The Express.
London, England, 1863-08-20 00:00:00

THE SUSPECTED MURDER TY WOLVER-
HAMPTON.

The woman who is supposed to have murdered
the man Williams would seem to have made men effort to
provost the house in which his body was lying from being
entered at too early a date after her departure. By a re-
femme to his rent. book, Mr. Manna, the landlord of the
house, finds that the last week's rent which be received was
paid by the woman Sparrow sass Steadman os the forenoon
of the 27th of last July. This was the forenoon dthe day
upon which she left the court, with the key at the door in
her hand, and saying to her next door, ueighboar, "If any
one calls, say I am going into the country hawking, and
shall not be beak for some time." When she pad the rent,
as she did, to a Mrs. Smith, another tenant and a shop-
keeper, she said, "Has Mr. Manna left the rent-book ? II
he hu not, please to give him this and let it he put down.*
This was the ssoond week's rent that bad become due. She
would thus seem to have tasseted the house may • fortnight
before @boleti. She seemed to beery anxious beforethe house
was let to her that she might become the tenant. When
the landlord for some time refused to accept her, she premed
for a reason ; and when she was told that being a hawker he
should never be able to find her at home to pay the nut,
she said that if that was ell the objection she would pay the
rent regularly to Mn. Smith, at the shop. Upon these con-
ditions she obtained the key. By the payment of the last
week's rest the date at which she left the house becomes
definitely fixed. It can three weeks ago last Monday. That
the woman toned is the empty haw at Dudley is the
woman Williams alias Steadman, the chief constable of
Wolverhampton has now no doubt whatever; but Mr.
Phillips, the coroner, before whom the inquest on Williams
was opened, is not yet equally satisfied. It is his opinion
that the body should be rhsuiterred at Dudley, in order
that the clothes should be examined more is detail. U
Mr. Robinson. the coroner for Dudley, should become
decided is his opinion that he has no power to order the
disinterment, Captain &grave will leave further proceed-
ings with a view to that edditioul inspection to the
coroner for Wolverhampton, and the jury impannelled to
ascertain the cause of Williams's death. But Mr. Robin-
son states that if be has the power he shall be happy to
grant the permission desired. Tliepaper bag found 111 the
pocket of the suicide at Dudley is regarded es powerfully
corroborative of the opinion of Mrs. Lewis—that the bon-
net found hanging to the sky-light at Dudley was the mme
as that worn by Mrs. Steadman when she left the house in
which Williams's body was found. The paper bag is just
such a one as would be used by a mercer to enclose a muslin
bonnet border. Mr. Parcel, the mercer, of Bilstoo, shoes
name is printed on the bag, has been applied to for in-
formation, but he says that purchsees of borders are so
frequent at his shop, that it is impossible for him to
afford any clue. Doubtless it has not been forgotten
that the key of the house in Wolverhampton
was not found upon the suicide at Dudley. Cap-
tain Sums has handed over to the surgeons who are
engaged in making the poet *torten examination of Wil-
liams s body the tea leaves and other remains of a meal which
were found on the table of the downstairs room of the house
in which the body was found, for evidence accumulates
which teed, to strengthee the supposition that Williams
was poisoned. it is now smelted that not only had the
demised a broke, sore, but also that some time before
he was but sue alive hie thumb was broken by its having
been crushed by • trolley. This last-named cireurnstanos
would account for a kind of bandage which is spoken to
by the women who found the body as having been upon
the head the thumb of which was broken. U the
apparently gouged-out e;e can be shown to have been
• defective eye-tall, hardened by disease and then
forced out of the socket during the decomposition of the
body—if the nose can Le shown to have had • broken bridge
during life, and the thumb also to have been injured
theo, the only marks of apparent recent violence that remain
to be accounted for are what upwind to the surgeon when
be tint law the body to be • rub or cut acmes the top of
the thigh, sod another across the abdomen, and apparently
extending from the one upon the thigh. So tuba@ the pro-
gress of decomposition gone that it is doubtful if it can be
proved that the last• pained injuries are more than the dis-
jointing of the corpse an the course of decay. But the sur-
geons have not formed any definite opinion on either of thee,
Lade —Birestagbast Daily Poet.

In the Sheriff's Court, Liverpool, before Mr.
Price, Q.C., Jobe Barlow Roberto, late • collector of mtr
for the Liverpool Drearier', was Metered to six rears'
peril servitude for defrauding hie employers al radar
sums which be bed collected.

To-day's telegram is brought to is with lightning
speed by Magnetic force. The wee power, and with the same
meows is employed by Mr. Herring in his Magnetic Brushes.
Dr. Hamall reports, - I regard them so the most perfect brushes
hitherto made, s mopeds their mechanical construction, and
their magnetics! action." They are the remedy for grey hair,
neuralgia, rheumatism, ete.—N. B. Coanterfelts are being made.—
Mom, n, lasketa-eltreat, laodaa.--(Ailvestlessorat4

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

LANOASHIRR AND YORKSHIRE.

