The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-02 00:00:00

/J

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

cause you were connected with the concern in London,
you ought to have known everything about the stations
at Guildford, and to have taken care that everything
was safe. I must say that it appears to me that two
persons in question, who at Guildford ordered this spe-
cial train, would have no more to do with the arrange-
ments than a mere stranger. Under these circum-
stances, asking the learned counsel whether he had any
specific evidence to bring home the negligence to these
parties, it is answered by the fact that there is none,
that there is no evidence, and therefore there is nothing
to leave to you, gentlemen. But, in common justice to
the defendants, I should say, and in ordinary respect to
the manner in which our criminal laws are administered,
there would he nothing, I believe, upon the statement
of the counsel to leave as evidence of that guilt which
ought to be made out—something approaching to dis-
tinct and clear evidence—of their being great or culpa-
ble negligence on the part of the defendants. I have
made this statement to you before your verdict is re-
corded, in order that I may state my opinion of the
topics on which the learned counsel has declined to call
any evidence in support of the charge against the de-
fendants.
The Attorney-General said, that as he believed a good
deal of excitement had been shown with reference to
the case, he begged to be allowed to say a few words
in justification of the gentlemen for whom he appeared
on the present occasion. In the first place,
it had
been stated, that this special train had been engaged
by the defendants for purposes of their own ; but
there was no truth whatever in that statement.
The train was engaged entirely for the purposes of
the railway, and the object in going to Alton was to
make a survey and see that the line was in a proper con-
dition. There were no means by which notice could be
given that the special train was on the line, but it was
due to the defendants to stata that the proper signals
were exhibited at the station,r4vhiek it was -the duty of
the deceased to have attended to, and if he had done so
he would have known that this was not the passenger
train, and the accident would not have occured. In the
case of pilot engines and a variety of other circumstances
no other notice could be given than by means of the
signals, and it was the duty of the deceased to have at-
tended to these signals, and nothing else. He regretted,
however, to be obliged to state that he had on several
occasions neglected to pay attention to the sig-
nals, and he had been reprimanded for so doing, and on
this occasion the unfortunate accident was entirely
the result of his own recklessness and inattention to
orders.
The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and the
defendants left the court.

HOiNIE CIRCUIT.- CROYDON, AUGUST 1.

CIVIL SlDE.—(Before the Chief Baron and a Common
Jury.)

