Star.
London, England, 1830-12-06 00:00:00

LAW REPORTS.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, Dec. 4.
PARSONS v. JANIN AID OTIRZIA,
This was an action for trespass arising out of an illegal distress. The
short facts of the case were as follows s—The plaintiff rented apartments
in the house of the defendant Janin, situated in Marshall-street, Golden-
square, by the quarter. After residing there three quarters, he left in
the course of the fourth, and went to live in a house in King-street, In
the same neighbourhood. Previous to the quarter being up, the de-
fendant Janin, and a broker named Leslie, went to King-street, and le-
vied a distress for the amount of rent charged as due by the plaintiff
and took in execution several articles of household furniture. The
plaintiff conceiving that he wu not bound to pay until the quarter was
entirely due, brought the present action.
The defendants appeared in person, but called no witnesses. The
defendant Janin told the Jury, that but for the absence of a most ma-
terial witness, he could have proved to their satisfaction that the plaintiff
was not a quarterly buta weekly tenant, and that therefore he was en-
titled to the rent due up to the time the plaintiff left.
There being, however, no evidence to prove this fact, the Jury re-
turned a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages, 121. 10s.
SECONDARIES' OFFICE, DEC. 4.
CRIM CON.
SMTTR v. GRIEVE.

This was a writ of inquiry, before Mr. Potter, for':the assessment of
damages for criminal conversation with the plaintiff's wife, the defend.
ant having allowed judgment to go by default. The damages werelaid
at 600 L The plaintiff, it appeared, was a respectable man, and had
married the lay who was the subject of the present actionfrom the
mere thought of affection. For some time the couple lived together as
man and wife ought to live ; but somehow or other the lady began to
fancy ardent liquors, and took such doses of gin as made housekeeping
1• matter of considerable difficulty. Whenever the husband returned at
dinner hour, after the fatigues of the day, it was ten to one that the wife
was labouring under the demon of drink, and of course he was
obliged to look elsewhere for the support of nature. He bad
no alternative but to live by himself, and to look out for some respect-
able family under whose care to place the unfortunate woman. He ac-
cordingly advertised in the newspapers, stating the nature of the eel-
gency, and an answer was sent to hint by the defendant, an elderly
gentleman of exceedingly sober demeanour and strong religious; pro.
penalties, mentioning that he resided on a small farm with his daughter
and her husband, and that the greatest attention should be paid to the
lady, who required seclusion and the country air. To the asylum of
this venerable person the lady was sent, after due we bad been taken to
ascertain the character of the inmates, on the 7th of November, 1829.
The old guardian was to receive pay for the lady's diet and lodg.
ing by the month, and the gentleman who was appointed to pay
the demand made him acquainted with the lady's appetite for
liquor, when he called for the first month's money. The defendant,
however, instead of endeavouring to correct the vice, determined to
take advantage of it for other purposes. He commenced a regular sys.
tematic attack upon the lady's virtue, and in the moment of her great-
est weakness, when she was under the influence of the fatal beverage,
he succeeded. In the June following, the defendant called u his
lip:lion:aster and described the lady to have misconducted with •
and affected to be shocked at her immorality. The plaintiff re-
quested him to find another home for her, and the defendant procured
lodgings at Greenwich, where, it was found, be subsequently went to
live with her. No defence was offered, and the Jury gave £75 damages.