The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-26 00:00:00

A NAVAL OFFICER

SUICIDE AND ATTEMPTED MURDER.

A shocking case of suicide and attempted murdir,
bearing a striking analogy in many of its circumstances
to that of the man Mobbs, who was recently executed at
the Old Bailey, occurred on Saturday night last between
8 and 9 o'clock at No. 15, King-street, Soho.
In the front attic of this house, which is in the occu-
pation of Mr. Powell, a baker, had resided for the last
four months one Haeas andahis wife. The man was a
German, and a tinplate worker in the employ of Messrs.
Farwig and Bullock, tin and japan ware manufacturers,
of 16, Rupert-streeet, Haymarket. He was about 34
or 35 years of age. The wife, Hannah Haeas, is a Lan-
cashire woman, aged 27, and possessed of considerable
personal attractions. For some time past Haeas had
treated her very unkindly, and there is no doubt that
latterly he had entertained suspicions which continually
haunted his mind. On Wednesday last the woman was
confined, and ever since the birth of the child it had
been the subject of repeated taunts from her husband.
It appears that a few days since Mrs. Haeas's mother,
who was a stranger to London, came up from Lancashire
to nurse her daughter in her confinement, and her pre-
sence operated as a considerable restraint upon the ill-
treatment of Haes. At tea-time upon Saturday, how-
ever, the man's bitterness again broke out, and he taunted
the woman about the child. Shortly afterwards he be-
came more claim, and he took the mother out with him
with the view, as he said, of purchasing some necessa-
ries for the infant. After they had been out some time
he managed, in a crowded and intricate thoroughfare, to
make his escape from the old woman, and, having thus
secured that she should not be present to interfere be-
tween him and his horrible design, he rushed homewards
in a frantic state, and dashed into his apartment
with a sharp-pointed Italian spring knife open in his
hand. His wife was lying in the bed with her infant
at her breast. He made no observations, but furiously
stabbed at her with the knife. She endeavoured to pro-
tect the child and herself, and thus received several se-
vere wounds upon the fleshy part of the left arm and
side • but fortunately none of them were of a decidedly
fatal character. She screamed " Murder" with great
violence, and succeeded in making her way past the man
on to the stairs, where her strength failed her, and she
fell exhausted and faint from loss of blood. She was
removed into a room on the ground floor, and medical
assistance was immediately sent for. Without loss of
time Mr. It. E. Martin, of Frith-street, and Mr. J. F.
Clarke, of Gerrard-et., surgeons, attended and dressed the
wounds, after which she was removed to the workhouse
in Cleveland-street, where her case met with prompt and
able attention from Mr. Hutchinson, assistant to Mr.
Jones, of Soho-square, the surgeon to the workhouse,
under whose care she still remains.

In the meantime the police entered the attic in King-
street, in order to secure the perpetrator of the outrage ;
but here a dreadful scene presented itself. The floor
was literally a pool of blood. Haeas lay partly on the
bed with his head nearly severed from his body. The
carotids on both sides were completely cut through, and
so were all the structures of the neck down to the cer-
vical vertebra. ft was unusually extensive for a self-
inflicted wound ; and it is needless to say that he was
quite dead.
The police have found both the knife before referred
to and a razor smeared with blood, and there is no
doubt, from the appearance of the wounds, that those on
the woman were inflicted with the knife, while his own
throat was cut with the razor.

It is somewhat singular that the infant, which is a very-
fine one, has escaped without injury. It was completely
drenched with blood from the mother's wounds ; but it
was otherwise unhurt, and is now doing well at the
workhouse. Mrs. Haeas is also progressing as favour.
ably as, under the circumstances of loss of blood, excite-
ment, and her recent confinement, can be expected.
She is, however, in a very low and weak state, and
cannot yet be pronounced to be out of danger.
The body of Haeas remains locked up in the attic at
No. 15, King-street, where it awaits the coroner's in-
quest.
Mrs. Haeas had had one other child, but it died about
four years,ago.

THE OFFICE OF PRINCIPAL CLERK TO THE
CITY CHAMBERLAIN.

