January 21.] 
THE FIELD 
67 
from Piacenza to the mountain of Penna, partly for loco- 
motives and partly for horsea. 
Liability to Carry Packed Parcels.— A decision 
on tho long-contested point of the liability of railway com- 
panies to carry what are called “ packed parcels” has this 
■week been given in the Court of Common Pleas. Several 
years back certain persons commenced acting as agents for 
the collection of various small pnekages, which they made 
up into a few large ones, and forwarded to provincial towns, 
such as Sheffield, Glasgow, &c., where they caused the 
contents to be delivered to their respective addresses. A 
great convenience to trade was thus obtained, sinco the 
charge for each item was rendered so small that many things 
of the cheapest kind were transmitted backward and forward 
for samples or for alterations and repairs, which could not 
have been sent at all if the several owners had each had to 
pay for a distinct parcel. The London and North-Western 
Company, fancying that the system deprived them of large 
profits, endeavoured in the first instance to make a higher 
demand for all such parcels, but failed, because, as common 
carriers, they had no right to make one person pay more 
than another for the same description of service ; and they 
could never enforce the restriction with uniformity, 6ince, in 
that case, every box or parcel containing the slightest article 
for any individual other than the person to whom it was 
addressed must have been dealt with on the same principle. 
They refused, however, even after this, to abandon their 
resistance, and to accept the liability with good grace, as 
involving, for tho moment, an apparent loss, but ultimately, 
from the extension of business to which it would lead, a 
certain gain. Accordingly, it appears to have been resolved 
to put obstacles in the way by declining to transmit the 
obnoxious parcels, or those which they chose to regard as 
such, beyond the limits of their own line, which terminates, 
a9 respects Glasgow, at Preston, and as respects Sheffield, at 
Rugby. It was shown, however, that they continued to 
book all ordinary parcels to those towns in the usual manner, 
under an arrangement with the connecting lines ; and the 
point has now been settled that, as common carriers, they 
are not justified in making the fresh distinction they have 
attempted. “ They cannot,” it was observed by the Court, 
“soy they will carry for 99 persons to Sheffield, and as 
regards a particular person that they will only carry to 
Rugby.” As carriers to Sheffield for everybody else, they 
must carry in the same manner for the parties in question. 
Atlantic and Pacific Junction. — The plank road 
over the Isthmus of Tehuantepec is to be commenced in 
February. 
IgflJia Intelligent. 
GUILDHALL. 
Omnibus Casb. — An inquiry took place on Monday upon an 
adjourned summons against Mr. Macnamnra, requiring him to 
produce William Davis, a porson in bis employ, against whom 
there were two complaints made by Mr. Walton, of Ludgate- 
streot, — one for misbehaviour, in refusing to admit complainant 
into tho Barnet omnibus, and another for refusing to show his 
badge when requested. On the first hearing of the case an ob- 
jection was taken by Mr. Macnnmara to the effect that the 
omnibus was not plying for public hire at the time, hut was 
merely standing in the Post-office yard; and, ns that locality 
was private property, the journey had not commenced, and there- 
fore no offence against tho law had been committed. A long dis- 
cussion arose on Monday, in the course of which Mr. Alderman 
Moon gave his opinion that while the omnibus was standing in 
the yard of the Post-office, which was private property, it was 
not for public use, and the defendant could legally refuse to take 
a passenger until it came into tho public thoroughfare. Mr. 
Walton noticed the fact of the Post-office yard being used as a 
terminus. In answer to this, Mr. Alderman Moon said 
ho could not admit the fact, as the yard was locked up every 
night. Mr. Macnamnra said he had no desiro to reject pas- 
sengers, but on tho day in question the vacant places had been 
kept for persons who had paid their fares, and this was the only 
reason why a place had been refused to Mr. Walton. This 
summons was ultimately dismissed on tho ground stated. 
BOW STREET. 
Coinbrs Detected. — John Shirley, James Prcndcrgast, 
Thomas Hudson, liohert Ludwich, Elizabeth Ludwich (his 
wife), and George Prcudergast, were charged with uttering and 
having in their possession an immense quantity of counterfeit 
coin. A youth named Walters, who had seen the first two pri- 
soners going into severnl publichouscs under suspicious circum- 
stances, took occasion to caution one of the landlords, who imme- 
diately discovered that he had just received a base shilling from 
one of them, and consequently gave them both into custody. 
