Weekly News. — 1890-11-27 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

JUDGE AND JURY.  In the Queenls Bench Division, on Saturday, before Mr. Justice Stephen and a special jury, an action for libel was brought By Mr. E. W. Dover, solicitor in the City, against Mr. T. J. W. Buckley, proprietor and publisher of a paper called the Post Mayasine and Insurance Monitor, in which the libel was published. The defendant paid 40a. into court. The libel reflected on e plaintiff in reference to the defence in an action against an incur. ance company for which he acted as solicitor. The plaintiff denied in the witness-box that there was any foundation whatever for the libel.—No evidence was called for the defence, it being stated that the defendant now freely admitted that the libel was unjustifiable, and expressed his regret for having published it. —The jury found • verdict for the plaintiff for the amount paid into court, but required a complete retractation of the libel by the defendant in his own and certain other papers.—Mr. Waddy asked for judgment for the defendant on the verdict, remarking, with regard to the rules, that his client would take care to do what was right.— The SolicitorGeneral submitted, on behalf of the plaintiff, that this was no verdict at all. It was nonsensical. This extraordinary conclusion was not legal decision of the case, which would have to :4). for trial again. —Mr. Justice Stephens suggested whether the matter could not be brought to an end.—A juryman : Will your lordship hear the jury aa to their meaning P—The judge: No, sir, you have said more than you ought to have said. (Laughter.) A practice has grown up of jurymen Venturing observations on things that come before them which I think is most improper, and opposed to the character of trial by jury.—Mr. Waddy said he was prepared to leave the matter in his lordship's hands. After some discussion, the learned judge said that in the circumstances, and having regard, as far as possible to the finding of the jury, he thought the proper result would be a verdict for the plaintiff for five guineas damages, with judgment for the plaintiff for that amount and costs, on the understanding that the defendant would publish an apology and undertake not to publish any more copies of the libel. Counsel assented and judgment was given accordingly.  Three men accused of breaking into the Museum of Rouen, and stealing a large quantity of rare medals and manuscripts have been tried and convicted of the crime. The one who actually committed the robbery was sentenced to eight years penal servitde; the man who assisted him got five years' imprisonment, and the person who disposed of the goods for them throe years'l all the r.lanu• scripts except one have been recovered and restored to the Museum, and most of the medals have also been traced and repurchased. The principal criminal gave his name as Piedad, hut this is supposed to be false. He speaks five languages, and bas in his time played many parts, from an interpreter to gymnast aud in actor on the lyric stage,  A severe typhoon occurred in the middle of ilktober in the China Sea, whereby a large number of native craft was destroyed. The steamer Rosetta suffered, but weathered the gale. There is severe distress in the Yellow River district. Crops are bad a.ol the outlook for the winter is serious. Lieutenant 0. S. Ruipell. of the 7th Field Battery Itr,yal Artillery, cot, suicide at the Ileers' Shortielilf, on Suit iv event tnr. p• ,; wus f ,nna field by  W'tif With ft r r Ua' churcli naritie in tiie na