The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-05-27 00:00:00

LOSS OF THE JOSEPH SOMES.

The intelligence of this catastrophe we published yester-
day. The loss appears to have been a fearful one, and
considering that among her oargu she haul 250 barrels of
gunpowder (in all eighteen tons) and immense quantity
of spirits, the escape of the crew and passengers was mar-
vellous.

The Joseph Somas was a teak-built ship, 780 tons regis-
ter, commanded by Captain Elmston. She sailed from the
East India Docks, Blackwell. for Melbourne, on the 15th
of last Denember. The feels wing details of the loss are ex-
tracted from a narrative written by Mr. Goolall, late a mem-
ber of Lloyds', who with his wife and family were passen-
gers on board :—" On the morning of the 25th of February
we came in sight of the cloud-capped peak of Tristan
d'Acunhs, and by 2 o'clock, p.m., were near enough to the
north side of the island to lower the life-boat. Captain
Elmston having invited me, I accompanied him with six
hands on shore. We pulle I into a beautiful sandy bay,
bounded nearly from point to point by bold bluff .cliffs,
rising like a huge wall some 3,000 feet perpendicularly
from the shore. The captain made arrangements for earning
ashore on the following day with the water casks. We
then returned to the ship, which had stood off, and was now
some seven miles distant. We rowed a considerable distance,
and through a heavy sea, when we saw her go about, and
stand in for tho land. The sun was just setting.
We had noticed with some astonishment how badly
the ship steered, and I joked* the captain upon what
I thought the smoke from the Ole, fie, for we had
not dined. A minute more my heart was in my throat, for
a cry was raised, The ship is on fire.' The smoke was
coming up about the main hatchway, where we knew
the powder magazine was. Captain Elmston was
never more alive. fie seemed as if he would spring
from his boat into the ship. He exhorted the rowers,
Pull for your lives and as we neared I saw quite
sufficient- to convince me that it was a hopeless case. The
moment our beat rs ached the ship Captain Elmston leaped oa
to the main chains, and in a second was on beard in time
to order all the passengers forward immediately, for the
flames were rushing up the skylights and out of the middy
doors, so that in a few minutes their retreat would
have been cut off entirely. The fit's was discovered by
the captain's little black servant Cas..im, who, with the
steward, got down the companion hatch into the store,
and was engaged in searching for the source of the
smoke when the alarm became general. Mr. Vaughan,
the second officer, had joined them in the search, and at •
leng h discovered the flames along the ship's side close
to the gun deck. For some time every one considered
that the buckets of water which were freely adminis-
tered would subdue the fire, and no very groat alarm
was felt at first; but a few minutes served to dispel this
illusion. Mr. Stokes, the chief officer, who in the captain's
absence had the commend of the ship, seeing the increased
danger, gave orders for all hands that could be spared
from the working of the ship to open the magazine
and throw the gunpowder overbrard. Mr. Bernal (a
passenger) rushed to his cabin for an axe, which was of
considerable use in tearing up the hatchway. The third
officer, Mr. Pye, got to his cabin, where three barrels of
powder had been stowed for want of room, and these, with
the remaining 249 barrels in the magazine under the main
hatchway, were handed from hand to hand and throvin
overboard. The fire had disappeared from the store-
room as soon as the m in hatchway was opened ; there
being a new and greater draught, the fire was making rapid
strides to this deadly mine, charged with about eighteen
tons of gunpowder. At last the lower tier of barrels was
actually hot—almost too hot to hold. This was no fancy,
every man was intent upon his work. These were
minutes of agonising suspense. The weaker sex never
seemed to have lost their presence. of mind, and it
was a remark of admiration, made subsequently
by the crew, that not a scream was heard
from any one. The steward, Alfred Marsh, acted with
great bravery and devotion ; three times he
made his way through the dense smoke into the caddy
to the cabin in the stern, and saved the captain's chro-
nometers, desk, watch, and other valuables Cassim, the
black servant, also got through the caddy into the cabin
to save some of his master's things, but his retreat was cut
