The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-16 00:00:00

THE ACTON MURDER.

On Saturday Mr. Wildbore, who had been charged
with being concerned in the abduction of the boy sup-
posed to have been murdered, was again placed at the
bar of Clerkenwell Police-court.

The lad, Jackson, was recalled ; and, in answer to
Mr. Hawkins, the barrister, said he would not swear
that he had or had not pointed out another man as the
person who had taken the murdered boy away in a gig
or chaise.

Sergeant Earthy, 19 T, stated that he was with
another officer investigating the circumstances of the
horrid murder. The latter was in uniform, and witness
was in private clothes. On Jackson seeing him (witness)
he accused him of being the individual that decoyed the
deceased from Old-street.

Wm. Patten, a lad residing with his father, at 4,
Riding House-lane, Portland-place, was now sworn, and
said, that on the Monday or Tuesday at the end of
October last, he ran away from his father's honse, and
when going to his uncle's in Golden-lane, the prisoner,
whom he recognised in the House of Detention, asked
him to take charge of his horse and cart in Old-street.
It was at seven o'clock in the evening. The prisoner
came back in ten minutes with two boys, one of whom
got into the cart, and was driven away by the prisoner,
and the other went away►.
The witness here gave his description of the prisoner
at the time, and likewise of ti:e•horse, cart, and hirness.
Mr. Hawkins severely cross-examined the witness,
who contradicted himself and the other lad over and
over again.

Sergeant Gunn, G, stated that the last witness picked
out one set of harness from several on the prisoner's
premises on Friday.
Mr. Daniel Griffin, of Golden lane, harness maker,
uncle of the witness Patten, said that his nephew had
run away ten times, .at the least, in the last twelve
months, and come to him. He could not 'say when was
the last time.

Mr. Peter Patten, father of the witness, stated that
he was positive his son, who is very unsteady, ran away
from him on a Saturday in October last. He was quite
certain he was..away on Sunday. He came back insix
days.
Sergeant Earthy was again called into the witness-
box, and in answer to questions, said he saw the body
of the deceased an hdnr after it had been discovered,
and he judged that death had taken place within 24
hours previously. It presented a fearful spectacle—the
right eye was black partially down -the cheek, and the
bones were almost protruding through the skin.
Mr. Hawkins called: several witnesses, who clearly
showed that Mr. Wildbore was not in town on the 31st
of October with his horse and chaise ; that he dame to
London on that day by rail, and returned by the same
conveyance at 20 minutes to 6,' after dining with Mr.
Frederick Sewell, veterinary surgeon, at Waltham-cross,
and that he then took tea with two nieces and a nephew,
and did not leave home afterwards on that night. At
the conclusion of this .evidence he (Mr. Hawkins) sin-
cerely trusted that the prejudice against his client
would be dispelled, and that his friends would feel
satisfied that he had been more sinned against than
sinning, at the same time he matt say that Superin-
tendent Martin and the other excellent officers had done
no more than the circumstances of so horrible a case
fully warranted.

