The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-08 00:00:00

THE }EOVEIt MURDER.

KNUTSFORD, SUNDAY EVENING.—This afternoon
the special high constable of the county arrived at the
House of Correction with Mu. ray, the man charged
with the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Cooke, of Peovcr, in
his custody. The prisoner is an Irishman. At present
he has made no admission, but, on the contrary, ex-
presses a hope that he shall be able to clear himself of
the murder. With respect to his return from Knutsford
to Cavan, he does not attempt to conceal anything. He
says he purchased the new clothing in which he was
apprehended (an engineer's suit and " Jim Crow" hat)
in Liverpool, to which place he walked in the course of
Tuesday. He embarked on board a Dublin cattle boat
on Wednesday, and on Thursday reached Cavan by a
stage car. It has been ascertained from other quarters
that the prisoner was in Prescot on the Saturday night
previous to the murder, and that he returned from tha
town alone, and without money. He stated to some
Irishmen who had been his companions all through the
harvest, that his object in going back to Knutsford was
to fetch a bundle he had left there. There are also wit-
nesses forthcoming to prove the fact of his having been
seen near Mr. Cooke's cottage so late as twelve o'clock
on the day on which the murder took place. He was
taken before Trafford Trafford, E.q , this mornin, and
remanded for further examination to-morrow at Knuts-
ford.

TREAT R US.

COVENT-GARDEN.

This theatre opened last evening for the winter sea-
sonwith the Merry Wives of Windsor and the Veep
ing Beauty. Some delay occurred in the opening of
the doors, and it was nearly seven o'clock before
we obtained admittance. The house was 'soon
crowded. The private boxes, with one exception,/
were all occupied, and in the dress circle we ob-1
served almost all the Nobility and Gentry who tun
at present in town. The only alteration which has'l
been made in the interior of this theatre is the
entire separation of the dress boxes from the other
parts of the theatre, a plan which was partially
acted on last 'season; and which conduces in
an eminent degree to the comfort of the fre
quenters of the dress circle, witbput at all
interfering with that ;of the remainder of the
audience. The comedy went off with great spirit.
Bartley roiled and rolicked and laughtd through
Falstaff', in hii usual
,adrnitable style, and Cooper
as Ford was animated' and impassioned. Of the.
Slender of Charles -Mathews it is impossible to
spealeirC. terms 4)f 100 high praise. It .is the ver'
Slender9f without being' vur=
gar—bashful` :without being awkward—quiet, and
at- the ,same time <richly humorous. Mr. C.
Mathews in' this.charaeter proves that he under-
stands and appteciates the creations of our
mighty poet, and possesses all the powers and
accomplishments necessary to embody them.
Madame Vestris herself was the Mrs. Page, and
on her appearance was greeted with several distinct
rounds of applause, which she gracefully acknow-
ledged. She went through her part with her
usual elegance and spirit, and sang more enchant-
ingly than ever'.' Mr. Binge was the Fenton of
the evening, vice Mr, W. Harrison, who was sud-
denly indisposed.' Binge sang the' music allotted
to him with great sweetness, and was well sup-
ported by Miss Rainforth, as Anne Page. The
duet " I know a bank" was most exquisitely sung
by Madame Testris and Miss Rainforth, and was
repeated by the unanimous desire of the audience.
At the fall of the curtain " God save the Queen"
was sung by the company, Miss Rainforth, Ma-
dame Vestris, and Binge, sustaining the solo parts.
The fair lessee begins the campaign with spirit.
We perceive she has already underscored in the
bills a play, from the pen of Sheridan Knowles, as
being in active preparation, and to be produced im-
mediately. Judging from appearances, we should
say there is every probability of the present cam-
paign at this theatre being a prosperous one. Of
this we are sure, if taste and spirit can command
success, the management has nothing to fear.
The company is, with a few unimportant excep-
tions, the same as that of last season.