The Express.
London, England, 1862-08-02 00:00:00

MURDER OF A RUSSIAN SAILOR BY AN

AMERICAN.

INQUMT7-(TE118 DAY.)

This morning, at 9 o'clock, the inquiry was re-
sumed at the Poplar Hospital, by Mr. John Humphreys,
one of the Middlesex coroners, respecting the death of
Stephen Reuss Roukiff. aged 32, a seaman belonong to the
Russian ship Odessa, lying in the Victoria Docks, alleged
to have been murdered -by en American, named Henry
Bret:luso, one of the crew of the ship Faony Fern, which
has recently left the river for the United Staten..
. . . .

Superintendent Howie, of the K division, had charge of
the case on the part of the commissioners of police, and the
prisoner was brought up in his custody from Ilford Gaol,
under an order obtained from the Secretary of State.
The depositions taken on the previous occasion were
read over in prisoner's presence.
Robert Harris said that he was a policeman, and on the
night of the of last month he heard cries of murder
and shouts for the police from near the Victoria Docks.
Upon going to the spot he saw Brennan and some other
sailors running away. He found a party of foreign sailors
near the spot, and amongst them deceased, who rid he
bad been stabbed. The next morning witness went on
board the American ship Fanny Fero, and arrested the
prisoner, telling him that he was charged with stabbing a
Russian seaman. Brennan replied, "1 uu did not see me
stab him, nor did any one else." Witness did not °briery°
a knife is prisoner's baud when he saw him running on the
night of the murder.
Prisoner declined to question the witness.
Mary Anne Courtensy, a little girl, of Plaistow Marshes,
said that on the day after the occurrence she was playing
near the Victoria Docks, when she picked up the dagger pro-
duced. It was stained witu blood, and witness took it home
to her mother, who gave it to the police.
Mr. Spurgeon, the house-surgeon, said that the deceased
was brought to the hospital, suffering from • wound in the
left side,which penetrated between the ribs. He lingered un-
til the 24th ult., and died from the injury. The post mortem
examination showed that the stab penetrated and
through the pericardium into the abdomen. The passed
c
matter into the abdomen caused death. Deceased was a
line healthy man, and there was no natural cause to pro-
duce death.

Mr. Thomas Scotchtner, landlord of the Sir Robert Peel
beerahop, Victoria Dock-road, said that be understood that
a party of foreigoers was at his house on the night is ques-
tion. Prisoner used to frequent hie place until about a
fortnight before the murder, when he twice threatened
to stab witness, and ho would not let him come there
Main.
Prisoner—You are glad to let anyone go to your place
that has a penny or twopence to spend in beer. Whoever
has money can go to your house.
Witness continued and said that the prisoner had struck
him over his bar mice or twice.

Prisoner—Mr. Scotcbmer, did I say I would stab you
Witness—Yen, you did.
Prisoner—l never said so, and you are a liar for Baying
that I did. You are no gentleman to say that.
Mrs. Sarah Anne Scotcbmer said that she recognised the
prisoner, who was in the Sir Robert Peel on the night that
the Hinnies was there together with several others. Other
Americana were there with prisoner. The servant called
witness up to the room, where they all were saying that
Brennan was taking away the Russian's beer. Witnoss
told him not to do so and he said he would if be liked.
Witness told him he should go out, or she would have him
turned out as she had often before. He then left, bat came
back after ten o'clock, saying, " Mrs. Scotehmer, lam not
going to make any further disturbance in your house to-
night." He went upstairs, but the row recommenced, and
she WM ordered him out, sod he went away at twenty mi-
nutes to eleven o'clock. All the rest left at 11 o'clock, when
the house shut up. The Russians asked her to let them stop
for awhile, as they were afraid of the Americans'
and she let them sum for about five minutes.
She was quite sure that Brennan had left 20 minutes at
least before the Russians left. She saw no more of them.
Brennan was sober when he left the house, and she saw no
weapon about him. She had frequently seen him take his
sheath knife out and threaten to stab her husband, but
she did not see the knife in his possession that night. She
never saw the dagger produced in Brennan's hands.
Prisoner declined to ask witness any questions.
The prisoner was then duly cautioned, and asked if he
wished to make any statement.
The prisoner said. 1 have no statement to make, but that
lam innocent of dabbing the man. 1 had lad my pocket-
knife overboard before the Russian was stabbed, and I
borrowed a sheath.kuife to work with on the day in ques-
tion, but that knife was taken from me in a row at the
lock-gates, and so I had no knife out of the docks that day.
The Coroner thou summed up, and said that the interval
which elapsed between the departure of Brennan and
that at which the Russians left the beer-
shop was ample to allow any animosity from
the quarrel to cool down, and it being shown that he
lingered outside in wasting for the deceased clearly 000sti-
toted the offence one of wilful murder.
The jury returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder against
Henry Brennan."
. .

The prisoner is, it appears, a Nova Scotian, and by trade
a shoemaker. After he took to • seafaring life, which he
did only recently, his ship touched at New York, where he
was satiated in the Federal army for the subjugation of
the South. He speedily repented of his new vocation,
however, and upon the sailing of the Fanny Fero be con-
trived to secrete himself ou hoard with the connivance of
the crew, and got safe from the !Jolted States.
The case appeared to create considerable interest among
the seafaring men in the diotnct, a large crowd being con-
gregated in the thoroughfare in front of the hospital,
anxious to hear the result of the proceedings.

A GE-VTLEHAN CRUSHED TO DEATH BETWEEN
TWO STEAMBOArs.

INQUESI.7(TIID3 DAY.)
This morning an inquiry was hold at Guy's Hos.
;Hal by Mr. William Payne, the coroner for the City of
London and Southwark, respecting the death al Mr. Thomas
H. Hough, aged 4.i, who lost his life by beiug crushed
between two steamboati, on Tuesday last, at the London.
bridge pier under the following shocking circumstances.
Mr. Trumbull, Inspector of the Watermao's Company,
said that be observed the deceased crossing a Chelsea
steamboat which lay alongside the Loodon-bridge pier on
the City side, for the purpose of getting on board a Green-
wich boat. While passing from the one boat to the other
he fell between the two, and as one of them at that instant
got into motion his legs were ground between their sides
and broken, and his whole body would hare been similarly
mangled had not several gentlemen seized him by the arms
and supporttd him.° as to prevent his falling lower. He
was forthwith conveyed to the hospital, where death super-
vened from shock to the system.
Mrs. Hough, the widow of the deceased, mid that be told
her his death was canoed by his attempting to avoid tread.
mg on a lady's dress, which was distended by a crinoline so
capacious as to completely block up the gangway.
The Conner remarked on the melancholy nature of the
case, sod the jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death."

THE COAL PRODUCES AND THE COAL CONSUMER.
- -The chairman and general committee of the Nor-
thumberland and Durham coal trade have issued a
6Tcolar to the colliery owners, expressing their satis-
faction at finding that their appeal to the trade,
on the imperative necessity of contracting the shipment,.
more especially to the London market, had been responded
to by the coslowners. The good effects of the course
Pursued, the committee state, are visible in the advance
of prices and in an increased buoyancy of the meeket,
which the committee deem it only needs a steady persist-
loce for a couple of months in the 'erne comes to reader
both Permanent and extensive ; and they strongly urge
!Wm the colliery owners to limit the number of work
In Mg
days each fortnight until the improved demand in the
tondos market warrants as increase.—Suederfancl Herald.

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