The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-25 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

(THIS DAY.)

OXFORD CIRCUIT.
READING, MONDAY.
This morning Even Pigott arrived in this town, and at
10 o'clock proceeded to the assize courts, accompanied by
the High Sheriff, Mr. Thomas Hargreaves, of Arborfield
Hall. His lordship having opened the commission, at-
tended Divine Service at the parish church of St. Law.
sacs. the sermon being preached by the sheriff's chaplain
(Rev. Sir J. Warren Hayes, Bart.). The customary plan
of adjourning until the following day was not adopted,
for at 12 o'clock the Crown Court was opened, and Baron
Pigott commenced the trial of prisoners. There are about
the usual number of criminal cases ; among the prisoners
are two member of the Reading police force, charged
with perjury ; an Abingdon surgeon committed for mak-
ing a film declaration to a registrar of births ; and a New-
bury brewer charged with fraudulently disposing of pro-
perty belonging to the creditors. The Nisi Prius
at the anises has usually been very light, but this year
there are five or six special jury causes, besides common
)cry cases. Both courts will be opened to-morrow, when
Mr. Justice Blackburn will arrive.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

(THIS DAY.)

The February session of the Central Criminal Court was
opened this morning, at 10 o'clock, before the Lord Mayor,
the Recorder, Alderman Salomon., M.P., Alderman Allen,
Alderman Finley, and Alderman Gibbons, Aldermen and
Sheriff Waterlow, Mr. Sheriff Lycett, Mr. Under-Sheriff
Crossley, and Mr. Under-Sheriff De Jersey.
The first edition of the calendar contemn the names of
prisoners--83 males and 10 females. Of this number
there are committed from the City of London, 20 ; from
the county of Mithllesex, 54 ; from Essex, 4 ; from the
Admiralty jurisdiction, 2; from Kent, 10; and from the
county of Surrey, 8 prisoners. The offences -are thus
classified :—Wilful murder, 1 ; burglary, 12 : utter*
counterfeit coin, 17 ; embezzlement, 7; feloniously at-
tempting to shoot, 1 ; forgery, 8 ; horse stealing, 1 ;
housebreaking, 7 ; larceny, 17 ; letter stealing, 4 ; man-
planghter, 2 ; misdemeanour, 4 ; feloniously receiving
stolen goods, 2 ; rubbery, 13 ; and feloniou.sly wounding, 2.
The Recorder, in charging the grand jury, said that a
considerable number of the eases which would come under
their consideration were, almost without exception, of a
Perfectly ordinary description, and as each did not call
for any comment or remarks from him. There were, how-
ever, two or three elutes to which he must call their atten-
tion, and the first of these was that of a prisoner named
Charles Anderson, who was charged with the crime
of wilful murder, committed on the high seas off
the Coast of Africa. It seemed that the de-
ceased was lying in his berth, when some one
entered anti struck him violently on the bead with
aa ate. The blows were repeated several times, and from
tlie evidence there could be no doubt that they were in-
flicted by the prisoner, who was seen to throw the axe
overboard just after the blows had been inflicted. It
aMteared that when asked why he had done it, the
pruner said that ho had done it to save the ship and
from being run ashore; and that was the reason
why he had killed the fiend, meaning the deceased,
as he could easily run away when he got to England.
It would transpire that prior to the occurrence the
pnsoner had made use of other expressions, indicating
be tvt- labouring under some delirium, but into that the
(Mind jury would not have to inquire, for if they found
thst the prisoner inflicted the blows which caused the
4th, it would he the duty of the grand jury to return a
zn. bill, and send the case for further inquiry. There
Iv% in the calendar a case of manslaughter against
tn., men named Hart and Green. It seemed that the .I°-
0,...,1 the prisoners, and some other men were in • hut
car .Irinking booth near some railway works, when a quarrel
tr,toed, an,l the deceaseel was dragged out to fight, but it
se, wed that the cause of death was a kick on the left
of the head inflicted by • man known as " the
and unless it should appear that the prisoners
• r • acting in concert with that man he (the Recorder)
1,4 not see how the indictment against them could be

