The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-26 00:00:00

COMI'ANY.

Mr. ROEBUCK moved for a select committee to inquire
into the truth of the allegations contained in the petition of
Benjamin Coleman, charging fraud on the part of the
directors of the West Hartlepool Railway and Dock Com-
pan3
Mr. CLAY seconded tho motion, which was opposed by
Mr. CONINGHAM.

nr. FARRER also condemned the motion as calculated
to pr ejudice the case of persons whose conduct was at that
mom ent the subject of investigatjon by the courts of law.
He 4ienounced the petition as an unwarrantable attack on
a most respectable company.
Mr.. M. GIBSON said that if a select committee were to
be appointel on a petition complaining that the returns
made by a certain company were incorrect, there would be
no en .d to such inquiries, for petitions would be presented
for in vestigating the affairs of every railway company in
the kingdom. Ho understood, moreover, that all the allega-
tions In the petition would be inquired into by the Court of
Chan cery and the Court of Queen's Bench. As the pro-
ceedings were still pending, therefore, he thought it would
not is 3 right to appoint a select committee to prejudge the
case.

Tb e motion was negatived without a division.
MUTINY BILL.

Tb is bill was read a third time and passed.
Tt Le house then adjourned.

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thCnigil surely tine seeds of future disease.

CITY SEWERS COMMISSION.

Yesterday afternoon the members of this commission
held a meeting in their court room at the Guildhall.

THE EMBANKMENT OF THE NORTH SIDE OF THE THAMES.

