The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-15 00:00:00

I'HE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 15, 1864.

DOCKS.
London and St. Katharine, 701

MISCELLANEOUS.
Australian Mort. Land and Finance, lim., 3;
Bombay Gas, lira., 4;
Continental Union Gas, lira., 10;
Contract Corporation, lira., 2
Credit Foncier and Mobilicr of England, 7f4
Ditto (£2), 4}
Discount Corporation, 15*
Egyptian Com. and Trading, Um., 51 1
Electric Telegraph, 108 7
Financial Corporation,:;
Gen.:Credit and Finance of London, lim., 61 ;
Home and (l ,lonial A ssurance, lira., 6
Hudson's Bay, 17k
Imperial Mercantile Credit A sso., lim., 71 ;
International Financial society, lira., 71 ; ;
International Land Credit, lim., 4*
Joint Stock Discount, lim.. 61
London Financial Association, lim., 24k 31
Ditto, new,V3*
M ,dras Irrigation and Canal, 5
ti atal Land and Consolidation Company, lim., 51
National Discount Company, lira., 15 *
National Financial,
National Provincial Marine, I*
North British and Mercantile Insurance, lim., 191
Ocean At arine (Insurance), 271
Peninsula and Oriental Steam,
Rio de Janeiro City Improvements, lim.. 251 1
Smith, Knight, and Co., lim., 31
Thames and Mersey Marine (Insurance), lim., 7* 1
Warrant Finance, lim., V; 1

COURT OF ALDERMEN—This Day.
ALLEGED CONFESSION OF MULLER.
It having been announced that some matters relative to
documents written by the convict Muller prior to his exe-
cution would be brought before the Court of Aldermen held
this day, the Court was crowded to excess.
At 1 o'clock the Lord Mayor took the chair. and some
routine business having been transacted,
Mr Alderman Dlayarr rose and seid—My Lord Mayor,
in handing in the report of the gaols of the City the Sheriffs
are desirous of informing your lordship and the Court, that
on Sunday evening the governor of Newgate handed to
them a paper, written by the late unhappy convict Fran•
Muller, containing a long statement connected with the
crime for which he suffered. It was carefully read over
and considered by the Sheriffs, and contained much which
has been already published in the newspapers, and
having for its object the accounting for his time
on the Saturday night—the cirumstances under which he
became possessed of the watch and chain and hat so as to
appear consistent with his innocence, but does not contain
any statement suggesting the guilt of any party. As a
confession was afterwards made by Franz Muller, the
Sheriffs sealed up the paper on Monday after-
noon, considering its publication would possibly
answer no useful purpose, but in a matter of so
much importance they wish to avail themselves of the ad-
vice of their brother magistrates.
The LORD MAYOR said he had received a communication
from Dr Cappell, who had attended Muller in his last mo-
ments, in which the rev. gentleman said there were some
documents which Muller had left behind, and whiob he (Dr
Cappel) requested might be given up to him as his spiritual
adviser.
Alderman and Sheriff BESLEV said we have great respect
for Dr Cappell, and we desire to thank him for his attention
to this case, and we also desire that our thanks should be
tendered to him publicly ; but so far from giving up any
documents which had been intrusted to them, the sheriffs
would pause before they gave up any documents which had
came into their hands officially.
Alderman WILSON said—Before we proceed with this,
there is another thing which I wish to bring before the
Court as this question of the confession is now before them.
A gentleman who understood German, and who came from
Cheltenham, and personally well known to me, made an
application for admission to the gaol, on the ground that
he could, from his knowledge of the language and the pro-
bably imperfect knowledge of English possessed by Muller,
do somo good to bringing him to a sense of his con-
dition, but the Sheriffs had, and so had he, as
one of the visiting magistrates, declined to admit him, on
the ground that Muller was already attended by a German
clergyman. That gentleman had come more than 120
miles for the express purpose, sod had been refused admit-
tance. But much to my astonishment I saw that another
clergyman had been admitted, and his statements published
in one of the public jouruals. That statement contained
extravagant explanations of the interview wit h Muller, and
it is my intention to move that this matter be referred to the
Gaol Committee, to know by whose authority the gentle-
man to whom I have referred was admitted to the gaol. It
is not my intention to read the lengthy document to the
court, which occupies nearly a column in the newspaper,
but I shall refer it to the committee, who will see it in detail.
[Alderman Wilson then quoted at great length from the
letter in question ] Ile continued—This extract was sent
to me by a party who firmly believed in Muller's guilt, but
who, after reading the letter, said to me, " After such a
statement, surely you will not think of Executing Muller."
9d9 persons out of every thousand were satisfied with the
trial—the judges—one of whom was the senior
upon the Bench expressed themselves fully satisfied, and
almost the whole world were convinced that justice was
done and truth arrived at by the verdict. This statement
has gone through the length and breadth of the land, and
when the sheriffs refused to admit a clergyman—
Mr
Sheriff BE6LEY—On the ground that one was already

