The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-24 00:00:00

THEtS UN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE 24, 1862

posure to sun and rain. Of the blue gum—which,
uniting extraordinary strenth and elasticity, is per-
haps the most valuable of all the Tasmanian timbers,
there are several beautiful spars, and at the base of
the trophy will be found planks of the blue gum
and of the stringy bark, which show at once the
immense thickness to which these trees attain.
The heart of Tasmanian timber is almost always
unsound, and the width of these planks shows the
width of the tree outside the heart. There are also
samples of the white gum, silver wattle, Blackwood,
all timbers of great value for ship-building pur-
poses, which the Tasmanian forests can supply in
almost any quantity ; and in the Horticultural
Gardens may be seen planks of 80 and 90 feet long,
for which room could not be found here, and a spar
of not less than 230 feet long. From Port Arthur
there are some magnificent ships' knees, which be-
fore the days of iron ships would have been almost
invaluable, and the split palings show the extraor-
dinary splitting powers of the swamp gum. As
evidence of the toughness and durability of Tas-
manian timber, we have doorposts and flooring
joists of Huon pine and blue gum from the old gaol
and old Court-house of Hobart Town, which are as
sound now as when the first builder made use of
them forty years ago. Of ornamental woods there
is also a great variety, among which the myrtle
tree is remarkable for the beauty of its veins, and
in the rich and varied tints of the Huon pine, dog-
wood, pinkwood, and muskwood, the cabinetmaker
will find ample scope for the most fanciful designs.
An important branch of Tasmanian industry is the
Southern whale fishery, which furnishes employ-
ment for some 25 vessels of an aggregate tonnage
of 5,746 tons. Last year the exports of sperm oil
and head matter was 710 tons—in value about
£60,350. This is illustrated by two handsome
whale boats, which hang at the sides of the trophy,
fitted with all their gear complete, except lines and
oars ; and by the jaws of two full-sized sperm
whales, one of which produced £1,150 worth of
oil. There are also specimens of the oil of the
black whale, sperm whale, and porpoise. A
very attractive portion of the Tasmanian Court
is the case containing the beautiful furs, most of
them of black and grey opossum. These have
attracted very general admiration, and, as the
prices asked are remarkably low, very few of
them yet remain unsold. The Tasmanian build-
ing stone has a high reputation in the colonies, and
many of the public buildings in Melbourne are
constructed of it; and there are also here some fine
specimens of black and gray marble. Of coal, too,
the island possesses several seams, both of anthracite
and bituminous, of which we have samples here—
though it is believed that beds of still greater value
than those yet worked exist in various parts. There
is a speeimen, too, of a curious combustible mineral
called dysodile, from which the colonists manufac-
ture petroleum. Though gold is scattered freely
over the surface of Tasmania, it has never been dis-
covered in sufficient quantity to pay for working,
but a small portion is shown here to exhibit its
characteristics; and in the same case are some
brilliant topazes from Flinder's Island, mounted
with great taste. The fruits of Tasmania are re-
presented in admirably-executed wax models. Of
wheat there are some fine samples; and, lastly,
there is a very showy collection of the birds of the
colony of every variety of hue.

Russian Empire. The Government has already
ordered the inauguration to be postponed to the Bth
September. In fact, the symptoms are alarming.
The proclamations find their way even into the Im-
perial Palace, and are reprinted in many towns."

THE ALLEGED POISONING OF A LADY.

At half-past nine o'clock yesterday morning Mr.
John Humphreys, the coroner for Middlesex, again
met the jury at the Plough Tavern, Kensal-green,
who «ere empannelled on the 13th inst. for the
purpose of investigating the circumstances attend-
ing the death of Mrs. Frances Phillips, aged 27, the
wife of a wealthy horsedealer at Knightsbridge,
whose death it is alleged was caused through the
administration of poison.

