The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-23 00:00:00

COURT OF commoN PLEAS, Fib. 22.

(Sittings at Nisi Prins, at Guildhall, before the Lord
Chief Justico WILDE and a Special Jury.)
THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY V. BRETT.

This case, which commenced on Thursday, was pro-
ceeded with yesterday. The relative scientific de-
tails cf both patents were gone into with considerable
minuteness, atd at great length on the part of the plain-
tiff, with the view of proving that the principal poitits
of Messrs. Brett's patait were identical with those of
the Electric Telegraph Company, and that Messrs. Brett
had infringed on the specifications of the Electric Tele-
graph Company.
The case was not concluded when the Court rose.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, Feb. 22.
(Before the CHIEF COMMISIONER.)
IN RE FRANCES DAVIDGE.
The case of Mre. Da%idge, which was reported in our
paper on Tuesday, was again heard to-day. Creditors
omitted fr:nn the schedule had consented to waive notice.
Some further inquiries were made of Mrs. Davidgo re-
specting her wardrobe, whni she declared that all she
had possessed had been valued at 51. 17s. Her friends
had supplied her with clothes.
Mr. LEWIS (Lewis and Lewis) applied for an allow-
ance out of the charitable fund at the disposal of the
Court. The bill was taxed at 271.
The CHIEF COMMISSIONER thought the Act di.i not
contemplate such a ease.
Mr. LEWIS said, if the fund was intended for patens
in poverty, then this was the case.
His HoNoua discharged the insolvent. end gave leave
to Mr. Lewis to renew the application for an allowance
when there were funds in Court.
Mr. Greathead, a cheesemonger, was named assignee,
with the view to adopt ulterior proceedings for the
creditors.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
NORTHERN ClRCUlT.—Appltby, Feb. 20.
The Judges having attended Divine service at ten
o'clock, immediately afterwards proceeded to court.
The calendar in the Crown Court contained the names
of fourteen prisoners, one of whom was charged with
shooting at Lord Lonsdale's gamekeeper with intent to
murder him, five with night poaching, and the rest with
larceny. There were also two road indictments.
Tho cause list contained two cases.
Mr. Baron Alderson sat for a short time in the Civil
Court, and disposed of the road indictments, which
were settled.

CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron ROLFE.)
Isaac Johnson, a respectable looking young farmer,
was charged with having, on the night of the 24th of
December last, whilst in pursuit of game in the lands of
the Right Hon. William Earl of Lonsdale, fired a p,un
at Robert Orphan, gamewatcher, with intent to murder
him or do him some grievous bodily harm, to prevent
his lawful apprehension.
Mr. James and Mr. Hodgson prosecuted, and Mr.
Overend defended the prisoner.
The prosecutor, who appeared with a bandage and
green shade over his eyes, stated what took place on the
night in question. He and other watchers were f }flow-
ing five poachers, when one of them turned round and
took aim at him. The dress of this man the prosecutor
described. He was hit on the left leg, the krms, the
left eye, and the neck, and lost the sight of his aye from
the effects.

Thomas Simpson, one of the poachers, identified Isaac
Johnson as the party who fired the shot.
Other witnesses corroborated Simpson's statement.
Mr. OVEREND then addressed the jury for the &-
fence, contending that the evidence, without that of the
accomplice, did not fix the prisoner as the person who
tired the gun; and that, it be were to be believed, the
gun went off by accident.
His LORDSHIP having summed up, the jury found the
prisoner Guilty.
He was sectenced to be transported for fifteen years.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
BU IV-STREET.

William John Richard Smith, formerly a clerk in the
Admiralty, and Charles Niblett, his servant,. were
brought before Mr. Jardine, for final examination,
charged with obtaining rho sum of 53/. 125., by means
of firged documents, purporting to be signed by the
Secretary to the Governor of. Ceylon, for the passage
and sustenance of distressed British seamen to this
country. Another young man, named Boucher, who
had been charged on suspicion as being concerned with
Smith, in whose company he was apprehended, also ap..
peartd on his recigniz inces, but he was ordered to be
discharged before the case was proceeded with against
the other prisoners.

Mr. Smiinson, assistant•solicitor to the Admiralty,
attended to conduct the prosecution, and Mr. Solomon
appeared for the prisoners.

It appeared from the evidence of several witnesses,
that previous to the discharge of Smith from his situa-
tion for misconduct in April, 1847, part of his duty
was to inquire into the claims made by the masters
of vessels for 'the maintenance of distressed sea-
men in being conveyed to this country, by
which means ho was acquainted with the signa-
tures of governors, consuls, and other officials in the
colonies, in addition to the forms required for the pay-
ment of such claims. On the 15th instant the prisoner
Niblett called at the Admiralty for the papers of Walter
Bevis, an agent, for which ho was requested to call again,
under the pretence that the bill was not made out, and
being followed by Thornton, a detective officer, he was
seen to join Smith, who appeared to be waiting for him,
in Chancery-lane, and after they had separated Smith
was apprehended, and subsequently the other, who said
he was merely his servant, and acted under his direction
in calling for such documents at the Admiralty, without
being aware that any fraud was Practised by him; after
which thirty-seven letters were found upon him from his
master, who had taken a house ist Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
ten of which related to the pre,ent transaction. The
whole of the documents were fictitious, and en searching
Smith's house a large book, which was an official record
belonging to the Admiralty-office, was found, containing
the genuine orders and signatures of officials in the colo-
nies for such claims.
Mr. JARDINE, on looking over the several letters, was
of opinion that they went to show that the prisoner
Niblett was kept in ignorance of his employer's proceed-
ings; and after the necessary evidence was given Ito
prove the forgeries, &c., they were committed to New-
gate for trial, the prisoner Niblett being allowed to put
in bail to answer the charge.
The prisoners were again charged with attempting to
commit a similar fraud by means of an order purporting
to be made by the consul at Canton, dated the 16th Sep-
tember, on the request of the master ra: the Wanderer,
named James Sinclair, with the necessary certificate and
other documents, which were received by post, including
a declaration purporting to be made before William Ray-
mond, a magistrate at Liverpool, respecting ten dis-
tressed seamen, landed at that port on the 23d January,
be having assisted them 130 days each, the required en-
dorsement, to pay the amount of 65/. due thereon to
Walter Bevis, being made.
Mr. Frederick Davison, secretary to the Chancellor of
the Duchy of Lancaster, said—The fiats for the Lan-
caster county magistrates and the Liverpool borough
magistrates are prepared by me, and having examined
the records, I can find no such names as Macnarnara or
Raymond, which are attached to both the declarations,
as acting in such capasity in that town.
Mr. John Bezer, a clerk in the Custore-house at Liver-
pool, said—l have examined the registry of all vessels
passing, and regist ?red as belonging to that port, and I
could not find such vessels as those named in the decla-
ration, or the martyrs, as having entered at the dates in
question.
The prisoners having declined saying anything in
their defence, were then committed fur trial.
The prisoner Smith was next charged with stealing
the book which was found in his house, and it being
identified as belonging to the Admiralty by the officials
connected with that establishment, he was committed for
trial.

ASYLUM FOR TUE INDIGENT BLIND OF THE
JEWISH PERSUASION.—On Thunday the anniversary
ball in aid of the funds of this institution took place at
Willis's Rooms, King-street, St. James's. A large num-
ber of people were a4.,eaibled on the occasion, and the
result of the entertantnent appeared to be highly satis-
feetqry to the eunpany as well as ben:i
cial to the n-