The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-19 00:00:00

TIM SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 19, 1864.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day,

tion, and nothing could induce her to move until she was
taken down and removed by the police.
The magistrate said the prisoner was a dangerous old
woman, and committed her to the House of Correction for
three months, and to be kept to hard labour.

The Suspected Murder by a Wife in Lambeth,

Last evehing Mr W. Carter, coroner for Surrey, held an
inquiry at the Spanish Patriot Tavern, Lower Marsh,
Lambeth, touching the death of Stephen Weston, aged 34,
who was alleged to have been murdered by his wife en
Sunday last.
Mr Edwin appeared for Mrs Weston; and Inspector
Edmonds had charge of the case for the police authorities.
Elizabeth Sweetman was the first witness called—She
said that she was the mother of the deceased's wife, and she
lived with the Westons. Deceased was a tripe dresser and
dog's-meat seller. He occupied the house, 1, Johanna.
street, Lambeth. His wife, Sarah Weston, and four chil-
dren, the eldest nine years of age, lived with him. 'Witness
had lived with them three or four years.
Samuel Samuels, 0 cooper, was called, and he gave the
same evidence he had already given before a police-court.
He said that on Sunday morning he was in the street 'coking
on at a fight between two women, when he heard a cry of
"Murder," proceeding from 1, Johanna-street. He climbed
up on the ledge of the Spanish Patriot, and thus got on
the top of Mr Weston's shop window. A girl opened the
window and he put his head in. He saw by the light of
a candle Mrs 'Weston holding deceased's head and knock-
ing it against the handles of the chest of drawers. He was
partly on the floor and partly on the bed. He was trembling,
but not struggling. She knocked his head twice. Witness
said, "If you don't leave go, you coward, I'll knock you
down with this flower pot." She let go, and deceased's
head fell. Witness said he is dead. She said to witness
"You have got up there to rob the place." She left the
room, and witness got down. She came to the door with
side-spring boots on, and said,
" I have get his boots
on now." She said she would lock witness up, and that he
had no business to interfere between her and her husband.
Witness had known them both to be of drinking habits.
She said one night last week that she would do for her
husband one of these days. She was drunk then. ViTitness
had heard her threaten him, and show him a knits at other
times when drunk. Deceased had only a shirt on as ho lay
on the floor when his wife was beating him.
Mrs. Sweetman, re-called, said that she was at home on
the morning of the occurrence. The front room was the
sitting-room, but witness and three of the children slept in
it. Deceased and his wife occupied the back room. De-
ceased had been in and out of bed all day on the Saturday.
He had not been to business, for, witness thought, he was
out of his mind. Witness asked a policeman to come up on
the Sunday morning, but the officer would not. Witness
did not see him struck. She saw some one come to the
window. She had not called any one. She went to the
door, but it was only to get some one to put deceased into
bed, as he was out of his mind. 'Witness went upstairs,
and saw the poor man lying on the floor on his face. She
did not know whether he was then dead. He had jumped
out of his own bed, and come into the front room. 'Witness
did not call out "murder," nor did any one else. When a
person was in a deranged state, it would be natural to wish
some one to assist. She only wanted the police to keep
him in bed, Deceased had drunk two half quarterns
sherry that day.

Elizabeth Frances Weston, an intelligent little girl, was
then sworn. She said she lived with her father and mother
at No. 1, Johanna-street. On Sunday morning all the
family were in the front room. Deceased had come in out
of the other room. He fell across the bed. Witness did
not see what caused him to fall. He was noisy, and he had
been out of his mind all day. Nothing was done to him as
he lay on the floor. Some one came to the window. Wit-
ness did not know why. Witness's mother was trying to
pick him up then. She did not strike him. She did not
beat his head against anything, His head was not near the
chest of drawers, but was right away from it. It was not
true that she struck his head against the drawers. No one
told her what to say,
The coroner said that great difficulties were caused in
this case by the arrest of the wife. This court had the
power to examine any one as to the cause of a death, but
by the wife's being taken into custody no statement could
be obtained from her. It was possible that she might be
able to explain how the matter really stood.
Dr, J. Wilcocks Wakem said that on Monday he made a
careful examination of the body of the deceased. There were
35 marks of violence. There were bruises such as a blunt

