The Sun. — London, England, 1848-01-17 00:00:00

PP I ~- .SOUTHWARK COUNTY COURT, Jan. 15. (Before C. NEALE, Esq., Judge.) THE WATERMEN'S COMPANY V. WHITE. This Was an action brought on behalf of the Water men's Company against the defendant, a licensed waterman, to recover the sum of 11., due by the de fendant to the company. The case created much in terest amongst the above-bridge watermen and occupiers of Sunday ferries. Mr. Banyon, the clerk of the company, stated that under the 43d section of the 7th and Bth of George IV. (the Watermen's Act), the company were authorised to form and let Sunday ferries on the river between Chelsea Reach and Bow Creek and the river Lea. These ferries were let from time to time, by tender, fur one year, and the whole of the pro ceeds arising from them were devoted to the relief of aged, infirm, and decayed members of the com pany, and in the year 1830 the proceeds arising from these ferries amounted annually to 1,120/. ; but since the introduction of the numberless steam boats on the river, they did not yield more at the present time than 3001. per annum. In the year 1841, the defendant, in conjunction with one James ‘Var wood, sent in a tender to the company for the renting of two ferries, one from the Surrey Canal to King James's Stairs, and the other from Shadwell Dock to Kim , and Queen Stairs, at a rent of 61., from the s th April, 1841, to the sth of April, 1842. The tender was accepted, and the defendant and Warvvoo: l at tended, and paid the amount of deposit (31.) in lieu of security, and entered into possession of the ferries, and continued to do so, the ferries being worked by six persons, each of whom received a warrant from the company, but the defendant and Warwood only being the tenants of the company. Warwood, in addition to the 31., paid 21., leaving 1/., since which both had been lost sight of until lately. Mr. Hill, one of the Court of Assistants of the company, stated that the object of the company in pressing the present claim was to protect their aged poor. It was a common occurrence for owners of ferries to refuse paying for the latter portion of their terms in the ferries, and the company had determined, on behalf of their poor, to sue every de faulter. The defendant was well able to pay, and ought to be compelled. ',rive defendant denied renting the ferry. War wooi was the only tenant, he (the defendant) work ing under him. He never signed any tender, or authorised any one to do so. The name attached to the tender was not in his handwriting, and he had never attendEd at Watermen's Hall to complete the tender. Had he been indebted to the company, they would have claimed the amount when he paid his quarterly dues on binding his apprentices. Harwood, on being called, deposed that the de fendant authorised him to sign the tender, and held the ferry jointly with him. JUDGE said he should give judgement for the full amount and costs. Judgment for the company entered accordingly. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. AVANSION-HOUSE. --- On Saturday, John Jacobs, who was brought before the ;,ord Mayor some days ago, chiarged with having rraudulently obtained clothes, value 8/. 19..!., from Mr. Muses Juda, under rather peculiar cireutnstances, .„vas brought up for final examination. The justice r,"ma was crowded with members of the Jewish re- Air. Buchanan appeared fur the prosecution, and Mr: Mellor fur the prisoner, who has, up to the acemiation, borne a very respectable cha ractt.o:. hart said—Beti,veen 10 and 12 oclock on ',tie .aorrsing of th fetidant anadnamLe 7th of December, I saw the de scangireement employer together on Mr. Juda's pre,zlises, feadant to have, was made for the de- Juda gave the defeil a goods on sale or return. Mr. theatinh oitnletyheortv,Tnet6rtsvil' goods, and the latter language that he would r h :t ) u k r ' n i n o day, and took them aw4"°(lis. On the following Mon • defendant returned to the shop, about ten mie the wAs then abent, an I askurimfr,oln which nu t s da the wareroom, and when I vtnt • u to go up stairs into "I have seen your employer, t,/,,r / he said to me, mo re coats, three more waistcoats, ai r l to have two and supposing pairs of t ro users," in consequenc e of which, had come from your employer , I let hitilill \e the osing h e articles. I did n ot discover that he had obtained the goods without per mission for some days afterwa rds. Cross-examined by Mr. Mellor—The defen dant 1 has been known to me for a considerable time, and, had goods from the house upon sale or return several times. He had only sold goods for us once in the country, and when he came back with the monev I settled the account off the slate. I knew the 4fefendant's address. On the first occasion, on the . 7th of December, he wanted more goods than he f . i. t .i i, r om Mr. Juda, but he was refused, and what ~1- 1 , ,, c en had was the largest amount he ever had. IV , / . 1 , n We give out goods on sale or return, we don't enter the account in a book, only on a slate, but what I receive cash for I enter in a book. We give them a ticket with a number on it with the article we give out. I wrote tohe defendant, informing him that if he did not pay the Mr. Jud a amount and from me, he or return 'Jail the goods he had got fr om should be apprehend e d. I would not, I assure you, trust my own brother without of my the p erm ission employer. Moses Juda confirmed the state foreman in its essential parts, and said made by his articles delivered by Hart formed said none of th e pa him have. I did not authorise the prisonerrtofthose I l et my foreman to get these goods, and I kne to go t o about it for five or six days , , I went to Manchest er nothing lanchest er and gave the prisoner in charge for this offence. The witness's cross-examination rather confirm e d than invalidated his statement, and he concluded saying, the defendant's wife came to me, ardasked by me to forward to the defendant an invoice to Co ventry ; but I said, no ; I should t ' cer only refuse to give any invoice for them. Michael Deady, City policeman, said I took the blicliael Haydon, a constable of the City Reserve Police, stated that seeing the prisoners in King Wil ham-street on Tuesday evening, and having some previous knowledge of their character, he followed them through Princes-street, Bartholomew-lane, Threadneedle -street, Bishopsgate, Gracechurch-street, King William-street, again to Moorgate. Here they accosted a gentleman. Williams went up to him first, but he shook her off. Then Wright overtook him, stood before him, caught hold of him, and resisted effectually his efforts to get rid of her. The . gentleman turned into Ropemaker-street, and broke away, but Wright fastened on him again, Williams keeping close by, and passing and repassing them. Presently he saw Wright's hand in the pocket of the gentleman's trousers, and then she dropped off and joined her companion. Witness was watching at a distance, and having ascertained that the gentleman had lost his purse, and desired him to wait at a particular spot, he overtook the prisoners. He desired a young man to seize Williams while he seized Wright. They both made a desperate resistance ; and when he took the purse from her hand, Wright said, " Now you have got it, there is no occasion to pull a body about." He took them back to the place where the gentleman was to wait, but he was gone. This statement was corroborated by 'Alfred Salis bury, who secured Williams. Wright said, the gentleman gave her the purse; and Williams said, she was walking with Wright, because she promised to give her something to drink. Sir JOHN Puss said, the prisoners were known to be dangerous characters, and he should direct the City Solicitor to prosecute, that there might be no failure of justice from the absence of the owner of the property. He committed them for trial. Joseph John Warwick, the foreman of the book binders at the establishment of Mr. Orr, the book seller, in Amen-corner, was charged with obtaining money by false pretences from his employer. Mr. Wontner conducted the prosecution, and ex plained that it was the prisoner's duty to take an account of the work done by the male and female bookbinders employed on the premises, make up a list of the wages, receive the amount (from 301. to 401. a week) from the cashier, and pay the workpeople. In making up this list he had charged the full week's work to men who had lost time, and actually received a smaller amount by ss. or 75., and sometimes he had charged wages for men who were absent altogether, either having been discharged, or being ill, in these cases putting 28s. in his pocket at once. This had been going on since July, but as he had destroyed instead of filing the weekly bills made out by the workpeople themselves, the amount he had embezzled could not be traced. About 201. only had been traced. The evidence was rather bulky, but conclusive, and the prisoner offered no defence. When he was ap prehended he accounted for the discrepancies by.say ing he was muddled