Mr. Benjamin Scott, who for several years has held
the office of principal clerk to the Chamberlain of the
City of London, having resigned that appointment, the
committee, in relation to officers and clerks, have come
to a report upon the question as to the desirability of
making any alteration either in the duties or expenses of
the offices. The committee, after a full consideration
of the matter, thus certify :

" That your committee proceeded in the matter of the
reference, and being attended by Sir John Key, Bart.,
Chamberlain, he informs us that he had received a letter
from Mr. Benjamin Scott, communicating his intention
of relinquishing his situation of principal clerk to the
Chamberlain at the end of this year. We were subse-
quently attended by Mr. Scott, who, upon being asked,
stated that he had resigned his situation of prin-
cipal clerk to,the Chamberlain into the hands of Sir John
Key, but that he continued to hold it for the convenience
of the Corporation and the Chamberlain, until the close
of the present year.
" That when we heard Mr. Chamberlain upon the
subject of providing for the situation, when the vacancy
shall arise, and Mr. Chamberlain having intimated his
intention to appoint Mr. William Payne
(who has
assisted Mr. Benjamin Scott in the performance of his
duties for the last seven years) to be his successor as
principal clerk to the Chamberlain, and having heard
Mr. Scott upon Mr. Payne's capabilities for the dis-
charge of the duties of the situation, we concur in that
appointment, believing that the Coal and Corn Finance
Committee will have no difficulty in giving their ap-
proval under the deed executed by Sir John Key and
his sureties, for the regulation of the office of Chamber.
lain ; the duties and emoluments of the Principal Clerk
to include those of Clerk of the Auditors of the City and
Bridge-house Estates.
".That on conferring with Mr. Chamberlain upon the
subject of the future salaries of the clerks in his office,
we concur with him in the following arrangement :
Mr. Wm. Payne, principal clerk 5OOl. per annum.
Mr. Wm. Walker, eashier(as at present) 5411. • /)
First Assistant Clerk 2911. „
Second Assistant Clerk l9ll. „
Third Assistant Clerk
Fourth Assistant
fp
Additional Clerk lOOl. „

We beg further to certify that in the course of our
deliberations, the subject of closing the Chamberlain's
office during the month of August, came under our con-
sideration, and upon conferring with the Chamberlain
thereon, and bearing Mr. Scott, we are of opinion that
the Chamberlain should make such arrangements as
should enable him to continue the office open for busi-
ness during the month of August, in which Mr. Cham-
berlain concurs.
"Ail which we submit to the judgment of this Hon-
ourable Court.
(Signed) r LA. s
BARNES.(Chairm an).
T. J. HOLY. JOSEPH"PREERNKRINYS."IIN
JOHN ANNIS.
H. L. TAYLOR. JAS. M. BARNARD.
F. R. FRINNEBY. C. GAMMON."

VIENNA.—The mercantile advices from Vienna men-
tion that under the new regulations of the Government
regarding the payment of duties, all persons paying in
notes instead of silver must do so at a premium of 15
per cent.—that is to say, for every 100 dollars due they
must pay 115, if they discharge the amount in paper.
The measure is, therefore, a virtual increase of the
pressure of taxation to that extent. At the same time
they are not likely to get much silver, as its premium in
the market is 15/ to while that upon gold is 20k.
The present notice applies only to the month of January
next, and new notices will, it is assumed, be issued from
time to time to meet the flurAuations in the discredit of
the inconvertible circulatic,n.

•
.--N.Liek-stiriapE Tit
NAVAL INTELLIGE 4 ts.,,
_______„.___ 1 ,4.4;• _AK, ...,,t,;? ..,
PORTSMOUT 4 AA* - -' " i ::'?`
„„ A It ,
The Fairy screw tender to the Royal .t pit went out •4•,*..,1
of harbour yesterday morning to the m‘ r: i`ted mile to .4.N
,if..,f4
try a new propeller, manufactured at th- : • -in factory7T'fi!," '
of this dockyard, under the superintend • ~- of lar.cii.4.- ''''
Murray. The principle' of the new screw is siviar
be
b
that of Griffiths—the pitch, &c., being the sainl; Web
j
the ball at the centre is dispensed with. Two runs
were made at the mile, the average result of which gave
a mean speed of 124 knots, or one quarter of a knot less
than has been obtained by Griffiths' patent itself ; but
the engines worked at one stroke less per minute yes.
terday than on the first-named`trial. The Fairy returned
shortly before 11 a m., and came on the slip the same
evening to have the central boss attached ready for
another trial.

The Princess Charlotte, 104, was replaced at the
moorings up the harbour yesterday.
The Sidon, 22, paddle-frigate, Captain Goldsmith, is
ordered to prepare for foreign service with all despatch ;
very probably for the Mediterranean.
The Sprightly steam tender, Master Commander
Allen, sailed yesterday evening for Sheerness with volun-
teers for the Boscawen.