insrrument—a poker for instance—would have made, There
were other marks of injuries inflicted some days previous.
The injuries were principally on the limbs. The head
was puffy externally. The post-mortem examination
showed that the bruises on the limbs were superficial, and
not sufficient to 'affect vitality. There were the marks of

five or six blows on the head, and blood was effused under
the scalp. The blows had been inflicted with a blunt

instrument of small superfices. Blood was effused on the
brain. Witness was decidedly of opinion that death was
attributable to violence inflicted on the head by a blunt
instrument; but the deceased was so diseased that very
little violence would have been sufficient to produce death.
In answer to the Coroner,
Dr. Wakem said that a person struggling violently in
delirium tremens might, if forcibly held down, sink back
and die of exhaustion. The two blows seen by the witness
Samuels were not in themselves sufficient to cause death.
Thera had been general violence. Witness considered it
impossible that the injuries could have been self-inflicted
in knocking about under the influence of delirium tremens.
After some further evidence, the court was cleared, and
the jury having deliberated for nearly two hours, it was
decided to adjourn the inquiry until Monday next.

A fatal accident occurred two days back on the
Lyons Railway, at Saint-Romain-la-Motte. A
goods train, consisting of 80 trucks, ran off the line, and
about 24 of them were thrown on to each other by the shock.
'lle guard received serious injuries and died a few hours
Iter, but the breaksman
jumped from his seat and was only
slightly bruised. Eight other persons were in the train,
but all escaped unhurt. The accident is supposed to have
occurred from a horse having broken through his box and
fallen on to the line. The poor animal was almost ground
to shreds, as traces of its blood were found between the
rails for a distance of nearly a mile and a half. Two other
horses were killed.
The Marquis de Turgot, the French Ambassador
inA Switzerland,ustra
shay returned to Berne, and re.
sumed the duties of his pest.
the France, " has just met
with a fivancial check Which has produced a
certain sensation. She wished to contract a loan
of 77 millions of florins (nearly 193 trillions of
francs), and has only been able to obtain 23,500,000
thalers (a little more than 58 millions of francs.)"
HIS ROYAL HIGEINESS TILE PRINCE OF WALES
is to take the chair at the lecture to be delivered at the
Royal United Service Institution by Capt. IL W. Tyler,
R.b., on
dered."
the subject of " Railways strategically consi-

THF, ICING OF PRUSSIA. is going to Gastoin, in
otrpchoapn Copenhagen
den
the Tyrol, to take waters for the benefit of his health.
THE DANISH WA.R.--A subscription
alone wounded opened
up ofthe war
in
Denmark for the
single
widows,
produced in a day a
wards of
300,000 f. The King put his name down for 12,000 f. a year
during a period of ten years.

aorftPbort Langley, Fraser River, on
- -
quake was felt on Thorne's
at half-past seven in the evening.
threetChreeTe2kh:th
flt was accompanied by a hoarse, thundering rumble, and
lasted for about 30 seconds. The sky was at the time
clear and brilliant, and the atmosphere calm and mild.
So frightful was the commotion of the quick and awful
rockings as to make it a moment of great suspense as to
shocko
February,
miles
e obrf
ua east an
rye,
whether the beholder would be buried with the log shanty,
which cracked, rolled, and tottered around him, in a conglo-
merated mass of heterogeneous ruins.—Britigh Columbian.
. - THE ALPACA IN AUSTRALIA.—The last accounts
.„
' from Australia state that the hopes Which had been
entertained of the naturalisation of the Peruvian alpaca
have been disappointed. Of the 300 introduced by Mr.
Ledger from Peru, five years ago, and purchased by the
Government of New South Wales for £15,000, the whole
have died off, and their progeny, numbering 330, are in
an unhealthy condition. Some Persons throw the blame
on Mr. Ledger for inefficient management, and others con-
elder that the mistake was in their having been kept all
together at one locality under Government care, instead of
their having been distributed among individual settlers,
some of whom would probably have discovered the precise
districts most suitable to them. During a discussion on
the subject in the Colonial Legislature nearly every
speaker
was in favour of the Government immediately getting rid
of the cost of keeping them, and of having to maintain a
staff of officers to attend to them, and a resolution was ac-
cordingly adopted that they should be disposed of as soon as
possible, either by auction or in any other way that might
seem expedient.
THE MINERS' STRIKE IN SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE.
—Yesterday an open-air meeting of miners was
held at Bilston, to receive a report from a deputation of
men who had been appointed to wait upon the masters
who had given notice to about 1,000 or 1,500 men
in the Bradley district for a reduction in their wages of 3d.
a day. Between 1,000 and 1,500 men were present; and
the deputation reported that those of the mesters whom
they had been able to see all objected to withdraw the
notice, some of them saying that before they would do
so they would blow out their furnaces. Several speeches
were then delivered, the b-arden of the whole being that
the masters were trying to oppress the men, but that the
men were determined that to the uttermost they would
resist the effort. Aid, it was stated, would be forthcoming
from every other mining district in the kingdom ; and
other trades' unions, it was added, had offered assistance.
The struggle would be the stronger because it was felt
that if the masters succeeded with this notice they would
give one all through South Staffordshire for a reduction to
3d a day. Similar views were expressed at three other
meetings.