when he made out the account. Sir John Pine committed him for trial. BOW-STREET. With the view of removing as far as possible the nuisance which has resulted from the enormous and increasing traffic to and from Hungerford-market, the great source of the twopenny omnibuses, Mr. Henry sent for the superintendent of the divi sion, Mr. Pearce, to direct that a large number of police-constables should be placed on daty in: the arket in future, to preserve order and decorum among the rival conductors and. drivers, and to pre vent the obstructions repeatedly arrising in the tho roughfare leading to the Strand, complaints respecting both of which have been of continued recurrence at Bow-street. Mr. Pearce intimated that, inasmuch as the market had hitherto been regarclid as private property, and the omnibus proprietors paid for the privilege of making it their starting point, the police had felt themselves unable to interfere. Mr. HENRY could not listen to such a plea as this. The market was, to all intents and purposes, a public thoroughfare, and as long as the public were admitted thereto without restraint of any kind, they had a right to expect, and shouldYhave, the protection of the police. Ilis Worship was determined to put a stop to the brawls and scenes of confusion occurring there every day. The police should attend with instructions to summons the offenders to that court, and he would take care that, by suspending or wholly revoking their licenses, the nuisance shoulu be put an end to. The superintendent said that an additional force should be accordingly sent there, and he doubted not that this course would be effectual. Our reportir was requested by Mr. Henry to ac knowledge a donation of 21. received through rdessrs. Gosling and Sharpe, for the poor-box, from " J.ll 11." Mr. COTTINGHAM said that a stop must be put to such practices, as the railway property must be pro tected. He should sentence him to three days' im prisonment, and order him to be privately whipped. LAMBETH. Three of the servants of the South-Western Rail way Company were brought into the court in Cus tody, by order of the directors, on a charge of having, by their negligence, caused the serious collision on the line on Friday night, which led to the death of David Markland, the engine•driver of a passenger train. The prisoners, upon being placed at the bar, gave their names Samuel Brownsmith, guard ' • William Jones, engine-driver ; and Lewis Fleming, fireman. The first witness called was Mr. William Hadken Young, the Assistant Superintendent of the South- Western line, who deposed that on the preceding evening he left Southampton at six o'clock, on the up-passenger train, and on arriving on Purbright common, which is situated between the Farnborough and Woking stations, something was found amiss with the engine, and the train was stopped. The engine. driver (Markland) and the fireman got off for the purpose of repairing the injury to the engine, and Whiting, the head guard of the train, gave di rections to his under guard, the prisoner Brownsmith, in his (witness) presence to go back and signal the up-train on the same line of rails to stop. The pri soner did so. When he had been gone about twenty minutes witness heard, and, in fact, saw the lights of a goods train coming towards the stationary train ; and perceiving that the steam was not shut off, he (Mr. Young) sent a clerk belonging to the company to stop it, but it came on at a tremendous rate, and ran into the passenger train. The shock was so great that the carriages in the passenger train were separated, and some of them were forced on the line to a considerable distance. Markland, the engine driver, who was unfortnnately under the engine at the time, was found to be quite dead, having received so serious an injury on his head that his death must have been instantaneous. The fireman was severely injured, as were also several of the passengers. Mr. ELLIOTT—Did you see the prisoner Brown smith after he had been sent to signal and stop the corning train ? Mr. Young—Yes, Sir, he came up after the ac cident. Said he held up his hands with the red light, and called out as loud as he could, but could not make the driver or fireman on the goods train see or hear him. Mr. ELLIOTT—Was it the duty of Brownsmith to have taken any other signal with him than that of the red light ? Mr. Young—Yes, Sir. Your worship will see by the 47th rule of the regulations, which are in the hands of every servant of dee company, what his duty was. Mr. ELLIOTT read the 47th rule, which was as fol lows :—" In case of any accident occurring, so as to impede the progress of any train, the under guard shall be dispatched to the nearest station astern the train, to give notice thereof, and in his progress thereto shall fix, at a distance of 600 yards from the point of observation, a signal to stop, and fog signals, so as to indicate danger to a coming train. Measures should also be taken by sending the fireman, or any other available person, to advise the agent at the nearest station ahead of the occurrence." The fog signals Mr. Young described as detonating balls, which were to be placed on the rails at a dis tance not greater than 100 yards apart, and which the engine in passing orer broke, and caused an ex plosion N. \ hich alarmed the persons in charge of the train. Mr. Young, in conclusion, said the directors of the line felt it to be their duty, under the circum stances, to send the three prisoners before a muistrate. William Whiting deposed that he was head guard of the passenger train that left Southampton for London, at six o'clock the evening before. The train came at its usual pace until about eight o'clock, when it arrived at Purbright-common, when the driver blew his whistle for stopping, and did stop. Witness got from his usual place, and found Markland, the engine-daiver, and the prisoner on the line, and the former said there was something the matter with the engine, which must be set to rights. He then re quested witness to hold his lamp, and got underneath the engine. Previously to this, however, witness dispatched his under-guard, Brownsmith, to signal the next up train to stop. Marklaed, on examinint , the works of the engine, said the " executor " had c broken away, but he thought he would be able to set it right in three or four minutes. He observed him take away a portion of the engine that had broken awry, and soon after he said, " All is ready ; now see that your passengers are all right." Witness then left the light alongside the engine, and went to look after the passengers, and immediately afterwards the goods train came up and ran into them. Had the deceased come from under the engine at the time he said that all was ready, his life would have been saved, and he could not say what was the cause of his re maining there, but that he had been under the engine at the time of the collision there could be no doubt. In reply to the questions of Mr. ELLIOTT, the witness said that he had not seen Brownsmith until after the accident, and he then stated what the last witness, Mr. Young, had repeated, namely, that he could not make the driver or fireman on the luggage train see or hear him. The witness here begged to add that besides the signal sent out by Brownsmith, there were three signals at the back part of the pas senger-train, that could be seen on such a night as that of Friday at a distance of a mile and a half, at have fo stopped and least, if not double the distance; and he (witness) r w th a e s r th ex e!d m o i Was at a loss to understand why it was, more parti cularly as they were on a high embankment, the pri sonerssignals,distancefrom Jones and Fleming did not see them in time to prevent the accident. On being it r t l y ed oi b t y ho the pri A so la n g er ist u ra ro te N , v t n h s e m w i t i h tn t e ( s ) s h s a a v id e tuaikeesnpetohiea-f.;pthla e c s e t d op t p h a e g n e a . on the line at George Tofield, an inspector of. Police on the line, stated that he took the prisoners Jones and Fleming into custody at the station , a t an early hour that morning, and Brownsmith he also took into custody ➢lr. Gray said he was not sufficiently versed in the law to discuss legal points, but he would state for the information of the magistrate, that the appeal he had made to the merchants, warehousemen, manufac turers, and tradesmen of of London had not been re sponded to in the way he anticipated, in enabling him to meet the great and unavoidable expenses he had been put to in carrying out a most important prose cution, and that the subscription at present only amounted to 2001., leaving him 5001. out of pocket by the affair. He had, :however, received letters of thanks from all quarters. He wished it to be under stood that he had been bound :over to prosecute, not only for himself, but for many others who had been defrauded by the same gang, and that a Judge's warrant was in existence to apprehend Herman Cusell, who had forfeited his recognizances to the amount of 8001. Mr. BALLANTINE stated very clearly the difficulties which stood in the way of any further interference on his part, and said, much as Mr. Gray disliked an action at law, he could suggest no other proceeding against Duke, who, perhaps, might yet relent, and restore the rope to the owner. lie could not, as a magistrate, take cognizance of the subscription, but he hoped it would meet the expectations of Mr. Gray, who had made such great sacrifices for the public weal. Mr. Gray thanked the magistrate, and retired with several merchants and gentlemen belonging to the Society of Guardians for the Protection of Trade,•.who appeared much interested in the affair, and spoke in high terms of Mr. Gray's exertions. The SOLICITOR. GENERAL having replied on behalf of the Crown, The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE charged the jury, tell ing them that unless there was the grossest 'perjury in the case they were legally bound t 4 convict both prisoners. The jury retired at half-past five o'clock, and in a few minutes returned with a verdict of conviction against both prisoners, who received the announce of their fate perfectly unmoved. They were remanded until the following day for sentence. ARRAIGNMENT OF PRISONERS.