The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-30 00:00:00

THE BATTERSEA PARK TAVERN,-IN RE SWALLOW.

A meeting was held under this estate, for the exami-
nation of witnesses touching the ,Park Tavern, &a. Mr.
J. R. Chidley, Gresham-street, appeared for the assignee.
Legal proceedings are pending, and the creditors are
much interested in the examination, as it may lead to
materially shortening the period of a Chancery suit.

SUBJECTS FOR THE LAW OF SETTLEMENT.

Though we hope Mr. Baines will succeed in his laud-.
able attempt to get rid of the oppressive law of Removal,
we hope that the following exceptions may be made in
the abolition of Settlement :
That all Settlement may not be got rid of until a regu-
lar settler has been administered to the Emperor of
Russia.
That the abolition of Settlement may not interfere
with the right of any young lady of a certain uncertain
age from getting herself comfortably settled.
That if any tenant finds a decided case of Settlement
in any portion of his house, the power of removal may
not be taken away from him.
That if a creditor finds himself in debt to all the trades-
men in the neighbourhood, he may be justified in sus-
pending his own removal until he has effected a satis-
factory Settlement.
That the abolition of Settlement shall not extend to
any marriage Settlement.
That any Settlement at the bottom of any beer, wine,
or other liquid, shall not be ipso facto illegal, but may,
nevertheless, be subject to removal if it should be thought
expedient.—Punch.

CITY OF LONDON GENERAL PENSION

SOCIETY.

Last evening the anniversary festival of this institu- I
tion was celebrated at the London Tavern, under the
presidency of Lord Stanley, M.P., who was supported
by Mr. B. B. Cabbell, M.P. (High Sheriff of Norfolk),
the Rev. Joseph Brown, the Rev. Mr. Lusignan, &c.
In proposing the toast of the evening the noble chair-
man said the society was formed in 1818, three years
after the late protracted war, when, from various circum-
stances, great national distress prevailed. The founder
of the institution was the late Duke of Kent, the father
of her present Majesty, who was now a patroness of
the society. In the first year six persons were ad-
mitted pensioners; and in the second year that number
was increased to nine. The society grew and flourished
rapidly, and in its ninth year no less than 90 persons were
admitted, and altogether 600 persons had participated in
its benefits. This was in 1827-28, when the society ap-
peared to have reached its culminating point, no less than
268 persons being admitted to the benefits of the society
in 1828-9, and the sum give away amounting to 9,7001.
From some cause or other, which it was difficult to
ascertain, the funds of the society rapidly fell, and in
1840-41 they were obliged to reduce not only the
number of their pensioners but the allowance to them.
The funds, however, had since increased, and the
full amount of the pensions had been restored, and
their income now amounted to 1,0001. per annum,
from which 44 persons received pensions. If that
society was not so extensive as it had formerly been, it
was satisfactory for them to reflect that it was the first
of its class, and that numerous flourishing institutions
had since been established on the same model. His
lordship concluded by drinking " Success and Prosperity
to the City of London General Pension Society."
The toast was drunk with the greatest enthusiasm,
and, at the close of the evening, subscriptions were an-
nounced amounting to 3001.
The musical arrangements were under the direction of
Mr. Genge, assisted by the Misses Wells, Mr. Smyth-
son, and the Masters Sola and Williams. Mr. Harker
was the toastmaster.

MURDER AND SUICIDE IN THE REGENT'S-PARK.—Yes-
terday a painful sensation was created throughout the
Regent's-park district of St. Pancras by the discovery
of a most shocking murder and suicide, at 47, Clarence-
gardens. The house was tenanted by James Martin, a
shoemaker, about 57 year of age, who, with his wife,
occupied the parlours, letting the remainder
out in lodg-
ings, one of the upper rooms to his married daughter
and her husband. Shortly after eight o'clock yesterday
morning Mrs. Whybrow, Martin's daughter, came down
stairs, and, not finding either her father or mother up
as usual, knocked several times at the front parlour
door, occupied as their bedroom, but, receiving no
answer, she effected an entrance, and then discovered
the place deluged with blood, and the lifeless bodies of
her parents lying across each other on the bed, with their
throats cut in a shocking manner. Her screams imme-
diately brought the other lodgers and neighbours to
her assistance, and it was then discovered that the
murderer and his victim were quite dead and cold. A
shoemaker's knife, covered with blood, was found on the
bed near the right hand of the former. Both Martin
and his wife were in their ordinary night dress. On
searching the room, a letter, now in the possession of
the police, was found, and identified by the daughter as
being in the handwriting of Martin, stating the circum-
stances which had led him to the commission of so hor-
rible a crime. From this it would appear that Martin
was in very embarrassed circumstances, and that he haa
promised to pay his landlord half a year's rent, which
was due him that day, but was unable to do so. He
(Nlartin) was under an impression that his goods would
be seized, and that be and his wife would have to go to
the workhouse, to prevent which be resorted to this ter-
rible alternative,