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THE LAW COURTS. Internal Revenue Returns-The W. N. & F. I. Co. in Court-Are Certlfied Checks Money 1-Defamation of Character. UNITED STATES COURT.-Before Judge Drummond.-J. A. Dunkee against Bishop Hill Colony. In this cause, yesterday, default of defendant was entered, and judgment rendered for plain. tiff for $1,109.49. United.States VB. James Anderson and others. This is the title of an action brought in the United States Court to recover the penalty fixed by law for the failure to return the number of tong of ccal mined, as required by the Internal Revenue Law. The defendants are coal miners, doing businese at Monmouth, Warren county. The court held that there was an dndoubted violation of the law, insemuch as defendants did not return the amount under onth; but as there was no evident wilful violation of the law, he would only fine them 810 in each cause, including costs. The necessary order was enered. COMMISSIONERS CounT-Before U. S. Commissioner Hoyne-The Commissioner was occupied, yesterday, in the investigation of the bounty jumping case, clsewhere reported. CIRCUIT COURT-Before Judge Williams-The motions in (the Wabash Railway Quo Warranto cases will be argued this morning. The jury in the case of John McAndrews against Bradley, Elliott, and Redmond, which has been on trial for the last three days, was concluded yesterday. The jury were Instructed to bring in a sealed verdict this morning. SUPERIOR Count-Before Judge Higgins-The jury in the case of George M. flord, et al, against L. J. Conway, yesterday found for the plaintif and assessed his damages at $1,018 42. The motion of defendant in the case of Ainsworth against Turner and others, for a continnance, based upon Turner's adidavit, was denied by the Court. Geo. C. Smith et at t8. Sterling P. Rounds. This is the atle of a cause now on trial before a jury. The action 18 brought on a check drawn by the defendant on the Western Marine and Fire Insurance Company for $5,206.20, on the 30th of September, 1861, which check was made payable to Johnson's note or bearer," and accepted by the bank and certified 28 good before it was passed to plaintife. The facts are briefly as follows: At noon, on the 20th of September, a time when there was a great pecuniary panic in Chicago, the defendant directed his book-keeper to go to the W: M. & F. Irs. Co. Bank, where he kept his account, and where, at the time, he had on deposit from ten to fourteen thousand dollars, and get certified che cks from asid bank, and go around to all the banks in the city and take up all bis notes, then in the various banks, for sollection. The kook keeper did as directed, and went to the Marine Bank and drew checks on the Western Marine and Fire Insurance Company Bank for $5,006.50 to take up the notes of defendant in plaintiffs bank, and had these checks certified as good by the Western Marine and Fire Insurance Bank. The notes were exchanged for the certified checks. Immediately therealter the bookkeeper took other certified checks on the same bank to the First National Bank and offered them in exchange for his notes in the possession of that bank, which checks were refused. When the book-keeper reported this refusal, be was directed by Rounds to take the certified checks back to the Western Marine and Fire Insurance Bank and draw the money upon them, and with that money take up his notes in the First National Bank which was done, The Western Marine and Fira Insurance Bank did not open on Saturday, but failed and made an assignment, and the holders of the certified checks were unable 10 get their money. Payment was demanded for the checks of Rounds on the next day. and refused. The action is brought to recover of Rounds the value of the checks. The defenseis that the checks being duly certified were received in payment as money, and that the plaintiffs had no right to hold the checks until the next day before demanding their payment. Numerous points of importance to the holders of certified checks will be raised, and especially whether certified checks are to be considered asmoney. McAllister, Jew.