The death took place in February last, and on
the 28th ult. a written statement of evidence was
forwarded to the office of the late coroner (Mr.
Wakley), requesting an exhumation and inquest on
the body, but on the death of that gentleman the
statement was presented to his colleague, Mr.
Humphreys, who issued his order for the required
exhumation. At the first meeting the identification
of the body only was taken, and on Friday last the
reception of evidence was further adjourned for the
attendance of Mr. Sergeant Ballantine, who was
engaged in the Court of Exchequer.
Mr. V. Blackburn, instructed by Mr. Gold, jun.,
of the firm of Gold and Son, attended on the part of
the friends of the deceased; and Mr. Sergeant Bal-
lantine, instructed by Mr. Potter, of the firm of
Lofty, Potter, and Co., represented Mr. Phillips,
the husband of the deceased.

Mrs. Diana Little, the mother of deceased, was
the first witness, and she deposed that she resided
at York. She was in London in January, and ihe
came up from York to attend her daughter's con-
finement. The deceased was confined on Jan. 28th.
The child was born without the assistance of Dr.
Cahill. Witness resided in the house some days
afterwards. About the middle of the second week
after her confinement she found her crying, and she
said that Mr. Phillips said she would die. Wit-
ness told her it was no such thing, and witness
fetched Drs. Cahill and Oldham, who were in the
dining room, and they assured her she would not;
one of them also remarking that Mr. Phillips
should not have said so. On the 12th of February
Mr. Phillips told witness that she must not go
into her daughter's bed-room, but, that she might
remain in the house. She afterwards followed him
to the bed-room door, and heard her daughter say,
" Where's mother?" Mr. Phillips remarked, that
the doctors said no one was to be in the room. At
five o'clock witness sent deceased some tea and toast.
About six o'clock witness was in the kitchen, with
Miss Eliza Green and several others, when they
heard aloud scream, and a cry for a light. Witness
and the others ran to the room and found, Mr.
Phillips there. Deceased said that " Mr. Phillips
had poisoned her." Witness asked how he had done
it, and she replied-, " He leaned over me twice, and
forced the medicine down my throat. It was so
strong that it took my breath away. She then
turned to Mr. Phillips and said, " You wilful mur-
derer, you have Palmered me !" The deceased's face
was very black, and she begged her to go for a
doctor and a magistrate.
Miss Anne Little, sister to the deceased, corrobo-
rated part of the evidence of the previous witness.
Deceased said, "My husband has poisoned me."
She also said that he leant over her twice when he
thought she was asleep, and put the bottle in her
mouth, and that the poison was so strong she could
not cry out until the blood came from her nose. Mr.
Phillips said nothing. Witness was not allowed to
see her sister when she was dying. On the morn-
ing of the 12th Mr. Phillips remarked to witness
that deceased had the constitution of a horse, or she
would have been dead long before. They generally
lived on good terms together. Deceased was jeal-
ous of the other Mrs. Phillips, who was no relation.
Mr. Phillips wished the deceased to associate with
Mrs. Phillips, but she would never do so.
By the Coroner—On the morning of the 12th
ift shehedescaewasGedeosrpgoek,ethqeufiotreermaatino,ntaulrin her mother out.y' and asked her
Deceased asked for a stomach-pump and some mus-
tard and water to get the poison out, as she wished
to live for the sake of her child. Never heard of
there being any madness in their family.
Mr. Henry Richard Phillips, in his cross-exami-
nation' said Mrs. Little was very violent, and
rushed about the yard crying out for a stomach
pump and a doctor. She created_such a scene that
it was impossible to describe it.
Mr. Phillips during his examination was moved
to tears.

