The Press. — London, England, 1853-11-05 00:00:00

NOVEMBER 5, 1853. a fact, he could substantiate that abundant signals I were exhibited, to which it was the prisoners' duty to attend. Instead of thi-, they had either not seen or neglected to act upon the various signals of dan ger, and thus had occasioned the accident. It was added that they were talking together instead of re mainiug upon the watch, and attending to their duty. Before the charge was proceeded with, some conver sation took place regarding the statutes under which the indictment was laid ; and the result showed this singular condition of the law—that, the alleged offence consisting merely of au act of omission, and not having resulted fatally, the Central Criminal Court held no jurisdiction. The indictment in such a case should have been laid and investigated at quarter sessions ; though, if any of the sufferers had subsequently died of the injuries received, that court must in turn have resigned the adjudication to a higher tribunal. The defendants were therefore discharged at once. ttibents nab Offences. THE DEATH OF A LUNATIC, in the Middlesex County Asylum, was made the subject of a protracted investigation, before a coroner's jury, on Monday last. The deceased, whose name was Parsons, was thirty three years of age, and had been a butler in the ser vice of a gentleman connected with the firm of Hoare and Co., brewers, residing at Wavendon, near Newport Pagnell. It appeared that Parsons, having displayed symptoms of mental aberration, was, by the direction of his master, taken to London by a fellow-servant. At a coffee-house where lodgings had been secured for them, the deceased was treated by a medical man, who said the case was a dangerous one, and the patient had better be taken to the Middlesex Hospital. Ile was taken there accordingly, and complained much afterwards of his treatment, having been strapped down to the bed. From the Middlesex Hospital deceased was taken to Marylebone Work house, where he was placed in a bedroom stated to have been padded, and was very violent, making fre quent efforts to escape, and tearing his strait-jacket to shreds. Admitted to Hanwell Asylum on the 22nd of October, be was found to be marked with severe bruises upon the face, body. and leg. Then he was said to be weak and ill, and, on being admitted to the infirmary, died on the 25th. Dr. Bagley, the senior physician at Hanwell, deposed that he bad made a post-mortem examination, proved the existence of bruises upon the body, and gave his opinion that deceased had died from exhaustion after mania, resulting from natural disease of the brain, and in•i tation caused by the external injuries be bad received. The Coroner, in summing up, expressed his opinion that neither in Middlesex Hospital nor in the Mary lebone Infirmary had the deceased received the care and attention which his case required. The jury, after some deliberation, returned the following verdict : "That the death of the said William Persons was caused by a mortal exhaustion, produced by mania and natural disease at the brain, and also by a mortal irritation, produced by bruises on divers parts of his body, caused by fall. in an improperly padded room in the Maryleboue intirmary ; and the Jurors further say, they consider it was cruel of his master. the said Mr. Frederick Woodbridge, to send the unfortunate William Parsons to London, as he did, while the said William Parsons wee H of lnsane statt of mind ; and th ey consider that the treatment the sohl ti a ra Parsous in Middlesex Hospital and in the Marylebone Ifirmary was not at all creditable to the character of those institutions." A WORKMAN NAMED PEARCE, employed at the new Irvingite Chapel in Gordousquare, got drunk one night last week. Next day he was reprimanded by his employer, and again had recourse to intoxication, to soothe his feelings. He then seems to have gone into the belfry of the edifice, and, while in a drunken sleep, fell oil, and, the place being ninety-six feet from the ground, was nearly dashed to pieces. Ver dict at the inquest, " Accidental death." THE WARD OF TRADE have directed Captain Beechy to investigate into the circumstances con• nected with the late awful wreck of tho Annie Jane. This is nearly, if not quite, the first time that a shipwreck of an emigrant ship bus been considered a fit subject for judicial investigation ; and, were it not for the manner in which the matter has been taken up by the public press, the shipwreck at Barra would, even now, probably have passed away without luiry. Am EXTENSITA CONTLAGRATIUN broke out early on Wednesday morning on the premises of Mr. Lavi sage, a wheelwright, and two private houses, in George-street, Borough. In spite of the most strenuous exertions, some hours elapsed before the fire could be entirely got under. The whole of the wheelwright's factory was levelled with the ground, and the other two houses were partly gutted. Some neighbours also suffered considerable damage from fire and water. The total loss is serious. Os Sunday afternoon great sensation was created in the neighbourhood of Hornsey, front the report that a man was hanging from a tree in the wood Dear Hornsey Wood-house. A woman was the first to make the discovery. The body was cut down, but fife