The Express.
London, England, 1864-01-07 00:00:00

THE CRYSTAL PALACE.

The Crystal Palace awl its gr.muils have charm;
for every wawa. Now that the frost has set in,
the ice on ita ornamental waters may compete with
any in the country ; for it has been carefully protected
while it was forming from the conclusions which im-
petuous youth is so prone to try in such casts with
pebbles and brickbats. During the whole of yesterday the
lower lake was thronged by skaters, of whom
no inconsiderable proportion were ladies. After sunset
the amusements by no means ceased. The managers of the
Palace Company do not apparently subscribe to the Shake-
sperian dogma about season seasoning all things. If they
did, it might have occurred to them that there was some
incongruity in the bare notion of setting out on a skating
expedition after dark. Undeterred by considerations of
that kind, however, they invited the public to a grand ice
party by torchlight ; and the summons was attended
by several hundreds of persons. The way down
to the lake was carefully invited out by lows
of lamps ; and along the borders of the ice large
coke fires were lighted, round which crowds assembled to
gossip, to put on or take off their skates, or to Tea when
they were tired of executing those arithmetical devices
which are the pride of all proficients. A great number of
the party personally curled blazing torches ; and the sceue
at a distance was very singular, for the ice seemed covered
with au eccentric species of fire fir, or a new kind of shoot-
li ing star. The evening paced off, so far as our reporter
I could learn, without the smallest occident ; and the
party was pronounced "an agreeable," " a jolly," or " •
stunning" novelty, according to the idiom in which those
present were severally accustomed to express their approval
of things in general.

HORRIBLE DEATH OF A CIIILD "FROM FIRE.

INQUEST.—(THIS DAY.)
This afternouu Mr. H. Rattles Walthew, deputy
coroner, held= inquest at the Whitmore Head, Whitmore-
road, Hortoo or. the body of William Fraucis Sayler, aged
one year, who was buret to death under very shocking
circumstances.

Mrs. L. Sayler, 1,, ('opsall-street, Heaton, said that last
Monday afternoon she placed the deceased, wrapped up in •
blanket, in his cot opposite • co►e tire, which was very
large on account of the extreme coldness of the weather.
She went upstairs, and had not been absent 10 minutes
when she heard terrible shrieks. Upon running
down she found the cot and the child one
mass of flames. She caught the burning child up
in her arms, and would have been burnt to
death herself had not Miss Williams, a lodger, come into
the room and extinguished the flames with a blanket. The
fire must have taken place from the lining of the cot, which
was white calico, first scorching and then breaking into a
blare. The cot was destroyed, the half next the grate
being completely consumed.
Dr. Hicks said that the child was shockingly charred and
died immediately. Verdict, " Death by misfortune."

LATE FIRE IN BIR.VINOHAM.

SERIOUS CHAID:E OF FRAUD.

At the Public-otlice, Birmingham, yesterday-,
before Sir J. Retrial and Mr. C. Sturge (ex-mayor), a respect-
ably-dressed young man, named Thomn Lowden. 24 years
of age, described as a draper, living at Leicester, was brought
op on warrant, in the custody of Detective-inspector Man-
too, charged with having, on the Ilth of February. lati3,
unlawfully and by false pretences obtained from Mr.
Matthew Smart, insurance agent, of Temple-street, a cer-
tain valuable security (to wit), one bill of exchange, of the
value of 1,4&•/. ss.
Mr. Humphreys (of the firm of Messrs. Humphreys and
Morgan, solicitors, Giltepur Chambers, Seagate-street.
London) appeared to prosecute. He stated that
he appeared in the case ou the part of the pro-
secution. The charge against the prisoner and
another person of the name of Reston, his late partner,
was for obtaining money by false and fraudulent pre-
teases. The person Beeton was not at present appre-
hended, but no doubt he would soon be in custody, and
would be brought before the magistrates on a future day.
He (Mr. Humphreys) had to Rieke an application that the
prisoner might be remanded until his partner was appre-
hended. The prisoner had been apprehended by detective-
inspector Manton, at Leicester, upon a warrant granted by
Mr. Kynnersley, the stipendiary magistrate; and when
the other person was apprehended, he (Mr. Humphreys)
would be prepared to go fully into the CAN. Evidence
eufiicient to justify Mr. Kynnersley in granting a warrant
having been given when the application for the warrant was
made, he did not know whether the magistrates would, upon
the simple application for a rem mil, think it neceaeary that
he should call any evideace in support of his application.
When the other person was apprehended, be would have
to go through the evidence de noro. It was a very serious
charge against the prisoner, and 1,48. V. had been obtained
from the Liverpool and London and Weetrninater Fire
Insurance companies. The money had been actually paid
over to the prisoner and his partner. The companies
would not in say way be benefited by the prosecution, and
they were carrying it on simply as a public duty. He applied
that the Prisoners might be remanded until next Thursday,
the 14th inst. Atter a little consideration, the magistrates
remanded the prisoner accordingly. The prisoner Lowden
earned on businces with a Mr. Beaton, nutter the firm of
Messrs. Lowden and Bootee, in High-street, Birmingham,
and iu January last their premises and stock were totally
destroyed b► fire. The charge of obtaining the 1, 185/. NB.
by fraud has some connexion with the tire.

THE Foo.—ania DAY.)—This morning a dense
fog caused considerable interruption to kinsioeta and ren-
dered the navigation of the River Thames very difficalt and
dangerous. The train' on the carioca railways were delayed
at various periods of the day through the density of the fog.
The river steamboats and all other kinds of small craft
ceased running after 9 o'clock in the morning. The
various beakers and all the public offices in the City and
West-end, together with several wholesale warehouses, were
lighted up with gas till now.
LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER RAILWAY.—
During t►e lut few days great activity lies been manifested
in connexion with this oompany's city and metropolitan
extensions. Arrangements having been made with the
owners and occupiers of all the land and houses required
between Ferl-street. Ludgate-hill, and the old Fleet Prima,
in Farringdomstreet, workmen have been daily scgaged is
the labour of demolition, and, with the exception
of a few houses, there Is now a clear opening from Apollo-
caries' Hall to the site of the Fleet Prison in Farringdoo-
street. Workmate are also sowed in pulling down the
York Hotel, in Bridge-atreet, and to expedite operatics*
they work by ton►lybt The arrangements for the pur-
chase and poleresice of the remainder of the land and
houses from the Fleet Prison to the Metropolitan Rail-
way in Victoriautrest are understood to be completed.
ADMISSION or Arroaasrs.—The number of new
applications for next term is RI, and seven rearmed appli-
cation', besides other notices for admission. The number
already on the roll exceeds 10,000. The certificate duty
yield■ about 70,0001. a year, and exertions are being made
to reduce or to repeal the tax.