The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 21, 1863.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

MANSION-HOUSE.

WATCH ROBBERY,—Three men named Farrell, Okes,
and Walburn, were placed at the bar charged with stealing
a watch.

Mr. Pagani said he was a clerk residing in Camden-road.
Two or three days ago was going to his office in Thread-
needle-street when he felt himself hustled by a number of
young men, and in a few moments after he saw his watchin
the hand of Okes. He took hold of him and charged him
with the robbery, when he immediately passed the watch to
one of the other prisoners who ran away. Okes was held
until a police constable arrived, and the next time he saw
the other prisoners when they were in custody in the sta-
tion house. He had not recovered his watch.
A young man who was near the spot said he saw the other
two men ran away with the prosecutor's watch. He fol-
lowed Farrell, and charged him with having got the stolen
property, which he denied, but he instantly handed the
watch to Walburn, who walked off very quickly. He con-
tinued to follow the man till he saw a police-constable,
whom he told of the occurrence, and he was taken into cus-
tody.
Two police constables proved the capture of Farrell and
Walburn, both of whom, on being confronted with Okes,
denied all knowledge of both him and the robbery.

On being asked what they had to say in answer to the
charge,

Okes said he took the watch, and the other men knew
nothing about the robbery. .
The police-constables both said, before the robbery was
committed, all three prisoners were seen walking and talk-
ing together.

The Lord Mayor committed all three prisoners for trial.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

THE OUTCASTS IN THE PARKS. Two WOMEN
CHARGED WITH SLEEPING IN THE OPEN AIR IN HYDE-
!ARK.-Two females of most deplorable appearance, named
Florence D'Esterre and Margaret Chick, were charged be-
fore Mr. Knox with sleeping in the open air in Hyde-park.
The women are two of a number of poor creatures who
nightly sleep in Hyde-park, many of them being in a most
loathsome condition.

Newman, a constable of the A division, said that while
on duty last night in Hyde-park he saw the two women
lying under a tree asleep, and be then took them into
custody, having on former occasions turned them out of a
shed belonging to the Royal Humane Society.
Mr. Knox asked whether the practice was as bad as
ever ?

Sergeant Wm. Savage, 5 A, said it was not quite so bad.
He had known the women for five or six months past as
frequenting the parks, and saw them last night lying under
a tree. On asking one of them why she did not go to the
union she became very insolent.

Mr. Knox committed the women for a month each.
Many of the females sleeping in the shed abovo alluded
to—though unfortunates—are not above 15 years of age.
UTTERING A FALSE CHEQUE,---John Hetherington, a
tall, well-dressed man, of 2, Stamford-villas, Page-green,
Tottenham, was charged before Mr. Knox, with uttering a
false cheque to Mr. George Barker, livery stable-keeper, of
4, Portland-mews, with intent to defraud him of the sum
of £9 15s.

Mr. Barker said that on Monday last, the prisoner, in
payment of a sum of £9 15s. which he owed him, handed
him a cheque on Sir Samuel Scott's Bank. Cavendish-
square, for the sum of £2B, stating that he would call for
the balance the nest day. On presenting the cheque the
clerk handed it to him back with an endorsement on it.

Inspector Bowler, A division, said the prisoner told him
he received the cheque in payment of a horse he had sold
to a gentleman, the horse having stood in Mr. Barker's
stable for weeks. He said the reason why he did not call
for the change was because he was engaged at Clapham.
Mr. Knox said it was a strange charge of fraud, as the
prisoner had not defrauded the prosecutor of one penny, as
the debt owing to prosecutor still remained, and the pro-
secutor had time to go to the bank, so ;that he had an
opportunity of seeing whether the cheque was genuine.
The prisoner was allowed to go on entering into his own
recognisance, he promising that he would try and find out
the gentleman he received the cheque from.

The Extraordinary Escape of a Convict from

Millbank Prison.

