The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-06 00:00:00

CIE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY MORNING, JANUARY 6, 1845.

the valve, to be placed, as usual, in a chest, and the piston
in a cylinder, either above or below the conical valve.
Claim—" What I claim as my invention, and desire to
secure by letters patent, as an improvement on the well-
known conical balance valve, is, connecting the valve
with the balance piston, by means of a hollow stem, as
described."

COUPLING BARS, FOR COUPLING RAILROAD CARS,
LOCOMOTIVES, &c.—Wm. D. Chesnut, Wilmington.—
The patentee says, "My coupling bar has a jaw at each
end, which is kept closed by a spring, so as to embrace
the coupling bolt, and said jaws are so arranged as that
they may play freely to the distance required by the
curvature of the road, but that they shall open and free
the coupling bar front the bolt, should one of the con-
nected vehicles run off the track, or be from any cause
made to deviate a greater distance from a right line
than is due to the curvature of the road ; whenever such
a deviation takes place, a pin, or some analogous device,
is brought up against a check-piece under the platform
of the car, or, where a platform is not used, by a check-
piece otherwise situated, near the coupling bolt, and,
the jaws being thereby opened, the coupling bar will
be liberated." The pin, which is above described as
striking against the check-piece, to liberate the coupling
is attached to the bar, and independent of the spring, so
as to separate the bar from the spring, and thus open the
coupling ; or it may be attached to a lever joined to the
bar, so that when 'brought against the cheok-piece the
lever may turn and force open the spring jae Claire—
" What I claim as new and my invention is, the so ar-
ranging of the bar, the spring, the pin, and the check-
piece, as that the jaw shall be opened when one of the
cars deviate from the track—the respective parts being
connected with each other, and operating substantially
in the manner set forth."

r ROTARY INCLINED PROPELLER.—R. F. Loper, Phila-
delphia.—This propeller has four wings, or paddles,
forming a cross, and their places are at or near an angle
of 45 degrees, and, instead of having them project from
a cylindrical hub, as heretofore, they are all connected
together, or made in the solid, and then put on to a shaft,
and the propelling surfaces extend entirely down, form-
ing an angle at the junction of the several paddles, by
which means the inventor claims that he can obtain a
greater amount of propelling surface, within a given
diameter, than can be obtained by having the paddles
attached to and projecting from a cylindrical hub.
Claim—" What I claim as my invention is, the before-
mentioned manner of constructing the propellers, by ex-
tending their inclined planes or propelling surfaces into
the hub or centre portion of the propeller, as set forth."

