The Express.
London, England, 1851-07-01 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, JULY 1, 1851.

AND CLERICAL

OIFORD, JUNE 30.—WADRAM COLLEGE.—This
morning the Rev. Henry Wears Blandford, 8.A., scholar,
was elected Probationary Fellow; and Mr. Henry Dudley
Ryder, of the Founder's Kin, and Mr. John Henry Bridges, I
wore elected Scholars ; and at the same time Messrs. Frede- I
rick Anthony Stopley, and Reginald Campbell Edwards,
Conunoners of Wadham College,were elected Exhibitioners 1
es the Goods*, foundation of that society.
Burma Coxxxos.—Mr. George Ridding, of Balliol
College, and Mr. Hans William Sotheby, 8.A., of St. Alban I
Hall, and formerly Commoner of Exeter College, were this I
morning elected Probationary Fellows of Exeter College.
At the same time Mr. Charles William Boa's and Henry
Fanshawe Tozer, wore admitted Actual Fellows of the same
ninety.
BT. JOHN's COLLEOR—Mr. Francis Arthur Powys,
Commoner of St. John's, was this day clotted a Fellow of
that Society, being of the Founder's Kin.
CAMBRIDGE, JUNE 30.—M.A. COMMENCEMENT.—
At a congregation holden this day the following degrees
were conferred :—LL.B.: Patrick Colquhoun, St. John's.
M.D. : W. H. Fuller, Caine. LL.B. : J. C. 11. Colquhoun,
Trinity' Hall. Dr. Hawkins, of St. John's College, Orford,
was admitted ad eundom. M.A.—King's College :.1. L.
Joyacs. Trinity College : F. B. B. Arthur, J. P. Barker,
A. Barry, J. Bishop, W. T. Blathwayt, T. G. Carter, R.
Chilton, H. Clay, J. B. Cooke, G. W. Corker, E. N. Crake,
C. A. Desna, E. Day, J. D. Dent, A. B. Fraser, J.R.Freme,
G. V. Garland, W. Girling, J. W. Hammond, J. F. Hardy,
T. W. Hayward, W. H. Heaven, H. R. Hoare, James
Hodgson, F. L. Hopkins, T. Lodge, T. L. Munte6ore, H.
Mq.. nen, B. H. St. John Pell 0. C. Pell, S. T. Pettigrew,
T. E. Petty, 8. Pratt, H. S. Radford, V. J. Reynolds, T.
Rawlinson, E. B. C. Spnrway, C. W. Townley, F. It. Val-
lings, D. J. Vaughan, G. C. White, C. J. Wilding, P.
Wright, J. Yeoman. St. John's College—R. Barry, T. S.
Bence. C. T. Calvert, S. T. Clarke, J. C. Dougan, J.
Dunn, P. Frost, T. S. Garand, C. W. Giles, R.
Graves, J. L. Hannay, G. L. Harkness, J. W. D.
llernaman, J. T. Hilbert, J. Hughes, A. Jones, E.
Leachman, J. M. Lee, F. A. Marsh, E. W. Martin,
G. B. Rogerson, T. B. Shaw, A. W. Shape, NV. Vassal',
J. S. J. Watson. St. Peter's College—R. 11. Eustacc,
W. Stow, G. Thomson. Clare Hall—A. Benthall, T. N.
Dickson, J. Fuller. Pembroke College—J..l. Balleine,
W. J. Edwards, C. W. Ross. Caius College—J. H. Bain-
bridge, F. B. Blenkin, C. W. Jones, F. B. D'E.
W. N. Ripley C. Soames, E. R. urner. Trinity
W. C. Hale, H. Taylor. Corpus Christi College—C. Carus
Wilson, G. 11. Fletcher, J. Heath, F. R. Trail'. Queen's
College—S. Cracknall, A. Dewes, William Simpson. Ca-
tharine Hall—J. S. Brown, W. Hodson, Sir Charles
Macgregor, W. F. Peart, G. E. Smith, G. Taylor.
Jesus College —A. 0. Cotton, R. R. Fielder, S.
Lyde, P. It. It. Sandilands, W. H. White. Christ's
College--J. D. Glennie, J. P. Green, S. Morgan,
T. H. Paley, E. 0. l'enny. Magdalen College—H. 11.
Bridgwater, N. Cooper, W. Harley, J. Itaven, J. Watson.
Emmanuel College—E. Horley, R. Male, It. Rutland.
Downing College—F. C. Blackden.
In the afternoon, Drs. Henry Carr Archdale Tayler, of
Triaity College, and Drs. Joseph Bickersteth, Mayor of St.
John's College, recited their prize essays for the Members'
(Bachelors') Prizes for Latin Prose Composition.