THE QUEEN V. THE HON. F. SCOTT AND JOSEPH BEATTIE.
The defendants, the Chairman of the South-Western
Railway Company, and the superintendent of the loco-
motive department of that company, surrendered to
take their trial upon a coroner's inquisition charging
them with the manslaughter of Charles Cannon.
A bill for the same offence was preferred before the
grand jury, but they ignored it.
The defendants pleaded " Not Guilty " to the inqui-
sition.
Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Robinson appeared for the pro-
secution ; the Attorney-General, Mr. Ballantine, and
Mr. Bovill were counsel for the defendants.
Mr. Bodkin, in opening the case to the jury, said,
that he had the honour, with his learned friend, to con-
duct this important prosecution, and he regretted ex-
ceedingly that, in consequence of the anomalous state
of the law at the present time with regard to criminal
prosecutions like the present, he was very imperfectly
instructed with regard to the facts of the case, and he
trusted, therefore he should be excused if he did not
lay so clear and distinct a statement before the jury as
he could have wished to have done. The charge was
one of a very serious character. One of the gentlemen
accused was a person of high station and character, and
the other filled a very responsible position connected
with the railway. They had, no doubt very properly,
retained the assistance of the Queen's Attorney-General
and two others of his learned friends, but he (Mr. Bod-
kin) was only retained on Friday last, and he mentioned
this as an additional excuse if he should be found to
omit anything that was material in the statement he
should lay before the jury. He thought it right to inform
them that, as Naga 'customary in such Cases, a bill of in-
dictment had been preferred before the grand jury, but
they ignored it on the ground, as he believed, that no
culpable negligence was established against either of the
defendants.
The Attorney-General objected to the learned counsel
making any statement referring to the reasons which in-
duced the grand jury to ignore the bill.
The Chief Baron said, they had nothing whatever to
do with,any proceedings of the grand jury. All they
had to do on the present occasion was to dispose of the
matter before the Court.
Mr. Bodkin said he would confine himself entirely to
the coroner's inquisition, which charged both the defend-
ants with the crime of manslaughter, and he should now
proceed to give the jury a brief outline of the circum-
stances under which the chargq arose. He should ex-
plain to them at the outset, that the principal defendant
was a member of Parliament and the chairman of the
board of directors of the railway in question ; and the
other defendant, he believed, was a superintendent of the
locomotive department, or, at all events, filling a respon-
sible station in connexion with the railway ; and he
should wish the jury to understand that no moral delin-
quency was attributed to them, but the sole question
they would have to decide was whether, by any negli-
gence, or want of proper caution on their part, they had
been the means of causing the death of the deceased.
The transaction in question occurred on a branch line of
the Guildford Railway from Ash to Alton, between
which station there was only a single line of rails, and
only one station, that of Farnham, at which place the
fatal accident occurred, intervened between the two
places ; and he need hardly observe that under such cir-
cumstances the utmost caution was necessary to be ob-
served by every person who used this portion of the
railway. The line was opened with the sanction of the
Government inspector, in 1850, but he believed that at the
same time the inspector communicated with the railway
authorities upon the subject of their being only a single
line, and it was understood that only one engine should
be used at a time upon the line, in order to avoid the
risk of danger. The defendants, he apprehended, must
be taken as being fully aware of this understanding, and
the question upon the present occasion would be
whether they had jexercised due caution upon the
occasion of the fatal occurrence taking place. The
learned counsel then proceeded to state that on the 14th
of May the defendants ordered a special train at Guild-
ford to proceed to Alton, and their arrangement was—
and, he said, he believed he should be able to show that
orders were given to that effect—that they should pro-
ceed direct to the place of their destination. The ordi-
nary
passenger train was at Guildford when the special
train took its departure, and it was detained in order
that it might be a sufficient distance ahead to prevent
any danger. The special train proceeded on its journey ;
and the neglect charged against the defendants was, that
they took no steps to give notice at the succeeding sta-
tions of Ash and Farnham of a special train being upon
the line, and the consequence was that the deceased,
who was a porter at the latter station, believing it to be
the ordinary passenger train, ran to meet it, believing it
would stop at the station, and he was unable to get out
of the way of the train, and was run over and killed.
He then proceeded to state that he believed there
was no electric telegraph upon the line, by which a
message could have been transmitted to the stations,
giving them notice of the fact of a special train being
upon the line ; but lie submitted that, under the cir-
cumstances, some means should have been taken to give
notice of the fact, and that not doing so amounted to
criminal negligence.
The Chief Baron inquired of Mr. Bodkin when he
considered the notice ought to have been given ? Were
the defendants bound to have given so many hours' no-
tice of the departure of the special train !
Mr. Bodkin said, he was not prepared to ray when
the notice ought to have been given, but he should con-
tend that the chairman of a railway ought to be taken
to be well acquainted with all matters relating to the
safety of persons upon the line, and that he was in a
different position to an ordinary person.
The Chief Baron said, he did not agree with the learned
counsel in that respect. In his opinion, a railway chair-
man, or director, who engaged a special train, was in
exactly the same position as an ordinary traveller, and
he might reasonably suppose that all that was necessary
to be done would be done by the persons in the employ
of the railway upon whom that duty devolved ; and he
would not be responsible unless it was shown that he
had done some personal act or given some directions
which led to the accident.