The prisoners were boys, and having stated that they received 
the money from ono of the other prisoners, the lodgings of the 
latter were visited and searched by Sergeant Brown, of the detec- 
tive force, who found about 200 counterfeit half-crowns, florins, 
and shillings in their possession ; all of them being executed 
with such extraordinary skill ns almost to defy detection. The 
woman and George Prendergust were acquitted, but the others 
wero all remanded for further examination. Tho principal wit- 
ness (Walters) was grossly assaulted outside the court by a 
companion of the prisoners, named Edward Taylor, who was 
afterwards placed at the bar to answer the charge, and fined 4 1. 
Ho was committed for six weeks in dofault. 
MARLBOROUGH-STREET. 
.Cruelty. — Charles Hodges, cabman, was charged by Hernant, 
one of the newly appointed inspectorsof cab horses, with excessive 
cruelty to a mare. Tho inspector saw the marc at night in a 
cab, and examined tho animal. It was miserably exhausted 
and out of condition, there being wounds all over it from long 
continued cruelty. The udder of the mare was cut to pieces, 
and bleeding, the thighs wero honeycombed” with whip wounds, 
and the defendants whip was soaked in blood. Mr. Bingham snid, 
lie had heard of a class of drivers who established the practice of 
beuting their animals in the most tender parts, and when I 10 found, 
as in this case, the whip dyed with blood und the animal tortured 
in the way described, he could believe tho statement, and, as I 10 
could find no excuse for such cruelty, ho should order tho de- 
fendant to ho imprisoned for a month. 
WORSHIP-STREET. 
OuTnAOEOUs Conduct op a Cah Driver. — Thomas Chilcott, 
a cabriolet driver, medal 10,957, was brought before Mr. D'Eyn- 
court, upon a charge of cruelly ill-treating and torturing his 
horse, and with assaults upon tho polico. It appeared from tho 
evidence that, about two o’clock on Sunday morning, ho was 
Been with his cab, containing four persons, driving at a furions 
speed along the KingBland-road, and nil tho timo lnshing tho 
horse with liis whip in a most unmerciful manner. — Policeman 
Loilhor, 108 N, shouted to him to stop, but he took no notice, and 
drove recklessly on, until ho at length pulled up and disposed of 
his furc. Another constable, Guy, 418 N, then wont and required 
to seo the number of his badge, but he refused to show it, and, 
with a back-lmndcd sweep of his arm, struck tho constable across 
tho mouth, uud knocked him down, saying, “ I’ll muzzle all you 
- — .” Leithor, the first-mentioned constable, having by that 
time come up, tho defendant, who was drunk, soizod him by tho 
throat, and, by a violent kick on tho log, got him down nl«o, 
exclaiming that ho would never let such a set of wretches 
take him. For a long timo ho withstood them both, and as they 
all lay struggling on tho ground he bit Guy’s fore finger. The 
springing ot a rattle at last brought other assistance, and he was 
secured and taken to tho station-houso. — Mr. Denis, an engineer, 
residing at Totten ham-terrace, snid he saw the defendant driving 
along with four persons in his cab, ns stated by the constable, and 
had uover seen nny thing more savage than his treatment of tho 
horse, which he lashed in such a way that the poor animal was 
bleeding dreadfully in several places. — Tho constable stated that, 
after the defendant hod been secured, they found the horse so 
utterly exhausted that they wero obliged to take it out of the 
shnlts, and themselves drag away the cab. — Mr. D'Eyncourt com- 
mitted tho defendant to hard labour in the House of Correction 
for three months; and his licence and badge being taken from 
him, ho will never again bo allowed the opportunity of venting 
his brutality upon an unfortunate cab horse. 
CLERIvENWELL. 
Tiie Acton MunnEn. — On Saturday Mr. Wildbore, who had 
been charged with being concerned iu the abduction of the hoy 
supposed to have been murdered, was ngain placed at tho bar. 
(Seo “Tiie Field,” of 14th January, p. 43.) The lad Jackson wns 
recalled, and, in answer to Mr. Hawkins, tho barrister, said, ho 
would not swear that ho had or had not pointed out another man 
ns the person who had taken the murdered boy away in a gig or 
chaise. Sergeant Earthy, 19 T., stated that he was, with 
another officer, investigating tho circumstances of this horrid 
murder. The lattor was in uniform, and witness in private 
clothes. On Jackson seeing him (witness), he accused him of 
being the person that decoyed the deceased from Old-strect. 