sustained. The third ease was a charge against George
.101 m graham for firing a loaded pistol with intent to
wound. The prisoner was leading home a drunken woman
and the prosecutor was walking home when the prisoner
charged him with following Inin, and on his refusing to
go away the prisoner drew forth a revolver and pointing it
wa., supposed to have attempted to fire it, but there was a
doubt whether the trigger had been pulled, and it was
ascertained that the cap had not exploded. The ease was
for them. and with these observations he remitted them to
their labours.

THE POLICE COURTS.

(THIS DAY.)

CLERKENWELL.
ONr WEEK ArtEn MARRIAGE.

.........
11,,,qtr, aged 25, a grocer's assistant, residing at
210, E55e,•1,..1, Islington, was charged with assaulting
hi. wife, Elizabeth Hedger, at Islington.
The complainant stated that 011 Saturday evening she
b, en round to her mother's, and on her return home
her husband accused her of being the worse for liquor.
After that lie give her a blow in the face, and she then
tried to scratch his face, but failing in that, scratched his
hands. He then threw her over two chairs on to the
ground. twi•deil her hair round his hands, and hurt her.
She hail been married eight months to-day, and she was
afraid that her husband would do her some bodily harm.
(hi Friday he held a razor over her, and said be would cut
her throat. The fiat Sunday after she was married lie
slapped her on the face. She was near her confinement,
and now felt pain in her head and face from the effects of
her husband's violence.
The defendant said lie had not behaved in the manner
ile.cribeil by his wife, but the fact was that whenever his
wife went round to her parents' she always returned in an
excited state, and therefore he hail forbidden her to go
there.

Charles Sandford, of flei, Elmore-street, said that he was
at his sister's house, and hearing her cry out " Murder,"
he felt afraid, and went and fetched his father, and the
defendant was given into custody.
The Magistrate ordered the defendant to enter into his
own sureties in the sum of flOf. to keep the peace for 12
months, awl to find two sureties in the suns of :in& each
for three months out of the twelve. The defendant was
locked up in default.
DIARLBOROUGH-STREET.
AN INTERPRETER IN A FIX.
- - -

Trkr Pfounctager, a strange-looking man, described 16R an
Italian, was charged before Mr. Tyrwhitt with assaulting
Wilhelm Bock, by cutting his hand.
The prosecutor, a waiter at M. Kulin's restaurant,
llanover-street, Hanover-square, said that on the previous
evening at $ o'clock, the prisoner came to the restaurant,
and opened the door and began begging. He told the pri-
soner that he had nothing to give him that night, it
being • practice to give poor people at times meat and
bread. The prisoner pretended not to understand ,
and continued to hold the door open. A gentleman com-
plained of the prisoner doing so, and then he (prosecutor)
requested the prisoner to go away, but as he took no notice
he had to remove the prisoner's hand from the door,
and turn him round. Directly afterwards he found
that his hand was cut, evidently by some sharp
instrument, the prisoner by this time having gone away.
Having gone into the restaurant and bound up his hand
he went to look for the prisoner and found him near
Verrey's in Regent-street, and as aeon as the prisoner ob-
served him he ran away. After pursuing the prisoner for
some distance he saw him enter a public-house and he then
caused him to be taken into custody,
Mr. 'Tyrwhitt asked the prosecutor if the prisoner was
deaf and dumb.

The prosecutor mid the prisoner last night spoke both
Italian and German, and said that he was a native of
Milan.

Mr. Tyrwhitt asked the prisoner if he wished to put
any questions to the prosecutor.
The prisoner remained perfectly silent.
Sergeant Edwards, 2 C, said that while searching the
prisoner at the station last night he dropped a knife (pro-
duced) into his shoe.

