The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-23 00:00:00

AVALBROOK.

Mr. Alderman J. C. Lawrence presided. The fol-
lowing gentlemen were unanimously re-elected to
serve as common councilmen :—Mr. Fry (deputy),
Mr. Pellatt, Mr. Rowley, Mr. C. W. Murrell, Mr.
Lintott, and Mr. Cotton.

OU7B.REAK AMONG CaNVIC7S AT

PERTH.

Oa Sunday forenoon, during the time of public
worship, an alarm was raised throughout the city
of Perth to the effect that the convicts in the gene-
ral prison at Friarton had overpowered the warders,
and that many of them had made their escape. The
truth of the alarm was apparently confirmed by the
circumstances of a detachment of the 25th Regiment
marching quickly with fixed bayonets through the
South Inch, in the direction of the general prison,
and a body of city police being conveyed thither in
cabs. The excitement in town was intense, but it
was much allayed when the actual state of matters,
though sufficiently serious, was ascertained. The
circumstances under which the outbreak commenced
are as follows :—The female convicts, about 300 in
number, assembled in the chapel of the prison on
Sunday forenoon, as usual, to engage in public wor-
ship, but the chaplain had not proceeded far with
the service when the convicts, in a most excited
state, commenced shouting, making discordant
noises, and defying the female warders. One of the
latter was knocked down, much abused, and even-
tually carried out in a state of insensibility. The
scene of disorder which the chapel presented was
one which. baffles description. On the male officials
being apprised of the outbreak among the female
convicts, the former promptly hastened to the cha-
pel, from which all egress was strictly prohibited.
As the female warders had lost all control over the
female convicts, who, with increased rage and ener-
gy, uttered most dreadful yells, it was resolved by
the head male officials present to fire several shots
from revolvers over the heads of the women. This
being continued for some time, had the desired effect
of quieting them in a great degree, until at last
they were completely subdued. At the same time
great fears were entertained of an outbreak among
the male convicts, many of whom, it had been learned
on Saturday, were in possession of keys wherewith
to open their cells and accordingly it was resolved
to call in the assistance of the Perth city police and
the military in Perth barracks. On being apprised
of the outbreak, Mr. Welsh, superintendent of the
city police, repaired with a large body of constables
to the general prison, armed with swords, batonr,
and cutlasses. The city police were conveyed to the
general prison in cabs, and under the superinten-
dent rendered most efficient service. A detachment
of the 25th Regiment was also promptly on the
spot. With the assistance of the military and police
the female convicts were conveyed one by one from
the chapel to their cells, and by 2 o'clock in the
things within the walls of the general pri-
ed their ordinary quietness. There
sa
of
nt e rhnaodo nassumed
shui
mn
was no movement among or attempt at an outbreak
by the male convicts, but it was considered neces •
sary to keep the military and
police on duty within
the prison the whole of last night. There is every
reason to believe that the insubordination of the wo-
men in the chapel on Sunday was part of a precon-
certed scheme to enable the male convicts to ever-
throw their keepers, and set all the convicts, both
male and female, at hberty.—Scotsnian.