I The particulars that we learn with regard to the
man whose escape from Millbank Prison has already
been briefly stated are as follow :—He has essayed
to obtain his liberty on nearly a dozen other occa-
sions ; his name is Martin Sheen, aged 28, though
he looks somewhat older. He is five feet six inches
in height, of fair complexion, with iron-grey hair,
and hazel eyes. lie is somewhat inclined to be
stout, and is, indeed, very stoutly built. His nose
and right hand are broken. He is a surgeon by
profession, and he was sentenced to 10 years' penal
servitude for forgery, about 18 months ago, at the
Central Criminal Court. It appears that after his
conviction, as above stated, he was removed to
Pentenville, where he made certainly one if
not more attempts to escape, but was frustrated
in his endeavours, and removed from thence to
the Penitentiary, at Millbank, for more sate cus-
tody. With a knowledge of his antecedents he
was there placed in what is called the penal class,
being the worst class of prisoners, and during the
time he has been at Millbank he has made nearly a
dozen attempts to escape. On one occasion, indeed,
he had nearly accomplished his purpose, having
got out of his cell unperceived and reached the roof
of the prison, when he was detected, and for some
time after kept heavily ironed. On that occasion
he had in his possession a large knife, and it re-
mains a mystery to the present day how he became
possessed of such a formidable weapon, as it was not
one of the knives in use in the prison. Moreover,
the convict had, at that time, been in the prison
for some months, and, according to the regulations,
had been regularly searched and stripped twice
in each week, the cell examined twice every day,
and a search also made, when he went out for
exercise in the care of a warder, and also when he
came in ; each prisoner, as it appears, going out
separately, with a warder in charge. It would seem
from this almost impossible for any one of the pri-
soners to obtain possession of such a weapon as the
knife referred to, or to keep possession of it if ob-
tained, unless with the connivance of some one in-
side the prison. The escape just made seems to have
been effected in this manner, and certainly immense
ingenuity and fearlessness must have been exercised
in the attempt which proved so successful. The
windows of the prisoners' cells are about 38 feet
high, and it seems that by some means, that cannot
be ascertained, he managed to remove a number of
bricks from one of the corners of the cell, making
a hole large enough for him to get his body
through. Ho must previously have provided him-
self with a rope, made of the cocoa-nut fibre, and
which probably he had somehow gotten from the
matting in the chapel. At the end of this rope
was a hook, fashioned out of the wire by which the
tin drinking mugs are fastened round the rim, and
which doubtless he had secreted at his dinner time
on the day of his escape. By the aid of this rope,
having got through the aperture he had made in
the corner of his cell, he lowered himself down on
to the roof of a building called the general ward,
it being about 12 feet down. The roof of this
building is partially of glass, the building itself
being used as a Catholic chapel, and capable
of holding from 280 to 300 prisoners. Having
got into this ward, through one of the sky-
lights, the convict possessed himself of a piece of
board, forming one of the tables, and also took all
the sash lines of the windows, and with these
things returned to his cell by means of his coir rope
through the aperture. Out of the piece of board
he made a sort of platform hardly large enough to
stand upon—indeed, as the informant of our re-
porter observed, " His neck upon that thing was
not a halfpenny purchase." Coming out of his
cell again he made use of the coir rope by throwing
the knob end of it up to the gutter, having pre-
viously somehow made a small bag of sand to give
weight so that he might throw it up as noiselessly
as possible. The sand he probably procured
from the allowance made for cleaning out the cells.
The hook becoming fast to the gutter, the convict
must have pulled himself up by the coir rope, tak-
ing the sash lines with him fastened together. By
that means he got on to the roof of the main
building, and, fastening the sash line round one
of the chimneys, lowered himself down into the
garden. Safely there he made for the boundary
wail, which is from 20 to 25 feet high, and again
making use of the coir rope, with the hook and sand-
bag, reached the top of the wall, let himself down
on the other side, and left the coir rope hanging
there behind him. He had then only to cross the
vacant piece of ground outside the building, get over
some iron railings, and as he undoubtedly did, make
his escape. This daring escape of another Jack
Sheppard was from E ward, in No. 5 hexagon, the
one that faces towards Ponsonby-place, and forcool-
ness of execution and determination has hardly
been surpassed, It is almost needless to say that
the utmost vigilance is being shown to effect the
recapture of the convict ; but as he is not known as
a regular offender, of course the difficulty of recog- '
nition becomes increased.

