The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-20 00:00:00

SECONDARIES'-(THIS DAY.)

THE QUEEN V. THEODORE HOOK.
Mr. C. RowE said this was a writ of inquiry issued by
the Crown for the purpose of ascertaining what property
belonged to the late Mr. Theodore Hook, in the City of
London, at the time of his death. An inquiry had been
instituted elsewhere, and therefore he shduld be able to
save the Jury a good deal of trouble.
This case,- which has already been before the public,
related to the claims of the Crown on the property left
by deceased, who was indebted to the amount of about
13,0001. to the Crown.
Mr. Hopkinson, solicitor to the proprietors of the
John Bull, deposed that Mr. T. Hook died on the 24th
of August, 1841, at Fulham, in Middlesex, and at the
time of his death possessed one-fourth share of the John
Bull,- as well as a right to one-fourth of the lease, No. 40,
Fleet-street. The value of the fourth-share of- the
John Bull was about the sum of 2,2001., but
the deceased had overdrawn his account between 5001.
and 6001., therefore his share was worth between 1,5001.
and 1,6001. The deceased became proprietor in 1830.
During the last five years the paper had not varied five
numbers. Mr. Joel Edwards had a claim for 3,0001., be-
sides interest.
Mr. Secondary JAMES summed up, and the jury found
fer the Crown, subject to the debt due to the partners.

MUNICIPAL CHARTERS.—Lord Wharncliffe,
a member of the present Cabinet, has intimated to de-
putations from the inhabitants of Sheffield, that a char-
ter will be granted to that town, pursuant to a petition
recently presented, which, however, was as vehemently
opposed by the Sheffield Tories as the Manchester and
Bolton petitions were.
BIRMINGHAM AND GLOUCESTER RAILWAY
COMPENSATION.—THE GLORIOUS UNCERTAINTY I—A
Court of Compensation was held last week, to assess
the damage done by this Company to the lands of a
gentleman named Guest, by interfering with the course
of a certain brook. It should be premised that Mr.
Guest had been offered 115/ by, the Company, but,
estimating the damage at 650/, he determined to submit
it to a Jury, and having obtained the services of Mr.
Sergeant Talfourd, with a retaining fee of eighty
guineas, and the assistance of a host Of witnesses, the Court
was accordingly held at Northfield, before W. Taunton,
Esq., Under-Sheriff of Worcestershire, and a respectable
Jury, when, after an inquiry of about twelve hours, long
speeches on both sides, and the examination of witnesses
without number, the Jury assessed the damages at 100/,
or 15/. less than Mr. Guest had been offered by the
Company in the first instance. The Company s ex-
penses in witnesses, counsel, &c., were considerable ;
those of Mr. Guest were upwards of 250/ ; so true it is,
that it is " better to bear the ills we have, than fly to
others that we know not of."
Lord Ashburton, accompanied by Mr. Hugo
Ilildmay, will leave Bath House, Piccadilly, on the 28th
inst., to embark from Liverpool for New York. They
then go to Washington, where a mansion has been taken
for three months. His Lordship will afterwards visit
Pennsylvania, and is expected to return to this country
about the end of July.
A few days ago a grand ceremony took place at
Sedan, on occasion of transferring the remains of several
personages of the Princely House of Sedan from their
former place of sepulture in what is now an hospice
to the Protestant church in that town. Among these
personages was Henri de Latour d'Auvergne, Prince of
Sedan, and Maria Elizabeth of Orange, his consort, with
several members of their family. All the civil and military
authorities of the department, the representatives of the
King of Holland as head of the House of Orange, the
delegates of the ancient Duchy of Bouillon, and nume-
rous personages of note, were present on this occasion,
together with detachments of the troops in garrison. The
coffins were removed with much pomp, amidst an im-
mense crowd of spectators. •

BIRD-CATCHING SPIDERS I—According to
Mr. M‘Leay, of Elizabeth Bay, near Sidney, he has fre-
quently seen birds caught by, and suspended in, spiders'
webs. When thus entangled, the bird is eaten by these
enormous
spiders, who commence by sucking its juices.
The
spider belongs to the same section as the European
Epeira diademas, and the bird thuseuriously ensnared and
Orli* of Vigors and Hors-
field.
destroyed Was the Zosterops