The Press. — London, England, 1856-06-07 00:00:00

JUN! 7, 1856. strong, and at last succeeded, thank God, in getting int Dover harbour. Had soy look out been kept on board the ateqmer, on so lovely and calm a night a vessel might ea sily have been seen two miles off, especially one with new sails ; but I am sorry to say that in too many instances these vessels, going at the rate of twelve or tourteen knots all hour, altogether neglect that precaution, and many a poor fisherman is run down by them and never heard of more. The Alma was nearly seventy tons, and was only completed at the end of last year. We put our helm to port, as the law requires, but having little more than steerage way, we could do nothing to save her. atu anb THE CONVICT WILLIXM PALMER. THE friends of Palmer are making every effort to obtain a commutation of his sentence, on the ground that his conviction was obtained by mere circumstan tial and theoretical evidence, that there was no proof that Cook was poisoned, and that at least, under the circumstances, the life of the convict should be spared until a further analysis of Cook's body has taken place. Earnest representations have been made to the Home-office, and a petition to the Queen drawn up. Mr. Smith, the solicitor for the defence, has written two letters to the Times—in one appealing for a further analysis, and in the other as-erting that by the verdict the whole spirit of the criminal law was reversed, denying that the medical symptoms in Cook's case should be allowed to weigh heavier than the chemical evidence, and concluding with a solemn declaration, from his belief that nothing could have nor had been concealed from him, of his conviction of Palmer's innocence. Since his return to Stafford, Palmer has not made the slightest communication to the authorities in con nection with the crime of which he stands con victed. His manner is reserved. He still asserts that he has not had a fair trial, and bitterly complains pf the summing-up of Lord Campbell, and also of the evidence of Newton, of the maid servant at the albot Arms, and of the damage done to his case by the evidence of Jeremiah Smith. Some members of his family have had an interview with him, and he asserts, in reply to ail questions on the subject of his guilty complicity in the death of Cook, that of what ever misdeeds he may have to accuse himself, be is not guilty of the crime of murder. He has been made acquainted with the exertions 31r. John Smith, his solicitor, has made to obtain from the Government a remission of the sentence, and he has frequently expressed to Captain Fullord, the governor of the gaol, and to the Rev. R. H. Goodacre, the chaplain, his conviction that, in consequence of those exertions, his life will be spared, and that the Government will take further means to test the truth of the charge for which he was put upon his trial, as well as of those other charges on which be would have been arraigned had the jury in Cook's case returned a verdict of acquittal. The coolness and self possession which Palmer displayed during the first few days of his incarceration, after his return from London, are said to be deserting him, and he betrays evident anxiety in reference to his fate. He passes sleepless nights, and during the daytime his mind appears to wander. Until the last day or two he would talk upon general subjects with freedom, and sometimes with apparent cheerfulness, but a feeling of depression seems to have come over him, and his whole thoughts ' when he is calm and collected, are engrossed with one subject—the probable result of the intercession with Government on his behalf. It is understood that the Government have already taken the opinion of the judges on the propriety of the verdict, and that no hope whatever can be enter tained that those learned persons have expressed any reason to alter the very decided opinion they formed after the trial as to the conclu-iveness of the evidence adduced by the Crown against the prisoner. Since the conviction of the prisoner a great number of letters directed to him have been delivered at Stafford Gaol, from persons who appear moved by a vicious sympathy for his fate. Some of these com munications contain "poetry,' supposed by the au thors to be applicable to a person in his condition, and the writers, for the most. part, conclude by ex pressing a hope that their favours will be acknow ledged, "if possible." The object of the writers is, in all probability, to obtain the culprit's autograph, but in this they will be disappointed, as the letters never reach his bands. Arrangements have been already commenced at Stafford for the execution at eight o'clock in the morning of Saturday week. Ap plications have already been made for almost all the hotel accommodation in the neighbourhood, and spe cial trains are reported to run to and from all the pridcipal towns within a circuit of fifty miles. In connection with his trial and conviction it is reported that the jury on their retirement, without