Catholic Chaplains for Gaols.

At the Barks Michaelmas Sessions, at Abing-
don, on Monday, the subject of appointing a
Catholic chaplain to the gaol at Reading was
brought under the consideration of the Court. Had
it been generally known that an application of that
kind was intended to be made no doubt there wculd
have been a very large attendance of magistrates.
As the agenda paper did not indicate anything
beyond the ordinary routine business to be trans-
acted, there were only little above 20 present.
Viscount Barrington presided, and there were on
the bench Lord Overstone, Sir Warwick Morehead,
the Hon. P. P. Bouverie, Mr. J. Walter,
M.P., Mr. Benyon, M.P., Mr. J. T. Norris, M.P.,
Colonel Loyd-Lindsay, Mr. Gibson, Mr. Bros, Mr.
Merry, &c.

The annual report by the chaplain of Reading
Gaol was read to the court, setting forth the num-
ber of prisoners under his spiritual charge during
the past year, the degree of education of each,
their religious belief, and other matters on which
the chaplain is once in every year required to
furnish information. The prisoners admitted into
the gaol for that period were stated to have been
nearly 800, of which number there were 46 males
and 5 females who were Catholics. After this report
had been read,

Mr. GIBsoN rose and said the Rev. Canon Ring-
rose had spoken to him to apply to the Court to
grant him permission to visit those prisoners in
Reading Gaol belonging to the Catholic per-
suasion who did not send for him. He believed
that Canon Ringrose was a man who might be
trusted with this permission. It was only the
best of Catholic prisoners that would send for him ;
the very worst had exhibited an utter indifference
about receiving spiritual instruction.

The CHAIRMAN inquired whether the rules of
the gaol were against it.

Mr, GissoN replied, not that he was aware of.
Mr. MERRY, a visiting justice, said he thought
there would be considerable difficulty in the
matter, because, by the prison regulations, any
prisoner wishing to see the minister of his own
religious persuasion had a right to the privilege
on asking for it. Upon such an application being
made the Catholic priest, or ether minister,
whoever it was that was desired, was sent for.
practically, they found prisoners professing
themselves to be this or the other, contrary to the
Church of England, simply for the purpose of shirk-
ing going to chapel. He did not think that the
Court had grounds enough to say that the prisoners
were entitled to be visited either by a Roman
Catholic priest or minister of any religious denomi-
nation without asking for it. If a prisoner asked for
the privilege, it was conceded to him instantly.
When it was said that it was only the better class
of Catholic prisoners that desired to see the priest,
be would just remark that they were the persons
who least needed a priest. It was the worst that
stood in need of spiritual instruction. He thought
there would be great difficulty in the Court giving
general sanction to a Catholic priest or minister of
any religious denomination, to visit the gaol when
prisoners did not express a desire to see such priest
or minister.

Mr. GosoN said it was the very worst of Catholic
prisoners who did not send for a priest, and that
was the very class that Canon Ringrose wished to
visit.