had long been extinct. The deceased was a middle-aged man, and apparently from the country. THE PRESS. A BRUTAL. MunnEn has been committed at a fl house near Barham, in Buckinghamshire. The farm is tenanted by Mr. tioodwin, who went out upon Tuesday evening on a visit, leaving his housekeeper, a young woman named Sturgeon, in the house. Ou returning about midnight he noticed some disorder in the lower part of the house. and, on proceeding up stairs, found that the housekeeper had been mur dered, anti a fire HMO out Of pieces of furniture had been piled upon her body, which was already par tially consumed. Marks of violence were traceable on the head, anti stains of blood on the stairs. Va rious articles of property were missed by Mr. Good win. but many snApienma ell - moment - es have given rise to the belief that the crime was not perpetrated solely for the sake of plunder. ON Wednesday, Ann Martin, of Loscoe, Derby shire, was committed on the coroners warrtuit to take her trial on a charge of having murdered the idle gitimate child of her daughter by throwing it into a well. Tin: approach of the but of November has been marked its usual by serious accitient.4 with fireworks. One took place on the premises of Mr. Wodin, New (travel lane, Shadwell, a fire work maker. Mrs. Wotim and a boy who were in the house were frightfully burned and nearly suffocated. They are in a dangerous state. The accident is said to have been occasioned by a boy throwing a lighted squib into the shop. The tither explosion happened on Wednesday, at Chatham. ut the workshop of Mr. Henniker, u gunmaker. His wife anti three sons were busily making fireworks against Gunpowder day, when a heap of squibs ex ploded from soma mime ruined cause. The roof and wall were blown out, the whole contents of the workshop demolished, anti dl the occupants more or less injured. Mrs. Henniker was so much burnt that slight hopes wore entertained of her recovery. A Dar.torui. Bon.ta Exmositot occurred on Wednesday morning on the premises of Mr. W. esketh, cotton-manufacturer at Blackburn, by which five persons were killed anti sixteen others were se verely injured. THE Loss OF THE BARqUE Princess Victorin,while on a voyage from London to Melbourne, has been reported by the Argo. When within a few miles of her destination, on the 11th of August, the l'ictoria was discovered to be on fire, and, having 400 barrels of gunpowder stowed in her hold, the crow were seized with alarm, and at once took to the boats, anti succeeded in getting beyond reach of danger, when the explosion took place, shivering the ship into atoms. Fortunately a vessel was attracted to the spot by the intense light of the explosion, and picked up the crew in the boats, who were landed i tt Mel bourne a few days afterwards. The Princess t ic toria is reported to be insured. She sailed from the Downs on the Rth of April. tArtlant. Tin: iltrtorSTlttAl. EXIMITTION thitilly closed on Mon. day last. There were more than 20,000 persons pre sent, and the occasion was marked by some brie! musical performances, a little popular excitement, and an approptiate speech from the Irish Viceroy, who officiated in chief. Ills excellency said : " I cannot declare the Great Industrial Exhibition of 10.53 to be closed without expressing tttt dirtiest wish for the health, happiness, and prosperity of the man to whim] we are all indebted for the insirnetion we have reeeive4l from the many productions of art and nature which are contained within them , walls. 1 also desire to acknow• ledge the liberality of the owners of those treasures fur permitting them to he exhibited. Let me also pay a trio bate of praise to the committee, the secretaries, and the other officers connected with it, for the zeal, the assiduity. and the intelligence with which they have discharged their many duties. Lastly, let me, in the name of this assent lily, oiler to Almighty Gest our heartfelt thanks for having bleastil and prospered this undertaking. I now &elate this Exhibition to be dosed." The honour of knightb ood was aftem . ards conferred no Mr. Roney, the secretary to the Exhibition com mittee. TME DAIGA) BAwcatirr came of on Wednesday, under very splendid circumstances. Six hund r e d guests attended, from all tanks of society, represent ing the peerage, the professional classes, the mer chants, and the traders of Ireland, who testified in that public and emphatic manner the respect, esteem, and admiration, with which they regard the great founder of the nobld temple of industry which had conferred so much honour on their country. The Lord Lieutenant sent a letter apolociaing for his ab sence, and expressing regret at his inability to assist on the interesting ateasion. Mr. W. Fry presided. Tritantu. }'suers have occurred in many parts of Ireland, occasionitut severe destruction of property and some loss of life. Cork has been most heavily visited. The city on Wednesday was inundated by a deluge of unprecedented magnitude. The morning of that day was briitht, the rain, which fell in tor rents on Monday mad Tuesday, hod (visaed, but about ten tidal( the flood In the river became nrYstr Car. midable. The Lee overflowed its bank', and the water was soon several feet deep in the principal streets. About half-past twelve o'clock a