The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-19 00:00:00

HANRATTY V. THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY CO.

This was an action to recover damages for personal inju-
ries sustained by the plaintiff by a collision on the defen-
dants line, and also fur destruction of certain cattle of the
plaintiff.

The Attorney-Goneral of the County Palatine (Mr E.
James, Q.C.), and Mr C. Russell were for the plaintiff;
Mr Brett, Q.C,, and Mr Butt for the defendants.
The defendants paid into court £l7B 10s for the loss of
the cattle.

The plaintiff is a cattle drover in Ireland, and was proceed-
ing, on Dec. 18, 1863, with 17 head of cattlo to Norwich.
When at Corby, near Grantham, on the defendants' line, a
stoppage occurred, and whilst the train was standing still
another train from the north ran into it. Plaintiff was then
asleep in the guard's van, The van was shattered and the
plaintiff thrown upon his face among the rubbish and ren-
dered insensible. When he came to himself he found him•
self sitting under a hedge by the roadside. He was assisted
to an hotel, and attended by the company's surgeons. He
was found to have been considerably shaken, and had cute
on the leg and eyebrow. He also complained of pain in the
head, back, and side. After eight days he was allowed to re-
turn to Ireland, where he has been attended by a surgeon
up to the present time. He still complained of great pain and
dizziness in the head, and of seeing, as he expressed it,
100 or 200 things at once." He subsequently consulted
physicians in Dublin, and paid £ll for medical attendance.
The plaintiff was called, and proved that the cattle which
he had with him, and which were so injured that they were
killed and sold by the company, cost him, including ex-
penses, £192 10s, and that he would have sold them for
£202 10s. also that he usually came to England with cattle,
about 26 times a year. His profits he laid at £3OO a year.

The cross-examination was directed to show that he lived
in a very humble manner, and was not seriously hurt by the
collision,

It was proved by the medical man called that the dizzi-
ness plaintiff complained of might continue fur a lung time,
but that there was no organic disease.
At the conclusion of the examination the case was Left to
the jury without speeches or summing up, and the jury gave
a verdict for the plaintiff for £2Ol 108, with interest for a
year, for the cattle, and £450 for the personal injury.

THE CHARGE OF MURDER BY POISON IN MAN-
CHESTER,—On Saturday morning, at the City Po-
lice Court, Ann Corigan, who had been remanded from the
previous Saturday, charged on suspicion with the wilful
murder of Ann Conway, was again brought before Mr Fow.
ler and Mr Ross. It will be remembered that last week, on
a preliminary analysis of the sediment in two of the de-
ceased's medicine bottle, Mr Fletcher thought he had dis-
covered traces of arsenic ; but he expressly guarded himself
against that conclusion being accepted as decisive. The
evidence of Mr Fletcher and Professor R iscoe, on Saturday
morning, giving the result of a thorough analysis, was con-
elusive as to their being no trace of arsenic or other mineral
poison in the contents of the bottles. The erroneous result
of the preliminary analysis was satisfactorily
and the prisoner was dischsrged,—Aranchestor.Eresitnn
inen

fourth or completing side of the square, iu theo► the more influential supporters of the cozps, there
was placed a tab:e sustaining a goodly array of cups,
clocks, watches, glasses, and other trophies snch as
custom has decreed to be appropriate rewards for
skill in rifle shooting. Col, Erskine, Deputy-In-
spector of Volunteers, attended to present the prizes,
and prefaced the ceremony by a few observations, in
the course of which he stated that, although he had
been connected with the Volunteer forge for nearly
five years, it never bad been his good fortune to
make a formal inspection of the 39th Middlesex
still he had so frequently enjoyed opportunities of
obServing how they acquitted themselves on field•
days and at reviews, that he did not come among
them feeling as a stranger. It was gratifying to find
that the corps had kept up its numbers very fairly.
In Dec. 1863, its enrolled strength was 614, of whom
329 were efficient members, according to the rtquirem
meats of the Order in Council. This year there were
609 names upon the roll, but the number of effi.
=eienis ad risen to 335. Upon this poire4ke dwelt
with pleasure, because the number of efficients wcee
very fair criterion of the state'of the corps, and tho
result in this case showed what credit must be due to
the exertions of all ranks, from the commanding
officer downwards, The "efficient badge," he be-
lieved, was not generally admired (laughter), and
regarded by itself it was certainly open to Criticism
—but no one could deny that when worn by a
number of men all ranged in line it looked ex.
tremely well. Colonel Erskine strongly urged upon
bis hearers the importance of persevering in the
movement in which they had embarked, insisting
that what was worth doing at all was worth doing
well. Constituted as the Volunteer force was of
every class in society, he quite admitted that it was
not possible for all Volunteers to be efficientor even
for an effective Volunteer to be efficient at all times.
Pressure of occupation, domestic circumstances, or
men's own state of health might for a time prevent
the attendance of.good Volunteers and excellent
soldiers—but everyone ought once, at least, to tuako
himself cfliJiint, and then he could look forward to
re time when, the pressure of circumstances having
passed away, he could again attain the same satie-
factory footing. Men were apt to think, that when
they had attained a certain degree of proficiency
they might safely stand still. Such a notion wan
a complete mistake, for in this world attempting to
stand still invariably went back. The corps must
not suppose from what he had said in the way of
advice that he was in any way complaining of
shortcomings on their part. Ou the contrary, he
was well satisfied with the state of the regiment--
he had seen it on several occasions, and it was as
finea military body as he ahculd wish to see any:
where. (Cheers.)

