The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-04 00:00:00

HAMMERSMITH.

William Higgins, John Carter, and Hartz Austin were
re-examined on the charge of committing two burglaries,
one at the house of Mrs. Davis, So.ith Villas, and the
other at South Lodge, Campden-hill, Kensington.
George Elson, the chimney-sweeper, who was severely
injured on the head from the blows of • life-preserver, now
attended to give evidence. He appeared in a very weak
state. On being sworn he stated that he chased the pri-
soners, and overtook them in Palace-gardens-terrace. Aa
soon as he got close to them Higgins seized hold of him,
while Austin struck him twice with his fist. The prisoners
then threw him on his back, Austin holding him
down while Higgins struck him on the head three
times with • life-destroyer"—which be pulled
out of his pocket. Not satisfied with that, Car-
ter called out, " Kick him," and witness was
kicked severely on the shoulder and back by one of the
prisoners. His head was cut in two places. Witness
called out " Murder," and managed to get his legs free,
when he kicked at the prisoners, who then ran away. Wit-
ness followed after them with the blood streaming down
his face, and he ultimately saw them stopped by same
working men.
Dr. 51artin said he examined the last witness on Thurs-
day, and found that he had two extensive incised wounds
on the head, from which he was bleeding freely. He also
had a large swelling on the back of the head, and in addi-
tion had several bruises. They were all recent
such as would be produced by • life-preserver. He suf-
fered very severely, and witness had been obliged to keep
him in bed nearly all the week.
After all the evidence had been heard Inspector Potter,
of the G Division, informed the magistrate that
there were upwards of 50 convictions against the three
prisoners, and that Higgins had twice received penal
servitude.

itir, li ing, of the Clerkenwell House of Correction, stated
that there were 18 convictions against Higgins, the last
being at the Old Bailey, for burglary, when he received sil
years' penal servitude. He also proved that the prisoner
was now out on a ticket of leave, which had not expired.
The prisoner Carter was also at large on a ticket of leave.
Mr. Hayman formally remanded the prisoners for
another week, for the completion of the depositions.

PROVINCIAL NEWSPAPPR SOCIETY. —The annual
meeting of the members of this society was held on Wed-
nesday the president, Mr. Bellerby, of the Exeter
Flying Post, in the chair ; Mr. Fisher, of the Waterford
Mail, was appointed president for the ensuing year ; and
it was referred to him and the vice presidents to take
action upon the law of libel, and if they deemed it neces-
sary, to seek an interview with the law officers of the crown
upon the subject.
LONDON CITY MlaaloN.—The annual meeting
of the friends of this mission was held yesterday in Exeter
Hall, the Earl of Shaftesbury in the chair. The large hall
was quite crowded. The report presented to the meeting,
and read by the secretary, stated that daring the past year
371 missionaries were engaged in work connected with the
mission. The visits paid number upwards of two millions ;
the number of copies of the Scriptures distributed was
6,959 ; and the number of religious tracts distributed,
3,229,660. The indoor meetings and Bible climes held
numbered 47,841, and the gross attendance at them was
1,679,148. The new communicants numbered 1,365, and
thoee restored to church communion, 220. Drunkards re-
claimed numbered 1,102, and unmarried couples induced
to marry, 298. The fallen females admitted to asylums,
restored to their homes, or otherwise rescued, were 368 ;
shops closed on the Lord's-day, 173 ; children sent to
schools, 8,637 ; and adults visited who died, 7,569. The
meeting was opened with prayer, after which the noble
chairman addressed the meeting, and ai-vocated the claims
of the mission. The financial statement was then read by
the secretary, and the meeting was afterwards addressed
by Mr. Charles Buxton, M.P., said others.
LONDON AND 8017TH WESTERN RAILWAY.—A
special general meeting was held yesterday, at the com-
pany's offices, Waterloo Station, to consider certain bills
now before parliament ; Captain Mangles presided. The
following bills were unanimously agreed to :—" A bill for
authonsing the London and South Western Railway Com-
ny to make and maintain the Brantford curve and the
Kew-bridge curve and other works ; and for authorising
arrangements between them and other companies, and for
authorising a lease or transfer to them of the Okehanipton
Railway, and for the increase of their capital, and for
other purposes " A bill for authorising the London and
South Western Railway Company to construct railways
from their Southampton and Dorchester Railway to the
Poole and Bournemouth Railway, and for other purposes:"
" A bill to authorise the London, Chatham, and