THE POLICE COURTS.
MANSION-HOUSE.

James 7/tlggllll, charged with having set fire to his pre-
mises, at No. 52, Lime-street, was brought up in the cus-
tody of William Edmonds (528) for final examination. '
Mr. Humphreys appeared for the prosecution ; Mr. Bod-
kin, instructed by Mr. Lovell, for the prisoner.
The Lord Mayor presided upon the occasion.
Mr. Humphreys said it was necessary to call souse 01
the witnesses who had been already examined, to give
evidence upon a few other points connected with the case
for the prosecution.
James Bradley, the fireman who gait testimony upon the
first examination, was then called. The following was his
additional statement: I found under one of the trays in
the cellar, into which I went, • little bit of stone. It was
used to prop up one of the trays. I also found two elbows
belonging to the funnel, which were produced here, and
two sheets of brown paper, on which there were seal im-
pressions ; some pieces of string, on which were seal
impressions, and a piece of wax candle in the block of
wood.

William Kemp, who turned the block of wood which was
produced, bl the direction of the prisoner, said, in addition
to his previous statement—The police-oticers called upon
me upon the subject of the fire, and I saw the prisoner
after they had been with me. The conversation between
the prisoner and me was as follows. I said I called upon
him to know what was the reason the'policemen called on
me respecting the blocks I had turned for him. He said to
me, " Say no more about it." He then said, " Have they
been to Ladda" (the shop of the tradesman who made the
funnel) ? I said I was not aware. He said, "It is likely
to be the ruin of me. Don't say another word."
Elizabeth Strong, wife of the person to whom the care
of the premises No. 52, Lime-street was entrusted,
said—l have been two years in the house in
Lime-street on the 2nd of May last, and was
placed there by a gentleman of the name of Harvey.
I do not know who the owner is, but I have heard that it
belongs to Miss Huggins. The Colonization Assurance
Corporation was held there. It was held in the room in
which Mr. Taylor (a former witness in the case) transacted
business. The prisoner was connected with that association,
which has removed to the corner of St. Clement's-lane,
King William-street, and since that corporation left Lime-
street we have been left in the house to take care of it. I
recollect that some doors and Saturn which were taken
down on the 21st of March were removed by Mr. Wood on
the 22nd of the same month. I saw Mr. Huggins at the
house on the 21st of March. He directed me to give him a
light. It was in the evening, and he was in the back room
of the coffee shop. When 1 gave him the light, I went up
stairs to my own apartment. I think he was there about an
hour and a half. The candle was an entire one when I
gave it to him, and it was a great deal burnt when he
returned it. His appearance was different then. Ile
looked very dirty, and he asked me for a towel and water,
and a brush, to brush his clothes.
Mr. Humphreys—You know the cellar to which the
burning took place ?
Witticss—l do.

Mr. liumphreys—Did you observe anything particula
lout the cellar next to that?

Witness—l was in the habit of looking into that cellar,
the key of which was in the door. It belonged to a bunch
of keys. There was no hole in the wall of that cellar com-
municating with the cellar in which the burning took place
up to that day. I have seen the cellar since, and there is
now a hole of communication in the wall between the two
cellars. The door of the cellar next to that in which the
burning took place was locked that night. I saw the bunch of
keys iu the prisoner's hands on that night or on the Saturday
night. The prisoner gave me one key off the bunch ; I have
not seen them since. I recollect the day of the tire. I saw
the prisoner in the house at half-past 2 o'clock in the after-
, noon of that day. lie rang the bell and asked me for the
key of Mr. Taylor's room, and I took it down, unlocked
the door and left him there. Ile was there about an hour.

