The Express.
London, England, 1848-03-03 00:00:00

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from the i
Co!noir,.

PROVINCIAL.

REMARKABLE ENCAPE ON------- NORTH UNION
RA I LWAY.—On Tuesday night, about ten o'clock, it was
acciden,ally diacovered that an embankment between the
Euiton and Coppul stations, on the North Union line, about
eight miles from Prtston, had given way. Before eleven
o'clock one end of the wooden bridge had sunk considerably,
and the embankment adjoining suddenly fell in to the depth
of about 20 feet, carrying with it both lints of rail, and
leaving a frightful chasm, into which the caprial train from
London, then coming up, would, but for the dixovery, have
inevitably keen driven. The loss of life and demolition of
prwetty might thus have been terrible. Immediately on
receiving twelligence of the circumstance a special train was
despatched from Preston t 3 bring the passengers and luggage
onwards. The traffic on the line (says the Preston Uwe-
dims) must be impeded for some days by thu mishap.

MANCHESTER PETITION AGAINST INCOME TAX,
MILITIA, AND FOREIGN INTERTENTION.—This petition,
adopted on Tuesday night, was signed en Wednesday by
5.030 electors, embracing men of all parties, and iacluding
the mayor and a con,iderahle number of the aldermen and
town councillors. On the Exchange it also received many
signatures. It was despatched to London on thc same night
for presentation.
orant,” von

'FRB DESTRCCTION OF MACIIINERY JOY TRADES
UNIONISTS.-At the last Yorkshire Assiz -a two broilers,
A. and T. Heatheoat, grinders, were indicted and found
guilty of feloniously damaging the machinery of P. Bradshaw,
of Sheffield, fer which they were scrummed to be tran‘ported
tor seven yon. Marine the trial the Heathcoats stated to
the under-governor of York Castle that they had been em-
ployed to destroy machinery by the trades union, that of the
roan grind, re, with which they were connected. This was
told to the Sheffield police and some of the magis-
trates, who thought it right to institute proceedings
against the parties most seriously implicated. The
razozgrindire union is composed of a very large
number of men, and the ordinary &flab' were managed
by a committee of about a. dozen. The more secret trans-
actions have been entrusted, however, to only four—John
Drury (the secretary), John Marsden, Thomas Bulls!, and
William Hall. When any men in the union have neglected
to pay their weekly contributions, or "natty brass,' as it is
termed, it has been the practice for some one employed by
the committee to destroy the tools and machinery with
which they work. In consequence of the statements made
by the Heatheoats at York the four men above-named were
taken into custody, and a writ of habeas corpus having been
obtained, the Heatheoats were brought to Sheffield to give
evidence. The examination commenced on Tuesday morn-
ning, and di i not terminate till Wednesday night. During
the whole of this time the spacious town-hall was crowded in
all parts with people anxious to witness the proceedings.
The charge against the four men, Drury, Mersa. n, Belies,
and Hall was for inciting and commanding the two Heath-
coats to destroy certain machinery.—A. Ileathcoat was
called, and said: lam by trade a razor grinder. lam now
a transport. We had a union in our trade, called the Razor
Grinders' Union. We had a commits e which met at the
Queen-str,et Hotel, and sometimes at the New Waggon, in
the Hartahead. John Drury was the secretary. I know John
Marsden, Thomas Bullaa, and Wm. Hall. They are all in
court. They all formed part of the committee, and acted in
that capacity. I last saw them thus acting on Saturday
night, the '27th of November, 1847. They were in the large
chamber of the Queen-street Hotel, which is the place where
they transacted business. At that time I went to the com-
mittee for my scale. [Weekly allowance when out of work.]
The committee were then silting to pay scale, and to receive
money from those who came to pay their "natty" money, or
contribution. The four prisoners were there on that night.
When I and my brother were in the committee-room, Drury
and Marsden said, " We have some jobs want doing ; and
we want the father and wan that work at Relham Wheel,
doing before Monday." They explained this to mean Peter
and William Bradshaw. Hall and Bullu were sitting by
the table, and heard all that passed. Hall a little time after
said that the father, Peter Bradshaw, had been to the place
where he (Hall) worked, namely, Reynolds', in Sims-croft,
and was doing work very cheap, and it was time he was done
for. I then ask, d what it was they wanted dui. g. Drury
then said, " We want you to go and take all their tools, and
throw them into the dyke." Drury also said that we were
to take their razor blades, which they were grinding. I
told Drury that it would damage the tools to terow them
into the dyke, and Drury replied, "Neer mind, we went
them damaging." He also told us it would be the least
trouble to throw them into the dyke ; it would not make
so much noise. I then told Drury we should have a job
to chuck theigrinding stones in ; but he said, " Oh, break
them : take the laps off, and throw the polishers and glazers,
and all they have, into the dam." I then asked what they
would give us for doing the job. Drury said he thought at
would be a fair thing if we get half of what the Bradshaws
owed, and the other half to be put into the blx. Peter
Bradshaw owed 235., and Wm. Bradshaw between 100. and
I la. I then asked what would be done if we were caught.
Drury and Marsden replied, there would be no danger; for
if we got taken, they would make it up with the prosecutors
if possible, let it cost what it would. Drury and Mamden
also said, that if they could not make it up with the promise-
tors, they would get the beat help they could, and try to
buy some of the witnesses. We then consented to do what
was required. Drury then got up and said, " Those who
are of opinion that this job shall be done, and that the
Heathcoats shall have half the money which the Bradshaw'
owe, will please to signify it in the mural way, by holding
up the right hand." They all four then held up
their hands. Heathcost further deposed that he and hie
brother destroyed the machinery of Bradshaw, and after-
wards undertook and executed several similar commissions
for the trades union committee. In continuation he said:
We had been promised by the committee, that if we
did the job. well we should have Si. and a bottle of wine.
I told them this at the general meeting. They stopped
30s. and the bottle of wine, because we did net do the job
well ; and we got 31. 10s. The general meeting knew that
the job had been done, and what we were to be paid for it.
At this stage of the proceedings it was announced that the
case would stand adjourned till the following morning.
On Wednesday the inquiry was resumed. The court was
again crowded in every part. Thomas Heathcoat was
the first witness called upon, and his examination ex-
tended over several hours. His statement in all mate-
rial points was parallel to that matte by his brother.
The next witness was George Armitage, the accomplice of
the Heathcoats, he having assisted them in committing
the crimes for which they were sentenced to transportation.
His evidence, with that of William Robinson, John Stead,
William Blackwell, and Peter Bradshaw' also nzor.grind-
en, was corroborative of the statements made by the Heath-
coats. The case for the prosecution having been closed, the
magistrates decided to commit the prisoners to Yerk Castle
for trial at the ensuing assizes, an applieation was made for
their liberation on bail ; but it was refused, except as to
Marsden, who was in a state of ill-health.

