The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE 24, 1862.

posure to sun and rain. Of the blue gum—which,
uniting extraordinary strenth and ela: iticity, is per-
haps the most valuable of all the Tasm: snian timbers,
there are several beautiful spars, and at the base of
the trophy will be found planks of the blue gum
and of the stringy bark, which show at once the
immense thickness to which these trees attain.
The heart of Tasmanian timber is almost always
unsound, and the width of these planks shows the
width of the tree outside the heart. There are, also
samples of the white gum, silver wattle, blackwood,
all timbers of great value for ship-building pur-
poses, which the Tasmanian forests can supply iu
almost any quantity ; and in the Horticultural
Gardens may be seen planks of 80 and 90 feet long,
for which room cculd not be found here, and a spar
of not less than 230 feet long. From Port Arthur
there are some magnificent ships' knees, which be-
fore the days of iron ships would have been almost
invaluable, and the split palings show the extraor-
dinary splitting powers of the swamp gum. As
evidence of the toughness and durability of
,Tass
manian timber, we have doorposts and flooring
joists of Huon pine and blue gum from the old gaol
and old Court-house of Hobart Town, which are as
sound now as when the first builder made use of
them forty years ago. Of ornamenical woods there
is also a great variety, among which the myrtle
tree is remarkable for the beauty of its veins, and
in the Lich and varied tints of the Huon pine, dog-
wood, pinkwood, and mus'awood, the cabinetmaker
will find ample scope for the most fanciful designs.
An important branch of Tasmanian industry is the
Southern whale fishery, which furnishes employ-
ment for some 25 vessels. of an aggregate tonnage
of 5,746 tons. Last year the exports of sperm oil
and head matter was 710 tons—in value about
£60,350. This is illustrated by two handsome
whale boats, which hang at the sides of the trophy,
fitted with all their gear complete, except lines and
oars ; and by the jaws of two full-sized sperm
whales, one of which produced £1,150 worth of
oil. There are also specimens of the oil of the
black whale, sperm whale, and porpoise. A
very attractive portion of the Tasmanian Court
is the case containing the beautiful furs, most of
them of black and grey opossum. These have
attracted very general admiration, and, as the
prices asked are remarkably low, very few of
them yet remain unsold. The Tasmanian build-
ing stone has a high reputation in the colonies, and
many of the public buildings in Melbourne are
constructed of it; and there are also here some fine
specimens of black and gray marble. Of coal, too,
the island possesses several seams, both of anthracite
and bituminous, of which we have samples here—
though it is believed that beds of still greater value
than those yet worked exist in various parts. There
is a epeeimen, too, of a curious combustible mineral
called dysodile, from which the colonists manufac-
ture petroleum. Though gold is scattered freely
over the surface of Tasmania, it has never been dis-
covered in sufficient quantity to pay for working,
but a small portion is shown here to exhibit its
characteristics; and in the same case are some
brilliant topazes from Flinder's Island, mounted
with great taste. The fruits of Tasmania are re-
presented in admirably-executed wax models. Of
wheat there are some fine samples; and, lastly,
there is a very showy collection of the birds of the
colony of every variety of hue.

THE FIRES IN ST. PETERSBURG.

