The Express.
London, England, 1849-01-22 00:00:00

IRELAND.

DUBLIN. JAN. 20.

Oar Irish life is fall of incidents, often of a ro-
mantic character. Yon will find below, taken from
the Belfast News Letter, an account of a daring ex-
ploit performed by Miss Grace MtVeagh, in shooting
dawn an incendiary, and beating off ea attacking
party.
The Lord Lieutenant received a deputation yester-
day on the subject of the Cnife-street Savings Bank.
He promised to pay every attention to the interests of
the cuff-ring depositors.
Sir William Somerville, the chief secretary, goes
over to London to-day, on business of pressing im-
portance.

THE GREAT PRISONS OF LONDON.
MILLUANK.
Mil'bank prison in the largest penal establishment
in England. It is so extensive that the outlines of the
structure may be traced upon any well-drawn plan of Lon.
doe. In fors, it consists of six pentsgonal buildings, Bur-
ros .ding an open courts ard —the whole enclosed by a lofty
wall at octagon shape. Tree situation is not goad. being on
a low marshy ground. almost close upon the river bank, near
Vauxhall bridge. Although, as yet, the neigithourho xi is
open—the unhealthiness of the site probably operating to pre-
vent rapid occupation of the environ —end the circulation of
We unimpeded by mama of houses, the rata of mortality is
esmnionly very high in Milbank prison. Of late years it
has improved to this respect. The disking and 'enfilades
me now most complete. But all that It knee can suggest and
medical skill can administer are inadequate to make it a
healthy prison. Here the cholera lint appears—hecce, ere
bar, it will depart the lest. And this in spite of are aid
Mfeatlon, regular diet I t zeelleut in quality and sufficient in
quantity), admirable cleanliness, and order.
Millbeak has suffered more than one transformation Wales
tae brief history. At first it was built, at esoreerom
net, es a penitentiary house—a modification of Jeremy Ben-
tham's celebrated plan of prison-arrangement, called by its
eraceiver a'' panoptkon." Afterwards it was changed into
a regular government prison tor criminals—adult and ju-
venile. It is now the general depot for transports. Juvenile
convicts are, however, sent to Parkhurst, in the tale of
Wight, whither we may perhaps ask the reader to accom-
pany us by-and-bye, on a visit of inspection. Imprisonment
at Millbank is, consequently, only temporary. The institu-
tion has no permanent instates. In this respect it differs
from almost every other great criminal establishment, and
the circumstance, es every one conversant with the prac-
tical working of the gaol system is well aware, very
much emptiest"' the management. The usual pe-
riod of confinement is from two to three months,
a length of time not sufficient ti get the convicts into
thorough drill, accustomed to the still life of the gad, and
used to the habit of obedience. Hither the very lowest, most
reckless, most hardened criminals are sent from all parts of
the country men sentenced to forced expatriation, COL out
by the land which gave them birth. Within these walls the
amount of criminality is fearful to contemplate. Every per.
son hem has been found guilty of a Anion offence, and few
of them for the first time. Transportation is seldom awarded
sow for a virgin crime. Ninety in the hundred at least have
gone through a regular course of violence, ranging in the
moral gamut from the simple theft—the first fatal set which
Wants for ever the keen edge of honour—to bungler,. and I
murder. To the men here, nothing in the way
of guilt is impossible: their lives have been a
SIM defiance of conscience, morel law, and legal
Many of them have been criminals by compulsion—
gilt" overwhelming power and force of circumstance ; some
bay
been such from choice—having entered on their career
with lbeeMegehts and after calculation of the perils and the
a Miens life. That it has been a losing game, the
Wel M
their being here, with punishment as their present,
bondage as their future, chitin', proves to demonstrati in ;
though, for them, too late. They find out the error when
Itis impossible to rectify it. Common fate of all who stray
from the straight path of rectitude and honour !