A PARROT ADMITTED AS A WIT-
NESS IN A COURT OF JUSTICE.
The following extraordinary case was decided at the
College-green Police-office, Dublin, last week:—
Mr. Jones H. Davis, Anglesea-street, summoned Mr.
Moore, of the Quay, for detaining a parrot, his property.
Mr. E. Fullam appeared for the defendant.
The complainant, on being sworn, stated that he
wanted to recover a stolen parrot (and here he pulled
out a bundle of papers). If his worship permitted him,
he would read a statement of the case. He was about
to commence reading from the aforesaid papers, when
Mr. Hitchcock interrupted him, and said—Without
reference to that paper, did you lose a parrot, and when?
Complainant—Yes, your worship, I lost a parrot, and a
very good one toe.
Mr. Fullam—The parrot is here, or at least outside
the court.
Complainant—Then, bring in the bird, and I'll engage
I'll soon prove my case by his evidence.—(Laughter.)
Mr. Hitchcock—lf the bird is to be examined as a
witness, he ought not to be in court; he must be subject
to the rule of other witnesses.—(Laughter.)
Complainant—Never fear, your worship ; he will not
say a word except the truth.—(Renewed laughter.)
Mr. Hitchcock—Well, go on, and let us hear your
evidence at any rate.
Mr. .Davis said, on Sunday evening, the 28th of April
last, ho loer the bird, and did not see it after that until
Friday evening last. [Here an immense cage, covered
with black or blue cloth, was carried into the board-
room amid a shout of laughter. The cage was placed in
the dock.]
Mr. Hitchcock—l said before, if he is to be examined,
he ought not to be in court.—(Laughter.) Is there any
objection made to his appearance?
Mr. Fullam—l don't object. Tell me, Mr. Davis,
when do you say you lost your parrot ? Witness—l
will give up the whole matter if the parrot will not
prove my case. He is my principle witness.—(Roars of
laughter.)
. .
Mr. Fullam—And do you swear, Sir, that Mr. Moore
stole him ? Witness—No, certainly not, for I don't
think be did ; but it may have been stolen by some.per-
son, and sold to Mr. Moore ; I lost it, at all events; and
it was either stolen or taken away, which comes to the
same thing in the end, so far as I am concerned.
Mr. Hitchcock—All I can collect about the affair is
the fact that you had a parrot, and that you lost it.
Witness-3-ust so, your worship ; bat if you let me
read this paper it will explain all.
Mr. Hitchcock—You can tell your story without reed-
in the paper, but you may refresh your memory by
looking at it.
Witness—Very well, your worship. The bird is now
in Court, and let me take him on my finger, and ask
him two or three questions, and if he don't answer to my
satisfaction and that of all present, I will give up the
case, because he is my principal witness, as I said be-
fore.—(Laughter.)
Mr. Fullam—Do you intend to have him sworn ? If
you do I'd like to know en what book, as it is very
likely he is a Heathen or a lurk.-'--(Laughter.)
A Voice behind—Get him a Koran then.—(Laughter;
in the middle of which the parrot commenced whistling,
" Take your time, Miss Lucy," amid a scene of the most
boisterous mirth we ever witnessed.)
Mr. Fullam—L...t him be examined by you, and then
I have a right to cross-examine him.—(Laughter.) What
words did you teach him ?
Here the cage was uncovered, and the parrot stared
about the board-room for some time until Mr. Davis
stepped over to him and said, " Come, old fellow, give
me a kiss." The bird, which is certainly a very pretty
one, thrust its neck out of the twisted gyres, and kissed
Mr. Davis with great apparent fondness, whilst the by-
standers were almost convulsed with laughter. A fat
young fellow here came forward and said that the bird
would do the same to any one in the room, and, there-
fore, it was no proof that he belonged to Mr. Davis.
Mr. Davis said that the parrot would not kiss any one
but himself, and cautioned the lad not to try the experi-
ment ; but the advice was unheeded, and the boy, step-
ping over to the cage, asked for a buts also. The bird
looked at him for a moment, bristled up its feathers,
stretched out its neck, and seized the boy by the lip, out
of which it nearly took a mou:hful before it could be
loosened, and the shouts of the lad mingled with the
laughter had a very excellent effect, indeed.
Mr. Davis requested any other gentleman that pleased
to ask the parrot for a kiss. but the invitation was politely
declined by the whole of the company. He again begged
the favour of a salute from the bird, which was granted,
as in the first instance, with aff,ction, and then he ap-
pealed to the bench and the audience if the kind bird
was not his property.
Mr. Hitchcock sa,d the evidence was very strong in
his favour certainly ; but Mr. Fullam said his client was
by no means satisfied with the proof adduced on thatpoint.
Mr. Davis —Very well (taking the bird out of the
cage on the fore-finger of his right hand), I will ask him
a few questions now, and I think I will settle the matter,
" Tell me, old fellow, what does the dog say ?"—The
answer was a bow, wow, wow, so lord and musical that
one would imagine the " Kildare hounds" had run a fox
into the board-room.
When the laughter which followed had ceased, Mr.
Davis again asked, *- Well, what does the cat say ?"
The parrot gave a sly glance round the room, and then
commenced purring a little, after which he set up mew-
ing, which forcibly reminded every person present of a
congregated meeting of all the tom cats in the city.
Mr. Davis asked was there any more proof necessary?
and

Mr. Hitchcock- said the evidence was quite conclusive,
and he would order the bird to be returned to its original
owner, Mr.• Davis.
Mr. Fullam said Mr. Moore was a most respectable
person, and he could bring proof that he bought the par?
rot in July last for 11. 13s.
Mr. Hitchcock said that might be true, but it was
quite clear the bird belonged to Mr. Davis, and he must,
therefore, make an order for its restoration.
Mr. Moore—And I am to be done out of my progeny
in this manner ?
Mr. Danis—You admit that you bought the bird after
the police notice was served on you: Here it is (showing
a printed notice).
Mr. Hitchcock—You bought the bird after you read
the notice, and I will not allow you anything for its sup-
port ; on the contrary, if Mr. Davis claims costs in this
case, I will give him a reasonable sum, which you must
pay him.
Mr. Davis said he did not require costs. All he
wanted was his bird. -
Mr. Hitohcock—You have him now, and keep him.
The parties then left the office, the parrot whistling
" There's nae luck about the house,' amid loud and
continued laughter.--Freeman.

