The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-03 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, APRIL a 1839.

PUNISHMENT OF DEATH.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR—We are told there are punishments worse than
death, and this is probably true : doubtless there are
crimes worse than murder, and that with which the
wretched man, Thomas Musgrave, is charged, is one of
them. Now let the punishment of death be reserved
for murder only, if the punishment worse than death be
given to the crime which is worse than murder ; but
surely Fathers, Brothers, and Husbands, will throw
around weak woman the strongest of all possible pro-
tection, from the greatest of all possible injuries, that
compared with which, to a woman who feels as woman
should feel, death would be as nothing. The man who
has been convicted of such a crime should never again be
let loose on society.

THE CORN LAWS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sta,---Having during the last autumn made an ex-
tensive tour through Germany, I think it may not be
out of place briefly to state the view our neighbours of
that country take of the present Corn-laws of England,
For I believe that nations as well as individuals may
best arrive at a knowledge of themselves from the opi-
nions of others. The nature of our Corn-laws proved a
general topic of conversation in Germany, even among
persons not belonging to Vie commercial classes ; and
more than one gentleman of extensive information re-
marked, on hearing the current price of grain here, that
the English people must certainly be the most patient
in the world. " If," said one of these gentlemen, " the
Germans, so justly celebrated for their patient endur-
ance of many political wrongs, were to find that in con-
sequence of an internal law they were comp2llcd to pay
for their daily bread double the price which their nei4l-
- did, the whole population of the towLs would c T-
tainly rise in rebellion against it within a month." Tne in-
genious sophistry by which it is endeavoured to persuade
our suffering population that it is just, proper, and politic
that they should continue to pay a double [nice for bread
in order to swell the rent-rolls of a class previously wal-
lowing in wealth, seems to be quite unknown among
the honest-minded Germans, and no despotic Prince in
that country durst propose such an act of aristocratic
spoliation as the various Corn laws that have from time
to time been passed by both Lords and Commons in
constitutional and so called liberal England. Self-inter-
est is a fearful perverter of men's judgments, and it can-
not surely be much longer endured, that the landed
proprietors should be at liberty to fix an unjust and un-
reasonable price on the productions of the soil to the ruin
of all other classes of the community.

In the Courts of Common Law, I believe that vi
it-
nesses having an interest in a case are not even permit-
ted to give evidence concerning it. Jurymen having, er
being connected with others who have, an interest i❑ the
proceedings, are liable to he objected to. These are no
doubt wise regulations to guard against the weaknesses
of human nature; yet in direct contradiction to such self-
evident principles of justice, that most important ques-
tion of legislation which regards the supply of
food for the people, is left to the decision
of two tribunals, in one of which, nearly
every member either has, or thinks he has, a great per-
sonal interest in obtaining a monoporsine verdict, while
in the other, even at least two-thirds of the Members are
similarly circumstanced. It would he quite ac reason-
able, therefore, to expect the Members of the House of
Lords to commit physical suicide for the good of their
country, as that they should suffer a free trade in corn,
while believing that such a measure would materially
reduce their incomes. I believe it is an understood
point of delicacy in that house, that no Peer should
vote in the passing of any Private 8111, however unim-
portant, in which he has a pet sonal interest ; yet, on
the vital question of the Corn-laws, in which nearly
every Member is most deeply interested, such delicacy
is altogether disregarded. After it has been pretty ge-
nerally admitted that Committees of the House of Com-
mons decide on Election Petitions, not according to the
justice of the case, but according to political bias, it is
surely reasonable to desire that another tribunal, such
as a National Chamber of Commerce, should be esta-
blished for the settlement of a question involving so
deeply as the Corn-laws do, the prejudices—pecuniary
interests—of the Members of both Houses of Parlia-
ment.