The distribution of prizes was then proceeded
with, and there bailig, as already stated, an ample
list of these, a considerable time was occupied in the
process', Among the passages of most interest were
the diatribution of matkamen's badges, that with
three stars, as the best shot is the battalion,
being awarded to Colour Sergeant White, upon.
whom various prizes were afterwards conferred
as wall; two others among the badges being
awarded respectively to Col. Pen fon, the commander
of the regiment, and Lieut. Col. Crawley, brother
of the colonel of the Inniskill'ng Dragoons. The
prizes for good attendance seemed to have ezera
cised a wonderful effect in attracting men to drill,
Colnnr%sergeant Be:ham, the best attendant in the
battalion, having no less than 186 attendances rex
corded in his favour; Sergeant Hogan, Sergeant
Rowe, and Corporal Harris, who came next in point
of merit, having each 165 attendances.

When all the prizes had been given away, Capt.
Biankley, who hid just before receiveda cup in the
name of his company (the sth), which returned the
largest number of efficients for the year, came foi.
ward and presented to Col. Penton, in the name of
the regiment, a very handsome photographic album,
containing the likenesses of all those members
whose portraits it had been found possible to obtain.
He was sure Col. Penton would value this as a
record of the officers and men who had the pleasuro
of serving under his command.

Col. PENTON said the gift was the most accepts
able and gr%tifying which could have been made to
him, and in thanking the donors the gallant officer
enlarged on the pride and satisfaction afforded him
by his connection with the regiment. He went on
to propose a vote of thanks to those gentlemen who,
in founding the prize list, had contributed so mate-,
rially to stimulate exertion and to maintain the ctn.
ciency of the regiment ; and alluding to the fact
that Col. Erskine had kindly attended to distribute
the reward, Col. Penton said it was a satisfaction to
think that an officer so distinguished was to replace
their present Inspector-General whose loss be de-
plored; and wherever he went Col. M'Murdo, he
felt sure, would carry with him the good wishes and
affection of all Volunteers.

Major BURGESS seconded the motion of thanks
to the donors of prizes, which passed by acelema4
tion.

Mr M4CULLAGEt TORRENS, in proposing a vote of
thanks to Colonel Penton, eulogised the patriotism'
of those who, in addition to discharging all the
other duties of their social position, were willing to
assume the responsibirty of being primarily charged.
in the name of the Queen with the good conduct of
men under arms. Time was when men enrolled
their serfs to act as soldiers ; and it was a glorious
reflection that in our own day, when none but free-
men were to be found in the ranks, the military
capacity of the nation had not dwindled, but in--
creased. The maintenance of discipline, however,
was even more important than the conservation of
the military spirit, for without subordination such
as happily existed he maintained that the erection
in the midst of the country of an armed force of
168,000 men would have produced evils greater
than those it was meant to avert. Good officers
had largely influenced the character of the force,
and on that ground he proposed that they should.
hneelcilouenrstemof his remarks,
.
said--Allusion
jvcde_o
ltohAnreleileu
sEcih:e:e richsiaNfsor Eb,
eCienon made to the retirement ofl
to
my friend Colonel 111‘111ardo. Situate as we are
teiv:irda each other, it would be unbecoming in ma
to speak of the way in which he has conducted his
office; but I am be allowed to say tSat, however
much his severance from the Voluntker force may
be felt by the Volunteers themselves, there is ro one,
I am quite certain, who will deplore his retirement
from the office more than I shall do.
The proceedings closed with " Three cheers for
the Queen,"

A match took place at Brighton on the 16th of
December between ten selected members of the Ist
Sussex (Brighton) Rifle Corps and the same number
of members of the Ist Oxford University Volunteers.
The representatives of the Oxford corps consisted
of a party who were visiting Brighton during the
vacation. The weather was exceedingly nnfavour4
able, there being a strong wind blowing from the
north-east, consequently the scores were small, the
highest being made by Corporal Allen and Ensign
Morrell, both of Exeter College. It was nearly dark
when the contest terminated, which was in favour
of the Sussex men, who wen by 16 marks. Each
wan fired five shots at 200, 600, and 600 yards.