The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-22 00:00:00

18.189
30.17.6

rim SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 22, 1E65.

The Extraordinary Charge against Mr.

Sprague.

__._.v

MANSION-HOUSE-THIS DAY.

To-day Charles Gordon Sprague, the surgeon, who was
recently tried and acquitted on an indictment charging
him with administering poison to Sarah Chalker, his
mother-in-law, with intent to murder her, at the Exeter
Assizes, was placed before the Lord Mayor charged with
committing a heinous offence on Hannah Hart, servant
to Mr. Jenkins, surgeon, of 22, Philpot-lane, Fenchurch-
street.

It was proved on the first examination, which took place
last Monday, that the prisoner had only been in Mr.
Jenkins's service two days when he committed the offence
with which he was charged, having left Devonshire shortly
after his trial at Exeter.

To-day Hannah Hart was recalled, and her former exa-
mination, in which she stated that the prisoner had admi-
nistered to her brandy and medicine, having been • read
over to het,

Mr. Maynard, who attended for the prisoner, put some
questons to her in cross-examination, in answer to which
she said she had gone upstairs to lay down as she was
suffering from faintness. She did not speak of it to the
prisoner. She had not taken any spirits during the morn-
ing. She had written 'a note to the prisoner asking his
permission to go out to a concert on Saturday. The pri-
soner gave no answer. The note was written on pink
paper, and she sent it to the prisoner by the boy. The
order she expected for the concert did not come, so she did
not go out. She pulled the blinds down before she laid
down. She did not know when they were drawn up. After
the prisoner had committed the offence he went out for
about an hour. She went mid fetched a policeman. While
she was out she did not taste any spirits, neither did she
meet a friend. She had known the witness Pye, the errand
boy, about two months. She was not intimate with him,
nor had she spoken to him about the matter.

The boy Pye, in addition to his evidence, said when ho
went upstairs to Hannah Hart's room, he found his door
locked—the prisoner, however, answered from the inside.
When the prisoner left witness went into the room, and
saw that Hannah's dress was very much disordered. He
wrote the note for her, as she could not write. Sho had
not to his knowledge had any spirits that morning. Ho
did not hear her cry or make any noise. Had she done so
ho thought ho must have heard it. When we bathed her
head she did not complain of any ill-treament.
The evidence of Mr. Hun:Thies, of Trinity-square,
surgeon, was next read. It went to show that he had
examined her person, and was of opinion that the offence
had been committed. The absence of marks of violence
was no proof that the offence had not been perpetrated.
The Lord Mayor—Do you think that anything thrown
over the girl would produce the marks on her neck—
chloroform, for instance ?

Witness—No, I should say not. If it had the faco would
also have been excoriated as well as the neck.
Mr. Howell, who prosecuted, said that was all the evi-
dence ho had to produce. He contended it was quite suffi-
cient to enable the magistrate to commit the prisoner for
trial.

Mr. Maynard did not think the evidence at all justified
such a course.

The Lord Mayor—l shall most certainly commit the
prisoner for trial. I must also say that I never saw a
witness give evidence in a more truthful and unhesitating
manner than the young woman had done. I shall most
decidedly commit the prisoner for trial.
Mr. Maynard—Then I shall, on the part of the prisoner,
reserve any observations on the case until the trial takes
place before a jury.
The Lord Mayor—You can do so, if you please. My
duty is quite clear.
The prisoner was then fully committed to Newgate for
trial for the capital offence.

The prisoner was then removed from the dock by the
jaoler.
During the examination he treated the matter with the
coolest indifference, and when it was intimated that he
was fully committed for trial, he merely gage a smile, and
left the court apparently rather amused than otherwise at
the proceedings.

Closing Ceremony of the West London
Industrial Exhibition•

The closing of this most interesting exhibition
took place last night at the Floral Hall, Covent-
garden, under circumstances equally as imposing as
the opening, and was attended by thousands of the
labouring classes, with their wives and children.
The proceedings commenced at half-past 7 o'clock
by an overture on the grand organ from " Semira-
mide," by Mr. Augustus L. Tamplin ; and next
followed the " Old Hundredth Psalm," by the
choir which was given by 200 voices with great
effect. The duet, "Si mami Anoor," from " Tro-
vatore," was next sung by Mr. Denbigh Newton
and Miss Newton, and loudly applauded.

