The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-29 00:00:00

IRELA ND.

DUBLIN, WEDNESDAY.—Alluding to the trials at the
quarter sessions of Ca,tlebar, which terminated on Satur-
day last, the Mayo Constitution observes—
"Boys—little creatures who were only tall enough to
See over the rail of the dock—were tried for petty
larcenies of food to which they had been driven by
the pangs of hunger. They almost all pleaded
• go,;,lty, and in the first instance prayed and en-
treated of the Court to transport them, as they had
no means of existence, and ahouli starve before the
poor-law would aid them; and when they frequently
found that the humane Assistant-Barrister hesitated as to
what amount of punishment he should inflict aft:r
they had already undergone a sufficiently long impri-
sonment for the offence, they endeavoured to coerce the
Court to FSSS a sentence of transportation, by stating
that if sent back to prison they would commit some
great crime which would insure their being expatriated.
During one of these trials a policeman proved that he
had found several of the parties eating seaweed."

THE IRISH REPRESENTATIVE PEERAGE —Lord Kul-
maine has been chosen by a majority of votes to be the
Peer to sit in the House of Lords in the room of the
late Earl of Gosford.
COMMUNICATION WITH ENGLAND.—The ever-chang-
ing Post-office authorities are about to main another
alteration in the dispatch of the mails from Kingstown
to Holyhead. It is arranged that, on arid after the
sth of July the morning packet will leave Kingstown at
half-past twelve, instead of five minutes after at eleven,
as at present; and the evening boat will be dispatched at
half-past seven instead of half-past six. By the time the
public are familiarised with these arrangements it is more
than probable that the whole system of tranmission of
letters and correspondence will undergo another change,
and, if possible, for the less convenience of the parties
most interesied.

CITY ELECTION.
The writ for the election of a Member to serve in
Parliament for the city of London was received by the
Sheriffs yesterday morning.
At two o'clock Mr. Sheriff and Alderman Finnis,
Mr. Under-Sheriff Shearman, and Mr. Secondary Potter
appeared on the hustings, in the Guildhall, when the
writ having been read by Mr. llarker,
Mr Alderman FINNIS stated that the Sheriffs would
proceed to the nomination and election of a fit and
discreet citizen to serve is Parliament for the City of
London, on Monday next, the 2d of July, at 11 for 12
of the clock at noon precisely, and in the event of a
poll being demanded, the poll will be opened the follow.
ing day.
Mr. Harker having made the usual proclamation
the Sheriffs withdrew. Mr. Harker afterwards pro-
ceeded and made the usual proclamation at the Royal
Exchange.

ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE FROM
HORSEMONGE It- LANE GAOL.
For some time past considerable excitement has been
created among the functionaries belonging to the above
prison, in consequence of the determined and extraor-
dinary attempt of three burglars to escape therefrom,
in consequence of which the whole of the circumstances
were investigated by the visiting justices a few days
ego, from which we have gleaned the following parti-
culars :

The parties in question were notorious housebreakers,
named Durant, Martin, and Smith, and were tried and
sentenced to 14 years' transportation each at the last
Surrey Assizes, but in consequence of some recent altera-
tions taking place in the convict department were not re-
moved at an earlier period. Durant was tried at Kingston
in 1847, and sentenced to 10 years' transportation for
breaking into the Archbishop of Canterbury's Palace,
at Addington, near Croydon. On the same day that
he received his sentenced he managed to break out of
Kingston Gaol, and was not heard of until February last,
when he was detected in the act of committing sacri-
lege, and when brought to Horsemonger-lane Gaol
identified by Mr. Keene, the Governor, as the runaway
convict. Martin was tried at the same assizes, and
sentenced to similar punishment for breaking into a
gentleman's house near Kingston, but, through the
intrepid conduct of the son of the owner, he was
captured. Smith was one of the same stamp, and
being such desperate characters it was judged pru-
dent to confine them in one of the strong rooms
of the prison. Adjoining the latter a room was fitted
up for prisoners, who were allowed by the county to keep
themselves with food and drink; consequently those
prisoners were allowed a certain portion of porter daily.
The three burglars during the time of their incarceration
contrived to get into their possession a pewter pot,
which was the extraordinary means of their getting be-
yond the cells. It appeared that they were enabled
to see through the key-bole, and by means of tallow
and some otner substance take an impression of the
wards. They then, with the assistance of a piece of
old iron, which they sharpened, formed a key out of the
pint pot, and in the muld!e of the night, " when all
were wrapt in slumber," they unlocked the doors arid
forced their way into a passage called the arcade.
Their ingenious key also unlocked the door of that
place, when they found themselves on the
green at the rear of the Sessions-house, the
outer wall of which is about twenty feet high, and
surmounted with sloping spikes. They had previously
torn their blankets and rugs and tied them together, and
had actually attached an end to the spikes ready to as-
cend when one of the watchmen perceived their move-
ments and instantly communicated with the others.
Durant was about to climb up the wall when the
watchman in question ran to the spot and se-
cured him, and while he was struggling to prevent
the others from escaping, Mr. Keene and a number
of turnkeys came to his assistance, and overpowered the
others. They were taken back to the interior of the
prison, and so heavily ironed as to prevent their making
such a desperate attempt again. Not the Last blame
could be attached to the Governor or his servants, as the
locks were of extraordinary strength, and it is a matter
of surprise how they were able to make such a key from
an old pewter pot to unlock them. The key is kept as
a matter of great curiosity, and its construction would
do credit to some of the first locksmiths in the me-
tropolis.