off by the increasing smoke and flame, and he was drawn
up half suffocated, through the quarter gallery window on
to the poop The pinnace being lowered, the captain stood
guard, and saw all the women and children handed
down before he admitted others to jump in to make up
her complement. The remainder of those on board
escaped by the lifeboat, in which the captain had
returned from the island. The satisfaction that was felt
when the last barrel of gunpowder went overboard gave all
on board that comparative coolness and belief that the
worst was past,without which feeling in all probability many
lives would have been sacrificed. After all the crew were
in the boat the captain had a struggle to get a large New-
foundland dog of his over the ship's side, but finding it im-
possible, he seized a rope and swung eff into the b ,at. He
was the last to leave the ship. She had an immense
quantity of spirits on board—in fact, the great bulk of her
cargo was brandy and gin—which accounts for the extra-
ordinary rapidity of the ignition. From the time of
the first alarm to the time of leaving the ship an hour
had not elapsed, and as we cleared her the flames rnshed
up in all directions. The gig, which had put off with
five boys, was lost sight of, bat we neared the pinnace,
and were hailed to lighten her of some of her freight, for
the water was fast gaining, upon them, and they had little
room to work their oars. We got alongside, and took
Mrs. Elmston and two women into our boat, which made
up our number to thirty. I had only time to hail my
wife and child, and tell her to be of good
courage, when the boats parted, and darkness com-
pleted our separation. On turning oar eyes to the
burning ship we saw the fire ran up her new rigging with
innumerable flickering jets, like a brilliant gas illumina-
tion, and her main and wizen masts went over the
side with a fearful crash. The foremast and bowsprit
stood a short time longer. We pulled straight-in for
the land, so as to get under its lee and avoid the swell.
On approaching the stupendous cliffs the ;oilers and
roar of the Surf, tuned into a deeper note by the
great boulders rolling over each other, gave us timely
warning not to draw too near. At last, after five hours'
pall, we rounded a point and made the sandy bay
where the captain had landed on the previous day,
The settlers bad kindled a fire on the sands, and
as we neared the shore we gave a cheer, but
the echo from the overhanging reeks was the only response,.
and not the least striking scene of that night's drama was
the landing on those black sands, by the light of a clear
bright fire, and not a soul to meet us. The good
islanders had retired from their watch at midnight, in
great doubt of our safety. On climbing up the cliffs we
found the islanders up, from whom we received the
greatest kindness At the break of morn the hull of the
far distant ship appeared like one bright speck of
flame, paling its light before the rising sun, and
a dense volume of steam and smoke hung like
a pall for some hours before she went down. Our
great fear all night was that the gig with the boys, the
eldest only 20 and the youngest 9, must have been lost ;
but in the course of the m rning, to our great joy, we found
both pinnace and gig had come ashore on a sandy beach."
The island Tristan d'Aeunha is in long., 11.43 W., lat. 37 8
S., about 15 miles in circumference, and some 1,500 miles
from the nearest land. From March until October a ship
near the latitude of the island is a rare sight. A few days
previous to the loss of the Joseph Somes the inhabitants of
the island had been considerably lessened by 50 of them,
accompanied by their pastor, the Rev. W. Taylor. leaving
the settlement in her Majesty's ship Geyser, for the
Cape. Although the _islanders left did all they could to
relieve the wants of the shipwrecked people, their small
supply of provisions gave them but a very inadequate fare,
and for nine days they endured considerable privation. On
Friday, March 6, a skip was descried to the leeward. A
signal of distress was hoisted on a prominent point of the
island, and the sail came so near that they were enabled
to read her name on the stern, " Lydia" It was thought
she was bound to Bombay. Instead, however, of her
heaving-too, she bore away on her voyage On the same
day,. providentially (for the circumstance of two vessels
coming near the island so close after each other was almost
unheard of among the settlers) another ship bore in view.