A MAN AND HORSE KILLED BY
GALLOPING INTO A LIME-KILN.
On Tuesday evening an inquest was held at the Infir-
mary, Sheffield, on view of the body of Thomas Wilkin-
son, a boat-hauler, residing at Masborough. The un-
fortunate man had been drinking on Saturday evening,
at the Lincolnshire Potatoe Inn, with his brother and
others, having on the same afternoon purchased a horse
for the sum of it. 12s. 6d. About six o'clock, or half-
past, he set off to return home, being at the time mounted
upon his new purchase. His brother was also mounted,
and had a little boy, son of the deceased, behind him.
They proceeded along Blast-lane, the deceased being
behind ; and on getting near the toll-gate, the keeper of
the gate, named Dodds, heard a crash, but from the dark-
ness and fog of the night was afraid to venture towards'
the lime-kilns. On the following morning, about nine
o'clock, he (the toll-keeper) proceeded towards the spot
where he fancied he had heard the noise on the previous
night, and there, at the bottom of a lime-kiln, some 20
feet deep, found the horse dead and the man in a state
of insensibility, having lain fifteen hours at the bottom
of the kiln. He nas conveyed to the infirmary and died
directly.
Several witnesses were examined, amongst whom was
John Dodds, who said—l live in Blast-lane, and keep
the toll-bar near the works. I was coining from Shef-
field on Saturday night, and two men rode past me. One
had a boy behind him. Something dropped, but I could
not see what it was. It was near the Mowbray Tavern.
They called to a woman to bring them a candle, and a
man picked tip a cap which had been dropped. They
passed me on the other side those houses before getting
to the Mowbray Tavern. I thought I heard a noise as
of a horse falling ; when I got further on, nearer home,
I stood to listen if I could bear any further noise, but
heard nothing, and went forward home. I said to my
wife, " There are two men on horseback, and I thought
I heard the noise of a horse falling, but thought that I
must be wrong, because the other man did not turn
again, and pacified myself, thinking they must have gone
through the gate, as it was open '•-' and she said some-
body went through, but she could not tell who, as she
did not go out. I thought if anything had happened,
the other man would have turned again. I did not
tell the constable that I thought I heard the crash
and fall of a horse. On the next morning after break-
fast. I took a walk out,. and looked into one of
tile kilns, and at the bottom I saw a man's leg and a
horSe. I told D. Turnbull, who works for Mr. Travis,
what I had seen. We procured it ladder and got out theman; he was just alive, but could not speak. There
was a great deal of blood about him, and also on the side
of the kiln where he lay: his.hat was oft, but we -did
notlook fur it. We saw the mark by the side of Whir
kiln
.where the horse had .grazed it. The kiln was ab-ir.
four or five yards from. the centre of the road; it is a
private road to the work, and considered a very. dan-
gerous one---so much so that I was afraid of falling into
one of the kilns
myself. I had nut thought the next
morning of finding a man killed. The road ought to be
fenced off ; it is a dangerous road from Mr. Booth's to
the junction of the Attercliffe-road, and not fit for any-
body to go along after dark.
The CORONER said he thought Dodds was not altoge-
ther without blame for .riOt looking after the deceased
when he heard the crash.
The jury thought the pits ought to be fenced off, and
that opinion should accompany the verdict of " Acci-
dental death"—namely, " That the road from the kiln
to the janction with the Attercliffe-road should be
strongly fenced off."--lioncaster Gazette.

Da. WoLri.—Our readers will be gratified to
learn that authentic intelligence has reached Bombay
from :Persia respecting the adventurous Doctor. The
tyrant of Bokhara had permitted him to leave, and he
was, when the Elphinstone left the Persian Gulf, safe in
Persia. We are heartily glad that he has escaped the
clutches of the barbarian ruler of Bukhara, but there are
some well-informed people , who do not think that Dr.
Wolff was ever in any danger at all, and might easily,
at any time, have retraced his steps without molestation
from the Khan.—Calcutta Englishman.
A correspondent ("Anti-Rubric") compares Bishop
Phillpotts' attempt to revive practices which have fallen
into desuetude, to the case of a judge, attempting to re-
%.1%. Jl.),elete statute;, with,,tu ~e.t;c:3uo hts bre-
thren of the bench. Ile considers the Bishop, in what
he has done, has acted in open (Maws of his eoclesim.
tioal superiou— Waterx raw

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, Jan. 4.

IN THE MATTER OF JOHNSON, JOHNSON, AND MANN.
THE ROAIFORD BANK.—This day was appointed
for the allowance of the certificate to Mr. Mann, one
of the partners in the Romford hank. An application
was made to the Court on Saturday last, and it was
then stated that Mr. Mann's private debts were only
301. in the shape of ,ekly bills, and that the re-
mainder of a sum of 12,0001. would be carried over to
the joint estate, which would pay about 2s. 6d. in
the pound. On the present occasion Mr. Mann was
in attendance.

Mr. Commissioner FONBLANQUE asked if any
creditor attended to oppose the certificate ?
No creditor attended, and the Registrar informed
the Learned Commissioner that all Mr. Mann's pri-
vate creditors would be paid in full, and a day had
been appointed (the 22d instant) for that purpose.
The Learned Commissioner signed the certificate,
and it was, therefore, duly allowed.
When the case was mentioned the other day, Mr.
Commissioner Goulburn remarked that the small
amount of debts owing by Mr. Mann was very credit-
able to him.