The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-17 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE. I

CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.)
THE WILL OF THE LATE JAMES WOOD, GLOU-

CESTEtt.

THE CORPORATION OF GLOUCESTER V. WOOD.-AMIGNENT.

This cause, which has been so frequently before the public,
still creates the greatest excitement, and the knowledge that
it was set down for judgment this morning, caused the
Court to be densely crowded long before the Lord Chancellor
took his seat.
Precisely at ten o'clock his Lordship entered the Court,
and immediately proceeded to deliver judgment, from which
it appeared that the suit had originally been a bill
filed by plaintiffs against the executors of the late James
Wood, Esq., of Gloucester, with a view to establish the
validity of the two codicils, bequeathing no less a sum than
140,0001. to the Corporation of Gloucester. The matter was
fully argued before Vice Chancellor Wigrain, who
decided that the codicils were incomplete, not expressing
their precise \meaning as to the appropriation of the amount
so bequeathed, and accordingly dismissed the plaintiff's bill,
who had appealed to the Lord Chancellor, and the matter
having been re-argued, his Lordship, after due deliberation,
affirmed the judgment of the Court below, the question as to
costs to be re-argued on Saturday next.

QUEEN'S BENCH.-(THIS DAY.)
(Before Lord DENMAN and a Special Jury.)
PHILLIPS V. MORRIS.
This was an action for defamation of character, in which
Mr. Thesiger and Mr. Lee appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr.
Whately for the defendant. The libel was contained in a
letter said to haye been written by the defendant, conveying
an imputation on the plaintiff's character. There was a plea
of justification placed on the record, that on the night of the
day en which Prince Albert laid the foundation stone of the
Royal Exchange, the plaintiff had slept with a person of the
name of Waller, at the Sun Tavern, near Temple-bar.
Mr. THESIGER said the plaintiff in this case was a young
lady who kept a respectable boarding-house, at No. 5, Foley-
place, and, as the jury must be aware, it was of the first
consequence for a lady so situated that her character should
remain above all reproach. The defendant, who was a widow
lady, living upon her private income, boarded with the plain-
tiff for some time. She, however, left that establishment, and
soon afterwards, in the early part of 1843, a letter was ad-
dressed to one of the inmates, containing the most abominable
insinuations upon the proprietress of it. This letter
signed " M.," he was instruced, he should be able to
prove was in the handwriting of the defendant. The
annexed is a copy of that letter
My dear Chap—Who do you think I meet yesterday but
Mr. Wollow, and told him that I had got the credit of a
Captain Dolton of sending anonymous letter respecting his
intended Briad, Miss Phillips ; his answer was tell him to
take her to .the Stut Tavern, one door from Temple Bar, the
woman. he saki, know her well; she sleep with him on the
night that FTel,nee Albert laid the ferst stone at Exeter
change ;, 'accused the woman in the morning of stealing
her boa, and the consequences was that the woman would not
give them a breakfast, and he had to take her back to the
City to his lodging to get one for her ; she had left her boa at
his lodging; this was, she said, before she got her house in
Foley Place. She was lodgin at that time at a little china
shop in Paddington-street, and should wish you to show
this to Dolton, for Wollow is now in town, and he can
take his lady with him—he is very angurey with her for
sending him a Bill which he returned he did not owe her a
shilling his wife got the letters he said that site sent to him
and unknown to him she Poor woman sent 35 Pounds to a
friend of hers to go so pay her as she may thank Wollow
wife for that. I think Wollow will write to Dolton himself
and told him so to do but what surprised me most was what
he told me respecting Mrs. Kibly.
" Yours truly,
The following witnesses were then called :
John Chafey said he resided at No. 5, Foley-place. In the
month of May, 1842, he lived as a boarder in the establish-
ment of Miss Phillips. There were about half-a-dozen alto-
gether. A Mrs. Morris resided there ; she was about sixty
years old, and Miss Phillips probably about eight-and-
twenty. In this month he received a letter which he well
remembered ; it was in the hand-writing of Mrs. Morris.
Witness handed that letter to Captain Dalton, who was then
under engagement to be married to Miss Phillips. Some time
after this witness met Mrs. Morris, and told her there had
been many anonymous letters going about, of which she was
suspected to be the author. Mrs. Morris denied the
truth of the imputation. She afterwards wrote a note to
witness, begging him to send back this particular
letter, as she did not intend him to keep it. She
often spoke to him of Miss Phillips' establishment,
telling.him he would be much better away from it. His
answer to these observations always was, that he was
comfortable. Last spring witness saw the defendant at
the Portugal Hotel, who introduced him to a Mr. Waller.
That gentleman repeated in part what had been previously
said in the letter alluded to. Mr. Waller said he had been
down to a certain house in the City, where he remained.
The defendant spoke much in dispraise of Miss Phillips'
establishment. On cross-examination, witness said the de-
fendant told him she thought the anonymous letter was writ-
ten by Mr. Waller. Witness is an independent gentleman,
living on his own means. He still resides at Miss Phillips's.
Mrs. Elizabeth Lamb deposed that her husband holds the
office of auditor in the Insolvent Debtors' Court. She and
her husband resided for about ten months in the plaintiff's
establishment. Witness knew the defendant, who called
