The Sun.
London, England, 1839-09-02 00:00:00

R, PRESENTATION OF

CAMBRIDGE.

COMMITTAL FOR CORRUPT BRIBERY.-Our readers are
aware that the Tories have been detected in their corrupt
course, and that a Mr. Long was arrested last Friday
evenieo on a warrant charging him with bribing an elector
warned George Smith, to vote for Mr. Manners Sutton
the Conservative candidate for Cambridge. On Saturday
Long was brought up for examination before the Magis-
trates at Guildhall. The Mayor presided on the bench.
The principal evidence adduced was as follows :
G,..orge Smith being sworn, said—l reside in Hobson-
street ; my name is on the register, and I have voted at
teei or three former elections for Mr. Rice arid Mr. Pryme.
I know Mr. Long, who I believe works for Messrs. Swann.
The ai:ness, after stating that Mr. Long had called on
hiat severel Cm's, and ordered shoes, proceeded to state
that a few days back Mr. Long made a proposition to him
cc' • ,t'n ng the election . Mr. Long then said if I thought
well to vote for Mr. Sutton, he could make it worth my
while, by putting a few pounds into my pocket.
The witness said he called at Mr. Lorg's afterwards con-
e, r ,ing sines. Upon tbat occasion Mr. Long said, "If I
would vote for Mr. Marine sSu ton would put ten pot n
!socket." He asked what the shoes would he? I
said Mr . Loig s would he 7a. 6J., and his about 12s. 63.
tie eant that would be about a sovereign, and he would
g ye me nine sovereigns then, and when I took the shoes
home be would give m. aroth rto make ten. I said it was
a very pretty price for two pairs of shoes, and I said I
should like alt t of customers like it. Mr. Long said it
die n t signly to the poor man which way he voted—the
mom-y would be more benefit than ;le I said "V, ry
well Mr. Long, 3ou shall hear from me " He said he
coull pay the money then, but he would not. My wife
could go at any of his meal times and receive the money,
*act I should know nothing about it, and then it could not
be le;t,ety ; anal as to bribery, it was all a parcel of non-
sense. I sa.d Very well. I again had some wine, and
then went away.
Charlotte Smith, the wife of the last witness, was then
called, and deposed as follows :—I went to Mr. Long's
boo eon Wednesday last. Mr. Long put out a glass of
Win, and I took some. HQ said, You have come to me
f,,r sea e money, and I said Yes; my husband directed
me to de so lie s ,id You know whet it is for ? I re-
) d Why, mvihusband tell me it was something about
the, s.eeetion. lie said, Yes. He then put his hand into
les pock,:t and pulled cut therefrom nine sovereigns, and
told me to take them to my husband, they would be of
mu: e use to him than his vote, which was of no consequence
to e poor man. II laid the sovereigns on a book end
1 took 1.1:t ru up. He said he should probably be able to
put another pound or two in my way during the week,
Red et a future time a great deal more. He said tour
hest and knows cothing about it. I said No—he is gone to
ston. He said, Taat's a'l right. When my husband
cerne come at night I told him w hat had taken place ; I
yet the money into a drawer, awl my husband did not see
it till next day, when he marked it. I know Mr. W. Swann
and 3,1 r. Sutton. I did not see them on Wednesday at
cry house.

George Smith re.called—l directed my wife to go to
Lung's, hz.v:ng to receive some money, as stated by ter,
and I received nine sovereigns from him, which I marked,
riad delivered to Mr. Francis Eaden.
Crass-examined by Mr. LAWRENCE-Has lived in Cam-
bridge 13 years last May. This was the first time in his
hfe that he had had anything off_led to him in the shape of
brace for his vote, and he hoped it would be the last. That
ips would solemnly swear to. He had no offer whatever
from any party, or individual of any party. Told Mr. F.
F >den w hat Long had said to him. Communicated with
im iirectly. When Long first made the offer, went to Mr.
Eaden directly. Took very little time to consult his own
feelings. " I told him," said the witness, emphatically,
that if any nasty off:red me a bribe, I would do my utmost
tc briug it to light." Did not tell Long anything about his
horror of bribery. Kept all his horror to himse!f. Did not
tl:aw him on. " But if a man chcse to put his head into a
nrose, and then kick and draw it tighter, it was not his
fault." He marked the sovereigns with a fire. Was to
receive no money for appearing in this matter, nor no re.
vr:rd of any kind. Had no effer of the sort. Was to re-
. critic nothing. His com'ng forward was purely patriotic.
Would repeat his answer_ he was to receive no reward
v.-hatert r, but had no doubt he should get plenty of con-
t•nre ; that, however, he did not care a rush for. Had
n, t ta ked to anybody about not being prosecutor. Heard
lit n. ht Mr. IL Fu ter was to be prosecuted. Deli.
tae 'nee sovereigns to Mr. Francis Eaden yesterday
scorning. Mr. F. Eaden here produced the nine save-
n I the it less sr ore they were the same he re-
ceived from his wite. There were four marks on every so-
I vcreign.