After this performance came an aria called "Le
Parlete," by Mdlle. Lucy Franklein, which was very
warmly encored. Mr. and Madame Weiss were also
'loudly encored in the " Lucia" of Donizetti, so well
known to the musical world; and the aria, " Hear
me, Israel," by Mendelssohn, was given with great
force by Miss Annette Hirst, accompanied on the
organ by S. C. Hirst, organist, of Dundee. When
we mention that the vocal performers were Madame
Weiss, Miss Annette Hirst, Miss Berry, Miss New-
ton, Mdlle. Lucy Franklein, and Miss Rose Hersee,
Mr. W. H. Weiss, and Mr. Denbigh Newton ; and
that the instrumental performers were, on the piano,
M. Hoyte, violin, Mr. V. Collins, and the grand
organ, Mr. Augustus L. Tamplin, it can easily be
supposed that the concert was a grand success.
After the musical performances terminated.
J. A. NICOLAY, Esq., the chairman of the com-
mittee, came forward to present their report, and
complained in very strong terms of the conduct pur-
sued towards them by the Duke of Bedford. The
name of Russell (he said) had been always asso-
ciated in English history with everything that was
great ; but it had in later times, he deeply regretted
to say, become greatly degenerated. In the case of
the West London Exhibition a deputation was
formed to wait on his grace, but he refused to see
them, although he (Mr. Nicolay) had no hesitation
in saying that if they had applied to the noble
Premier, or any member of her Majesty's Govern-
ment, they would have been kindly and courteously
received. Everything was done by the manager to
comply with the regulations and wishes promulgated
from the office• of the Duke of Bedford. The organ
which Mr. Bennington gave fer the amusement of the
visitors was prohibited from being played upon after
a certain hour ; and thus the guarantors, in conse-
quence of this cold water thrown on the exhibition
by the Duke of Bedford and his agents, had become
liable for a considerable sum of money. The Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, who had been and was the
workman's friend, was invited to attend that
evening to close the exhibition, but unfortunately
his public engagements and other circumstances
prevented him, and they thus lost the most valuable
assistance. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Morrell (the secretary) was then called on to
read the report, but the task was assigned in conse-
quence of stronger lungs to

The Rev. Mr.THORPE.—The report stated that
unfortunately the exhibition had failed, and that
the receipts, as compared with the expenditure, ex-
hibited a very considerable deficiency. The Floral
Hall was engaged for May, June, and July for
£l,OOO, and a fourth part of the receipts were to be
given to Mr. Gye, but, unhappily, they gave him a
power to interfere with the charges of admission,
and they believed that his insisting on a charge of
one shilling, instead of sixpence, did great mischief.
(Hear, hear.) The result was, that the number of
exhibitors was 1,092; the number of visitors who
paid, 84,253, up to Saturday night last; the amount
of money received, £1,407 Bs. 7d. ; the receipts
from all sources were £l,BOO ; while the expenditure
was upwards of £3,000. The report expressed a
wish that the guarantors would be paid their money,
and concluded by thanking the chairman, secre-
tary, and other officers of the exhibition for the
manner in which they discharged their duties.
The grand Hallelujah Chorus, in " The Messiah,"
was next sung by the London Choral Union, and,
after other musical performances, the proceedings
concluded with the National Anthem.

The conductor of the London Choral Union, Mr.
C. J. llarjeth, deserved a great 'deal of credit for
the manner in which he conducted the performances.

Liverpool Cotton Market—This Day.

Market continues steady. Sales, probably 10,000
bales or more.

During the last few days there has been very
little business transacted in the foreign and colonial
produce markets. Sugar has in some instances been
rather cheaper, while coffee has been in very mode-
rate request, at barely previous rates. Tea has been
neglected, while in tallow the operations have been
rather increasing, and prices for both present and
forward delivery have tended upwards,

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

THE COLONEL AND THE CABMAN.—John Maxwell, a cab-
driver, was summoned before Mr. Knox for assaulting Col.
John Constantine Stanley, of No. 40, Bruton-street.
Col. Stanley said that on Saturday week he was crossing
to Arlington-street with a friend. Ho had an umbrella up
and on the defendant coming along he raised it up, and
then, on the pavement, defendant struck the umbrella with
his whip. On stopping the defendant he said that he (the
colonel) had struck his horse.

The defendant asked whether he struck the umbrella
intentionally, and the colonel said be did.

The defendant said that he intended to strike his horse,
and not the umbrella.

Mi. Alfred Burton, of 13, Dover-street, said ho was with
Col. Stanley at the time. The colonel might have raised
his "umbrella so that it might have touched the horse's head,
upon which the defendant struck the umbrella.

In answer to the defendant, the witness said he believed
it was done intentionally.
Col. Stanley said the defendant used a sort of threat, but
afterwards said as a justification that he (the colonel)
struck the horse first.

