'br Vrtrufutio.
A large number of Liberals, obedient to the summons of Mr. Hume, met in one of the Committee-rooms of the House of Commons on Tues- day. Mr. Hume explained, that he had called them together as he thought it desirable that the advocates of Reform should have an oppor- tunity of consulting respecting Lord John Russell's bill. Even if they could not procure the modifications that seemed desirable, he would recommend the Liberal party to support the bill as a whole, rather than run any risk of endangering it by insisting too pertinaciously upon what they deemed improvements. It was a large and comprehensive measure ; and if it became law, it would do great service to the cause of Reform. In the discussion that followed, many objections were taken to details, but especially to what is understood to apply to the representation of minorities. It was strongly urged that in the provisions regulating the household franchise in towns the word "rental" should be substi- tuted for " rating " ; and it was felt that the period of residence required of the six-pound householders was too long. But the new franchises and proposed disfranchisements gave universal satisfaction. Ultimately, after three hours' discussion, it was unanimously resolved to support the second reading. Another meeting is to be held to decide what steps shall be taken with regard to the " minority " clauses.
At a meeting of the National Reform Association, on Wednesday,—Sir Joshua Walmsley in the chair,—a resolution was carried unanimously, declaring that while Lord John Russell's Reform Bill falls short of what is due to the unenfranchised, and requires some amendments, "it never- theless deserves the strenuous support of all Reformers, as a large and valuable instalment of the objects they seek." Mr. Hume, Mr. W. J. Fox, and the chairman, strongly urged the country to support the bill.
The inquiries of the City Commission were brought to a close on Thursday. Mr. Labouchere said, that as at present advised, all the Com- mission had to do was to consider its report ; but if upon consideration it should be desirable to take further evidence, due notice would be given.
A meeting of merchants, traders, and bankers of the City of London, was held on Saturday, for the purpose of considering the best method of extending the operation of the Metropolitan Association for Improving the Dwellings of the Working Classes. Mr. Thomas Baring occupied the chair, and a great number of gentlemen of station and influence were present. The speakers attest the character of the assemblage : they were Mr. Hubbard, Governor of the Bank of England, Mr. Prescott, Mr. Cotton, Lord Stanley, Lord Ebrington, Mr. Tottie, Mr. Thompson Han- key, Mr. Morley, Lord Claude Hamilton, and Lord Radstock. The re- solutions stated, that many sanitary and social evils afflicting the la- bouring classes are caused by insufficient and inferior accommodation ; that the operation of the Metropolitan Societies had shown how those evils were to be removed ; and that this object can moat readily be effected through the instrumentality. of the Metropolitan Association, in which the liability of shareholders is limited to the amount of their shares. The speakers all admitted the necessity for improvement, and the commercial men answered for the commercial soundness of the remedy proposed.
Another Sailors' Home was opened at Poplar on Tuesday, in the pre- sence of Admiral Lord Byron, Admiral Sir George Sartorius, and Admiral Sir Edward Parry. The house will accommodate fifty inmates ; with a reading-room and dining-room attached, open to men connected with tie docks and shipping.
At a meeting of the Court of Directors of the East India Company, on Wednesday, Lord Harris was appointed Governor of Madras.
The Lord Mayor of London intends to invite Lord Raglan, and the officers of both services about to proceed to Turkey, to a banquet at the Mansionhouse on the lIth March. The long-standing case of Lumley versus Gye was brought to a conclusion on Wednesday, after occupying the Court of Queen's Bench three successive days. Sir Frederick Thesiger was the leading counsel for Mr. Lumley, and, the Attorney-General for Mr. Gye. The charge was, that Mr. Gye. had induced nduced Miss Wagner to break her engagement with Mr. Lumley, whereby the plaintiff had lost divers large sums of money : da- mages were laid at 30,0001. A. great number of witnesses were examined, and Mr. Gye himself appeared in the witness-box. The details of the case are very complicated; but the statements on either side appear to be these. In 1861, a Dr. Becher, authorized by Mr. Lumley, concluded an engage- ment with Miss Wagner to sing- at Her Majesty's Theatre in the season of 1862: Mr. Lumley was to pay 3001. in advance on the 15th March ; but the term of payment was subsequently extended, as Miss Wagner had requested a postponement of her defeat. On the strength of this engagement, Mr. Lumley announced the name of Miss Wagner in his programme for the season. In the mean time, Mr. Gye had induced Miss Wagner, by larger