—The Court then proceeded to arraign prisoners in the several cases in which bills of indictment were found by the grand jury, amongst whom were five men charged with the wilful murder of a person named M`Mahon. When the Clerk of the Crown asked the prisoners in this case whether they were guilty or not, four of them said " Not Guilty," and the fifth pleaded Guilty. Mr. O'lls.k said that the prisoner was evidently under a misconception as to the nature of the charge against him, and asked pertnission - for him to be al lowed to plead again, and withdraw his first plea. Mr. BENNETT—The Clerk of the Crown can put the usual question again, and let him be told that if he persists in pleading guilty he will be hanged. Clerk of the Crown—How say you, prisoner, are you guilty or not ? Prisoner-1 am Guilty. The CHIEF JUSTICE—Do you know that you must be hanged if you plead guilty of the crime of which you are charged ? Mr. Frost, the attorney for the four men who asserted their innocence, informed the prisoner of the nature of the charge for which he was indicted. He said it was murder and not manslaughter, as he might have supposed ; he should, therefore, consider well before such a plea was recorded. The prisoner again persisted in stating that he was guilty. He said that he and five others—not the men on trial—committed the murder ; however, after some further explanation to him, he withdrew his plea and pleaded Not Guilty. Several other parties having entered pleas, the Court, at six o'clock, adjourned to the following day. FRIDAY, JAN. 14.—The Chief Justice sat this morning at ten o'clock, and proceeded with the trial of the prisoners. The Chief Baron did not sit, owing to slight indisposition. APPEARING IN ARMS.—Patrick Cusack, a young man about twenty-five years of age, was convicted of having, on the 18th of October, at Crannaher, appeared in arms, to the fear and terror of her Ma jesty's subjects ; the prisoner was arrested after firing two shots at horses employed in carrying corn. The prisoner was sentenced to two years' imprison ment with hard labour. The Chief Justice observed, that if the indictment had been framed under another statute he would certainly have been transported. ATTACKING A D WELLING• HOUSE ARMED.—John Liddy, Patrick Canny, Michael Hickey, and Michael Skeean, were found guilty of having, on the Ist of August, 1847, at Traugh, with others, attacked the dwelling-house of William Walsh, and stolen a gun and pistol, his property. The CHIEF ,JUSTICE sentenced them to transporta tion for fourteen years. His Lordship addressed them in very feeling terms (similar to his address to the convicts in the county Limerick), and said he did so not for the purpose of wounding them, or adding re proach to their punishment, but fur the purpose of reading a lesson to the unconvicted criminals of the county Clare, and warning them against the commis sion of crime. The Court was sitting at the post hour. The Limerick Reporter of Friday says—" Sen tence of death was this day passed upon Hayes and Ryan (Small), for the murder of Mr. Watson." WILL OF THE LATE DEAN OF RIPON.-" This is the last will and testament of me, the Very Rev. James Webber, D.D., of Dean's yard, Westminster, Dean of Ripon, and one of the Prebendaries of the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, Westniinster. I give, devise, and bequeath to my wife, Caroline Francis Webber, all my real and personal estate, of whatsoever kind or nature, and wheresoever siteate, and all that may be due and coming to me as Mater of the hospitals of St. Mary Magdalen, and St. John the tvangelist, Ripon ; to hold the same unto my said wife; .her heirs, executors, ad ministrators, and assigns iibtolutely, and appoint her sole executrix of this, myo4ll.—Witness my hand this 18th day of June, 1847." This venerable dignitary died on the 3d of Septemberlast, and besides his estates and property in the province of York, was possessed of personal and funded property within the province of Can terbury, amounting to nearly 4,0901. He has held the vicarage of Kirkham, in Lancashire, from the year 1813, the annual value is returned as exceeding 9001. with the patronage of seven benefices. He was appointed a Pre bendary of Westminster in 1816, and was occupying a prebendary house at Dean's-yard, to which three of the Prebendaries are entitled; from this appointment there is a participation in a large revenue of about 20.0001 annually divided among the clergy, comprising the Chap ter, consisting of the Dean and twelve Prebendaries. In 1828 he was raised to the dignity of Dean of Ripon; attached to this office there is an income of between 3001. and 4001. [ADVERTISEMENT.] DEBILITATED CONSTITU TIONS, DISORDERED LIVER, BILE, AND INDIGESTION, CURED BY HOLLOWAY'S PILLS.—The good effects pro duced by this salutary medicine are really extraordinary and speak volumes in favour of its excellence in the cure of impaired digestion, bile, diseases of the liver and chest. The benefits derived from the use of Holloway's pills in those complaints are permanent, as the whole system is completely renovated, by inducing a healthy action of the liver, strengthening the organs of digestion, and promoting a free respiration. Persons suffering from any of these disorders should immediately have recourse to this established remedy, to insure a safe, certain, and speedy cure. Sold by all vendors of medicines; and at Pro fessor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand, London. NEWS FOR THE " NATIVES."—ReaIIy there seems to be no end to the objects to which the new invention of chloroform is likely to be applied. Lately we heard an ultra mercy monger seriously proposing tha lit should be applied to capital criminals, in order that they might be hanged "with sensations rather pleasurable ;" and we are now told it is an excellent substitute for the oyster knife. It is right our Colchester friend should know this. A little chloroform, it is said, applied to the shell, sends the dear little delicious creatures into a deep sleep, even though they be just out of their beds, and in the unconsciousness of their dreamhood they gradually open and let in the enemy. Ladies may thus amuse themselves by opening oysters at the work-table ; and it is said that some young spendthrifts in the town, hearing of this new ap plication of chlorofot m, propose to apply it to parent , s , and guardians, as it will make the old folks " shell out. —Chelmsford Chronicle. c re o a ll itly . foNrvthhetetpast, THE ANCIENT MONUMENT IN TRAFELGAR SQUABE.—Some of our Contemporaries have been foolish of the Nelson monument had been sent to Woolwich to be cast, and that there really was a chance of seeing this finished before they unlucky monument of many things enough to believe that the sculptured tablets for the base partner, the excellent Member for it would puzzle us to tell. We shall die. In truth, however, we believe there is nothing yet ie caster,tn nwoord likely r able to h f friend, e r f i o d r , A s l o r rn . e G t r i imsso to 11, has been amusing himself with on the steps for these distinn-uish- Q 1S appointment for Gordon, ha r 3G. a , r e ee hasemn seems ingGto l visßeN w O l n ien or one G m ß a E s E o N n w w ic a rt s employed from r sNmuaogrnge.yeismethot,ontthohissm(l)avteefor a return of the "days that have HOSPITAL. Rear- Admiral passed" since the men began to work there, e. le4, presentndde not restricted to the precions metals.-- The Builder. his eA w n h (ad e ati n ilier t a h til e i Enrse Sir ro e rj r e e atma n i o en n s waived his promotion to the rank of Vice-Admiral, to wieh Hospital. Sir James Gordon has, however, re ceived official notification from the Admiralty, that should health, or other circumstances, compel him to give up the Lieutenant-Governorship, he will be placed in his proper position as a Vice-Admiral. ECONOMICS WITHIN THE RE COLLECTION OF A SEXAGENARIAN. (From the Inverness Courier.) The following comparisons of the state of things in 1847 and from 1787 to 1797—fifty or sixty years ago —has been made by an intelligent correspondent : TRAVELLING BY COACII.