The Express.
London, England, 1864-03-03 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF MURDER.

At Rotherham, yesterday, three persona, named
Lycs,Ooodell, and Broomheed, the lathers married woman,
were charged with murdering so infant by causing it
to inhale vapour strongly impregnated with oulphide of
arsenic. The case excited very great interest, and was of
• very singular nature. is College.road, Rotherham,
there reside, in a small beck yard, two familia, named
respectively Foster and Bromthead, and the latter have
two lodgers, named Lyon sad Goodall. On the afternoon
of the land ult., • violent quarrel took place hawses
Mrs. Foster sod Mrs. Broomheed, and the latter used a
very coarse threat, and said she would do the other some
wpm. About 7in the evening Mrs. Foster went out,
leaving eight children—five of her own and three of •
mighbour's —in the house, and after she had been away a
few minutes, her eldest daughter heard a noise on the doer.
step, sod, going to the place, she saw the prisoner Lyon.
She closed the door, but opened it again directly, and left
it spin, and in • few momenta the children noticed •
thick smoke, which caused • very offensive smell,
coming into the house. The whole of the children
were attacked with sickness and vomiting, and
they were so speedily prostrated that they were unable to
get out el the house. A canary that wee in a cage near
the ceiling fell from its perch dead, almost instantly.
The screams of the children attracted the attention
of Mrs. Faster and other persons in the yard, and
they malted to the memo of the children, and out-
moded with great difficulty in getting them out of the
house. Mrs. Foster and her neighbour were severely
affected by the vapour. The whole of the children re.
covered except a baby, 14 months old. It was allowed to
remain for an hour amidst the smoke, and in about two
hours afterwards was seized with violent sickroom and
purging. Medical aid was obtained, but the poor little
infant speedily fell into a thorough state of collapse, and
after suffering intense pain it died in the evening. The
pais* apprehended the three prisoners, sod caused a pea-
merit's examination to be made of the child. The surgeon
found that the stomach and intestinal were iodamed,
and the brain couggeted, and there was every appearance
of the administration of an irritant poison. The viscera
were submitted to chemical tests, which resulted in
the discovery of arsenic in large quantities. The fact
that death had been caused by the administration of
an irritant poison was established, and the evidence to
consort Lyon with this wee very strong. Opposite the
home are Mason. Bestsoo'o chemical works, where Lep
quantities of pyrites, containing arsenic, are used to make
sulphuric acid. The prisoner had obtained some of these
pyrites, ignited it, and placed it on the step of Foster's
home, sad had thus filled the house with the arsenious
XI%. An alibi was attempted, bat it failed. The coroner
jury the case was one of murder. but they found a
verdict of manslaughter only against Lyon, and she was com-
mitted to York assizes.

CArrsne SPLEE.—A meeting was held at the
residence of the Marquis Towosheod, Grosvenor-place, on
Toss ay, (or the purpose of 000midering Captain Speke's
plan for the civilisation of the natives of equatorial Africa.
It was agreed that as ansocifticia should be formed for the
suporeenoe of the slave trade, the instruction of the na-
tives of Central Afrin in the truths of Christianity, and
opening a wide field for commerce.
BOATS WITH SAILS.—A general order from the
Hone Guards, signed by Lieut.-General Sir R. Ailey.
Quartermaster-General, has been received at Chat-
ham prriscro, ansouncing that, in consequence of the some-
one accidents that have occurred from the nee of sails in
garrison boats, the Field-Kanhal CoinmandingdeChief,
with the concurrence of the Secretary of State for War,
has directed that, as a general rule, in future sails are not
to be used is boats manned by troops. If • pineal or other
°Mon commanding at a station wishes an exception to he
made to this rule or the case of any particular boat, and
maiden that the nee of the sails may be resorted to with
safety, special application is to be made to the quarter.
muter-general for the retention of the necessary mils, a
report being at the same time forwarded to the departmeot,
TuE CHAIING•cROSS RAILWAY. —Yesterday morn-
ing, for the Hest time, the public entrance to the platform
of the Charing-cross Railway terminus was thrown open;
and the new bookiog officers and waiting rooms in the WIG
rugs of buildings facing the Strand will also be brought
into service os the SAW of this month. The carriageway
that was yesterday cleared for the convenience of general
passengers had recently been made available for the accom-
modation of the Prince of Wales, sod this avenue is now
permanently open through the entire length of the station.
sit,... at prevent start from the same point that has
hitherto bees reached by the temporary entrance in Villiers-
street, mid which is some three or four bandied feet from
the Charing-cross end ; but the whole of this additional
Length of lose will come into use on the day abovenamed,
when the trans will arrive at and depart from the actual
tensions. The building itself is advancing rapidly towards
mg°llite GREAT MATCH AT NEWMARKET roc 1,0001.
—This novel match, already mentioned in the Express,
is between Sir Joseph Hawley sad the Earl of Westmore-
land. It is a wager of 1,0001. that they tranarait a message
hone and jockey 30 miles within the hour, sod they areawed to employ any number of bones end aa light
jockey, ea they please. It is stipulated that the message
meet he a written one. It will be seen that sac h-mile will
have to be completed in two minute.. and considering that
the beet Derby time recorded is Blink Bouay's (2 min.
45 sec.) and Kettledrum's (2 min. 43 sec.). Sir Joseph
Hawley and Lord Westmoreland will have to employ some
good cattle, bearing in mired the inevitable stoppages which
mast occur for change of horses and jockeys. (i.e of the
backers of time offers to ley it,ooo/., with the condition
1,0001. forfeit. The match is appointed to come off at one
of the Newmarket autumn meeting&
DARING G•ROTTE ROBBERY. —Michael Hackett,
an artilleryman, and Thomas Manl!, an old offender, were
yesterday charged before Mr. Trail, at the Woolwich
police court, with violently assaultier and robbing a young
man named Frederic, Drake, of Ball's Pood, Londe.. It
appeared from the statement of complainant, a young man
of respectable appearance, that on the previous day be
came down to Woolwich. and whilst walking on the com-
mon be fell in with the prisoner Hackett and other soldiers,
whom he treated at various public-houses. They were
afterwards joined by Murphy, and proceeded to Shooters-
hill, when it became dark sod the prisoner. persuaded
mitoses to walk to Woolwich, stating that they kelps a near
way. He socumpanied the prisoners to a very lonely spot.
when Hackett put his arm rowel the peck of mitosis, and
nearly strangled him, and when in this condition the pri.
weer took 19s. from his pocket. Police-constable Sturgis,
61 It, proved apprehending Murphy et bin own house, and
Hackett, who wee in the cells at the barracks. Cow.
*Meat identified both primate, who were remanded for a
j week.