ARIGNA MINING Couesszy.—Among other companies (some good, many bad—some feasible,
many extravagant) which the year 1824-5, fertile in bubbles, produced, was a company for working the Arigna mines in Ireland. These mines were represented to be of great richness, the quality very superior, and nothing bat capital was wanted in order to convert their iron into gold. A company was formed ; and, as a necessary preliminary to the intended transmutation-, the mines were bought of the existing holder, a Mr. Flattery—a most appropriate name for the occupier of such an improvable property. The late Sir William Congreve was the agent in effecting the purchase ; anti with him were joined a Mr. JoseplizsClarke, Mr. Henry Clarke, brother of Joseph, and several others. These gentlemen bargained with Mr. Flattery, from whom they obtained the mines, for 10,000/ ; and, determined that they should be as early productive as possible, they charged the simple-witted ' shareholders 25,0001. Of this sum, 1,0001. dropped, as it were, by accident, into the pocket of Mr.-Brogden, Chairman of Committees of the House of Commons, at that time and stilt a very consistent enemy of all reform. This accident, though he explained it to the perfect satisfaction of his friends, yet cost Mr. Brogden his chair ; for it may be
• observed of the House, that it is for the most part inexorable to pecca- dilloes real or imputed, and on that account it can the better afford to pass over great crimes. Another thousand dropped into the pocket of a Mr. Bent ; and the remainder was variously distributed among the worshipful the Directors of the new mining company. It is more than probable, that had the company turned out in other respects a profitable concern, the shareholders would never have bestowed a thought about the 15,0001. overcharged ; but as, notwithstanding every effort on the part of the directory, the iron not only refused to turn into gold, but, on the contrary, threatened very hard to turn all the gold of the • shareholders into iron, the latter began to cast about and to investigate the terms of the bargain which hung so heavy on their hands ; and the result was the discovery of the original transfer to the directors for 10,0001., and the secondary transfer to the real purchasers for 25,000/. The first consequence of the discovery was a great deal of clamour and • crimination, a great many meetings and resolutions, and lastly, an action for the purpose of recovering for the hehoof of the shareholders the sum of which they had been defrauded. Although the case was one which a Turkish Cadi could have decided with perfect justice to all parties in the space allotted to the smoking of a pipe and a half, it has occupied the superior wisdom of our courts for several years. The final hearing did not commence until Thursday last week ; and as there was almost nothing to be said on either side, there were thirteen lawyers engaged, in order to make a good story of it. These gentlemen exhausted their invention and their breath by Saturday night ; and the Solicitor-General having reinvigorated himself with the rest of Sunday, was, on Monday, about to reply, when the Vice-Chancellor, before whom the case was tried, saved him the trouble, by at once pronouncing judgment in favour of the shareholders. The shareholders will thus have the mines for the 10,0004 originally paid to Mr. Flattery,—that is to say. if they should succeed, having now the law in their favour, in giving effect to the Vice- Chancellor's judgment, by obtaining that restitution which he has de- creed ; and the works may be now prosecuted with a prospect of it fair, if not an ample remuneration, for the capital hitherto so uselessly ex- pended on them.
SEDUCTION OF Miss Aimis HY MAJOR DC:NDAS.---We gave from the Morning Herald an account of this transaction at the time it took place. The conduct of the principal delinquent, Major Dundas, was then repre- sented in somewhat darker colours than the facts elicited at the trialof the case confirmed ; at least no force nor restraint was employed—the young lady, how deeply soever injured, was a voluntary agent in her own disho- nour. The trial took place in the Exchequer Court, Dublin, on the2Gth of May. The principal witness was the sufferer, Miss Eliza Frances Adams, second daughter of the Reverend Mr. Adams, Dean of Cashel. The young lady is described as pretty, and as having given evidence with much distinctness. The following is the substance of it. The parties first met near Black Rock, where the ladies and their parents were re- siding for sea-bathing, in the beginning of July last year : on the 12th, Major Dundas accosted Miss Adams and her two sisters, and asked them a number of questions—such as whether they all lived in the same house —whether they had a papa and mamma—to which the young ladies seem to have answered very readily. On the lGth they again met, when another string of interrogatories occurred; the object of which was to prevail on the Misses Adams to accompany Captain Dundas and a com- panion to Rosstrevor. On the 21st, Miss Eliza and her youngest sister met Captain Dundas in company with Lord Dorchester ; when the . gentlemen introduced themselves by name, and in return begged to know the Christian names of the young ladies; which they tolithem. Captain Dundas then asked Miss Eliza if she would go and be his wife ; and Lord Dorchester put the same question to Miss Caroline ; and the young ladies replied that they would accompany the two officers (one of whom they had known for nine days, and the other for one) if they were sure they were to be married. Lord Dorchester said there was a clergy. Anan at Dundalk, whom they could take on the car to Newry, and who would marry them there. It was then arranged that the officers should be in waiting at Mr. Adams's lodgings that night, and that they should . give the signal to the two ladies by tapping on their window. The „parties set out according to this appointment at eleven o'clock at night. Instead of proceeding to Newry. as at first proposed, they were prevailed • :ort to go to Lord Dorchester's lodgings in the barracks. Miss Frances was shown to her bedroom by Captain Dundas, who remained with her fora part of the night. Miss Caroline refused to stay with Lord Dor- chester, and was in consequence allowed to go home. Captain Dundas, according to Miss Eliza's evidence, renewed his promise of immediate marriage when they arrived at Lord Dorchester's. Next morning, the truth came out, that Captain Dundas was already married, and Miss -Eliza also went home. Some witnesses were examined, who described the family of Mr. Adams as remarkable for their simplicity, to which a country education had greatly contributed. The jury retired, and after three.quarters of an hour's absence returned a verdict—damages 3,500!. Majorikundas's fortune was estimated at 90,000/. [Juries have strange
whims: the other day, they recommended to mercy of le of the most atro- cious and indefensible cases that ever came before a court of justice, and Government, to its inexpiable disgrace, listened to the recommendation.]
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