The Express.
London, England, 1851-03-08 00:00:00

MARINE ACT.

THE DODI)INGHURST MURDER.

STRIKE OF THE LONDON SEAMEN.
Last evening a meeting of seamen belonging to the
port of London was held in the Temperance Hall, Prince's-
square, Ratcliffe-highway, to receive an answer from the
President of the Board of Trade to a memorial presented on
Wednesday last on the subject of the new Mercantile Ma-
rino Act. The hall id a spacious building, and it was
crowded by seamen, the greater part of whom were stated
to be connected with the coal and coasting trade. The walls
were hung round with placards bearing such inscriptions r
these, " We protest against the Mercantile Marine Act of
,1850," " We ask but our rights," " We seek but justice,"
"Use us as men," &c., &c. The meeting was convened for
seven o'clock, but business was not begun for nearly an
hour in consequence of the non-arrival of the promised
answer from the Board of Trade. Atter some manifestation
of impatience,
Mr. G. RIDDLE, a seaman, and one of the members
of the deputation to the Board of Trade, was called to
the chair. Ile said he was sorry he was unable to fulfill
the promise of the placard, by laying lwfsre them the ex-1
pected answer to their demands from the Board of Trade.
On that day week he wrote to the President of that Board
requesting an interview, which was granted, and on Wed-
nesday lay, Mr. Labouchere received him and his col-
leagues, he was bound to say, with great kindness and I
courtesy. It took place in presence of the members of the I
marine department of the Board, who promised that they
would return an answer to the memorial before this meet-
ing commenced. They had waited patiently up to seven
o'clock,but no answer came, and he could not describe this I
in any other way than as a downright insult to the seamen
of the port of London. (Loud expresdons of assent.)
Mr. Riddle then read the memorial, a very long
document, but the following arc the principa' points
of objection stated. In the outset, the memorialists
. . . . . .

Yesterday, at the As. ize-court, Chelmsford, before
Lord Chief justice Campbell, Thomas Drury, 23, described
as a fanner, was indicted for the wilful murder of Jed
Denny, by strangling her with a rope.
This case appeared to excite very great interest, and long
before the doors of the court were opened they were literally
j besieged by anxious applicants for admission. When the court
was opened the crowding was terrific, and it was with greet
difficulty that the jurymen could get into the jury-box. The
prisoner is rather a good-looking young man, and his
countenance did not present the least indication of ferocity.
Mr. E. James, Q.C., and Mr. ltodwell conducted the
prosecution on behalf of the Treasury. The prisoner was
defended by Mr. Clarkson, Mr. Bodkin, and Mr. Hawkins.
Frederick Chanceller examined by Mr. Rodwell.-1 am
a surveyor, and I produce certain plans made by me of the
neighbourhood of Brentwood, the spot where the body
of the deceased was found, and the prisoner's premises.
Thomas Last said : lam the father•in-law of the de-
ceased girl Jacl Denny. In October last, I was living at
Doddinghurst, in this county, with my wife and the de-
ceased. We had been there just a fortnight. Previously
to that we had been living at Mr. Drory's off-hand farm.
I know the prisoner very well. He was living at this farm
and managed it for his father. On the afternoon of the
12th of October I saw my daughter in the cottage about
five or six o'clock. She was having her tea between
six and seven with me and my wife. During tea she got
up and said something and then went out. This was
about half-rut six o'clock IV I near as I can tell. lam sure
of the hour from something that occurred. I never
saw my daughter again alive. We sat up that
night until half-past ten for ker. When she
went out she had on a pink frock, a blue shawl,
her mother's cloak and her mother's old bonnet,
and round her throat there was a piece of check. In conse-
quence of her nut returning, on the following morning be-
tween 5 and 6 o'clock I 'sent to search for her. I first went
Ito the well and then to the bottom of the mead, milled she
Home Mead. After that I went along the side of the fitness
° as far as it went, and at last I got to Mr. Cumber's mead, is
the gravel-pit mead, and there I saw the body of my
daughter lying upon the ground. I went up to it. The
body was lying with the lace upon the ground, and I sew
a cord round her neck. I did not touch her, and could not see
how many times the rope was wound round her neck, but I
observed that the end of it was loose between the thumb and
fingers of the left hand. The deceased was right-handed.
She had her cloak and bonnet on, and her clothes were
straight down and orderly. After making the discovery,
I returned towards my own house, and as I was
going along I met a man, named Hammond, and
we returned to the body and turned it over.
I then saw that her nose was pressed down tight, and that
blood was flowing front the mouth, nose, and eyes. The
ground on the spot from whence I had moved the face had
blood upon it. Alter this the body was removed to my own
house iu the same state in which it was found.

