The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-06 00:00:00

`The Prince and Princess of Wales in

Sweden.

firm the limes' Special Correspondent.)
STOCKHOLM, Sept. 30.

By far the most enjoyable of the fetes held
hith 4rto in honour of the visit of the Prince and
Princess of Wales to Sweden was the excursion
yr £terday to Gripeholm Castle, situated on the Mae-
ar Lake, somewhat over 40 miles from Stockholm.
On their way from Copenhagen their Royal High.
neEses had enjoyed the opportunity of becoming
acquainted with the beautiful natural panorama
that unfolds itself all the way from the mouth of ,
the bay to the capital, and now they were to follow
the chain of water.communication inland, and to
pass through a succession of lake scenery, only
needing a loftier background to render
.it equal to
anything of a similar nature in the world. The
Royal party embarked shortly before one o'clock at
the port or quay of Ridderholm on board the
steamer Arboga No. 1, a vessel employed in the or-
dinary passenger navigation of the Swedish lakes,
though from her great speed and the freshness and
elegance of her internal fittings she might have
been taken for a small yacht or despatch vessel in
the liing's:srrvice. In all these Northern steamers
nothing is more remarkable than the taste with
Which the saloon is arranged. Even where no
greater attempt at decoration is made, there is sure
to be a plant of ivy or some other evergreen trained
to wind its leaves round the mast, giving, with the
aid of flowers freshly gathered, wonderful freshness
to the apartment. On board the Arboga there was
an awning over the poop-deck, arranged in such a
manner that this could be completely enclosed at
night or in case of bad weather, so that with the
addition of chairs and couches and carpets this part
of the vessel was converted into a drawing.room.
To witness the ceremony of embarkation a very
large crowd assembled, composed not only of the

more respectable inhabitants of
.Stockholm, but in

chiding many of the peasants in their picturesque
Dalecarlian costumes of sheepskin jackets and

