The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-30 00:00:00

riip..z SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 30, 1864.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH- STREET.

ROBBERY AT A JEIVELLER.S.--William Clarence, de-
scribed as an accountant, but who refused his address, was
charged before Mr Knox with stealing a gold chain, and
some lockets, of the value of £lO, from the shop of Mr Jules
Rochet, jeweller, 68, Piccadilly.
Mr Edward Lewis, of Great Marborough-street, appeared
for the prisoner,
The prisoner went into the shop of Mr Rochet while lee
was serving a lady and gentleman, and asked for a common
key. He was served with the key, and the lady and gen-
tleman 14t. Directly they had gone Mr Rochet missed a
chain and five lockets, of the value of £lO, and on the pri-
soner be ng taxed with taking them he said he would 'ay
for them, at the same time pulling rilocket from his
pocket, and he afterwards too a chain and three lockets
from his coat pocket and placed them on a glass case on the
counter, and sail he would pay for them. He was then
given into custody of Ricketts, 127 0, when he denied
taking the articles.
Mr Lewis addressed the magistrate on the prisoner's
behalf, requesting, as he had been seen by detectives from
the different divisions, and not known, the magistrate to
deal with the case, there being every reason to believe it
was the prisoner's first offence.
Mr Knox declined to c ell with the prisoner, and com-
mitted him for trial.

OBSCENE PHOTOGR,APIIS.—James Brewer, dealer in
photographs, &c., of Castle-street, Leicester-square, ap-
peared before Mr Knox, to answer a summons taken. out by
Inspector Walker, of the C Division, for having a quantity
of obscene photographic representations in his possession.
The photographic representations which had been seized
by the inspector, were produced, and were of a disgusting
nature.

Mr Ring, of the firm of Wood and. Ring, who appeared
for the defendant, said he was only servant to another per-

ion.

Mr Knox asked whether the defendant would consent to
have the articles destroyed ?
Mr Ring said he would.
The articles were then ordered to be destroyed, and the
prisoner discharged.

PARISIL PROSECUTION OF A BROTHEL-KEEPER —Ann
Saunders, of 62, Charlotte street, described as a lodging-
house keeper, was brought before Mr Koos, on a warrant,
charged with keeping a brothel.
Mr Knight, from the office of Mr Rands% solicitor to
the authorities of St. Marylebone, the prosecutors, appeared
for the prosecution.
Evidence having been given that the prisoner was the
person keeping the house, she wee committed to the ses-
sions, bail being taken, herself in £3O and two sureties in
£4O each.

Horrid Outrage at Glasgow,

At the Glasgow winter assizes, on Wednesday, before
Lord Ardmillan, Mike M'Glinchy was charged with rape,
"in so far as, on the 16th July last, on the Broomloan or
Sandy Holes-road, parish of Govan, he attacked Margaret
Addie, and did strike her on the head and face, and knack
her down, and pull her along the ground into a field, and
did there kick her on the head and face, and compress her
throat and ravish her." He was also charged with intent
to ravish.

The prisoner, who pleaded guilty as libelled, is about
V) or 30 years of age, and did not exhibit any signs of
brutality.
The Advocate-Depute stated that, after deliberate consi-
deration of the caae, he had decided to restrict the pains of
law to an arbitrary punishment.
Mr Male, who appeared for the prisoner, called several
witnesses, who gave him an excellent character up to the
time of the outrage in question. They described him as
being very in( ffensive, and as having conducted himself in
a regular manner.