Dr. Cahill, Dr. Holden, Dr. Brown, and Dr.
Martin all gave an opinion that deceased died from
exhaustion consequent on puerperal mania. They
all agreed that Mrs. Little, the mother, was too
excited to be in attendance upon her daughter, who
required the utmost quietude.
The servants an( nurses said that Mrs. Phillips
did say that her husband had poisoned her, -which
the doctors stated was usual with such disease,
being of a character to fill the mind with imaginary
ideas. The servants alluded to many acts performed
by Mrs. Little, such as getting her daughter out of
bed at an improper time, putting a wet towel on
her feet because they were warm, and also bathing
her head- with cold vinegar and water. She had
also given her eight or nine oranges, which caused
wind and diarrh:en. It was also stated that Mrs.
Little had flourished a carving knife, and had said
she would stab Mr. Phillips. There was some con-
tradiction in the evidence as to when:she was pos-
sessed of the carving knife.
Dr, Martin said the mixture alluded to was
composed of citrate of iron and chloric ether, to be
taken in drops with lemon juice, and that the iron
would cause the slackness in the mouth, and the
liquor would be of a red colour. There was no
blood about deceased's face. The bad breath and
contaminated blood Would account for the swollen
tongue and sore noouth.
Dr. James Edmunds, licentiate of the College of
Physicians, and practising in Spital-square, made
the post-mortem examination, and found a lascera-
tion of the periaeum, which was accounted for in
the birth of the child. He delivered the heart,
lungs, stomach, and its contents to Professor Harley
for analysis. He was of opinion that death was
caused by exhaustion attended by delirium.
Dr. George Harley, Professor of Medical Juris-
prudence at the University College of London, de-
scribed the resu.ts of the analysis made by him,
and the appearance of the various parts delivered
to him by Dr. Edmunds. He found a number of
crystals—salts—which proved to be phosphates,
and in the throat a ragged ulcerated spot, three-
eighths of an inch in breadth, and two-eighths of
an inch in depth. He found no mineral poison.
He tested for acids and alkalies, but found a neutral
reception. IL the fluid round the heart and lungs
theee was alkaline. The contents of the stomach
and intestines, on analysis, he found chiefly to con-
sist of one of the alkaloids of opium, namely,
morphia. There was no reason to believe poison
had been taken. His opinion was that the person
died from exhaustion, from loss of blood from con-
finement, and loss of sleep.
The Coroner then summed up, showing that the
deceased herself had alleged that the husband had
poisoned her, and that from the affidavits which
had been placed in his hands he found it was the
subject of a very proper inquiry.
The Jury returned a verdict of "Death from
natural causes," which was received with applause,
but was quickly suppressed by the Coroner.

LAIV INTELLIGENCE.—June 23.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.
(Sittings at Nisi Prius, at Westminster, before Lord
Chief Justice Cockburn and a Special Jury.)

HANCOCK V. WEBB-CHARGE OF ASSAULT AGAINST

A MEDICAL MAN.

