The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-17 00:00:00

LORD MAYOR'S COURT, Jan. 16.

(Before the RECORDER and a Special Jury.)
THE GOVERNOR AND CORPORATION OF ST. THOMAS'S
HOSPITAL V. THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF

LONDON.

This was an inquiry to assess the amount of com-
pensation to be paid to the claimants in respect of
certain property situate in Queen-street and Maiden-
lane, Cheapside, which the City Corporation required
under the provisions of the City Improvements Act,
to carry out certain improvements in the City.
Sir Frederick Thesiger, Mr. Laurie, and Mr.
Locke for the plaintiffs; the Attorney-General and
Mr. Ryland for the City.
Sir FICEDEXICK MERGER, in opening the case,
explained to the jury the nature of the inquiry, and
the provisions of the Act of Parliament which gave
the City authorities power to take possession of any
property that stood in the way of any improvements
they were carrying into effect in the City, and then
Proceeded to state the circumstances of the case.
The property in question was a large warehouse,
No. 60, Queen-street, Cheapside, having a frontage
also in Maiden-lane. The ground on which the
premises were erected was given to the Corpo-
ration of St. Thomas's Hospital in the year 1665,
and in 1828 there was an agreement entered into
between the treasurer to the hospital and a Mr.
Johnstone, to the effect that if Johnstone erected a
warehouse thereon a lease for 61 years would be
granted, binding the tenant to pay a ground rent of
401. a year, and at the expiration of the term to
deliver up the premises in a substantial state of re-
pair. Johnstone built the warehouse, and the claim-
ants granted a lease on the before-mentioned terms to
a Mr. Rolt, and as at the present time that lease had
rather more than 40 years to run, there would be but
little difficulty as to the sum the claimants were en-
titled to recover. The difficult point to be decided by
the jury arose from the wide difference of opinion
that existed amongst the professional men who bad
been engaged in the matter, as to the value at the
present time of the reversionary interest in the pro-
perty to the hospital, when the term would expire in
1890, and the jury would hear, from the witnesses
he should call, that the property was of such a cha-
racter, so substantially built and so well situated for
the purposes of trade and traffic, that there could be
no doubt that the property in 1890 would command a
rent of 2101. a year, after deducting the ground-rent
and land-tax. The sum the claimants asked for was
about 2,7001., and if the City Corporation had acted upon
a right data in giving Rolt, the leaseholder, the sum of
3,7001. for his interest in the property, they could
not resist the demand of the claimants, which had
been estimated on the very principle which the Cor-
poration had adopted in Rolt's case. This was not
the case of a willing dealer disposing of his property,
for the governors of the hospital had no power
whatever to dispose of the property under their con-
trol, but the property was compulsorily wrested from
them by the provisions of the ♦ct of Parliament ; and,
therefore, juries in such cases did not estimate in golden
measure the compensation to be awarded. The City
Corporation had offered 2,0001., but it had been de
clined, and not from any personal feeling, but in pur-
suance of what they considered their duty as guar-
dians of this valuable charity, which had 450 indoor
and 30,000 out-patients in the year. They had de-
clined to refer the matter to 'arbitration, and came
before a jury to obtain the full value of the property.
By an Act of Parliament, the claimants were em-
powered to invest the money they would receive in
land or any other valuable securities, as a Master in
Chancery should approve of; and he hoped the jury
would give a verdict for such sums as would place
them in possession of as good a property as the one
they were called upon to give up.
Mr. Tite, the architect, was then called, and he
stated that at the expiration of the term of the lease
the freehold would be worth 5,6001., and the value of
the reversion forty years hence to that sum was worth
in present money 1,6381. The present value of the
ground-rent he estimated at 9401, making in round
numbers a total of 2,600/. If the hospital obtained
this sum, be was of opinion that it would not be in
so advantageous a position, with reference to the ulti-
mate benefit, as it would be if the property was left
undisturbed.

Several other gentlemen of eminence in their pro-
fession were examined, who estimated the value of
the property at sums varying from 2,433/. to 2,7451.
The ATTORNEY-GERERAL having addressed the
jury in mitigation of damages, called several sur-
veyors and others, who estimated the property at from
1,4501. to 1,6001.
The RECORDER then summed up very shortly,
when the jury gave a verdict for the claimants—
Damages, 2,3001.

ARCHER AND OTHERS V. THE SAME.

This was a like claim on behalf of the parish of St.
Martin, Vintry, for property situated in the same
locality.

