The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-17 00:00:00

MARYPORT AND CARLISLE.

The report of the directors states that the re-
ceipts for the half-year ending the 31st of Decem-
ber amount to £31,157, against £32,910, showing a
decrease of £1,753, as compared with the corres-
ponding half-year of 1860. The expenditure for
the past half-year amounted to £12,059, against
£11,837, showing an increase of £222. The engi-
neer reports a continued improvement in the condi-
tion of the rolling atoek and line generally. The
falling off in the gross receipts, as compared with
the corresponding period of 1860, is occasioned by
the diminution in the coal and coke traffic—princi-
pally the latter—arising from the depressed state

POLICE INTE'LLIc'ENCE.—.Feb. 15.

THAMES.—EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF PER-
JURY.—Mrs. Mary Coucher, the matron of the
Merchant Seamen's Orphan Asylum, Bow-road,
appeared before Mr. Selfe to answer a summons,
which assigned that sbe had committed wilful and
corrupt perjury in the Thames Police Court, Step-
ney, on the 17th of January last, when a poor
woman named Mary Laughton, the wife of a la-
bourer, was charged with stealing three half-
quartern loaves and 21bs. of uncooked meat, value
in all 2s.

Mr. Joseph Smith, solicitor, conducted the prose-
cution. Mr. Ribton, barrister, defended Mrs.
Coucher.

Mary Langhton was brought from the West-
minster House of Correction in charge of a turnkey
and a female warder, to give evidence. She is a
well-conducted and intelligent woman.

Mr. Joseph Smith stated the case. The present
complainant was a laundress, and had been for
some time employed at the Merchant Seamen's
Orphan Asylum, but did not sleep there. On the
16th of January, after she had finished her day's
work, she was leaving the asylum, and the laundry
woman escorted her to the gate fronting the road,
when the defendant, Mary Coucher, the matron,
asked her what she was carrying, to which she
replied her supper, which the cook had just given
her. Mrs. Coucher took from the complainant a
small parcel containing a piece of cooked meat and
a small piece of bread,wrapped up in a piece of old
newspaper, and a basin of dripping, and carried
them into the house. Mrs. Laughton returned to
the kitchen, and remained there three quarters of
an hour in expectation that Mrs. Coucher would
restore her supper. The complainant then went
home, and had scarcely reached it when a police-
man entered and took her into custody on a charge
of stealing three half-quartern loaves and 21bs. of
uncooked meat, the property of the trustees of the
asylum. In support of that charge the present
defendant, Mary Coucher, swore that she took
from the plaintiff a bundle containing (besides
the cooked meat and piece of bread) three
half-quartern loaves and 21bs. of uncooked
meat, and that the whole was wrapped up
in an old coarse apron. The matron was flatly
contradicted by a witness, whose statement was
partly confirmed by another witness. The magis-
trate, Mr. Selfe, thought it was a case of conflicting
evidence, and determined to send the case before a
jury. The complainant was allowed to go at large
until the sessions, on her husband's own recogni-
sance for her appearance. The woman was tried
before Mr. Bodkin, the Assistant-Judge, and a jury,
at the last Clerkenwell Sessions. After a long trial,
and a summing up from the Assistant-Judge which
he (Mr. Smith) heard, and which many others
heard, the complainant was found guilty, and sen-
tenced to 12 months' imprisonment and hard labour.
He, as her solicitor, and firmly and conscientiously
believing that the poor woman was innocent, and
that Mary Coucher had sworn falsely, took out a
summons before the trial. He would put the un-
fortunate woman, Mary Laughton, the mother of a
family, who had up to the 16th of January main-
tained an irreproachable character, into the witness
box, and, her evidence would be confirmed by
others. He hoped that the result would be that
the defendant would be committed for trial, not at
the Middlesex Sessions, but at the Central Crimi,
nal Court, for wilful and corrupt perjury.

