The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-06 00:00:00

I CRIMINAL COURT.-(THIS DAY.)

OLD COURT,
(Before Mr. Baron Martin.)
George Vernon Reiman, 35, stone sawyer, was indicted
for the wilful murder of Jane Herman.
Mr. Ryland prosecuted, and Mr. Sleigh was counsel for
the defence.
It appeared, from the statement of the learned counsel
for the prosecution, that the prisoner and his wife had
been married for 13 years, and that for the last five they
had lodged in a house in Waterloo-street, St. Luke's, and
that during the whole of the time they had been living
together they were on the most tender and affectionate
terms, and that no quarrel was ever known to have taken
place between them. On the night of the 17th March,
the prisoner and his wife were at the house of the mother
of the prisoner, and they left to go home about 11 o'clock,
and at this time they were on the most friendly terms. It
appeared that they then proceeded to their own house, and
nothing more was seen of either of them until the follow-
ing morning about eight o'clock, when the prisoner was
seen to go out of the house, and very shortly afterwards
the persons in the house, in consequence of something that
occurred, went into the prisoner's room, where a dreadful
sight presented itself, the unhappy woman being in her
bed with one side of her skull completely beaten in, and
her neck also dislocated from another blow. There was a
heavy hatchet in the room, covered with blood, and from
the position in which the deceased was tying it appeared
as though the dreadful injuries had been inflicted upon her
while she was asleep, and she did not appear to have moved.
At a later hour in the morning the prisoner was found
wandering about completely drenched as though he had
been in the water, and he was making grimaces and danc-
ing about like a maniac, and he was taken to the house
of his mother and put to bed, and Inspec►or Brennen
shortly afterwards took him into custody. The prisoner,
it appeared, had been in a lunatic asylum about six years
ago, and that a short time before this transaction he had
acted in such an extraordinary manner that his mother
wished him to be placed under restraint, blit the unhappy
deceased entertained so much affection for him that she
would not be separated from him.
One or two witnesses having been examined to prove
these facts, the jury expressed themselves satisfied, and ac-
cordingly returned a verdict of not guilty, on the ground
of insanity.
The prisoner was ordered to be detained in custody dur-
ing her Majesty's pleasure.

DEPARTUkE OF SEAMEN FOR THE
BALTIC FLEhT THIS DAY.

It being known that a very numerous draft of sea-
men fur service in the Baltic and North Sea fleets would
proceed this morning from her Majesty's ship Crocodile,
from an early hour the Tower Wharf and Custom-
house Quay were thronged with persons anxious to wit-
ness their departure; the volunteers numbering ninety,
all able seamen, were mustered and inspected on the
deck of the Crocodile, by Commander W. Greet, RN.,
who, having addressed diem in suitable language rela-
tive to the nature of the service they were about to
join. the boats (pinnace, cutters, and jolly-boat,) of the
ship were manned, and the brave fellows embarked amid
deafening cheers from their shipmates whom they were
about to leave, and the persons assembled on shore. In
the headmost boat was stationed the excellent brass
band of the Crocodile ; the passage up the river to
London-bridge, while being enlivened by numerous
favourite tunes, the most prominent of which were
" Cheer, boys, cheer," and " Jack's the Lad," the aqua-
tic procession was heartily cheered by the crews of the
vessels as it passed along. On arriving at London bridge
the men embarked on board the Ma steam-vessel for
conveyance to Sheerness, where they will be borne on
the books of the flag-ship until their services ate required
on board the Hannibal and other vessels fitting for the
Baltic. Their passage down the river was marked with
enthusiastic cheering, and when the steamer approached
the receiving-ship off the Tower, a simultaneous cheer
arose from each vessel, and which, being caught up by
the persons on shore and the crews of merchant vessels
on either side of the river, was continued until the
steamer was lost to sight.

TO TILE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Normanton Hotel, near Wakefield,
April 4, 1854.

Spa,—l have arriyed thus far in. my peripatetic tour
of England and Wales, visiting the abode of the cottager
and labourer, and have often been surprised to find a
want of that essential which England is so celebrated
for— cleanliness. I am the more particularly led to
those remarks from having this day visited the small
town of Castieford and toe village of Methley. The
former is situated at the junction of the Arie and Calder
rivers, and celebrated for its glass bottle works, which has
caused the inhabitants to double their number in the last
few years, and during a period when the modern
appliances for the comforts of the labouring population
has been studied. It is composed of miserable cottages
let at ls. 6 I. per week, surrounded with mild and filth,
and no means of draintige, although the site possesses an
easy fall into the river. It was, therefore, not surprising
to find the cholera raging violently in it, and the town
placarded with large bills announcing that fact. On my
ramble I also passed rows of new cottages erected for
colliers' families working in the neighbouring coal-
pits. All these possessed receptacles for ordures
within two yards of their back doors. The p,,isonous
gas which emanated from these places was so bad,
that one robust man told me, in his broad Yorkshire,
" that it made him sick in the morning, and he could eat
no breakfast." Arriving at the village of Methley, I
found two fatal cases of cholera had occurred last week
to a man and his wife who had been spreading dung on
the land, which dung had been brought from the mill
where the Cholera had broken out in Leeds. Methley
is a small village situated between the Aire and Calder,
having a baronial residence, belonging to the Earl of
Mexborough, but possessing very bad accommodation
for cleanliness. I do not know if the Sanitary
Commission at Gwydyr House have the power of
altering these timings, but certain it is that it ought
to be altered, and it would be done with advantage
to the landlord and the country if the refuse of each
house or row of houses was conveyed by pipes into a
large reservoir or tank, situated at a convenient dis
tance, there deodorised and sold to the farmer, either
liquid or in powder, at a reasonable cost. It would be
conferring a benefit on the neighbourhood instead of a
curse. lam told by farmers in all parts of the country
that they would gladly avail themselves of the oppor-
tunity, and some, if allowed, would be at the expense
of making the drains ; and the great difficulty which
at present exists in obtaining manure would be over-
come, and the large sums paid for guano would be saved.
—I have the honour to remain your most obedient
servant, A. SOYER.'