The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-29 00:00:00

ROLLS' COURT.-(THIS DAY.)

Up to the time of our going to press no case of sufficient
intei est to admit of its being reported carne before the Court.

‘r!CE-CH ANCIIItY.-(TH IS DAY.)
The Vice-Chancellor of England was eccupied the whole
morning with cause petitions.

QUEEN'S BENCI-1.-(THIS DAY.)

BREESE V. BRAKE.

This was an action brought to recover the value of a gold
watch.and appendages, and also some money, the property of
the plaintiff, which it was alleged was unlawfully detained by
the defendant. The defendant we., an inspector of police, and
the plaintiff had been taken into custody in connection
with a charge brought against certain parties for smoking in a
Blackwell Railway-carriage. The plaintiff, on being taken to
the station-house, was searched as usual, and the property
found upon him taken charge of by the Inspector, in accord
ante with the police regulations. The defend nt was
taken before the Lord Mayor the next morning, and the charge
was dismissed. The Inspector then proposed to give him up
the property found on him, namely, the watch and appendages,
and the money, to recover the value of which the present
action had been brought, en his (plaintiff's) signing the charge
sheet, as a t eceipt for the articles. This it appeared was the
usual practice of the police in all similar cases. The plaintiff
rein ed to sign the charge sheet as required, stating that
if he were to do so it would be an admission of the charge.
The defendant then, it war alleged, presented the plaintiff
with a blank sheet of paper, and told him if he would
give a receipt on that (which would be no ad-
mission at all), the articles would be restored to him.
The plaintiff, however, refused to do so, contending that the
givi g of any receipt would be an admission of the
charge, and the Inspector refused to give up the pro-
perty without a receipt, and still retained •possession
of r. With regard to the nature of the receipt demanded
there was a great deal of conflicting evidence, the plaintiff's
witnesses utterly denying the statements of the police.
Lord DENMAN, in summing up, told the Jury that if they
were satisfied that the acknowledgment demanded by the ce-
fendant was only a proper acknowledgment, then they must
find their verdict for the defendant. If, however, they should
be f opinion that the defendant had demanded more than a
prof er acknowledgment for the articles, then their verdict would
be fur filo plaintiff.
'I he Jury found a verdict for the plaintiff, damages 51., for
the unlawful detention of the articles.
Lord DENMAN said the verdict had better be taken for 2.51:,
to be reduced to 5/. on the restitution of the articles in ques-
tion.

One of the police authorities gave an assurance that the
articles would be given up the moment they were claimed.

EXCHEQUER.-(THIS DAY.)

SOMES V. LAWSON.

'I his was an action for an alleged libellous article in the Times
newspaper. The defendant is the publisher of the Times, and
the plaintiff is the extensive ship-owner in the City.
It ,appeared that a vessel, the property of the plaintiff,
had been engaged to convey emigrants from Scotland to New
South Wales; but after a few days' sail from the part whence
she had embarked she had been found in so leaky a condition
that it lvcame necessary to put her in at Plymouth, where she
underwent a thorough repairing. The case had attracted much
public attention at the time • and the Times newspaper in
commenting on it, stated not only, as was admitted by all parties,
that the vessel was leaky on leiving Scotland, but that she had
not beed put in a seaworthy condition at Plymouth. It was
now admitted by the counsel for the defendant that this latter
statement bad been ascertained to be erroneous, and that his
client was-ready to withdraw it.
An arrangement was then -entered into between both parties,
that the jury should return a verdict for the plaintiff, damages
forty shillings. This verdict was accordingly returned.
I'l.e Attorney-General appeared fur the plaintiff, and the
So'icitor- General for the defendant.

INSOLVEN T COURT-(THIS DAY)

IN RE C. J. TRAPE.

The insolvent in this case, who was a ship and insurance
brcker, carrying on business in Four Nags Head-court, Grace-
church-street, applied to be liberated on bail until the day ap-
pointed for his final hearing.
His son having been examined, along with three or four
other witnesses, relative to the disposal of certain furniture at
the insolvent's private residence, Grove-terrace, Peel ham, and
ss.me property at his country house; in Gracechurch-street,
the bail was allowed to justify, when the insolvent was dis-
charged.