The further hearing of this case, which commenced
on Saturday, was resumed this morning.
Mr. Huddleston, Q C., and Mr. Prentice, were
counsel for the plaintiff; Mr. Sergeant Parry and
Mr. James Brown were counsel for the defendant.
Mrs. Catherine Webb deposed—l am the defen-
dant's wife. The plaintiff entered my service as
a general servant. I keep a nurse to attend to the
children and the nursery, and there is a boy to assist
the general servant. A fortnight before the 2d of
December I had occasion to complain of the kitchen
area doors being kept unlocked at night. I re-
quested her to lock them, but she declined. On
another occasion I found the doors unlocked, and
she refused to lock them, or go to bed, or come
in to prayers. After I had gone up to bed, and
whilst undressing, my husband had occasion to go
out to visit a patient, and at my request he went
down to the kitchen, where he there found the
plaintiff and the doors still unlocked. A police-
man was called in and went over the house, and'
the plaintiff afterwards went to bed. She, in con-
sequence, gave me notice to leave, but afterwards
spontaneously withdrew it, saying, " She was sorry
for what had occurred, and wished to remain." She
consequently remained. It was her duty to empty
the bed-room slops. The boy attends to his own
room, makes his bed, &c,, but he had left shortly
before the 2d of December. My husband, previous
to this, punished my elder daughter at my request
in consequence of her having told a falsehood that
would have caused her younger sister to have been
punished. The plaintiff's sister did not like the
child to be beaten, but they both said it was neces-
sary to be done. Plaintiff did not give me notice
to leave in consequence. 4-The boy's utensil had
been brought down to the water-closet, and I re
quested the plaintiff to empty it. She at first said
she would do so, but did not; and on my again de-
siring her to do so, she refused, saying she would
not do it for me or for auy one else. She per-
sisted in refusing to do so, on which I told her she
must leave at once. She said she would leave in
a fortnight. The same morning I found a large
blackbeetle pinned alive to the kitchen table, which
I ascertained she had done. As I went up the kit-
chen stairs she called me a nasty beast for having
asked her to carry the slops, which she continued
shouting till I got to the breakfast-room. While
we were at breakfast she passed up and down the
kitchen stairs, laughing in a defiant manner, and
talking to her sister. I sent the boy twice to her
to desist. The first time she returned an answer
that she would make as much noise as she liked. I
sent for her mother, but she could not come, and
sent her daughter Ellen. I refused to see her the
(the daughter); and at my husband's suggestion, I
went to the mother, but before that I told her she
might remain the fortnight. She said, " No, I will
go now, and have my fortnight's wages." I saw
the mother, and told her what had occurred. She
could not come to her daughter, but sent her daugh-
ter Ellen, thinking that would be the means of get-
ting her daughter to leave quietly. On my return
I found the plaintiff outside the dining-room door,
where I had left her. After I had informed my
husband what the mother said we all three went
into the surgery. She there signed the book pro-
duced for her wages, and the money due to her was
given to her. She held it in her hand for a short
time, and then threw it on the table, saying she
must have a fortnight's more money, her sister, who
had, come down stairs, saying to her, "Don't take
it—don't take it." The plaintiff was very impu-
dent. She continued asking--" Will you give me
more money ?" I was afraid of her excited state,
and I went into the dining-room. As I passed
into the hall, she shook her fist close to my
face, and called me a " vile woman," and after-
wards, in the presence of my daughter, she called
me a "vile wretch." My husband left for a short
time, and on his return he said to the plaintiff,
" You have been paid your wages. You are an in-
truder now in this house, and you had better go."
She said she would not go, and sat down on a chair,
close to the chiffonier. My husband said to her—
" I am going out, and you had better go at once, or
it will be my painful duty to turn you out." My
husband had locked the door of the surgery. Plain-
tiff said, " I am as strong as you are, and I won't
go," throwing her arms back in a violent manner,
upsetting the bottles and breaking one. My hus-
band took her by the shoulders to put her out, and
I opened the front door. She slipped down on the
floor, and her shawl caught a light table in the sur-
gery and upset it. She made a great noise, shout-
ing and kicking the floor, which caused a great
crowd to assemble outside in the street. She re-
sisted violently being put out. My husband placed
his hand over her mouth to prevent her shouting.
mylimsband said if our presence excited her we had
better leave her. Just at that time the surgery
bell rang, and my husband opened the door, and
Elizabeth (the sister) came in. We left the surgery
and went into the dining-room, leaving the plaintiff
and her sisters, Ellen and Elizabeth, together for
about five minutes. My husband called in three
policemen who were passing. My husband did not
strike the plaintiff on the mouth with his fist, or on
the face with his open hand. She never had her face
on the ground. My husband did not lift up her
clothes and assault her on her person, neither
did I hold her legs whilst my husband beat
her. I did not say she has not had enough, nor did
my husband reply, "Get me a stick." He did not
slap her with her clothes down. My husband locked
the passage surgery door because her sister Ellen
was following, and she was not wanted. The
mother afterwards came, and was very violent.
Martha Coward, the nurse, was a widow woman,
about 40 years of age. At my request my husband
went up one night to the front nursery, where,
there is no bed, and where no person sleeps, to as-
certain what was tde noise. Coward made no
complaint to me about her master. On the follow-
ing morning she laughed, and said, " Mater nearly
came into the room when I was undressing." She
remained in my service some months after that.
Twelve years ago my husband punished a boy in
our service for stealing an egg, and telling a false-
hood about it. The boy remained two years after-
wards in our service. There was no chain put up
to the surgery door.
George Cockram, boy in the defendant's service,
deposed that lie had been with him about nine
months. When the plaintiff was told by mistress
to clean the chamber she damned the chamber and
mistress too. She added, she would rather break
it than clean it. She afterwards went up stairs
talking. loud, and making a great noise. I heard
the plaintiff tell mistress that the latter was a, nasty
beast to ask her to clean the chamber.

