The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-08 00:00:00

The late Shocking Murder at Hatcham.

Yesterday, as the business of the Lambeth Police-court
was about to close, a man, giving the name of Richard
Havlin, was placed in the dock before the Hon. G. C.
Norton, charged with the murder of John Davies.
Inspector Frost, of the P division, said the prisoner had
only been taken that afternoon, and therefore he had not a
complete case to lay before the Court.
Richard Newmanwas then examined, and said ho lived at
No. 5, Britannia-terrace, Hatcham New Town. On Satur-
day, the 29th of last October, the deceased, a man named
Bailey, the prisoner, his wife, and himself, were sitting
down in the room having some beer, when a dispute arose
about a glass of beer, Bailey protesting against the prisoner
having any as he had not paid for it. The prisoner then
struck Bailey, upon which the latter returned the blow and
knocked the prisoner down. The prisoner then seized the
poker and attempted to strike Bailey, but it was taken
from him. Davies had not said one word or interfered, and
he and Bailey shortly afterwards fell asleep. Tho prisoner
then got hold of the poker again, and going to the two
sleeping men, before it could be prevented, struck Davies
and Bailey several times with it in a most violent manner.
The poker was again taken from him, when it was found
that Davies was most dreadfully injured about the head,
from which the blood poured, while Bailey was also in-
jured. The prisoner then left the house, and Davies was
obliged to be carried to bed and a surgeon sent for. He
became somewhat better, and managed to go to work on
the following Wednesday, but on the next day became quite
insensible and was conveyed to Guy's Hospital, where ho
expired. Previous to his removal the prisoner saw him, and
said he would get some money to obtain him some com-
forts, and went out, but never returned.
Thomas Reason, a private in the Ist battalion of the
Grenadier Guards, said he was on duty that day at the
magazine in Hyde Park, when he saw the prisoner. He
called him by name and then told the sergeant that he was
the man charged with the murder of Davies. The prisoner
was then placed in the guard-room, and afterwards removed
to Marlborough-street police-station. Tho witness stated
that he knew the prisoner from his having been in the
regiment some nine years before, and knowing the crime
he had committed, he at once stepped him.

Sergeant Fookes, of the same regiment, stated that when
he took the prisoner he said he was not the man, and at the
station ho remarked, "You will not got a medal for this,
for you are too fast."
The prisoner was removed to Peckham station, and from
thence to this court, by Inspector Frost.
The magistrate having duly cautioned the prisoner, asked
him what he had to say to the very serious charge against
him.

The prisoner said—All I wish to say is, that I am very
sorry Davies happened to be the man I hit, because we were
like two brothers together. The man I meant to hit was
the ether, why ptruck wrivife, and gave be a slight black

Mr. Westcott, who had been the clerk assisting Mr. Waters
with the accounts, gave evidence with regard to them.
The books were again produced in court, and the different
items referred to, and exhibited a most complex state of
affairs—the defendant having, as alleged on his part, re-
ceived moneys, which he had paid to different accounts im-
properly, viz., the estate account, drainage account, domestic
account, private account, &c.

The cross-examination tended to show that the money,
although received, had been carried to Lord Shaftesbury's
credit at some time or other, and that the remission of the
rent having been in 1854, and the payments by the last
witness's father extending up to 1857, the amount so
excused had been received in error and carried to Lord
Shaftesbury's credit. The witness admitted that he never
had any instructions from Waters with regard to any
falsification of the accounts, although ho did state that on
ono occasion, under directions from Waters, ho arranged
with the manager of the County of Gloucester Bank
to advance him some money on his private account condi-
tionally on his paying in the Parton tithes, which were
then collecting, and which ought to have been paid into
Lord Shaftesbury's private account under the arrangement
that existed with regard to the collection.

Mr. Targett being recalled did not remember that any
transactions took place between Waters and his (witnesl's)
father in the sale of agricultural produce; such as seeds,
corn, and other matters.
Westcott was also recalled, and stated that Waters had
a dog cart, two 4-wheel vehicles, and that ho kept from
three to five horses, of which two were hunters.
At the conclusion of this evidence Mr. 11. T. Cole said
that it was not the intention of the prosecution to proceed
any further at present with the two charges against the de-
fendant. Mr. Bidwell, the accountant, who it had been in-
tended should be called, would have to give evidence on the
accounts generally in support of the other charges that
would be brought forward at a future day ; and he (Mr.
Cole) had therefore thought it best that the entire of
that gentleman's examination should be postponed till the
evidence of the other witnesses had been taken on all the
charges.

Tho inquiry was then adjourned till Thursday, May 4,
and on application of Mr. J. H. Lewis the recognisances of
the defendant were enlarged.

OFFICIAL REPORT.

.

THE LOSS OF THE LUZON STEAMER.

