The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-07 00:00:00

COMMISSION OF LUNACY.

THIS DAY.

This morning a commission of lunacy was opened at the
Sheriff's Court, Red Lion-square, before Mr. Commissionerßarlow, respecting the state of mind of Anne Howson, a
widow lady, agid 75, residing at No. 6, Woburn-place,
Rtlwll.:!quare. _

Mr. Shiapter appeared as counsel in support of the com-
mission, and stated that the lady, who had been of unsound
mind for the last six or seven years, was possessed of a large
fortune. Her husband's death, on the 6th of January last,
had rendered these proceedings necessary, and they were
taken with the concurrence of all the relatives, who con-
sisted of a sister, aged 84, two neices, and a nephew, the
latter being in India. The unfortunate lady had entirely
lost her memory, and was unconscious of a severe disease in
her foot, or of being attended by a surgeon on that amount;
she believed farthings were sovereigns, and had been known
to receive them as such with great glee at a game of cards
with Dr. Thompson, her medical attendant. During her
husband's life-time she appeared to be ignorant of his name
and asked who he was, and since his death she declared that
he was still living, and she imagined that her age was
but 30. She was frequently very violent and abusive, and
was in the habit of making grimaces.
Evidence was given in support of this statement,
and the unfortunately lady, who was present during
the inquiry, roughly objected to ask or answer any
questions in an intelligible manner. She pertina-
ciously refused parting with a bag of farthings, an-
swering as follows :—" I shan't let you sec them; look after
your own property. I can't trust you with one; but you
may conic and look." (She here stood up and counted the
farthings on the table of the court). " I know you will
steal them ; the men are all thieves and wretches." (Look.
ing round the court, " I never saw such a set of thieves in
my life. My God ! here's a court of justice."
-Upon the nutbrtunate lady leaving the court the jury re-
turned a 11214/1111110US verdict of " Unsound mind."

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

THIS DAY.

BOW-STREET.

llRtrAt, Brookman,
a journeyman baker, was charged with assaulting Ann
Shannon.

The complainant, whose face and eyes were considerably
swollen and bruised, and who appeared to have been most
severely ill-used, said, with evident reluctance, that for some
time past she had been living with the prisoner as his wife.
Latterly he had behaved in a most brutal manner towards
her, beating and ill-using her without any provocation. On
Tuesday night lust, when he came home from his work,
she said, "1 ou arc late, Fred." lie replied, with an oath,
that he would let her know, and immediately struck her a
violent blow upon the face, which severely cut her mouth.
She endeavoured to conceal herself behind a door. lie fol-
lowed her, and after knocking her down kicked her about
the bead and body until she was covered with bruises. Ile
also nearly strangled her, by placing his hands round her
throat to prevent her screaming. IN'hen he came home last
night he again repeated his ill-usage. lie knocked her
down upon the stairs, and kicked and beat her until her
screams brought the assistance of a police constable, who
took him into custody. The witness, who cried bitterly
during her examination, added that the prisoner took her
from her home, and she was now deprived of all means of
living, unless she was supported by the prisoner. She did
not wish to hurt hint, but hoped his worship would bind
hint over to keep the peace.
A constable of the F division said, he found the prisoner
standing over the girl, beating and kicking her in a most
barbarous manner. Her screams could be heard for some
distance.

Tyrrel, the gaoler, mid that this was not the first time the
prisoner had been placed in the docl for ill-treating the girl.
Mr. Henry would nut bind the pri,oner over to keep the
peace, as that would be• no punishment to him, but to the
persons who became seturity fur him. The conduct of the
prisoner towards the prosecutria was most cowardly and
barbarous. lie fined him the full penalty of di., or two
months imprisonment.
The prisoner was lucked up in default.
WESTMINSTER.

Cir ROE or M .1:OITA VG TITER.-11. Panrtadine, a sawyer,
who was remanded from yesterday (as stated in another
column), on suspicion of having caused the death of Eliza
Ann Barrett, was this morning re-examined.
W. Watson was at the Besaborough Arms when the pri-
soner went nut to speak to a friend. The deceased
followed, when the prisoner requested her not to follow
him, and on her refusal to remain, struck her in the
a tem ich, and went out. lie did not hear her say anything,
but saw her with her head lying on the table. i:hortly
after he risked her what was the matter, and she replied
that she felt very had, and he fetched her some brandy,
which she drank. The prisoner took her home about an
hour afterward+, when she seemed in great pain. She
did not blame any one.
Mary Ann MacFarlane said she was barmaid at the
Besshomugh Arms. She was in the kitchen, when she
heard a groaning in the tap-room, and went to see what
was the matter. She saw the deceased, who said that Dick
had kicked her, but he replied, " No ; I pushed you." Wit-
ness eat her clothes to allow her to breathe freely. She
was given some warm water and also some brandy. She
left the house with the prisoner, and said she was in great
I agony. She was certain that deceased said prisoner had
kicked her.

