The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-24 00:00:00

availed myself of the free admissions to the Haymarket.
The practice continues of giving free admissions to the papers.
I cannot tell the day I ascertained that the Dispatch was not in
the free-list of Drury -lane.
Re-examined by Mr. PLATT.—I seldom went to the Hay-
market-except when a novelty was produced. The Dispatch
had two admissions to the Haymarket. I paid for my admis
sion when I went to Drury-lane. I did not get there until
late—at the commencement of the pantomime. I did not see
Mr. Macready.
This was the plaintiff's case.
Sir T. WILDE said he thought Mr. Macready would have
had more reason to complain of the Dispatch if they had
praised him for being an actor of the greatest versatility. If
they had said that in tragedy he was dignified and ma-
jestic, tender and pathetic in turns—that in comedy
he was gentlemanly, elegant, light, graceful, and hi
larious, that in farce he was laughter-moving and
humorous, and that in pantomime he was the most expert
and dextrous harlequin who had ever appeared on the stage. It
they had said this, and the audience had found when they went
to see him, that instead of all this, Mr. Macready was the same
ineverything, then indeed he might have complained that his au-
diti,rs owl been disappointed, and a serious injury inflicted on him
It was the duty of the press to purify and guide the public
taste, and to prevent public nuisances. It was the terror of
the press alone which prevented the public taste from being
polluted ; and provided a writer did not travel ont of his
limits, provided he confined himself in his criticisms on
a public man to his ppblic capacity, he might
be as severe as he pleased without being libellous.
A motive had been ascribed to the defendants that they had
published this critique because Mr. Macready had refused them
free admissions. Why did Mr. Macready refuse them free ad-
missions, unless that he feared honest criticism ? The article
in question did not exceed the fair bounds of criticism ; and if
Mr. Macready had not been, he would not say the most
sore-headed, but the most sensitive and excitable of
mortals, this action would never have been heard of.
If they thought his conduct with respect to the saloon calcu•
lated to produce moral evil, they were justified in commenting
upon it. It was ridiculous to pretend that Mr. Macready's
management might not be criticised—to ask if they might
not be permitted to discuss whether Mr. Macready
was an actor of limited powers. He had been
before the public for years. The public could judge.
Did Mr. Macready imagine he was the only actor who ever
lived with regard to whose merits all parties should be unani-
mous? If they returned a verdict for the plaintiff it would be
a mockery to say that theatrical criticisms were free, and there
would not be a bad actor, a bad singer, or a bad dancer who
would not brihg his action for libel. This was the first attempt
which had been made to put down criticism, and he hoped it
would be the last. He therefore confidently expected their
verdict would be for the defendants.
Lord Chief Justice TINDAL, in summing up, said that the
various topics commented on in the article were all fair sub-
jects for public discussion ; that a man occupying
the station of Mr. Macready might be considered as public
property, and was therefore fairly open to public observation.
If, however, they considered that the defendants had exceeded
the bounds of honest discussion, and had assumed the cloak of
honest discussion merely to hide private malignity, then their
verdict would be for the plaintiff. The part of the publication
which seemed to him most likely to bear cut this inference
was the commencement, in which the writer stated that Mr.
Macready made a pretence of virtue. It was, however, for
them to determine, and give their verdict accordingly.
The Jury then retired, and after an absence of three quarters
of an hour, returned a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages, 51.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, June 23.
114 THE MATTER OF RICHARD MOORE.
The bankrupt was described as a hay-salesman and corn-
chandler. It appeared also, in his subsequent examination, that
he hid been the proprietor of a public-house and livery-stables
in Mile-end-road. [he amount of debts in his schedule was
stated as under 2,0001 , and the available assets at about 2901.
Debts to the amount of nearly 5001. were also stated as due to
the estate, out of which only 1501. were accounted good.
The bankrupt was subjected to a long examination by a
creditor named Jones, who contended that he was not entitled
to pass his final examination, on the grounds of having trautiu-
lowly contracted debts with him for goods sold at the time
when he (the bankrupt) was perfectly aware of his inability to
meet other and more extensive liabilities, and when a docket
was about being struck against him.
After a long and uninteresting discussion,,the examination
was adjourned for a month.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE,
GUILDHALL. _ _

