The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 10, IEM

LAW INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr. Registrar Winslow.)

IN RE T. W. BAKER.--CAUTION TO PRISONERS FOR DEBT.

This bankrupt was described as a prisoner for debt, and
he now applied to be released from custody.
Mr. Bagley opposed on behalf of the Agra and Master-
man's Bank, who were creditors for £3,000.
His Honour having ascertained that there were great ir-
regularities in the notices for this application, and com-
plaints as to the manner in which an order for adjourn-
ment had been obtained without the payment of the usual
costs, said that the bankrupt must pay the costs before
making any further application.
Application refused.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—This Day.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

CONVICTION OF A CONTRACTOR FOR CRUELTY. Mr.
Joseph Pickett, a contractor, farmer, and cowkeeper, in an
extensive way of business at Pond-street, Hampstead, ap-
peared on a summons obtained against him by Mr. Win.
Love, of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals, charging him with having caused a horse to
be cruelly tortured ; and Edward Buzzell, a young man in
his employ, was charged with working the horse while in
an unfit state.

Sell, ono of the officers of the Society, proved seeing
Buzzell in charge of the horse, which had a large wound
on the shoulder, with the saddle pressing into it. Buzzell
said he had been waiting at the Thames embankment all
the morning, but that ho was then going to take the horse
home to Hampstead. Ho then brought Buzzell to the
court, and the horse was taken to the Greenyard, and had
remained there since Saturday last.
Mr. Knox ordered Buzzell to be sworn, and he said he
was in Pickett's service, and was ordered to take the horse
to the Thames Embankment works every day, and he did
so. He called his master's attention to the wound, and he
gave him some stuff to dress it with.
Mrs. Pickett, who attended for her husband, said the
horse had been neglected through trouble with the cows.
Mr. W. Love produced a list of convictions,r extending
over a period of nine years, where foremen and carmen in
Pickett's employ had been charged with torturing horses
by working them, or causing them to be worked, in an
unfit state, from raw wounds and other causes ; and he
(Mr. Love) stated that Pickett had, excepting in one in-
stance, escaped conviction himself, the blame being sad-
dled on his servants, for whom he pays the fines.

Mr. Knox said the cruelty connected with the works at
the Thames Embankment was well known to everybody
and this case was another example of it. He had had seve-
ral cases of cruelty beforo him of late, and he was sorry to
say that the present case was as bad as any previous ono.
He would discharge the lad Buzzell, as he did not think he
was to blame in the matter. Ho should fine Pickett £5
and costs, or, in, default, a month's imprisonment.

The officer of the society said Buzzell told him that he
had to go from the Thames Embankment to Hampstead
with a load four times a day.

WESTMINSTER.

POLICE VIGILANCE BADLY EXERCISED.—Henry Ward
was charged with being disorderly at Pimlico last night.
Geo. Langley, 304 B, said that at a quarter to eight last
night he was in Eccleston-place, Pimlico, when ho saw
the defendant and some other costermongers creating an
obstruction with some barrows. They also went away
with their barrows excepting the defendant, when they
were told, but he refused, and was taken into custody.
Mr. Arnold—Had the defendant a barrow?
Policeman—No, your worship, he had not, but he would
not go away when he was tJld.
Mr. Arnold— What did he do ?
Policeman—Ho was standing amongst the others, and
when they all went away he wouldn't.
Mr. Arnold—Why should he ?
Policeman--Because he was told.

Mr. Arnold—But why should ho be told ? As I under-
stand you, a numbor of oostermongers aro causing an ob-
struction with their barro,Ns in Eccleston-place ; you order
them to go away, and they do, taking with them their
barrows which caused the obstruction. Tho defendant
had no barrow.

Policeman—He caused a crowd to assemble.
Mr. Arnold—How ?

Policeman—Why, he got jawing with me instead of
going away. He said ho should not go away because he
was doing nothing.

Mr. Arnold—He caused the crowd to assemble by enter-
ing into an altercation with you, because you asked him to
go away and he considered he had a right to stop where
he was. I don't see what the man has done to be locked
up. He is discharged.

APPALLING TRAGEDY.

MURDER OF THREE CIIILDREN AND APPRE-
HENSION OF THE MURDERER.

