The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JULY 7, 186E1

Prime Minister addressed his constituents with so
little cause for congratulation as falls to the share
of the noble lord who appeals to his constituents
in the address before us.

While the past is arrayed before us, and, at the
bidding of Lord PALMERSTON, we seek in its re-
cords for some inkling as to the future course which
Ministers may be presumed to take, what reason
exists for us to think that we have gained anything
by the substitution of a Liberal for a Conservative
Government ? What cause have we to hope or
expect that they will do more in the future than
the past? It is very like the fable of exchanging old
lamps for new, so far as a Reform Bill is concerned.
Those zealous champions of popular rights and
sapient judges of public necessities might as well
have held their peace on the hustings in 1859 ;
while, if they had not been so meddling and officious
in Parliament, we should long before this have had
the representation of the people placed upon a better
footing, and the vexatious question would have been
settled for some time.

Lord PALMERSTON alluded with proper feeling to
the deplorable calamity which has occurred during
his recent tenure of office in the death of the Prince
Consort. The noble lord truly adds, that " the
nation duly appreciated the high and admirable
qualities of the Prince whom they mourn." " A
bright gleam of hope" has, however, cheered the
country, in the happy marriage of the Prince of
WALES. It has, in truth, been an eventful epoch
in the history of the world, this period which has
elapsed since Lord PALMERSTON took office, and we
may safely affirm that the only stagnation to the
onward cause of progress has been the policy of the
Ministers themselves. Notwithstanding all this un-
propitious recollection, Lord P AL3IERSTON confidently
appeals to the country, through his constituents, to
give him a majority in the new Parliament. It
rests with the constituencies of the country to
answer this appeal, but they will fall very short of
their duties if they do not earnestly impress upon
all the candidates of their favour that a better course
must be pursued for the future than that which has
been pursued in the past. Lord PALMERSTON'S
address would do very well for a private member to
have written, but it is quite unequal in its force and
significance when we regard it in its true light as
the signal of a political conflict which is given by
the Prime Minister of a great country like this, and
upon whose issue so much depends.

It is not surprising that universal indignation has
been excited throughout India by the tragedy of the
march from Mhow, and it is only to be hoped that
the sad experience of that journey will make the
commanders of divisions a little more careful in de-
spatching men on unnecessary expeditions during
the hot season. It does not seem to have been yet
decided with whom the blame chiefly rests, but a
full inquiry ought to be made, since, though there
is no doubt that every one concerned deeply regrets
the catastrophe, the carelessness and indifference
which led to it were totally inexcusable. If the
fault lay with the routine regulations they should be
immediately reversed. The head officer on the spot
should always have discretionary powers to arrest or
postpone a movement of this kind, when he receives
information of the presence of cholera or fever along
the route. It is probable that good may come out
of evil for the future, but not before many valuable
lives have been wasted—the lives of men who, by
their courage, fortitude, and obedience to orders in
a time of such fearful trial, showed what good ser-
vice they might have done their country at need.
An accident which has lately occurred to one
of the Peninsular and Oriental ' Company's
steamers in the Hooghly has given practical
evidence of the great necessity for the new
port on the Mutlah. When some of these new
arrangements are fully in working order, and, above
all, when the railway facilities are increased, the trade
and commerce of Bengal will receive a new stimulus.
In the sister Presidency of Bombay there is just
now a terrible reaction from the excessive specula-
tion and consequent failures. There is reason to
believe that when the first depression in the cotton
trade, consequent upon the cessation of the Ameri-
can war, has passed by, that matters will mend.
The restricted nature of the Indian currency, with
which our financial reformers seem unwilling or in-
competent to deal, has, of course, helped to compli-
cate matters still further, but we need not be sur-
prised at such a result in India when we willingly
submit to the same fetters on our trade here in
England. Altogether the aspect of affairs in India
is satisfactory, since it indicates the steady progress
of a nation which, through many difficulties and
drawbacks, is yet slowly but surely advancing on
the highroad of civilisation.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

HURRICANE AT THE CAPE OP. GOOD
HOPE.
GREAT DESTRUCTION OF SHIPPING.

ALEXANDRIA, JULY 6.

Intelligence has arrived here of a fearful hurri-
cane at the Cape of Good Hope on the 17th May.
The English mail steamer Athens, from the Cape
to the Mauritius, was totally lost.

Seventeen other vessels were also wrecked.

CALCUTTA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN

MAMS.