expressed their sense of the importance of encouraging the 11
merchant seamen in moral and professional improvements,
but they submitted that this could never be effected by fines
and penalties imposed on thorn against their will ; neither
ran it be obtained by increasing the power and irresponsi-
bility of masters and officers on board ship. They remarked
that the working seamen were more interested in the moral
than the professional qualifications of their officers; and
that as every public board must, from its nature and consti-
tution, be unfit and incapable of ascertaining or improving
the moral condition of ships' officers, any such functions
were entirely valueless. Nothing short of a public tribunal,
they continued—such as the local police c 'tarts, capable of
holding up to public censure or execration the oppression
and injustice of officers—could ever effect their moral im-
provement. It was a most unconstitutional regulation, not
to be borne by the English sailor, that his master
should have and exercise the power of irrevocably declaring
the character and future position of the crew after the con-
clusion of caah voyage, such power, as the memorialists re-
marked, requiring more extensive virtue than human
nature was ever supposed to possess." (Laughter.)
The memorial then referred to the insufficient com-
pensation allowed by the Merchant Seameas' Act to sailors
fur short provisions during a voyage, as also to the want of
compensation fur assaults committed at sea, the want of an
adequate supply of lime juice for the prevention of scurvy,
&e. They asked for some provision with respect to the log-
book, whereby all entries affecting the character and con-
duct of the 'Kew should be read aloud at the time of the
entry, with liberty to the persons so interested to enter any
denial or explanation with respect to the charge made. The
memorial next touched on the evils alleged eagainst the
shipping offices. They regarded as a hardship that
any office should be established at any sailor's
home, or other trading establishment, as most
unfair to seamen not connected therewith, and they urged
the transfer of the offices on Tower-hill to the various
decks for the convenience of the seamen. The menio-
rialista next referred to the 22 rules contemplated with
respect to seamen in foreign-going ship's. The multiplied
fines, penalties, and forfeitures proposed, would, they
said, reduce the seamen to the condition of slaves. Va-
rious objections were urged against the institution of ship-
ping matters with a view to settling and adjusting disputes
as to wages between masters and crews. The memorial
concluded by praying the Board of Trade to take into con-
sideration the various complaints set forth. Mr. Riddle
then proceeded at great length to comment on the leading
points above mentioned. lie had for a period of 15
years discharged every function of a seaman except
that of shipmaster in the royal navy, as well as in
the merchant service, and he required no school now to give
him a medal. Doubtlets many of the points could not be
obtained without a repeal of the act, but there were other.
which they could obtain through the influence of the Board
of Trade. For example, they might have the shipping
offices removed to the immediate neighbourhood of the
docks, and thus ease a seaman the necessity of travelling
all the way from the East India Docks to the Minuries.
Gain this stage and they might get rid of them altogether.
Ile told Mr. Lahouehere that he had been 15 years at sea,
and haul never required the service of a shipping office, and
why should he now? Mr. Lahouchere answered that he
was not compelled, for he could sign articles on board ship.
True, but he was compelled to pay the shilling for the
office. (Hear, hear.) Ile believed, from his heart,
that if the first measure submitted by Mr. La-
bouchere to parliament had been carried, it would
have been a great benefit to the seamen. But the
shipowners had what the seamen had not, an influence in
the matter, and the bill was withdrawn. At length the
present bill was passed, to the satisfaction of the shipowner.
If they would read the time hills together, as he had done,
they would not blame Mr. Lahouehere, but the shipping
interest in parliament. At the interview on Wed-
nesday Mr. Labouchere remarked that he was glad
they all seemed so quiet in London. Ile (Mr. Riddle) re-
plied that smooth water runs deep, and he had a good mind
to add that the devil would be found at the bottom.