Mary Laughton was sworn, and stated that as
she was leaving the asylum on the night of the 16th
of January, the matron said, " What have you got
there ?" to which she replied, " Only my supper."
The matron said it was a very large supper, and
took from one hand a small parcel about the size of
the Hebrew Bible on the witness-box, and a basin
of dripping from the other hand. She saw no
loaves or uncooked meat before she was taken back
to the asylum. She was quite surprised when she
was charged with stealing the three loaves and the
piece of uncooked meat. She had been employed
for seven months at the asylum. She was not wear-
ing or carrying a coarse apron when her supper and
a basin of dripping were taken from her. _ _ _

Mary AnClZeast, laundry woman at the Mer-
chant Seamen's Orphan Asylum, saw Mrs. Laugh-
ton to the gate on the night of the 16th of Jan.,
and was about parting with her when Mrs.
Coucher stopped the complainant and took a small
parcel about the size of a brick and a basin
of dripping from her, and said "This is all I want."
The complainant had no loaves, uncooked meat, or
old apron in her possession. She was quite sure.
Mrs. Coucher did not take anything from the com-
plainant but the small parcel containing the cooked
meat and a pieco of bread, and a basin of dripping.
Susannah Harvey, cook at the Merchant Seamen's
Orphan Asylum, said she gave the complainant a
piece of cooked meat and a small piece of bread on
the 16th of Janury, at eight o'clock in the evening.
The meat and bread were wrapped up in an old
newspaper. She saw tho complainant leave the
kitchen with the parcel. She had given her a basin
of dripping in the afternoon of the same day. About
ten minutes after Mrs. Laughton had left the kit-
chen, she returned without the parcel, and said,
" The matron has taken my supper from me." The
complainant remained in the kitchen about three-

quarters of an hour. Witness then advised her to 1
go home, and she did so.
Inspector Kerrissey, of the K division, said when
the charge was entered at the station-house and the
loaves and uncooked meat produced, Mrs. Laaghton
said " Oh, you liar, how can you stand there and
say that you took the meat from me ; look here, Sir,
Mrs. Coucher is going to leave, and she has said
that she will be one with us before she went away."
Mrs. Coucher replied " What is the use of your
talking that way when you know you did have the
loaves and the uncooked meat in your possession."
Mrs. Keast, in answer to questions by the magi-
strate, said Mrs. Coacher did once complain to the
committee of the asylum for her using bad language
before the children. She had heard Mrs. Couche r
say she wished a poor widow to have Mrs. Laugh-
ton's place and do the washing.
The depositions made at this court on the 17th of
January were put in and read by Mr. Livingston,
chief usher. Mrs. Coucher then swore she took
three loaves and a piece of uncooked meat from the
complainant, besides the small parcel and the basin
of dripping.
Mr. Ribton cross-examined the witnesses, pointed
out discrepancies in the evidence of Mrs. Keast
given on the trial and her evidence that day,
and said the charge of perjury was wholly
unfounded. The case ought not to be re-opened,
or the defendant committed on this charge. Wit-
nesses were called for the defence on the trial, Mrs.
Keast was called, and Mrs. Harvey was also exa-
mined. The prisoner (Laughton) was also ably de-
fended by counsel, and the jury, after hearing both
sides, found her guilty. He could account for the
delay in giving Mrs. Laughton into custody after
she was stopped at the gate. Mr. Couchcr, the
superintendent, was then attending a lecture in the
hall, and could not leave the children until it was
finished. Mrs. Coucher did not like to give Mrs.
Laughton into custody until she had consulted her
husband, and directly the lecture was finished he
was informed of what had taken place, and at once
set the police in motion. The defendant was a lady
of high respectability, good connection, and well
educated, and what possible motive could she have-
in preferring a false charge against a poor laun-
dress. The committee of the Merchant Seamen's
Orphan Asylum had every confidence in the inte-
grity of Mr 3. Coucher, and were at the expense of
defending her from this unjust charge. The case
differed from that of Mr. Hatch, for no witnesses
were called for the defence in that case. The
learned counsel then announced his intention to
call witnesses, and

Mr. Selfe adjourned the further hearing of the
case for a week, and Mrs. Laughton was removed
in custody, and taken back to Westminster Prison.

