The Sun.
London, England, 1829-10-29 00:00:00

WOOD V. SMITH.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL (with whom was Mr.
Cußwoon) stated, that this action was brought by
Mr. Wood, a coachmaker, of Long-acre, to recover
back from the defendant, a coal-merchant, at Hamp-
ton, the sum of 2.51., the price of a mare which he
had sold to the plaintiff in January last, at which
time she was unsound. There would, he believed,
be no dispute about the unsoundness. The only
question would be, whether or not the defendant, at
the time of the sale, knew that she was unsound,
he having stated, when the bargain was made, that
she was sound " for any thing he knew to the con-
trary." Verdict for the plaintiff—Damages 2.5/.

THE KING V. MATTHEW WHITE.

This was an indictment charging the defendant
with having converted to his own use certain Ex-
chequer-billi and Bank-notes, which had been depo-
sited in his hands by one Ann Hubert, as her agent,
with a written order to invest the proceeds in Go-
vernment securities on her account.
54 Verdict—Not Guilty.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, OCT. 28.
MURRAY V. NICHOLLS AND OTHERS.

This was an action of false imprisonment, libel,
and trover. In 1827, the plaintiff, a young gentle-
man, then about 19 years of age, and stated to be
the son of a Magistrate in Ireland, had projected,
in connection with two other individuals, the publi-
cation of an expensive work, consisting of a series of
maps of the roads and inland navigation of Great
Britain, towards which several subscriptions were
obtained. About the same petiod the defendants,
Messrs. Nicholls, Walker, and Priestley, were en-
gaged in a similar undertaking ; and having been
introduced to Mr. Murray, they proposed to him to
unite with them in carrynig on a joint work by sub-
scription. After some negotiation on the subject,
it was agreed that Mr. Murray should become a
partner in the work with Messrs. Nicholls, Walker,
and Priestley, and receive a fourth share of the pro-
fits in consideration of his services, and furnishing a
list of subscribers to the number of 1,000. In some
time afterwards the defendants proposed to the
plaintiff, as he was under age and therefore could not
execute a deed of partner,hip, that he should for the
prestmt act in the capacity of their agent, offering at
the same time to remunerate him liberally for his
services. This proposal he rejected, and went from
Wakefield, where the defendants resided, to Leeds,
retaining his subscriptions in his possession. The
defendants sent an officer after him, who seized his
luggage, having persuaded the book-keeper to de-
liver it up to him, and the plaintiff went on to Man-
chester without a change of dress. But this was
not all ; for the defendants, Nicholls, and Walker,
went before a Magistrate at Wakefield, where one
of them having drawn up, and the other signed, a
deposition, on oath, stating that the plaintiff had
been in their service as agent, or canvasser, and had
by that means become possessed of certain chattels
or books of theirs, which he had feloniously em-
bezzled and converted to his use, the Magistrate
upon such information issued a warrant for his appre-
hension, which was immediately dispatched after him
to Manchester, where it was executed by a constable.
The Magistrate having heard the nature of the ac-
cusation against him, ordered the plaintiff to be dis-
charged forthwith. No further proceedings were
instituted against him, but the defendants circulated
an advertisement through the country, cautioning
the public not to give him any subscriptions, as he
had, whilst in their service embezzled their hooks
and run away, and stood at that time charged with
felony. Ilia portmanteau, or any of its contents,
had never been restored to him. Such were the
grievances for which he sought redress in the pre-
sent action. The five first counts set forth the false
imprisonment ; the three next, the libel contained in
the advertisement; and the ninth was in trover, for
the value of the trunk. The defendants suffered
judgment by default as to all the counts, except the
five first; to these they pleaded the general.issue.
The Jury, after having retired for about half an
hour, returned into Court, finding a verdict for the
plaintiff, with 5001. damages against Nicholls and
Walker, on the counts for malicious prosecution ;
3001. against the three defendants on the counts fur
libel ; and 10/. against the three defendants, on the
count in trover—making altogether the sum of 810/.
damages for the plaintiff.

A STORY NOT FOUND IN MUNCHAUSEN.
—The old saying, that to save a liar you must tell a
greater falsehood yourself, was recently illustrated in the
following manner :—A Mr. T. was amusing some friends
in a public room with the wonders of America, and stated
that a few summers ago, pigeons flew over the town of Bal-
timore in such flocks, that the sun was sometimes darkened
for hours, and they were sold in the market at 441. a
thousand. Mr. T.'s hearers ventured to doubt the truth
of the story, when a Mr. C. interposed, and said he per-
fectly believed the tale, for an equally extraordinary cir-
cumstance happened to himself. •' When I was a boy,"
said he, "my father's farm was regularly visited by my-
riads of crows, to the great detriment of seed, &c. When
driven from one field, they went to another, and we never
could pursue them further than an immense elm tree on
the boundary. At last, I bought some bird-lime, with
which I completely covered this tree, and contrived to di-
rect the flight of the intruders to their favourite retreat.
I then fired ! when, alarmed by the report, they flapped
their wings and soared, tree and all, completely out of
sight, I never saw either of them or the tree from
that day till this !" Even Mr. T. could not swallow this,
but stared at 'he narrator, who replied, " Why, 1 believed
poor story, and its ungrateful if yo❑ don't believe mine."