The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JULY 26, 1862.

chased of the Government its old store (four only
were found to be missing) of 4,996 carbines, at
31 dols. each, and in due course delivered the lot at
St. Louis at a profit of 171 dis., making 92,426 dis.,
or £18,445, at one blow. The bargain has since
been repudiated, but the smart contractor has
neither been hanged on a high gallows nor sent to
Fort Lafayette, though there are hundreds of State
prisoners in that and other State fortresses, whose
offences are as white and harmless as milk, com-
pared with the poisonous blackness of his treachery
and treason.

and redounds to our immortal honour. These facts
are true of Wilcox's, Pryor's, and Featherstone's
brigades, who formed our right; and we are posi-
tive, that from the composition of Whiting's, Hood's,
and Pender's brigades, who flanked the enemy and
formed our left, they never could be made to fal-
ter; for Whiting had the 11th, 16th, and 2d Mis-
sissippi, and two other regiments unknown to us ;
Hood had four Texan and one Georgia regiment,
and the material of Pender's command was equally
as good as any, and greatly distinguished itself.
These were the troops mostly engaged and that suf-
fered most. It is gross injustice in any to talk of
our troops making three charges,'' repulses,' &c.
Our troops received the command but once, and if
Satan and all his host had confronted them, instead
of mortal Yankees, the result would have been the
same. There were no repulses—all arrangements
worked like a charm ; and we ought not only to do
our soldiers justice, but heartily thank Providence
for His guiding hand and assistance in the immortal
events of Thursday and Friday.
" Money was found quite abundantly among
the slain. Some men, in interring the dead,
often searched the pockets, &c. ; one man finding
not less than 150 dollars in gold ; another fished
out of some old clothes not less than 500 dollars ;
another 1,000 doll. in Federal notes. Watches,
both gold and silver, were found among the spoils,
one lucky individual having not less than six chro-
' nometers ticking in his pocket at one time. As a
general thing more money was found upon the dead
on the field than on any other of which we have
heard.

"Clothing in abundance was scattered about, and
immense piles of new uniforms were found un-
touched. Our men seemed to take great delight in
assuming Federal officers' uniforms, and strutted
about serio comically, much to the amusement of
dusty, powder-begrimed youths, who sat lolling and
smoking in the shade. Every conceivable article of
clothing was found in these divisional camps, and
came quite apropos to our needy soldiery, scores of
whom took a cool bath, and changed old for new
under clothing, many articles being of costly mate-
rial and quite unique.
" The amount of ammunition found was conside-
rable, and proved of very superior quality and manu-
facture. The exact amount captured we have not
yet ascertained, but from the immense piles of boxes
scattered through the camps we conjecture that the
enemy had laid in quite an unusual supply, expect-
ing to use it, doubtless, upon our devoted men ; and
so they would did our troops stand, as they do, at
'long taw,' and not come to close quarters.'
" The cannon and arms captured in this battle
were numerous and of very superior workmanship.
The 26 pieces were the most beautiful we have ever
seen, while immense piles of guns could be seen on
every hand, many scarcely having the manufac-
turer's finish even tarnished. The enemy seemed
quite willing to throw them away on the slightest
pretext, dozens being found with loads still undis-
charged. The number of small arms captured, we
understand, was not less that 15,000, of every
calibre and every make.
"The Federal wounded were collected together,
and formed a very large field hospital. The court-
yard of a farm house was selected, and scores could
be seen reclining on the grass and expert surgeons
operating with much skill and zeal. By mutual
agreement surgeons are not considered prisoners of
war, hence at the close of the late battle many Fe-
deral surgeons remained behind, and their services
seemed very much appreciated by the men. As many
as could be were conveyed to town and attended to,
good conveyance being furnished, and much care
manifested for their welfare."

THE EXTRAORDINARY MURDER AT

CHATHAM.

CHATHAM, FRIDAY.