Mary Lacy was placed at the bar before Mr. Alderman
Copeland, charged with setting fire to the house of Mrs. Ro-
setta Moss, of North-buildings, Finsbury.
Mrs. Moss stated that she engaged the prisoner as servant
about a fortnight ago. Wednesday the prisoner came down
stairs, and said the use was on fire. They immediately went
up stairs and found the bed in one of the rooms on fire. The
room was occupied by a gentleman who lodged in the house.
They turned the bed over and put the fire out. The bed was
on a mattress made of straw. Upon questioning the prisoner
as to the origin of the fire, she said she supposed that some of
the gentlemen must have been smoking, and have dropped a
spark on the mattress. In about two hours afterwards, this
transaction being at about six o'clock in the evening, the pri-
soner was sent up stairs to make the bed. She immediately
came down stairs, and said the house was again on fire. A
gentleman who was in the house went up stairs, and found the
room in flames. He ran into the street and called fire, and
part of the fire brigade, being at that time in the immediate
vicinity of the house, came in and put out the fire.
The fireman stated that he extinguished the fire and then
examined the room. He found several lucifer matches on the
mantelpiece, and observed that some had been rubbed along
the top of the table, and had left a mark. The curtains of the
window were burnt, and the bed-curtains, but nothing else.
When he went in the girl was so much alarmed that she fainted.
'1 he girl, in her defence, said she knew nothing as to how the
fire happened.
Mr. Alderman COPELAND said he would send for the girl's
father, to enter into recognizances for the appearance of the
prisoner when called upoa, in case any further evidence should
be obtained against her.
BO W-STREET.
A HOPEFUL LITTLE LOT.—Three little boys, named Daniel
Madden, Thomas Maxwell, and John Welsh, all of them 13
years of age, and with the most villainous cast of countenance
that one could come across in a day's match through " the
Dials," or any other similarly classic neighbourhood, and whose
shorn locks bore evidence of but a recent incarceration in some
of those delightful seminaries for naughty boys—the Peniten-
tiary, Tothill-fields, or " the Mill"—were charged with the
following robbery : •.
An intelligent little boy, named Thomas Clinch, al,o 13 years
of age, stated that on Wednesday night about 8 o'clock, he was
taking a drink at the pump near the Freemasons' "tavern,
when the prisoners came up to him, and Madden took a silk
pocket handkerchief and a penknife out of his pocket. Wit-
ness immediately collared him, when he dropped the handker-
chief upon the groUnd. He then went to look for a police-
man, and whilst looking for one he saw Maxwell take a snuff-
box out of a gentleman's packet. The prisoners were together
all the time.
Policeman, F 43, took the prisoners into custody. He found
a snuff-box on Maxwell, and two ragged silk handkerchiefs on
Madden, but nothing upon Welsh.
Thompson, F 49, stated that the prisoners were all known to
the police. Welsh had been several times convicted, and had
been twice tried at the Ohl Bailey. 'I he first time was for
picking pockets at Greenwich Fair. Witness believed he had
a very bad mother, who made him go out to steal. The other
two had also been frequently in custody, but he could not re-
member what were the occasions.
In answer to questions from Mr. HALL, Madden stated that
he hid no father. His mother went out washing. He was in
prison last about nine months ago for a month. Maxwell said
that he had no father. His mother cleaned trotters in the sea-
son. lie had never been in prison, only once before, about
three years ago, in Tothdt-tields fur ten days.
Mr. HALL sentenced Welsh to three months, and the others
to two mouths' imprisonment in the House of orrection.
:I/A /LLB OR b G STRE ET.

John Samuel Edwards, a young man evidently still labour-
ing under the otlects of iaraixteation, and who stated himself to
be tile son at a master builder, living in Nottingham-mews,
ft igt,streer, Mary lebone, wis charged with committing a vio-
lent and unprovoked assault on :Martha Simmer, a fruir-w man,
arot knocking a basket off her head, ,ontaining some tresl,
gathered stt ats berries, by which 12 gallons of fruit were entirely
spoiled.
The complainant stated that about ten o'clock yesterday,
as she was proceeding along Oxnrrd-street with the fruit on her
head, the defendant came up behind her and struck her with
his doubled fist in the small of her ha k, arid then koncked her
basket off her head, and kirke,i tt :turd ihe contents about he
street. The• value of the fruit, w.,s lii-., hisidesher loss of time.
'I he defendant. said that. she s; ruck him tit st.
Mr. MALTBY eaid it was very unlikely she should do so, and
without he paid the amount of the damage he had so wantonly
done, and also made her Compensation for her loss of time, and
the blow he had struck her, he should fine him vet y heavily.
The defendant said he had no money about him, but he
would send to his friends and get what was required.

lie was locked up in the meanwhile.
UNION-HALL.

A JUDGE AND JURY CLUB.—JantesGardiner, IVilliam
Young. and James Freeman, were charged with committing a
violent assault on Thomas Davis, under the following circum-
stances :—The complainant and defendants are all inmates of
Christchurch workhouse. and are employed breaking stones for
the parish. Of late a " Judge and Jury Club" has been estab-
lished by some of the male paupers. The complainant having
recently committed some act against the rules of the society,
was tried by a " Special Jury," and sentenced to receive two
dozen w ith a broom handle, and to be afterwards rolled in some
horse dung which was spread out in a corner of the place
where they were at work. The sentence was accordingly car-
ried into effect, the defendants, who were described as the
most troublesome men in the house, being the ringleaders and
the parties who inflicted the punishment. The complainant, in
describing the circumstances, said that his back and shoulders
were black and blue owing to the severity with which he was
beaten by his assailants.
r. COTTI NG II A M inflicted a fins of 40s. on each of the de-
fendants, who, in default of payment, were committed for a
month each to the treadmill.