Tne rapid increase of manufacturing establishments
on the Continent, more especially at Elberfelt, Crofelt,
and Dusseldorf, not forgetting Belgium, Switzerland, and
Saxony, has lately been sufficiently dwelt upon, and pos-
sessing as these quarters now do the advantage of equal
machinery, and paying little more than half the English
rates of wages, nothing short of a miracle can in the
present state of things enable British manufacturers
to sustain for any length of time a competition with
such establishments. While on board a steam-packet
on the Rhine, I happened to meet with an English gen-
tleman, who had recently removed his establishment
from England to Aix-la-Chapelle, for the purpose of
manufacturing an article which he stated to be in ex-
tensive use in Holland, as well as in some of the British
Colonies. This gentleman informed me that he found
he could manufacture the article in question at Aix-la-
Chapelle for just one-half of what it had usually cost
him to produce it in England. In answer to my ob-
jection. of a want of capital in Germany for extensive
operations, he stated that though money was not to be
found there in large masses, yet that Joint Stock Com-
panies were rapidly arising for the erection of mills and
manufactories ; and that there appeared no lack of
means to establish such concerns, as the profits on them
were well known to be high. I may further beg leave
to state, that after having taken an extensive view of
Germany, with an eye not unfamiliar with rural opera-
tions, I feel thoroughly satisfied that England is much
more in advance of that country in agricultural
than she is in manufacturing industry. The
drainage and enclosure of lands, a scientific rota-
tion of crops, or the use of the best descriptions of
agricultural implements, are in fact in Germany little
known or practised. It consequently results that the
agriculturists of England do not stand in need of any
protection against a system so inferior to their own,
whereas our manufacturers are competed against by the
best machinery which England or Belgium can pro-
duce, as well as by an infinitely cheaper labour market.
The interest of every class of the community (inclu-
sive of the farmers), appears on this question to be
directly opposed to the narrow and selfish views of the
landed proprietors ; nor is it.difficult to prove, as Earl
Fitzwiiliam has indeed already done, that even the re-
venue of this class is so dependent on commercial pros-
perity, that their interests, when maturely coneidered,
are in fact identical with those of the other classes.

No disinterested person could for a moment doubt
that the rent-roll of any landed estate in England
would be larger twenty years hence were the Corn-laws
now to be done away with, so as to enable the country
to maintain its manufacturing prosperity, than should
our commerce be permitted to die a lingering death
under their withering influence.
etoveerstabthliesh ausa
distoafnt arnesualrtg, ummaeynntotwhhaicvhe
ghooews-
meLreelsyt
much influence over the opinions of the present posses-
sors of landed property, it might also most readily be
shown, that supposing the rental of an estate to be re-
duced one-fourth by the annulment of the existing
Corn-laws, the reduction in the price of every article of
consumption which must immediately follow, could
scarcely fail to be so extensive that a gentleman with
such a reduced income would still possess an equal com-
mand over the substantial luxuries of life, and in addi-
tion to those he might also by the same means attain to
the luxury of a self-approving conscience, by knowing
that he no longer interrupted the prosperity of his
country, or entailed. Parliamentary starvation on his
fellow-subjects. It has been stated, and with such con-
dent assurance as to have deceived many persons, that
our agriculturists are doomed to bear a greater share of
public burdens than other classes of the British commu-
nity, requiring consequently a compensating protection
in return. The very reverse of this appears to me,
however, to be the case, as the agricultural classes live
'or the most part on the untaxed productions of their
own farms, while the coffers of the public treasury are
chiefly filled from the taxes levied on wine, beer, spirits,
tea, coffee, sugar, &c., which the town populations ha-
bitually connme. R. C.
Russell-square, March 21.

SPRING ASSIZES.

WESTERN CIRCUIT.—BoDmIN, MA RCM 30.
CROWN COURT.

John Williams, who was convicted yesterday of
robbing Miss Gregor of a large sum of money, was this
morning indicted for stealing 1041., the property of
John Gundry. To this indictment the prisoner pleaded
Guilty, and was sentenced for that offence to be trans-
ported for seven years; and for the offence of which he
was yesterday convicted he was sentenced to be trans-
ported for 15 years, to commence upon the expiration
of the seven years.

Edward Headdon was indicted for robbing Nicho-
las Davey, and also with wounding him, on the 15th of
December last.