Air. Noßms, M.P., said he should like to know
how many prisoners there had been of the
Catholic faith in gaol at any one time, which would
enable
the Court to arrive at something like a judg-
meet on the matter. The Act of last Session gave
the Court power to appoint a Catholic chaplain to
visit prisoners of that persuasion, and to pay him
for
might render. He should like
to know,
beforeheevoted on the question, whether
servicesßingrose
t
h
Canon
Catholic prisoners.
anticipated being paid for visiting
(Hear, hear.)
yr, GIBSON replied, he was perfectly satisfied
that Canon Ringrose would have stated it to him if
he expected to be remunerated for his visits to
prisoners of that persuasion. He believed that his
cervices would be entirely voluntary.
The CHAIRMAN-If Mr. Ringrose expected to be
paid, the application could not then be entertained,
elmotion involving an expenditure of
county se any
money
must have notice given.
Mr, WALTER, M.P., said, according to Mr.
Merry's
own statement of the ease, Mr. Ringrose
ought
to have this privilege granted to him. It ap-
bee
pared that if a prisoner stated he was not a mem-
ber of the Church of England he was exempted from
being
in visited by the chaplain ; therefore he was
the position of having no one to visit him.
He apprehended that the law never intended a pri-
soner
should be left without religious instruction ;
and if a man professed to be a Catholic—which he
placed
was not likely to do without its being the case—he
ought to receive the visits of some Catholic priest,
whether he was sent for or not, or he was in the
absurd position of not Only not being visited by a
Catholic priest, but visited by no one. It was the
intention of the Act of last Session that greater
religious
that
privileges should be enjoyed by prisoners,
a
they should be visited by some one, whe-
ther sent for or not.
Mr. BRos referred to the Act of Parliament, and
said this was a matter within the province of the
visiting justices of the gaol ; for if they knew of
Catholic prisoners being there they could send for a
priest without being requested to do so ; and then
if the Court cf Quarter Sessions found the number
of prisoners there to be sufficient to require it, they
would appoint a Catholic chaplain. At present
Canon Ringrose could make his application to the
visiting justices, and in their discretion they could
deal with it.
Mr. GIBSON said it would then be necessary for
him to give notice of motion for the next sessions.
The CITAIRmAN—It could only be done in that
way.
Sir W. MORSHEAD thought this would lead to
very great inconvenience, as they would then have
two chaplains in the gaol—a Protestant and a
Catholic, and, admitting a Catholic priest to give
instruction gratuitously, they would have no con.
trol over him. This muat lead to a state of things
far from agreeable.

Mr. NoRRIs, MT., said when this bill was
under discussion in the House of Commons he ven-
tured to express an opinion that it would in its
operation be found to be obnoxious, and sometimes
offensive. If they appointed a Catholic Chaplain
and paid him a salary, upon what principle could
they say they would not pay a Dissenting minister
to attend to prisoners who belonged to some dis-
senting persuasion ? (Hear, hear.)
The Clerk of the Peace said it would be for the
next Court of Quarter Sessions to consider whether
(as stated by the Act of Parliament) the number of
Catholic prisoners was so large as to justify the
appointment of a Catholic chaplain.

Mr. GIBSON was sure that the idea of remunera-
tion never entered the mind of Canon Ringrose.
He wanted to know what answer he was to return
to him. Was he to be allowed to visit the gaol ?
Mr. MERRY said no application had been made
to the visiting justices, but he would state that, in
the event of Canon Ringrose applying
for such per-
mission, his character was such as to entitle him to
every possible respect, however much they might
differ from him. With respect to prisoners pro-
fessing to differ from the Church of England, he
wished to mention the case of a man who alleged
that he did not belong to the Church simply because
he wished to be exempted from attending the ser-
vices in the chapel. He was confined in a cell on
account of being refractory, and was handcuffed.
timehavethe de-
voted to service in grinding his handcuffs
stones of his cell, and in a short time he Would
succeeded in getting rid of his handcuffs, and this
done he would have endeavoured to make himself
free of the gaol.

The Hon, P. P. BOVVERIE, 111. P., asked how
many out of the 50 Catholic prisoners had applied
for Canon Ringrose.

Mr. GIBSON replied, not more than six, and that
during the whole year.
The Gaoler (Mr. Ferry), in answer to a question,
stated that there were now about four Catholic
prisoners in Reading Gaol.
The lion. P. P. BouvEurE, M.P., said, notwith-
standing the liberality of Canon Ringrose, he thought
it right that he should be paid a salary, however

small, as it would give them a control over him
which they would not otherwise have. (Hear.)
Mr. BROS said the visiting justices might, if they
thought proper, apply to Canon Ringrose to attend
upon Catholic prisoners.