—Stage-coaches were then much slower, so that there was both loss of time and increase of expense at inns. Between Edinburgh an d Glasgow, and Edinburgh and Perth, was a regu lar day's journey; and there was also dinner by the way. Then there were no outside seats as we have at present. Now stage-coach travelling is of quite an opposite description, and is in a great measure super seded by railway coaches; the outside of the stage coach being advantageously compensated by the second and third class carriages. SEA CONVEYANCE was then by sailing vessels, the very swiftest being sometimes a week or ten days between Leith and London. Steamers now accom plish the same distance in little more than a day and a half. One advantage the old mode had to people whose time was of little value—such as half-pay officers and the like—that in the event of a tedious passage, good provisions were included in your two guineas passage money. It is told of a Berwick citizen that, going to London in a smack on one occasion, the vessel having made a quick passage of little more than forty-eight hours, it was announced to him in the evening that they were in the Thames; instead of expressing satisfaction, he growled out, "Is this all we have got for our money I' CLoTnes.—The substitution of cotton for linen in shirts, and also the great fall in the price of cotton cloth of all descriptions, within the two periods, is particularly applicable to women's dress. The com mon use of black clothes by men—in this way one good suit and one more common is sufficient for ordi nary use : then, a good cap and a good black suit were thought necessary. Hats which look well and wear well are much cheaper now. HAIR POWDER was then in general use among the younger men of the middle classes, the daily em ployment of the friseur being absolutely requisite, as the hair had to be dressed and tied behind in a queue. With the common soldier in the army precisely the same dressing of the hair was enforced, only, instead of powder, they used common flour, and they had to act alternately the part of friseur to each other. Elderly men wore often powdered wigs, with stiff curls. About the end of last century the use of hair powder among the younger people was given up very suddenly. The first change was a fashion from France of curling the hair very much, in imitation of the heads of the ancient statues. Military hair dres sing was also abolished in one day, by a mandate by the head medical department of the army. SHOES are about the same price now as then, but wear better; the upper leather then giving way soon. Boots are now much more generally worn. In this respect, therefore, the old school had the advantage in economy. STOCKINGS.—By the general use of trousers, any kinds of stockings, even of the most ordinary description, may be worn. Formerly trousers were only worn by sailors. With the middle and higher classes breeches were universally worn. and a superior and much more expensive kind of stockings were necessary and always in use. In short, we have the picture of a fashionably-dressed young man of 1787, when we observe the costume of the usher who attends the Queen. WRITING MATERIALS. —Writing paper is now much finer and cheaper than formerly. Pens—The use of steel getting gradually universal, being not only cheaper, but requiring no mending, saves a great deal of time, particularly where good penmanship is necessary. Quills require good eyes and sharp knives, and will hardly hear above twice mending. LIGHT AND HEAT.—Of coals we have now a much more ample supply by canals and railways, and the article is, upon the whole, better and cheaper. Gas generally takes the place of candles, and certainly yields more light for the same price, and has the ad vantage of the light being more uniform, without snuffing. CURRENCY. —Formerly, there was a large propor tion of lead, copper, silver, gold, and notes. The silver was both bad and light, the gold light, a n d th e notes some in bad credit and all liable to forgery. The case is very different now. ARTICLES or FOOD.—Neither the prices of bread or corn have varied so mucd that one period does not very well admit of being compared with another. Thus, the price of 1847 differs more in 1846 than it does in 1797. Butcher meat, upon the whole, is cer tainly higher priced now. It is rather curious, indeed, thatf or some time Scots beef has brought the highest prices in the London market. Neither is mutton equal in flavour to that of the old blackfaced breed, more attention being now paid to the quality of the wool. Three articlea, however, which, with pro priety, may be called necessaries—tea, coffee, sugar, —are likely to be more permanently cheaper than formerly. In one important article we spend more than we did formerly—that is to say, house accommodation. Our houses are more roomy, better aired, and have more conveniences than in old times. PRISON COMPANIoNsinr.—How long the lamp of conversation holds out to burn between two persons only, is curiously sot down in the following passage from Count Confalonieri's account of his imprisonment : " I ens an old man now; yet by fifteen years my soul is younger than my body! Fifteen years I existed (for I (lid not live—it wa s not life) in the self-same dungeon, ten feet square! During six years I had a companion; during nine I was alone! I never could rightly distin oalcilldi op other e n ou our r l i t p h s o t u o g a h s t k s and ea e ideas t Ie r o i i distin guish the face of him who shared my captivity in the ' eternal twilight of our cell. The first year we talked incessantly together; we related our past lives, our joys for ever gone, over and over again. The next year we all subjects. The third year we had no idea to n communicate ; . we wore beginning to lose the power of reflection. The fourth, at the interval ' we to li e , h of ' a it .were indeed possible that the world went on as gay and bustling as when we formed a communicatedll t month o r so , The fifth, we were silent. portion of mankind. The sixth, he was taken away, I never knew where, to execution or to liberty, but I was glad wh en h e was gone; even Bolande its better than the dim vision of that pale, vacant face. Afteralone;only One o that I was ne event broke in upon my nine years' vacancy.day (it must have been a year or two after my companion left me) the dungeon door was opened, and a voice—whence p roc eeding I know nut— u t tere d t h ese words, Bye order of his Im perial Majesty, I intim a t e to you that your wife died a year ago.' Ihen the door was shut; I hoard no more; they had but flung this great agony in upon me, and left me alone with it again." FRENCH EGGS.—There have been very numerous arrivals of eggs within these few days from France. The Belfast, front Calais, brought GG cases ; the Neptune, from Gravelines, 97 cases and 4 baskets ; the Lion, from Gravelines, 61 cases ; the Carolinda, from Caen, 99 cases ; the Poule, frein Cherbourg, 181 cases; the Hy polite, from Gravelines, 81 cases ; the Coq, from Cher bourg, 182 cases of the article. The price of eggs in the metropolis, at the present time, is about half that of the corresponding period of last year, not w ith s t a ndi ng th e g reat demand . which must have obtained during th e recent festive season for this useful article of food. BRISTOL SUGAR MARKET, JAN. 14.--The trAde continues to show a disposition to get into stock, and a stearly business has been dune since our last, at full prices. —Bristol Ali eery, . . ....... . LAW INTELLIGEN CE. :COURT OF EXCHEQUER, Jan. 15. (Sittings in Banco.) EGERTON V. lIICENIOTT. This was an action brought to recover compensa ti,n in damages for a malicious prosecution. The case was tried in the sittings after last Michaelmas Term, before the Lord Chief Baron, when a verdict passed for the defendant. Th e , paintiff, it appeared, was an auctioneer re siding at Stepney; the defendant was the landlord of certain pit . ,mises which were let to a person of the n.tine of Edmonds. The tenant, being desirous to dispose of the premises, agreed with cne Read to let the swine, on certain conditions contained in a memo rand em of agreement drawn up between the parties. Soru. - .! difference arose upon the construction of this agree !lent, and upon the parties attempting to remove the fixtures and goods from the premises, the de fendant gave the plaintiff and others in custody on a charge of felony. The plaintiff was tried at the Old B:ifley on a charge of conspiracy, but was acquitted. Mr. Iluaarrair now moved for a rule nisi to set aside the verdict for the defendant, or fur a new trial, on the ground of misdirection of the Learned Baron, he having; left it to the jury to decide whether there w.,e . any reasonable or probable cause for giving the partlei into custody. The COURT decided, upon the construction of the agreement, that they could, not disturb the verdict. Rule refused. PREROGATIVE COURT, Jan. 15. (Before Sir H. JENNEB FUST.) Several motions were disposed of to-day. IN THE GOODS OF- MAIM BLTEMAN. In thli case the testatrix was Mrs. Mary Bateman, who died on the Ist of October last, leaving con siderable- property, and among it nearly 10,0001. in vest (el in Pennsylvania bonds. The will, which was b o , the Court's direction ordered to be propounded (a mere motion, for probate having been previously male), was all in the handwriting of the deceased, the left in it were very numerous; attesta tion ia defect was, that the paper was not signed in due form as required by law. Civilians on the one side urged the Learned Judge that where the inten tions of the deceased were so clearly defined the law should not hold tight to the letter, as by so doing injustice might be done to legatees, and the real in tention of the testator defeated. Contra, it was con tende.i that the Court had no course to pursue but, in a case like this, to carry out the law. Sir H. J. FUST, after stating the ordinary circum stances of the case, said there could not be any doubt but that the paper before the Court was in the hand writing of the deceased. It contained a vast number of legacies ; it occupied three sheets, and was most carefully written. There was no signature of the deceased on the third side, but there was on the fourt h, about half way down. The attestation clause was very carefully drawn. The question the Court had to decide, was such an execution as this valid under the 9 h :section of the Act, which required that the siffnature of the party making a will should "be at the foot and end thereof," either by himself or her self, or by some party at his or her request. If the Qourt would follow its own dictates, it would no doubt come to a conclusion in favour of the paper, as there was evidently no disposition of violating the law. Were the circumstances of this sufficient to allow the Court to pronounce for it ? The Court could not allow parties to put their own construction on the l a w. The deceased had not complied with the statute, although she intended to do so . Th e cas es of "Ayres v. Ayres, , ' and " Willis v. Lowe," referred to by civilians, could not be allowed to bear upon this. The Court was bound upon principle to reject the allega tion, but it expressed a hope that tlae opinion of the Superior Court should be taken upon the question. The will was not signed by the deceased at the end and foot thereof, and the Court must reject the idle ,. gaVon. ~I7ARI,BOROUGH-STREF , T. .Richard Turrel, a tailor, was charged with having stolen a purse, the property of Miss Emma Hinde, of t..hoter-place, Regent's-park, under these circum stAnces "Ilbeaoarswotrp. et Police -constable ieiirwret":l6l et.. ______. Miss Ilinde said she had cccasion to go into a shop -street, Tottenham court-road, when she dropped Ler purse, containing a 51. note, half-a sovereign, and some silver. When she came out of the shop, she was told by some boys who were near the place that a man had run away with it, and had claimed it as his own property. Alexander Maclean, a boy living in Mitford-place, Tottenham-court-road, said he found a steal bead purse on the pavement, and just as he picked it up, the prisoner ran up to him, and claiming the purse snatched it out of his hand and made off. Witness ran after him, and the prisoner finding that he was followed, gave him a shilling out of the purse, and again asserting that the purse belonged to him, and that he had dropped it, ran off. last t d s ° s . n e r a u ch n . nin n g_ . after the prisoner, and he fol tnehsesonha,itssahtbillerliortlgher, i w ie he a n iso th g e av p e ri NN so i n tn e e r gs g a a n ve d the s information of the andleY ' robbery, prisnerro, :i h n i d s h i e lay s i u n c g ce l e i d ve e d d S 121, said he received ap prehending the boys knew the prisonerf near where he lived. The same court with them. in in til The prisoner, in defence, d • emed all knowledge of the affair.—Fully committed. Information has been given to the police that a person dressed like a clergyman has seen going to var ious tradesmen's shops at the w es t- en d of the t and getting goo ds, for which he has paid forged vn cheques. This i ndividual is stated to have ob tained from Mr. Übsdell, tailor, Oxford-street, a bl ue beaver coat and 41. 13s. in money, being the ( litr e , rence between the price of the coat and a forged cheque for 101. The same individual obtained from Mr. Grosjean, tailor, Regent•street, a blue beaver coat, and 4/. 13s. in money, being the difference between the price of the coat and a forged cheque for 71. 16s. SOUTHWARK. John Allen , a p ow e rful, thickset -looking s th' k et-looking ma n, who described • himself as a charcoalrefiner, was brought before Mr. C • . coin mating an ottingham charged with - outrageous assault on ' ' Maria he co h a bit e d. Watchorn, with whom J SUICIDES. SUICIDE OF AN ARTIST.-011 Saturday Mr. Wak ley, M.P., held an inquest at the sign of the Queen's Ilead, Keppel-terrace, Chelsea, on the body of Mr. Joseph William Brett, aged 34 years, who committed suicide under the following distressing circumstances : —lt appeared from the evidence gone into, that the deceased was the son of the Rev. Joseph Brett, a clergyman of the Established Church, and resided with his parents both aged persons, living in a cottage, No. 4, Keppel-street South, King's-road, Chelsea. The deceased was an artist, and one of the irery nume rous unsuccessful competitors, for the prizes offered for subjects for the cartoons to embellish the new Houses of Parliament. The subject the deceased chose was that of "King Richard pardoning the Soldier who shot him." The blight of disappointment, there is no doubt, operated most severely on the deceased's mind, although he never complained of it, and appeared in general cheerful. His health had, however, for a long time before his death been failing, and he had become so weak as to be unable to use his right arm and hand. On the evening of Tuesday last deceased was seen alive by his parents about hall- past ten, at which time he was in bed. About nine o'clock on Wednesday morning his father, who is very near sighted, went into the deceased's bed-room (the front parlour) and saw him lying in bed, as he at first thought with a red hand kerchief round his neck, but on closer examination he found that it was blood, and that the deceased was dead. NO alarm was, however, made until half-past one o'clock in the day, when by the advice of a neighbour the police was called in, and Mr. Smith, a surgeon, pronounced life to have been extinct for some hours. It was then found that deceased had cut his throat with his left hand with a razor, which was found in bed, the handle and blade having been tied round with a handkerchief. The wretched ap pearance of the deceased's room, also of the interior of the house, bespoke the poverty of the unfortunate family, who, however, still prize the picture of the deceased, who, it is stated, had refused 3004 for it. The coroner and jury commiserated greatly with the feelings of the family, and returned a verdict, " That the deceased was found dead with his throat cut, supposed by his own act, but as to the !tato of his mind at the time there was not sufficient evidence to show." SINGULAR SUICIDE.--On Saturday Mr. Payne held an inquest at the establishment of Messrs. Westrop, Dignam, and Co, wholesale warehousemen, No. 8, Watling-street, on the body of Charles Treacy, aged seventeen years, a young man in the employ of that firm, who had blown out his brains with A pistol. It appeared that the deceased, who had been in the ser vice of the firm about five years, was one of th• best conducted persons in their employ. On the previous evening he had leave to go out until ten o'clock, but he ought not to Lave stopped out all night, which he did. About 11:1f-past eight o'clock that morning de ceased came into the warehouse, and it being evident from his appearance that he had been out all night, William Ellis, a fellow-servant, joked him on the cir cumstance, and said he might have told him he was going to do so, and not let him leave the lamp burn ing all night. Shortly afterwards Ellis heard a noise like the bursting of an inflated flour bag, and ran up stairs, and on entering the store department he found the deceased bleeding from the head. A surgeon was instantly sent for, who found that deceased's head was .shattered by a pistol shot, and that life was quite ex tinct. Mr. J. Dignam said he could not at all account for the commission of the act, unless the following papers, found since his death, would throw any light upon it. The Coroner, finding they were in the do ceased's handwriting, read as follows : "Let the suicide rest, Place no mark on his head, For he sought but rest With the numberless dead. " Let