Mr. Bodkin said, that as this was his lordship's opinion
there was an end of the case, as the gravamen of the
charge was that, knowing the ordinary passenger train
would stop at the Farnham station, the defendants took
no steps to make it known that the special train would
arrive first and that it would not stop.
The Chief Baron said, that the mere fact of the de-
fendants being the occupants of a special train did not
make it incumbent on them to take care that all the
necessary arrangements were made at the different sta-
tions through which they had to pass. He was of opinion
that no such duty was cast upon them, and that whether
in the case of a chairman or a director of a company, or
a manager of the traffic, neither of them was responsible
for what might occur at any station over which they had
no personal control. He had no desire to stop the case,
if the learned counsel thought he could make anything of
it, or even if he was in a position to show that any direc-
tions had been given by either of the defendants ; but if
lie could not do so, he put it to him whether he should
consider it right to go any further ?
Mr. Bodkin intimated that he should not prove any-
thing in addition to what he had stated, and said, that
as the jury would be bound to act upon the direction
given to them upon the point of law, he thought it
would be an useless waste of the public time to call the
witnesses.
The Chief Baron Pollock then said to the jury—Be-
fore your verdict is recorded, I will say a word or two,
which I am disposed to do in this case in consequence
of the sort of interlocutory matter which passed between
me and the learned counsel, or rather that sort of inter-
rupted statement which arose from the learned counsel
continuing to press upon the judge and jury those
topics which he thinks the interests of public justice
required him to urge. I intend to state distinctly
the grounds on which it appears to me that that which
the learned counsel opened to you cannot be made a Yesterday, Patrick Farley, Michael Cunningham, and
crime. It is very true, as is stated, that one of these Robert Magennis, the three men charged on suspicion of
defendants is the chairman of the board in London, and being concerned in the
Elizabeth Bghill,
the traffic department in London ; but when these gen- Chipping Barnet, on the night of Sunday, the 10th ult.,
tlemen are remote, as we may call it, from the scene of were again brought up before the magistrates at Barnet,
their usual seat of business, that is, from London, I on remand from St. Albans gaol, for further examma-
think it is a great deal too much to make it a matter tion.
either of presumption—certainly it is not legal presump- Prior to the bench entering on the case, Mr. Inspector
tion (I think it ought to be proved from evidence) of Bilks, of the S division, announced that he had received
any negligence on their part that this accident occurred ; a letter from the police authoritiesdat Winchester, stating
and I think if they, at Guildford, 20 or 30 miles from that a man had been apprehende , and was now lodged
London, ordered a special train, they were just as little in Winchester gaol, fully answering the description of
responsible as any entire stranger. It appears to me to the man described as " the ailoar,
and
"Yorkie-," as he
be hardly justice to expect that the chairman, because was called, who has absconded,. • n who is supposed to
he is chairman, and the superintendent of the traffic (if be the ringleader in the horrible transaction. The fol-
the other defendant is so), should be personally ac- lowing additional evidence was adduced :
quainted with the starting of every train—with the Mrs. Hales, a lodging-house keeper at 'Underhill de-
times at which they stop at this place, and where it posed to the deceased woman coming to her house about
stops, and with all the details of the railway, from one half-past ten o'clock on the night in questionherasking ith
responsible, on this sort of evidence, for an accident I dark coat on. She could not, however, swear that either
which occurred between Guildford and Ash, or where- of the prisoners was that man.
ever the place was, the persons connected with a rail- Mary Coombes, a married woman, living at Barnet,
way to Edinburgh, or persons connected with an entire deposed that on the morning after the occurrence she
system of travelling from London to Paris, or from Lon- I was haymaking in Mr. Smith's field, and overheard the
don to much more remote places—if the extension of prisoner Magennis and some other men talking about
railways should open conveniences to more distant parts some woman and laughing, and she asked him what it
of the globe in one journey—would be also responsible. i was about, and lie told that an old woan bad been
How monstrous it would be to make a man, because he used in Mr. Brya,nt's shed by sixteen ofm
" our men "
is the chairman of a board in London, responsible for meaning Irishmen—and that he had gone down to the
He had on then a velvet jacket
any accident that may happen at Edinburgh, or it were shed that morning to see her, poor old gill, and that he
the means of making a criminal inquiry necessary on gave her a penny ; and lie said she was so used she was
such a matter, and the party responsible for an acci- like a piece of tripe.
dent happening some hundred miles off on the other like that produced.
a passenger, expects those whose duty it is to take -care
side of the Channel ! A man who orders a special train Magennis protested that he never made such a state-
at a particular station expects that he is there merely as merit.
are made for the starting and the safe'v travelling of th
attentionspecial
train--these
ien
_p atihde te oe the manner that the traffic is there
Initaiantnteerrsinwhilicihci;are conducted of the bench, announced to the prisoner Patrick
safely carried on • and that due man some consideration, IV.Ir. Phillimere, the chair-
arrT[igementes
him fyro'm custody, feeling that there was not sufficient
justify his longer detention. The bench
FewaAf.rdleeteeerethtaot the magistrates had determined to discharge
by the men of business ; and, as lunderstood the hoped,however, that if he knew anything about the
, e would aid the ends of justice by
from
counsel, there is no mode of bringingh
home to either of 1 horrible occurrence
these gentlemen any personal knowledge upon the sub- at once disclosing it.
ject of any individual carelessness. But the aaaument Patrick Farley was then sworn. He said—Between
peema to be this—became you, as the chairman, be. - ten and eleven o'clock on the night of Sunday, the 10th