Nicholas Davey—On Saturday, the 16th of Decem •
ber, I was at Liskeard. I received 20s. there. I left
at 1 1 o'clock, and fell in with two men ; we went on
the road together for three miles and a half. They
said they were going to Truro. I heard them whis-
pering together, when one of them, who is the prisoner,
struck me with his fist. They got me down and heat
rne, and I felt a hand in my pocket. I was almost
choked with blood ; my wrist was cut with a stone ; my
money was taken from me, and then they beat me very
cruelly. I have no doubt the prisoner is the man.
I afterwards pointed him out among a number of other
persons.

Mr. Baron GURNEY having summed up the whole of
:he evidence, the jury found the prisoner Guilty, and
udgment of death was recorded against him.

OXFORD CIR CUlT—Moirmourn, 111 A RCN 30.

THE QUEEN V. THOMAS DAVIS.

The prisoner was indicted for forging a check for
1201., purporting to be drawn by John Edmunds upon
,he West of England and South Wales District link.

Mr. Greaves conducted the prosecution, and Mr.
Cooke the defence.

The prisoner came to a public-house at Newport
called the Cross Keys, kept by John Lewis, and slept
there. He gave a check to Lewis to take care of,
and on the next day asked Mrs. Lewis to give it to her
husband to get cashed, requesting at the same time the
loan of four sovereigns, which however she refused. He
left the house, and was brought back by her husband.
The check was proved by Mr. Edmunds to be a for-
gery, and from the statement of the prisoner before
the Magistrate it. appeared that he had got the check
from his employer's book, and filled up the blanks
himself.

Mr. COOKE addressed the jury for the prisoner, but
they found him Guilty, and he was sentenced to two
years' imprisonment.

THE QUEEN V. JOHN RICH.

The prisoner was indicted for maliciously stab'jing
John Cookley.
On the Ist of December the prosecutor applied to
prisoner, who was standing at the end of an entry at
Newport, to give him some bread and cheese, which he
refused. Some angry words ensued, and blows were
struck by the prisoner, and by his father, who was also
assisted by his mother, she holding the prosecutor by
the hair. The prisoner then struck the prosecutor a
blow on the side with a knife which he had in his hand
cutting the bread and cheese. It penetrated near his
heart and injured his fungi, and he was almost killed.
The verdict of the Jury being Guilty, Mr. Justice
ER.SKINE sentenced the prisoner to two years' impri-
sonment, observing that this offence appeared to be
much increasing in this country, and it might become
necessary to resort to more severe punishments.

GREEN WICH PETTY SESSIONS

YESTERDAY.

CRIMES AND CRUELTIES AT GREENWICH FAIR.—
Thomas Hale, on the evidence of one of the officers of
the Society for the prevention of Cruelty to Animals,
was convicted of cruelty to a donkey; which he let out
for hire. Ordered to pay a fine of ss. and costs, and
in default of payment was committed for fourteen days
to the House of Correction.

Another driver was fined ss. and costs for beating a
poor worn-out donkey over the head and hocks with a
stick in a cruel manner.

JohnPlealan, a sailor, was committed to Ncwgate
to take his trial for stealing a cotton handkerchief,
value one penny, from the person of Philip Davies, of
No. 3, Sugar-loaf-court, City.

Thomas Nicholson was also committed for trial for
picking the pocket of a gentleman unknown of a white
pocket handkerchief, value a shilling.
Both the offences were committed in the fair.

A nuniber of boys were likewise committed for va-
rious terms of imprisonment for attempting to pick
pockets.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STREET.