She proved to be the Nimroud, Captain H. 'Ehnen, from
London, for Kurrachee. Seeing the boat that had given
chase after the Lydia she bore down to it, and received
Captain Elmston and one passenger on board Captain
Tilman, on learning their said tale, at once, without the
least hesitation, offered to take the whole of the ship-
wrecked people on board. The Nimroui was brought-to,
and received the passengers and crew on board, and,
having gone several hundred miles out of her course, safely
landed the whole of those belonging to the Joseph Somes
at Table Bay on the 20th of March, when the g rvernment
authorities took charge of them, and a public subscription
was opened for their relief. Captain Elmston attributes
the fire to spontaneous combustion among the cargo. The
ship is understood to be insured.

LOCAL BO U 11.1) or HEALru.—According to an official
document, published on Saturday, there are 311 'Local
Boards of Health in England.
SALE OF LEOPOLD REDPATH'S ErrEcrs.—On Saturday,
the third daya sale of the effects of Leopold Redoth,
which was commenced by Messrs. Christie and Manson,
and which consisted of his gallery cf pictures, was con-
chided by them (the auctioneers) at their auction-room,
King-street, St. James s, London, when there was a large
attendance of competitors, among whom were many of
the.ariatocracy. There were 354 lots, for which was an
motive competition. The three dayo' salt rgatifie4 about
0,000.

LIVERPOOL BAvKRUPTCY COURT.

BEFORE MR. COMMISSTOSTER STEVENSON.

In Be Ni 'Lean & Co. —On the sitting of the court yes-
terday, Mr. Yates proceeded to address it on behalf of Mr
M'Kean. He would net, he said, attempt to draw any dis-
tinction between the bau.rupts. If any part of their con-
duct affoided ground for complaint, and he should deny
that it did, all were equally responsible; but, while mak-
ing that declaration. he should, having regard to the inte-
rests of his client, object to the onus of the bookkeeping
being thrown upon him, es it was indirectly done by the
prominence given to the absence of the other two partners
from home at certain times. Mr. M'Kean himself kept
the caeh bock, which tray fairly written np to the very last
hour, as also was he taLh ledger; and whatever complaint
might be made on that. head, it could no-. be more strongly
urged against Mr. M Keen t au aglins- either of the other
bankrupts, 1 he grounds of o ppositi o o that were urged again st
the bankrupts were no lee than nine in number. Three of
them were by pertieular perties—Mr. Denny, Bost & Co.,
and Irving & Co.—and in addition to those, there were
the charges of accommodetion bills, fraudulent preference,
rieglinent bookkeeping, different statement of accounts, no
capital, and re: klees trading in contracting debts without
means of payment. Though perfectly able to answer the
case of Me. Denny, he would yet leave it to Mr. Aspinall,
because it was a case in which only the name of Mr.
Lamont had been mentioned from beginning to end, and
would proceed to answer the case of Mr. Bost As he
(Mr. Yates) understood the charge contained in Mr.
Danson'e observations, it was that the bankrupts
entered into those dealings with Mr. Bost when
they were unable to pay, but leer there should be
any impression on the mind of his honor, in regard to
those transactions he would sh rtl state the facts in con-
nection with them. It appeared, and was en undoubted
fact, that the bukrepts had corre'pondents at Mal a,
Genoa, and Marseilles, to whom they were in the habit of
chipping produce, and that they received from them an
order for iron, accompanied by a report on the state of the
ma-ket, showing that it would be a productive shipment
Acting en that advice they gave an order to Mr. Best, for
iron, who at once supplied 400 tons instaid of 250 tens
as dlr cted. If the bankrupts we• e at that time insolvent
and unable to pay for either amount, they would have
made no cot/Tie-lit at the mistate of Mr. Boat, but what
did they do ? They reeudiared the order for 400 tone and
allowed that for 250 tons to be completed and then paid
the amount. How, then, did that fact support the charge
of Mr. Danson, that when they gae e the order, they were
hopleesly insolvent and had no means of paying for the
iron ? Mr. Yates then referred to the subsequent
transaction with Mr. Boat, and contended that
it was evident from Mr. Bost's own letters,
that the-e transactions were on credit, and in the
ordinary way of business. Ttie bankrupts were at the time
paying and riceiving money; they had no contemplation
of beekreptcy ; their transacti tns were carried on f
months afterwards in the ordinary way ; and there was
