6.--M. Guilmant, the celebrated French organist, gave organ recitals at
St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich. He revisited the city on December 18th.
9.--A meeting under the auspices of the Marriage Law Defence Union was
held at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, under the presidency of Mr. H. S.
Patteson. Earl Percy, Earl Beauchamp, the Right Hon. A. J. R. Beresford
Hope, M.P., and the Rev. Dr. Badenoch were announced to speak. The
proceedings were very disorderly, and ultimately the promoters of the
meeting were compelled to vacate the platform. The opposing party
thereupon proposed and adopted resolutions in favour of legalising
marriage with a deceased wife's sister.
14.--At the Guildhall Police Court, Norwich, Mr. Joseph Stanley,
solicitor, was charged, on the information of Edward Burgess, described
as a printer and publisher, with assaulting him. The defendant, it was
alleged, met the complainant in London Street, and, producing a
riding-whip from beneath his coat, struck him several blows across the
face. The assault was admitted, and defendant pleaded, in mitigation,
that he horsewhipped the complainant in consequence of certain statements
published by him in a paper called "Daylight." The Bench inflicted a
fine of one shilling, and declined to make an order as to costs. This
was the first of a remarkable series of cases arising directly or
indirectly from the publication of the print above referred to. At
Norwich County Court, on February 21st, before the Judge (Mr. E. P.
Price, Q.C.) and a jury, William Hammond, "otherwise E. Field and Co.,"
brought an action against Edward Burgees and J. A. Burgis, the
proprietors of "Daylight," for an alleged libel. The action was
originally entered for trial in the High Court of Justice, the plaintiff
laying his damages at 1,000, but it was remitted to the County Court, on
the application of the defendants, on the plaintiff failing to give
security for costs. Mr. Horace Brown was for the plaintiff (who did not
appear), and Mr. Montague Williams for the defendants. The case was
partly heard when Mr. Brown said that, having regard to what had
transpired, he did not think it right to ask the jury for damages. A
verdict was therefore entered for the defendants. On February 24th,
Arthur Ventnor, artist, of Bridewell Alley, was charged at the Police
Court with wilfully breaking the plate-glass windows at the office of
"Daylight," and doing damage to the amount of 20. The defendant was
committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions, held on April 3rd, before
the Recorder (Mr. W. J. Metcalfe, Q.C.). It was urged on behalf of the
defendant that he had broken the windows owing to a caricature of himself
being exhibited therein. The Grand Jury made the following presentment:
"We consider that considerable provocation was given to Mr. Ventnor by
the exhibition of the caricature before he broke the windows." The
Recorder, who deplored the publication of such a paper, addressing the
defendant, said, "The sentence of the Court is that you be imprisoned for
three hours, which means that you have been in the dock a great deal too
long already, and that you now be discharged. Who is to pay the costs of
this prosecution? Not the public, certainly, but the people who provoke
other people to smash their windows." The verdict was received with
great applause by a crowded court. At the Police Court on April 23rd,
Messrs. Burgess and Burgis appeared in answer to an information laid by
Lewin Samuel, clothier, of St. Giles' Street, for publishing in
"Daylight" a defamatory libel of and concerning him. This was a criminal
prosecution, on the fiat of the Public Prosecutor. The defendants
alleged in their paper that the complainant and his brother were "Jew
money-lenders, who sold up the homes of hard-working men and the beds
from under women and children, and extorted 150 per cent. and more,
interests for small loans." The case was sent for trial at the Assizes.
The defendants appeared before Mr. Justice Day, on August 9th. After the
case had been part heard, Mr. Horace Brown, counsel for the prosecution,
asked leave to withdraw. His lordship granted the request, and remarked
that Mr. Brown's client "had attained his object in having the character
of his business thoroughly exposed to the public." The defendants were
then discharged.
26.--The trial of the action. Boswell _v._ Coaks, commenced before Mr.
Justice Fry. On the fifth day of the trial, March 12th, his lordship
gave judgment. In his opinion, he said, the plaintiff's case had failed,
and he dismissed the action, with costs. Later in the day the judge
remarked that there was a certain point in the case which he had not
appreciated, and ordered the action to be restored to the paper as part
heard. At the further hearing, on March 19th, his lordship said he
adhered to the view which he previously expressed, and pronounced
judgment unreservedly in favour of the defendants, who were entirely
acquitted of the charge against them. On June 19th an appeal was entered
against the decision of Mr. Justice Fry. (_See_ May 19th, 1884.)
27.--Hengler's Grand Circus, the first exhibition of the kind given in a
permanent building in the city, was opened at the Agricultural Hall,
Norwich.
--At a meeting held at the Globe Hotel, Lynn, under the presidency of Sir
William ffolkes. M.P., Mr. A. C. Fountaine, of Narford Hall, was
selected master of the West Norfolk Foxhounds, in place of Mr. Anthony
Hamond, who had hunted the hounds for eighteen years. At the suggestion
of the Prince of Wales, a fund was inaugurated for the purpose of
presenting Mr. Hamond with a testimonial upon his retirement. The
presentation took place at Sandringham, on December 1st, when a large
number of the subscribers were entertained to breakfast by his Royal
Highness, who handed to Mr. Hamond "his portrait in oil, mounted upon his
favourite hunter, with the huntsman, Bob Claydon, and the whips, H.
Browne and F. Clayden, in attendance." The picture was painted by Mr.
Samuel Carter, who was born upon the Westacre estate.
--The new railway from Acle to Yarmouth was inspected by Major-General
Hutchinson, and shortly afterwards opened for traffic.