The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-23 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE

A DESIGNING HOUSEIKEF.PEIL—The Lords Justices of
Appeal in Chancery have had before them an application for
a commission in lunacy against one Palmer, who was 76
years of age, and said by his nephew to be insane. He
(Palmer) was a widower, and his house was managed by a
woman named Walesby. The petitioner, the nephew
above-mentioned, accused Mrs. Walesby of having a
design upon the property of Mr. Palmer. Proceedings
were at first commenced to prevent her from marrying
him. She gave an undertaking that she would not do so,
and an application was then made for a commission. The
Lords Justices sent their visitor, Dr. Hood, to Winterton,
to inquire as to the state of Palmer's mind. Dr. Hood
reported that although Palmer had an imperfection in his
speech lie was not of unsound mind, and was quite
capable of managing his own affairs. The petitioner,
however, contended that the report was erroneous, and
that Palmer was quite imbecile, and a mere instrument in
the hands of Mrs. Walesby. The Lord Justices were of
opinion that there was no ground whatever for the
petition. There was no proof that Palmer was of un-
sound mind, and the petition must be dismissed with
costs.

THE LANCASHIRE RELIEF FUND.—An application was
made to the Master of the Rolls by Sir Roundell. Palmer,
on Saturday, on behalf of the Liverpool Branch Com-
mittee for the Relief of Lancashire Distress during the
cotton famine, to have a Eeheme prepared in chambers for
the appropriation of the surplus or balance fund in the
hands of that committee (exceeding £40,000), to the con-
struction of a convalescent hospital at Liverpool for the
benefit of the inhabitants of that city.— The court was of
opinion that the suggestion of such an institution was a
very good proposal, and directed a scheme to be prepared
in chambers to carry it out.

IMPRISOMIENT OF A WIFE.—The snit of Blackburne v.
Blackburne is before the Divorce Court, on petition by the
wife for judicial separation. A novel application has been
made to Sir James Wilde in the matter. It appears that
Mr. Blackburne, hearing that his wife had obtained impor-
tant evidence, caused her to be seized while with a friend
in a stationer's shop. She was put into a cab and driven
to his residence in Bayswater. She was then locked up,
and Mr. Blackburne caused her to write a letter to her
solicitor requesting that all proceedings in the suit
might be stayed. On the inside of the envelope,
however, she managed to write a few lines in
pencil, showing that she wished her suit to be continued.
An application was therefore on Saturday made for an
attachment. The Judge-Ordinary ordered the attachment
to issue forthwith, but intimated that Mr. Blackburne,
who resides at Kensington, might attend at the registry on
Monday and explain his conduct. It was stated later in
the day that Mr. Blackburne had gone Away, leaving his
wife locked up in the house, and counsel moved for an
attachment against the party who had charge of it. His
lordship refused the attachment, and intimat2d that the
Proper course would be to apply to a judge at chambers for
a writ of habeas corpus.

£875 DASIAGES FOR INJURY.—At the Manchester
Assizes, in the case of Clement v. Lancashire and York-
shire Railway Company, the jury returned a verdict for
damages, £875. It appeared that on the 7th
ofth the plaintiff ;
August,
nt
1866, the plaintiff, who is a cotton-spinner,
carrying on his business at Micldehurst, had occasion to
go to Manchester on business, and the defendants' train in
which he travelled came into collision with another at the
Manchester station, and he received a severe blow on the
head by being thrown against a passenger, who was sitting
opposite to him. The defendants admitted their neg-
ligence, and the only question was as to the amount of
damages. The plaintiff's memory and sight were im-
paired by the injury which he had received, and he was
unable to attend to his business as before ; and, according
to the evidence of an eminent London surgeon, whom he
had consulted, his eyesight was to some extent perma-
nently injured.

CURIOUS BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE CASE.—
At the York Assizes a breach of promise case was tried.
The defendant and plaintiff's father were both small far-
mers, possessing at one time adjoining farms. An intimacy
sprung up between the defendant and plaintiff, which re-
sulted in the birth of a child. The plaintiff's father soon
after removed to a distance, and all intimacy between
the parties appears to have ceased, until in November
1866, the defendant rode over to see the plaintiff,
:and—as he alleged, under the influence of drink—made
proposals of marriage to her. He was at the time engaged
to another young lady, whom he afterwards married.—
The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff ; damages
£lOO.
THE RoßEaftl" FROM PROFESSOR CHRISTMAS,—
Police.constable Webb, charged with robbing the late
Rev. H. Noel-Fearn, or Professor Christmas, of a gold
watch and other articles of the value of £6O, while the rev.
gentleman was in a dying state, was brought up at the
Marlborough-street Police-court on Saturday for final
examination. The theft, it appears, was not committed
while the deceased was being 'conveYed in the cab to the
hospital, but the prisoner took possession of the pro,
perty at the hospital by virtue of his office as a police-
man, and absconded with it. Ile was conart4ttlLl