The Sun.
London, England, 1836-10-22 00:00:00

130 W-STREET.

Yestertley afternoon, about three o'clock, an old man, of
dirty appearance, by trade a corkeutter, named Jaws Hill,
was brought up, tinder the following rather extraordinary
circumstances :—The prisoner and a young woman, named
Sarah Sheppard, about twenty-seven years of age, the
wife of a shoemaker, had been cohabiting"together for
some time, at a lodging, No. 2, Lumber-court, West-
street, St. Giles's, having with them a little boy, about
eight years old, the son of the female by a former husband.
They were repeatedly getting drunk and quarrelling, and
whenever in that state he threatened to leave her, upon
which she always declared she would poison herself ;
threat at which he laughed, and told her the sooner she
did it the better. On Thursday evening they were
drunk and quarrelsome, and the other inmates were
greatly annoyed. After a continued quarrel of some
hours all became quiet except an occasional groaning,
which also ceased, and soon after the little boy crept
' into one of the lodger's rooms, and said he was afraid
his mother was either dead or dying, and that she had
taken poison. Several of the lodgers went directly to
the room, where they found the unhappy woman stretched
upon the floor, just at her last gasp, and the prisoner
sitting very coolly smoking his pipe in front of the fire.
They told him his wife was dying, and begged him to run
for a doctor, but he refused and growled out " Let her die
and be —." One of the lodgers went for a surgeon, but
before he could arrive the poor creature was dead. the
surgeon said from the appearances there could be no doubt
that she died from poison. Serjeant Lawrence, No. 9, F
police, took the prisoner into custody.
When first before the Magistrates (Messrs. Minshull and
Halls) the prisoner said the deceased and he had been
quarrelling, and that he saw her fall on the floor ; but as
she was subject to falling fits he took no notice of her, leav-
ing
her to " get round by herself." He heard no struggles,
nor anything said about poison, for he was "as deaf as the
wall." This, however, proved to be an imposture, for Mr.
Minshull lowered his voice gradually to the ordinary tone,
and the prisoner caught up with great avidity every remark
that applied to himself.
At three o'clock he was again placed at the bar, and the
little boy alluded to was brought forward. He looked
squalid and miserable ; but was remarkably intelligent for
his years. He said his mother had often threatened to
take poison, and about three weeks ago she sent him fur
some oxalic acid ; but the doctor would not let him ;have
it, and she went and purchased some herself, and put it
into the cupboard. On Thursday evening, during the
quarrel, she said she would poison herself; and the pri-
soner told her she might- if she liked. She at the same
time showed him a paper, upon which was written "oxalic
acid—poison." He told her to do as she liked, and she
went to the cupboard and mixed a glass full and drank it.
Witness told prisoner what she had done, mid that, she was
about to take more, upon which he said, " Let her take it
and be —." She then took another glass full, and im-
mediately fell upon the floor, where she lay groaning about
an hour, and then died.

The prisoner was ordered to be detained until the Coro-
ner's Jury can sit upon the body.

UNION-HALL.
Yesterday, Win. Claridge, an artist, was charged with
being drunk and disorderly on the preceding night.
The defendant exhibited all the appearance of a bard
night's debauch, and it was stated that he was observed in
the, Waterloo-road at an unseasonable hour, holding an ar-
gument with hinisell, and discussing the merits of an English
and an Amtrican actor. In the course of his soliloquising
dialogue, he became so animated that he at length gave ut-
terance to loud denunciations against his supposed oppo-
nent in argument, and began to strike out with his arms as
if engaged in a pugilistic encounter. At length it was
deemed necessary to takertioe artist off to the station•house,
as he was quite incapable if taking care of himself; and
even when in durance vile be amused himself the greater
part of the time until morning in recitations, to the discom-
fiture of his fellow-prisoners, who were inclined to punier
him, had it not been lor the interference of the police autho-
'rities on the spot. . .
The MAGISTRATE, perceiving the artist litutolie of his
eyes blockened, asked himhow it happened ? The artist in
reply said that the fact was, he went into a tavern in the
Waterloo-road on the previous evening, to spend an hour or
two in rational conversation. The subject they were dis-
cussing in the room was theatricals, and a gentleman having
expressed an opinion that Mr. Forrest was the greatest actor
that ever lived, be (defendant) merely said that he did not co-
incide in the view taken by the speaker, when he was told in
plain terms that he was no judge. He retorted upon his
opponent, and said that no American forests were to be
compared to our English oaks, when he was called a per-
jured fool, and other names, which were net vgry agreeable,
especially in the presence of a crowded room. He again
retorted upon his opponent, and, in vindication of his own
opinion, mentioned the names of Kean, Kemble, Maeready,
and other actors of celebrity, but he was contradicted again
by his opponent, who at length became so excited that he
stood up to fight, and actually struck him a blow on the
eye. He (the artist) left the house in disgust, and it was
while smarting under the undeserved punishment that he
had experienced in the room that the policeman came up
and ordered him away.

.....
The MAGIsTRATE then inflicted a fine of ss. on the ar-
tist fur intoxication.

CORONERS' INQUEST.

SURGICAL. ATTENDANCE AT-CHARING-CROSS HOSPITAL.
—An adjourned inquest was resumed last night before Mr.
Higgs, Coroner for Westminster, at the Charing-cross
Hospital, on the body of John Gumbv, aged 30, a painter,
who was found in Dusky-hill, Strand, with his limbs frac-
tured, and in a state of intoxication and insensibility. The
account he gave was that he had withdrawn for convenience,
when, a waggori coining down, he called to the driver to
stop, but he did- not, and the horses knocking him down
the waggon passed over hint. The Place is narrow and
very dark, and leads down to the Thames wharf.
Mr. John Howslip, of Saville-roff, surgeon to the hospi-
tal, saw the man half an hour after he was admitted. His
arm was fractured very badly ; his leg and thigh on the
same side were fractured. The poor titan had evidently
been drinking, and was in a very enfeebled state of consti-
tution. The case was one in which there was very little
chance from the first.
A Juror—We understand a pupil had set the limb berore
vou arrived, and that every thing was done under the direc-
_Lion of this pupil•
witness—The house-surgeon, who is a pupil, did
Eaiuly attend him.
Juror—lt is usual for you to look in in the evening about
this time, is it not ? witniss_yes.
Juror—Then, if you hail not happened to look in the
poor man would have continued till next morning without
„fly principal surgeon seeing hint ? Witness—The pupil
has directions to send for a surgeon on any emergency.
Juror---Don't you think it necessary that there should be
an experienced surgeon resident in an institution of this
kind ? ness—Certainly.
Juror—That, then, is our ground of complaint. Charing-
er94 HoPital was not formed merely as a place in which