The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-18 00:00:00

THAMES.

DEFALCATIONS OF A RATE COLLECTOR.-Mr. Walter,
solicitor, and vestry clerk of the parish of St. Anne, Lime-
house, who was accompanied by the churchwardens and
overseers, applied to Mr. Paget for a warrant to apprehend
Edward Dudd Skillett, collector of the poor, general,
sewer, and main drainage rates, for feloniously embezzling
divers sums of money he had received for and on account
of the parish.
- - -

The proceedings appeared to excite considerable interest.
The defaulter had admitted a " failure" to the amount
of 2,3001. His family and connexions,who are of the highest
respectability, have been long settled in Limehouse and
the adjoining parish of Poplar, and his brother is a marine
artist of great ability. The defalcations of Skillett had
been attended with considerable inconvenience. A call
for £l,BOO has been made on the overseers by the guardians
of the Stepney Union, of which Limehouse forms part, and
there is a large call unpaid from the Limehouse District
Board of Works. The parish has been singularly unfor-
tunate in its officers. In the course of the last few years
the late treasurer and the late vestry clerk of the parish
have been large defaulters. The late vestry clerk ab-
sconded, and a reward was offered for his apprehension.
Mr. Walter said it was with very great regret he had to
ask for a warrant against Edward Dodd Skillett, collector,
who had acted in that capacity for thirteen or fourteen
years, and who was considered a person of great moral
worth and integrity. It was a most lamentable affair. The
defalcations of Mr. Skillett amounted to upwards of 2,0001.,
and the parish authorities considered they had no alterna-
tive but to prosecute. Uunder those circumstances he
asked for a warrant to arrest Mr. Skillett for embezzlement.
Mr. Paget asked Mr. Walter for the books.
Mr. Walter said he had not brought them with him.
Mr. Paget asked some further questions of Mr. Walter,
who said that Mr. Skillett had balanced his books properly,
and made out a large sum, 2,3001. due to the parish, but
could not pay the money.
Mr. Paget said it was not usual to grant warrants in cases
of embezzlement unless the party accused was out of the
metropolitan police district, in which case a warrant would
be necessary. The parish authorities could give the man
into custody if they pleased without a warrant if he had
embezzled the parish funds. He did not mean to say this
was not a case of embezzlement, and he hoped he should
not be misunderstood on that point, but it might be a debt,
for which Skillett would only be liable by civil remedy.
There were no books produced, and there was no precedent
for granting a warrant in such a case as this, where the
party was within the district. The police would act, if
called upon to do so, but he must decline to grant a war-
rant. - - _ _

The parochial functionaries then retired with Inspector
Bean, of the K division.

THE CONDEMNED PRISONER AT CHELMSFORD.—
Since he has been in Springfield Gaol there has been
no change whatever in Karl Kohl's demeanour. He eats
and sleeps well, and spends the greater part of his time in
reading and writing. The chaplain, the Rev. G. B. Hamil-
ton, has been in almost constant attendance upon him, and
the condemned man appears to pay great attention to his
ministrations, but still persists in excitedly declaring he is
" quite innocent, and as white as snow." He is evidently
a man of great hardihood and determination, and the im-
pression of the officials is that if he does confess it will only
be at the very last. At his request a letter was written to
the Rev. Dr. Cappel, who had several times visited him
while in Ilford Gaol, requesting him to come and see him,
and on Monday morning the rev. doctor arrived at the
gaol and had a long interview with the unhappy man, but
no confession was made, and Kohl still persisted in assert-
ing his entire innocence. Yesterday morning he was visited
by his wife, and we understand this will probably be his
last interview with any of his relatives. He was seen by
Dr. Cappel, who attended Muller in his last hours. Kohl
still protests that he is innocent. The execution is fixed for
Thursday week,—Chelmsford Chroniele.
HORRIBLE ACCIDENT.—A GIRL IMPALED.—A
young girl, the daughter of keeper Lucas, of Black-
nest, was engaged in picking acorns from an oak, when her
foot slipped and she fell, but striking a dead branch, which
had been pointed by age, in her fall, the point of the
branch entered her body above the hip bone, passed quite
through her, and came out above the opposite hip bone.
Hanging head downwards some half minute, the weight
tore away the lower portion of the body, making a fright-
ful gash thirteen inches long, and she fell to the ground.
The mother of the poor girl was sent for, who, on ar-
riving and seeing the horrifying sight, fainted immediately.
The patient, all but dead, was conveyed in a wheelbarrow
to her home, and medical assistance sent for. Dr. Sandford
was promptly on the spot, when he found, on examination,
that the intestines, although protruding, were uninjured.
He placed about a dozen stitches an inch apart across the
wound, gradually got the parts together, and by isunre
mitting attention and skill the patient is now out ofdanger
and able to walk about, with but a little contraction oli,f thtes
abdomen as the result of the accident. —y and an
, and Guildford Times.