The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-07 00:00:00

NEW COURT.

James Wall, 40, marine, was indicted for perjury,
committed before Mr. Trail, the police magistrate, Mr.
Clarkson prosecuted, and Mr. Sleigh defended.
From the evidence it appeared that at Woolwich
there lives a person named George Rice, who keeps a
coffee-house in the High-street, and for some time past
the police had received information that he was in the
habit of supplying people with gin, tobacco, and other
exciseable articles, without having any licence ; but in
consequence of the great caution he exercised the Ex-
cise had no opportunity of obtaining a conviction with-
out some trick. They in consequence sent for the pri-
soner, who is one of the Woolwich Marines, and it was
`arranged that the prisoner should go there and purchase
some gin and tobacco. They gave him is. and a stone
bottle, and one of the excise-officers and a police-officer
went with the prisoner upon Sunday, the 30th of March,
and saw him go to Rice's Coffee-house, and waited
outside. When he came out he brought with him
some gin in the bottle, some tobacco, and said that
he had drank three glasses whilst in the shop. A
summons and the usual process was served upon Rice,
and a day fixed for the hearing. Whilst this was pend-
ing, the prisoner said that some one from Rice's had
been to the barracks, and was trying to find him out ;
but they had not done so. On the 20th of May the
case came on for hearing before Mr. Trail, the magis-
trate ; and when the prisoner was put into the box,
and sworn, and he then refused to make the statement
which he had previously done, saying that he could not
recollect what had taken place, having been so drunk.
This, of course, upset the case against Rice, and it being
proved that prisoner had not been drunk, the magistrate
sent him to trial.
The jury found him guilty.

Sentence deferred.

Two DESTRUCTIVE FIRES 4 THIS MORNING.—This
morning, between twelve and one o'clock, a fire broke
out on the premises in the occupation of Messrs. Hub.
bard and Rogers, pianoforte manufacturers, 36, South
Conduit-street, Bethnal-green-road. The brigade and
parish engines were quickly on the spot, and there be-
ing an abundant supply of water they were soon got
into play ; but notwithstanding the exertions of the
firemen and police, the flames were not extinguished
until the building was completely gutted and the roof
burnt off. The fire communicated to Mr. W. Hough-
ton's oil warehouse, to which considerable damage has
accrued by fire and water. About the same time another
fire was discovered raging at No. 8, Great Queen-street,
Lincoln's-inn-fields, in the occupation of Messrs. Andell
and Hawke, medical brokers. The inmates being very
much alarmed by the quantity of smoke quickly made
their escape, and the Crown-street brigade engine hav-
ing arrived and got into play, the flames were in about
an hour subdued, but not before a large quantity of the
stock was consumed, and the back premises of the
George Tavern much injured. The origin of the fires
has not been ascertained.
EXECUTIONS IN PRUSSIA.—Two women named Char.
lotto and Matilda Meyer, mother and daughter, were
executed last week at Insterburg, in Prussia, in virtue
of a sentence of the Court of Assizes, for having mur-
dered a poor Jew-hawker and his son, named Luchten-
stein, and then robbed their residence. They both dis-
played great firmness as they were led to the place of
execution, which was in the interior of the gaol. On
seeing the fatal block Matilda's courage gave way, and,
falling on her knees, she entreated that she might be
executed before her mother. This was granted. The
mother, on the contrary, made use of obscene language
up to the last moment. All the windows opening on
the place of execution were kept closed, and the only
persons present at the ceremony were a judge, a pub-
lic prosecutor, and a clerk of the Royal court, a priest,
a physician, and a surgeon, 12 citizens, chosen by lot,
from the jury list.
THE NATIONAL DEBT.—The exact sum to be invcsted
on account of the sinking-fund for the reduction of the
national debt during the ensuing quarter is 615,1851.,
being a larger total than has been applicable in any of
the preceding quarters of the year, the respective amounts
standing as follows
Quarter ending Jan. 5, 1853 £136,360
April 5, ~ •
5, ~ .:
• Oct. 10,
In the corresponding quarter of 1852 the total applicalie ,
for investment Wag 644,249/.