upon her shortly after she went to reside in the plaintiff's
house. She told witness she was surprised at her staying
there, as Miss Phillips did not bear a respectable character,
Defendant told her that Miss Phillips did not like her going
to her house. She also said Miss Phillips would have a
letter.
Mary Telford deposed that in the year 1842 she lived as
housemaid with Mrs. Barton, who resided at 51, Weymouth-
street, Portland-place. Miss Phillips boarded there. No
one could sleep out of the house without witness knowing
it. Miss Phillips never slept out of the house. Witness
w armed her bed every night, and took away her candle. On
the 17th of January, 1842, the day when the foundation-
stone of the Royal Exchange was laid by Prince Albert, wit-
ness could swear that Miss Phillips was confined to her bed by
illness.
Jane Hughes deposed that she was a laundress, and used
to do the washing for Mrs. Barton's establishment. On the
day when Prince Albert laid the foundation-stone of the
Royal Exchange, witness went to Mrs. Barton's for the
washing, and saw Miss Phillips in bed, who told her she was
too ill to get up and sort her linen, and she must call again
the next day for it.
Sarah Lewis said she lived in Mrs. Barton's establishment,
whilst Miss Phillips resided there, and would swear that lady
never once slept out of the house.
This was the case for the plaintiff.
Mr. WHATELY, after a brief speech for the defendant,
called three witnesses, but only one answered.
Sarah Shoobridge sworn—Lives in Doctors' Commons. Is
a widow, and has resided there 19 years. Has been a
widow five years. Witness knows a person of the
name of Mathew Waller ; he lodged with her three
'different times. The last time was in the year 1842.
Witness -.knows Miss Phillips, who visited Mr. Waller three or
four tlineg'ivhilst he lodged in witness's house. The last time
of her visit was about a week before he left ; each time
he went to fetch her. The time he left witness's house
was about the end of January. On the first occasion when
she came, nothing particular occurred but taking tea ; nor on
the second; en the third tea and wine. Saw them after this
when they were both quite tipsy. Miss Phillips was
sick in consequence of being drunk. She went on
that occasion into Mr. Waller's room. The servant
had told her the door was locked, on which witness
walked up, knocked at the door, and said it was quite
time for Miss Phillips to come out. Heard the door un-
locked, and saw Miss Phillips come out of the bed-room.
She and Mr. Waller afterwards stayed two hours together in
the parlour. He went away with her about nine o'clock. It was
on the day Prince Albert laid the first stone of the Exchange.
The next morning Mr. Waller returned about twelve, and
Miss Phillips about a quarter of an hour afterwards. Mr.
Waller ordered breakfast, but I refused to let hint
have any. At length I allowed my servant to get
breakfast, tea and beef-steaks. Afterwards Miss
Phillips complained of illness, and went to Mr.
Waller's bed where she stayed until four o'clock. Whilst
in bed there Mr. Waller went to her twice. He has not
lived with witness since, nor does she know where he is.
Miss Phillips left her house in the evening. In cross-
examination, witness said she understood, when in 1835
Mr. Waller first came to reside with her, that he
was a married man, living separate from his wife. His
two sons then lived with him: She understood him to be
out of business, but that he had previously kept an hotel in
Dublin. At the second time he came to live with witness
she believed he dealt in cigars. When he came the last
time he came from Blackfriars-road, where he had been, she
believed, in some sort of business. Witness had had two
husbands—her first husband's name was Shoobridge—her
second Shiers, but for the whole nineteen years she kept
her house in the name of Shoobridge. Her first husband
died in India in the year 1815. She married her second hus-
band at her own house. He was a Scotchman. There were
two Scotchmen present when she was married. There was a
minister from Paisley, of the name of Anderson, who married
them. Her husband found him out. Witness knew
nothing about him, save that once her husband
brought him home to drink tea. Spiers told her
he was a minister. Knew a man named Charles
Gould. Never had a Scotch nor an English marriage with
him. Knows a person of the name of Linton, a doctor of
Durham. He lodged in witness's house when he was walking
the hospitals. Had never been in his bed-room at night or
any other time, except when he was ill ; for three weeks at
one period he was confined to his bed. From the time the
tea-things were taken away, about seven o'clock, until
witness had observed them both go out together,
witness did not go into the room, or see either of them ; the
wine was put on the table when the tea was removed ; that
was about seven o'clock. Knew Mrs. Douglas, but only so
from her visiting Mr. Waller. Knew it was Miss Phillips
who came to her, house, from going to Miss Phillips' house
to say she (witness) had been subpoenaed. Saw Miss Phil-
lips at that time in her own house, and will swear that she is
the same female that was with Mr. Waller in his bed-room
at witness's house.
Mr. THESIGER replied.
Lord DENMAN summed up at some length, and, in the
course of his address, expressed his opinion of the innocence
of the plaintiff of all the charges brought against her; and
denounced, in strong and indignant language, the attempts
too frequently made to throw slurs upon the character of
females struggling to obtain a virtuous and honourable
maintenance.
The jury consulted for a few seconds, and the foreman said,
" We find for the plaintiff—damages 400/. ; and we,are unani-
mously of opinion, that not the slightest imputation rests
upon the character of the plaintiff." This was the last cause
during the present sittings.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