discussing among themselves the subject of the Prisoner's guilt or innocence, agreed that each indi Quid ju . ryman should write his verdict, and place it under MI bet. Within teu inimiteis from the time of THE PRESS. leaving court this determination was carried into effect, and on raising the hats the word " Guilty " was found under every one of the twelve ! The delay in returning into court with the verdict originated in a feeling that, consideting the life of a fellow being was at stake, any suggestion compatible with the innocence of the prisoner which might occur to the mind of any individual juryman should not be pre chided from discussion by a hasty verdict, and the leading points of the ease were then severally dis cussed, though with no alteration of sentiment on the part of the jurors. The Staffordshire Advertiser, alluding to the case, states that Mr. Gardner and ➢]r. Hatton were the two active instruments of the prosecution, and that the evidence collected by them was first arranged by Mr. Collier, M.P., and then laid before the Attorney- General. Among the many portraits of Palmer extant, there is one which many years since, in the days of the Corn law League, personated Mr. Cobden. "To what base uses," &c. &c. THE CERTIFICATE MEETING OF MR. MARK BOYD, bankrupt—well known on the Stock Exchange from his relationship to Mr. Benjamin Boyd, of the Royal Bank of Australia, who was killed in 1854 by the natives of Guadalcunar, one of the South Sea Islands, took place en Monday, before Mr. Fane, when a charge was preferred against the bankrupt of hav ing received, on behalf of the bank, certain con.ign• meats from his brother in Australia, to the amount of 70,0001., which be had never accounted for. The case, well known in Australia, is this:—ln 1840, the bankrupt and his brother, Mr. Benjamin Boyd, as the director and broker, started the Royal Bank of Australia, and issued debenture notes to an amount between 300,000/. and 400,0001. Mr. Benjamin Boyd went out to Sydney, taking 200,1)001. with him to start the bank. Shortly after arriving in the colony Mr. Boyd entered upon speculations in stock to an incredible extent, bought up stations in every part of the country, and at length, in 1819, through waste, extravagance, and mismanagement, lost every thing, was " sold up," and brought the company to ruin. In this general ruin among the share holders and all connected with the bank was in cluded that of Mr. Mark Boyd, the present bank rupt, who was now opposed by the assignees. The bankrupt's statement is that his debts are 35,6341., the assets being 1,5701. The bankrupt further takes credit for a claim of 37,4001. on the Royal Bank of Australia, stated to be principally for commission on issuing the deposit notes to his brother in 1810. But the bankrupt is indebted 75,0001. on account of produce received from Australia, to meet which there are no assets, except those already mentioned. The Royal Bank of Australia claims to be the creditor for this 75,0001. On the other hand, the bankrupt, while admitting that he is indebted in that sum to someone on account of consignments received from his brother while managing director of the Royal Bank of Australia, cannot state who is his creditor for the same—whether Benjamin Boyd (supposed by him at the time to be deceased) in his private capacity, or as chairman and manager of the Royal Bank. On the other hand, the assignees submit that the claim for 37,0001. was never mentioned from 1840 to 1845, neither was there any entry of the same in the bankrupt's books. That the bankrupt had further been guilty of gross misrepresentation : he had represented that Benjamin Boyd was his debtor to the amount of 20,0001. at a time when (as was now alleged) he, the bankrupt, was a creditor for 75,0001. On the ground, therefore, of false entries in books, fraudulent preferencs in six or seven cases, misrepresentations, and excessive expenditure, they pressed for a total refusal of certificate. The case, after a preliminary bearing, was adjourned for a week. A CORPORAL OF THE 56TH FooT, on board the Runnymede convict-ship, shot his sergeant last Sunday afternoon. The man was immediately ar rested, and on Tuesday, at the coroner's inquest, Renner, a private, gave evidence as to the details of the case, and also evidence which proved abad feeling to exist between the prisoner, Corporal Nevin, and the deceased, Sergeant Robinson. The sergeant while at Dartmoor had found fault with the corporal on some trifling occasion, and the prisoner then declared to Renner that if it happened again, " He would put a ball in his piece and blow it through him," alluding to the sergeant. On Sunday the sergeant was in specting a man's firelock on the quarter-deck, when the prisoner on the main-deck came to the hatchway, and fired up at the sergeant, the ball striking him in the breast and killing him almost immediately. Renner instantly seized the prisoner, who acknow ledged to having shot the sergeant, but said "he