Sir W. MoRsrtEAD said the visiting• justices
would ask Canon Ringrose, if any of the prisoners
in formed them that they wanted to have his spiritual
advice.

Mr. MERRY said he thought it Was very
impro-
per that this matter should have been brought be-
fore the Court without any mention being made to
the visiting justices. .

Lord BARRINGTON (the chairman)--Nothing had
been done. The question had only been ventilated.
(A laugh.)
The subject then dropped.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

LINCOLN AUTUMN MEETING—TtEsDAT.

The rain, which commenced early in the morning, hav-
ing subsided before noon, the Steeplechase-day drew
together a more numerous company than upon the opening
day. The racing throughout was very good, the finish for
the Grand National Autumn Steeplechase being especially
close and interesting ; and the head victory obtained by
Reporter, an American (imported horse, was hailed with
vociferous cheering from the bootmakers. Subjoined are
the details of the running :

The Lindum Nursery Handicap Plate of 100 sovs, for two.
yr-olds ; winners extra. 6 furlongs.
Mr W. W. Baker's Land of the West, 7st 91b

ghtingall) 1
Mr Jno. Osborne's Fauconberg, 7st 91b (J. i
(qiWhiteley) 2
Sir Geo. Strickland's Lyra, Bst 21b (inc. 31b extra)
(H. Grimshaw) 3
Mr. Walter's Ess Bouquet, 7st (T. French) 4
The following also ran :—Bangle, Jane Shore, The
Tyke, Chalybeate, and Secret Treasure filly.
Betting-5 to 4on Land of the West, 4to 1 agst Chaly-
beate, 5 to 1 agst Fauconberg, 6 to 1 agst The Tyke.
After one failure the lot got well away, excepting Lyra,
who jumped slightly round, and lost several lengths start.
Land of the West waited upon Chalybeate and Bangle un-
til getting into the straight, where the favourite came
away, and won in a canter by two lengths ; a length sepa-
rated the second and third, and Ess Bouquet finished five
lengths in rear of Lyra. Chalybeate was fifth, Bangle
sixth, the Secret Treasure filly seventh, The Tyke eighth,
and Jane Shore last.

The Witham Handicap of 5 soya each, with 40 added, for
all ages; winners extra. One mile.

Mr C. Peck's Bernice, 6 yrs, Bst 4lb .... (E. Harrison) 1
Mr W. Reeves's Topsy, 3 yrs, 7st 2lb (T. French) 2
Mr Astley's Quicksand, 3 yrs, 6st 61b.... (J. Grimshaw) 3
Mr H. Marsh's Margery, 4 yrs, Bst ....(11, Grimshaw) 4
Mr Saxon's Dan Dawson (late Formidable), 3 yrs,
6st 10Ib (Lightfoot) 0

Betting-11 to 8 on Topsy, 5 to 2 agst Quicksand, 4 to 1
agst Bernice.
Bernice had a slight lead of the favourite throughout, and
won by a short neck ; four lengths separated the second and
third, and a head divided the third and fourth ; Dan Daw-
son did not pass the post.
The Consolation Scramble (Handicap) of 3 sovs each,
with 20 added, for all ages; winners extra. Six furlongs.
9 subs.

Mr T. Bancraft's Cronstadt, 5 yrs, 7st (T. French) 1
Mr J. Osborne's Maid of the Mist, aged, Bst 51b
(Whiteley) 2
Mr F. Rowland's Doncaster, 6 yrs,Bst 121b(H.Grimshaw) 3
Mr T. Cooper's Lady Bird, 5 yrs, 7st 61b(Jas.Nightingall) 4
The following also ran :—Grainthorpe, Key of the Gate,
and The Sapper.
Betting-6 to son Doncaster, sto 1 agst Ladybird, 7to 1
each agst Cronstadt and Key of the Gate.
Ladybird and Cronstadt in close company, followed by
Maid of the Mist, made play, Doncaster and The Sapper
getting badly off, There was no alteration with the leaders
until they reached the half•distance, where Ladybird
dropped back, and Cronstadt, who was left with the lead,
won by a length ; a head separated the second and third,
and a similar distance divided the third and fourth ; Key of
the Gate was fifth, The Sapper sixth, and Grainthorpe
seventh.