offers, and, it was alleged, by representations injurious to the credit of Mr. Lumley, to sign an engagement with him, he knowing that Miss Wagner was under contract to sing at the rival house. On the part of Mr. Gye, it was shown by letter and by the evidence of Mr. Gye himself, that he had offered Miss Wagner an engagement to sing at his theatre as early as January 1851, which offer Miss Wagner could not then accept; that early in 1852 Mr. Gye saw Miss Wagner in Berlin, and she, then being engaged to sing at Mr. Lumley's theatre, accepted a conditional engagement to sing at Covent Garden in 1853. Mr. Gye, meanwhile, found that Miss Wagner did not come to England, and he went to Hamburg, where she then was, to see whether there was anything that prevented Mr. Lumley from carrying out his contract. He saw Miss Wagner; found, on the 5th April, that the stipulation in the contract for the payment of the 3001. by the 15th March had not been fulfilled ; and, considering the contract broken by that failure, offered Mies Wagner 2000/.-1000/. down—to perform at Covent Garden for two months of the season of 1852. The offer was accepted, and Mr. Lumley lost his prima donna. In the course of the trial, several witnesses were called to show the da- mage sustained by Mr. Lumley through Miss. Wagner's breach of contract. Dresses, costing several hundred pounds, had been prepared for the repre- sentation of the Prophets and the _Huguenots, and expense was incurred in copying music. It was stated, that during the thirty-nine nights of Jenny Lind's performance in 1847 the receipts were 45,9241., whereas for the whole fifty-six nights in 1852 the takings were only 28001. There was a "Lind fever," and there would have been a " Wagner fever" : the loss was caused by the non-appearance of Miss Wagner ; and Cruvelli and Lablaehe per- formed to empty boxes. In consequence of the disappointment, the pay- ments of Mr. Alleroft for boxes sank from 50001. to 150/. ' • and Mr. Mitchell, who had taken boxes and stalls for sixty-six nights, put an end to his con- tract at the end of the forty-seventh night. Mr. Mitchell paid in all 10,6001., and lost 50001. ; Mr. Lumley gave up 48001. It was sought to be shown by cross-examination that the boxes were empty because Sontag, who had not, been paid her last year's salary, would not come; that Fiorentini could not get paid, and went away; that Cruvelli only sang when she got paid; and that Cerito was not there. An effort had been made to take Miss Wagner's evidence at Berlin, by com- mission ; but it was frustrated by local difficulties. The Prussian judge in- sisted on conducting the examination according to Prussian forms. Only one witness was allowed to be in the room, and neither the plaintiff nor the defendant. The oath_ administered was not the English oath, but a Prussian form of adjuration. The examination had not got far before the judge in- sisted on new forms, and the sitting broke up with protests on either side. It was then discovered, that, the oath having been adnainistered, the Wagners could be examined without the presence of a Prussian judge, provided they were willing. But this they declined. - Lord Campbell summed- up with great impartiality, and submitted three questions to the Jury. Upon the question of whether the agreement between the plaintiff and Mdlle. Wagner remained in force on the 5th of April, when the agreement was .signed between her and the defendant, the Jury found for the plaintiff, in the affirmative. Upon the second question, of whether the defendant induced Mdlle. Wagner to break her agreement with the plain- tiff; the Jury also found for the plaintiff, in the affirmative. Upon the third question, of whether the defendant knew that the agreement between the plaintiff and Mdlle, Wagner remained a binding agreement when he entered into an,agreement with her on the 6th of April, the Jury found in the nega- tive, for the defendant. Verdict for the defendant.
The Count de Seraincourt brought an action in the Court of Queen's. Bench against Mr. George Hudson, to recover damages for a breach of contract. The Count desired to purchase 20,000 tons of iron on account of Continental railways. He was introduced to Mr. Bramwell, an agent of Mr. Hudson, and a contract was entered into for the 20,000 tons. But some mistake oc- curred as to the terms of the contract; Mr. Hudson contending that he gave no authority to Mr. Bramwell to insert an optional clause in the contract. Count Serameourt tendered the deposit required, and also the whole coat of the iron; but it was useless, for Mr. Hudson:insisted that he had not entered into the contract. It was alleged by the plaintiff's counsel, that Mr. Hudson did not object to the contract until the price of iron rose; but that was dis- proved. Lord Campbell said, both sides had conducted the whole matter in perfect good faith ; and it would, be for the Jury to say whether Mr. Bram- well, in, making the contract, had exceeded his instructions. The Jury re- turned a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages 40001.