THE UNION ASSESSMENTS ACT, 1862.—1 n order
to arrive at a uniform rule in carrying out the provisions of
this Act, the representatives of the whole of the Unions in
Devonshire recently appointed by the several Boards of
Guardians were invited to meet at Exeter under the presi-
dency of the Earl of Devon, to fix on the principles to be
adopted. Of the 18 Unions in the county only two were
unrepresented, and among the gentlemen present were Lord
Fortescue, Sir J. Kennaway, Sir J. Duckworth, the Hon.
W. W. Addington, Mr. S. T. iiekewich, M.P., Mr. J.W.
Buller, M.P., Revs. J. Huyshe, J, P. Sydenham, and F.
Cooper. A discussion on the several points arose which
occupied upwards of four hours, the result being that the
following resolutions were agreed to, and on Tuesday last
issued to the overseers of every parish:—" That iris desir-
able, as far as possible, not only to secure a uniform and
correct valuation of parishes in any particular Union, lint
that the same principle should bo the guide in every Union
throughout the county ; so that when the valuation is com-
pleted, not only will the assessment thus established be the
assessment for Poor-law purposes, but will be likely to
afford a true and correct basis on which all other county
charges may be estimated." " That, inasmuch as existing
rent is not a certain criterion of value, it behoves overseers
to revise their respective rates with reference to present
value at which the several hereditaments in their respective
parishes might reasonably be expected to let from year to
year, free of tenant's rates and taxes and tithe commutation
rentcharge, if any; and to this end they are recommended,
with consent of vestry, to call to their aid a fair representa-
tion of the ratepayers, and to avoid as far as possible the
necessity for professional valuations." " That the gross
estimated rental shall be the rent which the hereditaments
might reasonably be expected to realise from year to year,
the tenant undertaking to pay the usual rates and taxes,
and tithe rentcharge, if any." " That, in order to ascertain
the rateable value, deductions from the gross estimated
rental, as defined in the last resolution, be made for repairs,
insurance, and other expenses necessary to maintain the
property in a state in which it will command such rent."
" That under ordinary circumstances, and unless spacial
cause be shown to the contrary, such deductions bo made
on the following principles,—viz., 1. For land, without
buildings, 21 per cent. 2. For farms, including houses and
buildings, not exceeding 121 per cent. 3. For houses,
where the rental exceeds £6 a year, from 15 to 25 per cent.
4, For cottage property, where the rental does not exceed
£6 a year, not exceeding one-third of the gross estimated
rental."

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chiefest blessing, and these are secured to them by these
noble medicaments, which are available at all ages. They
remove all impurities from the system, by correcting and
purifying the blood, and their curative powers display them-
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young, the middle-aged, and the old, in every country,
while their cheapness Places them within the reach of all,

THE ATTEMPTED WIFE MURDE.R IN
THE EDGWARE-.ROAD.

At the Marylebone Police-court yesterday, Jas.
Wadden, the barber, was again brought up on re-
mand, charged with attempting to murder his wife
by cutting her throat at a coffee-shop, No. 3, New-
Church-street, Edgware-road. He was also fur-
ther charged with bigamy.
Mr. Lewis, sen., of Ely-place, appeared to pro-
secute. The prisoner was undefended.
The court was crowded to excess ; the more cape-
cislly as it had become known that the injured
woman would be in attendance to give evidence.
She was brought in a cab to the court accompanied
by Drs. Kirby and Graves, who since the sad oc-
currence have been unremitting in their exertions
and skill to save her life. The first week (the affair
taking place on the 16th of Nov.), the medical gen-
tlemen took turns on the alternate nights to sit up I
with the poor woman. Such has been their success
that, almost by a miracle, they have saved her life,
and she now breathes through a silver tube in her
throat. She is unable to articulate, except very in-
distinctly, and to-day, as upon the occasion when
Mr. Yardley took her depositions, she gave her evi-
dence in writing. She was led in by the medical
gentlemen and her nurse. She appeared in a very
weak state, and the medical gentlemen thinking it
advisable that she should be kept in the warmth,
his worship, Mr. Yardley, accommodated her with
a seat on the bench, near the fire.
The first particulars of this case appeared rather
more than a month ago. It is unnecessary now to
enumerate the previous particulars, as they will be
found fully given be!ow.
The depositions of the female named Hannah M.
C. Wadden, who believed herself to be dying when
she made them, and taken by Mr. Yardley, having
been read over to her, she signified that she wished
to add something more, and being supplied with
pen and ink, wrote—" My husband (the prisoner)
accused me of having been out on the day before
Saturday. He swore he saw me in theEdgware-road
with some person. I was at home. I can prove this
was the case, After he cut my throat I got to the door
which was fastened, the key of which was taken
out by my husband. He pushed me from it. I fell
on the floor when ho put his finger in my throat—
(sensation)—and whilst it was there he asked me if
I had not been out. I could only shake my head."
Mr. Yardley—Have you any questions to ask
your wife ?-You have heard what she has deposed to.
Prisoner (who leant very carelessly over the dock)
—Nothing.
John Cobley—l keep a tea and coffee shop at No.
3, New Church-street, Edgware-road. On the 16th
Nov. last prisoner and his wife came to my house,
as they had been in the habit of doing. They came
in about a quarter after 11, and went up to their
bedroom immediately. Shortly after I heard quar-
relling and high words between them, and went
from my bedroom up two or three stairs. I listened
and heard Mrs. Wadden say, " Will you go with me
tomorrow ?" This she repeated two or three times,
when the prisoner said " Yes." She then said, "You
shall go to-morrow." I could not tell what he said
in reply. The quarrel ceased, and after 'a minute or
two I went to my bedroom. Some time after I heard
a noise as of something falling heavilyin their room.
On opening my door I heard loud cries of "Murder,"
in a male voice. It was called by the prisoner.
Whilst going upstairs it seemed as if some one was
trying to unlock the door. The door was ultimately
opened, and I saw the prisoner with his hands and
face covered with blood standing at the door. His
wife was standing up, and apparently trying to get
past him. She had her throat cut. He would not
allow her to pass. She pointed to him. I said to
him, " Who has done this?" and he said she had cut
her throat. When he said this she pointed her finger
to him. This she repeated twice. I went and met a
policeman and took him into the room,where I again
saw the prisoner. His wife was then in the middle
of the room, in a kneeling position, as if exhausted,
bleeding profusely, and her night dress completely
saturated from head to foot. Prisoner was holding
his head down, and crying, saying, "O, my Annie."
I went out again and got a surgeon. On my return
with the doctor he was @till crying, and moaning
and exclaiming "0, my Annie." His wife was still
kneeling by the side of him, with her head resting
on her breast, apparently insensible.

