The Express.
London, England, 1862-07-26 00:00:00

CHATHAM, FRIDAY.
The police have succeeded in apprehending the
supposed murderer of the lad Thews Frederick Houghton,
whose body was discovered barbarously murdered on
Chatham-lines, on the afternoon of Wednesday Last The
supposed perpetrator of the crime surrendered himself to
Police-constable Hibbert, 169, who was on duty in Sigh
street, Chatham, between 11 and 12 o'clock last night, the
accused stating that he wished to give himself into custody
for the murder of the boy on Chatham-lines. The constable
asked if be was serious in what he had stated, when the pri.
sonar said be had committed the murder, and wished to give
himself up. The officer immediately took the man into
custody, and conveyed him to the Aloe of super.
intendant Braid, where he gave his name u
Robert Alexander Burton, and his age 18 years. After the
superintendent had cautioned the prisoner as to any con.
fission he might make, the prisoner said be had committed
the murder in order that he might be hung, se he was tired
of his life. He then voluntarily proceeded to say that ha
went out on Wednesday afternoon with the intention of
killing some person, and was not particular ea to who it WM.
He happened to me the deceased in the town with his
mother, and at once made up his mini that be would kill
him. After following them for some distance the mother
of the deceased went into her house in Alm•terrace, High.
street, having previously given her son leave to go on the
Lines to play. The prisoner continued to state that
he then followed the poor child, and when near
the mound of chalk where the body was
covered he thought that would be a favourable
spot for committing the deed. He accordingly seu,„;
the deceased and threw him down, after which be cut his
throat on the right Oda with a knits which he bad with
hint. The doomed, he stated, rtruggied very much ail
seized hold of his (the origami's) hands, on which, he said,
he knelt on the body and premed his throat with both hull
until the blood Sowed from the nose and eyes of the de.
ceased, and he was quite dead. In answer to a questa
by Superintendent Everts& as to the cause of the bruises
about the facie of the deceased, the prisoner maid he only
struck him once, and inflicted but one cut with the knife.
While he was engaged in struggling with the deceased, the
prisoner said he sew two men in the employ of Mr. Gilbert
close to the heap of chalk, but he believed they did not see
him. After leaving the body—the prisoner went on to state
—he met a gentleman coming towards him, and be then
pushed his bands, which were covered with blood, into his
pockets, to prevent his seeing them. He than proceeded to
the military bathing-place, where he washed his hands and •
also the blood off the knife, subsequently biding the latter
in a water-closet at the back of the Dark Sun publichocue,
High-street. He slept that night in a yard at Chatham,
and after wandering about all the following day, gave him
self np to the police.
After the prisoner had made the above statement, Super-
intendent Everist examined his clothes, when he foaled con.
siderable quantities of blood on the front of his trousers,
and also on the sleeve. of his coat. There was also blood on
both pocket., as if the pinata had hastily pushed his hands
into them, as he stated. The prisoner having also informal
the police that after the murder he had wiped his heeds on
the front of the deceased's shirt, the latter was examined,
when the marks of hood, corresponding with that itatemeak
were discovered upon it. The place described by the pri.
soner in which he had concealed the knife was likewise
searched by the police, when the knife, a rather small sharp
case-knife, was found at the spot indicated.
This morning the prisoner was . plead before the Rev.
J. Formby, Mr. J. Hams, and Mr. F. Faced, at the
county magistrates' justice-room, Rochester, charged re
his own confession with the wilful murder of Thome
Frederick Houghton. The prisoner was not dressed is
the same clothes that he had oa when apprehended. lie

is of very mild expresaion of countenance, about 6 feet 6
inches in height, and apparently about 18 years of age. It
was stated that he bad been convicted at the same colds
few months since for appropriating some money which war
given to him by his master to pay a bill. lie is by trade
carpenter.
'' ' .
•

After the charge bed been read over to the prisoner by
Mr. Farrell, one of the clerks, Mr. Formby asked him It be
had any reason to offer why he should not be remanded
until Monday ?
Prisoner—l'd rather be tried Wday, if I could.
Mr. Formby—Then you are remanded till Monday next.
On being removed from the court to the cells the prisoner
was assailed by avolley of abuse from anumber of women

and others, on which he coolly informed the police that he
would not mind serving them the same as be had the boy,
and that the " blokes" (meaning the magistrates) might
have gone on with the examination at once, as the cue war
clear enough.
Al the anises for the county are now on, the prisoner will
be brought up on Monday to be formally remanded until a
future day.

THE DISTRESS IN LANCASHIRE.

The London Committee of the Lancashire and
Cheshire Operatives' Belief Fund met yeeteeday at the
Mansion-house ; Mr. Cotten presided, aad Menem Lycett,
Morley, Ddberoglue, Armitage, Barber, and Howes were
likewise present.
Mr. Gibbs, the secretary, reported the acknowledgment
of the receipts of the grants made at the last meeting, end
he likewise reported that be bad received the sum of I,oooi.
from the Viceroy of Eoppt, in aid of the fund. A letter was
reed emaneting from Mears. Colman ,Ttuquand, and Co.. the
well-known aooonntanta,expreesing their linmas to reader
their services gratuitously, for the purpose of auditing the
account. of the fund from time to time. Several applica-
tions were read, and after due considerstiou the following
manta were made :—To St. George's, 1501. ; All sods,
1001. ;St. Peter's, Oldham-road. lax ; Hyde, 2501. ; Duke:-
field, 2501. ; Livesey, 1001. ; Wilton, 1001 ; Cherie], Pt;
Brayton, 501. ; Miles Platting, 50/. ; Mattram, 50/ ; Mill-
brook, 501. ; BoUington, 50/. ; 10111. ; Stockport,
2501. ; Stalybridge, 2501. ; Ashton, 2501 ; Middleton, 106,-;
St. &rushee, 1004 ; Enfield, 1001. ; Si. Catherine Newton,
501 ; St. Philip's, 1001. ; Blockley, 501 ; St. Thomass,
Bed Bill, 501. ; &tendon, 501. Mr. Gibbs reported this
Minus. Aubset and Linton bad already collected upwar...d, f
30/. by means of their ppiippiinngg bullfinch at the lnternationrl
Exhibition, and the ooesmtttae requested him to than,
those gentlemen for their ezertioes on behalf of the fund.

THE COTTON PANINE.

The following is the vai
pauperism in the nudermentie
of the third with the second!
The total number of paupen i
the section of unions marked
(6), 25,042; and in the section
(a). Eleven unions have me
Paupers.
Ashton-under•Lyne ... 3110
Birmingham ... ... 70
Burnley... ... ... 80
Chorlton . 160

in in the amount

.oneci unions, one connamot
I week of the present month.
in tine second week of Juts
(a) wee 67,095 ; in the section
ra (r), 411,4z5 :

Oldham ...
Rochdale
Salford ...
Stockport
Total

Paop"
...
,
:: IA

Hailing(len ...
Itsuchester . .

(b). Eight MUMS are, in respect of the amount of rev.
periam, the some as in the previous week :—Bohoe.
Coventry, Eccleasll Bierlow, Macclesfield, Sheffield, Ntc..e-
apoc-Trest, Warrington, sad Wigan.
(c). Six unions have lees :
Paapies.
Blaokbarn ... bOl Nottingham

Liverpool