The half-yearly meeting was held at Manchester
yesterd Mr. Wicazam, M.P., in the chair.
Au abstract of the half-yearly report and statement of
accounts has been published in this journal.
The CHAIBMLN recapitulated the WWII items of those
statistics, and congratulated the compaoy on the extent to
which its revenue had borne up under the adverse conse-
quences of the American war, scarcity of cotton, and Laoca-
shire distress. During the half-year, out of the 100,0001.
which at the last meeting the shareholders authorised the
directors to expend on capital account for various works, the
board had actually dent only 48,262/. It wasted understood
that the directors did not seek to speed the balance of that
100,000/. in addition to the 70,0001. expenditure they
would recommend the company to authorise for the current
balf.year ; the new estimate was to cover all possible re.
quiremeots, and might not all have to be laid out. Notwith-
standing the increase of revenue as compared with 1862, it
would be seen that the receipts were dry far short of the
maximum attained two years ago-950,731/., or even of the
922,283/. earned in 1860. Whereas 14 par wet had been
lost in 1662, there had been in the last six months an
incrusts 01 54 per cent. on the whole traffic to Juoe last
year. Deducting from the increased working ex-
penses the increase in rates sad taxes caused
by the prevalence of distress, the improvement
of 46,458/. on traffic had been really earned, wish as in-
crease
of only 5,819/. in disbursements. For an increase of,
5,7591. in locomotive charge. there had been 407,526 more
passengers moved, towards a loss of 732,000 lad year: and
121,419 more tons of goods, towards a loss of 236,696.
Coaching charges had diminished by 9061. Mirchandise
charge. showed an increase of 4,9321. ; but the tonnage car-
nod bad increased by nearly ,5 per cent., and the increase
had been moved on the average 16 miles, whilst the average
of the whole line of merchasdiee was 73 miles, showing
that the increase had been chiefly earned in mineral sad
short distance traffic. Maintenance of way had cost 42.209/.,
or 4511. per mile, against 4761. last year. According to
intimation last February, the board had charged 20,0004
to the debit of reissue against this amount; and the
Wade, together with the further outlay dui.* the earned
half-year, would be charged to revenue in the accounts
made up to next December. The principal reduction is
the general charges, which had been 12,5311. against 13,6061.,
was in the item of law expenses. Had the Chancellor of
the Exchequer persisted in his intention of a general pas-
senger duty of 31 per cent., this company would have lost
nearly 7.0001. a-year, as its traffic was principally third-
class ; but the railway deputation on the subject induced
the right hoe. gentleman to continue the 5 per cent.
duty, excluding penny.a.mile traffic. As excursion traffic
was now made liable, no doubt it would be dis-
couraged, and certainly it was not over-remunerative,
while it was at all times attended with great risk. (Ap-
plause.) For compensation 3,0631. had bed expended,
=set 4,6801. in the corresponding half of last year. The
for renewal of rails, chairs, and sleepers, was 42,2151.,
against 46,2631. at she corresponding date. He concluded by
moving the adoptiee of the report.
Mr. (1. Wii.aoy. deputy-chairman, seconded the motion.
Mr. J. Fauns wished to draw attention to the capital
account, in which there was an item of upwards of 10,0001.
set down as parliamentary expenses connected with the
applicatioa far the Hull sad Doncaster line, which they bad
not obtained powers to construct. He contended that as
they had nothing to allow for this expenditure it ought
rather to have gene to the revenue account, and not the
capital account. He complained also of an item of more
than 4,0001. put down as parliamentary expenses not dema-
nd, and thought they ought to charge the whole of their
paramentary expenses against the redone of the half-year
in which they were incurred.
The CHAIRMLW contended that they had something to
show for the 10,0001., inasmuch as the powers they had
obtained over the North-Eastern Company's line were as
good se it they bad obtained a line of their own, whilst they
saved the alpines of making it themselves. He expected the
advantage so obtained was equal to cent. per cent. on the
charges placed to capital, and which were charges, therefore,
fairly due to capital. The poly dud they had not charged
all the expends, including the 4,0001. referred to, to one
half-year, was a desire to keep the dividend as equable as
possible, and they therefore spread the charges over the
y°!!' . . . .

Mr. FULLD/N wan not satisfied with the explanation, and
moved se an amendment that the 10,0001. expenses for the
Hull and Doncaster line be charged to revenue account.
Mr. ADANTHWAITZ wooded the amendment, which, on
• show of hands, was lost, and the original motion carried.
The Climaxes moved • dividend of 4t per cent., and that
the directors be authorised to spend 70,0001. on works during
the next half year, which was carried.