Prisoner—You say the door was shut when you
came up ?
Witness—No, I did not.

Mr. Yardley—He saw when he came up there
seemed to be a struggle as if, in vain, some one was
attempting to open the door, but by the time he got
there, you were standing at the door.
Prisoner—l had been calling for 10 minutes be-
fore any one came up.

Witness—There was an interval elapsed between
the calls. It was " Murder, murder," four or five
times in succession. He did not remember prisoner
asking him to stop.

Prisoner said this witness knew nothing about it

John Wilkins, 244 D, said he was called in by
last witness, and saw prisoner's wife with a large
gash in her throat. He (prisoner) was kneeling by
the side of her, and saying "0, my dear Annie."
I asked who had done it, when he said his wife.
She looked up to me, and shook her head, meaning
" No." Prisoner then said "My dear Annie, you
know you done it yourself." She again shook her
head in the negative. I told him to be careful what
he said, when he replied, " I was in bed at the time."
I said " The bid did not seem as if any one had lain
in it; that it was a feather bed, and if any one had
lain in it, there must have been the impression."
Prisoner made no reply. It was evident no one had
been in the bed. On looking round the room, about
a yard from where the wife was, I found a razor
covered with blood. I asked prisoner whether that
was what had been used. Prisoner said "That is
what she cut her throat with." The wife again
shook her head, signifying " No." I kept him
away, as he wanted to keep talking to her. He
kept saying "My dear Annie, we sh all both
die." Immediate:y after this he said, "It is
through that vagabond that I saw you with an
Saturday." He then said, "We had been out
thinking, and took a little gin in in a bottle, to
have a drop in the room." On looking round the
room I found a bottle containing some gin. He said
she poured some into a tumbler and asked him to
drink. He refused, and told her to give it to the
other one that she liked better than him. The wife
shook her head at this. He was covered with
bleed.