Millb ink prison is, as we have said, a general det.ot for
alleltlatta previous to their being sent off to their place of
deffiembia. The very young are sent to Parkhurst; the
&ea trine, end others placed in the same catesory,
be wads= reasons, are despatched to the hulks of Wool-
ebb, Gosport, and Portsmouth, or to the various dockyards,
mime they are safe and their labour valuable. Such as are
selected for" exiles " aro forwarded to Pentonville, Reading,
Wakefield, or other places where there is a convenient prison
em the model system—that of separation. The remainder
ere expatriated directly. The population of the institution
is always numerous and always changing ; but its character
is the same. It is the very erns of the criminal copulation
of this country. The condemned cells in Newgate could
alone furnish 'podiums of Satanic villany equal to
these. No one will, therefore, consider its menace-
meat as an trey matter. From the constitution
of Its powers, Millbank is far less under the con
trol of press sad parliament—far boa accessible to in-
field:el of public opinion—than any other prism in Eng-
laud. The public have no right to enter it ; neither have
the magistrates. It is entirely under the rule of the govern-
ment; the Home Secretary appoints three inspection, who
have, subject to his approval, its entire management, toroth'',
with the exclusive right of making a report. Now this we
adder to be wholly injadidose—therein agreeing with the
commissioners, who recently met to inquire into certain
Onuses alleged to have been committed in the management
of Millbank. No other gaol is allowed to be ma-
naged and inspected by the same persons. There am,
of entree, very strong reasons for keeping the establishment
nadir the immediate control of the executive; but regular
and rigid inspection is also atoolutely necessary to its well.
working And in order that this inspection may be tho-
roughly impartial and independent—for unless so it is worse
then heeler--the premien body should be totally distinct
from the body of inspeetors. The present concentration of
tenacious renders the ietrodaetioa of abases easy: the chari-
ness with which metes to the prison is greeted to the public
renders their detection difficult.
The somber of prisoners at present confined in Millbank—
peppering for the hulks, for Pentonville, or for the
celeake—is about 1,660. In the course of the year,
from 4,000 to 6,000 pee through the prison. When
the dangerous character of these men is considered,
it is easy to se* that nothing lees than an iron
discipline could keep them at all In order. Stand-
ing the centre of a large room, in which tpo ere DREADFUL ACCIDENT AND LOBS OF LIFE BY THE
employed in tailoring and picking oakum—(by the way FALthito or A RAILWAY Ageu.—An accident occurred on
the recent introduction of the 16 or 20 persons, put to Saturday, at noon, by the tall of part of an arch, erected by
the latter disgusting work, into the otherwise admirable the London and North Western Company, at Manchester.
workmen), must have a very bad effect upon the minds of The line of railway known as the South Junction, connecting
the other and better disposed prisoners, and they should he the London end Manchester hoe with that from Manchester
instantly removed)—it is thrilling to think what a mass of to Liverpool, is carried on a viaduct, acme Oxford Road and
disorderly passion, of brute ignorance, of criminal desire., Dominate, chiefly constructed of brick, anibetweenthese two
is held down and prostrated by the presence of a few points, near the bottom of Gloucester-street, the arches had
unarmed officers. In former times—not many an been completed, and on Saturday the servants of the con-
ago indeed these men would all have leen tractor were striking away the centres from one of these
chained to the walls, and manacled with irons, arches when, from some cause, the north side gave way and
hand and foot. Now they are perfectly free. There fell in. There were ten labourers at work at the time, on
is no more restraint than is exercised in a well- and under the superstructure, superintended by Mr. Patrick,
ordered manufactory—that is, silence and attention to work manager ha Mr. Bellhouse the contractor; and one of these
are alone enforced. This is, however, enough. The order men, named Ralph Beresford, being underneath, was buried
is perfect. Nevertheless, the stranger cannot divest himself by the felling materials and killed. Two other men, named
of the feeling that he is standing on a volcano which may, James Oates and Thomas Davis, were on the top of the
for anything he can safely arum to the contrary, explode arch, and sinking with it to where two of the disjoined
at any moment, and make sad havoc by its violence—the tions of the arch again came in cot:tact with each other were
more fatal for being only temporary. It reminds him of Van transfixed and held between them for some time, and when re.
