The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-10 00:00:00

ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY.

The half-yearly general court of the Royal Hu-
mane Society, for the recovery of persons apparently
drowned or dead, was held yesterday at the offices in
Trafalgar-square ; Mr. B. B. Cabbell, M.P., one of
the vice-presidents, took the chair. From the minutes
of various committee meetings it appeared that since
the last half-yearly meeting in July there bad been
77 cases, including 81 persons, of apparent drowning,
successfully treated by the medical officers of the
society. Eight, however, were beyond recovery.
Among the cases were 25 of attempted suicides ; and
in the same period there had been of what are called
Hyde Park cases (from the Serpentine) 156 cases, all
of which were successfully treated, including three
attempts at suicide by drowning. During the whole
year 1848, there had been 132 cases, involving 145
persons, of apparent death by drowning, under the
treatment of the society. Of these 11 only were be-
yond recovery, and 43 were persons who had at-
tempted to destroy themselves. The following 10
cases, embracing 13 persons, were referred to the
general court for rewards, and upon the recommen-
dation of the committee medals were granted to
them, viz :

1. Miss Julia Hesketh, for saving Mrs. Fleming during
a squall off the Isle of Wight—the society's silver medal.
2. Mr. William Lucy, of Rotherhithe, for saving a boy
named Edward Clapham, who had fallen into the
Thames—this is Mr. Lucy's second case—the society's
silver medal.

3. John Hyslop and John Grainger, two seamen of
her Majesty's ship Acre, tor saving, in the Madras
roads, on the 3d January, 1848, a seaman named Charles
E. Brown, who had attempted to commit suicide, by
throwing himself overboard in a state of temporary in.
sanity—the society's silver medal to each.
4. Mr. M'Cann, surgeon, Parliament-street, being a
medical assistant to the charity, for restoring, by skilful
and unremitting attention, James Murray and Miss
Smith—the society's honorary silver medal.
5. Captain Millman, of her Majesty's 4th Fusiliers,
and Mons. Chiron and his son, of Mauritius, for having,
on the night of the 25th June, saved five officers in her
Majesty's service in that colony—four belonging to the
sth, and one to the commissariat department. The de-
tails of this case excited much admiration, and it was
resolved to present Captain Millman with the society's
gold medal, Mons. Chiron and his son receiving the silver
medal.

6. Samuel Simms, captain of the Wartermen's steam-
packet, No. 12, for having saved the lives of Mr. Noble
and his child, who had fallen into the Thames, off the
Tunnel•pier—the society's silver medal.
7. Lieutenant the Hon. W. 13. De Blaquiere, of her
Majesty's ship Virago, for having saved a boy, named
William Smito, who had fallen into the Victoria Dock,
in the harbuur of Aberdeen,-on the 20th of September
last—society's silver medal.
S. John Robinson, a seaman on board her Majesty's
ship Skylark, for having on the 7th February last, at
sea, when the vessel was running five knots with all sail
set, saved another seaman, John Blasden, who had first
cut his throat and then jumped overboard—the society's
silver medal. _ _ _

9. Joseph Field, a seaman on board her Majesty's
ship President, for having whilst at sea, on the 2d
September last, saved Thomas Saunderson, who had
accidentally fallen overboard—the society's silver medal.
10. Mr. Thomas Austin, of Lancaster, for having, on
Halton Waters, in the river Lune, saved Mr. John
Helme, who had fallen from a boat during a regatta.
This being the sixth of Mr. Austin's exploits, the silver
medal was awarded to him.

The accounts were then read. It appeared
that the income of the society during the year
had been 1,830/. 15s. 3d., and that, after defraying the
expenses, there was a balance left in hand of 81. ls. 3d.

The Treasurer (Mr. B. HAWES, sen.) strongly re-
commended the necessity of increased support to
maintain the society in its present state of efficiency,
without resorting to its property in the funds.
It was subsequently resolved to present the icemen,
who had so nobly exerted themselves in the Parks on
Sunday to rescue the persons who had fallen into the
water, with a gratuity of 1/. each; and it was inci-
dentally mentioned that the bathers in the Serpen-
tine during 1848 had been nearly 100,000 fewer than
in the preceding year. The officers of the society
were then re-elected, and the proceedings terminated.

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Mary Richardson, 30, was charged with stealing, at
Chorley, a half-crown, from the person of a labouring
man named Thomas Norris.
Mr. Blair prosecuted, and the prisoner was undefended.
The facts of the case were briefly these:—The prose-
cutor was drinking at a public-house, called the Fox
and Goose, in Chorley. Whilst there, the prisoner and
two other women came in, and he treated them to some
drink. After a time he went out to the stone in
front of the house, being somewhat " fresh." Before
going out he had a half-crown in his left-band
pocket. Of this he was certain, having looked at it.
Whilst at the stone he felt a band put into the pocket
where the half-crown was, and on putting his own hand
in immediately after he missed the half-crown. The
prisoner was the only person near him at the time, and
she was on his left side. He took the woman into the
public-house, and charged her with stealing the money,
but she denied the theft; however, he gave her into cus-
tody. A quarter of an hour afterwards the half-crown
was found in a passage at the end of the house, about
two yards from the stone where the prosecutor was
standing. The prosecutor was unable to say with cer-
tainty whether he had been down the passage; he thought
he had not.

The jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty, whereupon
the following extraordinary scene occurred:—
The CHAIRMAN (to the jury)--Why, this woman has
been convicted before and imprisoned in Lancaster for
two years. A set of stupid fellows like you cannot see
the evidence.—(Great sensation in the court.) You
(speaking to the prisoner in an ironical tone) have had a
--,
wise jury; when you are tried again you may hope to
have such another. You set of stupid
how can
you think of giving such a verdict when you are upon
your oaths ?—(lncreased sensation.) Is there one man
amongst you that is not as sure that she stole that half-
crown as you are that you are sitting in that box ?
(Suppressed expressions of disapprobation on the part of
the bar.)

A juror--I beg your pardon; we consider that the
man cannot swear to her hand in his pocket. Why, he
says he turned round—

The CLlAiitmAN—Well, don't argue; you are not fit
(Great sensation). You (the jury) cannot pretend to
have any doubt about the matter; it was your duty to
have given a verdict according to your oath.—(Expres-
sions of disapprobation).
The Vicart—l beg to say that these observations don't
proceed from the whole bench.—(Cries of "Hear, hear,"
from the gentlemen of the bar, and general applause
throughout the court.)
The CHAIRMAN (greatly agitated, addressing the
audience)—Silence! Who is it that dares—

The REV. MAGISTRATE again observed—" I
beg to say that I am, Sir, as well as you, a member of
the Court;" after which he resumed his seat, and the
painful exhibition was terminated.
[The Court then proceeded to the next case with the
same jury, who seemed quite petrified with astonish-
ment; and we may here state that it was a general
opinion, not only of the bar, but of all present, that the
jury had returned a proper verdict.]