The police have succeeded in apprehending the
supposed murderer of the lad Thomas Frederick
Houghton, whose body was discovered barbarously
murdered on Chatham-lines, on the afternoon of
Wednesday last. The supposed perpetrator of the
crime surrendered himself to police-constable Ilib-
bert, 169, who was on duty in High-street, Chat-
ham, between 11 and 12 o'clock last night, the
accused stating that he wished to give himself into
custody for the murder of the boy on Chatham-
lines. The constable asked if he was serious in
what he had stated, when the prisoner said he had
committed the murder, and wished to give himself
up. The officer immediately took the man into
custody, and conveyed him to the office of super-
intendent Everist, where he gave his name as
Robert Alexander Burton, and his age 18 years.
After the superintendent had cautioned the prisoner
as to any confession he might make, the prisoner
said he had committed the murder in order that he
might be hung, as he was tired of his life. He
then voluntarily proceeded to say that he went out
on Wednesday afternoon with the intention of kil-
ling some person, and was not particular as to who
it was. He happened to see the deceased in the
town with his mother, and at once made up his
mind that he would kill him; After following
them for some distance the mother of the deceased
went into her house in Alma-terrace, High-street,
having previously given her son leave to go on the
Lines to play. The prisoner continued to state that
he then followed the poor child, and when near the
mound of chalk where the body was discovered he
thought it would be a favourable spot for committing
the deed He accordingly seized the deceased and
threw him down, after which he cut his throat on
the right side with a knife which he had with
him. The deceased, he stated, struggled very much
and seized hold of his (prisoner's) hands, on which,
he said, he knelt on the body and pressed his throat
with both hands until the blood flowed from the
nose and eyes of deceased, and he was quite dead.
In answer to a question by Superintendent Everist
as to the cause of the bruises about deceased's face,
the prisoner said he only struck him once, and in-
flicted but one cut with the knife. While he was
engaged in struggling with deceased, the prisoner
said he saw two men in the employ of Mr. Gilbert
close to the heap of chalk, but he believed they did
not see him. After leaving the body, the prisoner
went on to state, he met a gentleman coming to-
wards him, and he then pushed his hands, which
were covered with blood, into his pooket, to prevent
his seeing them. He then proceeded to the military
bathing place, where he washed his hands and also
the blood of the knife, subsequently hiding the lat-
ter in a water-closet at the back of the Dark Sun
publichouse, High-street. He slept that night in a
yard at Chatham, and after wandering about all the
following day, gave himself up to the police.
After the prisoner had made the above statement
Superintendent Everist examined his clothes, when
he found considerable quantities of blood on the
front of his trousers, and also on the sleeves of his
coat. There was also blood on both pockets, as if
the prisoner had hastily pushed his hands into them,
as he stated. The prisoner having also informed the
police that after the murder he had wiped his hands
on the front of deceased's shirt, the latter was exa-
mined, when marks of blood corresponding with
that statement were discovered upon it. The place
described by the prisoner in which he had concealed
the knife was likewise searched by the police, when
the knife, a rather small sharp case knife, was
found at the spot indicated.

This morning the prisoner was placed before the
Rev. J. Formby, Mr. J. Hulkes, and Mr. F. Foord
at the county magistrates' justice-room, Rochester,
charged on his own confession with the wilful mur-
der of Thomas Frederick Houghton. The prisoner
was not dressed in the same clothes that he had on
when apprehended. He is of very mild expression
of countenance, about 5 feet 6 inches in height, and
apparently about 18 years of age. It was stated
that he had been convicted at the same c mirt a few
months since for appropriating some money which
was given to him by his master to pay a bill. He
is by trade a carpenter.
After the charge had been read over to the pri-
soner by Mr. Furrell, one of the clerks, Mr. Formby
asked him if he had any reason to offer why he
should not be remanded until Monday ?
Prisoner—l'd rather be tried to-day, if I could.
Mr. Formby—Then you are remanded till Mon-
day next.