The following telegram has been received by
Reuter's Telegram Company (Limited) from the
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Com-
pany, July 7 :

SUEZ, JULY 6.
The Moultan, 'with the above mails, anchored a
4 p.m. this day.

FRANCE,

BOURSE, July 6.—A fair amount of business has
been transacted in the markets to-day. French
Three per Cents. have firmly maintained yesterday's
closing quotation, viz., 67f. 20c., and Italian Fives
have improved 521 c., the present rate being 67f.
90c. Mobilier shares, on th. 3 other hand, have re-
trograded 20f., and are now at 682 f. 50c. The
Stock of the Mexican New Loan has likewise again
receded to 302 f. 50c., whilst that of the Old has
gone up to 46f. ic. The market closed as follows :

4, per Cents 96
Do. end month —
3 per Cents. 67 17}
Do: end month 67 221
Credit Mobilier
Do. end month
Bank Shares 3565
Credit Foncier 1235
Italian Loan 64 75
DO. end month 64 80
RAIL

Ditto Threes 64 75
New Mexican 46

r Do. Bonds
Russian -
Austrian
Spanish Threes
Home Debt .. -
Deferred
Roman

WAYS.

Cash. Aca
Orleans
Northern 1027 50 ... 1030
Lyons and Mediterranean 842 50 ... 843 75
Southern 557 50 ... 557 50
Western 528 75 ...
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian - ... 412 50
Lombard 485 ... 485
North of Spain 155 ... 156 25
Saragossa 291 25 295
Ditto to Barcelona — ...

THE TRIAL OF DR. PRITCHARD.

THURSDAY, July 6.
The proceedings in this remarkable case were re-
sumed this morning soon after ten o'clock, with the
evidence for the defence.
Dr. Michael Weistell Taylor, of Penrith, said he
was brother of Mrs. Pritchard and son of Mrs.
Taylor. Witness was in Glasgovf two days after
his mother's death ; he had not seen his sister pre-
viously for about two years. When witness saw
Mrs.Pritchard in February she said Dr. Gairdner
had seen her, and she did not wish him to visit her
again. She had some prejudice against him, and
gave witness to understand that an intimation had
been given to him not to call again. Witness
strongly urged her to have a nurse, and she ob-
jected on the ground that it would create some con-
fusion in the house, and that she did not like
strangers about her.
Cross-examined—Witness and Mrs. Pritchard
were the only children of the late Mrs. Taylor.
John Simpson, druggist, of the firm of Duncan,
Flockhart, and Co., Edinburgh, said the firm had
an extensive dispensing business, and he had been
engaged in it about eleven and a half years. Wit-
ness saw the prisoner about four years ago, and
shortly afterwards a bottle was sent by the prisoner
to be filled with Battley's solution. The bottle was
frequently brought to be filled after that, down
to the beginning of the present year. Witness
frequently made up by prescriptions half an ounce
of aconite in a mixture.
Cross-examined—Witness received the solution
direct from Battley, the maker. There was neither
antimony nor aconite in it, and it was quite impos-
sible that those poisons could get into it, as they
were kept in separate places. The Glasgow Apothe-
caries' Company was an extensive establishment.
By the Court—The ha'f ounce of aconite in a
prescription would bear the proportion of one-fourth
of the mixture. Eight drops of such a mixture
would be equal to two drops of Fleming's tincture.
Thomas Fairgrieve, chemist, Edinburgh, said he
knew Mrs. Taylor, who was in the habit for years
of purchasing Battley's solution. When Mrs. Tay-
lor called, she paid for it ; when she sent, it was put
down. The account produced was rendered to Mrs.
Taylor. It contained items for two ounces of Bat-
ley's solution, furnished on each of three occasions,
in January and February. Witness knew Flem-
ing's tincture of aconite, and sold as much as 50oz.
in a year. It was generally used for liniments, and
he had made up a prescription containing as much
as 2oz. of that tincture. He would not be sur-
prised at a medical man purchasing an ounce of it
at a time.
Cross-examined—Medical men usually sent pre-
scriptions. It was rather uncommon for them to send
for aconite. When it had been obtained from witness
he should think it had been for outward application.
He had served as much as an ounce to a medical

man. Witness did not sell much tartar emetic ; the
quantity had been less since croton oils came more

into use. He sold tartar emetic to veterinary
surgeons. In the prescriptips he prepared witness
might use two ounces of tartar emetic in a year.
An ounce of Battley would contain 480 minims.

