The Press.
London, England, 1854-03-04 00:00:00

Mr. Curteis, the retiring member, said :

The defendant has been concerned for our family as agent for
fifty years. I proposed that the dinner should be given. I wrote
the first form of invitation; I had a running account with de-
fendant. Ido not know who set this matter in motion. I gave
no written authority for the dinner. I meant to pay for it. I at-
tended the dinner. The prosecutor in this case is some sneaking
coward afraid to show his face. The Government don't prose-
cute.

The jury returned a verdict of Guilty. Sentence
was reserved.

ccibtnts and (Ofents.

A FATAL AFFRAY occurred at Bristol on Saturday
night, when a man named Cornelius Murphy was
stabbed by Juan Antonio Castro, a Spanish sailor.
At the inquest held on Tuesday a verdict of " Wilful
murder" was returned. It was stated by one of the
witnesses that the weapon was not like the knives
usually carried by sailors, but was similar• to a but-
cher's knife. Another man was stabbed during the
quarrel; and several Spaniards, comrades of the mur •
derer, were taken into custody.
Two SERIOUS FIRES broke out on Monday night
in the neighbourhood of Blackfriars-bridge. The
most formidable of these occurred at the well known
glassworks of Mr. Apsley Pellatt, M.P., situate in
Holland-street, Blacktriars-road. The fire com-
menced in the store-room at the rear of the building,
and rapidly spread to the show-rooms, which were
immediately contiguous. A good supply of water
enabled the firemen to confine the conflagration to
this part of the building, but it was not mastered
until both show-rooms, as well as the store-room,
were completely destroyed, together with the contents.
The damage must amount to at least 20,0001., for the
full sum of which Mr. Pellatt is fortunately insured.
The second fire was discovered about midnight, at
Mr. Pilkington's dining-rooms, No. 158, Fleet street,
adjoining the Portugal Hotel. The conflagration
commenced in the upper rooms of the building, but
by the exertions of the firemen was confined to these
premises, the whole interior of which, however, was
entirely destroyed. Fortunately no personal injury
was sustained.
THREE WELL-DRESSED MEN were apprehended on
Tuesday on the Manchester Exchange for picking
the pocket of a merchant in open day. One of them
was dressed in a large cloak, and the other two were
"covering" him: he had succeeded in getting a
pocket-book containing 301. from the person of Mr.
Walmesley, of Marple, when the gang were seized,
and conveyed to the police-office.
THE DAUGHTER OF A LIVERPOOL SOLICITOR, a
lady named Martha Gaudy, committed suicide on
Sunday last. She was thirty-six years of age, and
having met with disappointment in love had become
low-spirited. Her sister heard the report of firearms,
and, on going into a spare bedroom, found the de-
ceased lying on the floor, quite dead, her head shock-
ingly mutilated from a pistol shot. A letter to her
father was found on the table. At an inquest held
on Monday a verdict was returned of " Temporary
insanity."
ACTIONS will be brought at the ensuing Spring
Assizes to be held at Exeter for the recovery of the
damage sustained by some of the bakers during the
late bread riots in that city. The total loss to
the various sufferers in the county is estimated at
from 1,0001. to 2,0001. At the same assizes about
forty prisoners will be tried for having taken part in
the bread riots in various parts of the county.
HATTO, the groom, charged with the murder of the
housekeeper at Burnham Abbey Farm, will be tried
at the ensuing Lent Assizes for the county of Bucks,
to be held at Aylesbury next week.
ON Thursday a convict named Eglin, a notorious
associate of burglars and smashers, succeeded in
effecting his escape from the Middlesex House of
Correction, Coldbath-square, where he was under
sentence of twelve months' imprisonment, having
been convicted at the last Central Criminal Court of
uttering base coin.
THE labourers employed at Holyhead New Har-
bour works struck for wages last week, and still con-
tinued to hold out, the contractorsbeing unwilling to
accede to their demands. Their present wages are
2s. Bd. a day, and they ask for an increase of 4d.,
making it 3s.
THE Staffordshire, a fine Liverpool and Boston
packet ship, of nearly 2,000 tons burden, has been

MARCH 4, 1854.

totally lost, with a fearful sacrifice of life. She sailed
from Liverpool in November, with a cargo valued at
20,0001., and 108 passengers, mostly emigrants, in-
cluding several ladies. All went on smoothly until
the 24th of December, when she encountered a tre-
mendous gale of wind, which continued several days.
On the 28th it carried away ber bowsprit, foretopmast
rigging, &c., and her rudder was also carried away.
Captain Richardson, on himself going aloft to exit
mine the security of the foremast, was blown off, fell
on the deck, and broke his ankle-joint. The chief
mate took command, but on the following Thursday,
night, when believed to be about forty miles south of
Seal Islands, off the southern point of Nova Scotia
the vessel struck on what are known as the Blonn
Rocks. Two boats broke adrift, the remaining two
could only hold a few persons, and those in charge of
them could scarcely get clear of the ship, when she
went down with 175 human beings, including the
captain. The four mates and twenty-one seamen
and twenty-five passengers were saved, including
only one woman. They succeeded on the following
day in reaching Seal Islands, but suffered severely
from cold and want of provisions. The loss of the
ship is attributed to the rapid current driving into
the Bay of Fundy, which carried her on to the rocks.
The ship was but partially insured.