woollen petticoats, or with black silk handkerchiefs
fastened over their heads, and their black dresses,
edged and striped with red or green. In addition
to those members of the Royal party who have been
staying at the Castle of Stockholm and their suites
respectively, the company on board included the
whole of the Corps Diplomatique. Among these
was Mr. Jerningham, the English representative,
just returned from leave of absence, who was warmly
greeted by his colleagues, and also the newly accre-
dited representative from the empire of Mexico. As
the vessel moved off from the pier a cordial cheer
was raised by the lookers-on, which the King first,
and afterwards the Prince of Wales, acknowledged,
and the waving of handkerchiefs continued as long
as those upon deck could be distinguished from the
shore. An admirable view was gained as the steamer
sped along of the suburbs of Stockholm, and espe-
cially of the principal Government establishments
and hospitals, which are situated upon rising
ground at the edge of the lake. The route, also,
could be plainly distinguished which the connecting
line of railway is to take, so as to interfere as little
as possible with the beauty of the capital; and,
looking back upon the city, the mammoth palace,
the house of the nobles, and the coronation-hall and
burial-place of the Swedish kings could all be com-
passed in a single glance. Had the season been
the earliest summer, instead of verging on the close
of autumn, the weather could not have proved more
favourable. It was one of those rare but lovely
exceptions to a cold season called in the Mediter-
ranean'" St. Martin's summer." Up en this good for-
tnne felicitations were universally exchanged, be-
cause from the prevalence of pine trees in the
northern landscapes, the mere absence of sunlight
is sufficient to throw upon them a shade of gloomi-
ness. As it was, the shores of the lake looked
almost Swiss in their richness and verdancy. They
wanted, of course, the towering Alps behind ;
but the absence of hills was to some extent
balanced by the banks of white clouds which
rolled themselves into fantastic shapes, and
formed no inapt representatives of the region of
perpetual snow. Towards the mouth of the bay
below Stockholm, the islauds for the most part are
bare, vegetation being prevented or cut down by
the sweeping blasts of winter. Ia the milder
climate of Like Maelar they are covered with trees,
and as the boat advacces further inland fertile
valleys are frequently encountered. Oa its way to
Gripsholm the Arboga was obliged to mike some-
what of a detour to cell at Drottningholm for the
Quen Dowager, but the prolongation of the jour-
ney afforded pleasure to all on board, end more-
over, enabled them to admire by daylight the pro-
portions of the palace which by torchlight the
previous evening had presented such a grand ap-
pearance. The Queen D )wager, with one of the
ladies of her Court and the marshal of her household,
was upon the jetty immediately in front of the
castle, waiting the arrival of the steamer ; the spec-
ta 'ors, to the number of some hundreds, standing
ba a few paces, seeing everything that passed, but
at the same time not encroaching upon her move-
ments. As soon as the vessel had been made fast,
and before the gangway was quite in its place, the
King landed, and, after a short conversation, him-
self conducted the Queen Mother on board, where
she was received and welcomed by Prince Oscar,
and afterwards by all the other members of the
Royal party. From Drottningholm to Gripsholm
the passage was made without further incident, save
that a Swedish gentleman of fortune caused a salute
to be fired from pieces of ordnance in the grounds
of his chateau, which lies in the vicinity of Gripe.
holm, but upon the opposite shore of the lake.
Country seats abound in this locality, hut they are
only occupied for two or three months each year,
during the short continuance of a northern summer,
and the residents, almost without exception, have
now returned to their town residences. The view of
Gripsholm Castle, with its strong red towers and
black-capped roofs, as seen from the lake, is very
striking. It stands on a jutting piece of rock, with
its base concealed from view by a fringe of birch
till one is actually on the point of entering the gate-
way. A little way to the right lies the little town
of Mariefred, bearing a strong family resemblance to
most of the Swedish villages—that is to say, it con-
sists of red wooden houses, with windows picked
out in white, surrounded and mixed up with gar-
dens and lime trees, while from a slight elevation
the church spire towers above the colony. This
Castla of Gripsholm is of w)nderfal antiquity, and
its walls, at the present day, are not more thickly
covered with p7ctures than they would be with his-
torical memories couli they but find voice to utter
them. About the year 1380 the building was on..
ginally founded by a c'aieftain with the suggestive
name of Grip, who at that time is said. to have held
the third part of Sweden in his clutches. In 1537
it was restored or rebuilt by Gustavus Vasa, the
towers, with the exception of the roofs, which were
then somewhat different in shape, being erected as
they now stand. In the eight-sided courtyard, built
anyhow into the walls, may still be seen the armo-
rial bearings of Vasa, " Bo Jonsson Grip," and
others, which the late King of Sweden ordered to
be regilt at the time he was renovating the castle,
and introducing by the way some square modern
windows, against which the architects have ever
since protested, besides painting and pointing the
fine old brickwork. In the outer courtyard are two
gigantic pieces of ordnance, not unlike one of those
in St. James's Park, but of greater size, which an
inscription in ancient Slavonic declares to have been
captured from the Rassians by La Girdle in the 16th
century. They are each 18ft long, and made appa-
rently of bell metal, 3ft of the end nearest to the
mouth of the piece being fashioned in imitation of
the head of a wolf—a name which the inscription
referred to declare a that they were actually known
by. They are pitted with shot marks, and the pea-
sants, generations ago, gave them the uncomplimen-
tary titles of " the Boar and the Sow." The melan-
choly associations connected with the Castle of
Gripsholm prevent its being more then an occasional
residence of royalty during the summer, but for the
visitor every room is fall of interest. Those naturally
which a stranger most desires to see are the apart-
ments in which the royal brothers successively kept
each other close prisoners for long and weary terms
of years. John's appears to have been as comfortable
a place of captivity as the ideas of the time contem-
plated. The room is circular, lighted by three win-

dows, commanding a view over Lake Maelar and the
adjoining country; the walls are panelled after the
fashion of the day, the ceiling is painted in fresco,
and the woodwork carved with bunches of fruits
and flowers. The King, for such he was, had his
bed in one of the deep recesses of the « ndows, and
the Queen, refusing to leave his side, t t ough offered
palaces and revenues if she would consent to do so,
gave birth here to her son Sigismund—a name that
figured in later years so prominent) y in the history
of Poland. In another and smaller recess, imme-
diately opposite the King's bed, the cot of the child
appears to have been prepared. When John obtained
his liberty, and Eric was in turn incarcerated in the
same buildiog, his treatment was by no means as
lenient. In a higher story of the captives' tower this
unfortunate ex-King was placed in an inner chamber
of circular form, with a low roof, lighted by three
small apertures and secured by a double door, the