Yesterday the neighbourhood of Red Lion-square was
thrown into a state of excitement, owing to a report, which
proved but too true, that three children, brothers, had been
found murdered at the Star Coffee-house and Hotel, in Red
Lion-street, Holborn. _

On inquiries being made, it appeared that on Saturday
last a respectably-dressed man called at the above hotel and
inquired if three children could be accommodated with a
bed for a few nights. Having boon informed that one room
would be unoccupied, he said that the children were aged
respectively six, eight, and 10 years, and the accommoda-
tion would be suitable. He called again on the Monday even-
ing with the three children and saw them to bed. He told
the proprietor of the house that they were about to proceed
to Australia, and the accommodation kindly afforded would
only go over a few days. The next morning the children
were downstairs by half-past 6, in the most cheerful mood,
and stayed in the coffee-room until the arrival of the person
who had brought them, which was before 8 o'clock. After
breakfast he left, but returned at one o'clock, when the
children dined ; and he again departed, saying he would
see them in the evening. About six o'clock he came again,
and the children partook of tea and bread and butter. He
(their supposed guardian) then said that as they might be
tiresome he would take them to bed, firstly, however, in-
quiring if another room could be provided, This was ac-
corded, when ha went upstairs and put'ithe children to bed,
the two younger in the room formerly occupied by them,
and the oldest in the newly-appointed chamber. He then
went out,saying he would shortly return, and again made his
appearance at 9 o'clock. He asked for a candle to see that
the children were all right, and after remaining upstairs a
short time he left the house, saying that ho would return
in the morning. He did not, however, make his appearance,
and as the children were downstairs early the previous morn-
ing, some doubt existedas to whether they should be awak-
ened. Half-past 8 arrived, when ono of the chambermaids
entered the first room in which the two younger children
were in bed, and to her extreme horror found they were dead.
She immediately raised an alarm, when the proprietor and
others eutered'the room in which the eldest child had been
placed, and there found that he also was in the sleep of death.
Medical assistance and the police were instantly sulannoned,
the surgeon firstly arriving, and upon his examination of the
bodies pronounced life to have been extinct some hours, the
limbs being perfectly rigid and cold.
Mr. Superintendent Searle then set inquiries on foot, and
ascertained that the man who had brought the children to
the hotel appeared to be about 35 years of age. His height
was about sft. 7in., and his complexion and hair were both
dark. His eyes were dark grey, and he had no whiskers.
He was not shaven and hada beard apparently of a few days'
growth. He was dressed in dark clothes, and his waistcoat
was buttoned up close. He had a black scarf, but altogether
he had the appearance of faded gentility.

The children when brought to the hotel were not well
dressed, but their manners wore open and affable. They con-
versed with a waiting-boy, and said during tho conversation
that the person who brought them there was not their father.
They wore taken from their father either to go to school or
abroad. On each occasion, when the suspected murderer
left, he apologised for the trouble the children might cause,
but was assured that they wore not at all in the way, which
appeared to satisfy him. On each occasion he paid for the
received requirements, and appeared to have some silver
in his possession. The eldest deceased told the waiting-
boy that their father believed they were dead, but gave no
reason for such an expression. They all ran on in simple,
unconnected, and childish chattering, even up to the time
that they were taken to their beds of death.
A painful scene took place with the reputed father of the
deceased children. He is a schoolmaster, living a short dis-
tance from the scene of death. Ho was fetched in a cab, and
after looking at the deceased, one of whom had a smile
upon his countenance, his feelings gave way, and with
difficulty he was led downstairs. _ _

The history of the case is that for some considerable
period the husband and wife have been separated owing to
the latter's cohabitation with the now suspected murderer.
The husband believed the children were not his, but still
be performed a father's duty towards them. On the sepa-
ration, however, the children wore given up to the mother,
but ultimately they wore returned to the husband. From
some unexplained cause the three deceased were again
given up by the sanction of the husband, under the impres-
sion that the absent wife, her paramour, and the children
wore going to Australia.

During yesterday afternoon two medical gentlemen were
engaged making a post-mortem examination, but the result
has not yet transpired. The stomachs, &e., it is under-
stood, will undergo chemical analysis.
The report is, that chloroform was administered, under
which suffocation was effected by covering the mouth and
nostrils.