the slumberer sleep, On him shed not a tear, For though maddened with sorrow Ho died without fear. " As he lived so he died, But let him sleep on!" " Is death then such a dreadful thought, Since 'twas bequeathed us from our birth? Can no man face it as he ought, But dread and tremble whilst on earth? "As we bought death as well as life, • That life unto us lore bestowed; When lore and joy aro turned to strife, 'Tis death that frees us from our woes. " Then look upon it as a friend, From which our nature cannot sever; While comes mesmeric aid to lend, And keeps us slumbering on for ever. (Signed) "CHARLES TREACY." The jury returned a verdict of "Temporary in sanity." SUICIDE OF A MEDICAL GENTLEMAN.. .On Satur day evening a gentleman named Boxall, residing at No. 74, Upper Seymour- street, Euston-square, com mitted suicide under the following circumstances : Mr. Boxall formerly carried on business as a surgeon, at the corner of Melton-street, Euston -square, but for some time past has resided in the before -mentioned house. For some time the unfortunate gentleman has been observed to be in a desponding state of mind. On Saturday afternoon he returned home about four o'clock, and the instant the door was opened he drew a razor across his throat, and ran into the parlour. The servant who opened the door raised an alarm, and Mr. Aldridge, a surgeon living opposite, went im mediately to her assistance. On going into the parlour Mr. Aldridge attempted to take hold of the unfortunate gentleman, but was unable, Mr. Boxall striking at him right and left, and exclaiming, " prussie acid, prussic acid," whilst the blood was flowing profusely from the wound in his throat. After considerable difficulty Mr. Boxall was secured, but not before the gentlemen who went to Mr. Aldridge's assistance were covered with blood. The wounds in his throat were secured, but the unfortunate gentleman was so exhausted from loss of blood, that he died in about an hour after. A letter was subsequently found ad. dressed to the unfortunate gentleman's father, an extensive builder at Brighton. DETERNINLD SUICIDE AT THE SWANSEA BAR.. RACKS —On Wednesday evening last the soldiers of the 82d detachment, stationed at these barracks, were suddenly thrown into a state of considerable excite ment by hearing the report of a musket in the direc tion of the barrack yard. An alarm was immediately raised, and on looking .about it was discovered that the pay-sergeant, named Michael O'Connor, had committed suicide by shoollng himself with a musket through the heart, in A - room which he occupied in the east end of the yard. The deceased was a fine young man, about 29 years of age, and was much respected by his comrades; having been in the regi. ment upwar'ds of twelve years. The verdict of the Coroner's jury was "Temporary Insanity:' —Cam ;ri Brian. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. a N n e n w )u n l t n. of sh b ar us e i s n , es l s izl d p o . n — e. - -- BRISTOL, JAN. 15. STOCK Excnerrou.—There was considerable firmness in L1 4:1/. Shares, 24 1 4—Mid- The sales are—Great Western, Original Shares, 13 p.— Shares, 1 , 4, p.—North British, Thirds. par—Ditto, Extension,. I ,i dis. • : LIVERPOOL, J. 16. STOCK EXCIIANGE.—The sales are—Birkenhead, Lanes v and vie.-8t ep a r ni New,ft, fair \o i e shire, and Cheshire Junction, 31/. * Sharea, (late C. and 13. );::"2: 3 5 per cent. in 1847 and 1848, and 6 per cent. in 1849, 164—. ' Eastern Counties, 16— Glaegow:and Ayr, 4014—Rudders- t field Canal and Railway, 1% dis. --Lancashire and York • s lend Stock, 114—Ditto, theoitnt p.— Ditto, Quarters,m arketa nd to-day, South-Western, 7 0 d u 2 t Zi P . n shire, 321. Shares, 5 dis.—Ditto, Halve/ (late H. and Shed:). dis.—Liverpool, Crosby, and South art % dis.—Londou and North-Western, 154—Ditto, Quarters, New, 6 Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, Quarters, No. 1: guaranteed 71%i per cent, till 1853, par —Di tto, Preference, •'s =Midland, Halves, 13 c. dis.— North British, N ew Quarters, Scrip, par—North Staffordshire, par—Shrewsbury t . :1 and Chester (late N. W. •M. , ), 2 p...—Ditto, New, 1 p.— -- 5 . ) Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Cheshire, 5 4 4 dis.—Ditto, Pre- !:/- ference (guaranteed-8 per cent.), 3 p:—.Seuth-Eastern and Dover, Consolidated, No. 3, 5 dis.—Ditto,. 1, 5 4 j, die,— York, Newcastle, and Berwick - and-B. Extensions), No. 2,2%, p.—Ditto, G. N. E. Purchase, 1% p. BIRMINGHAM, JAN. 15. STOCK EXCIIANGE.—In consequence of no official list being issued from the Stock Exchange on Saturdays, it is difficult to obtain a complete statement of the transactions effected during the day-. The onlv sales we heard of were-- North Staffordshire, 1-16 dis.—Shrewsbury and Birming ham (A.'s), 3/„35. 9d. YORK, J. 14. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales arc— Great Northern, 4/. 7s„ ex int —North Briti-li, Thirds, 40s. 6d.—Ditto, Extension. I ,; ? —York,Newcestle, and Berwick, Extension, No. 1, 14 1 i— Ditto, N 0.2 (late New Berwick), 12/. I 3s. 9d.—Ditto (G. N. E. Purchase), 9%. BIRTHS. On the 11th inst., in Manchester, Mrs. John Hillard, of a daughter. On the 12th inst, at the Vicarage, M ort i mer, t h e w i fe of the Rev. H. J. C. Ilirper, of a son. On the 12th most., at Catiunbury, hire. Anthony Hall, (1 a son. On the 13th inst., at Plas Draw, Denbighshire, the wife of 11. It. Dalton, Esq., barrister-at-law, of a lion: On the 13 a t t l i t sio a a t t N t V h ( e n - u nl r l o ey v - e , :I n e i r g ts h , g t a h t e e, w th ir e e w of if: r ofW W . : O ‘ n v i : l ' u e te r h'e M o ( ll. , 3 rga”, of a daughter. DIED. -- At Gravesend, Mrs. Sarah Carden. On the itht inst., at St. Peter's Port, Guernsey, P. S. Par son, Lieutenant, R N., aged 25. On the Bth inst., at York-terrace, Regent's-park, Mar garet, the ti,ife of J. Young, Esq , aged 60. On the 12th hitt., at Bath, Eliza, eldest daughter of the late S. Trounce, Esq , R.N. Os the Lith inst., Sophia Elizabeth, the only daughter of Mr. Elliott, York-road, Lambeth, On the kith inst., Susan Anglin, wife of John Allen Adamthwaite, Esq , of Peckham-rye. On the 81. 13th inst., at Gaintb r d, D ur h am , Mi ss A nn Wh ar- Lower Mitcham-green, Miss Elizabeth Mary Sh arpe. tonA,:al London: Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, at No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sum Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the county► of faitidoutx,tlonclay, Jaulutry 17, IS4B. O. it. •• , .•.••„.. .............„ , - - 7 THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, defendant into custody at Manchester, on a warrant, and received at Manchester, from the superintendent of police, coats, waistcoats, and trousers, which have been identified by the prosecutor. Mr. Mellor admitted that there was a prima facie case for prosecution, but it was quite evident that his client had entertained no thought bf fraud—that he never concealed from the protecutor the place in which he was—and that his character had been always un impeachable. Mr. Buchanan said the case was perfect, and sub mitted that nothing more was necessary to sustain the prosecution. The prisoner, who appeared to be in a very ba d state of health, was then committed for trial. GUILDHALL. Elizabeth White, a sharp -looking little ,w.oman, on. about 40 years old, was brough t before John Pirie for further hearing, having been charged on a previous day by Mr. Alderman Sidney with assaulting him in the street, for the purpose of being taken care of in prison rather than become an inmate of the union to which she belongs. Mr. Alderman Sidney had no desire to press the case. Sir Jous PIRIE observed to the prisoner, that he supposed she would do the same thing again, if he were kind to her and discharged her now. She replied, you are just right, hurling one of her shoes at him with tolerable precision. The ALDERMAN remanded her for a week, that the gaol surgeon may report on the state of her mind. John Goodenough, a letter-carrier in the post office, was re-examined, charged with being concerned with two other parties, not in custody, in stealing six sovereigns, the property of John Jordan, the landlord of a beer-house in Fenchurch-street. The prisoner introduced two of his friends to sup at the house. After they were gone the landlord missed from his bag of money, which he had left on the table, while he was absent from the room, six sovereigns. As the prisoner was one of the last to leave the room, the landlord inferred he was cogni sant of the theft, and the prisoner undertook to get the money back from his companions, though he pro tested he knew nothing of the stealing of the money. Mr. Humphreys, for the prisoner, now cross-exa mined the complainant at great length. Sir Jour( Ems said it was a case of great suspi cion. Ile regretted to part with the prisoner, but as he did not think a jury would convict him he should not send him to trial. An inspector of letter-carriers attended from the rost-office to watch the case, and he promised to report