A verdict was taken by consent for 2,100

COURT OF INLAND REVENUE, Jan. 16
(Before 11. F. STEPHENSON, Eaq.; C. J. Heaurse,
Esq.; and CHARLES PRESSLEY', Esq.

THE QUEEN V. DUREL.
Richard Durel, of West-street, Bethnal-green,
was charged on an informatinn, with removing
spirits, with intent to defraud her Majesty of the
duty thereon.
Mr. Benjamin John Elmy deposed that be was an
officer of Excise, and on the 10th of August last he
was in the company of Mr. Robert East, another
officer, in the City-road, when he saw the defendant
and his wife just before them, going towards Isling-
ton. He followed, and on coming up to them, ob-
served the defendant to turn his head, and heard him
say something to his wife, who had a bundle on her
arm, which was partly covered over by the ends of
her shawl. Witness went up to her and said, " I
believe, Madam, that you have got illicit spirits
there." She replied, " Indeed I have not, sir."
Witness, however, observed a working of her
right arm, as if she was in the act of probing some-
thing, and immediately afterwards observed that a
wetness appeared on the pavement, which smelled
strongly of spirits. Upon this he attempted to pull
the bundle away from her, when he was seized from
behind by the defendant, who caught hold of witness's
arms and endeavoured to pinion him. Failing in this,
he attempted to crush the parcel between his bands.
He also warded off blows aimed at him, and ran up
to a shop with the bundle to secure it, and to prevent
the spirits being entirely spilled. Mr. East secured
the female, and showed him a knife that was taken
open out of her hand. lie succeeded in saving one
gallon and nearly one quart of the spirits contained in
a bladder. They were illicit, or had been privately
distilled. He could speak positively that they were
illicit, having had great experience in such matters.
The defendant and his wife both gave fictitious names.
Oa searching the defendant two books were found on
him, showing that within a short period he had disposed
of upwards of 800 gallons of spirits, the amount of
duty upon which, and of which the Crown had been
defrauded, was 5001.
After some further proceedings,
The Court said they must give judgment against
the defendant in the full penalty of 1001.
Benjamin Afeakin, of No. 31, Star-street, Corn..
mercial-road East, was charged with having in his
possession and with working an illicit still
The COURT convicted him in the penalty of 501.,
with condemnation of the seizure.

William Kynaston, of Winchester-street, Bethnal-
green, was charged with retailing malt and spirituous
liquors without licence.
From the evidence of two constables of the K di-
vision it appeared that the defendant was detected
selling beer and spirituous liquors at Fairlop Fair on
the 18th of July last.
The defendant Eltogether denied the charge, but
The COURT convicted hint in the penalty of 205.,
with a caution for his future con,:uct.

SOUTH AMERICAN MAlLP.—Messrs. Broadman,
Naylor, and Loa( tt, the latter chairman of the Ship-
owners' Association, aro to have an interview to-day
with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on beha'f of the
merchants of Liverpool, respecting certain much-needed
alterations.in the dispatch and arrival of letters in con-
nexion with the western coast of South America, and the
general postal communications bet Ween Panama, Quito,
Truzille, Callao, and Valparaigo.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HO US E.
Langley and Shofield, men who have been fre-
quently convicted Cs begging impostors, were brought
before Alderman Gibbs, charged with having re-com-
menced their professional operations, by the officers
of the Mendicity Society.
Langley, who has in the begging "dodge" been
greatly assisted by the loss of a leg, had been watched
from the printing-office of Mr. Spottiswoode, near
Fleet-street, where he had " tried it on," into the
neighbourhood of the Mansion-house, and was seen
presenting a paper drawn up with a view to excite
public commiseration. The document recommended
him, in a quiet and apparently straight-forward style,
to the notice of the benevolent, as an industrious and
honest man, who had been overtaken by mis-
fortunes, and was endeavouring to weather
the storm out of the workhouse, and there
appeared in the list of subscribers, which was got
up with peculiar tact, being partly signed in black,
partly in blue ink, and partly in pencil, several
respectable names opposite to moderate contributions
for his aid. Shofield evidently belonged to the same
class of una-sufning beggars, and carried about' him
a skilfully signed letter of recommendation, as a
sober, I ard-working individual, the sudden and un-
foreseen death of whose horse had grievously inter-
fered with his labours for the support of a sick wife
and several small children. Toe paper, which was
an effusion of most remarkable humilty, made no
broken. hearted appeal to the prosperous community,
but merely craved a little help towards the purchase
of another horse, by means of which society would be
saved the additional maintenance of another helpless
family in the workhouse.
Horsford and Daniels, officers of the Mendicity
Society, to which the public are much indebted for
scouring the streets of impostors, took the prisoners
into custody while one of them was exhibiting his
claims to charity and the other was on 'the look out
for the police. Langley endeavoured to swallow one
of his papers of recommendation, but was compelled
to disgorge it. They were both known to the officers
under a variety of names, and had been for many
years not only practising the art themselves, but
making the rising generation adepts in' it.
The prisoners said it was unfortunately usual with
officers of the Mendicity Society to calumniate those
they apprehended for being poor, by stating that
poor people were enemies to work, so that there was
no use in resisting or contradicting them.
The prisoners were committed to hard labour, as
rogues and vagabonds, each for six weeks.
Catherine Wilson was charged with having robbed
her mistress of a gold ring and some articles of plate.
The prisoner, the wife of an Irish tailor, who is
employed by one of the great houses at the east-end,
and works in a room in which many others in the
same service are employed, had been confidentially
treated by her mistress, but as articles daily disap-
peared from the house, Davis, the officer, was sent
for, and informed of the fact. His suspicions fell
upon the prisoner, who had never been suspected by
the family, but who endeavoured to fix the guilt upon
a poor laundress, who, if it had not been for the
officer, would have been formerly charged with the
offence. The ring and other property were subse-
quently found at the shop of a pawnbroker in which
they had been pledged by her.
The husband of the prisoner, upon being called by
Alderman Huss PRERY, and questioned as to the gene-
ral conduct of his wife, said—" I married her a few
weeks ago in Ireland, and God knows I thought she
was honest, or sure enough I wouldn't have married
her."