attending him.
Alderman WILSON—And was told that no one would be
allowed to see him except the ordinary minister of the
gaol and the German minister who was attending at Muller's
own desire, I think it was ono of the greatest breaches of
privileges that could have occurred ; and I hope that, if
this matter be referred to the Gaol Committee, we shall
find out who admitted him. I therefore move that this
document, and the whole of the papers connected with the
matter, be referred, with the gaol returns presented by the
Sheriffs, to the Gaol Committee.
Mr Alderman COPELA.ND said that no one could hesitate
to second such a proposition, but he thought it right that
the Court should know that, as visiting magistrate, he had
consented to the admission of Dr Cappell, but only under
the condition that Muller wished to see him. Upon Muller
being told what the Doctor desired, he expressed a most
anxious wish to see him, and ho (Alderman Copeland) felt
it his duty to carry out the law, which he thought pointed
out the duties of visiting magistrates that no spiritual ad-
viser should be forced upon a culprit unless he wished to
see him. He strictly followed the provisions of the act of
Parliament, and cared nothing for any statements that
might be made as to his conduct as a magistrate, so long as
he felt and knew that he had the approval of his own con-
science, the way in which he did his duty. He therefore
seconded the motion.
Sheriff BESLEY said that in admitting persons to the
gaol they did that which they believed to be right. As far as
the Rev. Mr Battiecombe was concerned, who had written
the later in question, neither himself nor his brother she-
riff had admitted him, and by the publication of that letter
he had committed a breach of confidence, which, it was
to be hoped, would be ascertained by the committee asked
for. Numerous applications had been made by various
clergymen, each of whom seemed to have some patent
moth3d of their own for evangelising criminals and finding
out the secrets of crime.
Alderman and Sheriff DAICIN passed a high compliment
to the kind, decorous, and considerate manner in which
Dr Cappell had discharged his duties, and begged to say
that the rev. gentleman accompanied Muller to the scaffold
by the culprit's own request.
After some observations from Alderman SYDNEY, with
regard to the execution having been fixed a week earlier
than in pro/ ions cases,
Sheriff DAYIN said the appointment of the day was after
consultation with the Lord Chief Baron.

The motion was carried.
The name of the writer of the letter was stated as
Revs H. Batliscombe, Blackheath, Kent.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE,--This day.

MARLBORO-UGH- STREET.
ATTEMPTED Jessemer, an engineer,
living in Wardour-street, Soho, was charged beforo Mr
Tyrwhitt with stabbing with a knife Leonard Arthur
Blackburn, a blacksmith residing in Black Lion-court,
Berwick-street, St, James's, at the City of London public-
house, No. 104, Berwick-street, St. James's.
On the prisoner being placed at the bar, Inspector Draper
said—The injured man is not able to attend, and the con-
stable in the case has a certificate from the Middlesex Hos-
pital.
Edward Coningham, a boy employed as waiter at the
City of London public-house, 104, Berwick-street, said—
Yesterday evening, between 7 and 8 o'clock, the prisoner
and Mr Blackburn and another man came into the house.
Mr Blackburn was leaning against a partition and the other
person named Orford was talking to the prisoner. The
prisoner stcod with his hand under his coat, and suddenly
drew out a knife and stabbed Mr Blackburn twice, and tried
to do it a third time, but my master jumped over the coun-
ter and prevented him, and took the knife from the prisoner.
If my master had not done so the li:honer would have
stabbed Mr Blackburn again ?
Mr Tyrwhitt —Did the prisoner say anything?
Witness—Yes. He said he was glad he had done it.
Richard DJpb, 64 C, here produced the knife, a pocket
clasp knife, with a long and sharp blade.
Mr Tyrwhitt—The prisoner actually stabled Blackburn