The St. Petersburg Gazette publishes a series of
decrees suppressing various institutions in conse-
quence of the recent fires. Among others the Chess
Club, two Sunday schools, and other establishments
are suppressed, on the ground that political discus-
sions of a revolutionary nature were held at them.
All the public reading-rooms are closed. The fol-
lowing is the order issued by the Military Governor
of St. Petersburg :
" I. The Military Governor-General of St. Peters-
burg, deeming it his duty, under the present cir-
cumstances, to take all necessary measures to calm
the anxiety which prevails in the public mind, to
prevent the propagation in the capital of reports
devoid of foundation on actual events, has thought
it advisable to close the Chess Club until further
orders, as it was there that such erroneous opinions
were formed and circulated.
" 11. The baneful tendency of some of the public
reading rooms recently established, and which
have offered fewer facilities for reading than oppor-
tunities for propagating among the persons who
frequented them works of a nature to excite the
people to agitation and disturbance, as well as false
reports, has rendered it necessary for the Military
Governor-General to close, until further orders, all
public reading rooms actually existing."
Meantime, despite all the exertions of the police
and the military, the fires continue, not only at
St. Petersburg, but in other towns of the Empire.
Detachments of volunteers have been organised to
assist the fire-brigade.
A letter from St. Petersburg, in La Presse, dated
the 12th of June, gives the following accountof the
conflagrations in the capital :--
" You will doubtless already have heard of the
numerous conflagrations that have extended their
disastrous ravages over our capital. Behind these
flames there is a dark mystery which alarms the
Government. No one here believes that these con-
tinuous fires are the result of accident. The details
of these conflagrations, and, so to say, their geo-
graphy, show a concerted plan and a clever organi-
sation. To be convinced of this it will suffice to
follow their course.
On the 2d of June, at 5 a.m., fire burst out op-
posite the police station in the Grand Okhtasstreet ;
fanned by the wind,4hree streets were burnt down.
While the fire brigade was actively employed in
putting out the flzmes, another fire burst out, at 2
p.m., in the George wska-street, which consumed
25 houses and their dependencies, as also the Chapel
of Our Lady of Smolensk.

"On the following day, the 3d, the fire brigade
was hastily sent for to the Kamskaia quarter ; six
houses were in a blaze. The flames shot across to
the left side of the Ligowska, where all the build-

ings are of wood. They were all consumed.
" On the 4th of June, at 2 a.m., flames burst forth
from one of the barracks; 40 houses were burnt
down. The fire brigade had scarcely returned to
their quarters when, at 3 p.m., bright flames lit up
the Grokowa Market, the streets Kobylowka, Ly-
gowke, and Nazicwae. The number of houses de-
stroyed is not yet known. At the same moment
a commercial house was burning in the Bechkutoff-
street ; finally, at 11 o'clock at night, a house oppo-
site Naeziwisk burst into flames. I cannot describe
the effect of these terrible manoeuvres. Consterna

....
tion prevails. Political discontent, armed. with
torches, is taking the revenge of savages.
" On its part, the Government responds to these
provocations by- the sternest measures. A ukase is
published to-day to the effect that any person in
whose house shall be found combustible materials
shall be tried by court-martial within 24 hours.
This is a most severe measure, as in every house
combustible materials are to be found, necessary for
daily household purposes. Various arrests have
been made by the police. A special committee of
investigation is sitting. A military governor has
been appointed in every quarter of the town.
" Another source of anxiety is added to these
incendiary acts. Hand-bills, exhorting the people
to revolt, are largely circulated by the revolutionary
propaganda. One of these, printed and circulated

by thousands of copies, contains an energetic appeal
to insprrection against despotism. A second, called

Zouniskaia duina, or National Chamber, is a project
of constitution. A third (I?owkaia prarda, or
Russian truth), demands the independence of Po-
land, and conciliates the Russian m)vement with
the cause of Poland.

"A fourth is devoted to the memory and history
of Captain Aiexandrow, who, employed at the
telegraphloflice, altered a despatch sent from St.
Petersburg to Gen. Luders, in April last, ordering
the severest measures to be employed in ccse of a
demonstration, to a milder form, recommending
measures of persuasion. Captain Alexandrow was
sentenced to be shot, but his sentence was commuted
to exile in Siberia.
"Finally, other proclamations denote the moment
for a general rising at the anniversary of the inau-
..Turatlen of the monument of Novoporod—the 2d of
anniversary
of th© foundation of the

Russian Empire. The Government has already
ordered the inauguration to be postponed to the Bth
September. In fact, the symptoms are alarming.
The proclamations find their way even into the Im-
perial Palace, and aro reprinted in many towns."

THE ALLEGED POISONING OF A LADY.