outer one of iron, the inner one of wood, with a
small triangular slit to pass his food. The three
apertures looked out into the open air, but into an
outer gallery, and round this the sentinel paced
incessantly to and fro. Watching for the sig-
nals with which his wife came to comfort, him,
and waiting for the deliverance that never came, a
hole was worn in the bricks at one particular wins
dow by the elbows of the unhappy King, and a
spot in the flooring is shown that was hollowed by
his feet. This is the description, in his own words,
of the condition to which he was reduced, "No day
has passed without some insult or injury—suffering
from cold, hunger, stench, and drunkenness—fol-
lowed about with drawn swords, intruded upon
during the night," After a miserable imprison-
ment at Gripsholm and elsewhere for eight years,
his life was terminated by poisoning in the year
1577. Many nations would have levelled with the
ground the castle, or, at any rate, the tower con-
nected with which there are these deplorable asso•
ciations. Sweden, however, has such a glorious
past.that she can afford to let the truth be known
with regard to this melancholy passage of her his•
tory. The pictures in this castle would require at
least a week to examine them carefully. They are
about 2,000 in number, the gems of the collection
being the likeness of Marie Antoinette and her
children, one of the only two undoubted portraits of
that unhappy Queen ; the lifessize painting of Gus-
tavus 111. and his three brothers; and the picture
by Velasqaez of Philip IV. on horseback, These
three are works of art of such undoubted merit that
it is contemplated and almost decided to remove
them to the Museum at Stockholm. Two or three of
those Salley des contemporains of which the Swedish

monarchs were so fond are met with at this Palace,

The most interesting is the collection made in the
lifetime of Gustavus 111. His contemporaries in-
cluded, by a curious coincidence, George 111, of
England and Charles 111. of Spain, and in his time
also the two female Sovereigns who have written
their names so plainly on the page of history,
Maria Theresa of Austria and Catherine of
Russia, were in the plenitude of their power.
Among the pictures to which Swedish visitors
attach greatest interest, are those of Linnaeus, and
of an artist orator in the house of peasants, who is
represented in the costume which he wore habitu-
ally. English eyes will be attracted by some excel.
lent pictures illustative of their own history ; among
others, by likenesses of Cromwell and of Charles 1.,
in both of which there is probably greater cha-
racter than in any which have become established
favourites at home.

There is also a painting of Queen Elizabeth, sent
by herself to the Swedish Court in one of her mo-
ments of tenderness, as to the authenticity of which
no doubt can be entertained, for the correspon-
dence to which it gave rise was instrumental in
discovering that the Swedish monarch had two
strings to his bow. The Swedish version of Anna
Boleyn's features is so opposed to all preconceived
ideas that it must be received with a considerable
amount of caution, Ia addition to the collection
of pictures, some of which connect themselves with

the very earliest times of Swedish history, the State
apartments are filled with objects of traditional in-
terest—chests in which the dowry of Queens has
found its way to Sweden, tapestries whose colours
call to mind some of the tints of Rubens. The very
sconces open the stairs are of repousse silver, The
Royal party which reached Gripsholm at 4 o'clock,
spent two hours and a half in going over the
building, and shortly before 7 prooeedcd to the
dinner-room, a figo antique apartment, with walls
and ceiling of pine, without other ornaments than

the pictures on the walls, and a few gilt crowns
dotted in here and there to lighten what would
otherwise have been the sombre effect of the wood-
work. Oa the way to the dinner-room, in ac-
cordance with the Swedish custom, trays con-
taining bread, butter, caviare, and other proveca-
fives to appetite were handed round with the in-
dispensable accompaniment of little glasses of
brandy. All Swedish dinners commence after this
fashion; at the hotels even, side tables are laid out
and cartes drawn up with a view to these prelinai.
naries, and it would have been an offence to the
genius loci to omit such an observance at Gripsholm.
After dinner the Prince and Princess of Wales pro-
ceeded to apartments prepared for their accommo.
dation, where, with the members of the Royal
family whose guests they were, they held a species
of friendly reception, and shortly before 9 o'clock
the whole party re-embarked in the Arboga with
a view of ramming to Stockholm. Red lights had
been fined to the walls of the Castle, which showed
the outlines of the towere wonderfully well, and, as
the surrounding darkness was intensified by this

illumination, blue lights were burnt to point out the
way on board the vessel. In compliment to the
illustrious excursionists two or three of the largest
chateaux on the edge of Lake Maelar were bril-
liantly lighted by their proprietors about the time
at which it was known that the steamer would re-
turn. This facility in handling torches is charac-
teristic of the Northern people, and appears to run
through all their important proceedings. After
dusk, whenever the King or Prince Oscar drives
abroad, a horseman with a flaming brand rides in
advance of the cortege, and it would be difficult for
one who has not actually seen the effect produced
by this simple arrangement to form to himself a
just conception of the dignity and authority implied
in the display.