LITERATURE.

John Greswold. By the Author of " Paul Ferrol"
Two Vole. Hurst and Blacket. •
To turn from the vitiated atmosphere of some
fashionable and suffocating assembly and take a
stroll in the pure air of the country side, and to do
this in company with some clever, pleasant friend,
whose lively gossip will amuse, without exciting,
like the cup that " cheers but not inebriates," will
produce a bracing, pleasurable effect, such as is
experienced by the satiated reader of the unnatural
fictions of the present day, who takes up these vo-
lumes by the author of "Paul Ferroll." The style
is charming, and the perusal of the whole work is
a matter of continued satisfaction ; but as for the
story which it contains it is, in fact, no story at all.
While turning over the pages (as in taking
the stroll above alluded to) the reader is
happily and beneficially employed, but be-
yond the pleasant associations of the hour, no
more lasting effect is produced upon his memory
than might be suggested by the most abstract
constitutional. Wilkie Collins, and Miss Brad-
don, the magician and enchantress of modern lite-
rature, implore their critics not to unfold the mys-
teries of their prison-house. We cannot commit a
similar gaucherie in the present instance, for in re-
gard to " John Greswold," as in regard to Canning'b
knife-grinder, "story---Lord bless you there is none
to tell !" We leave our hero on his twenty-third
birthday ready to begin the world, having made, as
his brother tells him, two false starts already. Per-
haps on some future occasion his future fortunes may
be recorded, and we shall be right glad to become ac-
quainted with them, for as we have already intimated
we have found John Greswold a very delightful
companion. The only little romance of the story,
and a very pathetic romance it is, is associated with
John's brother, the soldier Robert—who returns
disabled from the Crimea to the overwhelming disk
may of his young betrothed. Robert at once re-
leases her from her engagement, and tenderly re-
garding her as " the widow of his better days,"
enacts towards her the part of truest friend and
brother. The heroine Ruth is so all perfect as to
be removed above the reach of our sympathies es far
as John Greshold is from the reached of hers. The
foliowing attempted declaration of love presents a
specimen of unparalleled obtuseness on the part of
the lady—perhaps according to the saying that
NONE ARE SO DEAF AS THOSE WHO WILL NOT HEAR.
She turned away, but I would not give up the opening
which chance seemed to have made to obtain for me a por.
tion of her confidence.
"I know not," I said, "whether I clearly understand
you; but this I know, that if it be within the compass of
my will and my power I would give—that is, I would use
all the power I have to be of the least—that is to be of