Her Majesty's Plate of 100 guineas, for 3-yr-olds and up-

wards. Two miles.

Mr W. I'Anson's Caller Ou, 6 yrs, 9st 111 b.. (Challoner) 1
Mr S. Thellusson's Bally Edmond, 6 yrs, 9st 111 b
___ . _

.(Fordham) 2
Mr Bank's Woodford, 4 yrs, 9st 71b (Owner) 3
Betting-5 to 4on Caller Ou, 11 to 8 agst Bally Ed-
mond.

The latter went away with a long lead, but Caller Ou,
who lay off, drew towards the leader coming round the turn
into the straight, headed him at the half-distance, and won
by half a length; Woodford was team above 100 yards.
The Innkeepers' Selling Stakes of 5 soya each, with 25
added, for all ages; selling allowances. One mile.

4 subs.
Mr J. Osborne's Weatherden's dam colt, 2 yrs (£2O), 6st

. _ . ..
(Carroll) 1
Duke of St, Albans' Chalybeate, 2 yrs (£29) sst lllb , _

(J. Grimahaw) 2
Mr Thellusson's Dirt Cheap, 3 yrs (£4O), Bst ]lb
(Fordham) 3
Mr Kempson's Hilly Grove, 3 yrs (£29), 7st 91b
(H. Grimahaw) 4
Batting-6 to 5 agst the General Williams colt, 2to 1
agst Chalybeate, 4 to 1 agst Dirt Cheap.
The favourite made all the running, and won cleverly by
a neck ; Dirt Cheap was a bad third. The winner was
bought by Mr C. Rayner for 55 guineas, and John Osborne,
jun., claimed Dirt Cheap for Mr C. Peck.
The Great National Autumn Steeplechase (Handicap) of 10
sous each, 5 ft, and only 3 if declared, with 80 added ;

winners extra. About four miles. 17 subs.
Mr J. Fiddiman's Reporter (bred in America), 4 yrs,
Oat 71b
Mr Calthorpe's Socks, aged, 10et 31b .... (Mr Goodman) 2
Mr H. Melville's Mary Ann, aged, list llb (inc 101 b ex)
(G. Stevens) 3
Mr Simpson's Rarey, aged, lOst 51b.... (Mr J. Hopper) 4
Mr Wright ns Bridegroom, (h b), aged, lOst 51b
(Mr G. Walker) 5
Mr A. Dunhill's Endor Witch, aged, 9st 51b
(G. Waddington) 6
Mr F. Rowland's Medora, aged, 12st 101 b (inc 101 b ex)
(Owner) 7

Yaller Gal also ran.
Betting-7 to 4 agst Mary Ann, 2to 1 aget Socks, sto 1
agst Yaller Gal, 6 to 1 agst Medora, 8 to 1 agst Reporter,
i 0 to 1 each agst Rarey and Endor Witch.
Rarey and Socks alternately held the load for a mile,
when Socks took up the running and held a commanding
lead until arriving in the course after coming out of the
meadows, where Reporter rapidly approached Socks, and
a beautiful raze with the two ended in the victory of
Reporter by a head ; Mary Ann was beaten six lengths
from Socks, and the others straggled ins Medora walking
past the post. Yaller Gal walked in with the crowd.
TUE DISPUTED lIITRALE RACE AT LINCOIN.—The com-
plaint for foul riding lodged against Mr G. Walker,
Hurdle. Race on Het•
who
won the Rifle Volunteer handicap
man at Lincoln, on DlondaY, was yesterday decided. The
Earl of Yarborough and Air heneage (the latter represent.
ing the other stewards) hoard evidence in support of the
objection, and afterwards awarded the race to Hetman, who
came in first.