Alderman HUMPLIERY-Why did you not live to-
gether, instead of living separate, in such a place as
London ? The husband—l work with several other
journeymen for a man who hires men at very low
wages, to work for a large tailor. We all live in the
hi.use of the man, and work there, and I did not like to
have her come amongst a number of tailors, and in-
deed she wouldn't do it herself-, if I was bad enough
to wish her, so she got into a place until I could get
into better employment.
The prisoner was remanded for further examina-
tion.

The LORD MAYOR, requested that the press would
announce his receipt of 51. ss. from Mr. John Kay,
High Bailiff of 44ickinghanishire ; and Si. from Mrs.
Gawen, for the For-box.
GUILDHALL.
A man named Thomas James, dressed like a
groom, was charged before Mr. Alderman Wilson,
with stealing from the prosecutor's house on the 11th
of September last, a silver snuff-box, a flute, and
silk handkerchief, value 21., besides 7s. worth of
coppers.
Mr. Henry Phillip Picot, landlord cf the Red Lion
public-house, Fleet-lane, said, that the prisoner had
been in his service about six months, when on the
morning of the l Ith September, between the hours
of two and three o'clock, he was awoke by a police-
man, who had found the front door open. At that
time the prisoner was waiter, and on searching the
house with the police, it was discovered that he had
gone, after breaking open some drawers in a room
behind the bar, and taking the property already
named, since which he had not been seen.
Robert Lilley, 344, deposed to receiving the pri-
soner in custody from the prosecutor, in Fleet-street,
but found nothing relative to the missing property,
either on his person, or at his lodgings in Black
Horse-yard, Maize-pond.
George Betson, 277, said that on the 11th of Sep-
tember, about three o'clock in the morning, he found
Mr. Picot's door open, and having made him aware of
the fact, he (witness) went into the prisoner's bed-
room, but found no one there. 01 examining
the bar and the room behind it, Mr. Picot declared
he was robbed. At about half-past one o'clock the
same morning he saw the prisoner standing in his
shirt-sleeves at his master's door. He said that his
master was not at home, and he and the housekeeper
were waiting up for him. There was a light in the
lair' and after the prisoner went in he proceeded en
his beat, and saw no more of him. There was a chest
of drawers in a room behind the bar, and one of the
drawers had a mark upon it, as if it had been at-
tempted to be opened.
William Price, of the Surrey-road, waterman, said
that he knew the prisoner, and saw him on Saturday
week, when he asked witness if he would deliver a
message from him to Mr. Picot. He consented to do
so, and the prisoner told him to go and say that, if
prosecutor would give a few lines under his hand that
he would forgive him, and say nothing about the
affair, the property snould be restored. Witness went
to Mr. Picot, who said he would do nothing of the
sort. He told the prisoner the answer he bad received,
and the previous night Jameswent and looked in at the
prosecutor's window, was recognised, and given into
custody.
Mr. Picot said he was not away from the house as
the prisoner represented to the officer, but, on the
contrary, he saw all perfectly safe by half-past twelve
o'clock.
G. Wardle, 221, produced a plumber's rough knife,
he had received from the prosecutor on the 11th of
September, and on comparing it with the marks on the
drawers, they exactly corresponded. In consequence
of information he received, he went to Mr. Harding's,
a pawnbroker, in York-street, Westminster, and found
that the missing property had been pledged there for
eight shillings.
David Nicholls, assistant to Mr. Harding, the
pawnbroker, produced the flute, handkerchief; and
silver mounted snuff-box, which were pledged in the
name of Thomas Adams, on the 11th of September
(the day of the robbery) but by whom he could not
tell, for the young man who took them in had left
Mr. Harding's service, and was not to be found.
Mr. Picot identified the articles, and said he had