use."
"Never mind it, however," said Ruth. "Thank you for
your good wishes, and take no notice."
"iYou speak so, because I am too obtuse to understand, in
the manner of your quick intellect and your clear apprehen-
sion ; but at least I can offer whatever I have not yet
given—whatever remains to me of myself; and you know,
yes, I am certain you know, I have everything to beg, to
entreat from you, but have already lost all to you."
"Now indeed I do not understand you. In what way
have we caused you any loss ?"
" Unwidingly, I am afraid. Oh, Miss Winspear—oh,
Ruth, can you treat me thus V'
" How ?" said Ruth, startled that I used her Christian
name. " Indeed Ido not in the least understand to what
you allude."
"Oh I to nothing, since it is thus. That which would
be life to me, is yet nothing since you look on it thus."
" You say ' thus,' said Ruth, " but how ? I am very bad
at guessing riddles, and since you speak in them I must
renounce comprehending. Let us say no more except that
I beg you to continue still the course I thought you were
kindly taking. You can't help observing, but refrain from
speaking; every family has its private matters, and a
stranger does harm by meddling with them."
"I am a mere stranger then; I am an unwelcome
stranger. You despise, you dislike me; you will be glad if
I promise never to enter your door again. And if it be not
beyond human force, I will do so."
" I cannot comprehend your meaning," said Ruth, "but
this is mere nonsense. You have been, you are very wel-
come; we are glad to see you, when neither you nor we are
busy ; you ha're rendered us a great service,"
" Oh, for the sake of heaven, do not say that word again.
It is of no use to break a man's heart, and ridicule it for
breaking. Nay, I have not offended you," I cried, as she
turned away. "Forgive me; at least do so much, and I
will go."

"It is time for me to return to the house," said Ruth.
" Besides, it begins to rain. Good evening ! Will you
have an umbrella ?"
"It is time," said I. "Farewell," and I turned away,
stopping after a few yards and turning, but Ruth was al-
ready at the top of the avenue, and in another minute lost
to my sight within the house.
Was ever more prosaic love•scene upon record!
Conspicuous among the other characters is the
easy, careless, extravagant Lord Ennavant, who
gambles away the moneys of his estate more rapidly
than his faithful steward can collect them. Here is a
characteristic sketch of steward and spendthrift :--
TILE ORDEAL.
Rather sooner than was anticipated Lord Ennavant ar-
rived, and came into the room where we wets working to-
gether. He threw himself into an arm chair, and at once
desired the worst and the best to be told him.
" It's like drawing a tooth," said he, " to come into this
horrid room and this chair. I know it will be all right by
the time I get out of it, but you make me go through tor-
ments before that happy moment arrives. So now for it.
Do your worst, and end by giving me command of the
money."

" Just as I had arranged with the banker, to give
you credit for necessary expenses fur the next three
months--"
" That can't be helped. It makes not the slightest
difference to this sum. This is a wholly unnecessary ex-
pense."

" With a little prudence, and the great storm that swept
down your Gloucestershire timber, you might have got on
till rent day, and then paid the banker with the rents, ne-
glected the butcher, and gone on again."
" Well, I'm glad you think £5,000 is an equivalent for
for only a little prudence. So I have committed no great
excess after all. It ought to be all the easier for you to
supply me."
"It is, however, not easy at all," said Mr. Pointz,
gloomily. "But I have met with one expedient, the suc-
cess of which I shall know in the course of the evening, and
would have sent you word--"
"if I had not been in such a devil of a hurry P But I
want to be clear of the thoughts; for although I never
make myself miserable except in this accursed room, there
is always the sense that I shall have to go through it till it
is done. So what is it ?
Lord Ennavant occasionally learns some home-
truths from the plain-spoken John Greswold, and is
happy to befriend him, when he can do so without
personal inconvenience. Mrs. Winspear is a capi-
tally drawn character—while Miss Nation, the
fast fine lady, is assuredly a caricature. Her con •
versation reminds us- of another would-be fine
lady—Miss Carolina Wilhelmina Skeggs, We
take leave of John Greswold with a pleasant remi-
niscence of our passing intercourse, but with
regret to leave him with his fate and fortune a
mystery and his history " nowhere."

A FRIGHTFUL HINT !—The &fajta ltaliana of the
14th calls the attention of Garibaldi to the follow-
ing points ;—That Caprera is a rock where there
are not many houses, and where he resides with a
very few persons and without any precaution. 2.
That the Greek Archipelago is full of small islets
full of pirates, always ready for plunder. 3. That
consequently it might happen that, seduced by
the promise of a rich reward, some pirates might
surprise and carry him off, or perhaps kill or throw
him into the sea. " For those reasons," adds that
journal, " we recommend him to keep a sharp look
out."

Advices from Tours state that the Bishop of
Evreux has got much worse, and is now dangerously ill.
The Archbishop of Tours, at whose house he has been stop-
ping, administered the last sacraments to him the night
before last, and prayers have been offered up in all the
churches.