By the Court—There was an imitation of Battley,
but witness never sold Mrs. Taylor other than the
genuine solution. The imitation was perfectly safe.
Fleming's tincture of aconite was largely used in its
pure state in external applications for tic-doulourex,
and he had used it as a specific for toothache. It
was never administered internally in an unmixed
state.

James Thompson, commission agent, said he
knew Mrs. Taylor, and was for some time in her
husband's employ as clerk and assistant He left
three years ago. Witness had taken the bottle
produced, and a written message for Mrs. Taylor,
to Duncan and • Flockhart's frequently. He had
gone more frequently for Mrs. Taylor since he left
her husband's employ. The last time witness went
with the bottle was the night before Mrs. Taylor went
to Glasgow, in February. For a year before her
death witness -went with the bottle every two or
three weeks.

Cross-examined—At first witness got the bottle
filled once every two or three months. Witness
once saw the message on the counter, but did not read
it. He asked for th'e medicine sometimes in the
name of Dr. Pritchard, as Mrs. Taylor said she got
it thereby half a crown cheaper.
By the Court—The bottle was always corked and
sealed at the druggist's, and witness gave it as he
received it either to Mrs. Taylor or the servant.
On the morning that she went to Glasgow witness
gave the bottle he obtained the night before to her
grand-daughter, Miss Pritchard.
James Fowler, of Glasgow, said he consulted the
prisoner in November for an affection of the ear.
The prisoner usually painted the ear inside and out,
and sometimes dropped something into it. Witness
did not know what was used, but it coloured the
ear, and produced a smarting sensation. Shortly
before he ceased consulting him the prisoner told
him to get some tincture of iodine and paint the ear
himself. He also gave witness some phials contain-
ing a white powder and a large bottle.
Cross-examined—Witness had brought with him
the large bottle, which was labelled with directions
and the word " poison." It was scarcely half full
when the prisoner gave it to witness, and it still
contained some of the liquid. Witness did not
know until Tuesday that he had it, for he thought
he had returned it, as he usually did when he had
emptied a bottle.
In answer to the Court, the counsel for the de-
fence said they did not wish the contents of the
bottle to be examined. "

George Francis Kerr, clerk in the Clydesdale
Bank,- Glasgow, said he knew the prisoner, who
attended witness in February or March for an affec-
tion of the ear. The prisoner gave witness a pre-
scription and a bottle labelled " glycerine and
strychnine." Witness only used the mixture twice,
by dropping it into the ear.
James Galbraith, writer, Glasgow, said he was the
prisoner's agent. Superintendent M'All handed to
him all the bottles fOund at the prisoner's house
which' were not wanted for the prosecution, and wit-
ness handed them to Mr. M'Hattie for examination.

Alexander M'Hattie said he was a doctor of philo-
sophy and an analytical chemist in Glasgow. After
the prisoner's apprehension witness went with the
police to his house, alid examined the contents of the
consulting-room. His instructions were to select
anything he found that was of a poisonous nature.
Thirty-five bottles were left in the room, and the
rest were • taken possession of by the police. The
last witness subsequently asked witness to examine
some of the 33 bottles. He did so, and found
nothing in them from which the prescription pro-
duced [that given by Dr. Paterson] could have been
made up—no chlorodyne, and no morphia.
Charles Edward Pritchard, the prisoner's son, said
he was 11 years of age, and lived with his father in
Glasgow when his mother died. They all lived
happily together. His father and mother were very
fond of one another.

Jane Frances Pritchard, the prisoner's daughter,
about 14 years of age, said she lived with her grand-
mother, who often spoke kindly of the prisoner and
he of her.

This concluded the evidence for the defence.

A brief adjournment followed, and the prisoner,
who had been somewhat affected by the appearance
of his children, required the assistance of the police
to go below.
On the return of the judges,

The Solicitor-General addressed the jury. He
said this case was so singularly aggravated that he
could not conceive of anything more atrocious. He
should press against the prisoner that he had mur-
dered two defenceless women in his own house,
with circumstances of extreme cruelty ; and the one
was killed while with a mother's tenderness she was
nursing one whom he was slowly murdering by his
nefarious practices. There was no protection
against murder by secret poisoning except the cer-
tainty of subsequent detection and punishment.
It was, therefore, for the best interests of society
that the prisoner, if proved guilty, should not
escape. Upon the jury now devolved the solemn
and important duty of saying whether one or
both the charges against him were proved.
Upon himself (the Solicitor-General) it devolved.
to prove his guilt, and he would proceed to consider
the evidence with all impartiality. The first ques-