Dover Railway Company to execute works in'Kent
and Surrey, and to abandon their Farnborough Ex-
tension Railway; to authorise the acquisition of ad-
ditional lands in London, Middlesex, Surrey, and
Kent, and of the undertakings of the Sittingbourne and
Sheerness Railway Company ; to extend the time for com-
pleting and purchasing lands for undertakings in London,
Surrey, and Kent ; to amend the acts relating to the com-
pany, and for other purposes," and " A bill to enable the
Mid Hants Railway Company to make a deviation of their
authorised Mid Its line, and to raise further moneys,
and for other purposes." It was stated that the bills re-
specting the Brixton, Clapham, and Balham ; the West
Drayton, Colnbrook, and Staines ; and the Exeter, Credi-
ton, and Tiverton lines were not ready, as had been ex-
pected. The Chairman, in announcing that this was all
the business before the meeting, said he could not but
congratulate the shareholders upon the 11110C431/ of their
parliamentary operation'. In every case the company had
been succesefuL Two bills had been wiped out to King-
ston. Great praise was due to Mr. Scott, their solicitor,
and to Mr. Galbraith, their engineer, for their effortsin
opposing bills on standing orders. Parliament, he thought,
was getting more sensible than it once was in railway
matters. The meeting was adjourned to the 17th inst.

LONDON AND NORTH WRSTERN RAILWAY.—The
adjourned When=liffe meeting was held yesterday at the
Euston Station ; Mr. Moon, M.P., in the chair. The
Chairman said the first of the two bills which the com-
pany were themselves promoting passed the committee of
the House of Commons on Wednesday. It was the bill
for conferring additional powers in relation to their own
undertaking and the undertakings of other companies,
and its provisions would be now read. The solicitor so.
Vooily went through the clauses, explaining that as it
o• • y stood, the bill fixed the new share capital at
1„0/., with power to borrow an additional 500,0004
The committee, however, had reduced these amounts re-
spectively to 1,327,0001. and 442,3301. Powers were also
taken to subscribe a sum not exceeding 200,0001. towards
the completion of the North Western and Charing-cross
Railway. The Chairman having moved the usual formal
resolution, approving the bill, Mr. Williams said his ob-
jections were confined to that part of it which contem-
plated making the Charing-cross Railway a portion of their
own undertaking, whereas he had always considered it to
be only a branch or offshoot of their railway. Mr. Tom-
lin' thought it was by no means a branch, but a most im-
portant continuation of their trunk line. The Great
Western and the Great Northern had nn and outlets
to the south of the metropolis and he highly approved of
the policy of the directors in seeking for the same advan-
tage. The resolution was passed, and the meeting further
adjourned for the consideration of other bills until the
20th instant.

A TERRIBLE DEATH BY Fran.--On Tuesday
afternoon a shocking and fatal accident occurred at Ailing-
ton-eottages, Castle street, Stratford New Town. It ap-
pears that the occupant of the house, Mr. Joseph Slight,
had placed by the side of the fire a large kettle of
and tar for the purpose of coating some fencing.
he was engaged in his work in a neighbour's yard, the tar
by the side of the fire caught the blaze, and immediately •
large volume of Same filled the kitchen. His wife, who
was in the front room, endeavoured to make her escape
with a child in her arms, but fainted before
reaching the door, and both were rescued by
timely assistance. Her little girl, Agnes, twelve years
of age, who was upstairs, could not make her escape. It is
said that she ono, appeared at the window, throwing up
her arms and writhing in the fire around, and though
called to and told to jump down, she had not the presence
of mind to do so. A few minutes elapsed before a ladder
could be procured, when two brewers made their way into
the room above. There they found the poor girl in limes,
literally roasting alive in great agony, shrieking ins heart-
rending manner. She was immediately attended by Mr.
Alexander, and afterwards conveyed to the London Hos-
pital, where she received every kindness and attention,
but death pat an end to her sufferings about 7 o'clock the
same evening.— Chaistsforti Chronick

Ores are now sent from California and Nevada
to Swansea, in Wales, to be smelted. 25 per cent more
silver is extracted from Nevada silver ores at Swansea
than would have been extracted in America. A quantity
of rich silver ore, sent from one of the Nevada neatest, to
Swansea, wasfouncl to contain a snfacientquantity of other
valuable metal' to defray the whole expenses, including
carriage, from the mina.-41sericon Paper.