The prisoner's counsel addressed the Court in mitigation
of l.unishment. It appeared, he said, that the crime was
committed under the influence of drink, and although in
general drink is an aggravation of an cffence, yet in a
peculiar case of this nature—a case caused by excitement
of passion—it might have been in a moment of almost
what one might call temporary insanity that ho was ltd to
commit this most brutal and unjustifiable assault.
Lord Ardmillian, in passing sentence, said to the prisoner
—According to the law of Scotland, as still unaltered, rape
committed under circumstances such as • the present, is a
capital charge, You may consider yourself most extremely
fortunate that the prosecutor has felt it to be his duty not
to demand a capital sentence. Had he demanded that
I should have had no alternative but to have pro-
nounced it. As it stands, however, this is a confession of
rape—completed rape upon the person of a woman, and
committed under circumstances of the gravest and most
aggravated character—an outrage such as has rarely
happened in Scotland. In the midst of summer, ere day-
light had altogether departed, a respectable woman walk.
ing alone—having retired to no lonely spot, but walking
where she was enlitled to expect to be free from such vio-
lence—is seized, attacked, and assaulted in the most furious
manner, grievously injured, and ravished contrary to her
will, and notwithstanding her resistance. The law of this
country protects thehonour of a woman as much as the life
of a human being; and there is no graver offence than wil-
ful, violent forcing of the honour of a woman. But the
commisssion of this sic', under the circumstances here set
forth, was accompanied by violence of such a charac•
ter as to make this one of the most fearful outrages
that this country has ever seen ; and therefore the sen-
tence of the court in your case must be one which pro.
tects the public in all time coming from your violence;
and it must further be one which will duly warn all others
in whom violent passions, inflamed by drink, might pro-
duce such fe trful consequences. Having said this, I have
not another word to add to pain your heart under these
circumstances. But if you have a heart at all, I would, in
one word, pray you to remember that whatever may be your
guilt, and though no human law can do no more for you
than close you up in penal service for the remainder of your
life, there is a law which you have broken in regard to which
mercy may be obtained; and I pray you to remember that
your crime, bad as it is, is not beyond the reach of God's
mercy. I earnestly beseech you to pray that you may be
forgiven one of the gravest crimes which I have ever known
to be committed. Pray that you may get a new heart, and
that the evil passions which led you to this crime may, by
the grace of Gad, be overthrown in your heart ; and if that
be the result, even penal servitude for life will be a blessing
to your soul. The sentence of the Court is that you suffer,
penal servitude during the whole period of your natura
life. The prisoner was then removed from the bar,

Board of Trade Return s

The official returns relating to trade and navigation for
the 11 months ending Nov, 30, 1864, have just been pub-
lished, From these it appears that the total declared
value of the exports from the United kingdom during that
period was .£148,310,865, against £132,135,368 in the like
period of 1863, showing an increase of £16,205,497. The
increase is moat perceptible in beer and ale, coals and
culm, cotton yarn, cotton manufactures, earthenware,
haberdashery and millinery, hardwares and cutlery, linen
manufactures, and woollen and worsted manufactures. The
Importations of the principal articles were larger for the
11 months as regards live animals, raw cotton, sheep and
lambs' wool, flax, hemp, quicksilver, rice, coffee, brandy
timber, tobacco, and wine, but there is a diminution in
guano, potatoes, provisions, raw silk, tallow, cocoa, wheat,
barley, flour, currants, rum, unrefined sugar, and tea.
The shipping accounts exhibit a slight increase in the
amount of tonnage employed in the foreign trade of the
United Kingdom for the 11 months, both as regards the
entries inwards and the clearances outwards.

In the coasting trade for the same period 867,853 tons
more were employed than in the corresponding period of
18G3 for the entries inwards, while there was a decrease of
11,930 in the clearances outwards.

Liverpool Cotton Market—This Day

-~-- -~

The excess of stock, about 114,000 bales, has
cau3ed a very quiet market. Sales, uncertain, bat
probably about 5,000 bales, at a decline of about id.
in short and staple cotton.

The return issued from the Bank of France is
likewise unfavourable. The discounts have been
increased £1,380,000, the advances £53,200, and
the notes in circulation £190,000. The bullion
has been reduced by £160,000, but the Treasury
balances show an augmentation of £760,000, and
the current accounts of £600,000.
THE SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE IRON TRADE.—
WOLVERHAMPTON, Dec. 29.—The preliminary
meeting of the ironmasters of this district was held at the
Swan Hotel this afternoon ; Mr W. 0. Foster, M.P., in the
chair. A resolution was unanimously carried to the effect
that the prices of finished iron remain as heretofore. It was
also resolved that in the interests of the trade a panel of
gentlemen be appointed to act as a committee of the trade,
and that they, in the rotation of their names, be appointed
to act as chairmen of the iron trade of South Staffordshire
foi one year each. The names of the gentlemen selected to
constitute this panel are the chairman of this meeting, Mr
Wm. Mathews, Mr John Hartley, Mr Wm. Barrows, Mr
Geo. Barker, Mr Walter Williams, kin., Mr Frederick
Smith, and Mr W. M. Sparrow—names well known as
being among the heads of the trade in this district. The
course which the smeltmen and puddlers will pursue in re-
ference to the proposed reductions in their wages scale is
not yet known, as the notices will be given on Saturday ;
but as the step which the masters have taken has been
forced upon them by the depressed state of the trade, and is,
moreover, a reasonable one, it is to be hoped that the men
will consult their own interests and acquiesce. 'With the
suffering and desolation resulting from the colliers' strike
before their eyes, no rational man will, it may be supposed,
be lured into a repetition of that folly.