WANDSWORTH.—EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF
FORTUNE •TELLIN G.—ALLEG ED CGNSPIRACY TO
POISON A HUSBAND.—SeIina Smith, a young
woman, 20 years of age, who carried an infant in
her arms, and who, it was stated, belonged to the'
gipsy tribe, though not having the appearance of
one, was placed in the dock before Mr. Dayman,
charged with obtaining a dress and 2s. from a lady
named King, residing at Wimbledon, by false re-
presentations, and ls. from her servants by similar
means.

Emma Pole, cook in Mrs. King's service, stated
that, on Tuesday last, the prisoner came to the door
with mats for sale, and afterwards wanted to tell
her fortune and also her fellow-servant's. Witness
said she did not wish to have her fortune told. The
prisoner began to tell her something which was
true, and she gave her sixpence.
.11r..Dayman—What did she tell you ?
Witness—l shall keep to myself what she told
me. She told me my fortune. I gave her ls. for
telling mine and my fellow servant's.
Mr. Dayman—l must know what she said. Un-
less I hear I cannot tell whether she intended to tell
your fortune or not.

Witness—She said I was to be married to a gen-
tleman. (Laughter.) She told me several little
things, which I cannot explain. She said I had
enemies, and that I had a lucky countenance. (In-
creased laughter.)
Mr. Dayman—l suppose you thought that was
worth sixpence ?
Witness—l paid her one shilling. I did not hear
what she told my fellow-servant. The bell rang,
and I went up stairs. I had heard my mistress say
she should like to have her fortune told, and I in-
formed her that a fortune-teller was at the door.
The prisoner went into the room, and I heard her
say, "Good morning, my lady; you have a lucky
face of your own ; I have something to tell you." I
left the room, and shut the door. I afterwards saw
my mistress go up stairs for an old dress, and she
gave it to the prisoner.
Mr. Dayman—ls Mrs. King a widow ?
The witness did not understand the question,
upon which a gentleman, who had been sitting at
the solicitor's table, rose and said that he was the
lady's husband unfortunately. He used the word
unfortunate with reference to this silly business.
Mrs. King had been a widow, and that was the
reason the witness did not understand the question.
The witness, in continuation of her evidence, said
—I heard the prisoner say my master would not
live longer than a month. She said, "As sure as
God he will die in a month." I heard my mistress
say she would not mind a sovereign if she could
bring her something to do her good. The prisoner
said if three drops were mixed with his tea, he
would die in a month. On Friday the prisoner
came again, and brought a powder in paper. I gave
her a bottle and a jug of water. She mixed the
powder in cold water, and put it in the bottle. She
said three drops of it were to be given in every cup
of tea. _ _ . _

Mr. Andrew, the clerk—Was it to save your
master ?

Witness—l supposed it was to kill him at the end
of the month. My mistress said if it did her good,
she would give the prisoner 10s. afterwards. The
prisoner would not leave it without the money. At
the commencement she said " I have brought you
something to do you good." She also said that she
gave ss. for it, and that my mistress should have it
for 10s. When the prisoner said my master would
die at the end of the month, my mistress saw me
looking and said she was afraid to trust anybody.
I said I would not tell. My mistress would not give
her anything. The prisoner would not go out of
the house. She was afterwards pushed out.
Prisoner—l say dear, did you tell me not to go
out till I Mid the money ?
Witness—l said if she promised you the money
you would be foolish to go without it.
Prisoner—Did you not say tell the lady that
master would die in a month's time ?
Witness—l did not.

Prisoner—Look here, my dear, did you not say
the lady had got houses, and I was to advise her to
sell them ?

Witness—l did that.
The Prisoner—She also told me to tell the lady
that I was a white witch.
Witness—l did not. I did tell mistress that she
was a white witch.

