At Lewes Assizes, on Monday, Mr. Baron Huddle,ston and a
special jury tried, or rather began to try, for the matter was ultimately settled out of Court, one of the most extraordinary cases we ever remember to have seen adjudicated on in an English Court. If we are to accept the Times' report as accurate, which seems almost impossible, a certain Captain Pierson, who had employed an animal painter named Rosell to paint a picture for him, and had paid money on account for the same, when he could not get the canvas out of the artist, sent a serjeant of the military police and two soldiers in uniform, and had him arrested at a place called Ratchford Park. Against Mr. Rosell's will, the soldiers conveyed him to Esher Station, a distance of three miles, kept him there for half-an-hour on the platform, and then took him to Aldershot, where they arrived about 1 o'clock a.m., and reported to Captain Pierson, who had to be roused from sleep, that "the prisoner was there." After a little conversation, Captain Pierson gave the order, "Take him to the Provost's cells and lock him up," which was accordingly done. Next day the painter was liberated, but not till he had undergone a good many further indignities. The action, we presume, was for false imprison- ment, though it is not so stated in the Times' report. Ulti- mately, counsel on both sides saw the Judge in his private room, and the matter was settled on the payment by Captain Pierson-of "a certain sum," not specified, and costs. If, how- ever, the facts have been properly reported, the matter cannot stop here. We trust that Mr. Stanhope will order an investi- gation, and that if Captain Pierscn acted as alleged, no matter what may have been Mr. Rosell's behaviour, the War Office will show some signal mark of its displeasure. The arbitrary arrest and imprisonment of a cian should not be lightly passed over. We can hardly believe the Times account accurate.
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