evidence beyond question that they had received the order
for the iron, and had also shipped it. He should contend,
then, that there was not the slightest imputation on any of
the bankrupts in reoltrd to 'he'e transactions, and still less
so in the case of Irving and Co., to whom the bankrupts
offered to &liver back he produce ordered—brimstone
from 3feseina —the m ment a difficulty arose in reference
to the bill of lading. The next charge in order was that in
reference to Aeentnmldation bills, and it was based on the
evidence of An Meemillen, and the transactions with Taylor
and Co. Mr. Yates c msidered these transactions at some
length, and argued that the bankrupts were fully justified
in drawing on Macmillan and Co. They carried on coal
speculations with M.craillen and Co , an independent
firm; they raid for these coals frequently in cash, and
they were therefore justified to keep themselves out of
advances, and to draw up Macmillan and Co, who would
retire the hills by the Pale of the coals abroad. He
admitted that to some extent the transactions with Taylor
and Co. appeared t have resulted in the bills being
accommodati n bills but yet the transactions out of which
they sprung were bona ride transactions. In regard to the
charge offraudulent preference it was he observed, in this
case one of the most comical charges that could be brought
against merchants. They were alleged to have given a
preference to their bankers, but in general the elis,ree was
tha' merchants, while thinking of their friends and
creditors, ferget their bankers Here. however, the C 399
was reversed; bet did the bankrupts give that preference ?
By no means. Up to the very last moment they never
contemplated bankruptcy, they did not expect it, and so up
to the very last moment they continued to pay their
money and bills in the ordinary way into the bank. If
they had contemplated any fraud, would they not have
preferred some friend? hut it was not even hinted that
they bad done so ; and the very fact of their paying money
into the bank, up to the very last moment, was a strong
proof that they never contemplated bankruptcy; and not
contemplating bankruptcy could not have given a prefer-
ence. As to the different statements, no doubt Mr. M'Larty
stated what he believed to be the truth, but yet the court
should rec dlect that the official assignee reported that the
statement of these transactions, out of which the diffe-
rences arose, by Mr. M Kean and Mr. Lamont was the
correct one. As to the charge of no capital, it was true
that they bad no capital except skill, ability, and industry,
but he had yet to learn that a want of capital was to prevent
anybody tradir g in Liverpool He doubted whether there could
be found among the multitude of our merchant princes, a
dozen men who started in business with any other capital,
and he would ask whether, when speaking of any one of
such persons, it was not the general remark, " Oh, he
started as a boy sweeping out offices, and see, he is now an
example to the community of hat talent, enterprise,
industry, and skill can accomplish," Had M'Larty and
Co. succeeded, they a'so would have been in like manner
praised for their enterprise, but it was not because they
filed that they should be punished. Mr. Yates, in the
same strain, combatted the charge of reckless trading, and
urged that had it not been for the conduct of Mr. Denny,
the ban tzrupte would have been able to realize a handsome
dividend for their creditors Mr. Aspinall followed on
behalf t f Mr Lamont. After enuring the court that when
he examined Mr. Lamont as to his frequent
absence from home, he did not intend to reeieve
that gentleman from any responsibility at the expence of
Mr. n 'Kean ; and after complimenting Mr. Denson on
the manner in which he had conducted his oppositir n, the
learned gentleman proceeded. He said he could not con-
ceal bat from the period of the failure of the bankrupts
up to the present time, there was a party, and he believed
he would be able to show the Court that it was chiefly
one of the parties in opptsition, who employed himself,
from the most malignant and worst possible motives, in
poisoning the public mind against Mr. Lamont and his
parte era. It wag unfortunate that for a certain time he
succeeded in exciting a prejudice against these gentlemen ;
but happily that prejudice was soon dissipated, as the ex-
aminations proceeded and rebounded on the head of him
who attempte 1 to create them, and who had the miser-
able cowardice to absent himself wilfully and intentionally
from the Court, lest when examined he could no
longer conceal his conduct toward them. Let
them review the position which Mr. Lamont and Mr.
