The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-30 00:00:00

TEE LATE TRAGEDY AT ESHER.

Yesterday morning Mary Ana Erough was brought
up before the county magistrates at Esher, on the charge
of having, on Saturday, the 10th instant, cut the throats
of her six children. _ _ _

The spacious ground-floor of the Bear Posting and
Commercial-house, opposite Esher-green, was fitted up -
as the justice-room.
The magistrates on the bench were Mr. J. W. Spicer,
Major Terrey, Mr. Rosson, Captain Brown, Mr. West-
car, and Mr. Sharp. Sir Edward Cust, the comptroller
of the royal household, was present to watch the case ;
Mr. P. W. Lovett, of Giifldford, attended on the part
of the Crown ; and Mr. Everest, of Epsom, appeared for
the wretched prisoner.
About half past ten o'clock Mr. Biddlecombe, the chief -
superintendent- of police, and Mr. Inspector Murtell,
drove up to the house with the prisoner in their charge.
She alighted from the vehicle with a firm step looked at
several of the persons standing in front of tlie doorway
whom she knew, and then passed hurriedly into the
premises, no doubt expecting thht the crowd would give
vent to their feelings by hooting at her ' • but such, we ".
are happy to say, did not occur. The prisoner, in
appearance, is quite the reverse from prepossessing.
She seems to be about forty-two or forty-three years of
age, about five feet six inches high, flat forhead, and has
something rather peculiar in her walk. She was dressed
in black, and carried in her hand a small wicker basket,
supposed to be the same she had with ber when she
was watched entering a house in London on the
Monday preceding the committ?l of the murder. The
woman was shown into a private room, where she re.
mained for some time, her unfortunate husband being at
the same time in the private bar. The latter appeared
dreadfully depressed, but his wife, on the contrary, did
not seem to care in the least for what she had done, or
to feel the awful responsibility she had brought upon her
own head. She conversed freely, and after taking her
seat, said to Mr. Storey, jun. :—" What a fine morning
it has turned out." She asked fora glass of wine, which
was served her, and of ter that, at her request, she par-
took of a glass of bran dy. Judging from her outward
A for what
c on shev ershaatdiodnonbeetawseeannyt
appearance, it is don btful whether she felt half as much
pain
aattcee rs.and
of the
Messrs. Everest and Lovett took m
place in one of the
asgpiescttr
private rooms, aft er which they adjourned the • ti
to Jut CI
room, when
Mr. Everest said he had been given to understate'
that a warrant was now in the hands of ur. fiddle-
combs, their officer, which had been issued by Mr.
Carter, the coroner, for the committal of the prisoner ost.
a charge of wilful murder ; he therefore submitted to the •
bench that, as so many witnesses had'been examined as
to cause the coroner to issue that warrant, there was not
the least necessity to go over the same ground again, or
to call, any fresh witnesses. Another examination of
course would take place, when she was put upon her
trial at the assizes ; therefore, to call other witnesses
than those examined before the coroner would be in his
opinion quite useless. He made this application at the
request of the unfortunate woman herself. • If the case
were to be again gone into, it would answer no other
purpose than to shock the public mind once more.
Mr. Lovett said that he appeared there that day
on behalf of the Crown, and should be perfectly willing
to coincide with his learned friend, but he had some ad-
ditional evidence to offer beyond that given before the
coroner. He wished to court every inquiry, so as to
give the prisoner every chance of making out her de.
-

fence.
Mr. Everest said that if that additional evidence was
withheld for the present it would do no harm, for the
only person it could injure, if any one at all, would be
the unfortunate woman herself. Re felt extremely
anxious, and would not trespass on the time of the ma-
gistrates, if he did not care about the case. What
would be the good of hearing additional evidence, when
sufficient had been heard to warrant her committal for
trial on the charge of murder? The object of the law
had already been attained.
The Bench—But is it not necessary that the addi-
tional witnesses should be examined, in order that they
may be bound over to appear at the assizes, where
the prisoner takes her trial. If that is not done, how
can we enforce their attendance?
Mr. EverestL—A subpoena would be issued to compel
them to attend.
The Bench—But who could do that ?
Mr. Everest—The clerk of assize would, even if they
were not bound over by the magistrates.
The Bench—But would the judge who tries the ease
be satisfied with such a proceeding I
Mr. Everest—l think he would be perfectly satisfied ;
there would be nothing that he could object to, and the
prisoner, on whose behalf I make the application, is the
only person who could complain. My opinion, morever,
is, that the 'prisoner is not at the present time in a fit
state to be examined.

Mr. Lovett said he had no objection, since he had
heard Mr. Everest to coincide in his view of the case,
and lie would furnish him with any additional evidence
he might receive before the trial.
The Bench : But how can that be done if the witnesses
are not examined before the magistrates
Mr. Lovett said that he could not give him what was
to be laid before the grand jury.
The court, was then cleared of strangers, and the
Bench, after consulting, ordered the door to be re•opened,
when

Mr. Spicer, the chairman of the Bench, said that they
had carefully considered the application made by Mr.
Everest, and they lad come to the conclusion that it
would Tio uunocubmary re•open this truly unhappy case.
The Bench conceived that the warrant of the coroner
would be suffio,ent for the purpose, and which would
prevent any further publicity being given to the case,
and the unpleasantness that would arise in taking the
evidence. .

