The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-09 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, Dec. 8.

(Sittings at Nisi Prius before Mr. Justice COLERIDGE
and a Special Jury.)
TOPHAM V. PRICE.

',Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
The case occupied the whole of the day, and a great
number of witnesses were examined on the part of the
plaintiff to prove the value of the property on the pre-
mises at the time of the fire, and to show that the plain-
tiff was the party interested in the policy, and at nearly
yeo Week the case for the plaintiff closed, when
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, for the defendants, took an
objection to the principal plea in the declaration filed by
he plaintiff, and contended that it had not been proved
n evidence that the plaintiff was really the party in-
erested.
After a desultory and technical discussion between the
counsel on both sides, his Lordship allowed the ob-
jection.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL was then proceeding to ad-
dress the Court and jury for the defence on the other
issues upon the record, but having intimated that he also
had a great number of witnesses to call, and that pro-
bably the case for the defence would occupy as long, if
not a longer period of time, than that already occupied
in the opening on behalf of the plaintiff, the further pro-
ceedings were adjourned until to-morrow (this day).
Mr. Jervis, Mr. James, and Mr. Lush appeared for
the plaintiff, and the Attorney-General, the Solicitor-
General, and another Learned Gentleman for the de-
fendants.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
GUILDHALL.

Mr. Hill, the solicitor, appeared on behalf of two in-
habitants of Lambeth-hill, Doctors'-eommons, to obtain
a warrant to apprehend the keeper of a disorderly house
in that thoroughfare. He had served notice on Mr.
Hodgson, the Superintendent of the City Police, to ap-
pear and be bound by the Magistrate to prosecute the
offender at the next sessions ; and to warrant the Ma-
gistrate in so binding him the inhabitants were prepared
to make oath that they had the necessary evidence to
sustain the indictment. He had also given notice to
the overseers that he had served notice on the Super-
intendent of Police, as required by the statute. Mr.
Hodgson had not obeyed the notice, by which he had
forfeited 201, and the overseers objected to be bound to
prosecute.
Mr. Ferrer said the overseers did not decline to do
their duty, but they prayed for an adjournment for a
fortnight, in order that the object might be effected with-
out anything like the expense of a prosecution, of which
the two inhabitants themselves would have to bear their
portion. It was a small parish, and it was desirable to
avoid great expenses. Upon obtaining a conviction the
two inhabitants would be each entitled to a sum of 101.
out of the poor rates, but he did not suppose this had
stimulated them to take this unusual course, instead of
allowing the inquest to present the nuisance to the
Court of Aldermen, who would have instituted a pro-
secution.
Mr. Hill said that this reward had no weight with his
clients. They had complained to the parochial authori-
ties, and the nuisance had been permitted to continue
for nine months. Finding the law would enable them to
suppress the evil at their own will, they had determined to
do so, and he saw no reason for permitting the nuisance
for another fortnight.
Mr. Farrer said be objected to the form of the notice.
There was a ward beadle residing in the same parish,
and he was the proper person to be bound. By the
statute notice was to be given to the constable of the
parish or place, or other peace officer of the like nature
where there is no constable.
Mr. Teague, the chief clerk, thought this was a good
objection. Thought the old system of constables, chosen
by each precinct or parish, was suspended as long as the
p 'lice force was maintained, yet each ward had a beadle,
wt:o was sworn as a constable. He was the officer ap-
parently indicated, and his local knowledge would be
advantageous in such proceedings.
Mr. Alderman HUNTER said, as a lawyer, his opinion
was worth little, but applying his common sense to in-
terpret the statute, he thought, too, the ward beadle was
the proper constable to be bound.
Mr. Hill referred to two sections of the City Police
Act, to show that the force were clothed with all the
powers and functions that appertained to a constable.
Mr. Farrer said he had no wish to screen the offen-
ders, but only to avoid a needless expense. In the ward
where he resided such annoyances were always put
down in a week. Mr. Alderman Wilson, and all the
Common Councilmen went in a body to the house, and
gave the party a few hours' notice to quit. If this did
iiot suffice, all persons concerned in carrying on the
nuisance were instantly proceeded against, and a watch-
man and lanthorn were placed at the door.
Mr. Hill still pressing to go on,
Mr. Alderman HUNTER said he would be guided by
the City Solicitor.
The City Solicitor attended, and having heard the ar-
guments of the Learned Gentlemen, he said the point
raised was of too much importance to be settled hastily,
but he thought as a ward was a recognised division of
the City. and the ward beadle was a peace officer, he
answered the description of constable of the " place."
He would write to the parties when he had considered
the matter.

The parties retired.
CLERKEIVWELL.