On being removed from the court to the cells the
prisoner was assailed by a volley of abuse from a
number of women and others, on which he coolly

informed the police that he would not mind serving
them the same as he had the boy, and that the
,‘ blokes " (meaning the magistrates) might have
gone on with the examination at once, as the case
was clear enough.

As the assizes for the county are now on, the
prisoner will be brought up on Monday, to be for-
mally remanded until a future day.

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, JULY 25.

Yesterday morning the Clonmel Court-house was
densely crowded by people who went to hear sen-
tence of death pronounced upon Richard Burke,
found guilty on the previous day of the murder of
his wife by poison. When asked by the Clerk of
the Crown whether he had anything to say why
sentence of death should not be pronounced against
him, he replied as follows, amid breathless silence,
and in a manner which betrayed the agony of his
mind

"My lord—(a pause)—it would very ill become
me to contradict the verdict of the jury in this case.
I believe, my lord, from the evidence, that there
can be no doubt that my poor wife met her death
by the administration of that deadly poison strych-
Line. But, my lord, that I had any participation
in procuring that, or sending that, I distinctly dis-
avow. I had nothing whatever, my lord, to do
with it. I believe, my lord, it was the result of
mistake, and I sincerely hope that mistake will yet
be ascertained. I have now, my lord, to ask your
lordship to consider—mercifully—the recommenda-
tion of the jury on my behalf."
Baron Deasy, who appeared deeply moved, after
a long pause, addressed the prisoner in most im-
pressive terms. In the course of his address he said
that his duty was rendered more painful by the
protestation of innocence he had just heard. But
such protestations were of no avail after conviction.
They could not weigh a feather in the scale against
the verdict of twelve men on their oaths, pro-
nounced after a careful and patient investigation of
the case. He was bound to say that the jury in
this case could not, consistently with the evidence
and with their oaths, come to any other conclusion
than the verdict they had given. He had been
convicted of murder—murder in the most aggra-
vated form—murder by poison—a crime re-
garded in all countries with detestation and horror
—the murder of his wife, whom he had sworn
at the altar to protect. He trusted his fate
would be a warning to others who might be tempted
to commit the same crime. He implored the pri-
soner to put away all hope of pardon or commuta-
tion. " You have," said his lordship, "done a deed
which precludes the possibility of mercy upon
earth. You must seek mercy from Him who has
created you, and before whom you must soon
appear. It is my duty to tell you that I think it is
impossible the Executive Government can attend to
the recommendation of the jury." His lordship
then put on the black cap, and pronounced sentence
of death, to be executed on Monday, the 25th of
August. The prisoner was completely unmanned
by the sentence, and had to be borne from the dock
by two of the gaolers.

The trial of William Herdman, for the murder of
Mr. John Herdsman, commenced yesterday morning
at Belfast. The court was crowded, a large portion
of the audience being ladies. The prisoner is a man
about fifty years of age, with a careworn expression
of countenance.

The Attorney-General, Sir Thomas Staples, Q.C.,
and Messrs. Lowry, Q.C., Shegog, and Percy Fitz-
gerald, instructed by Mr. Hamilton, Crown Solici-
tor, appeared for the prosecution; and Messrs. Joy,
Q.C., and Hamill, instructed by Mr. M'Lean, for
the defence.