By Mr. Clarkson—l have been married some years to the
mother of the deceased. Before I lived with the prisoner at
the offhand farm, I lived at South Weald, iu this county.
The deceased had lived with us at that place. She had been
promised marriage by a man named John Byat while we
were living at Mr. Drory's. I think deceased left llyat's
company, and that he did not desert her. After this
j she was acquainted with a man earned litlbbard, sad
it was said that he woo going to marry her. I don't
know whether he left her or not. .1 don't know
how long they kept company together. The deceased used
to go sometimes to Brentwood fair, but I don't know that
she ever danced at any of the booths there. Thu prisoner
managed his father's farm, and used to send fowls and
calves to market. I don't know that he used to kill the
fowls or bleed the calves. I have seen him kill pigs some-
times, and when they were nursing calves it was WS duty
to suckle them. The prisoner was engaged in reaping last
harvest, and I remember his cutting himself, but I don't
know what trousers he had on at the time. lie cut MC of
his nails right off, and ho went home directly.
Re-examined—lt was wheat harvest when this occurred.
I never saw the prisoner bleed a calf. The prisoner was
living at the farm at the time my daughter was there, and
they were intimate together.
Mr. W. Hammond—l live at Doddinghurst. I recol-
lect seeing the last witness on the morning of the 13th of
October, about eight o'clock, in the meadow adjoining his
cottage. I heard him making a noise, and I went up to
him, and he took me into Gravel l'it Mead, where 1 saw
the body of the deceased in the position he lam described.
She WWI lying a little upon her left side anal quite dead. I
observed a fur tippet lying upon the ground near her. I
felt her arms and legs anal found they were quite cold and
stiff, anal then I assisted Last to turn her over, and I then
observed the end of a cord, about an inch land a half long,
hanging loosely on her left hand. I observed that her face
was black and very much 'molten, and there was blood
bubbling from her mouth and nose. I next noticed a cord
round her neck. It was twisted threat times round it. I
took one tun of the rope off the neck—that turn was a little
louse. I then put my linger to the throat and found that
the knot of the cord was on a part of the neck,
and the remainder of the cord was very tight round the
neck and embedded in it, and the flesh was swelling over
it inconsequence of the excessive tightness of the coral. I
did not cut the cord but left it in the state I have described.
After I had left Last in the charge of the body, I went to
the prisoner's house. It was about half-past eight o'clock
Ile was not at home, and, in consequence of something
had heard, I gave directions to my. brother, and went my-
self to Mr. Colson, the police superintendent, and I 11(.01111-
paniol him to the house of Mr. Moore, at Slienlield. 'Chia
was in a contrary direction to the spot where the body was
found. Mr. Colson found the prisoner at Mr. Moore's, and
we all went towards the spot where the body was lying.' As
we were going along the prisoner asked me what made mo
out sowing so late in my field on the previous
night. I told him I was not sowing anything, but 1 had
drawn on a couple of sacks of soot. A person go-
ing from the place where the body was found to
Brentwood would have to pass this field. I was on the
field about eight o'clock on the night before, anal that was
the time the prisoner referred to. I was about in different
parts of the field for twenty minutes. I knew the prisoner
anal the deeetuied very well, and I had frequently seen them
together during the last two years, and they appeared very
familiar. Of late they had not appeared to be quite so
familiar. The last time I had seen them together before
her death was about three weeks before it occurred. Upon
that occasion I saw them in the prisoner's father's mom!.
Louisa Last—l am the mother of the deceased. She was
21 years old on the 13th of lest June. I knew
the prisoner anal bad fur some time lived at the
Brick-house Farm, which he occupied. I knew that
he was intimate with my daughter for shout a year
and-a-half before last October. Oa the 12th October the
deceased was busy at our cottage. We had moved from the
farm on the:lth Septeinher. I had acted as housekeeper
to the prisoner, and my husband worked on the land. I
remember the evening of the 12th (Mather. My daughter
went out for a short time on that evening between four and
five o'clock. She returned home soon afterwards, and came
to me in the garden, and in consequence of something she
said I preparasl the tea. It was about our usual time for
that meal. I and my husband and the decemed sat down
to tea, and while site was having her tea my daughter
looked at the watch and got up und drank her tea and laid
her bread anal butter down and went out. She put on any
old bonact anal cloak, anal a piece of cheek folded as a hand-
, kerchief was placed round her head and neck. She dressed
herself very hurriedly, and dial not tie her bonnet. More
she went out she said something to me about un
appointment, and on the following morning, when I asked
the prisoner where my child' was, he said he did not
know, he had not seen her, I had him it was not true, for
, he did see her the day before, between four and five o'clock,
and talked to her, and appointed to meet her at lialf-past 6,
at the stile nearest to my Mouse' and she had gone to meet
a him. I then asked him where he left her, anal he said he
hail not seen her after five o'clock, and that he had been to
Brentwood afterwards. My daughter was in good health
when she went out, and she appeared cheerful and in good
spirits. I never saw her again alive. 1 expected from her
leaving her bread and butter in the way I have deSeribllt
k that she would have returned almost isnmediate)y. I first
, saw the dead body at my own house. I observes'that her
bonnet was crushed both before and behind, in the state
it now appears, and I observed stains of blood
. upon both the corners of the piece of check. I likewise
, noticed some of the hair of the deceased upon the cape of
, the cloak she has worn, and likewise a rent which was not
thereon the previous evening. On the 3rd of September
before this, I remember a youth, named Gilding, being at
the prisoner's house. At this time I knew my daughter
was in the family way. I odd to the prisoner in Gibling's
inofthmamat ofimngy damuzhottirahaigt, hwehmenustanb;
daaPrtvergi.ihnatecine; ra'aidsthsaeilFekn months gone in the family way by. him.
I had heard he was going to get married. The prisoner
made no answer when I said this to him. I spoke to him