At half-past nine o'clock yesterday morning Mr.
John Humphreys, the coroner for Middlesex, again
met the jury at the Plough Tavern, Mensal-green,
who mere empannelled on the 13th inst. for the
purpose of investigating the circumstances attend.
ing the death of Mrs. Frances Phillip?, aged 27, the
wife of a wealthy horsedealer at Knightsbridge,
whose death it is alleged was caused through the
administration of poison.
The death took place in February last, and on
the 28th ult. a written statement of evidence was
forwarded to the office of the late coroner (Mr.
Wekley), requesting an exhumation and inquest on
the body, but on the death of that gentleman the
statement was presented to his colleague, Mr.
Humphreys, who issued his order for the required
exhumation. At the first meeting the identification
of the body only was taken, and on Friday last the
reception of evidence was further adjourned for the
attendance of Mr. Sergeant Ballantine, who was
engaged in the Court of Exchequer.
Mr. V. Blackburn, instructed by Mr. Gbld, jun.,
of the firm of Gold and Son, attended on the part of
the friends of the deceased; and Mr. Sergeant Bal-
lantine, instructed by Mr. Potter, of the firm of
Lofty, Potter, and Co,, represented Mr. Phillips,
the husband of the deceased.
Mrs. Diana Little, the mother of deceased, was
the first witness, and she deposed that she resided
at York. She was in London in January, and she
came up from York to attend her daughter's con-
finement. The deceased was confined on Jan. 28th.
The child was born without the assistance of Dr.
Cahill. Witness resided in the house some days
afterwards. About the middle of the second week
after her confinement she found her crying, and she
said that Mr. Phillips said she would die. Wit-
ness told her it was no such thing, and witness
fetched Drs. Cahill and Oldham, who were in the
dining room, and they assured her she would not;
one of them also remarking that Mr. Phillips
should not have said so. On the 12th of February
Mr. Phillips told witness that she must not go
into her daughter's bed-room, but that she might
remain in the house. She afterwards followed him
to the bed-room door, and heard her daughter say,
" Where's mother?" Mr. Phillips remarked, that
the doctors said no one was to be in the room. At
five o'clock witness sent deceased some tea and toast.
About six o'clock witness was in the kitchen, with
Miss Eiiza Green and several others, when they
heard a loud scream, and a cry for a light. Witness
and the others ran to the room and found Mr.
Phillips there. Deceased said that " Mr. Phillips
had poisoned her." Witness asked how he had done
it, and she replied, " He leaned over me twice, and
forced the medicine down my throat. It was so
strong that it took my breath away. She then
turned to Mr. Phillips and said, "You wilful mur-
derer, you have Palmered me !" The deceased's face
was very black, and she begged her to go for a
doctor and a magistrate.
Miss Anne Little, sister to the deceased, corrobo-
rated part of the evidence of the previous witness.
Deceased said, "My husband has poisOned me."
She also said that he leant over her twice when he
thought she was asleep, and put the bottle in her
mouth, and that the poison was so strong she could
not cry out until the blood came from her nose. Mr.
Phillips said nothing. Witness was not allowed to
see her sister when she was dying. On the morn-
ing of the 12th Mr. Phillips remarked to witness
that deceased had the constitution of a horse, or she
would have been dead long before. They generally
lived on good terms together. Deceased was jeal-
ous of the other Mrs. Phillips, who was no relation.
Mr. Phillips wished the deceased to associate with
Mrs. Phillips, but she would never do so.
By the Coroner—On the morning of the 12th
the deceased spoke quite rationally, and asked her
if she saw George, the foreman, turn her mother out.
Deceased asked for a stomach-pump and some mus-
tard and water to get the poison out, as she wished
to live for the sake of her child. Never heard of
there being any madness in their family.
Mr. Henry Richard Phillips, in his cross-exami-
nation, said Mrs. Little was very violent, and
rushed about the yard crying out for a stomach
pump and a doctor. She created_such a scene that
it was impossible to describe it.
Mr. Phillips during his examination was moved
to tears.
Dr. Cahill, Dr. Holden, Dr. Brown, and Dr.
Martin all gave an opinion that &eased died from
exhaustion consequent on puerperal mania. They
all agreed that Mrs. Little, the mother, was too
excited to be in attendance upon her daughter, who
required the utmost quietude.
The servants and nurses said that Mrs. Phillips
did say that her husband had poisoned her, which
the doctors stated was usual with such disease,
being of a character to fill the mind with imaginary
ideas. The servants alluded to many acts performed
I by Mrs. Little, such as getting her daughter out of
bed at an improper time, putting a wet towel on
her feet because they were warm, and also bathing
her head with cold vinegar and water. She had
also given her eight or nine oranges, which caused
wind and diarrhcen. It was also stated that Mrs.
Little had flourished a carving knife, and had said
she would stab Mr. Phillips. Thera was some con-
tradiction in the evidence as to when_she was pos-
sessed of the carving knife.
Dr, Martin said the mixture alluded to was
composed of citrate of iron and chloric ether, to be
taken in drops with lemon juice, and that the iron
would cause the blackness in the mouth, and the
liquor would be of a red colour. There was no
blood about deceased's face. The bad breath and
contaminated blood would account for the swollen
tongue and sore mouth.
Dr. James Edmunds, licentiate of the College of
Physicians, and practising in Spital-square, made
the post-mortem examination, and found a lascera-
tion of the perineum, which was accounted for in
the birth of the child. He delivered the heart,
lungs, stomach, and its contents to Professor Harley,
for analysis. He was of opinion that death was
caused by exhausfion attended by delirium.
Dr. George Harley, Professor of Medical Juris-
prudence at the University College of London, de-
scribed the results of the analysis made byhim,
and the appearance of the various parts delivered
to him by Dr. Edmunds. He found a number of
crystals—salts—which proved to be phosphates,
and in the throat a ragged ulcerated spot, three-
eighths of an inch in breadth, and tae-sighths of
an inch in depth. Ha found no mineral poison.
He tested for acids and alkalies, but found a neutral
reception. In the fluid round the heart and lungs
these was alkaline. The contents of the stomach
and intestines, on analysis, he found chiefly to con-
sist of one of the alkaloids of opium, namely,
morphia. There was no reason to believe poison
had been taken. His opinion was that the person
died from exhaustion, from loss of blood from con-
finement, and loss of sleep.
The Coroner then summed up, showing that the
deceased herself had alleged that the husband had
poisoned her, and that from the affidavits which
bad been placed in his hands he found it was the
subject of a very proper inquiry.
The Jury returned a verdict of "Death from
natural causes," which was received with applause,
but was quickly suppressed by the Coroner.