Mr. L A WRENCE, for the prisoner, said he was sure the
Bench would look with extreme jealousy on a case like
this, a here a respectab'e man was charged r n the evidence
of a m,n and his wife, corroborated in no material point,
I and wi hout the possibility of bringing forward evidence to
rebut it. If, however, the Bench had no doubt on their
mirvis. in the present stage of the p: of eedings, he felt
confident he should be able to d ,Fr se the state-
nit,o,s la another place. But when it was considered that
ties prosecution was got up entirely for party pur_
roses, he was sure they would look at it with
Viet jt a', u y t deserved. The prisoner surrendered like
an honest n an, unconscious of wrong ; and thus upon the
unsupported evidence of the horror-stricken individual
► this man is to be convicted. It was most extraordinary
that t;“s man, who ought to have been the prosecutor,
kne tot ;ng about prosnu ion until ClEll lly told.
cout.nded, therefore, that there was no legal evidence
to cause them to commit the prisoner; it was impossible
, for Urn, from the na ure of the transaction, to call wit-
j ocasci, Us CliCtlt olity being parCceps crimisais, could not
corcz torn ard, and he should decline at present calling
vvi,ness,,s as to character, but leave the matter as it now
stood in the hands of the Magistrates.
The Rigistrates then retired, and after the lapse of
about ten minutes returned, when

The MIYOR said they had determined to commit the
prisoner to take his trial at the next Assizes for wilful and
corrupt bribery.
Oa thy' ;:pplication of Mr. Lawrence, the Magistrates
admitted thL! prisoner to bail, himself in 1001., and two
sureties in 2501. each.—[Subsequently, we • understood,
Cptt Mr. Swann and Mr. M. fleadly offered 40 become
al, and were accepted. Mr. Favell was applied to, but
declined.]
The same sureties were also bound over in the same
;mount for the prisoner to appear on another charge, on
Monday next, preferred by Mr. Marsh, watchmaker, Fitz-
toy-street.
The ease has caused a great sensation in the town.
Sir John M. Doyle has retired from the contest.

BURNING of the SAMSON STEAM
TUG-BOAT AT GRAVESEND.

Yesterday a tug-boat of forty-horse power, belonging
to the Thames Steam-boat Towing Company, and
called the Samson, was almost totally destroyed by
fire, which broke nut whilst the vessel was anchored ofl
the Rosherville Pier, at Gravesend, after having taken
down a large number of passengers in the morning. The
fire was first discovered by some of the stokers or fire-
men on board, who, on going down to the engine-room
for the purpose of making the necessary preparations
previous to the return of the boat to town with pas-
sengers, perceived a peculiarly offensive smell, which
excited their alarm. They immediately commenced
a search, and on coming upon deck discovered that the
part of the deck above the boiler was in flames, which
burst forth with uncontrollable fury on the admission
of air. The wind being in a southerly direction, the
whole of the after-deck was to a few moments completely
enveloped in flames, which, owing to the inflammalli
nature of the material which they encountered,
sT read with amazing rapidity. Not a moment was
lost in taking such measures as appeared best calcu-
lated to subdue the conflagration ; but there being
no buckets at hand, the captain's cabin, with the
whole of its contents (including the passage-money
which had been received during the voyage down),
was completely consumed. The alarm which pre-
vaiLd throughout the town of Gravesend, as the
intelligence of the conflagration spread, was most
intense, and in less than a quarter of an hour from
the time the fire broke out thousands of inhabitants
and visitors were rushing to the scene. From the
distance, however, a t which the vessel lay from the
shore it Wai impossible to render any aid in the way of
rescuing any of the property ; but the engineers and crew
ofa steam boat, celled the William Gunston,belonging to
the Shipowners' Towing Company, and commanded by a
bray intelligent, and active man (Capt. Murray), which
vv....s rimer d a short d stance off, lost no time in hasten•
in; to ihe rescue and assistance of their less fortunate
snip m tee. With this assistance Captain Pickering (a
st. a ly and able seaman), the commander of the Samson,
as.d crew were enabled to bring the burning vessel
nea:Cr to the shore, where a number of holes having
been Fo cu in the sides and bottom, she soon after sunk.
Pre i ,us to seuttli ;g, it was beyond human possibility
co :ure:t the progress of the flame!, red if th:s extreme
Tvea,ar, had not been carried into effect, the whole of
vessel must have been burned to the very water's
egg°.Had this calamitous occurrence taken place
64. r;
-lg. the voyage, there is no calculating
disanrous results might what
state of the decks,
with
a the
ensued. The crowded
cilibiror, and the sudd large number of females and
h ;1'.3 rendered the lio:hseofif:n.
suddenness of the catastrophe, must,
e
immense. number of lives
lm-st iucvitable.
n.,ted coLsequenee of
some
understood to has e origt-
pLiced
on
tbmeetoold ropes and chips,
whiala had been
of. the boiler for the
purpose of 'icing dried, having ignited. There • no
b!aure' attached to the Captain or any of the crew, as it
a
i; quite a common occurrence, although
daogerous
one, and one which should in future be avoided, to
place wet materials on the boiler for the purpose
drying them. Too much praise cannot be given to
(;,plain Murray and his crew, who belong to a rival
1.11,y Co;;;, fur the prompt and efficient services whieh
. •
they • rccdered on the occasian. This is, we believe,
a,e third case ofsteam-boat burning which has occturred
,!urin,,-; the past week.

Fl RE AND Loss of LlFE.—This morning
b tween two and three o'clock, a most awful destruction of
life and property took place in the house, No. 59, London-
stre, t, Fitzroy-square. The flames spread so rapidly that
in less than a quarter of an hour the rooms of every floor in
tie house %sere on fire. The fire escape from the Society's
station was brought immediately on the men receiving the
infcrmat ion of the calamity, but it appeared that the inmates
had, the exception cf Mrs. Merrick, who, we regret
to_ sly, has fallen a victim, escaped to neighbouring houses.
By totlf-past two, the Faningdon-4treet, together with the
Weit of England and many other enginea, had been got to
xorl:, but notwithstanding the
rained, the film:tare, building,°good apply of water ob •
firemen arc actively &c., were aestroyed. The
engaged cooling the ruins, t) enable
them to find the remains of the unfortunate sufferer.