Mr. Everest expressed his thanks to the magistrates,
and said that was precisely the view he took of the case.
Bidd!mambo inquired whether the warrant he
held from the coroner was to be put in force at (Ace,
and whether ho was to take her to Ilorsemonger-lane
Gaol ?
The Bench replied in the affirmative.
The unfortunate husband, who seemed a very respect.
able man, went to have another interview with the mur-
deress. She appeared to be not the least moved whets
he entered her room. She took off her wedding ring
and told him to take it back again ; but on his refusing,
she said, " You want me to wear it then, do you!" and
put it again on her finger. A fly having been procured
she was driven, in the custody of-Mr. Biddlecombe, to
the railway, and by that means she was taken to the
Waterloo-road, and was then removed to Eforsemonger-
lane Gaol.

CRYSTAL PALACE, June 29.—SHILLING DAY.—NO. of
season tickets sold to this date, 20,352.—Admission at
the doors, 15,851; admission by Season tickets, 1,470--
total, 17,321.
CITY OF LONDON HOSPITAL FOR DISEASES OF WIC
CHEST.—The quarterly meeting of the committee of the
City of London Hospital for Diseases of the Chest was
held at the offices, in Liverpool-street, on Wednesday
Lint. The report states that during the last quarter
1,200 poisons have been admitted to the benefits of the
charity as out-patients. The hospital for in-patients is
now completed, but the cost of its erection, owing to the
anxious desire of the committee to make the internal
arrangements as perfec‘• as possible, has considerably
exceeded the funds obtained, there being a deficiency,
including the cost of furnishing, of 8,0001.
RAILWAYS IN INDIA. —The despatches of the East
India Company on the subject of railway communication
in the three Presidencies of Bengal, Bombay, and Ma-
dras have just been published, and furnish satisfactory
evidence of the intention of the authorities, both at home
and iu India, to allow no delays to intervene in carry-
ing out the comprehensive system already resolved upon.
They likewise express the strong belief entertained as
to the profits to be derived from these works, and that
the guarantees _ accorded will never be a cause of lose to
the Indian treasury. The experience obtained in the
construction of the experimental line in Bengal having
been of the most satisfactory character, all doubts and
fears as to physical impediments and other difficulties
were removed, and it only remained to decide upon the
best routes for the great trunk roads which should be-
come the arteries of communication throughout the
country. Under these circumstances, the following
steps have been adopted :—ln the Presidency of Bengal
the line by way of the Ganges Valley to the north-
west is to be completed as far as Delhi with all
practicable speed (the limit being seven years), and
to be extended through the Punjaub westward
also as soon as possible. In this case it is held.
that, apart from all other considerations, the mili-
tary advantages will be incalculable. With respect to
the Bombay Presidency, the object of paramount im-
portance is to open a line for trade with Candeish, Berar
and the cotton•growing districts beyond the Ghaute.
With this view the Great Indian Peninsular Company
have undertaken to survey the mountainous districts
between Bombay and Candeish, and the Bombay BA•
roda, and Central India Company are exploring thepro-
posed route into the same province by the coast and the
company valley of the Taptee. The former have
also
engagedof
Ne
to surveyrboaaa t
thoe,.Acolh
'country
rifromCpaannielshby the
valley
and Mirzapore and
the latter company
the, line from Surat via Baroda and
Neemuch to Agra, the establishment of a connexion
between the trunk lines of Bombay and Bengal being
the principal aim. A. line from Bombay to Poonalt wi
also be sanctioned as soon as the best route shall have
been ascertained. In the Madras Presidency the
line from Madras via Cuddapah and Bellary is Pr°'
posed to be continued so as to connect with that
'rpm Bombay through Poonah, thus constituting *
trunk road uniting the two presidencies, and giving
further vast extension both to the military and com•
mercial resources of the territory. In the meantime,
the execution of the line from Madras via, 'Yeller°,
Vaneembacly, and Coimbatore to the western coax%
will be proceeded with, branches being contemplated
ultimately to Bangalore and to the foot of the hills to.
ward Outacamund. All these points having been nr.
ranged, the sole question is as to the best financial and.
practical plan for their fulfilment, and the Court of Dirac•
tors in Leadenhall-street, as well as the Governor-Gene-
ral at Calcutta, are satisfied that the method hitherto
followed, of giving'a sufficient guarantee and maintaining
a right of supervision and control, will still be found the
most advantageous. In this decision they are fortified
by valuable facts. The experimental line, it is observed,
in the Presidency of Bengal, the cost of which was esti•
mated at 14,500/. per mile, will cost under 9,000/. per
mile, inclusive of rolling stock and the chief terminus
at Hourab, and this is thought likely to be the most ex-
pensive portion of the whole distance to Allahabad.
Considering, therefore, that the general average 'cost of
railways in the United States is represented to be 9,2001.
per mile, and that these have always been cited as ex.
amples of the greatest economy, it is contended that them
is every reason to approve the course thy; fir pursued,
and to look with confidence to the limit* 0 air adher
ence to it