Edward Barrett, the father, stated that his daughter was
21 years of age. She had known the prisoner fur twelve
months. She told witness, the day after the occurrence,
that she had been struck on the previous night. Ile spoke
to her no more, for, when he next saw her at night, her lips
quivered, and she died.
Mr. G. Pears, who made a post-mortem examination,
thought that a blow had accelerated death.
The depositions having been read, the prisoner was com-
mitted for trial.

ST. MARTLEBONS SAYINGS BANK.—The annual
meeting of this institution was held yesterday, at the
ottke, No. 76, Welbeek-street, Cavendish-square ; Sir
James John Hamilton, Bart., in the chair. It appeared
from the report that the progress of this bank during the
past year had been of a satisfactory description, 2,466 new
deposits having been made in the last year. 21,110 deposit
accounts remained open on the 20th of November last, of
which 16,104 held balances averaging less than 31. Os. 3d.
each. The sum in the hands of the government on the 20th
of November, 1850, as per receipt from National Debt
Office, signed by Sir A. Spearman, and laid before the
meeting, was 321,775/. 84. led. That in the hands of the
treasurer, Sir Claude Edward Scott, Bart., whose acknow-
ledgment was likewise produced, was 1,3631. 15s. 11d.
There remained in the hands of the actuary, 401. 19e. sd.
Total, 323,1801. 4s. 2d. The balance due to depositors at
that date was 322,43/1. 3s. 11d. Showing a surplus of
7481. Os. 3d. The balance due to depositors has since risen,
to 328,3371. 13s. N.

PROPOSED SCIIOOL OF DESIGN AT WORCESTER.
—One of the most numerous and respectable meetings we :
have ever witnessed at Stourbridge assembled at the Corn !
Exchange on Monday last, at one o'clock, to consider the
best means of promoting the success of the proposed School
of Design for that town and district, the nucleus of which
has been established there for some years in the drawing
class belonging to the Mechanics' Institution. Through
the representations of Mr. Foley, M.P., the government
has recently been induced so far to recognise the great im-
portance of this manufacturing district as to award a grant
of 1001 per annum in aid of the establishment of a local
School of Design. Lord Ward presided, and the meeting
was addressed by the chairman, Lord Lyttclton, ion. and
Rev. W. 11. Lyttelton, Messrs. Foster, Clarke, Scott, Wil-
liams, Arkroyd, tte. A resolution was adopted pledging
the meeting to use every possible exertion to promote the
establishment of a school at Worcester, and a committee was
appointed to carry out this resolution. It was also resolved
that subscriptions be opened at the banks, for the purpose of
raising such an amount as will induce government to extend
its aid to the proposed institution, and the meeting sepa-
rated.

FATAL STEAM-BOAT ExELOSION.—About a quarter
wt seven o'clock, on Wednesday morning, while the
Plover steamer was lying at the steam-boat wharf, Glasgow,
one of her bffilers burst with a fearful explosion, tearing up
the greater part of the deck, and throwing down both
funnels, one of which fell overboard into the water. The
explosion took place a few minutes before the hour adver-
tised for the Plover's departure for Bowling, to which
place she was plying regularly, in connexion with the
Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Railway. In addition to
about twenty steerage passengers, seven cabin tickets had
been issued to passengers, but there is reason to believe
that none of these had gone on board. The Plover had two
boilers and two funnels placed fore and of boilers
being about half way above thu deck. The explosion
occurred in tho aft boiler, and it is to this
providential circumstance that we may attribute the
escape of the steerage passengers. Had the explo-
sion taken place in the fore boiler, the less of life must
have been fearful. We regret to have to add that the fate
of some of the hands was not so fortunate. The engineer
who was on deck at the time the explosion took place was so
fearfully injured that he died in a few minutes after being
carried to the Infirmary. One of the firemen, who was be-
low, was also severely scalded and cut, and lice in a very
dangerous state. Several others of the hands arc also
slightly hurt; and a passenger, the only one whom we have
ascertained to have sustained any injuries, had a finger
broken and his head cut. Shortly alter the accident, the
Plover was towed down to the bottom of the harbour, where
she was examined by the fiscal and police authorities, hut
we understand the vessel will be thoroughly examined by
practical and competent engineers before any official report
is issued. In the course of the day divers, with a bell, were
procured, and the shattered funnel was lifted from the bed
of the river. Other pieces of the vessel were also picked
up. To give an idea of the force of the explosion, we may
state that some large pieces of iron and wood were thrown
into the adjoining streets, a distance of upwards of 600
yards. The Plover is the property of the Mesas. Burns,
owners of the ill-fated Orion.

ONE OP THOSE OUTRAGES which tarnish the cha-
rade? of Tipperary nu enacted at Kills*, near Temple-
more, on Sunday night, the rietireq being Timothy Whelan,
an industrious farmer, and his two sons. It appears that
Whelan and family were alarmed by the barking of tho
dogs, and one of them opened she door to dissever the canoe,
when six men, armed, rushed into the house, commented
beatittg the inmates in the most cruel manner, and did not
desist until they left Whelan and-his two soli• wOtering in
blood.