TILE LATE CHILD MURDER IN CABLE-STREET.

CORONER'S INQUEST.

Yesterday Mr. William Baker opened an inquiry at
the Court-house, Wellclose-square, St. George's-in-the-
East, touching the death of an infant child, the offspring
of Sarah Lipman, a Jewess, of No. 32, Cable-street,
who, it was alleged, had mhuttillaatsetd.
remains twheerdeecfoenasnedd
baynda
femaleplaced isterovnanatfiorne,
pwriiidearye
nitigs
she
been Toomey,
sery aon ft bit.'"
oo .
3,81, r
sS. u -icpomu ratn, Awl dhgoa t
we,
assa i
ad
widow, and resided at No. 32, Cable-street, Wellclose-
square. Mrs. Lipman kept a "dolly shop," or illegal
pawnbroker's, which was visited by the poorer class of
Irish persons. She had one child, aged about three-
and-a-half years, which lived with her. On Thursday
the deceased complained of a pain in the stomach, and
seemed very ill. Nothing particular occurred until Friday
night, when Mrs. Lipman cleared out the shop, and
about nine o'clock witness was sent to the house next
door to boil some water for her tea, and after an absence
of about five minutes witness returned, and on entering
the back parlour discovered the head of a newly-born
child on the coals in the fire-place. The fire had just
gone out. Witness had smelt an unpleasant smell for
two hours previously. There had been a fire in the stove
about two or three hours, but her mistress kept her out
as much as possible. There was no one in the apart-
ment when witness saw the head, and her mistress was
in the shop. There were two candles lighted in the
parlour at that time, and witness immediately gave notice
to Mrs. Donovan, a neighbour, when she returned to
the shop and asked Mrs. Lipman . for the wages due to
her as she wished to go home, when she asked witness
why she wished to go, when witness said, "Oh, you
know why ; I have seen the head of a child on the fire."
Mrs. Lipman then began to cry, and exclaimed, " I
shall be disgraced if you tell any one." She then took
witness into the back parlour, and said, " I will give
you half a sovereign if you keep the matter a secret."
Witness told her that she would not make any promise,
and then ran out of the house, when Sergeant Foay en-
tered the parlour and took the child's head off the fire-
place. Witness slept in the same bed with Lipman, and
on Friday morning last, at an early hour, she (Lipman)
got out of bed several times and told witness she had
got the stomach ache. About six o'clock she groaned
very much, and witness left her in bed at half-past seven
to procure some milk, and returned after five minutes'
absence, when she requested witness to take a message
to her father, in Leman-street, to tell him that she could
not come out, as she was ill. A fire was lighted, and
when breakfast was prepared she partook of it as usual.
By the Coroner : She made no particular complaint of
illness before Friday morning, and I never heard a child
cry in the house on that day. Mrs. Lipman was engaged
part of the day frying fish. There was a quantity of dirty red
water in the pail which stood by the side of the bed-
stead. The black dress produced by Sergeant Foay, on
which are stains of blood, I found among the saucepans
in the shop, about four o'clock on Friday afternoon, and
it belonged to Mrs. Lipman. She did not wear that
dress on Friday, but she did on the Thursday.
Cornelius Foay, police-sergeant (H division) said that
on Friday night he went to No. 32, Cable-street, and
found Mrs. Lipman sitting on a chair in the corner of
the shop. Witness said, " 'What's amiss ?" but she
made no reply. Witness then went into the parlour,
and found the head of a child lying on the fire-place.
There were also two pieces of skull bone on the hearth.
Witness searched the cinders in the grate, and found a
quantity of blood upon them, and small pieces of flesh.
The contents of the fire-place were quite hot, as if a
large fire had recently been therein. Witness told her
that he should take her into custody on a charge of con-
cealing the birth of her child and destroying its life by
placing the body on the fire. She then said, " You
may do as you like with me, for I am tired of my life."
Witness looked round, and found a gown, petticoat, &c.
covered with blood in the shop. A large pair of scissors
were on the fender.

Mr. Michael Samuel Ryan, of Leman-street, surgeon,
deposed that he examined the prisoner and found that
she had recently been delivered of a child. The head
produced is that of a newly-born child of mature birth.
The blood found on the clothes and cinders was of that
description which follows the delivery of women, and
does not coagulate. It was certainly not that descrip-
tion of blood of a child slaughtered after birth. The
child, in witness's opinion, was of seven months' ges-
tation.

By a juror—Had attended Mrs. Lipman about three
months ago, when she suffered from excitement and dis-
tress of mind through the death of her mother. She had
epileptic fits, which had latterly returned while she was
in the workhouse. Could not say positively that the
limbs were consumed, as it would all depend upon the
heat in the stove.
The Coroner—Partial insanity generally follows par-
turition. Children cry at the birth, and if the deceased
had cried it must have been heard in such a small house
by some of the inmates.
Bridget Russell, who lived in the cellar of No. 32,
Cable-street, was examined, and said she did not hear
any noise of a child crying on the day in question. She
did not smell anything unpleasant.
The Coroner adjourned the proceedings for a few days
to allow the police time to make further search for the
other parts of the body which are missing.

THE MURDER AT BARNET.

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 2, 1853.

July, he went to Mr. Bryant's rick, to go to rest, having I
come into Barnet to get some tobacco. As he went in
at the gate, he met two men coming out towards the
road. One had on a dark jacket, or coat, and as he
passed on to the rick near the barn, he heard the man
known as " Sailor" call out, " Here come the police,"
and he ran away ; and he then heard a woman moan,
and on looking, saw a woman sitting under the rick,
and that man (pointing to the prisoner Cunningham)
either kneelinc, or sitting with her hands in his. She
called out, "Let go my hands." He (Farley) went on
to the rick, and heard Barney Burns say to " Sailor,"
" What a shame to serve such an old woman so !" and
he (Farley) also said so to him, and be used a base ex-
pression towards the woman. He never saw " Sailor"
afterwards. Cunningham had on light moleskin trowsers,
such as those produced (these were stained with blood,
&c.). Would swear that the prisoner Magennis was not
one of the men he met. On his solemn oath, this was
all he knew of the matter.