The Royal party reached Stockholm shortly after
half-past 11 o'clock p.m., and driving straight to the
Palace, the King of Sweden, Prince Oscar, and his
Rual. Highness the Prince of Wales, with the gene
tlemen of their suite, proceeded, after a delay of not
more than an hour, to the railway station, where a
special train was in readiness to convey them to one
of the northern forests, where, it is hoped, they will
succeed in hunting some elks. A number of these
animals are known to be within the limits of the
enclosure, but this is of enormous size; report
speaks of something like an exteat of 12 leagues.
About six hours will be required for the journey,
and sleeping accommodation was therefore
provided,
in the carriages. After the fatigue which they
must undergo in the forest, the Royal party no doubt
will again gladly avail themselves of these couches
on their way back. They are looked for again in
Stockholm on to-morrow (Saturday) morning, upon
which day a review may possibly take place, to be
followed by a dinner at tire Chateau of Hags, the
residence of the Prince Augustus and the Princess
Theresa. Ia the evening there is to be a grand
representation of Faust at the theatre, and after the
conclusion of the opera, which their Royal High-
nesses the Prince and Princess of Wales will honour
with a visit, tiley will be present for a short time
at a soiree given by the Count de Scheel-Plessere
Minister for ammark, and the Countess Plessen,
Sunday will be passed in the family circle, and early
on Monday morning their Royal Highnesses will
leave for Gottenburg by special train and embark on
hoard the o,b)rne for Denmark the same evening.
Prince 03car of Sweden will accompany the Prince
and Princess of Wales as far as Gottenburg, and
before their final departure from Fredensborg it is
expected that he will join their family circle in
Denmark for a few days.
Yesterday while the Royal party and the members
of the diplomatic corps were enjoying themselves in
one direction at Gripsholw, the heads of the Swedish
Naval Department went on board the Aurora to
invite the officers of the British fleet to an ex•
cursion to the Djargard, or Deer-park, one of the
great objects of ,attraction at Stockholm, They

were received with the full honours of a salute and
yards manned, and their invitation, it is needless to
add, was gratefully accepted, It is said, and no
doubt with truth, that no other capital in Europe
possesses a park so highly picturesque as this, and
the excursion being organised with the same ads
mirable foresight that has characterised all the fetes
given during the stay of the Prince and Princess it
naturally afforded the most perfect satisfaction to
all those who were privileged to share in it.

On the night of the ball at Drottingholm there
was no time to do more than allude to the gala
dinner which preceded it, given by her Majesty the
Queen-Mother. The entertainment was one of great
magnificence, and was given in thegallery of pictures
illustrative of the battles of Charles X. Covers were
laid for 60 persons. The king gave his arm to the
Princess of Wales, who had on her right the Prince
Oscar. The Queen-Mother was led to the dinner
table by the Prince of Wales. On the right of the
Queen Mother the Queen of Sweden was placed,
who was conducted to table by the Prince Augustus.
On the left of the King the Princess Theresa, wife
of Prince Augustus, was placed. She was led down
to dinner by the Prince John of Glucksburg. On
the right of Prince Oscar Lady Spencer was placed,
conducted to table by the Count Manderstrom. The
Hon. Mrs. Grey sat on the left of Prince Augustus,
having been brought down by Count Sparre, Grand
Marshal of the Kingdom of Sweden. To the left of
the Prince of Wales Countess Bonde, Grande Mai-
tresse of the Queen's Court, was placed, conducted
by Earl Spencer. To the left of Prince John of
Glucksburg Countess Skioldebrand, Grand Mai..
tresse of the Court of the Queen• Mother, was seated
conducted to tablo- by General Knollys. Daring
the dinner the band of the 2d Regiment of Guards
played a selection of music.