The King of Greece has invited the represen-
tatives of France, England, and Russia to accompany him
in his excursion to the lonian Isles.

The Official Gazette of 'Turin publishes a Royal
decree suppressing the special administration of the seques-
trated estates of the ex-Duke of Modena, and transfers it to
the agents of the State domains.

The Napoleonien of Rodez states that M. Ga.
robuau, Cure of Cassagnes Begoubea (Aveyron) has been
murdered. The authorities of Rodez went to the scene of
the crime to institute an inquiry, the details of which are
not yet given.

STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH THE ISLE OF
or WIGHT.—The Lady of the Lake, a steamer fitted up
like the American river steamers, has commenced running
between Cowes and Southampton. There are now nu
fewer than five steam packet communications between the
Isle of Wivht and the mainland, viz., between the island
and Littlehampton, Portsmouth, Stokes Bay, Southampton,
and Lymington.

Naval and Military Intelligence,

THE ARMY.

His Royal Highness the Field-Marshal Com-
manding-in-Chief will hold a Levee at one o'clock
on Monday next.
Major-Gen. Sir R. Dacres, K.C.8., accompanied
by Brigadier Major Hay, Assist.-Quartermaster-
Gen. Capt. Nangle, has just made his half-yearly
inspection of the troops at Warley barracks, near
Brentwood. The troops, to the number of 700,
executed several marceavres in a creditable manner.
At the close they were formed in close column and
addressed by the gallant majcr-general, who en-
forced the advantages and importance of temper-
ance. The general then proceeded to inspect the
hospital, married men's cottages, schools, barracks,
&e., all of which were declared to be in a satisfac-
tory state, while the arrangements in the new block
of buildings, including the reading and recreation
rooms and sergeants' mess, were specially com-
mended.

In accordance with instructions to that effect re-
ceived from the Horse Guards, a number of non-
commissioned officers and men of the Royal Engi-
neers experienced in land surveying were yesterday
selected from the companies at headquarters,
Chatham, to proceed to Portsmouth, for the pur-
pose of being employed in surveying the land on
which will be erected the additional fortifications
near Spithead, and also to prepare the plans of the
ground proposed to be set apart as gardens for the
soldiers. A detachment of trained buglers and
musicians also received orders yesterday to proceed
from Chatham to join the 7th company of Royal
Engineers at Dover, and the 20th and 26th com-
panies at Weymouth.
The Woolwich division of enrolled pensioners, in
command of Major Mackinnon, yesterday went
through their annual official inspection on Wool-
wich-common by Col. I. Travers, R.A. The drills
commenced on the 6th inst., since which time the
whole force has !leen through a course of exercises
and manoeuvres in separate companies, in which
they acquitted themselv9s with great credit. They
yesterday mustered at the review ground in full
force, numbering 375 strong, and fired 10 rounds
of blank ammunition. The inspecting officer ex-
pressed himself highly pleased with the appearance
of the veteran soldiers and their steadiness under
arms, remarking that in case of emergency they
would form a most formidable auxiliary to act with
the regular troops. Their arms, clothing, and
accoutrements, he added, were all in good condition,
for which and for their correct manoeuvres he gave
them great commendation. He said he should not
fail in making a most favourable report of his in-
spection to the Horse Guards. The men were all hale
and active-looking, varying from 40 to 50 years of
age, 55 being the maximum age for their being re-
tained on the enrolled list of the corps. The majority
of the men are employed as mechanics and labourers
in the Arsenal and dockyard. Each man is allowed
a compensation for lost time—namely, as enrol-
ment money, and at the rate of 2s per day during
the drills to privates, 2s 6d corporals, 3s ser-
geants, and 3s 6d sergeant-majors. Their cloth-
ing is renewed every seven years. Major Mackin-
non formerly belonged to the 16th Lancers, and
is a most zealous staff officer. He has seen many
years active service, having been, as appears from
Hart's list, 10 years in India. He served through-
out the campaign of Affghanistan under Lord
Keane, and also in the campaign of the Sntlej in
1846. During the inspection yesterday the death
of the late superintending officer, Sir Alexander
Tulloh was announced. He resigned the post on
attaining his rank as Major-General, and died on
Monday last at Winchestef of inflammation of the
lungs. The announcement WAS received with much
regret.