Star.
London, England, 1829-07-20 00:00:00

A W INTELLIGENCE.

•
COURT OF KING'S BENCH, his tit.
k RANCIS V. MATTHEWS, GENT.
'RIF was an action on two bills of exchange, one for
ti,e other for 821.- Defence, Usury. The bills
dated February and May, 1828, payable in four
and bix months.

Mr. Gurney (with whom was Mr. Reader), stated
that the plaintiff, who was considerably advanced in age,
had been master of an academy, and had now retired on
his means. The defendant bad commenced business as
an attorney, borrowed money of him, and gave these bills
as security, and afterwards refused to pay when they
bt came due, on the ground that the plaintiff had taken
an usurious consideration for the loan. It would be for
the defendant to prove that ; in the meantime, it would
sufficient for the plaintiff to prove the defendant's ac-
ceptance of the bills. The bills being proved,
The Attorney-General, for the defendant, called wit-
nesses, who stated that eight or ten per cent. was taken
for the loan. _ _

Mr. Gurney, for the plaintiff, contended that the wit-
nesses were not deserving of credit.
Verdict for plaintiff on both bills, with interest, 1061.
ADMIRALTY COURT, Jaw te.

TIIE SLAVE FANNY FORD.

This was an appeal from the Court at St. Christopher's,
which had condemned the slave Fanny Ford as forfeited,
under the provision of the 46th Geo. 111. cap. 52, for
the Abolition of the Slave Trade. The seizure had been
nmde by a Mr. Wharton, waiter of the Customs of St.
Christopher, under a supposition that she had been ille-
gally exported to Sava, a Dutch settlement, and illegally
imported into St. Christopher, contrary to the tenour of
the aforementioned act.

Sir Christopher Robinson said that the construction of
the act should be put in motion with the greatest tender-
ness towards individuals. It appeared that Fanny Ford,
being a wild unmanageable child, was sent by her proprie-
tor to Sava, a Dutch settlement, for her education ; after
a lapse of years, she returned to the place of her birth,
St. Chistopher's, and was sold to the present appellant,
Miss Julia Conlelia Wigiev ; a seizure was then made of
ti e girl by a subordinate officer of the Customs, upon the
averment of illegal exportation to Sava. The seizure had
been confirmed by the Court at St. Chistopher's, where,
in his opinion, the meaning of the act had been over-I
strained ; he therefore felt bound to pronounce for the re-
vermkl of that sentence.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, DUBLIN, JOLT IS.
HAYDN CORR! U. BUNN, PROPRIETOR OF THE DUB-

LIN THEATRE.

This was an action to recover compensation for the
Ary iees of the plaintiff, his wife, and son.
111 r. Arthur Bush stated the case. The plaintiff was a
tear her of mmic, and his wife an actress of celebrity, of
wh.se services Mr. Bunn had availed himself, and now
!efi 1.4e41 payment. Mrs. Corn was engaged by Mr. Bunn
at a salary of 31. 108 a week, and had paid her up to the
2i et of March last, but for the week ending the 28th of
M.irch she never received payment. That being a par-
tiralar week in Lent, the Theatre was shut for two
and, making allowance for these two nights, her
cp.in: was redolved to 21. .ss. 4d. Mr. Corsi on two oc-
presWed at the pianoforte, for which he claimed
the sunt of three guineas for each occasion, and these
stuns, with the claims of remuneration for the services of
hi; son, and the expense of his dresses, which the Mane-
per outrht to have provided, made a total of 171. for
wllich the present action was brought. These claims
would be substantiated by the evidence, and therefore en-
tit'e the plaintiff to their verdict.
Mr. Caleraft examined—l am stage manager; the
pilintiff is a teacher of music; his wife is an actress ;
oir son is about 12 or 13 ; Mrs. Haydn Corsi per-
f nailed in Mr. Harris's time, and has now the same en-
gogement, 31. 10s. a week. She was ill in February for
a week, and did not perform. Mr. Bunn ordered her not
to he paid, but I afterwards paid her on my own respon-
sibility during Mr. Bunn's absence, she having threatened
not to perform unless she was paid. The last week in
March she did not perform, with the exception of, I be-
line, two nights. There were two nights on which she
refused to perform. Her salary for that week was
stopped, in order to meet the week in February for
which she had been paid. Mr. Corti attended and pre-
sided at the piano- forte, at the performance of Artaxerxes,
and also at the rehearsal. A guinea, I think, would be
a fair remuneration for each. The son performed in the
Beggar's Opera, and on three or four other occasions.
The father would not let him play any more unless he
was paid, and, as he was annouued in the bills, Mr.Bunn
ordered him to be sent for, and told him that an arrange-
ment for paying him should be made. I think half a guinea
a night would be adequate remuneration for him.
Cross-examined—l assisted in getting up Don Giovanni.
Mr. Corri's attending at the rehearsal with Mrs. Coni
V: OA a material assistance in getting up the piece. I paid
on- week's salary on my own responsibility, as her place
cou'_d not he filled up. The following week her salary
was stopped, and then she withdrew from the Theatre.
Rl r. Corn, after her withdrawal, put forward a claim for
his attendance at her rehearsal of Artaxerxes. In the
absence of Mr. Bunn I would have acquiesced in any
pi uposal rather than have the public disappointed.
Re-examined—The custom of the Theatre with former
proprietors was to pay performers while ill ; don't recol-
loot the messenger who went for Mr. Corn to attend the
rehearsal of Artaxerxes.

Chief Justice—This action seems to be brought for
one week's salary for Mrs. Corn, and for remuneration
for the service of Mr. Corn and Ms son.
Mr. O'Connell—Yes, my Lord.
Other 'witnesses were examined, and several letters re-
lative to Mrs. Corri's engagement put in and reel.
The Solicitor-General, for the defendant, addressed
the Jury, and said no manager of a theatre would be
safa if he were subject to the caprice of every performer
who chose, upon the most important nights, to come and
sly that they would not perform unless the manage- com-
plied with his or her terms. In no establishment was
s stem and regularity more necessary than in a theatre.
The Learned Gentleman concluded a most luminous
speech by calling on the Jury to dismiss this unfounded
claim of Mr. Corti.

Verdict for the plaintiff-101. 13s. 4d.
Fviturdav an inquisition was taken at St. Bartholomew's
Pospital, hefore W. L. Newman, coroner pro tern. for the
City of London, on the body of Jabea Christmas, a fine
boy, aged five years, the son of a turner in the Curtain-
roar:, Shoreditch,who was killed in the following dreadful
manner:—Ann lidg-arton, of Motley-street, stated, that
oi. Wednesday evening, about six o'clock, was in the
..tain-road, when she saw a timber-waAgon loaded with
dews passing, and three boys hanging ou a pole behind
the waggon. The deceased child was on the pavement,
mai run under the waggon between the fore and hind
wheel, and got over the pole underneath the waggon,when
tie, oil hind wheel knocked him down and went over his
body. She called for assistance; and he was taken to the
1 ospitnl. The jury consulted some time, and returned a
-ortliet of" Accidental Death," and affixed a deodand of 20s.