William Patten, a lad, residing with his father, at 4, Riding- 
house-lane, Portland-plnco, was now sworn, and said, that on 
Monday or Tueadny, nt the end of October last, he ran away from 
his father’s house, and, when going to his uncle’s in Golden-lane, 
the prisoner, whom I 10 recognised in tho Houso of Detention, 
asked him to take charge of the horse and cart in Old-street. It 
wns 7 o’clock in the evening. Tho prisoner came back in 10 
minutes with two boys, one of whom got into the cart, and was 
driven away by the prisoner, and the other went away. The 
witness here gave a description of tho prisoner nt tho time, and 
likewise of the horse, cart, and harness. Mr. Hawkins severely 
cross-examined the witness, who contradicted himself and tho 
other lad over and over again. Sergeant Gunn, G, stated that 
tho last witness picked out one set of harness from several on 
the prisoner’s premises on Friday. Mr. Danibl Griffin, 
of Golden-lane, harness-maker, uncle of tho witness Patten, 
said, that his nephew had run away ten times, at the 
least, in the last twelve months, and como to him. He 
could not say which was tho lost timo. Mr. Petbr Patten, 
father of the witness, stated that he was positive his son, who is 
very unsteady, ran away from him on a Saturday in October last. 
He wns quite certain he was away on a Sunday. He came back 
in six days. Sergoant Earthy was again called into the witness- 
box, and in answer to questions said, he saw the body of the 
deceased an hour after it had been discovered, and he judged that 
cleat), hnd taken place within 24 hours previously. It presented 
a fearful specta»i„ — the right eye was black partially down the 
cheek, and the bones ««« almost protruding through tho skin. 
Mr. Hawkins called several witnesses, cleanly Showed that 
Mr. Wildbore was not in town on the 81st of October wuu u;* 
horse and chaise ; that he came to London on that day by rail, 
and returned by the same conveyance ot 20 minutes to 6, after 
dining with Mr. Frederick Sewell, veterinary surgeon, at 
Waltham-cross, and that he then took tea with two nieces and a 
nephew, and did not leave home afterwards on that night. At 
the conclusion of this evidence he (Mr. Hawkins) sincerely 
trusted that the prejudice against his client would be dispelled, 
and that his friends would feel satisfied that he had been more 
sinned against than sinning ; nt the same timo he must say that 
Superintendent Martin and the other excellent officers hnd done 
no more than the circumstances of so horrible a case fully 
warranted. Mr. Corrie fully concurred with tho learned 
counsel, for he had not the slightest hesitation in declaring there 
was no evidenco whatever against Mr. Wildbore, and further that 
he disbelieved altogether the testimony of Patten. Even if the 
evidenco for tho defence had not boon given to-day, ho should 
have discharged the prisoner, believing him to he an innocent 
man. When the prisoner wns set at liberty, he was warmly and 
loudly cheered by his friends. 
tavern, m his usual impressive manner, which needs no 
commont being so well known to the brethren of the order, 
alter which Brother D. Gooch was duly installed W.M., who 
pimceeded to invest Brother Weaver as S.W., Brother 
in if !a tori A ’’ and , in a most a bl° an d efficient manner 
initiated five gentlemen into the art and secrets of tho 
nowWtp?^- Cr ’ 10 K ' lve tll ° charge, which is so often 
hr£ln d T 'i lany ° ds l 3 10 bo eiven t0 our now, y initiated 
.. . R lere was about thirty present ; among them wo 
Pm^i.?pp B ?i 1C r L °‘» M , ethuen * U. Grand Master of the 
Rev - y‘^l'cr Campbell, P. Grand Chaplain; 
Sm l T ’/- Grand Treasurer ; Brother Bridges, 
Iriim.rnpH ’ , After 4 the ^'emopy the brethren 
adjourned to the Lansdown Arms, and partook of n hanouet 
the full Tmn l™? 7 deH *u C ? ° f 8eason ’ and separated with 
P °“ thC , ir m u mds 0f tl,e w °rds contained i» 
the charge so ably given by the W.M. Brother Gooch 
JttMisimrg anh Iteoitir Intelligence. 
MEETINGS OF LODGES, &c. 
Monday, 23. — No. 4, Freemasons’ Tavern — No. 27, Thntched- 
liouse Tavern, St. James’s — No. 215, George and Vulture, Corn- 
hill— Chap. No. 25, Freemasons’ Tavern— No. 109, George and 
Vulture. 