He locked the door and brought up the key to me. There
is a staircase from the hack of Mr. Taylor's room to the
Coffee-shop. I heard the prisoner's voice at 4 o'clock, or
thereabouts. I went out at 7 o'clock in the evening with
my husband to King William-street, to the offices of the
Colonization Corporation. I have been discharged since
that by the company. I returned about 10 o'clock, and
found my husband outside the door. lie told me that he and
the policeman smelt fire. I smelt that somethig was burn-
ing, and I went down into the other cellar and
took up some of the loose (lust that was in it and
smelt it, and I thought then the smell proceeded from the
hair, and I said so. I then went up stairs with my hus-
band, and had supper, and on going up to bed at 11 o'clock
I found the room smothered with smoke. I said, "Don't
go that way or you will he suffocated." My husband then
went off for the firemen, and I called the police
Mr. Ilutuphreys—Did you see the prisoner alter that ?
Witness—l did. Mr. Huggins sent for me on Thursday
morning to his office, in Copthall-court. He said to me,
" Mrs. Strong, this is • sad affair." I said, "It is, sir."
He said, "Can you account for it in any way ?" I said,
"No, sir; I know no one was in and out of the place
except yourself." Ile said, " What is your real opinion
of it ?" I replied, " Whoever was guilty of laying that
wretched plot did not study my life or that of my
husband; they had better have come and murdered
me in my bed than set fire to the house." I then asked
him why it was that the hole WAS thus made in the wall
and why the door was kept locked for the last three months.
lle said, " Perhaps it was made by the men when they
were at work." A great many gentlemen were there at
the time, and I len very much excited.
Mr. John Daniels, clerk to Messrs. Sheffield, of Old
Broad-street, solicitors, said—l produce an agreement, of
the date of the 10th of February, 1850, between John
Cheesman Severn, of the first part ; Anne Huggins, of the
second part ; and James Huggins, of the third part. It
was executed by James Huggins in my presence, and I was
witness to it. the agreement was for the taking of the
premises, Nth 52, Lime-street, for a term with a right of
purchase.
Mr. Isaac Delvalle, senior clerk in the fire department of
the Guardian Assurance Company, said the prisoner effected
an insurance with the company upon the premises No. 52,
Lime-street. He made the proposal on the 29th of Jan.,
1851, and completed the insurance on the 12th, of Feb. for
1,5001. upon the building.
Mr. Edwanl James Russell, agent to the Phccnix Assu-
rance Company, said Mr. Huggins effected insurances with
me, one for 2901. on the rents of No. 52, Lime-street, and
another for 1001. on the household goods and office furniture
in the same building.
W. Edmonds (city policeman 528)-1 was directed to
make inquiries about the fire, and I went about the 9th of
June to Mr. Huggins's house. I hail been at the prisoner's
previously, but did not find anything there. I was aerosol.
pained to Mr. Huggins's house by Bailey, another officer.
I saw the prisoner at Nos. 7 and 8, Loughborough-cottager,
Brixton road. I had with me the block of wood and
funnel which were produced in this court, and which
I received from the fireman. When I saw the prisoner, I
told hint we were police constables front the City of Lon-
don, and asked him whether his name was Huggins. He
saidit was. I then asked him if he had any property in
Lime-street. Ile said, Yes. I asked him if he had heard of
the fire ? Ile said, Yes. He then asked me if Mr. Marchant
was my inspector? I said, Yes. He said he had sent for
Mr. Merchant, and hod had a conference with him in confi-
dence. I said that had nothing to do with us, and that Mr.
Marchant could answer for himself. I then produced the
block and funnel on the table before him, and asked him
if he knew anything about them, and whether they had
been in his possession ? lie said be was a suspected party,
and would not answer any questions. I asked him the
same question again, and ho said he would not answer
any quettiun, fur he had heard that Mrs. Strong and
others had said something about him, that he was a
suspected party. I said it has nothing to do with us what
Mrs. Strong had got to say, and I again asked him if he
could give us any account of the block and funnel ? Ile
said, no. I then said that he must consider himself in cus-
tody. lie said he did not think we had the power to take
hint, but he did not understand the criminal law. I told
hint we had, and offered to show him our authority, and I
told him that if he did not like to satisfy us he might sa-
tisfy the inspector when he arrived in London. I brought
hint to London, and stated to the inspector at the station.
house the conversation I had had with him. The inspector
asked him if it was all true, QS I had stated, as to the
conversation, and he replied that it was. I searched
him, and found a watch, a gold pencil case, and
some silver in his pockets. I went to his house
on the 10th of June, again witk Bailey, and found
a piece of wax candle there, and two camphine-trays,
one of which was full, the other about a quarter
full. I also found a black leather travelling bag with his
name upon it. On the 11th I went again with Bailey to his
house, and found a piece of wax candle in the carriage
lamp, and upon comparing it with the piece of wax candle
("stud by the fireman, saw they corresponded in breadth
and appearance.
Charles Bailey (524 city policeman) produced a piece of
string which he had received from the fireman, who had
examined the premises at 52, Lime street. There were wax
impressions upon it, which corresponded with the seal on
the top of the pencil case found upon the prisoner. There
was no engraviug on the seal, but the top corresponded with
the marks on the wax. I have been in the cellars. I found
a camphine tin in the cellar next to that in which the fire
was, a piece of a chain, and a camphine lamp cotton and
four screws, all buried under the sawdust.