A young man named James GI een, was brought be-
fore Sir P. ROE, and Mr. CHARLES THISSELTON, a
County Magistrate, by Ballard, the officer, charged with
fraudulently attempting to obtain a situation as footman
in the family of Mr. Houlditch, coach-maker, of Long
Acre, by means of a false character.
It appeared from the statement of Mr. Houlditch,
that having advertised for a servant, the prisoner called
on Tuesday last, offering himself for the situation, and
on questioning him if he could get a good character
from his last place, he said, he had lived with Mr. Kin-
neard of Cookham, in Berkshire, for two years and four
months, and with Major Wood of Littleton, for a like
period, the former of whom would be in town in a few
days, and could be seen. On the following morning,
the prisoner came again, saying, that Mr. Kinneard was
then at the Gloucester Coffee-house, Piccadilly, and
might be consulted, but on Mr. Houlditch going there,
he was met by the landlord, to whom he told his • busi-
ness, and by whom he was informed, that the person in
the Coffee-room, was a very gentlemanly man, who was
in the habit of giving false characters to servants, and
in all probability, if he hired the man who would be re-
commended by him, he would be swindled or robbed.
Mr. Houlditch, anxious to sift the imposition to the bot-
tom, was introduced to Kinneard, who was sitting at
his wine, and on telling the business he came upon, re-
ceived a most flattering character of the prisoner.
Having subsequently had an interview with the prisoner,
he went down to. Cookham, but although a very diligent
enquiry was made respecting Kinneard, no such person
was known there.

The prisoner said his late master had told him be for-
merly had lived in that part of the country.
Ballard proved, that the prisoner had told him, he
never knew Kinneard, but he met him by chance in a
public house in Oxford-street, when he offered to give
him a character.

The prisoner said his master had kept a booth at
races, and at one time had resided at the place he had
before mentioned.
Sir F. ltoE ordered him to be remanded, and the
officer to be dispatched to Cookham, to make diligent
inquiries into the circumstance.
An innocent-looking country Cornish lad, named
Thomas Merril, was yesterday brought before Sir F.
ROE and Mr. C. THISELTON, a county magistrate, by
Keys and Daniel Forrester, the Mansion-house officer,
charged with having in his possession a plate, which he
had caused to be engraved, for the purpose of forging
notes on the banking-house of Messrs. Tweedy, Wil-
lian-.s, and Co., of Truro, in the county of Cornwall.
Mr. Vallings conducted the prosecution, and a clerk
of Mr. Woekes appeared for the prisoner.
Frederick John Whiteman, an engraver, and journey-
man to his father, residingat 22, Princes-street, Soho,
stated that on Wednesday, the 20th of March, the
prisoner, who was a stranger to him, came to his fa-
ther's shop, to inquire for a person named Rawlins, an
engraver, and being told that no such person was known
there, he asked if bank-bills were done on the pre-
mises. He was told that they were, and he produced
a 5/. hank note on the Truro Bank, requiring to know
if one could be made like it. He was told that
a similar one could be made ; and he expressed
a wish that the stamp on the back part of the note
should be correctly done, as he would require three
thousand to be struck off immediately, but appearing
not to know the nature of the engraving, he was told
it would be impossible for them to be completed at the
moment, and he wished the entire to be perfected
in the course of the week if possible, or by Monday
evening in the following week. He then left the five
pound note produced after making some inquiries re-
specting the expense of the order. On being asked if
he required a fac-simile of the signature, he said, " Oh,
no, we shall do that ourselves." The next morning he
called to see how the work was getting on, when he
left the five pound note produced and ten shillings as a
deposit ; but before leaving the shop, he inquired the
expense he would be at, and upon being asked what he
was in the habit of paying, he said about Bs. a hundred.
On the next day he called again, and saw witness's
father, with whom he had a conversation upon the
subject.

John Henry Whiteman, father of the last witness,
recollected having received the note produced on the
day in question, with ten shillings as deposit money,
and on the next day the prisoner came to his
shop, when on hearing from his son that he was the per-
son who had given the order, he agreed to execute it,
but required an additional deposit of 5/., upon which
the prisoner gave four sovereigns and a half, saying that
would make it 5/., requesting that the order should be
perfected on the Monday following, as he wanted to
leave town on the same evening. The notes were ac-
cordingly promised by three o'clock, and he went away.
Informat;on of the circumstance was then given to th,
bankers' agents in Fieet-street, but before the prisoner
left the house he told witness that the stamp on the back
of the note was not legib:e enough to imitate, upon
which he said " I have brought you another, thinking
the one you have was not plain enough." He then
produced a note upon the Union Bank at Helstone, in
Cornwall, and on the following Saturday having called
again, he was shown the plate, which was not finished,
and he was told that the other plate was at the machine
rulers, and that another deposit of 10/. would be re.
quired for the printing, which he instantly paid in
cash. On proceedin.; in a cab to Piccadilly,
the prisoner told witness he was a clerk to the firm.