The Attorney-General stated the case. He said
—" May it please your lordship and gentlemen of
the jury,—you have heard the indictment read, and
you have learnt from the indictment that the pri-
soner is charged with the murder of John Herd-
man. Not far from this place in which we are all
assembled, in one of the loveliest outlets of this
noble town, on the 15th of May last, a murder was
committed without example in this town or in the
province of Ulster in its terrible circumstances and its
great audacity. The victim was a man known, per-
haps, to many of you—certainly known to the majo-
rity of those who are now listening to me. He was a
man I knew myself. He was a schoolfellow and
co-mate of mine in other days. His lot of life was
cast in this great community, where for every man
who is capable and honest there is a career where
industry is sure of its reward. In that community
he fought the battle of life faithfully and well. He
took a foremost rank among those of his profession,
and he isms enjoying the fruits of his prosperous
labour, not in worn old age, but in a ripe and vigo-
rous manhood, when all at once he was taken to
his great account, the children around him were
made orphans, and desolation fell upon his happy
home. It is my painful duty to charge the prisoner
at the bar as the author of all that crime and misery.
He was a relative of John Herdman, himself of a
highly respectable family, I believe well reared and
well educated, and an able, intelligent man. It
appears that, however it occurred, he had sunk
to a state of deep embarrassment. He was depen-
dent upon a lady—a rich and benevolent lady—
who was his cousin. She had given him support
from time to time. At last, for reasons to which I
am not at liberty to allude, she shut him out from
her bounty and her home; and the conduct of John
Herdman in relation to that matter, which I have
no reason to believe was not that of a most bene-
volent and kindly man, displeased the prisoner, as
I think it will appear to you upon the evidence in
this case, and generated in his mind feelings of
bitterness, of disappointment, and malignity, which
issued in the dismal tragedy, the circumstances of
which it is my duty to develope before you."
He then narrated the facts as they appear in the
evidence. Mrs. Thompson, who was in company
with Mr. Herdman, taking a walk near his house
in the afternoon at the time of the murder, de-
posed that the prisoner, whom she knew, came up
to Mr. Herdman, and said, " Can I speak to you?"
that he repeated the question, when Mr. Herdman
answered, " Not at present ;" that immediately
after she heard a shot fired, and, turning round,
saw prisoner's arm extended and a pistol in his
hand ; that they both ran, that a second shot was
fired, and Mr. Herdman fell, saying, "I am killed,
I am killed 1 Call my wife." Anne Dolan, a beggar-
woman, who saw the shots fired, identified the pri-
soner. Sarah Jane M'Cracken heard the shots
fired, saw the smoke, and then saw the prisoner
coming from the spot. Adam Nelson, Wm. Hoxley,
and James Gerrard gape corroborative evidence,
but nothing additional of importance. Mr. Henry
Russell, solicitor, was then examined, and stated
that he had been employed by Mr. and Miss Herd-
man to arrange to pay the prisoner £BO or £lOO a-
year quarterly if he emigrated, which he agreed to
do, but did not. He blamed Mr. Herdman for pre-
venting Miss Herdman giving him a large sum of
money. Several other witnesses having been exa-
mined to prove formal matters, Mr. Joy, QC.,
stated the case for the prisoner. Eight witnesses
were examined for the defence, which was chiefly
grounded on insanity. The case was adjourned till
this day.

At the Longford assizes yesterday, two men,
father and son, were tried on the charge of solicit-
ing to commit murder. The person solicited was
the principal witness. His name is Bryan Young,
a travelling shoemaker. He swore that the pri-
soners, William Clarke, aged 62, and Pat Clarke,
23, hired him for £l, and gave him pistols to shoot
a man named Fegan. He made several attempts,
but did not do the job, but ho told old Clarke he
did, when the latter prayed that God might speed
him. When under cross-examination he produced
a sensation in court by asserting that ho took the
name of -Ross, who, he said was a murderer, in
order that ho might receive kind treatment and
friendship from the people, and also by stating that
many very decent people in the county were fond
of murderers. Young was corroborated to a consi-
derable extent by Fegan and other witnesses. The
prisoners, however, received a high character, and
the jury acquitted them.
The grand jury of Longford adopted resolutions
in favour of changes in the arming and discipline
of the constabulary, so that they might be better
prepared for police duties, 41:14 might be more sub-

ject to the authority of the local magistrates, from
whom, they allege, all power has been gradually
withdrawn and centred in the police-offices.
The funeral of the Primate, it has been finally
arranged, will not take place till Wednesday next.
, The remains will be removed to Armagh on Mon-
day. The funeral will be public, and will be at-
tended by the Lord Lieutenant. The Ulster King-
at-Arms has been consulted about the order of the
ceremonial.