the circumstances to the proper. quarter. The prisoner was discharged. Lucy TVright and Ann Williams, two genteelly dressed young women, were charged with stealing a purse, containing eight sovereigns and a foreign coin, from a gentleman, whose address is not known. Henry Morton, police-constable 63 L, said that about nine o'clock last evening he heard cries of murder proceed from White Horse-street, Cornwall road; and on proceeding to the spot he perceived the P rcsecutrix lying on the pavement and the prisoner kicking her in a violent manner. She was screaming dseadfully, and the prisoner was standing over her, exclaiming that he would murder her. As soon as witness came up he seized hold of the prisoner and pulled him away, but he made away from him, and kicked the female in the face and eyes so violently as to render her insensible. Assistance came up at the time, and after great resistance the prisoner was se ' cured and taken to the station-house. Witness took ' the complainant to a surgeon's, where she soon re covered, but her face and eyes were so swollen that she could not see. The prisoner told him that the woman had robbed him and refused to give him his money back. Mr. COTTINGLIAM said that such offences were very much on the increase. Parties considered that they might treat unfortunate females in any manner they thought proper. Had the complainant received any cuts he should have committed him for trial at the Old Bailey ; as it was he should send him to prison for two months. Emma Young was placed at the bar charged with having in her possession a silver dessert spoon, king's pattern, supposed to be stolen. Mr. Francis Lyon Barrett, pawnbroker, of the Dover-road, said that on the previous evening the prisoner came into his shop and offered to pledge the spoon. He examined it, and from its extraordinary weight, and the crest being scratched out, he sus pected that she had come improperly by the spoon. He then asked her where she got it, when she replied that it was her own property. He then kept posses sion of it, and told her to call on the following morn ing. He informed a police• constable of the circum stance, which led to her apprehension. John Wright, police-constable, 63 M, said that from the description given him by the last witness of the woman, he instantly suspected the prisoner, and that morning proceeded to her lodgings, where she generally slept, and took her into custody. He ex amined the house, but was not able to find any more property, although he was confident that the prisoner was connected with a party of thieves. He had taken the spoon to a silversmith's, and he believed the crest to have been a " stork's head and a crown." Mr. COTTINOHAM—Is anything known of the pri soner ? The officer replied, that she was committed to prison for a robbery at last Ascot races. She then got off with a slight punishment. She formerly lived with a man who was a short time ago trans ported. She now lived with Bridger, the man who was tried at the Old Bailey, and sentenced to twelve month's imprisonment, for killing his wife. In answer to the charge, the prisoner said that she found the spoon. Mr. COTTINGRAM complimented the conduct of the pawnbroker ; if all behaved like him, many robberies would be detected. The spoon, no doubt, was stolen, but as no owner was found, he should commit the prisoner for two months. Charles Delany, a lad about 15 years of age, was charged with breaking the iron drain pipes of the South-Eastern Railway, and stealing there. Robert Cuthbert, one of the watchmen in the em ploy of the Railway Company, stated that for some time past a large number of the iron drain pipes had been broken off the bottom of the arches and carried away. He was accordingly directed to watch, and that morning he saw the prisoner leaving one of the arches with several pieces of the pipe in his posses sion. The pipe had been broken that morning, and the prisoner was caught near the spot. Other boys were there, but they all made their escape except the prisoner. Mr. COTTINGIII.I4 asked the lad what answer he had to make to the charge ? The prisoner denied breaking it off the pipe. The fact was, that while he was playing under the arches of the railway, he found the iron in a. hole. between nine and ten o'clock. The former prisoner i said that immediately before the accident they were proceeding at the rate of about 25 miles an hour, and had not seen any signal until they observed those behind the passenger-train, and they were at that time too near to prevent an accident. The third pri soner did not make any remark that he recollected. The prisoner, Brownswith, s iid that when the train stopped he asked the head guard if he should go back to signal the next train, and did so. He proceeded three quarters of a mile, when he saw the good's train coming, and made every effort to make the driver and stoker :oe the signal, or hear him ; but could not see either of them on the engine. The fog signals are kept in a van, and as the night was not foggy, but on the contrary quite clear, and the stationary train on a high embankment, and easy to be seen at a consi derable distance, he should say three miles, lie did not think of using any but the usual red hand signal. The prisoner Jones declared that the night was foggy, and as soon as he saw the light signals at the back of the passenger train, he reversed his engines, and used the utmost means within his power to pre vent a collision, but owing to the shortness of the space, the greasy state of the rails, his coming down an inclined plane, and his having behind him 31 trucks heavily laden with goods, that propelled him forward in spite of all he could do, he could not avoid the collision. By keeping on his steam he said he was enabled to use a much greater force to stop the train than by shutting it off. Mr. ELLIOTT said he did not see that there was anything in the conduct of Brownsmith to justify his detention, but the other prisoners he' should re mand to a futive day. THAMES. Mr. H. T. Gray, the rope manufacturer and ship chandler of Stepney, again waited on Mr. Ballantine relating to the detention of some rope by Mr. Duke, a canvass merchant, which the magistrate recom mended should be given up to the applicant, who had been defrauded of the same by a gang of swindlers, three of whom were prosecuted to conviction a t M r . Gray's expense, after great exertion and loss of time on his part. Mr. Gray said that although such a very strong recommendation had fallen from his worship, Mr. Duke still retained possession of rope which he had not paid for, and that person's answer to repeated ap plications was, that he would not part with it until he had a written guarantee to indemnify him against the expenses of any law proceedings to recover the value of the rope. Now, it was not likely the parties still at large would ever dare to pursue Mr. Duke if he parted with the rope to the person who had been defrauded of it, but they would be very ready to do so and ruin him (Mr. Gray) with law expenses, in revenge for exposing and dispersing the gang, if he furnished Mr. Duke with any such guarantee as the one demanded. He therefore wished the case to be reheard, and couisel heard on the case, for he was instructed that Mr. Duke really came within the meaning of a clause in the Police Act referring to the detention of property unlawfully obtained. Mr. BALLANTINE thought otherwise, and said if he granted process an objection could be taken, and very properly, that the case had already been heard and decided. He had certainly recommended the rope unpaid for in Mr. Duke's possession should be re stored to Mr. Gray who had been defrauded of it in a very ingenious manner, but he felt that he had no power to compel Mr. Duke to give it up, and must therefore leave Mr. Gray to his remedy by action. Mr. Gray said he had had enough of law. His attorney's bill for prosecuting the conspirators amounted to 4001. and upwards, and the value of the rope obtained by fraudulent means was 3001. more; besides which he had sacrificed his time for three months, and neglected his business, and he was now called upon to incur fresh risks to recover his own property. One man who had advanced 21/. upon a portion of the rope obtained by the swindlers, had offered to deliver it up on the payment of 101., and he was afraid that was all he should recover. Mr. BALLANTINE—Point out any method in which I can assist you, Mr. Gray, and I will most willingly do so. QUARANTINE AT NAPLES. We understand that official information has been received from Naples, stating that the Board of Health of that city has thought fit to place the whole United Kingdom of England, Scotland, and Ireland in quarantine, in consequence of a report that two cases of Asiatic cholera had occurred in this metropolis, in the month of November last. It is intimated that all vessels which may have cleared from the port of Lon don since the 3d of December will be refused admit tance altogether into the port of Naples, and that vessels