was drove to it." In the examination the prisoner endeavoured to prove that his piece went off acci dentally, but the jury, on examining the locality, expressed themselves satisfied or an arriere pewee, and at once committed the prisoner to Bodmin Gaol on the charge of "Wilful murder," 539 Ms. DUNN, the barrister, has made two more ap pearances before the magistrates this weel . Wednesday, at Westminster, he summoned his lam lord for detaining some important letters and papers. The landlord pleaded a "set-off," in the shape of N. 9s. owing for rent, and, moreover, declarsd that the things detained w ere no t worth "half a clown !" Whereupon Mr. Dunn indignantly put it to his worship whether two gold seals, a pair of guinea razors, some clothes, and some books and acts of Parliament, were not worth more ? Mr. Paynter suggested that money should be raised on the thing' ; but Mr. Dunn objected, and the summons wee dis missed. On the same day he appeared befoie Mr. Bingham, at Marlborough-street, to ask for a sum mons against Miss Burdett Coutts, for having per secuted him for a series of years, got hint turned out of his present lodgings in Pimlico, and hi d him pursued by a lunatic fresh from an asylum, and armed with a bludgeon. Mr. Bingham declined to inter fere, as the ease lay in the Westminster distri, t. Mr. Dunn argued the point at great length that larlbo• rough -street was the right police court, atd con cluded by demanding a warrant or summons. Mr. Bingham declined in issue either, and Mr. Dui n, de claring that he would have a criminal information against Mr. Bingham, left the court. MME. RONCONI applied to Mr. Bingham, on Thursday, for advice. She stated that M. Ror coni, her husband, had stopped her allowance of 24,000 francs a year, and that she was in great distress M. Ronconi, she said, made 100,000 francs a yi ar by his professional engagements, and sbe wished to know what to do to compel him to make her a fair allow ance. Mr. Bingham recommended Mme. Bonconi either to apply to her parish authorities, or to employ a solicitor. tab ituarg. LIEUTENANT-GENERAL MACDONALD, C. 8., died at Aix-la-Chapelle on Saturday last. The record of his services tells the story, and no inglorious one, of his life. He was present at the capture of the Cape of Good Hope in 1906, and proceeded thence on the ex pedition to Buenos Ayres, where be was twice severely wounded and taken prisoner. He served in the Peninsula and south of France from June, 1809, to July, 1814, including the battles of the Cos and Busaco, affairs of Bedinha, Pombal, Condeixa, and Foz d'Arouce ; battles of Fuentes d'Onor and Sala manca, affair of San Munos, battle of Vittoria, siege of San Sebastian, battles of the Pyrenees, affairs of the Gave d'Oleron and Aire, and battle of Toulouse. He also served in the campaign of 1815, including the battle of Waterloo (where he was severely wounded), and capture of Paris. He received the silver war medal with eight clasps. He was the younger brother of the late Lieutenant-General Sir John Macdonald, G.C.8., who died while holding the office of Adjutant-General to the army. GENERAL J. F. BIRCH, C. 8., of the Royal Engineers, died on Thursday last. The gallant general had been in the army above sixty years, and had seen much service. THE RIGHT HON. Loan CAREW, Lord Lieutenant of the County of Wexford and a Knight of the Order of St. Patrick, died on Monday last at Castleborough, his lordship's seat at Wexford. The late lord was born on the 9th of March, 1787, and was first re turned for the county of Wexford in 1812, which county he represented in the House of Commons for upwards of twenty years. He is succeeded by his eldest son, the Hon. Robert Shapland Carew, born in 1818, and colonel of the 'Wexford Militia. - , MR. RICHARD GARDNER, M.P for Leicester, died very suddenly this week at his residence in Eaton. square. Mr. Gardner had for some little time been suffering from what was supposed to be but a slight and passing indisposition, but nothing approaching to danger was apprehended. Disease of the heart proved, however, to be the real malady under which the hon. member suffered, and ended fatally on Wednesday morning. Mr. Gardner leaves a young family by his wife, daughter of Count de AlanJoalsloh, formerly Minister Plenipotentiary at this Court from Wurtem burg. A vacancy is the representation of Leicester is created. LIE t T..COLO:cELWILL!AY GORDON C AYE RON, of Nea house, expired on the 26th ult. He was the eldest son of General Cameron, of the East India Company's Service, and was born at Chunar, on the 14th of June, 1790. Entering the army early in life, he served in the Grenadier Guards during the latter years of the Peninsular War, and was wounded at Baro4sa. Colonel Cameron had the honour of bring attached to the staff of the Great Dnke at Waterloo, and, on that memorable day, log his right arm, and received other severe wounds, whicn incapacitated him from further active exertion in the mitite37 ser vice of his country.