SHOCKING DEATH OF A LADY FreOM

STARVATION.

An unusually painful inquiry was held at the
Three Cranes Tavern, Mare-street, Hackney, by Mr.
John Humphreys, one of the coroners for the county
of Middlesex, at a late hour on Thursday night,
respecting the death of Mrs. Emma Snellgrove,
aged 58, a lady who expired on Sunday last from
starvation under the following lamentable circum-
stances. The case created considerable interest
owing to the respectable position of the family, and
the dreadful nature of the sufferings endurea.
Mr Stephen Snellgrove, 7, Church-yard, Hackney,
son of the deceased, tottered into the cony', and his
emaciated appearance caused a marked sensation.
Having been accommodated with a seat, he said
that his mother was the widow of a gentleman in
the wine trade, who died some years since, leaving
witness and his brother William £lOO each. The
family then lived on the salary which witness and
his brother earned as clerks in the docks. Twelve
months ago witness, through illness, lost his situa-
tion, and his brother not being regularly employed,
they lived upon the remnant of witness's £lOO.
For a long time past they had been suffering great
privations, living on bread alone, and witness and
the deceased had been confined to bed from illnecs
and exhaustion. On the Friday morning before
deceased's death they had a little dry bread, and
from that time until her death, on Sunday, they
had no food whatever. On the Saturday evening
deceased became delirious, and continued raving
from hunger the whole night. He crawle I down
stairs on his hands and knees and found a few
grains of coffee, with which he made a drink, and
gave it to her. The next morning he noticed that
she had ceased to talk, and upon going to give her
another drink, he found her dead. He then wrote
a note to a friend, but did not know how to convey
it. After some hours, however he crawled down
to the door and gave it to some one to deliver. He
since learned that his brother William had on the
Tuesday before deceased's death received from that
friend a sovereign for the family, but he had not
given them any of it. On the contrary, on that
day he came to the house and ransacked it for every-
thing of value, and took away a looking-glass and
even witness's dressing-gown. (Sensation.) He came
on Friday and gave them a little bread to eat, and
they saw him no more. Witness and deceased re-
mained awake the whole of that night, expecting
his return, with dreadful anxiety, and on Saturday
night they gave up all hope and deceased became
delirious. William had frequently come to the
house previously to remove things, and he would not
permit any person to call there. He used to abuse
witness and his mother brutally, and refused to get
witness removed to an hospital.
Mrs Selina Cook, Tyson-terrace, Dalston-lane, said
that on Sunday afternoon she received the following
note from the last witness :

" Sunday.—My dear Mrs. Cook,---My mother is dead.
My brother has left and we have had nothing to eat since
Friday. Do come. Yours sincerely, "S. SNELLGROVE."
Witness had known the family for several years, and
had frequently assisted them. On the Tuesday
spoken of she saw William Snellgrove, and said
that as his mother and brother were in a most de-
plorable state, and he would not even admit a per-
son she sent to clean up the place, she would stand
it no longer, and if he did not do something for them
she should apply to the authorities. He replied that
he was going to place his mother with a friend in
the Hackney-road. Witness said that his mother
would require necessaries for her removal, and she
gave him a sovereign for her. It appeared that the
poor woman had received none of it.
In reply to the Coroner,
Mr. S. Snellgrove stated that his mother was left
a provision by her husband, but that an individual
who was engaged to his sister got deceased to con-
vert her securities into cash, which, he said, he
could advantageously invest for her. When he got
the money he went away, and had not been since
heard of. Mr. W. Snellgrove was in occasional
employment.
Dr. W. H. Wright said that he was called in on
Sunday last, and found the house in an indescribably
dreadful state, it not having been cleaned for a
length of time, and there was hardly anything in
the place, which had the appearance of the most
abject poverty. Mr. S. Snellgrove was in such a
state of prostration that he was not able to tell, and
did not seem to know, in which room his mother lay.
Witness found her body in such a state of emaciation
that she was merely skin and bone, and he thought
she must have been at least 80 years of age. The post-
mortem examination showed the stomach and intes-
tines to be completely empty, and not only all trace
of fat but the muscular tissues had disappeared.
There was but little blood, which was pale and
watery. The immediate cause of death was disease
of the lungs, accelerated by want of food.
The Coroner, in summing up, said it was to be re-
gretted that in such an awful case of starvation Mr.
S. Snellgrove did not find strength to call a passer-
by for aid, and strongly censured the conduct of Mr.
Wm. Snellgrove in the matter.
The jury returned a verdict of "Death from dis-
ease accelerated by destitution_"
It was understood that Mr. S. Snellgrove would
be forthwith removed to the hospital, his state being
such as to cause serious apprehensions for his life.