Lit TV INTELLIGENCE—,Tune 23

COUIIT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.
(Sittings at, Nisi Prius, at Westminster, before Lord
Chief Justice Cockburn and a Special Jury.)
HANCOCK V. WEBB—CHARGE OF ASSAULT AGAINST
A MEDICAL MAN.
The further hearing of this case, which commenced
on Saturday, was resumed this morning.
Mr. hluddleston, Q C., and Mr. Prentice, were
counsel for the plaintiff; Mr. Sergeant Parry and
Mr. James Brown were counsel for the defendant.
Mrs. Catherine Webb deposed—l am. the defen-
dant's wife. The plaintiff entered my service as
a general servant. I keep a nurse to attend to the
children and the nursery, and there is a boy to assist
the general servant. A fortnight before the 2d of
December I had occasion to complain of the kitchen
area doors being kept unlocked at night. I re-
quested her to lock them, but she declined. On
another occasion I found the doors unlocked, and
she refused to lock them, or *.o go to bed, or coma
in to prayers. After I had gone up to bed, and
whilst undressing, my husband had occasion to go
out to visit a patient, and at my request he went
down to the kitchen, where he there found the
plaintiff and the doors still unlocked. A police.
man was called in and went over the house, and
the plaintiff afterwards went to bed. She, in c9n-
sequence. gave me notice to leave, but afterwards
spontaneously withdrew it, saying, " She was sorry
for what had occurred, and wished to remain." She
consequently remained. It was her duty to empty
the bed-room slops. The boy attends to his own
room, makes his bed, &c., but he had left shortly
before the 2d of December. My husband, previous
to this, punished my elder daughter at my request
in consequence of her having told a falsehood that
would have caused her younger sister to have been
punished. The plaintiff's sister did not like the
child to be beaten, but they both said it was neces-
sary to be done. Plaintiff did not give me notice
to leave in consequence. The boy's utensil had
been brought down to the water-closet, and I re
quested the plaintiff to empty it. She at first said
she would do so, but did not; and on my again de-
siring her to do so, she refused, saying she would
not do it for me or for any one else. She per-
sisted in refusing to do so, on which I told her she
must leave at once. She said she would leave in
a fortnight. The same morning I found a large
blackbeetle pinned alive to the kitchen table, which
I ascertained she had done. As I went up the kit-
chen stairs she called me a nasty beast for having
asked her to carry the slops, which she continued
shouting till I got to the breakfast-room. While
we were at breakfast she passed up and down the
kitchen stairs, laughing in a defiant manner, and
talking to her sister. I sent the boy twice to her
to desist. The first time she returned an answer
that she would make as much noise as she liked. I
sent for her mother, but she could not come, and
sent her daughter Ellen. I refused to see her the
(the daughter); and at my husband's suggestion, I
went to the mother, but before that I told her she!
might remain the fortnight. She said, " No, I will
go now, and have my fortnight's wages." I saw
the mother, and told her what had occurred. She
could not come to her daughter, but sent her daugh-
ter Ellen, thinking that would be the means of get-
ting her daughter to leave quietly. On my return
I found the plaintiff outside the dining-room door,'
where I had left her. After I had informed my
husband what the mother said we all three went
into the surgery. She there signed the book pro.
duced for her wages, and the money due to her was
given to her. She held it in her hand for a short
time, and then threw it on the table, saying she
must have a fortnight's more money, her sister, who
had come down stairs, saying to her, "Don't take