twice ?
Witness—Yes ; but made a third atteml,t.
Prisoner—Did not Blackburn call me a humbug,
and a butcher ?
Witness—l did not hear him,
Prisoner—That's all I wish to ask you. If you did not
hear him I did.
Charles Orford, of No. 3, Tyler's-court, Wardour-Street,
said—Three of us were in the City of London publichouse
together and talking. There was no quarreling. The pri-
soner put his hand under his coat, and then struck Black-
burn on the breast, saying at the same time, "Take that."
I thought the blow at first was given with the fist, but
directly after Blackburn said, "I am stabbed," and at the
same moment I saw blood spurt from the wound. I then
put my hand on the wound to prevent the flow of blood--
Mr Tyrwhitt—Had anything been said by the prisoner
to the injured man?
Witness—l do not think there had been any words be-
tween the prisoner and Blackburn at all. The landlord
jumped over the counter and held the prisoner by the arms
and took the knife from him. I kept my hand on the wound
till a cab came, and I then went with Blackburn to the
Middlesex Hospital, where I left him in charge of the
medical men. I was smothered with blood.
Prisoner—You did not see the landlord take the knife
from me. I gave it up to him. Blackburn called me a
dog or devil, and something more.
Richard Delph, 61 C—l was yesterday evening called to
the City of London public-house, Berwick-street, and
found Blackburn bleeding very much from a wound on the
breast. I sent for assistance, and on another constable
coming I took the prisoner and asked him h®wy he had used
the knife, and he replied, " I shall not tell just now."
The knife produced was given to ice by the landlord of the
house. The injured man was taken to the Middlesex Hos-
pital in a cab.
Mr Tyrwhitt—Have you been to the hospital this morn-

ing?
Delph—l have. The injured man is unable to leave his
bed. I received this certificate.
The certificate was as follows :
"This is to certify that Leonard Arthur Blackburn was
brought to this hospital last night suffering from an incised
wound in the neck, and he is unable to leave his bed.
"J. A. SMITH, House-surgeon.
"Middlesex Hospital, Nov. 15."
Mr Tyrwhitt—The prisoner will be remanded for a week
on this very serious charge, as he will find it to be.
The prisoner was then removed.
While the charge was being taken against the prisoner
last night he said, " Yes, I stabbed him; and I will do it
again if ho tells lies about me, and I will be hanged for
him, like Mullen!'

Destruction of the Confederate Ram Albe-
marle by a Torpedo Boat.

