The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-02-18 00:00:00

LATTbIAN V. SERLE.

This was an action brought to recsver the sum of
881.* 4s. for 4'2 weeks' rent of a furnished house at
Knightsbridge, against the Lady of Colonel Serie, to
which she pleaded her coverture.
It appeared, that some years ago 'Colonel Serle
martial the Defendant while on the Continent, with
whom he obtained a considerable fortune, and on
their return to this country, he took the house in
question for eight years, at the rent of two guineas
per week; which was regularly paid until the 42
weeks previous to bringing the present action. .In
the mean time Col. Serie, falling into embarrassed cir-
cumstances, became a prisoner in the King's Bench pri-
son, but the Defendant continued to reside in the house
at Knightsbridge, of which a Mr. Edwards, a young
Gentleman who had been educated by the Colonel,
and had acted for many years as his agent, was a con-
stant inmate. The Defendant had' been introduced
to, and visited by all the Colonel's friends and ac-
quaintances as his wife, but for the last eight years
they had not cohabited together, be being in the
King's Bench prison, and she residing at Knights-
bridge ; and to the astonishment of every one, about
eight months ago, the Colonel married a sister of
Edwards, from which time he refused to pay for the
lodgings, or to be accountable for any of the debts
she might contract.
Mr. Edwards, the Gentleman before alluded to,
proved on his direct examination, that ho went to
live in Colonel Serle's family, at the age of 18, and
had continued po to do ever since; that he had al-
ways acted as his agent during that period, and by
his express directions hired the house hi question for
Mrs. Serle, and paid the rent up to the time ,of the
Colonel's marriage with his sister, and by the desire
of Colonel Serle had resided in the house as a protec-
tion to his wife.
li you his cross-examination by Mr. TOPPING, he ad-
mitted he hadlivedallthistime in the house with Mrs.
Serie firmly believing she was the wife of Col. Serle,
l
but by some misconception of the questions, it was
supposed that this young Gentleman had admitted he I
had lived in a criminal manner with this lady ; how-
ever, upon his re-examination by Mr. GARRow, this
was eipliciily denied, and there appeared no grounds
whatever for an insinuation of the kind ; and it ap-
pearing that rent had been uniformly paid by direc-
tion of Col. Serle, and the Defendant had always
been considered and treated as his wife,
Lord ELLENBOROUGA thought there was no pre-
tence for the present action, and the Plaintiff was ac-
cordingly nonsuited.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, F. 17.
FORD V. FORD.
This was an action to recover damages for a breach
of a certain agreement mitered, into by the Defen-
dant.
It appeared from the statement of Mr. Serjeaut
SHEPHERD, that in consequence of the scarcity of
that descrlption of willow of which pill-boxes are
usually made, and which was imported from fifol-
laud, the Defendant, who is a very ingenious me-
chanic, invented a machine, by which he mender.- '
lured boxes calculated to answer all the purposes to
which the willow-boxes were devoted, of pasteboard.,
The Plaintiff hiving heard of the discovery applied
to the Defendant, who is his uncle, to purchase his
invention, and, aftei some negociatien, he agreed to
give the Defendant £OO guineas for three sets of the
machines, to make boxes of different sizes. Previ-
lous to the payment of the purchase-mousy; how-


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