Mr. Mereweather—l confess that I can see no pos-
sible distinction between the two. A right is as much a
right in the hands of the corporation as in the hands of
anybody else. There are certain functions (among
others, those connected with the -weighing and •measur-
ing) belonging to the Crown, and the Crown sometimes
entrusts the exercise of them to individuals, who per-
form the services required of them, and charge dues
from the public to defray the necessary expenses attend-
ant upon the performance of those services. There are
many other privileges besides this one.
The Chairman—Are not such privileges in the nature
of public trusts ?
• Mr. Merewether--:-I confess that I have never so re-
garded them, ,
The Chairman—Proceed with your evidence.
Mr. Merewether—l believe that the sound judgment
of the corn trade, if it were put to -them, would be that
the sworn meters should be continued ; and the sworn
porters, I believe, are also considered by the public to
be useful. I think the corn trade generally consider
that the metage should be obligatory on all foreign corn
imported ; but that in cases like that of Messrs. Combe
and Delafield, where the party imports corn for his own
granary, the metage should be made optional with the
importer to accept or to refuse it. A committee of the
Common Council has sat and taken a vast body of evi-
dence on the subject, and the resolutions they have
come to are to the effect that the various metage charges
should be made one and simple, and be levied from the
seller, and not from the buyer ; that the inetage should
be compulsory on foreign corn imported, but that in
other cases it should be optional ; and I have no doubt
that the result will be that an act of Parliament
will be that an act of Parliament will be intro-
duced by the corporation to carry out this altera-
tion, which act will be satisfactory to all parties
concerned. The labour of the meters is of a kind
very trying to their health. Their remuneration
ought, if anything, to be increased rather than reduced,
and it would be necessary to establish a superannuation
fund for their benefit. The right of porterage claimed
by the fellowship porters is held to be, and I think is,
co-extensive with the rights of metage, and ranges be-
tween Yarmouth and Staines. It is true it is not speci-
fied in -the charter of ..James, conferring the metage
rights, but it is a prescriptive right depending on usage,
and can be traced as far back as the documents of the
corPoratime extend. The trade of the port of London is
peculiar, and it is the invariable practice of shipowners
and the masters of vessels to discharge the crews on the
arrival of their vessels in the river, and to employ the
City porters to' unload the cargo. It would be con-
sidered a very great expense to retain the services of the
crew in order to discharge the cargo without the assist-
ance of the privileged porters.
The Chairman— Don't you think that the masters of
vessels ought to_be able to employ their own crews, or to
employ the City porters for the discharge of their car-
goes, as they may think fit.
Mr. Merewether— If that were the case I do not think
you could have a body of regular sworn porters continu-
ing in existence, and ready to do the necessary work, and
not likely to desert their duty by strikes 'or combination.
There is no close analogy between the port of London
and that of the other ports of the kingdom. There are
three classes of porters in the City, viz., the fellowship
porters, the -tackle porters, and the ticket porters. In
ordinary cases, one meter and four porters are employed
to discharge a ship ; but in the case of large ships, a
meter and six or seven porters .are sometimes necessary.
The arrival of a ship to be discharged is communicated
to the meters' office. The' porters and meters are neces-
sarily connected together by the nature of their duties.
Mr. C. Lewis—The two may have to act in concert,
but it does not follow that the City is to have a mono-
poly
of the porterage.
Mr. Merewether—The fellowship porters are a dis-
tinct body, which is separately incorporated, and forms
no part of the corporations of London. They have their
own rulers and—other officers, although the Lord Mayor
is ex offlcio the governor of the body, The suit instituted
against Messrs. Combe and Delafield was commenced e s ..._
by the fellowship of porters acting independently of the Lii_DVERTISEMENT.3—DARK DAYS AND LONG
NIHTS.—The necessity of having the most perfect eye-
the -
corporation, but other witnesses are better able to speak
sight and hearing.—Messre. S. andß. Solomons, opticianes
and °enlists, 39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly. Observe—
as to that. The corporation commenced the suit for
opposite the York . Hotel. Newly-invented . preserving
the recovery of its metage dues. If the privileges of
the fellowship porters were abolished, I believe the effect Spectacle Lenses. Immediately they are placed before
would be to render the supply of labour in the port of extremely imperfect vision, every objeet appears clear and
London very precarious and insufficient. I believe that distinct ; the, most aged, defective sight becames bright
the feeling •of the trade ofLondon is, that there should and brilliant, is brought to its youthful, natural, and ori-
be a sworn body like the fellowship porters acting under Final state.—Royalßxhibitions, 1851.- —A valuable, newly-
p' roper regulations.
.The porters raise , a feneda.mong invented, very small powerful waistcoat-pocket wlass,
seen sand
of a wal tinily
proper
answer every purpose on the race-course, at the opera—
• h "d'in the nature of a benefit fund, and . nu which a person can bo
themselves, which i
mode of seen known one and a half ' distant ; they
it is'considerable in amount., Reverting to th
of the freedom of the City, 1
enforcieg•ehe taking up houses, country-
ouses, scenery, • • and ships are clearly seen
believe the great merchants and bankers of the ,
City often tto' •
a. 12 l4 miles. They are invaluable for shooting, deer-
object to devote what they consider their valuable stalking, yachting, in' sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers,
tient* the performance of corporate duties, but this I and tourists. Telescopes—A new and most important
rePed as a great dereliction of public duty on the part invention in telescopes, possessing
such extraordinary
of .t144,eia,,, powers that some, 3i inches, with an extra e • will
ye-piece,
e Mr...C, Lewistaking of their freedom
s—e. But the up show distincly upiter's moons, Saturn's ring, and the
double stars ; with the would not eageose'Much of their time ? same telescope, weighing only 3
•.- ounces, can be aeon a person's -
Mr.! 3.tarewether—leto, but the y are afraid that it
and a half distant, and anobject countenance three
.1
miles
tbey were freemeieehey woUld be required to fill eorpo-
, I They supersede every other lind forf•rtre wi.Jettcooat2?pomelkeets.. rate offices, such .'ae . that of sheriff, and others. Tee I and are of larger and •alletizes, with increasing powers
corporation has' trot' obsta.ined from prosecuting tho I accordingly. Opera and race-emuse glasses, with wonderful
largo merchants' because they are more powerful than I power ; an object can be.clearly seen, from 14 to 16 miles
the retail traders. The privileges of the City, with , distant. Deafness—New. Discovery—The Organic Vi-
regard to the brokers, have been handed dosVn from I brator, an extraordinary powerful and newly-invented
time immemorial. The City admits the brokers to I instrument, for Deafness, entirely different from all
carry on their business,
or probably ever can he, Being of the
On -their admission they are required to enter into a bond, ,
colour as the skin, it produced. ti tibia ; it enables
and find sureties for their good behaviour. The Court I
1 tsileman•fepersons to hoar distinctlyisantochn'ertcch and at public as-
of Aldermen have jurisdiction over the brokers—they I semblies ; the unpleasant sensation of singine noises in
hear complaints against particular brokers who are : the ears is entirely removed; and it affords alfthe assist•
charged with misconduct, summon the party complained i ance that possibly could be desired.-39, Albemarle-street,
of to make his answer to the charge made against him, I Piccadilly. Observe, opposite the York Hotel.
and require him to produce a book, in which he is re- I u.r e DVERTISEMENT.I---The Earl of Aldborough and Hol- 1
quired to enter the nature of the transaction between' 1 ' Pills.—An astounding cure by this miraculous ,1 owa,y s
Mm and the complainant. The matter is then discussed, medicine after every other means had failed. See ex-
and if it is thought necessary, the Court orders the bond tract from his lordship's letter, dated " Villa Messina
to be enforced against the broker himself and against his Leghorn, Feb. 21, 1845. To Professor Holloway.
sureties' or they even strike the party off the Jell of i Sir,—l beg to acquaint you that your pills have effected
sworn brokers altogether, if the gravity of thecase de.'
/ 'a cure of a disorder in ray liver and stomach, which all
!nand such a. step. Complaints against the brokers are i the most eminent of the faculty at home and all over the
'not of a very frequent occurrence ; but they sometimes
'Continent had not been able to effect--nay, not even the
arise, and the control of the City is beneficial in prevent- I Waters of. Carlsbad or Marienbad. (Signed) Aeneo-
ingieliseonduct on the part of the brokers in time of , waiorn.,,
Thestewonderful pills will cure any disorders
greal specelation. The jurisdiction of the Court•of Al- l• of the liver or stomach.—Sold also Holloway's ointment,
deeinen over the brokers is an effectual security to the , at Professor ilollowa.y's Establishment, 244, Strand,
publie, but I'd& not say that it might not be made more I London, and by all medicine venders throughout the
effectual than it is if parties were oftener to prefer corn- . kingdoz,