Mr. . HAYWOOD, the engineer to the Commissioners,
laid before the Court a report stating that he had perused
the bill for embanking the north side of the Thames, from
Westminster-bridge to Blackfriars-bridge, and for making
now streets in and near thereto, and from Blackfriars-
bridge to the Mansion-house; and he had also examined
the deposited plans. The title of the bill explained generally
the nature of the proposed work, which in its entirety re-
presented perhaps the largest and most important metropo-
litan improvement that had been before the public for many
years past. The embankment, as shown by the plans and
sections, was to start from the bridge at Westminster and
to continue along the northern shore of the river to Black-
friars-bridge. The level of the ourface would be uniformly
four feet above Trinity high-water mark from Westminster-
bridge until it reached a point nearly opposite to Middle
Temple-lane, it then ascended with a gradient of about one
in sixty to the present level of Blackfriars-bridge ; its width
was to be 100 feet from Westminster-bridge to the eastern
boundary of the Inner Temple, and 70 from thence to Black-
friars-bridge. The whole of these widths were to be laid
out as carriageways and footways. No railway was contem-
plated along the line. It appeared to be intended to build
the embankment solid and arrangements were to be made by
which the low level intercepting sewer might be constructed
within it, so as to obviate the necessity for constructing it
between the Strand and Fleet-street. The public conve-
nience would thereiore be uninjured, whilst a better line
for the intercepting sewer would be secured. The general
line lying between the embankment and the present line of
river frontage would be reclaimed, and was to be let for
building or devoted to public purposes. Two now streets
were to be made between the embankment and the main
thoroughfares lying to the north of it. Many streets, also,
now terminating at the nresent river wall were to be con-
nected with it. The means of access to the embankment
throughout its length would therefore be frequent. The
Jurisdiction of the commission was not touched until the
point of junction of the embankment with the roadway of
Blackfriars, from which point a street 70 feet wide was to
be formed up to the Mansion-house. The centre line of
this street crossed Chatham-place in a north-east direction;
it crossed Earl-street near to Printer-street, and thence
curves round to the foot of St. Andrew's- hill, and runs
midway between Thames-street and Great Knight-rider •
street to Bennett's-hill, from that point curving gently
northward across Old Fish-street-hill and Bread-street-
hill; the centre line runs along the southern side of the
short length of New-street, (formed some years ago in an
ticipation of its continuation somewhat upon the line now
proposed) to Cannon-street, and then runs in a north-
eastern direction straight to Charlotte-row, by the Man-
sion-house. This street was not upon the line of that
recommended by the Royal Commission upon the Thames
Embankment. The total area scheduled within the city
was about 22/ acres. The sewers of the entire district
through which the line of street passed would have to be
altered and reconstructed. In the plans deposited there
was an absence of detail, nor could he (the engineer) learn
that detail had yet been considered. He was unable,
therefore, to give the court further information as to the
design and mode of construction proposed. The compre-
hensiveness of the project must however, commend it to
those who had studied the wants of the metropolis in re-
spect to its thoroughfares, and if it was carried out in the
spirit in which it had apparently been conceived it would
be in every respect a work worthy of the age ; but if,
on the contrary, it was curtailed in its execution by
undue regard to small economies, by inattention to
detail, or neglect of collateral points, it might still result in
a comparative failure, and a failure would, in this case, be
little short of a national disgrace. Upon carefully studying
the plan it would be seen that there were many parts in
connexion with the embankment which, according to the
way in which they might be treated, would either conduce
to or lessen the grandeur of the whole. The same might
be said of the proposed street within the City, where oppor-
tunity would be afforded for effecting collateral improve-
ments of general as well as of a local character, which, if
now lost, could not effected at a later day without large
cost; but no attention appeared by the deposited plans to
have been given to those points. The whole design was,
indeed, one which admitted of being improved, and to a large
extent perfected, before it was placed in the hands of the
board which might be destined to carry it into execution,
and it should not be permitted to pass into law until every
point was arranged which was capable of present determi-
nation. The bill as introduced varied very considerably
from that deposited. This was much to be deprecated, in-
asmuch as it rendered it difficult for the officers to examine
and report properly to those bodies of persons concerned in
the measure, and prevented those affected by it from taking
proper means in defence of their rights; in fact, the safe-
guard which was intended to be given to the public by the
deposit of a bill and plans was by such alterations to some
extent destroyed. The board for carrying out the work
of the northern embankment and new street was, accord-
ing to the present (but not the deposited bill), com-
posed of eleven members, two being members of the Me-
tropolitan Board, elected by the Corporation of the City
of London, the remaining nine to be other members of
the Metropolitan Board, one of them being its chairman,
who was also, when present, to be the chairman of the
committee ; five was to be a quorum, and the committee
appeared, when once constituted, to be intended, to a large
extent, to be independent in its action of the board from
which it emanated. The committee was to hold its first
meeting at such time and place as the chairman might
appoint, and it might afterwards meet at such time and
place as was thought proper. The cost of the works were
to be defrayed out of the Thames Embankment and Me-
tropolis Improvement Fund. The powers of the district
boards, vestries, and other bodies appeared to be reserved,
but it was by no means clear that the same reservation was
made in favour of the powers of the Commission of Sewers ;
but, on the contrary, it seemed to him that powers which
the commission had hitherto possessed in respect of sewers
when now streets were to be formed within the city were
abrogated entirely. From a clause in the bill the duration
of the functions of the board, or the Embankment Com•
mittee, seemed to be limited to ten years, but this was not
distinctly set forth, nor was it clear under whose control
the embankment was permanently to be placed, nor from
what funds it was to be maintained; but owing to the en-
grafting of numerous clauses from the other acts, but which
clauses were not inserted in the bill, and by incorporating
other acts, there was considerable difficulty in ascertaining
the exact intention of the bill upon various points, and it
appeared to him to require the most careful consideration
of the legal advisers of the court. It was a noticeable point
also in the bill, that for the first time it was sought to invest
a body other than the Corporation with powers to form new
thoroughfares within the city of London.
After some observations from several members, the re-
port was referred to the Improvement Committee to ex-
amine and report. The court then adjourned.

ASSIZE INTEL LIGEA CE.

HOME CIRCUIT.—LEWES, March 25.

The business of the assizes for the county of
Sussex was proceeded with yesterday morning, at
ten o'clock, Lord Chief Justice Erle presiding in
the Crown Court, and Mr. Justice Wightman at
Nisi Prius. There are 23 causes entered on the
civil side for trial, 18 of which are set down to be
tried by special juries, but 15 of the number are
actions for compensation for injuries received by the
fatal accident that occurred in the .Clayton tunnel
last year.