Ambrugh in the cage of lions. leased were found to be lifeless and dreadfully crushed. Two
The discipline is therefore rigid. The slightest relaxation other labourers, named Peter Crosby and Philip Murphy, were
might produce inesicalable mischief. Complaints have been found to be badly hart by the accident, and were removed
made that it is too seven : and the commission of inquiry to the infirmary. An hoar and a quarter had elapsed ere
just referred to sat in consequence of complaints of this the mperineumbent materials could be removed, so as to get
nature having been preferred to parliament. The gover- at the body of Herndon". The exact cause of the accident
nor, Capt. Groves, a soldier-like man, of peremptory habit, is not known, but the works being of brick, and the arches
accustomed to the rigid discipline of the army, did not en slightly askew, it is thought that the expansion and con-
droll_ escape censure. But the difficulties of his position traction consequent on alternate frosts and rains, during the
should be allowed for. Generally speaking, Millbank is ad- building, may have been the source of the tad event. The
minbly adminittered—so far as the mere administration is loos to the railway company, or contractors, will be comps-
concerned : of the system or systems we shall have to speak natively trivial.
more at length by and-bye. Every part is clean and sweet. STAFFORDSHIRE.
The prisoners sre content and orderl and the workshops REPRESENTATION OF THE SOUTHERN DIVISION.—
are Judiciously conducted. Some Irregularities in prison Simultaneonsly with the interment of Earl Talbot, an ad-
punishments—severities, indeed, and not undeserving of the dyer to the electors has been issued by Lord Lewisham,
mild reprove' which they obtained at the hands of the eldest son of the Earl of Dartmouth. The noble lord is a
commissioners—have arisen in consequence of the conservative of the school of the late member. He is op-
rules being very complex and contradictory. Even posed to free tra Is upon principle. but isdisposed to give it a
the governor appeared not to be aware of the legality fair trial ; and he is opposed to the endowment of the Ro
of certain acts, and unconscious of the extent and limitations man catholic clergy. Up to Saturday there was no prospect
of his own powers. These irregularities occur no more. of any opposition. The Birmingham Mercury of Saturday
The governor exhibits a praiseworthy desire to mitigate says : " A small effort, so that it be an united one, and at
severity, and to try the effect of the mildest purithments. the next election one seat at least may be 11011 from the two
Flogging is still permitted, but seldom applied. The same great families who now divide the representation between

AN LNCENDIABY SHOT BY A YOUNG FEMALE,
On Wednesday evening a fanner is respectable circum-
stances, Mr. Orr Id`Veseb, residing at Ballylenaphan, three
miles and a half from Itilfast, hid men, about 8 o'clock, two
men, respectably dressed, in a field adjoining his stack-yar:„.
His two daughters, Grace and Morgans; were with him ;
these three individuals, with a servant, comprising the whole
et the family. The eldest girl, Grace, at once challenged
the men, ..king them what they were doing there. One of
the men replied " we are watchmen, and are going in the di•
notion of Keockbracken ; you may go to bed, and feel quite
safe, for we will keep watch for you.' Suspecting the inten-
tions of the men, the family did not go to bed,:but
continued watching until midnight, when the father went
M bed, leaving his daughters, who had armed themselves
wet, to watch the premises. About one o'clock the girls
distinctly heard the sound of a jaunting-car, stepping nearly
oppLsite the house, which is distant about 15 perches from
the road side. At once the two females prepared to face the
danger, whatever it might be, and concealed themselves out-
side the house. In the course of a few minutes they heard
• number of persons speaking together in an adjoining
field. Breathless with att, ration and anxiety, they listened
to the conversation, and, suddenly, they heard a cry
from the party of Watch! watch! David Cachet-
wood's and David Musgrove's stacks are in flames!"