We, the undersigned, having inquired into the loss
of the late British steamer Luzon, Captain John
M'Gowan, master, who holds a certificate of service,
No, 40,371, as master, from the Board of Trade,
Glasgow, and after a careful examination, find :
That the said vessel left Amoy on the 20th Dec.,
1864, bound to Manila, with a general Chinese
cargo, 74 Chinese passengers, and one European ;
and at about 1.30 on the morning of the 23d Dec.,
1864, ran ashore, and was wrecked on a reef called
Palaing on the Spanish chart of the Island of Luzon
(on a large scale), which was produced in court.
This reef is not so clearly defined on the chart
with which the Luzon was navigated, viz., Chart
Sea, sheet 4, dated 1859, as on the chart above-
mentioned ; and to this we attribute the loss of
the vessel. Every precaution appears to have
been taken by the captain in navigating the vessel,
but we are of opinion that he was very imprudent in
hugging a shore so closely on a dark night, of which
he had not a chart on a large scale, and of which he
had no previous experience ; and we are also of
opinion, that it was great neglect on his part leaving
the ship's log-books in Manila ; but as there is great
credit due to him for his subsequent efforts to save
the vessel, and as he produces such highly satisfac-
tory testimonials, we only admonish him to be more
careful for the future. With reference to the conduct
of Mr. A. Reid, the second mate, the Court are of
opinion that, directly on hearing the noise on the port
beam, supposed to be that of breakers, he should have
at once put the helm hard a-port, without waiting to
call the captain, he then being the officer in charge
of the deck, one on whom much responsibility
must always devolve. For this want of promp-
titude the Court are of opinion that Mr. Reid, the
second mate, holding a certificate of competency
from the Board of Trade, No. 28,038, is deserving
of reprimand, and do reprimand him accordingly.
With reference to the conduct of Mr. James M'ltaith,
chief engineer, No. 3,184, viz., his refusal to attend
the court as witness, when ordered, and on being
brought up by a warrant, his contemptuous and in-
toxicated manner towards the Court—we are of
opinion that it was highly reprehensible and should
be severely punished; but, taking into considera-
tion his former good character, shown by various
discharges, and his regret expressed in Court for
such conduct, we do simply severely censure him,
and refrain from recommending the Board of
Trade to punisk him further. We regret not
having been able to obtain the evidence of the chief
mate and the remainder of the crew, who were left
in Manila. It appears from the evidence given that
this vessel, which was of the new composite class--
viz., of iron frame and wooden planking_had com-
partments, but which were not water-tight ; had
they been so, which we belieye. is required by the
Board of Trade, we are of
opinion
conclusion, w
pro-
bably met with greater success.
kindness
showi; e
made to get the ship off the reef would have that the efforts
i
beg to put on record the great
the Spanish authorities on the coast of Luzon to the
shipwrecked crew.
Singapore, Feb. 1, 1865.
li. BURN, Lieut. 1.N., Master Attendant
and Marine Magistrate.

JNO. W. MORRIS, Second Magistrate in
charge, H.M.S. Banterer.
True copy, H. BURN, Lieut., Master Attendant.
Confirmed, ORFEUR CAVENAGII, Colonel, GOVeril
Straits Settlements.

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Children.

. sitting of the members of this institute
took place yesterday morning in the rooms of the
Society of arts, John-street, Adelphi ; Rear-Admi-
ral Belcher, C. 8., in the chair. Mr. Charles Lam-
port read a paper on the problem of a ship's form
as presented to the practical builder. In treating
in detail the features of his theory he particularly
recommended to the builder the desirability of ren-
dering every motion subordinate to progress. He
observed that many of the difficulties presented to
vessels in sailing might, under truer principles of
design, be made to conduce to their forward motion,
and the force represented by the violent motion of
pitching might be utilised or abused—might propel
or retard the ship at the designer's will. This
he took to be the test of a successfully designed
ship for mercantile employment, that the model if
dropped into water with a properly adjusted centre
of gravity should shoot ahead. A discussion, in
which Professor Rankine and Mr. Scott Russell
took part, resulted from the introduction of the
subject, and it was agreed that for the adaptability
of ships as regards strength and speed in rough sea,
it was necessary that the full body should be aloft,
inasmuch as great stability would ensue, that the
centre of buoyancy
should be aft, and that the lon-
gitudinal and vertical systems of iron ship-building
was brought under the notice of the meeting in a
paper read by Mr. Scott Russell. Mr. Grandthem
advocated the vertical system, which met with a
strenuous opposition from Mr. Reed, who expressed
it as his opinion that no act of Mr. Scott Russell de-
served more appreciation than his adoption of the
longitudinal system in the building of the Great
Eastern and other celebrated vessels which came from
his yards. Mr. Scott Russell, in support of the
longitudinal system, instanced a case in which two
sets built on the different systems were ripped up
by a rock, and in which the hole of the ship built on
the ordinary system, with transverse frames, was
much less in extent Oran the one made in the other
ship, clearly showing that one was more liable to be
sunk than the other. Mr. T. B. Daft read a paper
on the construction and sheathing of iron ships, and
amongst other advantages he promised a more rapid
construction, a more uniform and secure mode of
caulking, a hull perfectly free from fouling, and a
stronger and a safer vessel. Papers were read on
the composite system of shipbuilding, by Mr.
A. M‘Laine ; on a proposed method of com-
bining wood and iron in composite ships by •
Mr. M. Scott, C.E., and on Jordan's sys-
tem of combination by Mr. W. Walker. The
members of the institution met in the evening
at the Royal School of Naval Architecture, South
Kensington Museum, when Sir John Pakington
occupied the chair. A most important discussion
took place on the reading of a paper on some recent
experience in engineering by Mr. R. Murray, C.E.
In the course of the arguments an unanimous opi-
nion was expressed in favour of the recognition of
surface condensation, and of the introduction of
fresh water instead of salt. Mr. Scott Russell
strongly urged the necessity of the employment of
qualified engineers to meet the difficulties which
would arise by the change, of which the corrosion
of the boilers would be the most formidable. After
the reading of a paper on a method of ascertaining
the diameter of a circle on which a ship turns, the
members proceeded to view the collection of naval
models recently moved to the museum.