(Laughter.) l'erhaps this might turn out to he so in the
present case. Mr. Labouchere asked him whether the with-
drawal of the twenty-two clauses in the ships' articles, with
respect to flays, from:the printed form .would satisfy them,
provided they were hung up in the shipping office, so that
master and men could mutually adopt as many of them as
they might think fit? lie (Mr. Riddle) said no; nothing
but the complete withdrawal would satisfy them. Mr.
Labouchero objected that it could not be done without the
repeal of the act ; and that the most lenient form of fines
had been selected from no less than 300 articles before the
board. The speaker proceeded at great length to point out
the objection entertained by the seamen to this portion of
the measure. He particularly dwelt on the fart that the
best conducted seamen might in a moment of forgetfulnoss
give an answer which would subject him, without the
chance of explanation with the view to redress, to the lossof
his wages. It was a power which ought not to be imposed
in any ship's officer. (Loud cheers.) It was probably the
consideration of this point which had prevented them hear-
ing the answer of the Board of Trade that evening. As
fur as a moral force was concerned, he was prepared to
use it, and to recommend that it should be unflinchingly
used by his fellow-seamen. (Hear, hear.) But they must
do nothing in violation of the law. (Cheers.) If they could
nut obtain what they desired by moral force, they would
certainly never get it by physical force. (Ilear,hear.)
A public demonstration had been suggested, but he did not
think that would be advisable. (Hear, hear.) The only
proper course, in his opinion, would be, to insist on their
rights, by refraining to go near the ships, until they ob-
tained an answer from the Board of Trade. (Cheers.) A
strike would probably begin to-morrow, and he had only to
enforce on his fellow-seamen the necessity of being true to
themselves. (Hear, hear.) If a strike should take
place, he trusted every seaman from the north would
find his way home the best way he could, and nut
go underselling others. (Cheers.) He knew meet
in which men who were standing out for 21. 10s. and
21. is. were replaced by others who at once consented to go
out for 2/. (Cries of " Shame !" and "It is true.") He
trusted there would he nothing of this kind, so long as they
found it necessary to hold out. If any one asked them to
go on beard, let them say. " I won't go." (Loud cries,
" Let nobody go.") They had a goo l example before them
in the conduct of the seamen of Liverpool, who sent the
men 36 miles into the country, so that it was impossible
that they could take ship. That was an example for a
strike. The port of Liverpool deserved more applause than
any other port in Great Britain for the staunchness
of their strike. They had expended 500/., and had
600 men located at Manchester.