The Navarin (Russian corvette) went out of harbour
yesterday morning, and anchored at Spithead to reship
her powder and shell. She sailed from Spithead this
morning, and saluted the national and Port Admiral's
flags, which was returned by the Victory and Garrison
battery, with an equal number of guns.
The Dutch frigate Palembang weighed from Cowes
Roads this morning and passed through Spithead.
A court-martial will be held on Tuesday on board the
Victory, to try a marine artilleryman for theft on board
ship:

The Lord Duncan, R. G. Barton, commander, ar-
rived from Port Nicholson, New Zealand, at 3.45 p.m..
yesterday, and landed 11 boxes of mails, and proceeded
to London. She sailed on the 16th of September.
ROYAL MAIIINES.
Colonel Commandant Menzies, K.H., is in command
of Portsmouth garrison and district during the tempo-
rary absence of Major• General Simpson, on leave.
First Lieutenant Ward has proceeded to Sheffield to
relieve Captain Coake on the recruiting service.
Second Lieutenant Festing, of the Artillery compa-
nies, with 1 sergeant, 1 corporal, and 25 gunners, are
held in readiness.to embark in her Majesty's steamship
Cressy at Sheerness.
Second Lieutenant 'Thomas John William Henry
Rawlings, of the Portsmouth division, has been per-
mitted to resign his commissi,:,

Lieut. Arthur Bagley (1853),
WOOLWICH, DEC. 24.
APPOINTMENTS.
recently promoted from
mate of the Sampson steam-frigate to the Racehorse,
14, sloop, at Devonport.
Master John J. Brown (1848), to the Cressy, 80,
screw steamship, at Sheerness.
Surgeon James Bankier, M.D. (1834), to theMonareb,
84, guardship of ordinary, at Sheerness.
Chaplain Rev. John Gurney (1853), from the Leopard
paddlewheel steam-frigate to the Cressy.
Chaplain and naval instructor, Rev. John J. Harri-
son, M.A. (1840), from the Minden store-ship at Hong-
kong, to the Leopard, vice Gurney.

Paymaster, Edwin A. Smith (1840), to the Poictiers
flag-ship of Captain Superintendent Peter Richards,
C. 8., at Chatham.
Clerk in Charge, Edmund A. Rowe (1848), to the
Cyclops steam-frigate at Sheerness.
Assistant-Surgeons—George V. M 'Donogh (1849),
recently additional of the Cumberland, 70, flag-ship on
the North America and West Indies station, to the
Cressy ; C. D. M'Carthy (1853), to the Cressy ; John
Andrews (b.), M.D. (1843), from the Minden, store-ship
at Hongkong, to the Royal Hospital, Plymouth ; Arthur
M'Clure (1843), recently serving in the Banshee when
serving as a mail packet on the Mediterranean station,
to the Impregnable flag-ship at Devonport.
Second-Master, William Henry Obree (1851), from the
Gossamer so the Saracen at Devonport, making ready
for surveying service.
Clerks—Edward D. Herbert (1848), recently serving
in the Vestal, 26, on the North American station, to be
secretary's clerk in the Boscawen, 70, fitting at Chatham
as flat-ship of Rear-Admiral Fanshawe, C. 8., on the
same station ; William S. E. Freeman (1849), recently
serving as clerk-in-charge of the Spy on the West Coast
of Africa station, to the Waterloo, 120, flag-ship, at
Sheerness ; William H. J. Brown (1849), from the
Medea, steam-sloop, to the Bosca,wen ; George Jeffreys
(1847), to the Medea, vice Brown; H. W. Stevens
(1853), to the Cressy.
Clerks-Assistants—J. W. R. P. Galworthy, to the
Diamond, 28, at Sheerness ; Silas Waymouth to the
Ajax, steam steam-ship, at Cork ; George Prime, to the
Excellent, gunnery ship, at Portsmouth ; W. H. Risk,
to the Cressy, at Sheerness ; A. D'Albertson, to the
Britannia, 120, flag-ship on the Mediterranean ation.
It is expected that the vacancy in her Majesty's ship
Daring, 12, on the North America and West India sta-
tion, created by the death of Mr. Joseph Hoffman, pay-
master, will be filled up by the promotion of Mr. Con-
stantine John Evans, son of Deputy Inspector Evans,
attached to the Royal Marine Infirmary at Woolwich.
The Onyx, Dover mail steam-packet, second master,
Rutter, left oolwich to-day on her return to Dover to
resume her duties at that station.
ROYAL NAVAL VOLIJICTEERS.
It is intended to appoint six medical officers, one to
each of the divisions of the newlorce now about to be
raised as a reserve of volunteers for aiding in manning
the Royal Navy in cases of emergency. Several naval
medical officers became candidates for the appointments
when the intention was made known, but the terms now
alluded to in the following circular do not appear satis-
factory to them :

"Admiralty, December, 1853.
" Sir,—lt beim-, intended that in the enrolment of the
volunteers for the Coast Guard service, about to be
established, that such volunteers should be examined by
naval medical officers or private practitioners, I have to
desire you will inform me, at your earliest convenience,
whether you are willing to undertake the duty in ques•
tion for the division.