The plate produced was subsequently engraved, from
which about a dozen of notes were struck, and having
by appointment come again to the shop on the Tuesday
following, they were delivered to him with the plate,
with a promise that the remaining part of the 3,000
would be ready in the evening, and a short time after
he went away he was taken into custody.
Daniel Forrester proved having traced the prisoner,
with Keys from Princes-street to the White Bear-y
;n Pieeldilly, where they apprehend,.d him with the
plate and notes in his pos,e,sio;i ; and on being asked
who ho was, he said he was Mr. William's son.

Keys proved that he went to the prisoner's residence
in Cornwall, where he found a number of papers and
type, together with property which was identified by
Mr. Robert 'Fwee,iy, of Redruth, whose banking-house
had been burglariously entered in November last. He
also found a quantity of housebreaking implements on
the premises.

Mr. Tweedy proved that the prisoner had never
been authorized by him, or any of the firm, to pro-
cure the plate to be engraved for the purpose of stamp-
ing notes for his bank.

The prisoner declined making any defence, and, the
witnesses being bound over, he was fully committed for
trial.

QUEEN- S Q WIRE,

Mr. Daniel Ginger, proprietor of the Swan Hotel and
Tap, Bridge-street, Westminster, appeared upon a Po-
lice information charging him with wilfully and know-
ingly permitting anA suffering disorderly conduct in his
house.

Police Constable James Dodson, 155 A,.stated that
on 'rues:lay night, the 26th ult., about a quarter past
ten o'clock he was on duty in Bridge-court, when he
heard a noise proceeding from the Swan tap, and
around which a mob of persons was collected. He
went to the spot, looked in, and saw about a dozen
persons in front of the bar, two of them were fight-
ing, and the rest were making use of very had lan-
guage. While witness was looking on they became
quiet, and he then went round his beat, and meeting
Sergeant Adamson, he told him what he had wit-
nessed He returned again in a thort time, and the
disturbance was renewed with more violence than be-
fore, for all the persons present were fighting. Mrs.
Honey, the person serving at the bar, then called to
witness to quell it, but he refused, as it would have
been impossible for him singly to have quieted a
dozen or fifteen men. They continued fighting for about
twenty minutes, when some of the persons came out,
and the house became quiet. The persons fighting were
using sticks as well as their fists, and the majority of
them appeared io be gentlemen.
Sergeant Adamson, of the A division, corroborated
the major part. of the above testimony.
A Solicitor, who was engaged on the part of the de-
fendant, cross-examined both witnesses, but he elicited
nothing favourable to his client, in fact it was vice versa.
On the part of the defendant, Sarah Betts, a bold and
excessively insolent woman, was called ; she stated that
she was sister to Mrs. Honey, the nominal proprietrix
of the tap, and assisted her in her labours. Witness
said the disturbance arose out of some gentlemen com-
ing in and quarrelling among themselves.

Mr. WHITE asked if there was no one to attend to
the bu&ness besides herself and Mrs. Honey.
Witness—No, we always wait upon the gentlemen,
and we conduct the house very well.
Mr. WHITE—Then all I can say is, the sooner you
cease to do so the better it will be for the landlord.

Mr. WHITE and Mr. GREGORIE consulted together
for a few moments, when the former gentlemen made
some strong observations upon the general bad repute
•,f the Swan Tap, and observed, that the Louse would
not have had its license renewed the last licensing
but for Air. Ginger pledging himself that it should be
better conducted for the future. The complaints made
against this place were innumerable, and it had become
a pest to the neighbourhood in which it was situated.
Under these circumstances, he should inflict a fine of
51., and he could assure the defendant that the circum-
stances attending the case, would be forwarded to the
proper quarter.