Mr. Corrie fully concurred with the learned counsel,
for he had not the slightest hesitation in declaring there
was no evidence whatever against Mr. Wildbore, and
further, that he disbelieved altogether the testimony of
Patten. Even if the evidence for the defence had not
been given to-day, he should have discharged the pri-
soner, believing him to be an innocent man.

. -
When the prisoner "was eat ntaherty, he was warmly
and heartily cheered by his friebds.

SEAMEN'S HOSPITAL SOCIETY.-THE
DREADIVOUGHT.

On Friday the quarterly general court of the gover-
nors of this society was held at the offices, King
William-street, London-bridge—Mr. John Labouchere
in the chair. The secretary read the report, from
which it appeared that the society took all possible
precautions to guard against the spread of cholera
among the shipping of the Thames, and opened a dis-
tinct vessel for the reception of patients suffering
under that epidemic—a circumstance which they took
care to have notified to every ship entering the river.
They received from her Majesty's Government the sum of
2,3511. 55., in commutation of their interest in certain
fines levied upon merchant vessels by the provisions of
the Merchant Seamen's Act ; and a further sum of
551. from the executors of the late Miss Hardwicke,
making in all 6051. from that lady's bequest. They
also received, in a' letter from his Excellency the
French Ambassador, Count Walewski to Admiral
Bowles, a donation of 700 f., in the name of his Im-
perial Majesty Napoleon 111., to mark his appreciation
of the service which the society renders to French
seamen frequenting the port of London—an act of
patronage' which he proposes to repeat annually. The
Secretary invested a sum of 2,5001. in the Three-and-a.
Quarter per Cents. Upon Christmas-day a dinner, suited
-to-the-festival was,-under the direction of the medical
officers, supplied to the patients. Since the Ist of Octo-
ber to the 31st of December last, 12 seamen fromsher
Majesty's ships were admitted as patients, and 1736 from
British and foreign merchant vessels, which, with 101
on board at the first-mentioned date, made the total
number of in-patients 849 ; of these, 159 are at pre-
' sent on board, sick • 1 is convalescent, 4 fit for duty,
and 685 have been discharged. The total number of
patients admitted since the establishment of the hospi-
talship has. been 70,228 ; the out-patients for the last
quarter numbered 379. The society commenced the
labours of the quarter with a balance of 211. 19s. 9d.
against them, and since expended 4,2401. 12s. 11d.—in
all, 4,2621. 12s. Bd. ; but as the receipts for that period
amounted to 3,7761: 3s. lid., they have to commence
the year with a balar.ce of 4861. Bs. 9d. against them.
The report was unanimously adopted.
The Secretary then read a letter from Sir Jame Gra-
ham, with reference to the withrawal Of:the sums paid
from the Merchant Seamen's Fund, stating that itrested
with Parliament to determine if an equivafent Assistance
should be directly afforded from the public purse. He
I would not encourage any such expectation, as no vote
of the kind could be proposed 'without the consent of
the Treasury ; but that the Board of Trade was the
department to moot the question.
A vote of thanks was passed to the Emperor of the
French for his generosity, a bye-law was altered, and
the meeting terminated in the usual manner.

--- • . J. tti
boa 17aloiimetio 10. onol

C,

:.