Miss M'Vesgh suspected this to be a ruse its with-
draw then trom their watch, or to ascertain whether
any watch was really being kept ; so the two girls
uttered is word, nor stirred a step from the spot where they
stood concealed. Two of the party then approached the
stack-yard. Ore very large stack of hay was so close to the
ditch which divided the yard from the field, that it could be
set on fire will by a party standing in the latter, without
cro'sing over into the stae la yard. The fellow who was fore-
most then took out a match-box and proceeded to strike a
light, but be did not succeed. He next tried another, but
with no better success ; and lastly proceeded to strike a
number of matches at once. All them movements were
distinctly visible to the two girls from the place
of their concealment ; and just as the ruffian was
about to apply a light he had at lest succeeded
in striking to the haystack, Grace M'Veagh ex-
claimed aloud, " What is this ? What are you doing ?"
The !know made no reply, but drew back. Miss M'Vesgh
cried out, Stand !" and immediately fired with the musket
with which she was provided, and which was double charged
with swan crops, slugs, and small pebbles. The man in-
stantly fell back without uttering a groan. His comrade,
who had left the rest of the party with him to fire the stack,
then rushed forward, crying, If the devil himself was there
1 would set it on fire I" As he came over towards the stack
Margaret M'Veagh met him lull in front, armed with an
old yeomanry bayonet fastened at the end of a pole, and
made several thrusts at his face, wounding him severely.
Ho, too, fell back. The rest of the party, seven in
number, then made a rush towards the young women,
who still bravely stood their pound, and one of the mis-
creants discharged • pistol at Miss M'Veagh, just as, sus.
peeling his intention, she had drawn herself within the tem-
porary cover which she had used for the purpose of keeping
watch, but she was so near the shot, notwithstanding, that
one of her bands boo deeply marked with the stain of the
powder that she ha. nice been unable to wash it out. The
party then raised »' their fallen comrades,one of whom mast
have been killed by the discharge of MisaM'Veagh's musket,
Ingsing the latter to a heap of stones, which lay a few yards
distant. Meanwhile, Miss M'Veagh, who still kept her po.
skims, cried out, " Stand, or I will tire again, I have a brace
at pistols." Hearing this the entire party fled from the field,
leavi g the dead or dying man behind them on a heap of
KAN. At length, dreading the return of the ruffians,
Ike two valiant girls, half tainting with fatigue and excite.
want, returned to the house to rouse their father, who was
still asleep. Oa getting up and teaming the circumstances,
Mr. M•Veagh sent a messenger to inform the police at New-
townbredis; and Constable Boyd, who was only jut re-
turned from patrolling the neighbourhood of Drumbo, at
onto turned out his party and proceeded to the scene. Before
tne arrival of the police, however, Mr. 111•Vesgh sad 1101113 of
his neighbours, who had mumbled at the pleat, found a
military sort of cap on the spot where the man whom his
daughter shot had fallen. It was perfectly riddled with
slugs and pebbles, sad the inside was saturated with blood.
Along with the cap was also found a quantity of lucifer
matches, newly invented " fire lights," and • razor in a
new cue. Before, however, Mr. M'Veagh, or any of his
family had gone out of the house • second time, the incen-
diaries had contrived to remove the body of their esseelete.
Traces of blood were observed from the steelyard to deem*
side, and where they had rested the body previous to
it on the car which had been waiting, and had cos
away the whole party (as wee evident from no marks befog
seen beyond that spot), large pools of gore wen discovered,
On kis arrival at the place, Constable Boyd at once dis-
patched a messenger to Belfast to inform the constabulary
there, and the local p dice, of the occurrence; sad having
reported to the stipendiary magistrate, that gentleman at-
tended at Mr. M'Veagh's nous. A lengthened invest**.
ties into the eircumetsnees was made. Informations wets
swans; but it is not known whether anything else, mks-
laud to afford a clue to the whereabouts of the ruffians,
'renspired.

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