CROWN COURT.
(Before Lord Chief Justice Erie.)
His lordship, in charging the grand jury, said
that there were an unusual number of cases for this
county to be brought before them ; but it appeared
to him that the calendar seemed more formidable
than it really was, as the greater portion of the
cases were charges affecting property, which might
very well have been disposed of by the magistrates
sitting in quarter session.
Emma Jutten, 38, was indicted for the wilful
murder of her child, aged three years and a halt,
and named Emma Eliza Jane J utten.
Mr. Hake conducted the prosecution.
It appeared that the prisoner was a married
woman, and resided at Brighton, and on Dec. 24 the
child in question was found dead in her bed with a
piece of string tied round its neck so tight as to
cause strangulation. There was no doubt that the
act was committed by the prisoner, but from the
medical testimony it appeared that she had not been
of sound mind for a considerable time previous to
the transaction, and that she was insane when the
offence was committed.

The facts were only very shortly gone into, and
the jury at once acquitted the prisoner on the ground
of insanity, and she was ordered to be detained dur-
ing her Majesty's pleasure.

NORFOLK ClRCUlT—Nonwiar, March 25.
CIVIL SIDE.
(Before Chief Baron Pollock.)
CHAPMAN V. RUSIIMAN.—LREACII OF •PROMISE OF

MARRIAGE.
This was an action to recover damages for an
alleged breach of promise of marriage. The de•
fendant pleaded that he never promised to marry
the plaintiff; that she was not ready to marry him
when he was prepared to marry her; that she
exonerated him from the performance of the pro-
mise, &e.
Mr. Keane and Mr. Metcalfe appeared for the
plaintiff; Mr. Palmer and Mr. S. Reeve for the
defendant.
It was stated that the plaintiff is 38 years of age,
and that she has for some time carried on, with her
mother, the business of a grocer and general shop-
keeper at Claxton, Norfolk. The defendant is a
miller, of about the same age, residing at Ashby,
an adjoining villoge, and seems to have been at
various times during the last 12 or 14 years at-
tracted by the plaintiff, whom he had known as a
child, and to have made her offers of marriage.
Those offers, for some re4son or other, came to no- ,

thing, bat in the spring of last year the defendant
sought an opportunity of renewing his intimacy
with the plaintiff, and his marriage with her was
spoken of to many persons as likely soon to take
place. Only one letter was put in as having been
written by him to the plaintiff, and this was in the
following terms :

" May 2, 1861.

" My dear do not know whether you will allow
me to address you in this familiar strain, but I do hope you
will once again. lam truly sorry for my past conduct to-
wards you, and beg your forgiveness. My conscience tells
me that I have acted in a most disreputable manner, and I
wish to retract all I have said or done. Will you forgive
me, Sally? lam miserable, and I cannot live without you.
I know I have caused you a zreat deal of sorrow and
anguish, but I do hope to be able to bind up that sorrow-
ing heart. Oh I how can I ask your forgiveness when I
know how wrong I have been. Would you allow me to see
you once more ? Do not deny me, and I promise instead
of your reproach you shall have more cause to praise. I
never will wound any more that bosom where affection
dwells. Forgive me, dear Sally.—Your repentant lover,
«J. F. R.
_ .

"P.S. Anxiously waiting your reply."
On the receipt of this letter a reconciliation took
place between the parties, and the result was
that marriage was again proposed, but abandoned.
The plaintiff unfortunatly became enciente, and was
delivered of a child (which is still living) on the
28th of last month. The defendant acknowledged
that he was father of the plaiatiff's child, but it ap-
peared that in September he had married his
cousin, thus rendering it impossible for him to make
the plaintiff any reparation,for the injury he had
done her.

