LAW INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 105, 23 October 1863, Page 4

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

Court of thb Common Plba.s.—lst April. (Fool's Day.) muff v. rose®. This was a rule calling upon Count Eosco (stated by Mr Wilkie Collins to reside generally at St. John's Wood, London, but at present on a visit in Little Britain) to show cause why criminal proceedings should not be taken against him for a cruel and malicious libel on the Right Honorable John Muff. 31r Edwin James, Q.C., appealed for the plaintiff, and argued the case with his usual ability. The Chief Justice said the counsel might take a rule nisi. [Soon after.vards, appears the following. J HUFF V. FOSCO. This wrs the great libel case. The Right Hon. John Muff had abandoned the idea of criminal proceedings, by the advice of his solicitor, and decided on a civil action for damages, Mr Ed win James, Q.C., appeared for the plaintiff; the Attorney-General for the defen-: dant. Mr E. James opened the case with a splendid speech of two hou s' duration. The learned counsel was frequently affected to tears as he pleaded the heartrending circumstances of his client's case. Having completely saturated two cambric handkerchiefs, he was forced to restrain himself for want of materiel. 'The opening speech being concluded, he called The Right Honorable John Muff (the plaintiff), who deposed that he was formerly a carpenter, but now a gentleman, and had a seat iu the Cabinet: that he was the individual alluded to by Eosco, in ■" Letters fron Little Bri'ain, No. 9," as beiug the promoter of the Zig-Z-ig Railway > in lieu of the straight, one; as being in a_state of beer; and as being the brother of the Poet Laureate ; that he considered himself grossly insulted by Fosco. and would never rest till he had his money or his life. Cross-examined—How do you know you are the John Muff mentioned ? Because the description is so like me in everything. Are not the Muffs a very large family in Little Britain 1 I believe go. Is your brother Donald really the Poet Laureate ? He assumes the name, but I think what he calls poetry is iafeinal bosh. (Applause.) Did not Mr Donald Muff write "Evergreena. lines to a bleeding no-ie," "Gee-wo, or the lovers,'' and other songs r I believe he wrote some dog^rel of the sort. [Here xVlr Donald Muff, who was in Court, could not contain himself any longer, but jumping up, shrieked out tlie original lines — "Perjured wretch, my feelings I sm<;ther, But thou has been the cause of this anguish, my brotl e:'."] The Chief Justice sternly interposed, and ordered the irate Foet into custody for fortyeight hours, for contempt. Cross-examination continued, did you not urge the railway fb be made in a zig-zag course, and threaten to resign if a bend of ten miles was not made to your property ? That was false, the length of the bend was only 9 9-10th miles. Were you not in a "state of beer" at the secret Council ? No, I had only taken six. bottles. The Attorney General here observed, # would be necessary to drop the plea of justification, the defendant's account was so evidently untrue; he therefore would confine the defence to the question of identify. He then asked: — Do not all the members of the Government belong to the same family of Muffs ?—Yes. And is " John " a particularly uncommon man? Cert i ly. The Attorney General for the defence applied for a nonsuit, on the ground that tlie Muffs being such a large family and John not an uncommon name, it was impossible to prove the plaintiff's identity. The plaintiff was nonsuited accordingly, and having been provided with a strait-waistcoat was carried out of court. Dr Faustus is in good spirits.—One ot his , chief supporters has returned to Little Britain after a short absence, viz. the Provincial.^ Auctioneer, Mr Walker Parrot, whose admirers may now hear him vigorously enunciciate his Christian name in being told an incredible story, and will, it is to be hoped, soon again have an opportunity of listening (the "Vesty Parliament, from which he was so ignominiously expelled) to those brilliant speeches which make his surname seem so appropriate. How we all long for him to call a public meeting, to hear him open it in his invariable words—" Gentlemen I am the handsomest man in Little Britain !" A distinction which, for commanding stature, regularity of features and fairness of complexion, he may justly claim. The Vestry Parliament is sitting and performing wonders. 1 will as soon as possibl send you an account of the proceedings. Thaeuccess (do'nt ridicule) may attend their*labors, is the praj er of ~ Fosco*