Catherine Elizabeth Webb, a little girl, eleven
years of age, daughter of the defendant, was next
called, and having satisfactonikihnswered the ques-
tions put to her by the Lord .1111ef Justice relative
to the nature of an oath, deposed that about a fort-
night before the alleged assault thq plaintiff said she
would "serve out my mamma worse than ever she
had been done before, and have my papa put into
prison for taking her down into the yard in the
night." That was in reference to the open area
doors. I heard her refuse to clean the chamber.
I saw the plaintiff shake her fist at mamma and
call her a vile woman and a wicked wretch. I
heard the screams in the surgery. Elizabeth
said, "Be a good girl and mind the baby, because I
want to go down stairs." I heard Elizabeth say
she liked a crowd, for she enjoyed it—she was in
her glory then.
Edward Robert Webb, 10 years of age, who also
satisfactorily answered the preliminary questions
put to him by the Lord Chief Justice, deposed to
the plaintiff's threats towards his ma and pa rela-
tive to the not locking of the doors. Elizabeth
afterwards said she would have papa put into pri-
son, and that she had plenty of rich friends who
would pay the expenses.
Mr. Wontner, jun., deposed that he took down
the evidence of Mr. Webb's daughter so long ago
as last January. It was taken in writing, and he
now produced the notes.
Mr. Henry W. Payne, surgeon and resident
medical officer of the Pimlico Dispensary, deposed
that on Dec. 10 the plaintff came there with a
swollen face in company with her mother. There
was no swelling about the mouth. After I had ex-
amined her it was said the injury was the result
of a blow from her master, and I was asked to give
a certificate as to the nature of the injury. I re-
plied it was so trivial that I declined to do so. The
swelling, which was at the lower part of the jaw,
might have arisen from decayed teeth. She did not
complain of her mouth or of any bruises. There is
an entry of this case in the register of surgeon's
patients in Mr. Edgcombe's handwriting. He is
since dead. I saw the plaintiff with him. (The
entry was read. It stated, "Injury of lower jaw
from a blow 10 days since," followed by the word
query in a parenthesis.) It also stated that she was
weak, and was suffering from diseased teeth.

This was the defendant's case.
The jury expressed a wish to have the police
examined, and in consequence

Serjeant Andrews was called, and examined by
Mr. Serjeant Parry.—l was called in by the defen-
dant as I was accidentally passing the defendant's
house on my return from the Westminster Police-
court. I saw the plaintiff and endeavoured to per-
suade her to leave. There was not the slightest
blood on her mouth. She was greatly excited and
held her handkerchief to her mouth. She removed
it occasionally. There were no marks of blood on
it. I know the qv lour of blood when I see it.
The petition to sue in forma pauporis, signed by

the plaintiff, was brought; from the Queen's Bench
Office, and examined with reference to the charge
of forging the plaintiff's signature to the wages
book, e 8 alleged by the plaintiff. She also wrote her
name on a piece of paper in court, and the three
were submitted to the consideration of the jury,
together with the name as written by the defen-
ntered his service.
dant in the book when she %."'

sent for, deposed to
Inspector Howard, who wao
the defendant coming to the st,ltioll on the 2d of
Decetnber for assistance.

The learned Counsel having addre:ssed the jury,
The Lord Chief Justice summed up.
The jury returned a verdict for the deandant.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.

(Sittings at Nisi Prius in Middlesex. Before Lord
Chief Justice Erie and a Special Jury.)
I3EIIRENS AND OTIIERS V. ALLEN-LIBEL.