Mr. '
Tyrwhitt ordered Mr. Albert, the interpreter, to
be sent for, and on his addressing the prisoner in Italian
he pretended not to understand him. Mr. Albert then
tried Gentian, French, and English, but without soy better
success, the prisoner all throughout the hearing of the
ease remaining mute.
Mr. Tyrwhitt said he would remand the prisoner for a
few days, and perhaps by that time something respecting
him might be found out.

MARYLEBONE.
STRANGE DEATH OF A CITTL.D.

John Ate Sweeney, shoemaker, was charged with causing
the death of a child named Ellen Foley, aged nine months.
Richard Thompson, 11l D, said—About half-past 12
on Saturday he was called to 19, Walmer-plaee,
Stiogo-
lane, where he was informed the prisoner had killed a etidd
by lying upon it. He found the father of the child with
it in his arms. It was quite dead. The prisoner was
speechless drunk on the bed with his clothes off. The child
had a bruise on the forehead, and its leg very black.
Daniel Foley said he was father of the child. About
the time the officer stated he went into his mom with his
landlord. He found his baby quite dead by the side of the
prisoner.
In reply to Mr. d'Eyneourt Foley said his wife was in
service, and he minded the child. He saw it alive and
well about 20 minutes before he was called. It was a very
healthy baby. She must have been smothered in her
sleep, as her eyes were closed, as was also her mouth. It
did not seem to have struggled.
Thompson—This witness was very drunk, your worship.
Mr. d'Eyneourt remanded prisoner for a week.
t3OUTHWARK.
EXTRAORDINART CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.
•

... . . ...
A middle-aged female of rather singular appearance,
who gave the cam* of Ma►y Taylor, but whose real name
was Grist, the wife of a very respectable man, was
brought before Mr. Maude charged with attempting to
drown herself in the river Thames.

William Green, 181 Id, said that about half-past 6 on
Sunday evening he wee on duty in Park-street, Borough.
market, when he received information that a woman had
jumped in the river by St. Saviour's Dock. He accord-
ingly proceeded there and saw the prisoner seated 111 the
river, which nearly covered her. He pulled her out and
asked her what she meant by such conduct, when
she said that she intended to drown herself.
She also said that she had tried all she could
to do so, but the water would not cover her, neither could
she sink. She was in a deplorable state, everything being
soaked about her, and she appeared to have been in the
water some time. He conveyed her to the workhouse
where she was carefully attended to and her clothes dried:
Mr. Maude (to the priaoner)—What have you to say?
Prisoner—Nothing, sir. Only I wanted a home.
Mr. Maude—But not • home in the river.

Prisoner—BuiTtgou ghitTenTl
At this part of the inquiry a very le looking
man came forward and said his name was Robert Grist,
and the prisoner was his wife, having been so fifteen years.
For some time past she had not been in her right mind,
and it was not safe for ber to be alone.

Mr. Maude told him that if such was the case she ought
to have been taken care of. She had made a most deter-
mined attempt to commit suicide, audit was a miracle that
her life was saved.

The husband told his worship that be could not afford
to pay for her in an asylum. He, however, never heard of
her attempting to commit suicide before.
Mr. Mande directed the prisoner to be taken to St.
George's Workhouse and then to be examined by the
medical officer of the parish as to her state of mind. She
could not be allowed to go at hip for the present.

ALLEGED FATAL AFFAIR WHILE LAYING A
CHURCH FOUNDATION STONE.

INQUEST THIS DAY.