CLERKENWELL-(THIS DAY.
Thomas Tarren was charged under the following circum-
stances :

Mrs. Philipps, of 31, Frederic-street, Gray's Inn-lane, was
going to bed, between one and two on the previous night,
when she heard a noise at the back of the premises. She gave
the alarm, and police-constable 121 G went to the back of the
house, and in the water-closet found the prisoner, who had
been labouring to make a passage for himself from the closet
into the dwelling-house, and had taken out a portion of the
brickwork. A dark lantern, a screw-driver, two chisels, a
knife, a bunch of keys, and eight lucifer matches were found
On his person.
It appeared that the prisoner's mother had been working
with Mrs. Philipps for the last four or five years, and the pri-
soner used to visit the house occasionally himself.
Mr. Gitttxwoon said the prisoner was very nearly com-
mitting the crime of burglary. He came within the mean-
ing of the Vagrant Act, and should go the House of Correc-
tion for three months.

Y.)

QUEEN-SQUARE.—(THIS DA
DESTITUTION.—TWO decent-looking, but wretchedly
clothed persons, Thomas and Charlotte Cotter were charged
before Mr. BURRELL, with the heinous crime of•being in a
state of destitution, and begging.
The policeman who arrested the prisoners stated that he
found them begging in Sloane-street, at half-past 6 o'clock