The Express.
London, England, 1868-10-21 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER.

Mr. John James ruccifit;s7, uphobterer and furniture
dealer, King's-road, Chelsea, appeared to a summons
charging him with wilfully and maliciously damaring a
pest letter, the property of William Uodtlaid, and of the
value of one penny.
Mr. Bury Butt hinson pmeeented ; Mr. Smythe defended.
The complainant had been iu the service of the de-
fendant, and had left upwards of a year ago. As
states, by a witness named James, a letter was brought by
tie post to defendant's house in August last addressed to
the. somplainsid. Defendant opened it and destroyed it.
It was urged that it was a printed notice from the North
London Permanent Benefit Building Society, and con-
veyed the intelligence that there was a sum of money, or
" appropriation, as it is termed, for sale, which de-
fendant might have purchased with advantage.
Mr. Smythe denied that the letter in question had ever
been received, and said that this prosecution arose from a
!Audis ties feeling.
Mr. Selfe thought that if a printed circular came into a
master's hand after a servant had long left his establish-
ment, and when he slid not know where to And him, per-
haps it was not very extraordinary that he should throw
it into the the. What was he to do with it?

Yr. 2iutchinsoa said iTouitaiohi:7;:en it back to
the posttnan. lie clearly had no right to open and dartroy
another man's letter.

Mr. Belie agreed with him that such a course was very
improper and dishonourable, but he was not aware that it
was any offence in law. Supposing defendant had done
what was imputed which was denied, the present charge
could not be sustained. Re was charged with " wilfully
and maliciously;' doing this act. There was no intention
of injury or malice proved. He could not convict a man
for destroying what was of no value. The charge wai
of a most frivolous nature, and he could not further
entertain it.

EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERY OF SUBTEBRA-
MOUE PASSAWES IX BRISTOL.

The excavations for the branch line of railway
which is being constructed by the Great Western, Masi-
land, and Bristol and Exeter, from their terminus at
Temple Mead to the Floating Harbour, have disclo-ed the
existence of a complete network of subterraneous pas-
sages underneath liedeliffe parish, and branching out
in various other directions. A deep cutting has
been made parallel with Guinea-street, and which
is to go under Reileliffe-hill. At one place where the
cutting is about thirty feet deep the men discovered
the narrow entrance to a huge cavern. Further examina-
tion showed that this portion of the subterranean passage
had been severed by the railway cutting, but unfortu-
nately the entrance to the left hand passage is now
blocked up by a fall of rock in blasting. On Monday
night • party consisting of half a dozen gen-
tlemen explored a portion of the underground
network. Mr. J. H. F. Roberts, C.E., pioneered
the party, and Mr. W. Rice, architect, took a plan
of the passages. Before entering the place, • line
was fastened to one of the outside supports, and each of
the party carried either a torch or a candle. After creep-
ing through • narrow, low passage, some 20 yards in
length, the party came to • row of three arches, each
of which led in an opposite direction. Taking the
centre one, the party had to crawl on their hands and
knees for about ten yards under a great rock, and then
they emerged into a spacious and lofty cavern, whence
there were other branches. A journey of some 200 or 300
feet farther, chiefly through low narrow corridors, brought
the party to what appeared to be tho grand saloon, or
chief cave. It was perfectly circular in form, the
roof being supported on eight columns, be-
sides a very strong column in the centre. The
cavern was some forty or fifty feet in diameter, and
from six to eight feet high, the roof sloping to within
a few feet of the ground. The spaces between the pillars,
with the exception of the route the explorers bad come,
and one in • straight line with it, bed been walled up all
round ; and this was the first pieta of masonry that had
been seen, the whole having been excavated from the solid
rocks. There can be no doubt that the place has been
excavated, and that a good deal of skilled labour has been
used in the work. Passing from this large avers the
party proceeded along a wide corridor, beautifully arched
overhead, and supported on each side on strong columns,
the 'paces between them being walled up. This had evi-
dently been • chief entrance to the cavern, but un-
fortunately the party could not explore it to the
end on account of its being willed up. Two
or three branches in the same locality were
tried, and found to be walled up. Altogether the party
explored some six or seven branches, and most of thorn
were either walled up or filled up with rubbish. In
two or three places the further peeress was stopped by
huge =mesa rock, which had fallen and blocked= up the
way. One of the passages was traced in a direction
which must have brought the party very near
the Floating Harbour, formerly the River
Avon, and it is conjectured that the cavern
might have been used at the time when Briatolcanied on an
extensive slave trade, or that they may have been used for
smuggling purposes. According to a map of Bristol in
Barrett's hunog, the Hermitage of St. John occupied this
site in 1260. The discovery has awakened a good deal of
antiquarian interest, and it is intended to take down the
masonry and explore some of the passages further, when
doubtless some more satisfactory ucl may be gained re-
specting the original use of this extensive work.

ROBBERY AT VISCOUNTESS PALMERSTON'S.-
On Monday evening a robbery took place at the residence
of Viscountess Palmerston, No. 21, Park-lane. It
appears that • window having boon left open, somo
parson or persons entered the place and carried off •
quantity of plate from a sideboar and it is supposed loft
the lilacs by the same means as they entered.

8-HOCKING RAILWAY AOCIDENT.—On Monday
night a goods train was being shunted at the Crown
Point Junction, near Leeds, when the men observed some
object lying on the metals, and on making march, found
a middle-aged woman, quite dead, whose body had been
horribly mangled by the train passing over it. The anus,
shoulders, and clod were greatly disfigured. Nothing
itriline.
enrsto be known as to hew the poor woman got upon
[lAilverf isernent. I—HOLLOWAY'S 01241'3(1:NT.
Net ieinal Eiticacy.— Daily experience continua the testimony
borne to the benefits effeetod by liollotra) rentodhu In all de-
scriptions of rthinsses assail mankind either at home or
abroad. In vine.. of glandular real ther eoreplalnte aeleinx Innis
hereditary taints. the use of thou* Lading awl purifying
he aiwaye followed by the aunt unitifyang replan. Th..
nowt b, well rubbed Mein the id in, as near It, warble to the
gybing or ailing part. and the Pills phonic/ be taken every 'Aria in
alterative 'other than in poring. e ghee*. The.. s 0,41.0,,
esteenta will then eel iu 111111N.11. g1i.41 the tottl .0 eehief. r...tretu.
blish OTIIIT and purity thneigh the eyvteus, end epsiv wipmitod
MiIirIAJIA; or utitwely death.