There being no further evidence, the court was cleared,
and, after a consultation, the bench resolved on dis-
charging the prisoner Magennis, as well as Farley, and
on again remanding Cunningham, their impression being
that, in consequence of the evidence of Farley, and the
stains on his trowsers and linen, there was strong cir-
cumstantial evidence against him.
A constable who well knew the person of " Sailor"
was directed to proceed to Winchester, and if he identi-
fied the man in custody there, to bring him before them
at their next sitting.

MEETING OF OMNIBUS PROPRIETORS.

A general meeting of omnibus proprietors was held
yesterday at the Cranbourne Hotel, St. Martin's-lane,
to consider the present state of the trade, and to adopt
measures thereon ; Mr. H. Gray in the chair.
The entire of the omnibus trade was 'represented at
this meeting.
The CHAIMAN said the present meeting was called

SUICIDE BY PRUSSIC ACID.

for the purpose of taking into consideration the best
mode of obtaining an appeal, which was a question of
the greatest importance, and although it had not already
reached the masters, yet they were bound to protect
their servants and see that justice was done them. If
the bill had passed as it stood on its introduction, it
would have been one of the most despotic acts ever in-
troduced into this country. :Under it men were, right
or wrong, placed in a dungeon ; and he might give, as
an instance, where the proprietor of an omnibus, finding
a man putting his dirty feet on new cushions, requested
the man to remove them, and on his refusing to do so,
he pushed them off. For this offence he was committed
to prison for a month, which arbitrary sentence he was
now undergoing. He (the chairman) had never taken
part in politics ; but he thought that Austrian tyranny
was freedom compared with this act of Parliament. He
was averse to anything that might be obnoxious to the
general public, and although there might be a difference
of opinion as to whether the strike of the cab-owners
was right or wrong, yet still he thought the act was such
a one as ought not to have been passed. The leaders of
the omnibus and cab trade had been to the House of
Commons, where they had seen Mr. Fitzroy, Lord D.
Stuart, and Sir John Shelley, and they had given it as
their opinion that, while they were " out of court," no
assistance would be rendered by Parliament ; and but
for their assistance he believed- that some of the men
would have been out on Strike to the present hour.
Mr. BRADFIELD (the secretary) read a letter from
Lord Dudley Stuart, stating that if the men returned to
work, it was his intention on Monday evening to give
notice of further amendments to the Hackney Carriages
Bill.