it—don't take it." The plaintiff was very impu-
dent. She continued asking—" Will you give me
more money P'' I was afraid of her excited state,
and I went into the dining-room. As I passed
into the hall,, she shook her fist close to my
face, and called me a " vile woman," and after-
wards, in the presence of my daughter, she called
me a" vile wretch." My husband left for a short
time, and on his return he said to the plaintiff,
" You have been paid your wages. You are an in-
truder now in this house, and you had better go."
She said she would not go, and sat down on a chair,
close to the chiffonier. My husband said to her—
" I am going out, and you had better go at once, or
it will be my painful duty to turn you out." My
husband had locked the door of the surgery. Plain-
tiff said, " I am as strong as you are, and I won't
go," throwing her arms back in a violent manner,
upsetting the bottles and breaking one. My hus-
band took her by the shoulders to put her out, and
I opened the front door. She slipped down on the
floor, and her shawl caught a light table in the sur-
gery and upset it. She made a great noise, shout-
ing and kicking the floor, which caused a great
crowd to assemble outside in the street. She re-
sisted violently being put out. My husband placed
his hand over her mouth to prevent her shouting.
Mylhusbe.nd said if our presence excited her we had
better leave her. Just at that time the surgery
belt rang, and my husband opened the door, and
Elizabeth (the sister) came in. We left the surgery
and went into the dining-room, leaving the plaintiff
and her sisters, Ellen and Elizabeth, together for
about five minutes. My husband called in three
policemen who were passing. My husband did not
strike the plaintiff on the mouth with his fist, or on
the face with his open hand. She never had her face
on the ground. My husband did not lift up her
clothes and assault her on her person, neither
did I hold her legs whilst my husband beat
her. I did not say she has not had enough, nor did
my husband reply, "Get me a stick." He did not
slap her with her clothes down. My husband locked
the passage surgery door because her sister Ellen
was following, and she was not wanted. The
mother afterwards came, and was very violent.
Martha Coward, the nurse, was a widow woman,
about 40 years of age. At my request my husband
went up one night to the front nursery, where
there is no bed, and where no person sleeps, to as-
certain what was tee noise. Coward made no
complaint to me about her master. On the follow-
ing morning she laughed, and said, " Master nearly
came into the room when 1 was undressing." She
remained in my service some Months after that.
Twelve years ago my husband punished a boy in
our service for stealing an egg, and telling a false-
hood about it. The boy remained two years after-
wards in our service. There was no chain put up
to the 'surgery door.
George Cockram, boy in the defendant's service,
deposed that he had been with him about nine
months. When the plaintiff was told by mistress
to clean the chamber she damned the chamber and
mistress too. She added, she would rather break
it than clean it. She afterwards went up stairs
talking loud, and-. making a great noise. I heard
the plaintiff tell mistress that the latter was a nasty•
beast to ask her to clean the chamber.
Cathe.r.no Elizabeth Webb, v. little girl, eleven
years of age, daughter of the defendant, was next
called, and having satisfactorily answered the ques-
tions put to her by the Lord Chief Justice relative
to the nature of an oath, deposed that about a fort-
night before the alleged assault the plaintiff said she
would "serve out my mamma worse than ever she
had been done before, and have my papa put into
prison for taking her down into the yard in the
night." That was in reference to the open area
doors. I heard her refuse to clean the chamber

