The Express. — 1847-10-05 (London, England)

BAILIFF'S FOL, LOWEIL—J. Bray, aged 68, was charged with anaulting the wife of • person es when house he was appointed to keep ponession.—Mr. T. C. Lewis, music-seller, of No. 96, Cheapaide, amid the defendant was left in possession of his premises from the Sheriff.' Court, open a judgmeut for 191. odd, and had been in pension three wnks. Since he had been there witness slept out, his wife, two children, and a servant being left on the premises. On Friday morning he could fled no one except the defendant, and his young man and boy in the shop. Hits bedroom was in disorder, and the bed and bedstead were in the middle of the room, the drawer, against the door, and all in confusion. He asked the defendant what had transpired during his absence. He answered with such insulting language concerning his wife that he threatened to knock defendant down, and he replied " Oh, lam in possession, and I dare you to do it. I have arms in my possession, and I will use them." He afterwards repeated the offensive words with still more disgusting additions in the presence of the sheriff 's officer, who ordered him out, end, added the plaintiff, I knocked him down in the shop. He then declared that he would cut my own and my wife's throat.—Mrs. Mary Ann Lewis, wife of the last witness, said : On Friday I went to a friend's house, and returned home at 10 o'clock. I took off my bonnet, end was going up stain, and the defendent stood between me and the door, and said, "Now you cannot pass without giving me a kiss." He used exceedingly gross and abstain language, and I threw up the window and screamed for the police. He followed me and seized me by the arm and pulled me away, and I ran up stain to my bedroom and put a chest of drawers against the door, and he tried to get in. I was in such a state of agitation I could not go to bed at all, end he remained outside the door. The witness then stated that she felt reluctant to increase her husband's troubles by telling him what had occurred. The defendant, however, continued hie solicitations on another night, regardless of the presence of Mrs. Lewis's sister-in-law, who, teeing an open razor in his hand, threw up the window and called out "murder." The police, however, would not take him into custody uhe was in possession. For the first time then he used expressions against her reputation, and the annoyance became so intolerable thee exposure became indispensable—Mrs. Hughes stated that she went to sleep with Mrs. Lewis in the absence of that lady's husband, and witnessed the extraordinary nature of the persecution with which the old fool harassed the poor woman.—Bray said the story had gathered a great deal in the telling, and that he had never used any threats, for indeed there was no occasion for any.—The Lord Mayor said the case was a very aggravated one, for the defendant bad not only taken advantage of the distressed condition of the family, but was base enough to reflect upon the character of the lady upon being steadily repulsed.—He was committed for trial. Bmtrooeteo.—Three men, named Lambridge, Rake, and Chip, who have been employed on board the Venezuela, steamer, from Ostend, were charged with having on board a quantity of tobacco, on which the duty had not been paid.— C. A. Davie, officer of the customs, stated that in consequence of information which lie had received, he went on board the Venezuela with an officer. In the bow of the vessel they discovered a pack, containing 65 packages of leaf and three packages of manufactured tobacco. When Rake saw them he shook most violently, and upon being asked whether he had got the ague made some confused and unintelligible answer. Chip, however, talked about a little cold steel for them—lnspector Evans confirmed the account given by the officer. —The prisoners were each of them convicted, and fined in the penalty of 1001.