A shocking case of suicide, by taking prussic acid,
occurred at Carmarthen, on Thursday, which, from
the respectability and position of the family of
the deceased, has attracted a great deal of atten-
tion. From inquiries since made, it appears that
the unfortunate man, Mr. W. S. Harris, was the
son of Mr. Harris, an ex-M.P. for the borough of Lei-
cester, and he himself was a member of the town-coun-
cil, and largely engaged in the stocking trade. The
deceased has left a widow and six children to lament his
loss. It seems that he laboured under an apprehension that
his embarrassments were of an irretrievable character,
which was far from being the fact ; that he left his home
on Monday last for Rugby, where he wrote a long
and wandering statement of his affairs to his friends,
and went from Rugby to Swansea, whence he wrote
to say that his body. would be found at Carmarthen.
It appears that the night before he committed
ate rash
ash
act he arrived at Carmarthen, by the train,el
o'clock. He put up at the Boar's Head and called for
a class of spirits and water, and, after remaining some
tqhu
es
setvi
ne several lt
hceo mc
hma emr
bc iear n
alga
dn t
tl eo mceanl
htiemreetinirecdotinopabneyd, with
him at about eight o'clock, which she did, but, receiv-
ing no answer, after knocking loudly at his door for
some time, she became alarmed and called her master.
Mr. Morgan, the landlord, finding the door unlocked,
at once entered the chamber, and found the gentleman
a corpse and lying across the bed undressed. The
superintendent of police was at once sent for, who,
after some delay, succeeded in discovering the name
of the deceased under the collar of his coat and
also a note on the Leicester bank. He at once pro-
ceeded to the railway station and telegraphed a
message to the superintendent of Leicester, request-
ing him to ascertain if any person of the name of
W. S. Harris was known in that town, and, if
so, for his relatives to communicate immediately to
Carmarthen, as he had been found dead in his bed. Be-
fore this communication could be received at Leicester, a
message was dispatched by the friends of the de-
ceased there, addressed to the mayor of Carmarthen,
requesting immediate search to be made for Mr. Harris,
and if found to cause care to be taken of him until
the arrival of his friends at Carmarthen. Some of
his connections subsequently arrived and identified the
body. All the circumstances connected with the unfor-
tunate gentleman's decease leave no doubt of its being
by his own hand, as a bottle of prussic acid was found
by his side, and in bed alongside of the deceased was a
glass tumbler. In his pocket was a draught on the
Leicester Bank for 531. odd. An inquest has been held
on the body, and subjoined is an abstract of the evi-
dence adduced.
Mr. David R. Morgan deposed to the deceased having
come to his house, as stated above. He said the firm
he belonged to was in the wholesale haberdashery line,
and remarked, " We have not been in the habit of coming
to this country for several years." He spoke in a coherent
way, and witness did not notice anything peculiar
in his manners. He took two glasses of whisky and
water in the course of the evening, nothing else. He
was not in drink or any way excited. The witness nar-
rated the circumstance of his having been called by the
chambermaid the next morning, and his going to the
room where the deceased was with Mr. bowcroft.
Mr. Sowcroft took a small bottle off the dres-
sing-table, which was marked in print " Poison," and
exclaimed, "This is the thing that has done it." The
deceased was on his back in bed, with the bedclothes,
which were quite smooth, drawn up to his chin. His
hands were clinched and leaning on his chest, his legs
straight, his face very pallid, but otherwise natural. A
glass tumbler was found by his side in the bed. Witness
went for Mr. Williams, surgeon, and brought him with
him, as also a policeman. Mr. Williams examined the
bottle, and said it had contained prussic acid. The door
was not bolted.
Frances Davis, chambermaid, deposed to showing the
deceased to bed about a quarter to 2 in the morning.
She told him she was sorry to show him that room, but
if he was there another night he would get a better
room. Deceased at first made no answer ; but, on her
repeating it, said, "Mary, this will do very well for me."
He was perfectly sober. He had a small paper parcel,
but no other luggage. He told her to calf him at half-
past Bin the morning. She did so, and knocked re-
peatedly, but got no answer. She then went and told
Mr. Morgan.
Mr. Sowcroft, commercial traveller, of Birmingham,
gave similar evidence to that of Mr. Morgan, and added
that the deceased could not reach the dressing-table from
his bed. The bottle was on its side on the centre of the
table, corked.
Mr. S. Stone, town-clerk of Leicester, deposed, that
he had known the deceased for some years. He resided
at Leicester, was by trade a cotton-winder, and in exten-
sive business for himself. On Tuesday morning last,
about 10 o'clock, one of his brothers came rushing to
witness's office in a state of great agitation, with a
letter in his hand. He was unable to speak and handed
witness the letter. [The witness here produced three
letters, which were identified by Mr. J. Hunter, of
Leicester, as being in the handwriting of the deceased.]
After reading it he immediately dispatched two of
the detectives of the police force by special train to
Rugby. No trace was found of him there, and they
proceeded thence to Liverpool, Birmingham, &c. The
letter was dated "Rugby, Monday," and the following
is an extract :—" I now feel that I have offended every
friend and also my God. What is to become of me ?
For a year and a half I have thought of nothing but
death. Oh, dear brother, there is no hope of me. I
cannot face my creditors ; I am mad, and have been for
a long time." . . . " I will write again and tell you
where you may find me. Your lost brother, William."
On Wednesday morning deceased's brother received an-
other letter, bearing the Swansea postmark, in these
words— "My dear brother, I shall be found in Carmar-
then, South Wales. Farewell." The difficulties of de-
ceased were not serious, only pecuniary liabilities,
nothing criminal. They would have been instantly
settled by his family had they known them. He was a
man of character and a member of the town-council.
He was 38 years of age.
Mr. James Rowlands, surgeon, deposed to having
made a post mortem examination of the deceased, and
described the appearances presented by the body. He
had analysed the contents of the stomach, and detected
prussic acid in considerable quantities. The result of
his examination proved that he died from the effects of
prussic acid. The bottle would contain enough to kill
two or three persons.
The coroner having summed up, the jury returned as
their verdict, "That the deceased died from the effects
of prussic acid, taken while in a state of temporary in-
sanity."