Police •constable Benjamin Martin,267D, deposed
to being called to the house, and said, on seeing the
female, " Oh, what is the matter." Prisoner said
"My wife has cut her throat." His wife shook her
head, and pointed to prisoner. He said, "O, Annie,
how can you say ?" She again shook her head,and
pointed to prisoner. I took up the razor, and pri-
soner began to cry, and said he was in bed at the
time. That his wife poured out some gin from a
bottle and said, " Here, Jem, drink," and be said
he would not have any more, and she told him that
if he did not drink it she would throw it over him.
With that he said she took the razor from his black
bag and screamed out, "0, Jem, I have done it,
pray forgive me." He jumped out of bed, he stated,
and found she had cut her throat. I told him no
one had been in the bed since it was made,to which
he made no answer, but exclaimed, "0, my dear
Annie, if you die we shall both die together" I re-
mained with him at the station till 6 o'clock in the
morning, and whilst in the cell with him he said
the reason why he had brought the razors with him
was, because he wished to get up early in the morn-
ing to go to the Old Bailey to see the man hung.
Through the quarrel about that scamp that he had
seen her with in the Edgware-road this had occurred.
He remarked that her sister Hester knew all about
it if she liked to speak.

- -
Mr. Graves, surgeon, of 132, St. Albans-place,
Edgware-toad, said—The female, when I arrived,
was perfectly sensible. The wound in the throat
was about 5 inches in length, slightly on the curve.
The convexity of the curve was downwards. She
had only her chemise on, which was saturated in
blood. She was bleeding at the time from the
wound. The windpipe was completely severed,
and the wound extended into the gullet. She
Safi very faint from loss of blood, and the wound

was a very dangerous one, and my opinion was
that she could not live more than two days,but that
she might die in a much shorter time. I cannot
form an opinion as to whether the injury might
have been inflicted by herself, or whether it had
been done by any one else.

Mr. Thomas Charles Kirby, of 77, Connaught-
terrace, divisional surgeon to the police, gave evi-
dence confirmatory of the last witness.

Inspector Burrows, D division, described the ap-
pearance of the room when he was called in, and
which, from his description, must have presented
the signs of a severe struggle. He also produced a
black leather bag, which was found in the room,
and which prisoner said belonged to him. It con-
tained a shaving brush, a razor-case with compart-
ments for two. There was one in the case, evidently
matching the one that had been used. The inspector
gave some further evidence corroborative of previous
statements.

Mary Ann Skeates, a married woman, said—l
knew the prisoner and his wife two years ago as
lodgers. After everybody had gone to bed I have
often heard him knock her about. I have often
seen her with black eyes after these disturbances.
On one occasion he said he would be the death of her.

John Lodder—l have known the prisoner about
three years. About two years and a half ago he
said he would sell a looking-glass which he had,
and buy a pair of pistols to shoot her (his wife) and
her father.

Prisoner was fully committed for trial on this
charge.
The case of bigamy was then gone into.

Ann Carpenter, a married woman, said she was
present on the 3d of March, 1861, when prisoner
was married to a female named Elizabeth Porter,
at St. John's Church, Southwark. She was now
present in court.
The injured woman was again led into court, and
in giving her evidence in this case said—Previous
to this I was a widow, by the name of Hannah Maria
Colchester Dixon. I was first told that the prisoner
was married before about twelve months ago. I
have been married to him for about three years, but
on account of his ill-usage I left him to live with
my father, when I met a person who said she lived
in the same house as his first wife, but they could
not give me the information where they were mar-
ried, nor yet Mrs. Wadden's maiden name.
Mr. Yardley—Write down " Yes," or "No,"
whether you were aware that you knew he was
married at the time he married him.

Witness took the pen in her hand, and was abou
to write when—

Prisoner (in an insolent manner)--She knew
when I married her that I had :married before.
Witness lifted her head and looked him full in the
face, evidently and with painful emotion wishing to
speak, but failing in this, slightly shook her head.
This the prisoner saw unmoved, though commi-
seration was evident throughout the court.
Prisoner was proceeding again, when
Mr. Yardley said—Stop, Sir.
Witnesswrote " I did not know it."

Prisoner—We lived together for four or five
months before we were married, and she refused the
first wife our house. She knew what we wanted
to get married for. We got married to pay the
brokers out, because the father would not let her
have the money. She now denies my wife being in
the house.

Prisoner was committed for trial on this charge
also.