the
dog's tail and legs from underneath the mans arm.
My maid and I overtook him, and we seized the
dog ; he held it quite tight, and said, '' It is not
your's; it is mine." I got the dog out of his awns
with the assi,tatiet., of my maid, and I sent an
orangewoman for a policeman, and three came.
The prisoner kept saying the dog was not mine—he
had forty dogs.
Cross-examined--I held your coat while the
woman went for a policeman. You were not sober.
Prisoner—l picked up the dog to prevent its being
run over by a carriage at the Duke of Wellington's
Arch. I meant to bring the dog to the station. I did
not know it belonged to the lady, and only walked
a few paces with it.

James Bram, 124 A—l was on duty at Hyde-
park-corner, and was fetched to take the prisoner
into custody. He said the dog came to his legs
and he picked it up. He was slightly under the
influence of liquor. He has given a right address,
and seems a respectable man from inquiries.
The police stated that the prisoner was known to
them as a respectable man, and had been a house-
holder for 20 years.
Mr. Arnold said it was a case of extreme suspi-
cion, but he did not think the prisoner intended to
steal the dog, although if the lady had not seen him
with it it might never have been seen again. After
the respectable character he had been given he
would not convict him, but•order him to be bound
over to keep the peace and be of good behaviour
for six months.