The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1846-06-30 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

EXTRAORDINARY CONVICTION UNDER LORD CAMPBELL'S LIBEL ACT. Maria Fountain, aged twenty-one, a quiet, modestlooking young woman, described as a morning governess, was indicted at the Central Criminal Court, on Monday. under Lord Campbell's Libel Act, for attempting to extort money from the Rev. W. Nivin by threatening to publish libels concerning him.  The prosecutor said he did not know the prisoner until he received a no'e from her, stating that she had something to cornrounica'e to him of great importance, and begged that he would call upon her. He replied that it was not his cusZorn to call upon persons with whom he was unacquainted. He received another letter, stating that some slanders had been utterred by a Missßichardson, residing in Brompton, to the effect that he had been observed to pay several visits to her sister Caroline, staying several hours; that this slan ler was going the round of the neighbourhood and was doing her great injury ; that she meant to bring an action against Miss Richardson, but thought if his name were mixed up ire the affair it might injure him asa clergyman of the Church of Eng-land, and that unless 4he gut his consent she would proceed no further in the matter. Knowing Miss Richardson very intimately, he took very little notice of that and several other letters which he received from the prisoner, until he received one which he thought required some attention. He, with a confidential friend, went to the prisoner's house, and they were there told again that Miss Richardson had uttered some gross slanders concerning them. His friend then called on Miss IL, and made her acquainted with the charge which was made against her; and, on her denying having uttered a word concerning them, he took his leave. Sonic other letters pas,ed, after which prosecutor received a letter threatening him with an action for libel, and stating that hie wife and Miss Richardson having uttered slanders of her sster, proceedings would be commenced. A; writ was served on him a short time after, and at different times he receivedthese words thr:e—e more Nowore thatte letters, our thefun dxfiisaotrwelo which exhausted, which ati escdotisaa pipupady . to you, as the injurnr, to know what course you mean to pursue towards us." This letter he did not answer. The n-at letter, hinting that prosecutor had paid improper attentions many parts of to prisoner's sister five year's previous, said, "I shall advertise our case, with our names (as wen h%vse.Og family to disgrace), in the Times, Chronicle, a Post." And endeavour to and accusations made against prosecutor with regard to prisoner's sister. save,Aep ncYdhyaloen'ut.ot Ibte another youar distress letter mweailnlwsweai nasnscami s:oemPr read, complained of, The following is an extract from one of her letters :—" ask you, calmly and dispassionately, what were your attentions to my sister five years ago ?" The prisoner, after these letters, threatened to communicate and lay the whole particulars before Archdeacon Sinclair and the Bishop of London, which she did. The letter to the Bishop of London was then read. It contained charges made against witness in connexion with prisoner's sister.  The prosecutor deposed that, except as one of his congregation, he had never seen the prisoner or her sister, and had never spoken to either.  Miss Richardson and Mrs. Nivin were afterwards called, both of whom stated that they had never spoken to the pri,oner or her sister. Juhn M'Naughten, formerly beadle to the prosecutor's church, said that on the 27th of May a vounz man came to him, and offered him money on condition that he would aff,rd Miss Fountain al: the information he was master of in regard to Mr. Nivin, which he refused to do. Twelve jury, . h .Parrymiveovaeirhm, saie an able imprisonment returned eiscioaddress mveerndtverdict ftn tfho the defence. Guilty. uhlot house ee esonef ne. T c, eonrere_ e The tion, The C  _ be Court of Exchequer has decided that if a man voluntarily kills himself, whether sane or not, a policy of assurance on his life, containing the usual clause relative to persons dying by their own hands, is void.' A verdict given in favour of the widow on five policies fur £909 each, effected in the Argus office by a gentleman wbo cena milted suicide whilst labouring under insanity, was, therefore, set aside.