The ball which took place the same evening com-
menced with a Polonaise. In the opening quadrille
the following personages of distinction took part :
The Queen with his Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales danced vis-a vis to Commander Suttie, R N.,
and the Hon. Mrs Grey. The Princess of Wales
with Prince Oscar vis-a-vis to the Baron Bildt,
Governor of Stockholm, and his partner; Princess
Theresa and Colonel Keppel vis-a•vis to Baron
Ehrenaborgh, Chamberlain to the Queen-Mother,
and Madame de Martino, wife of the secretary to
the Italian Embassy; the King of Sweden with
Lady Spencer vis-a-vis to M. Dutreil, secretary to
the French Embassy, and Mademoiselle der Wedel
Jarleberg ; the Prince of Glucksburg and the Coun•
teas Frolich vis-a-vis to M. de Shunck, officer d'Etat
Major, and Mademoiselle de Fahraus.

In the course of the evening the Prince of Wales
also danced in quadrilles with Madame Fournier,
l'Ambassadrice de France; and the Countess Bonde,
nee Maryatt. Hie Royal Highness waltzed with
the Princess Theresa, Countess Frolich, and Coun-
tess Anna Hamilton ; took part in a cotillon with
the Countess of Seheel-Plessen, and in a polka with
Mademoiselle Augusta Bonde, whose mother before
her marriage was the Lsdy Augusta Fitzalarence.
Besides the opening quadrille her Royal Highness
the Princess of Wales danced with the Prince
Augustus of Sweden and Baron Bildt ; waltzed
with the King, Count Conrad de Rosen, and M.
Fisherstrom, Ecuyer de Roi, and took part in a co-
tillon with M. Aminoff, Chamberlaine de Service to
the Queen-Mother.

This evening (Friday) the Princess of Wales,
with her ladies in waiting, dined at the Castle of
Ulrichsaal, with the Queen of Sweden, where the
Princess Theresa likewise spent the evening.
ELSINORE, Wednesday, 5 p.m.
The Royal party landed here at 4 o'clock, leav-
ing Prince Oscar at Heloingborg, in Sweden.
The King and Crown Prince met them here.
They had an excellent reception.

moted to be first-class assist-engineer--W. G. F. Colley,
second-class assist.-engineer to the Sharpshooter—and W.
Savage, second-class assist engineer to the Assurance.

The Shocking Tragedy at Old Windsor.

Yesterday Mr Rupert Clark, one of the coroners for Berke
opened an inquiry at the board room of the workhouse, Old
Windsor, into the circumstances touching the deaths of
John Richard Cook, aged about 42, Mary Ann Cook, aged
5, Eugenie Cook, aged 4, and Louisa E. Cook, aged 2.
The coroner and jury assembled at Cook's cottage and
viewed the bodies of the deceased, after which they ad-
journed to the board-room of the Windsor Union Work-
house, where the following evidence was taken :
Joseph Brant, gardener, brother-in-law to Cook, said—
Cook was a hairdresser, and lived at a cottage at Old Wind-
sor-green. I saw Cook and his family occasionally ; some-
times three or four times a week. Cook was a widower,
and lost his wife about three months ago. I saw him on
Monday week, when I gave him something to drink at the
Wheatsheaf. I saw his eldest daughter on Friday evening,
but had no conversation with her. I had not had any con-
versation with Cook since his wife's death. He seemed to
have very little to say to me. I had not noticed any altera-
tion in him since the death of his wife. I never saw him
intoxicated. I think he has had but little employment since
his wife's death. While living at Slough Cook was bank-
rupt. He was supported by his wife for some time, up to
the date of her death. He has lived at Old Windsor for
about two years. His wife was a laundress.
A. juryman said he believed deceased received a small
allowance from Eton College.
The witness said he could give no information as to the
cause of this occurrence. Cook was a high-spirited man,
and reserved in bis manner. He had not seemed a different
man since the death of his wife.
Caroline Amelia Brant, wife of the last witness, said—
The late Mrs Cook was my sister. I lived about a quarter
of a mile from Cook's cottage. I did not see Cook's family
very often. I was very seldom out, and Cook did not come
to our house. I think Cook and his family were dependent
a good deal since his wife's death on the kindness of the
neighbouring gentry. I had not had a conversation with
Cook for three weeks or a month prior to his death. I last
met him at Windsor, when he told me the children were well.
I saw the eldest girl more frequently than the rest. I saw
her on Friday evening at about half-past 6. She said her
father had sent her to borrow two candles, and I lent her
one. She said her sisters were not very well. I did not
notice anything particular in her manner or appearance.
The next time I saw her was on Sunday afternoon about a
quarter past 4. She was upstairs in a back bedroom. I had
no conversation with her then. She seemed too ill to speak.
I do not know any relative who could give any information
about Cook's proceedings during the last week. The girl
said nothing to me on Friday evening about her father
being unkind to her, I have not noticed any change in his
habits since his wife died.
By the Vicar—The girl had not a black eye when she
came to me en Friday.
A juryman said that he recently saw the girl with a
black eye.
The Vicar (the Rev. J. N. John Blunt, vicar of Old
Windsor), who was present, here made a statement, from
which it appeared that Cook applied to him in September
to write out a petition for assistance for him, whioh he de-