Mr. HARTLEY moved that a petition be presented to
the House of Commons, which set forth the grievances
which have been fully referred to in the cab-owners'
meetings, by exercise of arbitrary power by magistrates
and the police commissioners ; that, in addition to the
number of persons whose liberties were affected by the
act, they called attention to the magnitude of the pro-
perty which was affected, and that any error in judgment
might seriously affect their property ,•' that 1,200 omni-
buses and 12,000 horses were affected, and the consump-
tion of hay and corn costs nearly half a million, and the
licenses and duties nearly a quarter of a million annually.
They, therefore, prayed the house to pass an enactment
to modify the said act, by granting an appeal to any
person who might feel aggrieved by any proceeding or
decision either of the police commissioners or police
magistrates.

Mr. LINES seconded the amendment, which was put
and carried unanimously.
Mr. TREVETT moved, and Mr. MACNAMARA. seconded,
a vote of thanks to the chairman, which also passed
unanimously.

The CHAiRMAN acknowledged the compliment, and
the meeting was dissolved.

SHOCKING SUICIDE.

One of the most appalling suicides ever reported oc-
curred on Sunday morning at the house of Mrs. Burnes,
fruiterer, London-street, Greenwich.l. The unfortunate de-
ceased, Lavinia Mary Cuthbert, was a married woman,
who, with her husband, for some time past, bad been in
the employ of Mr. John Shove, corn dealer, but had been
lately discharged. It appears that on Sunday morning,
about 11 o'clock, deceased went-to her bedroom, and,
after a short time, was discovered to have ripped open her
stomach with her husband's razor, and before medical
assistance could be brought to her aid she expired. An
inquest was held yesterday evening before Mr. C. J.
Carttar, at the Prince of Wales. Mrs. Margaret Mace
said : I reside in the same house with deceased, whom I
have known about two years. Deceased and her husband
had lodged with me about two months. On Sunday
morning, a little before eleven, Mrs. Cuthbert was below
stairs talking with me, and about half an hour after-
wards I heard a noise which I at first took to be the
howling of a dog, but afterwards thought to be moaning. '
I was then on the first floor, and I went up to deceased's
room, upon opening the door of which I saw her lying
on the bed on her back, with her feet on the floor. Her
clothes were up, and in her right hand she had a razor,
and her bowels in her other hand. There was a pail by
her side. When I entered she seemed to know me, and
turned and struggled, but did not speak. I immediately
called assistance, and sent for Mr. Gay Shute, the sur-
geon. I turned her round and laid her head on the
pillow. I took the razor from her hand and laid it on
the table ; after that she grasped her flannel petticoat.
She died about twenty minutes afterwards, just as Mr.
Shute's assistant arrived. Her husband was out at the
time in his garden at the back cf Church-passage. He
had left the house before I spoke with deceased, and did
not return till he was sent for. Her state of mind was

very low, particularly on Saturday and on Sunday morn-
ing. She seemed depressed at the thought of going
away from her mother, as was arranged for Wednesday,
her husband having taken a place at Newbury.
This evidence having been confirmed by other wit-
nesses, the jury returned a verdict of "Temporary de-
rangement."
Two envelopes, on which the deceased had written in
a neat and clear hand, were found in a shirt, and the
contents seemed to lead to the conclusion that it was
one note, and was as follows :

" My dear Charles' —I know it must come, and the
will
third shock I feel drive me to utter madness. To my
dear friends it is better to know my end than to see me in
a lunatic asylum. Do not let a lot of strangers handle
me about. lam quite clean and have on all that I re-
quire. I wish my mother to have the box and the
bundle, and also my furs, because she has nothing to keep
her warm in winter. You can dispose of my other things
as you like. I should like to lay in the same grave as my
dear father, May God forgive you, as I hope he will me,
and may you get another wife who will love you as I have
done. " Your unfortunate wife, " LAVINIA."

Mr. Oldfield explained that he thought the meaning
of the words " third shock" to refer to the trouble she
had twice before had to go through, and that she saw
no prospect of her husband's third undertaking ending
more successfully.

NA PAL INTELLIGENCE.

PORTSMOUTH, AUGUST 1.

By letters from the West India squadron this after-
noon, we learn that, on the death of Commodore
M`Quhm, Vice-Admiral Sir George Seymour, the Com-
mander-in-Chief, promoted Commander Campbell, of the
Devastation steam-sloop, to the rank of Captain, Flag-
Lieutenant De Horsey to the rank of Commander, and
Mr. Hugh H. Knocker, mate, to the rank of Lieutenant.
Captain Campbell has distinguished himself eminently by
his indefatigable watching and resolute bearing in the
disputed fishery waters of Newfoundland.
The Barracouta, 6, paddle-sloop, Commander G.
Parker, arrived at Spithead this morning from the
Thames, and joined the fleet.
Vice-Admiral Sir Thos. Cochrane, K.C.8., the Port-
Admiral, is expected to return from the Channel Islands
to-morrow,
Rear-Admiral Fanshawe, C. 8., superintendent of the
dockyard, and the pay-clerks of the establishment, went
to Spithead this morning in the steam-tender Sprightly,
Mr. G. Allen, acting-master, commanding, to pay down
the crew of the Odin, 16, Captain Francis Scott.
The Plumper, 11, screw-sloop, was put in commission
this morning by Commander J. A. L. Wharton, for
foreign service.
The Desperate, 8, screw-corvette, Captain Chambers,
will be ready to return to Spithead to morrow, to rejoin
the fleet, after refit.