HORRIBLE CASE OF PIRACY AND
MURDER, AND BURNING OF A SHIP.

Yesterday the subjoined correspondence was re-
ceived at Lloyd's relative to a most atrocious case of
piracy and murder off the coast of Spain on the 9th
inst. :

" Office of Committee of Privy Council for Trade,
Marine Department, London, July 24, 1862.
" Sir,-1 am directed by the Lords of the Com-
mittee of Privy Council for Trade to transmit to you,
for the information of the committee for managing
the affairs of Lloyd's, the accompanying copy of a
despatch from her Britannic Majesty's consul at
Malaga, relative to an act of piracy on board the
American barque Reindeer, of New York, and of
her destruction by fire.—l am, Sir, &c.,
" J. H. FARRER.
"To Capt. Halstead, R.N., Secretary, Lloyd's."
" British Consalate, Malaga, July 14, 1862.

" Sir,--I have the honour to inform you that a
most atrocious act of piracy has been committed in
these waters.

" While the American barque Reindeer, S. W.
Hewett, master, of and for New York, with a cargo
of salt, from Cette, was pursuing her voyage on
Wednesday last, the 9th inst., at one a.m.,
being then about 30 miles to the south-east
of Malaga, two Spanish seamen of her crew
surprised and murdered the second mate, the car-
penter, the cook, and another seaman ; wounded
the master, chief mate, and two others ; plundered
the ship of some 400 dole. in specie and a watch,
which were in the cabin, and stove one of the boats
and absconded with the other one, having first, with
unexampled malignity, set fire to the Reindeer fore
and aft.

" At 8 a.m. two passing vessels—the American
ship Minstrel, Capt. Clifford, and the English brig
Susannah, Capt. Grove—hove in sight, and, observ-
ing the Reindeer's signals of distress, proceeded to
her assistance. These two shipmasters, with part
of their respective crews, were engaged until neat
four o'clock in the afternoon endeavouring to extin-
guish the fire ; but finding their utmost efforts to
be ineffectual, Capt. Hewett and the surviving in-
dividuals of his crew were transhipped on board of
the Minstrel, which happened to be bound to this
port from Accra. At six p.m. they abandoned the
Reindeer, and very soon afterwards she was enve-
loped in flames. The Minstrel arrived here on
Saturday, the 12th inst., in the afternoon.
" I have since ascertained that two of the vic-
tims of this nefarious act of piracy were British sub-
jects, the second mate, John H. Hansom, a native
of Liverpool, and the seaman, Henry Frost Jones,
a native of Cardiff, both of whom were murdered in
their berths; the bodies were left on board, and
went down with the burning ship.
" The boat in which the rates quitted the 14ein-
deer has been found on the beach, a few miles to
the eastward of Malaga. The authorities are using
all the means at their disposal to procure the cap-
ture of the criminals ; and I have forwarded a de-
scription of their persons to the governor of Gibral-
tar, in order that they may be apprehended there
in the event of their proceeding to that garrison.—
I have the honour to he, &c.,
ff Wm. PENROSE MARK.
" Secretary, Marine Pepartment,, Board
of Trade, Whitehall, London.,,

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