It may be remembered that about a year ago M.
Dubray, statuary, was deprived by an accident of the fruit
of a long labour. Ho had just completed the model of an
equestrian statue of Napoleon I. for the Hotel-de-Ville at
Rouen, where the iron snpports of the work gave way
beneath the weight of the mass of plaster, and the statue
falling to the ground to pieces. Nothing discouraged, M.
Dubray again set to work, and in ten months the statue has
been again completed, and is now ready to be oast in
bronze.

SHOCKING DEATH OF A GENTLEMAY.—YesteI a
day Mr Bedford, the coroner for Westminster, held
an inquest at St, George's Hospital, upon the body of
Mr George Gilstrap, aged 40, of the firm of Gilstrap and
Sons, malstere, of Newark, Nottinghamshire, who was
crushed beneath an express train at Balham station, on the
London, Brighton, and South Coast Hallway. From the
evidence it appeared that on the 26th inst. the deceased was
noticed upon the platform of the Balham station waiting
for a train. Before it arrived, however, he left a little boy
who was with him and proceeded to the end of the platform.
At this time the one o'clock express train from Hastings was
due, and the driver of the engine, whilst at 150 yards
distance, noticed the deceased standing on the line, and
from the manner in which he was arranging his dress,
believed he had got down from the platform for a natural con-
venience. The engine driver sounded his whistle at once, but
without avail, and before the deceased could get out of the
way the buffer of the engine struck and hurled him beneath
the train. The train was pulled up as soon as possible, when
the unfortunate gentleman was toured upon the line most
dreadfully injured. Without delay he was placed in the
guard's van of another train and brought to the hospital.
Other evidence showed that the deceased had no right to have
gone to the place ho did, as every convenience was provided
at the station. Mr Barker, house■surgeon of the St George's
Hospital,stated that he found on theadte lesion of the deceased
that he was in an extrem e state of collapse. The left leg
was completely smashed, the bones protruding, whilst both
feet had been severed. The left arm was fractured, and the
back severely injured. Every possible remedy was adopted,
but the deceased gradually sank, and expired about half-
past three o'clock the same day, from the combined injuries
he had received, The deceased was, notwithstanding,
sensible up to the time of his death, and spoke of the cir-
cumstances of the occurrence as borne out by the witnesses.
The coronet having summed up, the jury returned a verdict
of " Accidental death."
LORD MA.CAULAT, passing one day through
Seven-disk', one of the lowest neighbourhoods of
London, bought a handful of ballads from some street folk
who were bawling out their contents to a gaping audience
Proceeding on his way home, he was astonished, on sud-
denly stopping, to find himself surrounded by half a score of
urchins, their faces beaming with expectation. " Now,
then, my lads, what is it ?" said he- " Oh, that's a
good'un," replied one of the boys, "after we've come all
this way." "But what are you waiting for ?" asked the
historian, astonished at the lad's familiarity, " Waiting
for! Why, ain't you going to sing, guv'ner P''

The Condemned Convict Butler.

A public meeting of the inhabitants of Worcester
was held at the Guildhall in that city yesterday to
adopt a memorial to the Home Secretary for a re-
mission of the capital sentence passed on John But•
ler for the murder of Carolina Gulliver at Holt. The
chair was taken by the Mayor (Mr J. D. Perrin)
aud several aldermen and members of the local Town
Council were present. .