Tuesday, 24. — Board of General Purposes, at 3 — No. 14, 
Freemasons’ Tavern — No. 109, London Tavern — No. 169, Free- 
masons’ Tavern — No. 219, Swan Tavern, Hungerford Market — 
No. 324, Thotchcd-house Tavern— Chap. No. 21, London Coffee- 
house. 
Wednesday, 25. — Lodge of Bonevolonce, at 7 — No. 2, Free- 
masons’ Tuvern — No. 745, Clayton Arms, Kennington Oval — 
Chap. No. 13, Woolwich. 
Thursday, 26. — Gen. Court Female School, Freemasons’ 
Tavern, at 12 — No. 36, Radley’s Hotel — No. 72, London Tavern 
— No. 79, Freemasons’ Tavern — No. 108, Freemasons’ Tavern — 
No. 116, Albion Tavern, Aldcrsgatc-stroct— Chap. No. 206, Fol- 
con Tavern, Fetter-lane— No. 248, Globe Tavern, Royal Hill, 
Greenwich. 
Friday, 27. — No. 40, Freemasons’ Tavern— No. 212, Free- 
mason's Tavern — No. 830, head-qunrters of the Hon. Artillery 
Company. 
Royal York Lodge op Perseverance, No. 7. — 
On Wednesday last the brethren of this lodge held their 
usual meeting at the Freemasons’ Tavern. The evening’s 
business was one initiation, four passings, one raising, and 
the installation of Brother Dr. Jones, the master elect. 
When it is stated that the whole of these ceremonies were 
Amusements. 
DRAMATIC FEUILLETON. 
Surrey Paiitomlrno.-Mlss Emily Saunders.— Vlctoria.-Tlio audience 
thcie. Classification of the Christmas pieces.-- Successor Theatres. 
January is passiug away, yet still there are pantomimes 
to be seen and reported upon ; they “ drag at each remove 
a lengthening chain,” and, nnfinishnblo ns they appear, will 
if I labour not the harder, last me till they lapse into the 
burlesques of Easter. H ad I at the outset been able to draw 
out a scheme of pantomime voyaging — a sort of dramatic 
sailing order— according to the’ merits of the pieces I was 
going to see, that of the Surrey Theatre would have occupied 
one of the earliest pluces in my lng-book. But I wasn’t 
able, for I ever distrust reports of dramatic performances, 
more especially those of the journals, which usually seem 
intended to make distinctions without differences between 
the best and the worst; and besides the crowd at the Surrey 
has been so overpowering that, although on two occasions ! 
managed to get in, I found it quite impossible to see what 
what was going on upon the stage, and actually once 
could not force my way to a private box through the 
conglomerated mass of human beings who thronged the 
box-lobby. I can’t endure crowded houses. I like un- 
successful managements which don’t deserve to be so (1 have 
seen such)— lessees verging towards bankruptcy, and 
consequently a fine air of gentility about tho house ; box- 
keepers obsequiously humble, and plenty of sparo room 
on the seats for one’s opera-glass, hat, and elbows. Per- 
haps Messrs. Shepherd and Creswick don’t agreo in 
my philo-managerial views, and are quite content with 
the successfully uncomfortable couditiou of their theatre. 
Certainly they must be making a fortune, and, by pro- 
ducing ono ot' tho best pieces of spectacle I have seon, 
they deserve to do so. Nothing shall ever again induco 
me to 8iun.pt a relation of a pantomime plot. I have 
done so several time, u ;t the se were but swindling 
transactions, for although I tola n .. ctfiry on ow ” 
authority, jet in truth I should have been in po,.r PCl 
darkness as to its facts, but for tho information vouchsafed 
by the Times or Chronicle. Who wants to know tiie story 
of a pantomime, or even of a burlesquo ? You go to see 
dresses, scenery, decorations, sky-blue ballet girls, alternating 
with silver tinsel fairies, songs from the musical ladies of 
the company — una voce., or il segreto put to slaug words — 
masks, banners, blue- fire, splendid transformation scene, 
and gorgeous ditto at the end ; Harlequin and Columbine, 
Clown and Pantaloon, and Sprite (no, hang tho Sprite, 1 
hate him — would thero were -no such thing!) all that goes 
to make up what in the picturesque language of the 
play-bills is called a “ blazo of triumph.” AH this you may 
see in perfection at the Surrey — even my personal enemy, 
Sprite, is kept down, so as to be almost inoffensive, and the 
general getting-up of the piece contrasts most favourably 
with what, only a few years ago, used to be thought good 
enough for the frequenters of the transpontine theatres. 