ni,,st heart. rending scene took place at St. Patriek's.britige, when a crowd of pen ions haat collected loolfuli at the many articles brought down I.y the dots', when on a sudden the northern arch gave way, preetpate ung several ter our into the water. It is imposaible to describe the horror wad panic which svizeal tho bystanders—as to conjecture either the number or names of the unfortunate victims. They were variously stated at tisini twenty to forty. .t car with four persons and the driver on it was precipitatod into the river, and they wore mat seou after, so rapid was the action of the flood. Accounts from other quarters, though less melancholy, are sufficiently serious. !louses have been swept away, bri,htes de stroyed, anal whole districts m0,111 ( .4;0,1 in many to and the communication by r oa d and rant temporarily suspended, or accomplished with mug difficulty anti danger. Asoriteu Exit:NsiN l'itornurv—that of peter Fit /gent'''. Esq., commonly rattled the Knight of Kerry—has been disposed of in the Enomathered Estattes Court. It vonsisted of lands us the counties* of Kerry anal Limerick, anal produced a sum att . 50,911:0/., Lying at all menage of twettt years' pur chase on the estimated yearly value. A C asi: tshirh was commenced in the Dublin Commission Court on Saturday has, trout the pit,j tiell Of the penott criminally impheated, exeitod au unusual amount of pulalia . interest. A )outat lady, named Margaret. Cantwell, tone of sc‘cral s isters, who elallillet a respectable Homan cathadie sc hool hi the metropolis, stood eltart.ted with having purloined a piece of ribbon, of the value of a few pence, whilsa making purchases at the shop of Messrs. Cammack and White, drapers in the city. The lady is nearly related to the Right Rev. 11r. Cantwell, of Meath. Some idea of the importance which was alt ached to the issue may be learnt from the fact that seven banisters were engaged to conduct the carte, tour of them Queen's counsel and loading nearly the loco :nom. rank in the profession. The trial lasted five clear days, three of which wore devoted to the prose ention, the lomila to the defence, turd the IRA to tits rhurge at I 'bier Baron Pigott and the finding of that jury. Thu chief evidence against the moused wad abut aaf all assistant in Messrs. 0W110414%1 who •1111011 that he saw her, us he believed, clip a piece of ribbon, which she had not paid for, into her retiettle. Ile immediately chanted lter with the theft, anal she was tacit to another apartment, where she remained until the votive were sent for. On being searched, the stolen ribbon was not found on her, but it appears to illt‘e liven discovered shortly after near where she was for some time sitting. This statement was controverted by the witnesses on the other slate, who made it appear that the employes had clearly been mistake'', or were petinred. Afterwards there was praluceal for Mi.% Cant/NU a whole host of witnesses to charneter, nll depo , .ing to the excellence of the prisoner's conquer in all the relations of social lifr•, awl to het remarkable preci sion and integrity in her pecuniary dealings. however large or small. The Chief Baron's charge was dis tinguished by the most inflexible impartiality. At its conclusion the jury retired for a minute or two, and handed down a verdict of "Not Utility. - The scone that followed is baid to have surpassed all description. The courthouse literally rang with the cheers of the spectaters, the ladies standing tip On the ',eats anal joining in the demonstration with no less zeal than the nude portion of the auditory. The learned judge rather Abruptly quitted the bench, end soon afterwards the sub shetiff came forward, by his lordship's directions, and told the police to west any one guilty of making a distill bane* in the court ; hut, as almost every one present assisted in keeping up the applause, it was manifestly impossible to carry out the order of the Chief Baron, and the cheering was again and again renewed, until it was taken tip lay the crowd outside. All older was then made for Miss Cantwell's discharge, anal shorty afterwards she was conducted to a coy red car, which drove away timid the cheers of those assem bled in the vicinity of the courthouse. A large mob subsequently made a rush to the premises of Messrs. Cannock and White, and, having groaned and yelled to the top of their bent, separated without any fur ther practical Manifestation of popular indignation. Thus terminates the ease for the present only, as an expression thrown out its the address of Mr. Fite gibbon for the defenee pretty plainly intimated that his client would be shortly aftirded a second oppor tunity of viudicatiug her character before another jury of her countrytuen. This miserable affair has teen made quite a "party" business in Dublin. Each evening as Miss Cantwell left the court for l a er own house, and whirl) she was permitted to de on her own recognisance", she was greeted with a wild cheer by the dense mob outside, with sun dry other expression's of satisfaction at the prospect of her ultimate deliverance from the snares of the Philistines within. Daniel O'Connell himself, after the %tate trial of 1N44, seemed rather less of a martyr than Miss Margnest Cantwell did during her week of unmerited trouble'.