Mr. Ingham, the Magistrate at the Wandsworth Police Court, emulates
the wisdom of Solomon, and really not without some pretence to wisdom of Solomonian calibre. On Wednesday, George Herbert was summoned before him by one Eunice Coe, for detaining a parrot, her property. The defendant stated that it was his wife's parrot, which she had lost, and which was restored to her on the 16th June. Eunice Coe, on the other hand, maintained that it was her parrot, which she had lost on the 16th June. Mr. Ingham, emulating Solomon, decided that the parrot should itself testify. He ordered the defendant's wife to take it out of the cage, which she did, amidst much shrieking and many signs of opposition and dislike from the parrot, who made great attempts to peck Mrs. Herbert ; but on being placed in Mrs. Coe's hands, it ceased from struggling and showed great signs of affection. So Mr. Ingham ordered the bird to be given up by Mrs. Herbert to Mrs. Coe.
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