M‘Larly held in the case. It was known to the court that
they commenced business in 1817. Previous to that time
Mr. Lamont had been in business for himself. He was
a gentleman of very large connections, and was universally
respected. He was a gentleman whose association was to
be desire, and accordingly when he and Mr. M'Larty
entered into partnership, it was under the stipulation that
he (Mr. Lamont) should be allowed, on his own account,
to attend to any business he chose, giving simply the benefit
of his name and connection to the concern which he joined,
and received a guarantee from Mr. M‘Larty's father to
indemnify him (Mr. Lamont) against one half of all looses.
He mentioned that fact not to reflect on Mr. Marty, but
to show the p,eiti n which Mr Lamont held in the com-
mercial world at the time. They first confined themselves
to the commission business, but in a short time afterwards
they became the owners of the ship Cleopatra. Their
position as owners of that vessel led them into
negotiation with the Canadian Government for the
carrying of the mails, and at the time their position
was such as entitled them to undertake a contract of that
description. They never contemplated carrying on the
contract by themselves alone, and accordingly chiefly by
the exertions of Mr. Lamont alone, they succeeded in
forming a company for that purpose, from their position
with which, as he ilffr, Aspinall) would show the court,
they were entitled to estimate their interest in that com-
pany at the targe. sum of 1:17,200. They continued so to
go on until 1804, when a circumstance occured which
appeared to him to bah! the most vital importance in
proving the solvent position of the bankrupts at that time.
They then took Mr. M`ltean into partnership, and from
that time, without any fault on the part of either of the
partners, commenced a series of circumstances which
unfortunately, reversed the prosperity which they had
previously enjoyed. The war was than going on, and the
Canadian company, with which the bankrupts were so
involved, diverted their own ships also from their ordinary
channels of traffic, and employed them as transports. As
the result proved, that was a mistake, but it was
one into which many others had fallen. Suddenly
then the war ceased—suddenly were their ships thrown
on their hands, but yet the bankrupts hoped
to be able to overcoae their difficulties, relying on the
forbearance of those from whom they
expect forbearance. That forbearance nee itled to
en?, foolishly for
the parties them!reve , not extended, at,,i the bankrupts,
without committer!! tiny one offence which could deprive
them of the sympathy of all honest men, or entitle the
court to withhold frm them for one moment the power of
at once starting as traders again, were reduced to their
present unfortunate position. The very difference which

existed amongst them was the strongest proof of their
honesty. If there was any thing dishonest in their pro-
ceedinge, would it not have been at once detected when
the bankrupts themselves were at variance one with
another ? They did not come to the court with a prepared
story. Eachpartner detailel their transactions as he honestly
believed thetuto have been,and yet notwithstanding, nothin g
could be disceve-ed prejudicial to their honour or honesty.
He begged to direct the attention of the court to that fact,
and to claim for it all the consideration which it deserved.
Bat who were the opponents of the bankrupts ? The
answer was simply Mr. Denny—the gentleman who feared
to submit himself for examination from motives which did
him no credit, and which would be remembered by every
honest man to his disadvantage and discredit. After all the
clamour about this case—after all the rumours propagaied
by Mr. Denny, and all the scandal in consequence, Mr.
Denny himself dare not come forward, and by his own
evidence support the charges urged on his behalf,
but which were so thsroughly refuted not only by Mr. La-
mont's examination, but by the very documents produced
in support of them, and by Mr. Denny's own acts. Mr.
Aspinall then proceeded to consider the objections as to
book-keeping, and the difference of statements, and
answered them as Mr. Yates and Mr. Almond met them.
