The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-30 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

GIIILDHALL.—The poor soldier, whose injuries,
received in endeavouring to save the life of Sergeant
Patterson of the City Police force, at the late fire on the
premises of Mr. Button, the chemist of Holborn, have
confined him to the hospital during the last three
applied to the sitting magistrate for some assistance,
when, from his statement and that of Police-constable
White, 24, who accompanied him, it appeared that he
belonged to the 7th company of the 9th battalion of
Royal Artillery stationed at Woolwich, to which place
he was returning at the expiration of his furlough on the
night of the fire, when, perceiving the danger to which
Sergeant Patterson was exposed, and no one offering to
relieve him from his burning garments, he rushed to
Patterson's assistance, and, although suffering from the
burning phosphorus which fell continually upon him, he
persevered until he had torn off all the unfortunate man's
clothing. Notwithstanding this act of magnanimity,
Patterson was only saved from the peril of the moment,
for he died within a few days afterwards, leaving a widow
and an orphan child'to lament his loss ; and the worthy
individual, who had acted with such courage and forti-
tude, was so severely injured that for several days after
his admission to the hospital his life was despaired of,
and even when the crisis was over it was apprehended
he would have to lose both his arms, and with such a
fearful anticipation before him ho said he had only done
his duty, and if it were to occur over again he would not
shrink from it. Amputation has,' however, been avoided ;
but in consequence of the contraction of the muscles and
tendons, he will never be fit for service again, which is
the more unfortunate, as he bears four stripes of good
conduct on his arm, and a good character in his regi-
ment, and six months' more servitude would have en-
titled him to a pension, of which it is probable his gene-
rous act of assistance will deprive him, as he was not on
military service when disabled. _ _ _

Sir R. W. Carden inquired if Mr. Button had com-
pensated the poor fellow 7—White said no application
had been made, as the soldier bad only just been dis-
charged from the hospital ; but he thought nothing might
be expected from Mr. Button, for he had done nothing
for the widow of Sergeant Patterson.
Sir R. W. Carden asked the applicant what he in-
tended doing ?—The soldier said he was returning to his
barracks at Woolwich to be tried by court-martial.
Sir R. W. Carden (much surprised)—Tried by court-
martial !_ For what 3 . . .

- .
The soldier said it was merely a court to inquire how
far he had exceeded his duty in being absent from his
regiment, after his furlough had expired, without leave.
Sir R. Carden said the poor soldier's conduct was ex-
tremely meritorious, and he would reward him with 2/.
from the poor-box. The worthy alderman expressed his
regret that the funds at his disposal would not enable
him to render him assistance that might be of some per-
manent benefit to him ; but he hoped, through the me-
dium of the press, who never refused their aid in works
of charity, to place the applicant's case before the public,
and he doubted not but that a second appeal to the sym-
pathies of the benevolent in behalf of so deserving an ob-
ject would be unnecessary. Sir R. W. Carden then
gb,ve the poor soldier 2/. (for which he appeared exceed-
ingly thankful), and said he should be happy to receive
any donations that might be forwarded to him.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.—Edward Taylor, a
well-dressed young man, was brought before Mr. Hard-
wick, charged with maliciously stabbing Jane Hall with
a carving-fork.
The prosecutrix deposed that she was a widow, and
lived at No. 10, Grosvenor-mews, and that she had been
living with the prisoner as his wife for five or six years,
and had had one child by him, now five years old. She
left hind about three weeks ago. On Saturday night last,
about eight o'clock, she md the defendant at the post-office,
and as she was putting a letter in the box he snatched it
from her, and told her the child was ill, and she went to
his lodgings to see it, and after some conversation with
him, she agreed to pay the sum of, as. a week towards
maintaining it, and to pay 4s. in advance. On Moiiday

night she took the money to his lodgings, and before she
gave it to him she told him she would have her watch
that he had got. He said he would not give it up, and.
they quarrelled, and used a great deal of aggravating:
language towards each other. He then said he would'.
finish her, and that one plunge would be enough. He,
then picked up a carving-fork from the table. She said.
if he finished her he would leave her child without a. ,
mother. He then stabbed at her with a fork, and the f.
two prongs entered her shoulder. She §eized his arms,
and told him she would be a long time dying with a fork.
he had better take a knife. He then took up a knife,
and her hands got triflingly cut, but being stronger than
the prisoner, she held him, and he threw down the knife
and fork. She then got a policeman, and gave him into
custody. At the station-house she looked at her shoulder
and saw it was bleeding. The fork produced is the one
he did it with.

Hawes, 31 C, said he took the prisoner into custody,
and at the station he examined prosecutrix's shoulder,
and found blood oozing from the wounds. He applied
the carving-fork to them, and found that the prongs
matched the wounds. He also found holes in her shawl
and gown which corresponded with the fork. The pri-
soner denied stabbing her, and said she was drunk. They
were both perfectly sober.

In answer to the charge, the accused said they had
had a quarrel, and she took up the knife, and he seized
the fork to defend himself. He then took the knife out
of her hand, and that was the way she had got herself
cut, if at all. She struck at him with the knife, and he
retaliated with the fork.

Mr. Hardwick said he should send the case to a jury,
and committed the prisoner for trial.

HEALTH 01? LONDON DURING THE WEEK.

( From the Registrar-General's Report.)

The deaths in London, which had declined to 1,274
in the previous week, rose again in the week that ended
last Saturday to 1,321. In the ten corresponding weeks
of the years 1843 —52 the average number of deaths was
1,165, which, with a correction for increase of popula-
tion, gives a mortality for last week of 1,282. The ac-
tual number of deaths registered last week' therefore
exceeds the estimated amount by 39.
In comparing the results of the last two weeks in ze-
ference to fatal diseases, there appears a considerable
uniformity, except in phthisis, the mortality of which
rose from 131 to 153, and pneumonia, which declined
from 101 to 88. Bronchitis numbered in the two weeks
174 and 175 deaths, which is double the average at this
period of the year; pooping-cough 70 and 65, typhus .56
and 53. The mortality from scarlatina continued the
same, and amounted in each week to 37. The son of an
oilman, aged 4 months, died at 135, High-street, Kent-
road, on 21st March, of cholera Angelica (4 days)."
Last week the births of 752 boys and 728 girls, in all
1,480 children, were registered in London. In the eight
corresponding weeks of the years 1845-52 the average
number was 1,556.

At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height
of the barometer in the week was 29.762 in. The mean
temperature of the week was 33.3 deg., or 9 deg. below
the average of tha same week in 38 years. The mean
temperature was about 8 deg. below the average on four
days of the week, and on Wednesday, Thursday, and
Friday, the depression was more than 10 degrees.• The
mean dew point temperature was 26.6 deg. The wind
blew generally from north-east.