The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-09 00:00:00

THAMES THIS DAY.

BATTLE ROYAL WITH THE "GREAT EASTERN."—
Ellen Newman, a very large woman, about 27 years of age,
and better known as the " Great Eastern," was brought
before Mr. Woolrych, charged with attempting to strangle
Caroline Edwards, of No. 1, Bedford-street, Stepney.
Tho prisoner has been charged at this court about 100
times with robberies, assaults, drunkenness, and disorderly
conduct, and is the terror of the district.. She has been re-
peatedly committed to prison. Last Wednesday Mr.
Woolrych committed her to the House of Correction for 7
days. She came out of prison yesterday morning, and in
the evening she repaired to her old haunts in the neighbour-
hood of Baker-street and Bedford-street, Stepney, a very
disorderly place, and soon afterwards quarrelled with
two black men and a woman, who dared to call her the
Great Eastern. She attacked them with great violence, and
they were soon laid sprawling in the mud of Bedford-street.
Many came out of their dwellings to see the Great Eastern,
and set up a loud yell when they witnessed her prowess.
She soon cleared all before her, and Molly Seagrim, the
heroine of the battle waged in the churchyard, did not dis-
play greater activity in defeating her numerous foes than
the Great Eastern. Men, women, and children fled with
the greatest precipitation, and the Great Eastern remained
mistress of the situation, and, looking with contempt at the
many she had knocked down, said she was ready for another
hundred. One little wretched woman, the complainant,
immediately called out, " Well done, Great Eastern," on
which the prisoner sprung upon her like a tigress on its
prey, grasped her by the throat, and exclaimed, " I will
strangle you," and she would doubtless have carried her
deadly intentions into effect if a police-constable, named
Thomas Venables, No. 141 K, had not opportunely arrived
and seized the prisoner. The complainant was then black
in the face, her tongue protruding from her mouth, and her
eyes starting from their sockets, arising from the powerful
compression of her throat, and it was some time before she
recovered from the savage attack of the Great Eastern.
The marks of the prisoner's fingers were plainly visible on
her throat. Venables described the complainant as a very
bad and disorderly woman, and that she had no doubt pro-
voked the prisoner, who was certainly a most dangerous
character.
Mr. Woolrych—l have seen her very often in the course
of the 13 months I have been officiating hero.
Tenables—She has been here four times during the last
month.
The prisoner—That woman called me the " Great
Eastern," and I served her out for it.
Mr. Woolrych—But you are not to strangle people be-
cause they call you the " Great Eastern." You aro a
most savage and vindictive wowan—a perfect fury. You
aro now sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard
labour.

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.—The railway and
steam packet inquiry department in the International Ex-
hibition, the intended organisation of which was announced
by us a short time since, promises to be a successful under-
taking, all the leading railway companies in England and
Scotland, as well as many of the steam packet companies,
having already signified their desire to avail themselves of
the agency, and to co-operate with Mr. Edward Page in
promoting its efficient working. The public can hardly fail
to appreciate the advantages of such a department.
The convent of the Sisters of Mercy, Belfast, was
last week seized by bailiffs fora debt of £2OO.