dined to do. He wrote a letter, however, which Cook took
to gentlemen in the neighbourhood, and he obtained seve-
ral :pounds by that means-42 5s were received by the
clergy in addition to what had been given to Cook himself
From that money Cook had received weekly supplies of
grocery and other necessaries, and those supplies were
going on up to the time of his death.
Mrs Arnold, who lived close to Cook's cottage, said—l
saw Cook on Saturday about 1 o'clock. I had not spoken to
him for two months. We exchanged very few words. I
spoke to the eldest girl, Mary Ann, about a week ago. I
saw Adelaide (who is now in the infirmary) on Saturday,
between 11 and 12 o'clock, and Cook was playing with her
and Mary Ann in the garden. That was the last time I
saw laer. I last saw the others on Thursday.
By the Jury—Cook was a disagreeable neighbour—he
disliked people to look at the children when he was at home.
He did not appear to wish any one to go into his house.
He seemed kind to his children. I have never seen him
drink. He generally went to Eton College to his work on
Saturday. A few persons used to come to him to have
their hair cut. He has told me ho received 8s a week from
the college. He also had bread from Eton College every
Saturday. It consisted of four 21b loaves. On Saturday,
between 1 and 2 o'clock, Cook was walking up and down

his garden with his arms folded, and he had a very wild
look, Jibe had anything in his hand I should have been
afraid that he would kill me. He walked towards me as
if he was going to say something to me, but I went into the
house for I was frightened at him. 113 was paid at the col -
lege quarterly. The children did not complain to me of

want of food. Ido not know whether there was any per-
son who attended to the children. I did not hear the chil-
dren make any noise on Friday or Saturday. I saw nothing
of them or Cook after Saturday night.
A juryman said that about a month ago he met Cook
with a 4lb loaf under his arm, and he said it was allowed
him from the college.
. Henry Pope, gardener, living about a quarter of a mile
... ..

from Cock's cottage, said—l am brother-in-law to Cook. I

have seen Cook in liquor, but only occasionally. He always
seemed remarkably kind to his children. lilary Ann came
to me at 1 o'clock on Friday to borrow 2s, and I asked her
to have a little beer, as I was at dinner. She replied " No,
thank you ; I had a glass of ale at home this morning and
it made me quite sick." I did not notice any difference in
the child's appearance. She went and played with some
other children afterwards. I saw her and Adelaide playing
with their father at 7 o'clock on Friday evening, and Cook
wanted to borrow 6J of me.

By the Tury—Cook appeared very strange at the time of
his wife's death, and did not appear willing to have a woman
to sit up with her.

Brant said Cook was a desperate kind of man, and when
his wife died there were strange reports tending to the de•

famation of his character; but he could not tell whether
those reports were true.

