Star.
London, England, 1818-12-07 00:00:00

BEENNAM V. STEVENS.

' Mr. SCARLETT stated that the plaintiff in this case
sought to recover a -compensation for scandalous
words, uttered by the defendant, reflecting on his'
character. The plaintiff and defendant both resided
in a small parish near Windsor, where the plaintiff
was constable. The parties were both carpenters,
and there was an old proverb, which said " two of a
trade could never a:ree." Perhaps th z proverb would
apply in this ease ; 'for the parties had both been em-
ployed in making coffins for the poor, but the plaintiff
working cheaper than the defendant, had of late had
all the palish custom. This had perhaps irritated
the defendant, who had, however, of late taken every
opportunity of slandering the plaintiff; and one day,
when they were both at the parish meeting, the de-
fendant said to the plaintiff—" You are a thief, and I
can prove you so, and a man wholly unworthy of trdst."
, And at a subsequent meeting, when it was proposed
to continue the plaintiff (ileenham) as constable, tge
defendant said" I object to his appointment: 7.e is a
thief—he has robbed me—l can prove that he has
actually robbed me." This assertion had no effect,
and the plaintiff was again elected constable. Still
the defendant had not satisfied his malice ; he went
to another individual, and said of the plaitatiff-...s f
know him to be a thief and a scoundrel, he has rob-
hed me, and I can prove it." Thus repeatedly ca-
lumniated, the plaintiff, to purify himself frOui these
.atpetsions,•hall brought The present action ; whilst itl
was pending, a letter was written to the defendarit,
stating that if he would acknowledge the slander to,
be unfounded, and paying the costs they incurred, al)
proceedings against him would be dropped. At &It
he agreed to do so, but afterwards he changed his
mind, and said he would defend the action.

The CIISL•t4 JUSTICE asked it the questizn coed
not be settled now?

Mr. GURNEY said, his client was now ready to
accede to the suggestion of his Lordship, and to ac-
knowledge in the fuLest manner that he had no
foundation for what he had asserted.

Mr. ScAnLeTr would not oppose this course; his
client was not actuated by any vindictive motive,
but lie must be protected. If the plaintiff acceded to
this, a verdict must be entered for such damages as
would carry costs.
Mr. Guinan' said, his client was ready to accede
to this, and to add his expression of regret that, in
irritation, he should have uttered the unfortunate
aspersions which he had on the plaintiff's character.
Verdict for the Plaintiff—Damages 40s. Costs 40s. •

CONSISTORY COURT, DECEMBER 5.
ROPER V. ROPER.

This was a suit of separation, instituted by Mrs.
Sophia Roper against R. Roper, Esq. the husband, for
cruelty. An exceptive allegation was given in, on the
part of the husband, against the admissibility of evi-
dence offered on the part of the wife, of her own family
having interfered in a quarrel alleged to have taken,
place when Mr. Roper, accompanied by his wife,
went on a visit to the lady's father and mother, in a
gig ; on which occasion he (Mr. Roper) lent 2401. to
the wife's father: The act of cruelty charged was,
that whilst handing his wife out of the gig, at the
-door of her father s. house, the husband severely as-
saulted and kicked bis wife, which rendered the in
terference of the family necessary, to prevent fur
-
Vier violence: In disproof of this charge, the hus-
band alleged, that he had shewn great kindness for
his wife and her family, by lending her father 2001.
upon his own personal security.
Letters written by the Lady's mother to her, were
put in, to shew that the wife had absented herself
from him without just cause. They expressed great
satisfaction at her daughter's reconciliation and re-
turn to her husband, and alluded to the happiness
expressed by the daughter in her letters to her mo-
ther at this event having taken place; the mother
adding, I hope I shall hear no more of any such
unpleasant occurrence taking place between you,
since it is for your own happiness to study every act
of kindness by which you can please so dear a husband."
Sir Jowl ncitora. decided, that the evidence of
the Lady's family, relative to these differences, as
well as the evidences of the husband's family, should
be received, in order to furnish the Court with full
information, as to the character and complexion of
their quarrels.

lIALIPORD V. HALPORD.