As to the charge of the insolveney in 1854, he urged that it
was met not only by the figures in the balance sheet, but
by the fact that it was at that time that Mr. M'Kean
entered the firm. He was long a confidential clerk in the
firm—he had as good prospects as any young gentleman
in Liverpool, and it was not likely +het he would have
entered the firm if he had not been persuaded of its
thorough solvency. The learned gentleman then traced
the connection of the firm with the Canadian Govern-
ment contract from which, as shown 1)7 the statement
of profits, no less a sum than £6,914 was derived, and
urged that that connection was more profitable to the
bankrupts than so much money ; because not only
were their earnings from it large, but It gave them
a position and a credit in the commercial world as valu-
able as extensive capital. Having lightly touched on the
other grounds of objection which were dwelt on by the
gentlemen who preceded him, he referred more particularly
to the opposition of Mr. Denny, to whose improper want of
forbearance alone he athibuted the bankruptcy. He
showed that at the time they purchased these ships from
Mr. Denny, he was aware that it was with the intention of
forming a company, and that the formation of that com •
pally was delayed only by the slowne,s in the passing of
the Limited Liability Act, under which it was
about to be formed. That was a fair speculation,
and had they had time to accomplish it, as they
were led to expect they would have been allowed,
to do, they not only would have retrieved their difficulties,
hut would have established for themselves a high position
in the town. He quoted from the examination of Mc
Lamont to show that Mr. Danny was cognisant of their in-
tention in that respect—that he indirecly sanctioned it—
that Mr. Lamont himself at first offered to have him regis-
tered on the Sardinian as a co-owner for 30-64th shares, as
security for her payment, and that Mr. Denby, though he
now complained that that offer was not carried out, at the
time declared that it was unnecessary. He showed that
when one of the bills in reference to her was dishonoured,
and when the bankrupts offered to pay Mr. Denny £5,000
in cash, and to give security for the remainder of his debt,
they were in a position to do so, and that it
was his refusal to accept so reasonable an offer
that led to their bankruptcy. He urged that it was in the
power of Mr. Denny, either by his own evidence or that
of his clerk, :tar. Johnson, to contradict this statement
in reference to the Sardinian, of Mr. Lamont, and com-
plaited that that gentlemen preferred rather to indulge in
insinuation than to meet the bankrupts face to face in
open court. On the whole, he maintained that it was the
avariciousness of the opposing creditors which caused
them to overreach themselves, and to make M'Larty and
Co. insolvents, when, if they had been allowed to carry
out their plans, not only would all debts have
been paid, but a wealthy position gained by the bankrupts
themselves. He reminded the court of the length of time
the bankrupts had now been before the cart, and of the fact
that Mr. Lament had been the largest sufferer, he having
had a private business of his own, and contended that the
bankrupts were simply unfortunate, and deserved sym-
pathy from the court, not punishment. His Honour de-
f,,rred judgment to Friday, the sth of June.

BEFORE MR. COMMISSIONER PERRY.

In Re TEIOMAS HUDSON —The bankrup►, broker, of
Liverpool, applied on Monday for hie certificate. He was
unopposed His Honour granted an immediate certificate
of the second class.

Two deep sea lead line., of silk manufeeture (each on
patent reels, to be affixed to the engine fitting on board
the Cyclops), have arrived at Sheerness yard. They are
each 2,000 fathoms long, and are of three-eighths
inch in circumference. The Cyclops will have 19,000
fathoms of sounding line and lines for slipping the cable
weights, each weight being Whs. The slipping apparatus
is simple and certain, several trials having been made as
to its efficiency.
NEGROES FOR THE FRENCH' COLONIES.—I have seen no
no ice yet taken by any of the papers of Louis IsTipeleoe's
scbeme for securing a supply of labourers for his negro
colonies of Martinique and Guadeloupe. He has made a
contract with a French house connected with Africa to
transport 20,000 negroes from the coast to these islands,
and to procare these negroes he makes use of a certain
religious order, whose business it is to redeem slaves from
slavery. They will be sent to the colonies not as slaves in
name, but as " apprenticed labourers." It is, however, a
real revival of a slave trade, and there will be a great out-
cry about it. Lord Cowley remonstrated with hill on the
subject, but was so snubbed as to render it very unlikely
that he will again broach the subject.--London Correspon-
dent of the Inverness Courier.