Priscilla Webber Jollings, the fellow servant of
the last witness, gave similar evidence as to the pri-
soner telling her that she had a lucky countenance,
and would be married to a gentleman. She also de-
tailed the conversation which took place upstairs
between the prisoner and the lady. She said—l
heard the prisoner tell my mistress she would be
married again in twelve months, and that she would
be a happy woman, and have one child. She said
master would die in a month. Mistress said, " Do
you think so. lam not quite sure." The prisoner
said, "Do as I tell you, and you can." I remained
in the room while mistress went upstairs to fetch
the dress. Mistress gave her the dress and 2s. I
saw the prisoner on the second occasion, when she
came on Friday. She was with the cook. I went
out, and when I returned I saw her talking to mis-
tress. The only thing I heard her say was, " You
must put in so many drops."
Prisoner—l say, dear, did you not say I was to
ask the lady to give you Zö to go down to the
gentleman's friends ?
Witness—My mistress asked me if I would go to
master's friends, and I told the prisoner to tell her
to give me £5, and that it would not be lucky to go
under £5.

Mr. Dayulan— That is the only sensible thing I
have heard in the case.
Witness—My mistress told me I could go, and
she did not mind what money she gave me. That
was after the fortune was told. _

Prisoner—She said I was to tell the lady about
her not living happy with her husband.
Witness—l said so. __ _

Sergeant Davis, of the V division, said that on
Friday afternoon Mr. King called upon him, and he
accompanied him to his house. He saw the prisoner
struggling with a man, and she refused to go. He
took her into custody and told her she was charged
with obtaining a dress anc 2s. from Mrs. King by
false pretences. She then said the lady asked her
to get her a bottle of stuff to put her husband out
of the way. Witness afterwards went into the
kitchen agd found the bottle of stuff on the table.
The prisoner said it was the bottle, and that she got
the stuff from her mother on Barnes Common. He
afterwards went to the tent on the common and
found the dress given to the prisoner. The prisoner
admitted having the dress and also the money.
At the request of Mr. King he was examined.
He wished to premise his evidence by stating that
there was a complete system going on in Wimbledon
of fortune telling, begging, and extortion.
Mr. Dayman allowed the witness to confine him-
self to this case as to what he saw and heard.
Mr. King said he had reason to believe that the
prisoner frequented his house for an improper pur-
pose. He questioned his servants, and he desired
them to inform him when she called again. They

told him that she was coming again on Saturday.
She, however, came again on Friday. On that day
he saw the prisoner walk into the dining-room from
where he stood in his study. He heard words,
sucq as "cost 55." and something about half a
sovereign. He put on his hat and walked to the
police-station.

- Mr. Dayman told him that he acted quite right.
Mr. King said that the first thing he saw when
he returned was the prisoner struggling with a man.
He also heard her make the statement to the ser-
geant.
The bottle of stuff was produced, and consisted of
a brownish fluid. The stuff had not been analysed.
Mr. Dayman remanded the prisoner for a week,
and directed that the stuff should be analysed, to
ascertain what was in it.

The prisoner was then removed to the cells.

TILE YELVER7ON MARRIAGE CASE.