WOOLWICH, AUGUST 1.
APPOINTMENTS.
Lieutenant William G. Douglas (1846), from the Coast
Guard service, to the Odin, 16, paddle-wheel steam-
frigate, at Portsmouth.
Mate John B. Balfour (1851), from the Excellent,
gunnery-ship, at Portsmouth, to the Sidon, 22, paddle.
wheel steam-frigate, at Portsmouth.
Midshipmen P. J. Hankeir, to the Plumper, 9, screw
steam-sloop, at Portsmouth ;H. St. J. Mildmay, to the
St. Jean d'Acre, 101, screw steam-ship, at Devonport.
The Bloodhound, iron paddle-wheel steam-vessel,
arrived at Woolwich from service on the West Coast of
Africa, and was taken into the basin in the afternoon,
preparatory to being shipped and paid off.
The Firefly, Commander George A. Seymour, having
delivered all her stores, was paid off on Saturday.

STATUE OF THE MARQUIS OF BUTE AT CARDIFF.
The colossal statue of the late Marquis of Bute, K.T.,
has been erected at Cardiff, intended as a tribute from
the county at large to its most munificent benefactor.
The statue is a full length, and represents the late mar-
quis in his robes as Lord High Commissioner to the
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. The
drapery is flowing and effective, the position easy and
graceful, and the likeness is admitted to be an admirable
one. The whole stands twenty-two feet in height, and
the pedestal, which is of granite, is thirteen feet. The
statue has been executed by Mr. Evan Thomas, the
well-known sculptor of Belgrave-place, London, and the
model was exhibited in the Great Exhibition, where it
occupied a prominent place, The whole will be enclosed
with a handsome iron railing.
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PUBLISHER OP A DIREC-
TORY.—Mr. Sheriff Bell, of Glasgow, has fined the
managing proprietor of the Glasgow Directory in twenty
shillings damages, and the cost of suit, raised by Mr,
Macquorn Rankine, civil engineer, for the omission of
the firm of Rankine and Thomson in the present edition
of that publication, and also for misstating the number
of pursuer's office address, which was
udtsguivualy furnished to
_LT Herald.T
i x
the defendant in the usual schedule.
SUSPECTED MURDER IN CAMBRIDGESIir
PORT, JULY 30.—The population of this' placeli have been
thrown into a state of considerable excitement by the
discovery of a body of a young womane under circum-
stancesu which indicate a strong
murder has been perpetrated, The body
that a foul
suspicion
morning in a field of barley, and there twoayrewas f ocontused
s
wounds on her head, and one punctured wounds
in her neck, and there seems reason two
to suppose that the
body was removed into the fieltZsnfoor the purpose of con-
cealment after the injuries were inflicted. It has not
yet been identified, but appears to be that of a fine
young woman about 25
37e
be held on Monday by Mr. ars of age. Art inquest will
Marshall, the coroner of the
district, and in the mean time the police are actively ex-
erting themselves to obtain information on this at present
very rayuterious affair.

PEMBROKE, JULY 31.
The arrangements
A for getting off the Caesar have been
'wholly changed. secure foundation having been
made she is effectually
shoredthe up, and by the aid of
powerful wedges applied at
considerably reduced. Attention
the deflexure has been
* is now being directed
to the means of floating her off, which work is to be
k
attempted on Thursday next.
of capacity sufficient to lift the entire vessel
air
esseltifh are being
tas
constructed, and on them the whole available force o
the
establishment is employed. They are to be securely
attached to her after body, and when sufficiently
afloat the power of various mechanical furces will be
brought into requisition to force her into the water.
The workmen carrying out these operations are em-
ployed from four o'clock in the morning until eight in
the evening. Several immense pieces of African oak—
the largest the dockyard can produce are to be
projected through the after ports on the gun deck be-
neath, and to these the tanks are to be firmly attached.
The getting these ponderous pieces of timber on board
is a work of great difficulty and interest. They are
taken in through the bow port by powerful tackle, and
then drawn along the deck to their place of destination,
operations which require great care and attention to
prevent accidents. To effect a firm foundation for
shoring up the after part of the ship, large logs of
African timber were first laid down, crossing these another
layer, and another, and another, each crossing the
former, until a foundation equalling the solid rock has
been obtained. On Thursday the Vulture steamer

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