OLIVER CROMWELL.—Naturally, the Protector, inclined
to mercy and foreivineas, rather than vindictive cruelty.
His position made him a tyrant; a sanguine temperament
a religious enthusiast ; policy and ambition a wily dis-
sembler. The return of peace had been doubly disad-
vantageous to him, as it is to all usurpations founded on
the sword ; first, by affording leisure to investigate his
title, and, secondly, by the reduction of the army, and all
ether establishments connected with war, lessenine the
ascendency of military authorities. If his life had been
prolonged, it is doubtful whether he would have been able
to withstand the hourly increasing difficulties of his plsi-
tion. He was the centre and tole support of his system ;
and men acquiesced in it, as likely to be a short lived evil,
from deference to his wonderful abilities, gratitude for his
great services to the Commonwealth, and probably from
the difficulty—a common dilemma in civil convulsions—
of concurring in any remedy better than the disease. He
was an adjunct of the times, the natural product of his
age. Most political commotion elicit some master spirits
qualified to fashion and direct them. Had Cromwell lived
or be-n otherwise gifted than ho was ; had he been more of
a philosopher and less of au enthusiast; or had he been
more of a legislator and less of a dexterous politician, lie
would not of achieved his elevation. Appearing daring a
civil war inflamed by religious conflicts, he came out in
season, and his remarkable but peculiar talents of subtlety,
fanaticism, daring, and resoluteness found an apt field for
exorcise.—Wacle's England's Greatness.
A FEtIALE POISONER IN'THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.—
A woman, giving her name as Maryanne Bryan, but whose
real appellation is Margaret Killeen, was placed in the
dock of the Dahlia Police Court, on Saturday, under the
following extraordinary circumstances :—Upon Thursday
last she entered the shop of Surgeon Graven, at Ellis's-
quay, and stated that she was very ill, alleging that drugged
porter had been given to her by a young man whom she was
in the habit of meeting in the chapel ' • adding that he
had been led to do this on account of her having told him
that was the last occasion on which they were to be to-
gether. She produced a large-sized medicine bottle, about
half filled with a liquid resembling porter, which the
doctor found to contain some poisonous acid ; he ques-
tioned her as to the means by which she had become pos-
sessed of the contents of this phial, and she stated that,
having drank about as much more as the bottle at present
contained, she remarked the singular taste, and mentioned
it to her companion, who thereupon went away, and sus-
pecting that she had been poisoned, she preserved the
remainder for medical examination. The doctor consider-
ing that prompt measures were requisite, proposed to ad-
minister an emetic, but she refused to take it, whereupon
suspecting that all was not right, he reported the matter at
Bridewell-lane station-house, to Inspector Deane,who sent
two constables with the prisoner to the Richmond Hospi-
tal, where the stomach pump was applied, and where she
remained under treatment until Saturday morning. From
inquiries made in the meantime by the police, it appeared
that, on two previous occasions, she had been committed to
prison. and once to a lunatic asylum, for attempting self-
destruction ; and upon searching her lodgings, at 27,
Thomas-street, some oxalic acid in a raw state was dis-
covered, and a woman living in the house deposed that
she had seen her mix a portion of .this, and take ihe de-
coction from the house in the phial now produced. The
prisoner herself admitted whilst in hospital that she had
taken the poison of her own accord, and that the story she
had told the surgeon in the first instance relative to the
young man was altogether unfounded. Dr. Graven de-
posed that, having carefully examined the prisoner, he was
of opinion that she was perfectly sane, notwithstanding the
fact of her former committal to a lunatic asylum, to which
she had been transferred from prison ; and the singular
feature in this most extraordinary case is, that the last
offence was committed within a week from the date of her
discharge from the asylum. Mr. O'Donnell said the pri-
soner was a most dangerous character, and with such pro-
pensities could not be suffered to go at large. In default
of finding bail for her future good conduct, she should be
committed to prison for six months, with hard labour.