This was an action to recover damages for two
libels published in the Manchester Guardian, and
the defendant, in addition to "not guilty," pleaded
that the alleged libels were true in substance and in
fact.
Mr. Sergeant Shee, Mr. Edward lames, Mr. Pope,
and Mr. Butler Rigby appeared for the plaintiffs ;
and Mr. Bovil;, Mr. Hawkins, and Mr. J. A. Russell
were for the defendant. _

The case for the plaintiffs was that they were
merchants and commission agents, in business at
Bradford and Manchester, and the firm consisted of
four brothers, who were natives of Hamburg,
.but
who had been established for 29 years at Bradford
and for 22 years at Manchester. They were in the
habit of sending silk, linen, and cotton goods to all
parts of the world, and their annual returns were
about £400,000. Messrs. Dalton Brothers were the
sons of a gentleman who was formerly in business
very extensively as a printer of cotton goods,
but who had retired, and was supposed to possess
great wealth. The course of the trade of the
sons was to purchase grey cloths, and to get
them bleached and printed according to their own
designs. In June, 1860, the firm became Daltons
and Heap, and their credit was untarnished until
they failed for £78,000. An examination took place
in the Bankruptcy Court, and on the 17th October,
1861, there appeared in the Manchester Guardian
the first libel now complained of. (The article re-
ferred to statements made in the Bankruptcy Court
that the bankrupts had bought grey cloth goods,
and sold them a few days afterwards at a conside-
rable reduction to Messrs. Behrens, and after stating
the circumstances, said, Such is the disclosure to
which we wish to call attention as having been
made in these proceedings. It exhibits no isolated
case of making a good bargain,' such as necessity
on one side and ready money on the other often
bring about, without leaving any reflection upon
the parties, but points to a regular and systematic
course of transactions which, though probably be-
yond the reach of the criminal law, were clearly
inconsistent with honest trading. We have a firm
of calico printers purchasing grey cloths on credit,
and selling them at a loss for cash, and we have an
agent always ready to accommodate them by pur-
chasing. The question may yet be raised whether
the latter cannot be made to restore the goods
obtained in this way from a house evidently on the
high road to bankruptcy ; but it is plain enough
that it was hisinstrumentality which allowed the
rotten business to go on. And just as the Fagins
of a lower rank in the social scale are justly visited
with severer reprobation than the Artful Dodgers
whom they train and encourage, so here we con-
ceive the commercial community may properly
show its blame of the practices acknowledged by
the Messrs. Behrens. Can it not, we should ask,
find some practical means of giving expression to
its displeasure ? The Jockey Club can exclude a
black sheep from Newmarket, and we believe some
of the societies of London merchants, holding their
exchanges at the various coffeehouses, can keep their
places of resort free from company they do not like.
May not their example be imitated with advantage
to the respectability of the Manchester Exchange ?
We throw out the hint as one method of punishing
offences against the ordinary rules of trade such as
those we have been here considering."). After this
publication the plaintiffs offered their books for
examination by Mr. Williams, who wrote commer-
cial articles for the paper, upon the condition that
if he were satisfied that the transactions were cor-
rect, the editor should state this and express regret
for his error. This offer was not accepted, but Mr.
Behrens was told that any letter he wrote in expla-
nation would be inserted in the paper ; and he did
in fact write two letters which were published in
the paper. The plaintiffs also offered to have the
circumstances investigated by the Chamber of Com.
merce, and they further advertised, complaining of
the false and calumnious charge made against them
and challenging investigation. Another meeting
took place in bankruptcy, and on the 24th October
the second libel was published. (This consisted of
a comment upon the later circumstances, and the
writer in substance adhered to what had been said
before, refused to retract or apologise, and said that
the plaintiffs might appeal to the law.)
A vast mass of evidence was laid before the jury,
principally upon the question whether there was or
not any impropriety in the dealings of the plaintiffs
with Messrs. Daltons and Heap, and the case occu-
pied three entire days.
The jury, after considering the matter for a short
time, found a verdict for the plaintiffs—damages,
£l,OOO.