I saw the plaintiff shake her fist at mamma and

call her avile woman and a wicked wretch. I
heard the screams in the surgery. Elizabeth
_ _

said, "Bee good girl and mind the baby, because I
want to go down stairs." I heard Elizabeth say
she liked a crowd, for she enjoyed it—she was in
her glory then.
Edward Robert Webb, 10 years of age, who also
satisfactorily answered the preliminary questions
put to him by the Lord Chief Justice, deposed to
the plaintiff's threats towards his ma and pa rela-
tive to the not locking of the doors. Elizabc..th

afterwards said she would have papa put into pri-
son, and that she had plenty of rich friends who

would pay the expenses.
Mr. Wontner, jun.' deposed that he took down
the evidence of Mr. Webb's daughter so long ago
as last January. It was taken in writing, and he

now produced the notes.
Mr. Henry W. Payne, surgeon and resident
medical officer of the Pimlico Dispensary, deposed
that on Dec. 10 the plain tff came there with a
swollen face in company with her mother. There
was no swelling about the mouth. After I had ex-

amined her it was said the injury was the result
of a blow from her master, and I was asked to give
a certificate as to the nature of the injury. I re-
plied it was so trivial that I declined to do so. The
swelling, which was at the lower part of the jaw,
might have arisen from decayed teeth. She did not
complain of her mouth or of any bruises. There is
an entry of this case in the register of surgeon's
patients in Mr. Edgcombe's handwriting. He is
since dead. I saw the plaintiff with him (The
entry was read. It stated, "Injury of lower jaw
from a blow 10 days since," followed by the word
query in a parenthesis.) It also stated that she Was
weak, and was suffering from diseased teeth.
This was the defendant's case.

The jury expressed a wish to have the police
examined, and in consequence
Serjeant Andrews was called, and examined by
Mr. Serjeant Parry.—l was called in by the defer.
dant as I was accidentally passing the defendant's
house on my return from the Westminster Police-
court. I saw the plaintiff and endeavoured to per-
suade her to leave. There was not the slightest
blood on her mouth. She was greatly excited and
holt' her handkerchief to her mouth. She retnoved
it occasionally. There Were no marks of blood on
it. I know the colour of blood when I sue it.
The petition to sue in forma coupon's, signed by