In those days, not remote, a manager was considered to 
have attained the ne plus ultra of liberality when, to repre- 
sent the fairy court in some moonlit glade or green island 
far over the sea, he presented to you some eight or ten 
respectable, but unornamented, mothers of families, dressed 
in glazed calico, and staggering through a feeble dance ; 
while a dirty Titania rose through a trap, ensconced in a 
bower of dim lamps, which reminded you of nothing so 
much as of one of the arcades at Vauxhall on a wet even- 
ing. Very different is the Surrey stage now — the scenery 
is good, the dresses excellent, the grouping and general 
arrangement admirable. Indeed, in certain matters, as for 
example the undeniable silk and velvet of the costumes, 
there is a decided rivalry of the magnificent managements of 
the Princess’s and Lyceum. Nor is there any want ofjudg- 
ment in the outlay ; the whole thing is admirably well 
done, and in excellent taste. For the rest, Clown, Harle- 
quin, Columbine and Harlequina (two sisters, Gunniss by 
name,) arc all good — Pantaloon excellent, the best I have 
seen. In the opening Miss Emily Saunders plays the most 
important part. This young lady has evidently modelled 
her style of acting upon that of Miss Woolgar (to whom, 
by the way, in figure she is not unlike), and plays just the 
sort of part— a kind of Prince Prcttyman — which Miss 
Woolgar would play in an Adelphi burlesque. I have not. 
the least doubt about Miss Saunders’s talent as an actress 
worked by Brother John Hervey, it will be readily conceived 
that the execution of them were alike creditable to himself 
and to the lodge, of which he is so distinguished a member. 
The following brethren wore invested on the occasion, viz., 
Brothers Lucas, S. W. ; Hoffman, jun., J. W. ; Sams, 
Treasurer; Hervey, Hon. Sec.; Brooks, S. D.; Lovinson, 
J. D. ; Adlard, Dir. Cer. ; and Harrison, Std. At the 
conclusion of the business, the brethren sat down to a most 
sumptuous banquet, provided by tho able and efficient 
proprietors of tho establishment in their best style. The 
fluent and appropriate remarks with which the W. M. 
prefaced the various toasts, together with the vocal harmony 
of Brothers Ransford and May, rendered the entertainment 
one of a most delightful character. About forty sat down 
to dinner, half of whom were visitors, amongst whom were 
Brother Massey Dawson, G.S. ; Brother D. Gooch, W.M. , 
No. 909, and D. G. M. for Wilts; Brother P. G. M., for 
Somerset; Brother G. Marriott, P.M. ; No. 12, Brother 
Dr. Norton, P.M. ; No. 12, Brother Palmer, W.M. ; No. 19, 
Brothers Honey and By water, P.M. ; No. 19, Brother 
Watson, P.G.S. ; Brother Evans, P.G.S., &c., &c. 
Tuesday, 17tii, Calne, Wiltshire, Town Hall.— A 
warrant being granted for a new lodge under tho title of tho 
Lansdown Lodge of Unity, No. 909, was consecrated by 
Brother W. Watson, P.M., No. 23, of the Freemasons’ 
— she sings, too, very nicely — and, though I shall -be sorry 
that ray friends at the Surrey should lose her, I must yet 
hope that she will soon cross the river, and be engaged at 
a theatre nearer my own haunts. One word of advice to 
her — like most English actresses, until they get experience, 
she over-rouges herself tremendously, so that it is impossi- 
ble to know from the boxes whether she is twenty or forty. 
As her age scarcely exceeds tho former date, this is a 
pity. 
Nobody shall say I don't do my duty by the pantomimos. 
I have not even neglected that at the Victoria — the “ dirty 
Vic.” as that tlieatro is correctly, but not politely, called. 
Goodness knows, I have not a delicate taste iu theatres; I 
dou’t want them all to be <1 1'eau de rose, like the Lyceum 
or Princess’s. I cun amuse myself very well at the Stan- 
dard or the Grecian; but really the Victoria is too unsa- 
voury a dish for my digestion. The neighbourhoods of tho 
Shoreditch and Hoxton theatres are quite as poor — poorer 
indeed— than that of the New Cut ; theatrical amusements, 
judging by tho fulness of the house, are uo less populur 
here than thero ; aad the audience may bo supposed to bo 
composed from the same classes, yet thero is an evident 
difference at the Standard; for instance, tho fustian-jackoted 
pit and shirt-sleeved gallery is usually quiet, well-behaved, 
and appreciative (this last quality was remarkably visible 