" The following is an outline of the projected service
and remuneration :

" The service of the medical attendant will first be
required at , where he will have to examine
such volunteers as may desire to enrol themselves, and
from which place he will continue to accompany the
captlin in command, and examine any further volunteers
for the service.

" 'The remuneration for the aforesaid service will
probably be to naval medical officers an equivalent to
full pay (though the time will not be allowed to count
as sea service), 10s. a-day for subsistence, when absent
from head-quarters, and travelling expenses paid.
" 'lt is contemplated that the whole period the
medical attendant may be engaged will not exceed one
month, or six weeks, but it is possible the medical ser-
vices may be required annually.'
"The medical appointments will be made so that the
duty shall be commenced on the Ist of February, 1854.
" I am, &c.
"P.S. You are not to consider the service herein
alluded to will secure you from being called upon for
serving afloat."

THE UNITED STATES.--The coinmercial advices from
the United States are exceedingly satisfactory, not only
as regards the New York stock market, but also as to
the general prospects of trade, and the steady receipt of
gold from California. The alterations in the tariff pro-
posed by the Secretary to the Treasury seem to have
been favourably received, and, although a broader and
more liberal (movement had been looked for in many
quarters, they will constitute an important step in the
direction of free trade. With regard to that large por-
tion of our exports to America, comprised ,in iron and
woollen manufactures, the measure, if adopted, will
effect a reduction of duty to the extent of one-sixth, the
existing rate 'being 30 per cent., and that now con-
templated being 25 per cent.
MANCHESTER MEN AT THEIR BOOKS.—What, now, is
the kind of reading favoured by these people ? My
Lord Totnnoddy, lounging on his club sofa, re-
fuses to believe it, when h is told that these brave
people, meaning to work with their heads as well
as with their hands, use books that are taken by
them from the Manchester Free Lending Library in
the proportions following :—ln literature—including
poetry and fiction, essays, literary history, and encyclo-
paedias—each volume is read, on an average, fifteen
times a year. Works upon theology and philosophy
are next in request ; in that class each work has bees
read on an average nine times. In history and
biography every work has had an average of eight
readers ; the scientific works have had an averlavy,
age
of seven readings apieceiece
land each work on
'
politics, or commerce may, in
the same way, be said
to have been borrowed twice. Scientific and other
books borrowed by working men, that bear upon their
trades, are studied carefully ; epitomes are sometimes
made by them at home ; and one or two have been, or
are being, bodily copied into household manuscript t
There is a fine earnestness about all this. Then there is
something very natural and amusing in the results of the
librarian's notes as to the books most in request in
each department. The reference library is crowded
in the evening by working men ; and their great de-
light and refreshment appears to consist in an escape
from routine life to dreams of romance or peril, in
relieving the monotony of toil with tales of battle, ship-
wreck, or adventure. In a word, the imagination, even
in Manchester, refuses to be crushed. The pleasure book
most read during the first six months after the library
opened was the "Arabian Nights." The weary warehouse-
men, mill hands, and shopkeepers spent their evenings
with Haroun al Raschid. The next best books for them,
after the " Arabian Nights," appear to have been " Ivar..
hoe," "Robinson Crusoe," and the "Fortunes and Mie.
fortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders." The historical
works most favoured have been those most dealing in
adventure and excitement. Histories of Napoleon
have been somewhat more in demand than even the
" Arabian Nights." Lives of Wellington and Nelson
were, respectively, about half as much in request, but
very popular--- slightly more popular, indeed, than that
very well-read book of amusement, " Gulliver's Tra-
vels." Narratives of the battle of Waterloo were in yet
greater demand, though still in less request than
accounts of Napoleon. Next in popularity to the
lives of Napoleon—and there is one man in Manchester
who has even read Alison's " History" straight through
_is a volume, entitled " Shipwrecks and Disasters air
Sea." That volume was issued 215 times in six months.
Almost equally popular was Mr. Cumming's account of
his htniting adventures among lions and hippopotamuses
in South Africa. Less in request, but much demanded
—next, in fact, in the order of popularity among, books
of this class—have been Macaulay's "History, Lay-
ard's "Nineveh," and Dana's "Two Yearn Before the
Most."---Dickens's Household Words.