The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-10 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURT&

THAMES.

Mr. Ralph A. Benson, the Recorder of Shrewsbury, who
has been appointed to succeed Mr. Partridge, officiated for
the first time yesterday morning in his magisterial capa-
city. The learned gentleman was called to the bar b
the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple on the 2filh
of January, 1854. Mr. Partridge, who has gone to the
Southwark Police-court, has been a stipendiary magistrate
of Brighton, Wolverhampton, and the Thames Police-
court for upwards of 15 years.
James Pain, artist in fireworks, of the Pyrotechnic office,
No. 10, Albion-place, Walworth:road, appeared before Mr.
' Benson to answer an information and summons preferred
by the General Steam Navigation Company, for unlawfully
sending by a certain ship called the Stork, certain goods
of a dangerous nature, to wit, fireworks, without distinctly
marking the nature of the said goods on ,the outside of
package containing the same, or otherwise giving notice
in writing to the muter or owners of the said ship at or
before the time of sending the same to be shipped, by
which he had incurred a penalty of 1001.
The defendant pleaded guilty, and said he would throw
himself on the mercy of the court.
Mr. Cooper, barrister, instructed by Mr. Pearce, solicitor,
said he appeared for the General Steam Navigation Company
to prosecute in this case under the 320th section of the
Merchant Si.ipping Act, 1834, and remarked on the very
dangerous nature of the offence to which the defendant
had pleaded guilty. He was afraid it was not the first time
defendant had been guilty of a similar offence, and a
severe example ought to be made of him. A long case
was shipped on board the Stork, belonging to the General
Steam Navigation Company, for Edinburgh, as a case of
rods. On the arrival of the ship in Edinburgh some sus-
picion was entertained that the case did not contain rod.,
but that it contained a coffin with a corpse in it, and that
to avoid payment of the usual freight the body had been
shipped as rods. On opening the case, however, it was
found to contain sky-rockets and other fireworks. Had
the fireworks ignited on the voyage the ship on that part
of it where the case was stowed away would have been
blown up, and the lives of the passengers, 100 iu number,
and crew, would have been imperilled.
Mr. Benson—What was the weight of the case
Mr. Cooper—Two cwt. three qrs., and a great deal of ex-
plosive matter in the rockets.
The defendant—But not all gunpowder.
Mr. Benson—No ; but you knew as well as I do that roc-
kets contain other explosive substances quite as dangerous
Al gunpowder.
The defendant—There are rockets and blue lights on
board for the use of the ship.
Mr. Benson—That is a very nonsensical remark.
Rockets and blue lights are on board for their own use,
and are carefully put away beyond the reach of danger in
a certain part of the ship. The captain knew where to find
them if he wanted them.

The defendant said he forwarded the good'. to Edinburgh
by the Stork bemuse she was a fast vessel, and they ware
required immediately.
Mr. Benson fined the defendant M. and said if the
offence was repeated a very heavy penalty would be in-
flicted.

be*riFetoeorr—l believe, air, a lees penalty than 251. cannot

Mr. Benson—Yes, the Police Act gives a general power
to mitigate penalties to any amount.
The fine was paid.

THE SUSPECTED MURDER .AT LIMEHOUSE.

John Wiggins was yesterday brought up before Mr.
Benson, at the Thames Police-court, on remand, charged
with the wilful murder of Agnes Oakes.
Mr. Charles Young, solicitor, stated that ho appeared
for the prisoner. A coroner's jury, on the termination of
the inquest on the body of the woman, returned an open
verdict, and, as far as they were concerned, had relieved
the prisoner of the charge of murder. An investigation
was commenced on Thursday last at that court, before
Mr. Paget, and it was expedient that it should be con-
tinued before the same magistrate. He, therefore, asked
that the prisoner might be remanded until Wednesday
next.

Mr. Benson—l have no objection. Let the prisoner be
remanded until Wednesday.

COMMENCEMENT OP THE LONG VACATION.—
Yesterday the Chancery summonses were disposed of, ,
and the long vacation commenced, and will not terminate .
till the 28th October. To-day the common law vacation
begins, and ends on the 24th October.
CHANCERY ORDER.—Yesterday a notice was
issued that during the vacation, commencing to-day, all
applications which are of an urgent nature are to be made
to or at the chambers of Vice-Chancellor Malin/. All
applications exparte are to be sent by book post or
paroel prepaid, accompanied with the brief of counsel,
and endorsed with the terms of the order applied
for, tie. On applications for injunction or writ of ne
exeat regno, there must be sent in addition a copy of
the bill, &c. The papers sent to the vice-chancellor
will be returned to the registrar. All applications for
leave to give notice of motion only may be made to the
chief clerk at chambers. The chambers of Vice-Chancellor
Malin* will be opened on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,
and Friday in every week.
FLOOOINO GAROTTER:I.—The punishment of the
cat was on Thursday indicted upon two prisoners named
John Smith and John Crawley, in one of the yards of
Newgate, in the presence of the governor, the sheriffs
and the under-sheriffs. Both these cases were very bad ,
ones. Smith was convicted of being concerned with
others in a most brutal attack upon Mr. Begbie, a soli- '
eitor residing in New Ormond-street, Bedford-square,
while he was upon the steps of his own door about 10
o'clock at night, and during the attack the prosecutor had ,
his shoulder dislocated, and was otherwise seriously in-
jured, and was under surgical treatment for a considerable
time. This prisoner was also convicted of an offence of a
similar character in company with the other man Crawley,
the robbery being committed upon a gentleman in Percy-
street, King's-cross, in the sight of a policeman in plain
clothes. The prisoners were tried by the Common
Serjeant, who sentenced Smith to undergo twenty !
lashes with a cat-o'-nine-tails, and then to be kept in
penal servitude for ten years, and the other prisoner
to receive the same number of lashes, and then to
be kept in penal servitude for seven years. The t
punishment was inflicted by Cslcmft, and the culprits
shrieked violently during the operation. It will be recol-
lected that another prisoner named George Dundee, who
was convicted of a robbery with violence upon a gentleman
named Thorne, one of the collectors to Messrs. Young and
Bainbridge, the brewers at Wandaworth, was also sen-
tenced to receive the punishment of flogging ; but it ap-
pears from inquiries that have been instituted since his
conviction that there are strong grounds for believing that °
he is innocent of the crime with which he was charged. In
consequence of this the infliction of the punishment of '
Bogging has been suspended by order of the court, and it
appears to be probable that the prisoner may receive a
pardon from the crown.
10101.r.sit's CoD LIVER OlL.—The First Prize,
and only sliver Medal at the Paris Exhibition, ihu been given to
Peter Moller, for his purest Norwegian Cad Liver Oil. The
selection was made from about thirty competitors. This Nor-
wegian oil is exclusively used In case* of debility and consume- ;
Mon, and the contracts fur the North London Consumption floe-
pital are now made with Peter Moller —dold by all Chemists,
2s. ad. par Dottie. —( ad vertisement