Elizabeth Chapman, sister to the plaintiff, was
examined, and stated that in 1848 the defendant
commenced visiting at the house very frequently,
never meeting the plaintiff without kissing her.
His intentions were believed to be honourable, and
preparations were made for marriage,when the in-
timacy was renewed more recently. In fact she
and her sister began to take stock of the goods in
their shop with a view to a dissolution of ipartner-
ship, defendant wanting witness to get her niece to
assist her " when he took Sally." On the last day
of February her sister was confined, and she had
not been at all well since, in fact witness, was afraid
she would " never be a woman again." In conse-
quence of her sister having been confined the busi-
ness which they had carried on was not so good as
it used to be.

Cross-examined—A Baptist minister had come
sometimes to see her sister and herself, but came as a
minister only. He never stopped late at nights„
and she never heard of his wife's telling him,
"There, go back to black Sally." (Laughter.) She
had heard that the defendant had given a bill of
sale on his mill on account of money which he had
borrowed. Her sister had a little money ; she did
not like to say whether it was £5OO or £l,OOO. She
would have had this money when she married. She
was satisfied the letter put in came from the defen-
dant.

Re-examined—She had only heard of the bill o:
sale on the defendant's property since the corn
mencement of the action.

The plaintiffs brothers were also called, and one
of them stated that he estimated the returns of the
defendant's mill at 50s. per week. The defendant
had told him he intended to make the plaintiff his
wife. On another occasion he also referred to a
chest which he had as one in which the plaintiff
would like to put linen.
Mrs. Stimpson' a married woman, whom the de-
fendant supplied with flour, stated that he had
talked to her about the plaintiff's being in the fa-
mily way, and that he said he made no doubt that
the child was his, that he would readily own it,
and that he would pay for it if that was all.
Medical evidence was also adduced to show that
the plaintiff was at present in a very feeble state,
both physically and mentally.
Mr. Palmer addressed the jury in mitigation of
damages, and said the question which the jury
would have to determine was, had there been any
promise of marriage ? It was clear, at any rate,
that it was not a case in which unsophisticated in-
nocence had been beguiled, or in which a young
girl had been led into paths of vice, for the plaintiff
was a woman of the mature age of 38, who was
quite as able to take care of herself as the defend.
ant was to take care of himself. The defendant was
only a small miller ; a bill of sale was impending
over all his property; and would not a lady with
£5OO in her pocket have been a good catch for him
—have relieved him of his banker's debt, and set
him up a free man in the world ? If so, and a pro-
mise had been, the probability was that it would
have been fulfilled.

The Chief Baron having summed up,
The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff—
damages, £lOO.

MIDLAND CIRCUIT.—WARWICK, March 25.
At three o'clock yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon,
an application was made to Mr. Justice Williams to
allow the prosecution to be withdrawn in the case
of Richard Guinness Hill. This case has obtained
great notoriety o wing to the extraordinary features
with which it was surrounded. It will be remem-
bered that the defendant stood charged with falsi-
fying the register of his own son, at Rugby, in
January, 1859. It was alleged that he did so in
order to become possessed of his property (about
£B,OOO per annum), and the whole of the property
of his wife, which she had bequeathed to him abso-
lutely, in the event of no issue surviving his decease;
and what gave strong confirmation to this suspicion
was the mysterious disappearance of the child itself,
and its subsequent discovery, after a lapse of two
years, in the hands of a woman to whom Richard
Guinness Hill had given it in secret charge. In the
investigation into the case made at Rugby, some
extraordinary disclosures were made, and the public
have seldom seen in print such a combination of
fraud, duplicity, and cruelty.
Mr. Field said the suspicious circumstances of the
case had been satisfactorily explained to the persons
prosecuting.
Mr. Justice Williams said he supposed " an
arrangement" had been made. He knew nothing
whatever of what transpired out of court.
Mr. Field thought he should have little difficulty
in convincing his lordship that the evidence might
advantageously be withdrawn.
The Judge said he did not see how the prosecution
could be withdrawn.

Mr. Field said persons would have to be dragged
into the case if it was proceeded with, and that
unnecessarily ; and there were many matters of a
private nature altogether.
Mr. Justice Williams said the offence was ren-
dered a public one by actof Parliament, and certain
penalties were attached to it. He must certainly
refuse to grant the application.