George Lovell, No. 26, Berke Constabulary, stationed at
Old Windsor, said—l knew Cook and his family by seeing
them. In consequence of something that was said by a
neighbour of Cook's in my presence on Saturday I looked
through the parlour window at Cook's house at about a
quarter past 2 o'cicck. As I could not get an answer when
I knocked at the back and front door, and as I thought I
saw a child lying on a bed upon the floor of the parlour, I
opened the back window and got in. The first thing I saw
was a pail with about half a gallon of blood in it. I cast my
eye round, and saw on the mantel the razor produced, with
b'ood and hairs upon it. The hairs were black. I then went
into the front room and saw three dead bodies on a bed placed
on the floor. I then called into the house a man named
Temple. and we went into the back room upstairs, and saw
Mary Ann, who had something black about her mouth, and
in the next room we found Cook and saw he had his throat cut
We also saw another girl with a bandage round her neck,
and we concluded her throat was also cut. I sent for Dr.
Pearl immediately. I found three bottles which I thought
had contained poison. When Cook saw me he said, " For
God's sake, give me some water, Lovell; I am famishing
with thirst I" lie appeared in great agony and pain. I
sent for Inspector Reece and Dr Pearl, surgeon, and he ar-
rived about the same time. Cook kept calling out for cold
water before Dr Pearl arrived, but I did not know what to
do until Dr Pearl came. He died about a quarter-past 7.
Mary Ann died this morning at half-past 12. Cook was in
such agony that he did not inquire for the children.
Inspector Reece said—l arrived at Cook's cottage at about
4 o'clock on Sunday afternoon. Lovell was at the house. I
went upstairs into the front room, and saw Cook lying in
bed. He was vomiting a black fluid. I said, " Have you
been taking poison ?" and he said " Yes." Dr Pearl came
into the room and inquired if he had not been taking vitriol,
and I understood him to say he had. On a chest of
drawers in the room I found the pint bottle produced, about
half full of vitriol. In the adjoining room I found the
bottles produced, and Drs Pearl and Goosh said they thought
they contained laudanum. In a basin at the foot of the bed
on which the child Mary Ann was lying was a quantity of
tea containing vitriol. I asked the eldest girl if that was
the tea her father gave to her, and she said it was. I asked
her when her father gave it to her, and she said "on Fri-
day." I asked her at what hour, and she said "Dinner
time." She answered me in a very low voice, but she was
quite conscious. I searched a cupboard in the room where
Cook was lying and found a quantity of children's clothes,
saturated with blood. Downstairs in the front room I found
two memorials or petitions addressed to the nobility and
gentry of Old Windsor, in wh;ch Cook appealed to them for
assistance. I afterwards took the girl whose throat was cut
to the infirmary. I also found a letter written by the Vicar,
stating he would receive subscriptions for Cook, and I also
found an agreement between Mr Clarke, the lessee of Wind-
sor Theatre, and Cook—Cook having agreed to pay £lO for
the proceeds ora night's performance ; a summons for £3
18s 6d, disposed of at the April court, and two bills from
Mr Tussell, a tradesman at Slough, and also an order of
bankruptcy made in 1862.
Police-constable Halley, Berks constabulary, stationed at
Clewer, said--I found some letters under Cook's pillow just
after his death. One was addressed to the vicar, another
to Cook's brother. There were several other papers with
pencil-writing on each.
The Vicar reed the letter which was addressed to him.
It stated that his poor wife visited him nightly. and told
him to come to her and bring the children with him; and
that Mr Blunt, the vicar, would allow him and his chil-
dren to be buried by her side. The other papers read by
Inspector Reece, contained Cook's request that his brother
would see to the funeral of himself and the children, and
that Mr Pearl would not cut and hack their bodies about
after death, as he could see the cause. In one he states that
he had almost lost his senses ; that this would never have
happened if his wife had been alive for he loved her dearly ;
that they loved the children, and that he had prayed to God
to forgive him his [sins. The vicar identified the hand
writing of the letters as being that of Cook.
M: Pearl, surgeon,
of Windsor, deposed,--I knew the
deceased, and attended his wife about four months ago. I
saw him last about 4 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, when he
was lying in bed. looking very pale. His beard was clotted
with blood, and his right shoulder and arm were covered
with blood, I saw his throat was cut,but the blood was con-