At the Middlesex Sessions, on Tuesday, George Allen was tried for ob- taining money on false pretences from a loan society. He borrowed 51., de- claring that he was twenty-three years of age ; when he had repaid part, he said be could pay no more ; summoned to the County Court, he pleaded "infancy "—he was not twenty-one when he borrowed the money ; the de- cision was against the loan society. Allen was now prosecuted for falsely declaring that he was of age when he borrowed the money. To convict him, his mother was called as a witness. She was very much affected. She stated that her son, would be only twenty-two next March. In cross-exa- mination, she said she was only subpoenaed the day before ; that her husband had deserted her, and sines that unfortunate occurrence her son had not only Supported her but her four other children. The loan was obtained solely for the use of his father ; and if at the lime he had misstated his age, she thought, from the good character he had always borne, he must have madea mistake. Mr. Parry remarked on the harshness of calling this poor wo- man to convict her son, and was proceeding to show that the prisoner had not contemplated a fraud, when the Assistant-Judge, who had been care- fully examining the indictment, found a flaw in it which put an end to the ease: the money obtained was represented as belonging to the treasurer of the loan society—it really belonged to the society in general. Sergeant Adams avowed that he had been looking very closely into the indictment in consequence of the painful scene caused by the mother's having been summoned as a witness. A verdict of acquittal was then given, to the satis- faction, apparently, of every one except the prosecutor.
Mr. John Clernmitt, proprietor of Clemmitt's Inn in the Old Bailey, has been summoned to Qu _hall Police Office for having more than fifty pounds of gunpowder in his possession. Large quantities of gunpowder are sent to the inn by Messrs. Pigou and Co. to be.forwarded to divers places; at the time of the alleged offence there were nine casks on the premise; and ten morejust arrived in a cart. It was explained, that the ten casks were to have been immediately transferred to a waggon and sent away. Alderman Carter viewed these casks as really in transitu; but the other nine casks, weighing 697 pounds, he pronounced to be forfeited ; and he inflicted a fine of 2s. for every pound beyond fifty, the legal limit; Mr. Clemmitt not hav- ing used "due diligence" in removing the dangerous article. James Brooke has been committed by Alderman Moon for stealing three gold watches and chains. From the ingenuity he exhibited in effecting the theft, he is evidently a very dangerous person. lie was arrested for attempt- ing to rob Mr. Birchett, and he failed in another attempt ; when captured. he had the spoil of his successful crime in his possession. As the plan he adopted in the three oases was very similar, it will suffice to relate the one in which he succeeded. He went to Mr. Benson, a jeweller in Cornhill, and represented that he was an inspector of police ; that he and two other in, specters had succeeded in recovering for a gentleman 5000/. of which he had been robbed ; the gentleman was grateful, and intended to give each in- spector a gold watch and chain, and Brooke was to select them. He picked out three, worth 941. 10s. These he took into his possession, proposing to carry Mr. Benson to the gentleman that he might receive payment. The two went in a cab to York Place, Pentonville. Mr. Benson was left in a front room, while the " inspector " entered an adjoining one, professedly to communicate with "the gentleman,"—in fact, he left the house by a back- door, carrying off Mr. Benson's watches and chains. The rogue had well planned the proceedings at York Place. He had hired the apartments, tell- mg the landlady he was an inspector ; that he expected a man to pass for whom
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he was on the watch ; that he intended to get this man into the front room, and then leave by the back-door and get assistance to arrest him. Mr. Benson was made to represent this dangerous character! the servant readily opening the door for the zealous inspector to hasten for aid. Mr. Benson and the cabman both got impatient, and the villany was discovered. When arrested, Brooke said he had been driven to the crime by distress. Mr. Goalen has been fully committed by the Marylebone Magistrate on charges of defrauding the Loudon and North-Western Railway Company. A serious investigation has been carried on at the Westminster Police Court, this week. On Saturday the Police brought in a young Belgian woman, whom they had found in the streets in her night-clothes. She said she had escaped from a house in Denbigh Street, Vauxhall Road, where she had been kept in confinement. The information she gave led to the arrest of a man named Adolphus Harrison. He was brought before the West- minster Magistrate on Wednesday, and there the young Belgian told part of her story. She said her name was Alice Leroy. Harrison had induced her to leave Brussels, and to come to London, about four months ago, promising to get her abundance of work at a house of business. When she arrived in London, she was taken by Harrison to the house of a Madame Denis, in Denbigh Street, Vauxhall Road. There she was kept in confine- ment. Harrison was a constant visitor. Other women were there, and gentlemen came, once "an old Marquis," at another time "a Greek Prince," to whom the poor Belgian was shown off. Speaking of Harrison's visite, she said—" Ho did not speak of any work for me in her presence ; work was never spoken of, nor the house of -business.' I never asked about it, for I saw before I had been there long for what purpose I had been brought. &lora I had been there long, I heard Madame Denis say to Harrison that he must write to this Lord and the other Lord ; when he replied, You must wait till Parliament House opens.' I heard it several times. I heard her say, 'You must go and- see at the clubs.' He said sometimes, have been ' ; some-
times, will go.' "
Po far the evidence in court. The remainder of the story, as told by the girl to the Police, is that Madame Denis induced her to go to Paris, and there connived at her violation by "-a gentleman." She was then brought beak to London and kept in the house.]
The examination was abruptly broken off because the girl was exhausted. The Magistrate refused bail for Harrieou.
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