Tho defendant said he had tho wife of a major in his
cab at tho time. He called to the gentleman, and as soon
as he saw him coming up the umbrella was raised and
struck his horse's head.

Hackney-carriage attendant No. 34 said the gentleman
asked him to get the defendant's number, and he did so ;
and the cabman said the gentleman had struck his horse
with his umbrella. The gentleman then said the de-
fendant had struck his umbrella.

Mr. Knox said it wawa very light matter, and he
should dismisi the summons.

Double Murder at Batley.

Late on Saturday evening the town of Batley, in
the West Riding of Yorkshire, was the scene of a hor-
rible tragedy, ending in the murder of two women
and the attempted suicide of the murderer. A young
man named Eli Sykes, about 19 years old, living at
Batley Carr, and a member of the Dewsbury Rifle
Corps, returned to Batley on Saturday evening, from
a battalion drill at Drighlington. For some time
past he has been paying addresses to a young woman
named Hannah Brook, but recently shehas discarded
him for another suitor from Wakefield. When he
reached Batley on Saturday evening Sykes went to
Brook's house, where he found Miss Brook and her
mother, Sarah, at home. He demanded to know from
the daughter whether she would accept him, and in
reply she and her mother told him to go away, as
they did not want to have anything to do with him ;
and the daughter also added that if he did not go
away she would make him. He said he would not go,
and told her that he had seen her with another man.
She replied that she would have no more to do with
him, and he might as well " take himself away."
Hardly had the words passed her lips when he took
up the rifle which he had brought with him and struck
her on the head with the butt end of the weapon,
using such force as to knock her from her chair and
to break the stock of the rifle. She screamed out
" Murder," and Sykes then pulled out his bayonet and
stabbed her eiglit times in the breast and other parts
of the body ; but not instantly killing her. The
mother seeing the murderous assault on her daugh-
ter, rushed forward to protect her, when Sykes
turned round upon the Mother and stabbed her
with the bayonet in the breast, and followed up his
bloody work by inflicting six more fearful gashes
upon her. The shrieks of the two women attracted
the attention of two men, named Joseph Peace and
William Farrell, who on entering the dwelling found
the women lying on the floor weltering in their
blood, and Sykes in the act of attempting to com-
mit suicide by stabbing himself in the neck with the
bayonet. Peace instantly snatched the weapon
from him, and in doing so narrowly escaped being
stabbed himself, owing to the determined resistance
made by Sykes. Information was immediately for-
warded to Police Sergeant English, who arrived at
the place in a few minutes. He found the two
women on the point of death, and Sykes apparently
in a dangerous state, as the blcod was streaming
profusely from wounds in his throat. Mr. Bayldon,
surgeon, was sent for, but before his arrival both
the women bad died. Mr. Bayldon found that the
removal of Sykes might be safely ventured upon,
and the assistance of other police having been ob-
tained, Sykes was placed in a conveyance and taken
to the lock-up at Dewsbury, where he was imme-
diately attended to by Dr. W. N. Thornton. His
wounds are not likely to be fatal, for the windpipe
and large arteries of the neck are uninjured. The
murdered woman Sarah Sykes was about 63 years of
age, and lived upon the income derived from a small
property near Batley. Her daughter lived with her,
but obtained a livelihood by weaving at the Alex-
andra Mill, at Batley. The murderer had been
for two years a member of the Dewsbury Rifle
Corps, and had made himself conspicuous by his
regular attendance at drill. Yesterday (Sunday)
morning he had sufficiently recovered to be able to
converse. He stated that he considerad himself
fully justified in all that he had done, and was per-
fectly satisfied now that he had had his revenge.
The girl and her mother, he said, " had brought it
all upon themselves." His father visited him in the
course of the day, and a very affecting interview
took place. Afterwards the prisoner recovered his
usual indifference. The murders have created the
most intense excitement in the district, and the ,
lock-up and the house in which the crime was com-
mitted were yesterday visited by crowds of people.

The Cattle Plague.

The following circular has been issued :-
44 THE PAYMENT OF INSPECTORS.

" Whitehall; Aug., 1865.
" am directed by Secretary Sir George Grey to
acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the -, and to
inform you that the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's
Treasury will sanction the payment to inspectors, appointed
under the authority of the ordez of the Lords of the Privy
Council, dated 11th of August, 18,5, in districts infected
with the ' Cattle Plague,' of the sum of £1 Is. for each day
that they are actually engaged in the performance of the
duties required of them by the said order, with travelling
expenses at a rate not exceeding 3d. a mile each way.
" I am, Sir, your obedient servant,