Mr. KAVANAGH, a seaman, moved a resolution pledge
ing the seamen present to abstain from going near any
ship ur shipping-office until the Board of Trade return an
answer to the memorial. (Loud cheers.) They must not
have tuo many irons in the fire, but must get one point
thoroughly abolished before they proceeded to another.
Mr. BIDDELL, having vacated the chair, seconded the
resolution, which was carried by acclamation.
After some discussion, the meeting adjourned till Monday
evening next, to afford the Board of Trade an opportunity
of returning an answer to their memorial.

two or three times afterwards upon the subject of my
daughter's condition, and we used to disagree.
SUBSCRIPTION FOR THE SUFFERERS BY CHOLERA Gilding was the brother of the girl to whom I hail
IN THE lONIAN loLAsns.—A correspondent says:—" The heard the prisoner Was going to be married. On the 29th
evil genius of the lonian government has availed, it would of September, 1 and my husband went to the prisoner's
, seem, to overshadow even this benevolent attempt ; for we house to remove some fruit trees we had left behind. My
learn' that the subscription was suspended, in consequence daughter was at home at the cottage alone. I suddenly
'of unfounded rumours of another outbreak in Cephalonia, missed the prisoner from the garden, and upon my returai-
but is now resumed, and will remain open until the 31st ing home I tound him under my bed in my bedroom. My
'of March. From the lonian papers, we learn that the daughter was down stairs in the keeping-room, and she
, ravages of the cholera produced an amount of evil and appeared hot and Hurried. The prisoner, upon seeing me,
suffering which it was beyond the means of. the lonian go- came out from under the bed and handed me a paper, which
vernmcnt either to restrain or remedy. Nor. was at until I read, and he said to me, . here, are you going to sign
after a loan of 6,0001., as we learn from Sir H. Ward's this ?" I saw it was my daughter's scribbling. I tuld thu
i speech to the Assembly, had been raised from the lonian prisoner I knew nothing about it, and I was not going to
Bank, as a great favour, at 5 per cent.: that the British set my hand to any paper whatever. The paper appeared
' administration in those islands could assist or succour the to have been just written.
terrified and starving peasants' families who thronged It was then rut in and read. It was dated the 29th of
around the cities in crowds, while their fathers and September, 1843, and went un as follows :
! husbands were carried off at the rate of nearly 200 " This is to prove that this trouble that lamin is not
a week. The cholera has gone, but has left a long by Thomas Drury, although I suppose it has been reported
series of aggravated misery behind it. To relieve this it is, and therefore I wish to satisfy the minds of those who
a mibseription was opened, and all the other islands 1 may read this note that I wish them to trouble themselves
veva:l4lyd to a man ; but, as has been said, their means 1 about theirown business." It was addressed to the prisoner.
are too small, not merely to remedy, but even to allevi- 1 Examination continued—l cannot say whose writing is
ate so universal a misery. Hence this appeal to British hu- upon the envelope of the letter. The prisoner did not pro-
manity. lier Majesty and Prince Albert, as we learn from duce the envelope, but merely showed me the paper. This
private sources, spontaneously, and at the instant, for- j occurred in the L. 411,0111, and I immediately seat down to
warded a subscription on their part to the islands, in aid of my daughter and spoke to her, nod then went out, leaving
the sufferers. It is tote regretted that Sir H.Ward did not her and the prisoner in the house. I did not know my
make it a part of his duty to announce publicly this fact, as daughter was in the family way until the 3rd of September,
so illustrious an example would undoubtedly have been ful- and in the ordinary course she would have been
lowed by a better result than we fear seems likely to Ulm- delivered at the end of October, and linen had
taste British benevolence in the present subscription for the been prepared for the baby, and every requisite had
benefit of the poor Cephalonians. However, it is not yet been provided. Before my daughter came to live with
too Late." us she had occasionally been in service, and she used fre