This afternoon Mr. W. J. Payne, the Deputy
Coroner, held an inquest at St. Bartholomew's Hospital
touching the death of Patrick Gannon, aged 44 year., who
was alleged to have been thrown into the street.
It appeared that the deceased was a labourer in the em-
ploy of Mews. Brown and Robinson, builders. Last Mon-
day his employers were engaged in laying the foundation
stone of a new church in the NewNorth.road. It was alleged
that the deceased got drunk, and a witness swore that Mr.
Sharpe, the builder's foreman, had lifted him off the
ground by catching the deceased underneath the arms
and carried him to the gate and left him outside.
The witness, John Lewis, a strong labouring man, was
asked by the Coroner how the deceased was put
out of the yard by Mr. Sharpe, and he said,
"If you get up from the table I'll show you."
and as he was threatening in his manner the wit-
ness was severely reprimanded by the Coroner. The
alleged throwing out of the deceased took place at 2
o'clock in the day, and at 6 o'clock the witness found him
lying in the roadway, outside the works. He was removed
to the hospital
Another witness, a eon of the deceased, domed that
the deceased had, while he was in the hospital, stated to
him that at the time of the occurrence he was not drunk.
He had had a drop of brandy. He said that at half-past S
o'clock he was trying to get into the building works to get
his basket of tools, when Mr. Sharpe came and pulled
him down, and when he got on his feet he fell as he was
trying to walk.
Mr. C. F. Woodman, general foreman to the builders,
said that on the day in question the deceased was drunk,
and had been ordered to leave the premises. Mr. Sharpe
had no grudge against the deceased. The church in ques-
tion was being erected for the congregation of a church in
the Barbican. They had lost their church in consequence
of its being taken down to make room for the tinder-
pound Railway works.
Mr. Hembrough, surgeon, said that the deceased
expired on Sunday from the effects of some internal
injury. No post•mortem examination had been made of
the deceased's body. He might have been injured by the
fall.

The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death."

HOSPITAL exai Dtagnaze or Tin CRISP, VICTORIA-
PAWL —Ths number of patient' relieved at thim inditution
during last week was 1,512, of which 371 were new aims.

BRITISH COLONIAL STEAM-SHIP COMPANI
(LIMITED).-(THIS DAY.)

The half-yearly meeting of the proprietors was
held at noon, at the London Tavern, lb. ROIMT GILLES-
rir. in the chair.

The following report was presented :
" In conformity with the articles of association, the
directors present to the shareholders the balance-sheet of
the company, for the year ending 31st December, DO',
The accounts have, as usual, been duly audited.
The directors, keeping in view the spirit and
terms of the resolution, passed at the adjourned
meeting of proprietors, on the 12th of March
last, have endeavoured through various channels to
dispose of the company's steamers, but their attempts to
do so have not proved successful, although negotiations
have, from time to time, during the past year, been
entered into with that object ; the main difficulty being
the w.int of profitable employment for tonnage generally.
The directors have had no fresh or renewed opportunity of
chartering the steamer Thames on a time charter similar
to that referred to in the last report ; it is, however, on
the whole, satisfactory to the directors that a balance
of profit on the year's working has accrued,
notwithstanding the serious depression in trade,
and the monetary disturbance consequent thereon.
The surplus shown by the balance-sheet of 6,634/. 3s.
the directors recommend be appropriated as follows,viz.
That a dividend of 2is. per share be paid to the pro-
prietors, which will absorb 3,593/. 155., that a further sum
of 2,339 f., from the same source, together with 1,0611..
at credit of forfeiture of shares account, making
the suns of 4,00 W., be written off the value of the
ships, leaving the balance of 701/. ss. Id., at credit of
profit and loss, to be carried forward to next year's ac-
count. The Thames and Ottawa have been laid up in
dock, since the close of the navigation to Canada, no
profitable employment having offered; the St. Law-
rence is at present under charter to the Admiralty.
for the conveyance of troops to Gibraltar and
Bermuda, and a favourable time charter has re-
cently been concluded for the Ottawa, to com-
mence early in March. It is satisfactory to state that the
three steamers are in good working order, and the St.
Lawrence and Thames will be in readiness to meet the
wants of Canadian shippers, should the prospects
of the trade justify the directors in so employing them.
The two directors who retire at this time are Captain
H. C. Glyn, R.N., and Mr. John Temperley, and being
eligible for re-election, they offer themselves accordingly.
The auditors of the company, Mr. G. T. Brooking and Mr.
C. D. Saunders, being eligible, offer themselves for re-
election."