Emma Oldfield,about fifteen years of age, was charged
with uttering a counterfeit sixpence. The prisoner,
when placed in the dock, wept bitterly.
Ann Culpig, barmaid at the Half-moon, Islington, de-
posed that the prisoner asked for change of sixpence on
hat day at two o'clock. Witness gave it to her, when
she threw d Avn the sixpence, which being a bad cne, the
prisoner was arrested by police-constable Walker, who
was in the house at the time.
Mr. GREENWOOD.—Did she try to get away ? Wit-
ness—She did not. I discovered the money was bad
directly, and Walker arrested her.
The sixpence was handed to the Magistrate.
Walker, the constables said that when arrested, the
prisoner said her aunt, who lived at Brompton, had
given her the sixpence, on the previous day, and that
she did not know it to be bad. She subsequently said
hei aunt lived at Bayswater, and "ave a false address.
The prisoner, who was crying all the time, when asked
for her defence, said her aunt had given it her ; her aunt
lived at Brompton. She said Bayswater by mistake to
the officer.
Mr. GREENWOOD4S Brompton and Bayswater the
same place ?
Prisoner—Yes, sir.

The Clerk—What bridge do you go over to Bromp
ton ? _ . _

l'ti.,oner—Over no bridge.
The father, a very decent poor man, living in Ford-
ham's-grove, Lawer-road, Islington, said he had sent his
daughter to a neighbour's house on that day, and never
was more surprised than when he heard she was in
custody. She had been to her aunt's, in Brompton,
with her little brother, and the aunt always gave them
6d. each.
Mr. GREENWOOD-But how is it that she said her
aunt lived at Bayswater ?
The father said her aunt had formerly lived there, and
that it was a mere mistake on the part of the child.
Mr. GREENwoon—But she gave a false address.
The father said that was very wrong ; but he sup-
posed the prisoner was flurried.
Walker said the prisoner had attempted to pass the
Gd. in a cake shop, but it was refused.
Mr. GREENWOOD asked the father whether he was
willing to go bail for the prisoner's appearance at this
Court on Saturday next, when the Solicitor for the
Mint would be in attendance.
The father said he was perfectly ready.
Mr. GREENWOOD said he would require him to do so
to the amount of 201.
The Clerk said he did not think the sixpence was a
bad one at all.
Mr. GREENWOOD—It tastes like a bad one.
inspector Thatcher, after examing the coin, said he
ielt sure it was a perfectly good one.
The Clark—You may. depend upon it, sir, it is a good
sixpence ; but I will weigh it.
The Cerk accordingly got the scales, put a good six-
pence into the one, and the coin in question into the
other, but it stood the balance and was not found
wanting.
A person in Court acquainted with mineralogy, said
the sixpence was perfectly good. He would have no
hesitation whatever in exchanging one of his own for it.
Mr. GREENWOOD discharged the poor child, telling
her father he must produce her at the Court on Saturday
next, if required.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
John Radbone and James Lloyd were brought before
Mr. Maltby for further examination, charged with having
stolen a quantity of plate and wearing apparel, from 40,
Little Pulteney-street, the property of Mr. Henry Olive,
coffee-housekeeper.
The evidence against the prisoners mainly depended
on the testimony of an intelligent little girl, the daughter
of a lodger in the prosecutor's house, and another witness
who accidentally recollected seeing the prisoners, in com-
pany with a third person, come out of the prosecutor's
house with a hag and a bundle, on the day of the rob-
bery.
Mr. Olive proved that on Tuesday week he discovered
that an upper room in his house had been entered by the
help of a skeleton key, and had been robbed of spoons, a
gold guard chain, and other valuables, worth about 301.,
besides a quantity of his own wearing apparel.
11faria Healey said on the day of the robbery she re-
collected seeing a man go up stairs, and shortly after-
wards come down, and leave the house with a bundle
and a bag in his possession. By the light of the gas-
lamp she had a perfect view of the man, and she could
swear that he was the prisoner Lloyd.
Mr. Robinson, who attended for the prisoners, cross-
examined this witness, but failed to shake her testimony
in any material point.
Henry Stevens said he saw Lloyd come
rmeober
obutoyf,thwei;
pro-
secutor's house on the evening of the
blue bag. The prisoner crossed over the street, and
joined two men, one of whom was the other prisoner
Radbone.
Police-sergeant Wells said, from information he re-
ceived he went to Henry-street, Llampstead-.road, and
there saw the prisoner Lloyd, who was immediately re-
cognised by the girl Maria Healey. On seeing witness,
the prisoner attempted to escape, but was stopped and
secured. Witness then went into a house where Rad-
bone lived, and on searching the room found an immense
number of skeleton and other keys, and a blue bag ex-
actly resembling the bag seen in Lloyd's possession on
the evening of the robbery.
Mr. Robinson contended, as no stolen property was
timed to the possession of the prisoners, that there was
no case against them, and they ought therefore to be
liberated.

Mr. Clarkson, who appeared for the prosecution,
hoped no magistrate would consent to discharge. parties
accused of felony, and clearly identified, merely because
the property had been so cleverly concealed as to defy
discovery.;