Mr. Humphreys said there were a few little details which
could be supplied at the trial, and that his lordship would
probably see that enough had been, shown to justify an
immediate committal of the prisoner.
Mr. Bodkin offered no objection to the committal of the
unfortunate gentleman for trial, and admitted that the cue
must be decided by another tribunal.
The prisoner was accordingly committed to Newgate for
trial at the next Central Criminal Court Sessions.

THE STEPNEY LECTERESHIP.—Much to the sur-
prise of the congregation attending divine service in the
parish church of Stepney, the doors of the sacred building
were found closed on Sunday afternoon last. The hostility
of the rector to the newly-elected afternoon lecturer. and
the excitement which on Sunday week attended the
attempt of the former to obstruct the latter in the exercise
of his duty, have been lately stated in this journal. A notice
which was posted last Sunday on the doors informed the
parishioners that the Bishop of London bad requested Mr.
Poole, the lecturer elect, to abstain from preachim for the
present, a request which that gentleman would comply with!
DLRECT WEST-END AND CROYDON RAILWAY.—
yeAerday, before the Muter in Chancery Tinney, Major
Beresford, M.P., was examined by Mr. H. Harris, solicitor
to the official manager, relative to his alleged liability to
discharge certain debts of the company outstanding, and in
respect of which he held a guarantee of indemnity bon
tbe promoters.

THIS DAY, Nowt.
Course of WWI. Strewth of WWI. State of Ws Weather.
N.N.E. Gait Brows, Bala.
_ _

The retarns from the following places did not reach this
once in time for publication yesterday; they therefore
Milkers the state of the weather oa Saturday morning at
nine o'clock.

LIN Ml= ..... B. Wm Madlea
Mou.uraaa ..-.. E. Masao Doom Cream
Ora lMrasmo Cloadior
Poarsaiours ..... —. B.R. Omar arm Carams
&MIT ....... &E. Ora, arm aleademi
1113111107•111 B.B. 011111611 Orlin aserses
Persaaosovam &W. Om* Men Camaro
tr
Cam
uim!. s
LaNtaana.......-

SERIOUS CHARGE OF STABBING AT CAMBRIDGE.—
On Monday at the Town-hall, Cambridge, William Chap-
man, aged 21, son of the contractor for conveying the mail
bags from the Railway station to the Post-office, was
charged with stabbing three men, named Canham, Duna,
and Sheldrick. Sheldrick stated that he was returning
from Trumpington, a village about two miles from Cam.
bridge, between 10 and 11 on Sunday night, and that when
about half a mile from Cambridge he saw the prisoner and
two other men in altercation before him. On his coming
up with them Canham exclaimed " I'm stabbed," and
Dunn immediately replied, "And so am I," and Sheldrick
saw that Dunn's white trousers were saturated with blood.
Chapman ran away and Sheldrick followed, and overtook
him within 20or 30 yards, when Chapman suddenly turned
round and stabbed him " backhanded" in the breast.
Other persons then came up, and the prisoner was se-
cured. Canbam and Dunn were conveyed to Addenbrooke's
Hospital, where they still remain. Mr. Mitchell, house
surgeon to the hospital, stated that Canham had received
two stabs in the ribs and one in the buttock, and that his
recovery was at present very doubtful. Dunn was wounded
in the thigh, but his danger was not imminent. Sheldrick's
wound was almost superficial. The prisoner, by the advice
of his attorney (Mr. Ind), reserved his defence, and was re-
manded till Friday. The prisoner, who, it should be stated,
bears the character of a quiet, peaceably-disposed young
man, avers that, as he was walking quietly home with his
two sisters, he was suddenly set upon by the prisoners and
, two others, who, saying "he was the chap who insulted
' them at Trumpington," proceeded to maltreat him, and
that he drew the knife in self-defence : his other two as-
gallants, he says, made off on the approach of Sheldrick,
who is a tall, powerful man, and was formerly in the Cam-
bridge police force. This statement is corroborated by
Chapman's einem. Canbam is a compositor, and Dunn
was formerly in the employ of a hatter ; the latter has been
convicted of felony. The knife, which wee produced in
am:art covered with blood, is a Spanish spring-back knife,
with a blade Ave lathes la length.