healed, and the beard partly covered it, so that I could not
see the extent of the wound. Ho was constantly vomiting
dark brown acid matter, and complaining of great pain. He
said, "For God's sake give me something to drink." I asked
him if he had taken vitriol, and he said, " Yes." I then
administered some remedies I thought proper. I went to the
infirmary with the eldest girl, and when I returned to the
cottage, about half-past 5, I found him worse, and asked
him when he cut his throat and the throat of his daughter
Agnes. He said he did it the night before below stairs, and
that they had heen bleeding and in pain all night. I then
asked him when he gave the children poison ? He said " I
never gave them any poison at all." Ho said it was the eld est
child gave it to them. I said I supposed it was by his direc-
tion, and ho made no reply. He said that when he cut the
second child's throat he thought he had worked himself up to
a pitch of madness. He gradually became worse, and died
about 7 o'clock. He appeared perfectly calm, and answered
every question in a rational manner. I made a post mortem
examination of the body of Cook, and found ho died from
the effect of some corrosive poison. Vitriol would exactly
produce the appearances that were found. The poison did
not interfer: with his intellect even at the last moments of
his life. I have made a post mortem examination of the
body of Agnes Josephine Cook, I examined the body ex-
ternally first, and found no stains on the skin or marks of
violence. The front of the body was quite green and be-
ginning to decompose rapidly. There were livid marks over
the rest of the body, which were post mortem changes. I
examined all the organs of both cavities separately, and
found no morbid appearance in any one of them. I after-
wards opened the head ; the vessels of the membranes of the
brain were very full of dark fluid blood. The brain itself
was in a healthy state, net congested, and there was no
effusion in any of the cavities. The stomach contained
some undigested food. There was no odour of poison of
any kind in the stomach, and therefore the poison which
the father took was not adMinistered to the child. There
was no odour of opium; the opium might have evaporated.
There was no natural cause to account for death, and from
all the attendant circumstances I am of opinion the child
died from the effects of poison. The bottles produced by
Inspector Reece smelt of opium. I should think the youngest
children were dead previous to Friday. The bodies were
well nourished. There was an abundance of fat in each body.
I have no doubt as to the cause of death of the eldest girl,
Mary Ann, from the external appearance of her body.

Lovell was recalled, and said he found two loaves and
other provisions in Cook's house.
The Coroner briefly addrdssed the jury, who deliberated
for about a quarter of an hour, and hen returned a verdict,
" That the deceased John Richard Cook destroyed himself
and his children by poison, but that there was no satisfac-
tory evidence to show the state of his mind at the time,"
The inquiry then terminated.

STATE OF TRADE.

DUNDEE, Oct. 4.--The market continues quiet in all de-
partments, but in consequence of the reported better feeling
in England a healthier tone is visible here to-day, and more
confidence exists among those engaged in the trade. Flax,
tow, and jute all remain dull and difficult to sell, excepting
at reduced prices. Yarns are in moderate request, but the
demand is still consumptive, and confined to the supply of
present wants. Prices are now more steady than last week
for all qualities. Orders are still given out to a fair extent
for some descriptions of linens, but the inquiry is not active
on the whole, although it is enough, with previous sales, to
keep the manufacturers fully employed. In prices there is
little change to note either in town or district made fabrics.

LEICESTER, sth.—The hosiery trade remains in a healthy
state, and during the past few days manufacturers have
been well employed. In the country districts business con-
tinues in a tolerably active condition. Yarns are without
material change in prices, and spinners are on the whole
pretty well employed. Wools are realising high rates,with a
quiet market. Stocks of hosiery and yarns are light.
NEWPORT (MONMOUTHSHIRE), 4th.—As was generally
expected in this district, the Staffordshire makers decided
at their meeting to retain the old scale of prices, and
the demand fully justified that course. The Monmouth.
shire makers continue to have their books full of orders,and
quotations are decidedly firm. The blowing out of furnaces
in Staffordshire, and the 1 urn-out there have no doubt caused
some improvement in the Welsh iron trade, but, indepen-
dent of this, the inquiry from the usual markets is upon the
whole good. The exports last week were a little over 3,000
tons. A brisk business is doing in steam coal, and the col-
Hers are, as a rule, on full time. Nearly 9,003 tons were
cleared for foreign ports for the week ending Ist inst. Red
Ash and other house qualities are in active demand, but the
:scarcity of coasting vessels causes a large decrease in ship-
ments. Tin plates remain without any alteration to rec)rd •
NOTTINGHAM, sth.—There has been very little doing in
lace goods during the last few days. The holding of the an•
nual October fair interferes with business at the lace ware-
houses, but irrespective of this trade is exceedingly dull. A
few small mechlin quilling orders aro in the market, but
the plain trade generally remains flat. Black silk laces and
narrow edgings are in less r( ques,. The hosiery trade con-
tinues depressed, with no immediate signs of improv,ment,
either as respects the home or shipping demand. Yarns
are unaltered in value.