The MAYOR, in opening the proceedings, said he
had convened the meeting in compliance with the
requisition signed by a body of bis fellow-citizens,
and having explained that there was no desire to
arraign tri 1 by jury, he called upon
Mr E, L. WILLIAMS, engineer to the Severn
Naigation Cuturnis,,ioners, who spoke at some
length, reopening the a hole of the facts ecnnectcd
with the trial of Butler. These may be briefly re-
capitulated here. Butler, it may be remembered,
wes lock-keeper at the Holt lock of the Severn nevi•
gation, and the deceased woman was his housekeeper.
Oue Saturday night Mrs Gulliver went to a neigh-
bour's and complained of Butler's ill-treatment, that
he had threatened her and thrown her bonnet into
the river. The neighbour offered her a bed for the
night, but she said she would go back to the house,
and did so. Shortly afterwards she was heard cry-
ing out " You -- old rogue," " You -- old vil-
lain," and this was followed by a noise described by
the witnesses as of the bleating of a sheep. Next day
Mrs Gulliver was missing, and, being questioned
about her, Butler said he supposed she was gone to
see her friends. Suspicion arose, and the river being
dragged, the body of the woman was found a few
days later in the river at the mouth of the lock with
marks of violence on the head. Upon this evidence
the prisoner was found guilty of murder, and Mr.
Justice Byles expressed his approval of the verdict
and sentenced him to death. Mr Williams now
maintained that the evidence did not warrant such a
verdict, and stated that the barristers engaged
in the case both for the prosecution and the defence
had expressed opinions that there ought not to have
been a conviction upon such evidence as was given
on the trial, and that several magistrates had ex-
pressed a similar opinion. He therefore felt it to be
his duty to do all he could to save from an ignomi-
nious death one who for 20 years had faithfully
done his duty in his position as lock-keeper under
the Severn Commissioners. It was not for him (Mr
Williams) to say that Butler was innocent. God
only knew his innocence or guilt, but he had his own
opinion on the matter, :and there was sufficient
doubt in the case to warrant them in the step which
they proposed to take. The question for them to
consider, then, was whether the evidence brought
forward on the trial was sufficiently reliable and
strong to warrant the taking away of the life of a
human being. He maintained that it was not, and
proceeded to analyse the evidence of several of the
witnesses, charging one of them (Police-sergeant
Mathews) with going into the prisoner's cell at one
o'clock in the night to " tout" for evidence against
him. He arraigned the evidence of another witness
as not reliable, and accounted for the taciturnity of
the prisoner after the woman's disappearance by his
characteristic moroseness of disposition. In conclu-
sion, he put it to the meeting whether, supposing
that Butler had in the heat of passion struck the de-
ceased woman a blow which had resulted in her
death, they were on that mere supposition to take
away his life.
Mr R. T. REA, coroner, mentioned some facts
connected with the case which were not brought
forward on the trial, and
Mr CLUTTERBUCK, attorney, on the same point,
recommended that supplementary evidence be laid
before the Home Secretary and the judge before
whom Butler was tried.

Mr Alderman LEA moved the adoption of a
memorial to the Home Secretary. He wished to ex.
press no, opinion on the subject of capital punish
meat, but he had signed the requisition to the
Mayor from his own personal knowledge, as a
sworn commissioner, of Butler, and his conviction
that he never contemplated wilful murder.
The memorial was then road. After stating the
fact of the condemnation of the prisoner, it went on
to state—" That ;many of your memorialists were
present at the trial of the prisoner, and heard the
whole of the evidence against and for him, and
were unable to concur in the verdict of the jury,
notwithstanding it met with the approbation of the
judge who tried the prisoner. That, in the judg-
ment of your memorialists, such evidence did not
exclude the probability that the deceased might
have come by her death by voluntary or accidental
drowning. Your memorialists respectfully submit
that there is grave and serious doubt upon the pro-
priety of this prisoner's :conviction, and that the
mind of society is entitled to be relieved from the
dread apprehension that efflicts it that while the
majesty of the law is being vindicated to man, a
sight more fearful in the eyes of God may be en-
acted in the mistaken sacrifice of another human
life. Your memorialists, therefore, humbly pray
that the recommendation by the jury of the priso-
ner to the merciful consideration of the Court may
be brought under the gracious consideration of the
Crown, and the life of the convict be spared."
Alderman HILL, in seconding the adoption of the
memorial, said he did not hold himself responsible
for the whole of the statements that had been made
by Mr Williams, and expressed a fear that if they
went to the quarter where the memorial was ad-
dressed they would be unfavourably received. He
supported the memorial on the broad basis that the
life of a fellow creature ought not to be taken on
such evidence as that given at the trial.
On the motion of Alderman WEBB, seconded by
Alderman WOOD, a deputation was appointed to
present the memorial, and the meeting broke up.

_
The memorial had received about 100 signatures
at 5 o'clock last evening.

MARK E T S---This Day.