The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-27 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

ACTION FOR SLANDER.—In the Lord Mayor's Court,
the case of Taylor and Wife v. Brighten and Wife,
which was an action for slander, was heard. It appeared
that the parties were neighbours, and upon a certain day
mutual recriminations ensued between the women. It
was alleged on the part of the plaintiff that Mrs.
Brighten had accused Mrs. Taylor of keeping a house of
accommodation, and letting young men into the premises
at all hours of the night. Upon cross-examination Mrs.
Taylor admitted that she had told defendant's wife that
she (Mrs. Brighten) kept a common lodging-house, and
it further came out that Mrs. Taylor had used strong
language, though she stated that she only did so under
great provocation, and she persisted that the commence-
ment of the quarrel arose out of a charge against Mrs.
Taylor's daughter of sweeping dirt upon defendant's door-
step. It transpired that a cross action is entered for
hearing in the Court of Common Plas, and it was agreed
that both causes should be abandoned, each party to pay
their own costs.
ACTION FOR MALICIOUS IHPRISONUENT. —At the
Liverpool Assizes, Mr. William McFadden, who had
been in the employ of the Liverpool corporation for
thirty-seven years, brought an action against his late
employers for a malicious prosecution. His case was that
he had been given into the custody of a policeman and
caused to be imprisoned ; that the defendants caused him
to be indicted at the borough sessions, without reasonable
ground, on the charge of felony ; and that he was impro-
perly dismissed by them without receiving proper notice.
He also claimed to recover for work and labour done.
Plaintiff was discharged at the direction of the Recorder
of Liverpool upon each of the indictments preferred
against him. The defendants pleaded justification, and
ultimately it was agreed to withdraw a juror.
DESPERATE HIGHWAY ROBBERY. —At the Shire Hall,
Nottingham, William Maclean, William Beattie, and
Dennis Knight were charged with assaulting and robbing
John Gregory, at Hucknall Folkard, near Nottingham.
About ten o'clock the prosecutor and two friends were pro-
ceeding from the village of Bulmall to Hucknall, a distant e
of three miles, but owing to the darkness of the night the
prosecutor lost his friends and his way at the same time. Soon
afterwards he met the prisoners, who were going the same
way as himself, when Maclean stepped up to him and said,
"Stand and deliver;" but Gregory refused, and a struggle
ensued, in which Maclean drew a knife, and told the other
prisoners to cut the prosecutor's throat. Knight then
opened Gregory's mouth, and " jobbed" him with the
knife, inflicting 'severe injuries. The prosecutor managed
to give an alarm, and his assailants made off, but were
subsequently apprehended. The prisoners were committed
for trial.

DEATH OF LORD NORMANTON.—We have to
announce the death of the Earl of Normanton, which
occurred at his residence in London on Wednesday. His
lordship was born November 12, 1778, and succeeded his
father, Charles, Earl of Normanton and Archbishop of
Dublin, July 14, 1809. He married May 17, 1816, Diana,
daughter of George Augustus, Earl of Pembroke ; she died
December 2, 1841, leaving three sons and one daughter
(the Countess Nelson). His lordship is succeeded by his
son James, Viscount Somerton, who married April 9,
1856, Caroline, daughter of William, Viscount Barrington,
and has two sons and three daughters.

An order has been received by the heads of depart-
ments at Woolwich Arsenal, from the War Office, decreasing
the number of cartridges to be manufactured. Of the number
ordered at the commencement of the financial year,
52,000,000, there had been manufactured 24,000,000, leaving
28,000,000 to be completed; but this number has been re-
duced by 14,000,000, and for next year an intimation has
been given that not more than 10,000,000 of cartridges will
be required, notwithstanding a heavy outlay has recently
been made in erecting additional buildings and supplying
mghinery for their n?anufActure,