from any other port of the United Kingdom will be subjected to a quarantine of from 14 to 21 days. We trust that the Foreign Secretary will lose no time in protesting with. suitable alacrity and vigour against this absar‘ e measure, so extremely injurious to the mercantile interests of this country, and so utterly unwarranted by the facts of the case. If the Neapolitan Government or its agents in Lon don had made proper inquiries, they would have found that the only cases of illness which were as similated at the time to Asiatic cholera, were but two in number, that they were isolated cases, accompanied and followed by no circumstances which could in any degree warrant the existence of contagion, infection, or even of epidemic disease._ This is not the first time that we have had occasion to remonstrate against the extravagant and precipitate measures taken by the sanitary officers of Naples. Some years ago they thought fit to place we know not how many ports of the United• Kingdom under the same ban, because a newspaper had reported the existence of typhus fever in the wynds of Glasgow ; and it has been shown that they have it personal and pecuniary interest in inflicting these vexatious restrictions upon commerce on all possible occasions. The present case is really one of such consummate impertinence and folly, that it calls for a prompt correction, and compensation to all such British merchants as may have been inter rupted in their lawful undertakings by the capricious fears of the Neapolitan Board of Health, and we have no doubt that an immediate withdrawal of this order at once be required by the British Government in such a tone as to obtain it —Times. George 'William Traill, Esq., formerly of the Ho nourable East India Company's civil service, but lately residing at Hanover-square, London, who died on the 19ih of November last, has left personal property in England, valued at 30,000/., besides his freehold:z, and estates and possessions in the. East Indies. He made his will in June, 1845, and a codicil in May, 1847, and has bequeathed all his leasehold estates in or near London, find all estates he held on mortgage to trustees for his daughter Mary, born in the East Indies, and his estates in the East Indies, real and personal, and all money and other property there, he leaves in trust for his son Charles, also burn in the East Indies, to receive there (ruin a sufficient sum for his maintenance and education until he arrives of age; an annuity of 600 rupees to be allowed therefrom to their mother, for her life, who is residing at Alinona, in the East Indies—the children are in England. He has also left the following legacies:— To James Traill, Esq., formerly of Union Hall, 1,0001.; to Louisa, the daughter of Sir John Scott Lillie, 2,0001.; to Rosalie, the daughter of J. C. Colebrooke Sutherland, Esq., 1,0001.; and to his son George, 2,0001. The tes tator confirms a deed, giving the whole of his landed property in the Orkney Islands, on his decease, to his great nephew, Frederick William Burroughs, son of Captain F. NV. Burroughs, of the Bengal Native Infantry, and has appointed his said great nephew, his residuary legatee. The acting executors are Sir Thomas E. Cole brooke, Bart., and James Traill, Esq., a power being reserved to F. NV. Burroughs, Esq. FATAL DUAL.—The family of Count de la Feld Sternberg has been plunged in great affliction by recent intelligence from Estonia. The young Baron Theodore d'Ungern Sternberg, who was deservedly lored by all who knew him, has been shot in a duel occasioned by some trifling offence given or received in a " Salon" at Royal. Baron Gustave de Sternberg, brother of the de • ceased, who acted as his second, had the misery to see his brother killed before his eyes. The Emperor has ordered Baron Gustave to retire for six months to his estates in the island of Dago.—Journal de Prague. BRISTOL.—The Mayor of this city moved in the town council on Saturday week, that petitions be pre sented to bath Houses of Parliament, praying for the removal of Jewish Disabilities. Mr. Jose moved an amendment, which only obtained five supporters, whilst iu favour of the petition there were twenty-eight. JANUARY 17, 1848. IRISH SPECIAL COMMISSION. MURDER OF MR. WATSON. ENNIS, THURSDAY EYENING.—After the dispatch I of my letter several witnesses were examined for the prosecution. The principal evidence was that given by a lnd named Crowe, about fifteen years of age, who deposed as follows :—I saw Mr. Watson riding up the road, and shortly afterwards I - saw Ryan, " Puck," and Hayes again together. Ryan, " Small," was not with them. Mr. Watson was riding towards me. He was about thirty or forty yards from me, and was walking his horse. At this time Ryan, " Puck," jumped off the ditch at Larry Flynn's field, and cocked the gun at Mr. Watson. He was about the length of the table from him. Ryan did not fire, and when the gun was presented at Mr. Watson he turned his horse and went down the road towards home as fast as he could. He had not gone far when Ryan, " Small," one of the prisoners, jumped over the hedge and caught the horse by the bridle. The horse plunged, and Mr. Watson fell off; arid Ryan, " Puck," then came up. Mr. Watson fired at Ryan, " Puck," but missed, and then Ryan, " Puck," struck him on the head with the butt-end of his gun. The deceased called for mercy, and ityan, " Puck," again IE struck him, and smashed the gun on his head. After this they ran away towards Keogh's bog, and I saw Hayes in the bog immediately afterwards. He went a piece with them, and then turned. The two Ryans went towards Ballymolony Wood. Hayes had either a gun or a blunderbuss with him, and he was about half a quarter of a mile from where the murder took place. Mr. Watson was not killed five minutes when I saw him in the bog. He and the R yens went about a field together and parted. To the COURT—Hayes was not standing so as to conceal himself. A police-constable having proved that he arrested the prisoner Hayes, who was about leaving the coun try for America, in June last, the case for the prose cution closed, and Mr. O'HEA. addressed the jury for the defence, in which he said the principal witness in the case was the boy Crowe, who was evidently influenced by bad feeling towards his uncle, who was one of the par ties charged with instigating the prisoners and Wil liam Ryan " Puck" to commit this offence, and therefore should not be relied on in a case of such vital moment; where the lives of two men were at stake. NUMEROUS ROBBERIES. On Wednesday last Mr. John Parsons, of Mot combe, as he was returning from market, was stopped on the highway by four men, who robbed him of 301. in gold and silver, a cheque for 251. 17s. 6d., and another cheque on the Wilts and Dorset Bank for 401. On the previous evening Mr. Picket, of Great Bedwin, was stopped by four men under similar circumstances, and robbed of a sovereign and his pocket-book. Mr. Robert Bennett, of Chuddleworth, a few days ago was pulled off his horse by two men, and robbed of his purse, containing two 51. notes, two sovereigns, and two pounds in silver, and also his watch. Mr. llichins, of Knell Farm, wits on Saturday, while returning from market, stopped and robbed by four men of six 51. notes, and about 41. in money. On Tuesday Mr. Covil, the landlord of the Albion public-house, Woolwich, was robbed of a cash-box, containing 101. in gold, a bag, containing 901. in gold, four 51. notes, about 201. in gold and silver from a drawer, about 181. in silver, besides other property. It is supposed the robbery was effected by three per• sons who came to the house in a phaeton. ISLE OF SKYE. A correspondent writes, of date the 4th current, from the neighbourhood of Portree : " The weather continues wet and wild. For some days we had a slight frost, which soon gave way to high winds and torrents of rain. Had the quantity , of rain which fell for the last four months been me chanically gauged, it would have been found unpre cedented even in the Isle of Mist: The, crops of last autumn suffered greatly in consequence. They, will not yield two-thirds of the produce of the pre vious harvest's [crop. The poor people are therefore much more depressed in circumstances than they were twelve months ago. The great majority must necessarily be supported, ere long, by the Highland Relief Fund. The parochial local committees are now superseded, without any feeling of regret on their own part. Last season their duties were arduous and irksome. They performed them, however, man fully—and it is to be hoped, with a very few excep tions, impartially. Without fee or reward, a n d a t the expense of much time and toil, they did their utmost to discharge the duties imposed on them. While their services may have been found fault with, on the one hand by the recipients, as being too illiberal—and on the other hand, by the Central Board, as being the reverse, they have no cause to regret that they are relieved of such a troublesome and thankless office.—lnverness Courier. r i