In the Court of Session, on Thursday, " the evi-
dence allowed to the pursuer in replication" was
resumed. The first witness examined was Mr.
George de Launay, manufacturer, of Manchester,
who deposed knew the late Air Longworth,
father of the pursuer. He was a silk manufacturer
in Manchester, and belonged to the firm of Cardwell
and Longworth. Ho held a first-class position
among the merchants and manufacturers there. I
have visited at his house in Quay-steeet. They
kept a very good establishment in Quay-
street. They kept their carriage. Mrs. Long-
worth was a Roman Catholic, and Mr.
Longworth was a Protestant. The Longworths
associated with the best families in Manchester.
Mary Ann Cahill deposed—l was some time nurse-
maid to Mrs. Larkins, at Rostrevor. I was in
Sangster's Hotel, in Rostrevor, in August, 1857,
with Mrs. Larkins, who was there at the time.
When I was staying there a lady and gentleman
came to the house. The gentleman was called
Major Yelverton. (The pursuer was introduced
into Court, and identified by the witness
as the lady spoke of.) They occupied two
bedrooms and a sitting-room. There were five
or six yards between the sitting-room and the
gentleman's bedroom. The other bedroom was at the
other side of the sitting-room from where the gen-
tleman's room was. They did not enter from the
same landing. On the last Sunday they were in
Rostrevor I saw the lady and the gentleman in the
Roman Catholic Church there. The lady was
opposite the altar, and the gentleman was sitting
a few seats behind. They were married on the
Saturday morning, and on the Sunday I saw
them in the church. I heard of their marriage
by common report. I saw the lady's clothes
in a room different from that in which
I heard the gentleman coughing. This was the
room occupied as a bedroom by the lady. I once
observed the housemaid taking up two cups of
• coffee, and she knocked at the lady's door. The
lady took one cup in for herself, and then took the
other cup to the gentleman's door, knocked at it,
and after handing it in she returned to her own
bedroom again. I think that was a morning or
two before the Sunday of which I spoke. There
was no commuication between these two bed-
rooms except by going out to the landing.
This witness was cross-examined at considerable

length, but nothing of importance was elicited.
Charles John Goodwin deposed : I reside at Keith,
three miles from Bolsover. I knew the late Dr.
Alsopp and his mother. They held a highly-
respectable position, and were one of the eldest
families in Derbyshire. I occasionally saw the
pursuer visiting there. She was treated by old
Mrs. Alsopp as a lady. Dr. Alsopp told me he
was engaged to the pursuer. Her conduct was
always such as became a lady. Mrs. Alsopp was
very strict in her views, and was one of the old
school—decorum to a shade. Dr. Alsopp married
a girl of the name of " Liz" Carter, the daughter
of a small innkeeper. The marriage was regarded
by the friends of Dr. Alsopp as a very unfor-
tunate one. Thomas Longworth, brother of
the pursuer, was in business in Stavely. It
was a general store for a colliery district—a
large concern.—Mr. Fraser moved for an adjourn-
ment of the case in order to obtain the evidence of
Richard Sloane, one of, the parties present at the
marriage at Rostrevor, and who he alleged had
been on several occasions carried off by the
agents for the defender from Rostrevor, to'
prevent his evidence being obtained by the pur-
surer.—Lord Ardmillan appointed counsel for the
pursuer to lodge a minute on Tuesday, stating dis-
tinctly what he alleged and offered to prove in re-
gard to this matter.

COUNTRY MARKLA S.

~.

YORK- FEB. 15.

We had a fair supply of wheat to-day, and a tolerable at-
tendance of farmers and factors. A quiet business was ex-
perienced, and late prices obtained. Barley was a pretty
fair show, at previous rates. Beans were slow of sale,
and prices slightly gave way.
Wheat, red 58s to 61s Oats.... 22s to 249
White do .628 to 648 Beans 42, to 465
Barley .32s to 38s Peas ....--s to --0

Malt, 66s to 68s per qr. ;
to 48s per sack.

-e, 368 per qr.; flour, 46

LEICESTER-FEB. 15.

The supply of wheat to-day at market only moderate•
Trade quiet, late prices being supported. White, 64s to 680
—red, 53s to 64s per 36 stone. Barley was in fair re-
quest, grinding, 30s to 328; malting, 34s to 38s per qr.;
oats, 24s to 35s per 24 stone. Beans at high prices--
new, 40s to 42s ; old, •43s to 48s per 38 stone.
Fine flour, 46s I Seconds, 448 I Thirds, 42s per 20 stone.

NORWICH-FEB. 15.

Wheat to-day was in short supply, and the prices of last
week were fully supported. A tolerable quantity of barleit
which brought fully late currencies. Flour unaltered.
White wheat 60s to 64s J Red wheat 58s to 62;
Malting barley... .38s to 39s I Chevalier barley 37s to 380
New d 0...... 37s to 398 I Oats.. to ---0
Flour, 42s Od to —s Od per sack from the miller.