We have already published the official report
received by the last steamer from New York of the
destruction of the Confederate ram Albemarle by a
Federal torpedo boat. As the torpedo boat em-
ployed on this occasion, though of wooden con-
struction, was fitted with its torpedo battery on the
same system as that which has been applied to the
ironclad torpedo vessels, a number of which are
being constructed by the Federal navy, two--the
New Era and Stromboli, being already launched
and ready for sea—the following particulars, fur-
nished by the naval reporter of the Yew York ri-
bune, as to this recent and etriking instance of the
manner in which an enemy's ships, however formid-
able, are speedily and effectually disposed of by the
new armament, will be read with interest, espe-
cially as they undoubted:y confirm what has been
said about another new era being commenced by
the application of this new engine of war to iron
ships:--
The Confederate ironclad ram Albemarle, re-
ported to have been destroyed on the 28th ult. by
the United States Picket Boat No. 1, was built in
the Roanoke River for the purpose of clearing the
waters of North Carolina of our naval vessels, and
driving off the United States troops who were
located at various posts. On several occasions
she has spread terror throughout that depart-
ment, and has caused serious annoyances to our
forces, both naval and military. On the 6th of
May the United States naval forces, consisting
of the wooden gunboats Massachusetts, Sassacus,
Wyabusing, Miami, Whitehead, Cores, and Com-
modore Hull, engaged the Albemarle and her con-
sorts Cotton Plant and Bombshell, and, after a
.ter-
rible conflict, the Albemarle was forced to retreat,
having been seriously damaged by the fire of our
gunboats, but principally by the Sassacus.
" The Cotton Plant escaped, but the Bombshell,
which had been captured a short time previous,
was recaptured. From that time until a few
weeks since the ram has been quietly receiving
repairs, and has been strengthened with a view
to accomplishing her object with a fatal cer-
tainty. Lieutenant Wm. Cushing, of our navy,
was anxious to have her come out, so that he
might test the merits of the torpedo arrange-
ment. It is, perhaps, proper to state that
the Albemarle was constructed upon the general
principles of the Merrimac and Tennessee class of
vessels, and was, perhaps, much stronger than either
of those vessels since she was repaired of late.
" She had the ordinary casemate, in which were
placed four heavy guns; she was probably shot-
proof against any projectiles thrown by our vessels,
and the only hope of destroying her, before the
advent of the torpedo affair was by running her to
death—but with tho torpedo boat the matter was
easily accomplished, provided always she could get
close enough to do the work without being observed
before the guns could be trained and fired upon
her. In case the little torpedo boat did its duty,
and but for a shot from a shore battery, she would
now be ready to perform a similar feat.
" PICKET BOAT NO. 1.
St The little vessel which has performed the deed
of destroying this noted ram is a boat not unlike a
ship's launch, and about the same dimensions. Six
of them have been built under the superintendence
of Captain C. S. Boggs, U.S.N. Their engines,
boilers, &e., were put in them at Schenectady, New
York, and were brought down here rev canal.
" Tney were designed at first for picket boats
exclusively, and for the purpose of relieving
the seamen from the hurtful and unhealthy
work of pulling boats on picket in all kinds
of weather. Before they were completed, how-
ever, the idea of placing the torpedo attachment
on them was suggested, and immediately adopted,
and the wisdom of the suggestion is already proven.
"No officer has laboured more faithfully to de-
stroy this Albemarle than has Lieut. Cushing. A
few weeks since he visited New York, and selected
some of the picket boats for service in Albemarle
Sound, end we now have the first results of his
daring and good judgment in using this new engine
of naval warfare, which in a short time will revo-
lutionise naval fights. The true plan is being
adopted. The bottom of a vessel is its most vulner-
able part, and by this arrangement it is reached,
broken through, and the vessel must sink or be
utterly destroyed."

The Ontario Inquiry. —Decision of the

Court.

The assessors of the Board of Trade gave their
decision in the case of the Ontario at Liverpool
yesterday. It was as follows :
The C.urt, having carefully investigated the cir•
cumstances connected with the loss of the screw
steamship Ontario on Hasbro' Sande, on the morn-
ing of the 16th alt., has come to the conclusion that
this is not one of the class of cases in which blame
attaches to the master. The evidence shows that
the ship was under the charge of a licensed pilot
appointed by the owners, and that the master was
locally unacquainted with the coast. The Court
does not hold that in all cases the fact of a pilot
being on boakd is to relieve the master from re-
sponsibility ; but in this case, as they see no
neglect or dereliction of duty, either on the
part of the master or his crew, Mr. John Brook-
ing cannot fairly be held amenable for the loss
of his ship. The Court has, therefore, great
pleasure in returning Mr. Brooking his cer•
tificate. The Court regrets that it cannot take
so favourable a view of the conduct of the pilot. It
is of opinion that Mr Alexander Scott evinced a
want of caution in the navigation of this vessel, in
continuing his course at full speed after failing to
make either the Dudgeon or Dowsing light vessels,
instead of hauling up and proceeding slowly until
he had ascertained his position. The Court cannot,
however, deal with the pilot under the provisions
of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854, which regus
later these inquiries, but will feel it their duty to
report the opinion thus expressed to the Board of
Trade. It is unnecessary in giving this judgment,
to add anything bearing upon the collateral ques-
tion which has arisen out of this inquiry, relating
to the services of the Yarmouth lifeboat. The mat-
ter will bo dealt with in the report which the Court
will make to the Board of Trade.
Toe decision was read by Mr Ite.files, the legal
assessor, on the part of himself and Captains Harris
and Baker, nautical assessors ; and the certificate
was immediately handed to Captain Brooking.
er. I