The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report
and accounts, commenced by remarking on the adverse
commercial character of the past year as having led
to disappointment in the expectations of the directors.
As regards the resolution referred to in the report respect-
ing the sale of the company's steamers, he asked the meet-
ing to bear in mind the difficulties which the board had
had to encounter, and said the directors had
not been prepared to put up the vessels to auc-
tion
and accept the highest offer. They had, how-
ever, in three instances endeavoured to effect a sale,
and a negotiation was pending which might result in the
disposal of the largest steamer. In the case of the Ottawa,
a contract for the sale was signed, but it was sold to a New
York house, which failed to fulfil the conditions. Alto.
gether the company was established at an inopportune
time, the American troubles, Fenianism in Canada, and the
commercial depression in this country having all operated
adversely. At the opening of the navigation in
Canada two of the smaller vessels would be employed.
With respect to the balance, the directors deemed it best
to offer the shareholders, who had been waiting three years,
a small dividend, instead of proposing, as some might
think they should have done, to carry that amount to the
depreciation fund. In conclusion, ho observed that the ex-
penses were being, brought down to the lowest point that
was practicable.
Mr. HOPPIR wee glad that at the end of three years the
shareholders could, if they pleased, have a dividend. As
to the expenses, he thought that, with only three ships,
they did not require • board of directors—a general
manager would be sufficient. A large amount had been
paid for insurances, and, in his opinion, it would be better
for the company to be to a certain extent its own in-
surer. He should have preferred a dividend showing
some ordinary rate of per centage. 25e. par share
and a fraction was 21. 15e. 6fd per cent. Such
a dividend no man could carry in his hood, he oonld
only put it in his pocket—(laughter)--and he thought it
would be better to divide at the rate of b per cent., which
would absorb 6,4901. of the balance of 6,6341.
Mr. Fox would have preferred nothing at all being di-
vided out of so small a balance, lest the directors should
not have sufficient funds to work with. Knowing what he
did of Canada he did not consider it desirable to con-
tinue employing a single boat in Canadian trade. He
would therefore move as an amendment the appointment
of a committee of three shareholders to wind up the
company, and to insert an adves cisement in the &tipping
Gazette inviting tenders for the vessels.
Mr. Monism Gael seconded the amendment.
The CHAIRMAN opposed the amendment, and said it
would have been far better to move a vote of want
of confidence in the directors. (Hear, hear.) He
had the largest interest of all the shareholders, with
one exception, and he would oppose a winding up be-
cause he believed it would lead to a sacrifice of the
company's interests. (Cheers.) Aa regarded the divi-
dend, notwithstanding Mr. Hopper's remarks, he still
thought the best course was to apply 4,0001. to • depre-
ciation fund, and divide the remainder of the balance,
which would yield about 2 and 7-9ths per sent, among the
proprietors. (Hear, hear.)
On • show of hands, the amendment was negatived by •
large majority.
The report and accounts having been adopted,
The CHAIRMAN moved the declaration of • dividend of
25e. per share.
Mr. G. T. BROOKING, one of the auditors, thought the
balance should be retained to work the concern. He
moved an amendment to the effect that the declaration of a
dividend be postponed till July next, when • half-yearly
meeting should be held and accounts presented.
The amendment having been seconded,
The CHAIRMAN assured the meeting that the directors
before recommending the declaration of • dividend of 255.
bad well considered the financial position and probable re-
quirement of the company.
The amendment was rejected so far as the dividend was
concerned ; but a separate motion pledging the directors
to convene a meeting as soon as possible after the end of
June next was proposed by the chairman himself, and
adopted unanimously.
A dividend of 255. pushers was then declared, end, the
retiring directors and auditors having been re-elected, the
Proceedings terminated in the usual manner.