This was also an exceptive allegation to the evi-
dence of Mrs. Stewait, the sister of Sir T. Staines,
her brother's housekeeper, upon whose evidence prin-
cipally damages wcrc had in action for criminal con-

versation, with Mrs. Halford, in which Sir T. Staines
was deiendant.. The exceptions to the evidence of
Mrs. Stewart were, that she had deposed to her hay-
' in g been told, in confidence by Mr. Birch, the bailiff
olSir Thomas, that he saw Sir Thomas with Mrs.
Halford, lying down among the hay in a field, and
that they had remained there nearly an hour. Mr.
Birch, in his affidavit, having sworn in contradiction
that he never told Mrs. Stewart as above ; but on bcr
inquiring it he knew where they were, he said he saw
Sir Thomas and Mrs. Halford sitting down in a 9eld
of hay, and this in the presence of 17 or 18 work
peop:e.—The Court decided, that it was sufficient to
judge of the credulity of the witnesses in this case
generally, as to the contradiction now charged, with-
out admitting this exceptive allegation.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER, DECEMBER s.
IMITATIVE TEA, COFFEE, ♦ND TOBACCO.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL P. HENRY COPE.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL stated the. information
against the defendant, which imputed, first, that he,
being a tea-dealer, had in his possession a large
quantity of coloured leaves, in imitation of tea ;-
2dly, that he had a similar quantity of coloured leaves
in his possession, made to resemble tobacco ;—and,
lastly, a quantity of roasted beans, peas, or other
grain, in imitation of coffee, whereby he had become
liable to pay large penalties to the King:
Witnesses were examined and ful4 established the
charge.—The Jury returned a verdict for the Crown
for the following penalties :—E1,120 for 112 lb. of
imitative tea, at £lO per lb. £lOO for imitative cof-
fee ; and £2OO for imitative tobacco ; making a to- .
tal of £1,420, .

TDB ATTORNEY GENERAL V. T. AND G. NELSON.
This was an information against the defendants,
grocers, at Manchester, for having imitative tea and
coffee in their possession.
There was no defence, ausl a verdict was found for
the Crown, of a penalty of rloo' for having coffee
adulterated with burnt grain .in their possession, and
£2OO for having the coloured tea in their possession.
THE ATTORNEY• GENERAL V. HALL.

This was an information against the defendant, a
coffee dealer, in Old Gravel lane, for having imita-
tive coffee in his possession.—The fact was proved by
the officers—convicted in the penalty of £lOO.

In the Court of Admiralty. on Friday, Sir W.
Scot'n delivered judgment in the case of La Bellone,
which related to the long agitated question of the
right of the Army and Navy, when acting on a con-
joint expedition, to the bounty of the Crown, com-
monly called Head Money, for the capture of priso-
ners. He was clearly of opinion, that the Statutes
relative to conjoint expeditions conveyed an interest
in prizes only, and, accordingly, decided that the
claimants in the present case were not entitled to
head-money.
Saturday last, the Commissioners of Bankrupts,
who met in the New Room at Guildhall, were thrown
into confusion by a gentleman of the name of Bette,
who attended the seventh list, by adjournment, to
finish his last examination. He was extremely indig-
nant that a Commission of Bankruptcy bad been
issued against him, and frequently used language to
,which the Commissioners had been totally unaccus-
tomed. So' completely had this odd occurrence
broken in upon the business of the day, that the
Commissioners were obliged to adjourn the meeting
without finishing their proceedings.
Recollect ! HAZARD and Co. sold both the Thirty
.Thousands last Lottery, and all the first-drawn CA-
pitals in a previous Lottery.' The Lords of the Trea-
snry have ordered the Lottery to begin drawing the
15th of this month, when the first-di awn l'rize will
be entitled to 00,000 Three per Cent. Coosols.—
Mama.° and Co.'s Offices are at the Royal Exchange
Gate, '26, Cornhill, and 324. Oxford-strut.
NEVI' TLESDAI,7 WEEK (the 15th instant) is the day
appointed by the Lords of the Treasury to begin
Drawing the State Lottery, and on that day the first
drawn Prize will be entitled to £30,000 Consols in
addition.--Although this Lottery consists of only
14,000 Tickets, the Scheme cmains FOUR THIRTY
THOUSAND Pound Prizes !!!—Tick.ts and Shares
arc selling at Weee's Offices, 9, Cornhill, and 17,
Ludgate.street, where THRez £30,000 Prizes were
sold in Shares in the short space of thirteen months.
Wednesday, in a garden belonging to Citantss
BARING WALL, Esq. at Norman Conic, there was
gathered a fine dish of young kidney beans growing
in the natural ground. In the same garden there is
an apple tree now in full bloom.
The extraordinary mildness of the season has been
perhaps nowhere more apparent than in the neigh-
bourhood of Frome, -Somerset Cnostatt, at
Inox Hill Cottage, near that town, has lately gathered
in from the same tree, the third distinct crop of full-
grown pears.. Young green peas are sold in the mar-
ket at 2s. a peck ; the second crop of gooseberries ate
now on the bushes ; and there is 3 field of barley in
full green ear.
In addition to the many instances of the mildness
of the season, Mr. GEOxosl,tur, of 'loath, has now
in his garden, pease in blossom and in pod.