THE NEW TRAINING SCHOOL about to be estab-
lished in Cheltenham appears likely to become one of the
most important institutions of its kind in the kingdom ; and
from the energy and zeal manifested by its promoters, and
the liberal spirit in which their appeals have been met by the
public, there seems every reason to augur most favourably
of the result. A remarkable instance of the latter has just
been evinced, in the gift, by Miss Jane Cooke, of a valuable
piece of land, whereon to erect the buildings, 1. r which de-
signs have just been sent in. The ground presented is See
acres in extent, and is situated between St. Paul's-street
North and Lady Ricketts' residence, " The Elms," which
it immediately adjoins.

IMPROVEMENT OF POOR PASTURE LANDS.—At the
last monthly meeting of the Botley and South Hants
Farmers' Club, after a lengthened diseussion on the best
method of improving poor pasture lands, the following reso-
lutions were unanimously agreed to:—

I. That in all poor, wet pastures draining most be considered as
the Arm step towards improvement.-2. That in the improvement of
pastures regard should be had to regulating the basis of mini, pre-
lions to the appbestion of manure., by canto clay upon sand :tad
riassiGisocantak tat aka% when _ _ *dog

geed Yaw earth with chalk, upon clay folk—S. That we Goulds(
guano and superphosphate of lime, with a liberal admixture of mob
or other mhos, cottage cc ether earthy manures, one of the beet mai
binalicas of manures for pastures:—that such applications abodes*
=rby harrowing, and applied carry in the spring.-4 That is
ot gestures mdeh cows would depredate them, but that
fatting animals would Comae them, particularly when fed with an
allowance of celeste.

MURDER BY A WOI2.I.;EAR EXETER.—For some
days past the coroner has been engaged in investig►ting a
charge of murder brought against a woman named Mary
Hooper, aged 58 years, who, it was alleged, had caused the
death of her brother in-law, James Harris. From the era.
dence which was adduced it appeared that the prisoner and
her husband, who is a small farmer, resided at Stockham,
■car Exeter, and that the deceased, who was the prisoner's
brother-in-law, used to work for th, tn. On Saturday last
the deceased and the prisoner went to Honiton market foe
the purpose of disposinc of a load of hay, which they did.
Upon their return home the prisoner and the deceased went
into a public-house, for the purpose of obtaining refresh.
meat. Whilst there the deceased drank rather freely. Hav-
ing proceeded some distant_ on their way home the de-
ceased, who appeared to be quite over; owered from the ef-
fects of drinking, sat down by the rood-side, and refused to
go any further, upon which the prisoner, who had on a pair
of very thick boots with iron clips in front, commenced
kicking the deceased about the head and face. The prisoner
being observed by some persona at a di.tance, they imme-
diately hastened to t!.c spot. Upon lilting up the deceased,
it was found that the whole of his froot teeth had been
kicked out, his nose had been nearly all kicked off, es were
also large pieces of flesh from his forehead and cheeks. He
was immediately conveyed to a neighbouring surgeon, but
died before his arrival. Verdict of wilful murder, and the
prisoner was fully committed for trial at the ensuing assns..