been obliged to give twelve shillings as compensation
to the owner of the flute. The property was all safe
when he went to bed.
Alderman WILSON remanded the prisoner until
Monday next, for further evidence.
LAMBETH.
Alfred England was placed at the bar, before Mr.
Norton, and charged on suspicion with the commis-
sion of the following daring robbery :
Mr. Samuel Miller, a watch-maker and jeweller
at 6, Robinson-place, Kennington-road, opposite one
of the entrances to this court, deposed, that on the
preceding evening, at about a quarter to seven o'clock
while engaged in his shop, he observed a person
standing outside, on the pavement, whose face was
close to the window, and in a few seconds after a large
square of plate-glass was smashed by that person. He
(Mr. Miller) instantly rushed round his counter, and
endeavoured to get out, but found that the door was
fastened on the outside, so that a minute or two elapsed
before he succeeded in opening it sufficiently wide
to force himself out, and at that time the person had
got some distance up Penton-place. lle followed,
and called out " Stop thief!" as loud as he could, but
the party escaped. On an examination of the pro-
perty in the window he found that 1 gold Geneva
watch, and 7 or 8 silver watches, 4 gold Albert chains,
3 gold curb chains, and other property to the amount
of from 451. to 50/. had been stolen. The prisoner he
be believed to be the person who had broken the glass
and stolen the property, but he should not like to
svveer positively to his identity.
Mr. Nowroe—Had you a good light in your shop
at the time ?
Mr. Miller--Yes, Sir, there were two glaring
lights in the window, and I had a perfect opportu-
nity of seeing the man's face just before the glass was
broken. I also had an oportunity of seeing him a
second time, while he was engaged in securing the
property, and while I was endeavouring to force the
door open, and believe him to be the person. I have
also had him placed, since his apprehension, in the
same pf,sition in which I saw the person just before
the robbery, and his countenance and height corre-
spond so exactly with him that I believe it to be the
same.

Mr. NORTON—You have stated that your shop-
door was so closed that'you could notget out i how was
that ?

Mr. Miller—One end of a piece of sash line
was made fast to the door handle on the outside, and
the other end to an iron scraper, so that it was made
quite fast ; and what appeared to me very extraor-
dinary, that though I kept calling out, and that per-
sons were passing outside, not one attempted to secure
the thief.

Sergeant Quinnear, P 1, said, that on receiving in-
formation of the robbery on the preceding night, and
a description of the person by whom it was com-
mitted, and that description corresponding in every
respect with that cf the prisoner, he went to all his
old haunts in search of him, but did not succeed in
finding him. On that afternoon, however, he came
to the station-house, in Lock'i-fields, and said he
called in cons. quenee of hearing that he (Sergeant
Quinnear) was looking for him. He (Quinnear)
told him that he certainly was looking for him on e,
charge of breaking the window of a watchmaker, and
steali9g watches, chains, and other property. Tile
prisoner declared his perfect innocence cf the charge,
and said he was perfectly willing to accompany him
to the shop of the person robbed. On his way there
the prisoner slid, "I hope I'll get seven years of it,
and then I'll have an opportunity of seeing Fred,
Beadell" (a notorious thief, a companion of the pri-
soner's, who had been transported a short time ago).'
In reply to the questions of the magistra•e, the wit-
ness said the prisoner was the associate cf many of
the most desperate thieves in the district, and had
been twice summarily convicted at this court.
The prisoner declared he knew nothing whatever.
of the robbery, and observed that what he said to the
sergeant was in consequence of his having been twice
before, as on the present occasion, taken up innocently.
Mr. NORTON observed that the robbery was a Teri
daring one, and remanded the prisoner to a future day