The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-14 00:00:00

IS KIR WAN A MURDERER 7

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir, —Mrs. Kirwan being a good swimmer it is more
than probable she bathed in the open sea in preference
to shallow water.

A feeling of fright at having swam too far out, or
cramp, would account for the, screams heard at the
time.

Being a strong woman she might have effected a land-
ing, and reached the rock where found, but from cold
and over-exertion fallen in the position mentioned by
the boatman.

Every cut and symptom mentioned by the medical
men, might result from the exertion of an exhausted
person trying to land.
I may mention it as a fact that females sometimes
bleed from the breast after too long immersion in the
water.

I remain, sir, your obedient servant,
A FELLOW R. C. S. I.

[The above communication has been addressed to us,
possibly from a spirit of humanity, evideatly from a
feeling of conviction, and, without comment from our-
selves, we think it but justice that the suggestions of
our correspondent should be made public. ED. Sun.]

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.-THIS DA Y.

OLD COURT.
(Before the Recorder.)
STEALING A PROMISSORY NOTE

Robert Henderson Robertson, 44, broker, and Robert
Hills, 42, his clerk, surrendered to take their trial, hav-
ing been remanded from last session, on an indictment,
charging them with stealing a promissory note, value
3501., the property of John Miles.
Mr. Parry said he was about to say, on the part of
the prosecutor, who was a highly respectable wool
merchant in Yorkshire, and had had a great many
money transactions with Robertson, that matters had
since come to his knowledge, which induced him to
believe that the defendants had no felonious intent,
though there could be no doubt that, in forcibly obtain-
ing possession of the bill, they committed a rash and in-
discreet act, and were guilty of a civil trespass. Robert-
son carried on transactions with some large houses in
Yorkshire, and especially in the manufacturing districts,
and was a person of respectable character. As counsel
for the prosecutor, he concurred entirely in the view
taken of the case by Mr. Miles, and with the permission
of his lordship, he would withdraw from the prosecution.
The Recorder confessed that, in reading over the de-
positions, he thought that there was no probability of a
conviction unless the alleged felonious act was proved
with a greater degree of certainty.
Mr. Clarkson admitted that there had been rashness
in the conduct of Robertson, but denied that he had any
intention to commit a felony.
A verdict of not guilty was then returned with re-
spect to both the defendants.
CUTTING AND WOUNDING.

Michael Mullings, labourer, 18, was indicted for felo-
niously cutting and wounding Timothy Harly, with in-
tent to do him some grievous bodily harm.
Mr. Clarkson appeared for the prosecution, and Mr.
Payne for the defence.
It appeared from the evidence that Harly and the
prisoner were employed as labourers at the Temple off
Fortune Farm, Hampstead, and slept together with
some other men in a loft over a cow-shed. On the night
of the 19th of September they were all drinking in the
loft when a quarrel arose, and the prisoner, who had re-
ceived some provocation from Harley, took up a reaping
hook, and cut him across the back of the neck,
from which he bled profusely. The prisoner then
ran away, but on meeting a policeman told him what
he had done, and gave himself up. Harley
the
con-
veyed to the hospital, when it was found that wound
was two inches long and an inch and a haeliffedoetespo. f
tHhee
had not yet entirely recovered from the
injury.
sonMerr.. Payne addressed the jury
The jury found the
guilty
yisaos toner g onilt
behalfof ati of
ttitn h
wounding, but not ge pi
and
u y a
the intention of doing
grievous bodily harm. uiThe Recorder sentenced him to
imprisonment for three months, with hard labour.

NEW COURT.
:Noaotnivieeirmildbbiltrm,
1 .n g Thvi emishuhtet7eorih,
anpv4enagodneda t
tthnheoet
timeguiltyhtw t
(Before the Common Sergeant.)
.TaarwA fr ,sthewnilot _
The uttering having been clearly proved, the prisoner,
beli-an'ad:s hil
ni 1 Ihinisg s,
possession.
who cried much, denied all knowledge of the coins being
counterfeit, and accounted for their possession in the
following way :—He said that he carried a fruit basket,
and that on the day in question a well-dressed young
gentleman bought three pennyworthy of oranges of him,
in payment for which he thrust a shilling into the pri-
soner's waistcoat pocket, and walked away without
waiting for his change ; and that shortly afterwards
another young gentleman, bought two pennyworth of
oranges, thrust a second shilling in the prisoner's pocket,
and walked away without his change in the same
manner as his predecessor. Prisoner was too much
surprised at the generosity of his customers to look at
their money, and had no suspicion of its being bad until
given into custody. As to the two shillings found in
his pocket, he could not account for their getting there.
The jury found the prisoner guilty, and the Common-
Sergeant, who said there could be no doubt of his guilty
knowledge,, sentenced him to 12 calendar months' im-
prisonment, with hard labour.
Eli:a Pearce, upon conviction, was similarly sentenced
for a similar offence ; as were also John Hughes, John
Doyle, Sautuelifouston, and William Powell, who pleaded
guilty.

FIRE Ain Loss OF LlFE.—Yesterday, about eight
o'clock in the morning, a fire broke out in a room at No. 9,
Pear Tree-court, Clerkenwell. The firs was soon extin-
guished, but a woman, Mrs. Tackley, who occupied a room
on the first floor, 'was unfortunately burned to death.
When discovered she presented a most dreadful spectaelo.
Without delay she was removed to a neighbouring sur-
geon's, but life was found extinct. The deceased was -in-
toxicated at the time of her death, and it is supposed that
shr dropped 80m0 tightod Lucifer =tags aea9us the LQd
4otliel►