The Sun.
London, England, 1840-05-15 00:00:00

PIIIVIINACGOURT-(THIS DAY

OLD COURT.
(Before Mr. Sergeant A R ABIN. )
STEALING LETTERS FROM THE POST 'OFFICE. Thomas
Ditehfiehl, e Poet-office Clerk, was indicted for stealing,
while employed in that capacity, two letters containing
large sums of money.
The prisoner pleaded guilty.
There w2s another indietment of a similar character to
which the prisoner pleaded not guilty.
There was a third iniietment t') which it was not consi-
dered necessary that the prisoner should plead.
The COURT sentenced the prisoner to be transpot ted for
fourteen years.
John Enenden, 21, a letter-sorter, was indicted for cm.
bezzlirig and stealing a letter, containing money, from the
General Post-oflice.

The case was clearly proved, and the Jury returned a
verdict of guilty.
The same prisoner uas then charged upon another in-
dictment with a similar offence.
The prosecution in all the cases was conducted by Mr,
Shepherd and Mr. ActolphuA, on behalf of the Earl of
Lichfield, the Postmaster-General.
The Jury returned a verdict of guilty.
The prisoner was sentenced to be transported for life.

ATTEMPT ATE 4 SCAPE FROM PRI-
SON' HY CASEY, CONVICTED AND SEN-
TENCED FOR THE MURDER OE POLICE
SERGEANT LAWLOR.

(PROM A CORRIMONDENT.)
Cont, MAY 12.—Yesterdaylimorning one of the most
daring attempts at escape from prison, which has come
to our knowledge, was undertaken by the unfortunate
convict Casey in our city gaol. When he had received
the fatal intelligence that he was to die on the 13th of this
month, he did not exhibit any signs of despondency, nor
was his usual reserved and silent manner at all diaurhed;
but it is reported that since the day the decision of Govern.
ment was announced to him, he refused to see his spiritual
attendant, the Rev. Mr, O'Sullivan, chaplain of the gaol.
From this circumstance it is thought that he then medi-
tated the act, in which he was so near succeeding, as a
dernier resort. Whilst the Governor and officers were at-
tending divine service on Sunday, he effected one of the
objects which his sagacity pointed out to him as mainly
auxiliary to his purpose. It should here be stated, that on
the previous day his wife had liberty to visit him, and
stayed a long time in the cell with him. She pas pre-
viously examined by one of the female searchers, and
nothing interdicted by the rules of the prison was disco-
vered upon her. The fact, however, was, despite the
acuteness of her searcher, she had effectually concealed
between the in-sole and our-sole of her shoe the file, upon
which the whole scheme of her husband's liberation was to
depend. His cell door, or rather half doors, were partially
closed during the day, for the purpose of ventilation, and
the outside bar, one of great thickness, was placed across.
By the position of those doors, a small portion of this
transverse bar was exposed to the prisoner inside. Upon
this tie operated with his file, and succeeded in reducing
it full three parts of its thickness in that side exposed to
him. He next directed his attention to a thick bar
at the end of his stretcher-bed, which he succeeded
in breaking, and at night he placed this under his
door, and soon burst the bolt, the reduction in
which being inside, had not been observed by the
turnkey when locking him up for the night. He
soon found himself in the corridor of the ward, and
proceeded to break the lock of his comrade's ( Hartnett)
cell, which he effected. His next proceeding was to
wrench one of the smaller bars at the side of the corridor
window, in doing which he was assisted by Hartnett, who
is a strong, athletic man. A space was afforded him to
get through, he being a slight person, but was too circum-
scribed to permit his companion to follow. I should state
that, at this period, the leg-bolts had been filed off both
prisoners. This window through which he' came looked
out into the dog yard, about five feet from the ground.
Having jumped down, he was next to ascend a high wall,
which he effected, and gained the circular passage or walk,
which is divided by a check- tote with chevaux de "rise,
upon which he had to get to approach another wall of about
six feet, from which he dropped twenty feet into a yard,
called the Stone-yard, in which the prisoners seetcnced to
labour, were placed to break stones. He broke the lock of
the Stone-house, and brought out some implements or
matters necessary for his purpose. Having attached some
of these things to his. blankets (which he brought with
him through all the peril of his dangerous descent), he
succeeded in fastening the continuation of the shreds upon
the top of the main wall, and ascended within a few feet of
it, when the bell rang six o'clock, the hour for all the pri-
soners to rise. Whether fear made him tug more strongly,
or that his frail support yielded to the continued strain
upon it. it gave way, and he fell from a considerable height
to the ground, materially injuring one of his legs, and re-
ceiving. several bruises. He had, however, strength suffi-
cient to return to the Stone-house, and conceal his blankets
and other matters. He then, knowing that a search would
be instantly made, hid himself in a house of office adja-
cent, to which a woman of the establishment having occa-
sion to com-, discoy, red him, flB something white below,
and, as she conceived, possessed of motion. She told he.
husband, who was one of the turnkeys, and he procured
an iron scraper, with which he several times struck the
prisoner before he applied to him to desist, and so exposed
his concealment. When subsequently questioned, he said
ha shot d do exactly the same if ;mother opportunity were
afforded, and related the whole proceeding of his attempt,
as I heve described it. The news created a great excite-
ment in the city. There was a Board of Gaol Committee
held shortly after his arrest, and, after due examination,
the officers of the establishment were fully acquitted of any
neglect of duty.

OALS.—The total quantity of coals exported from
the United Kingdom last year was 1,431,861 tons, the
declared value 527,5271., and the duty 8,7131. Of
this amount about one-fourth (339,938 tons) tvag ex-
ported to France ; 177,997 tons to Holland ; 125.,462
tons to Denmark ; 73,968 tons to Russia ; 52,1589
tons to the United States, and 114,850 tons to the
British Colonies in North America and the West :In-
dies. The total quantity of coals brought coastwi Lys
into the Port of London last year was 2,625,323 to ns,
and by inland navigation 12,933 tons. In 1838' :not
more than 1,653 ton were brought to London by in-
land navigation.
As we understand that some persons have taken , off
the postage label stamps from letters which have passe d
through the Post-office, and made use of such stamp% • OERIOUS Loss —A few days ago a gentle-
on letters a second time, we think it right to apprize rmn, with 450/, in his pockets, chiefly in gold, was so indiscreet
the public, that by so doing parties are guilty of felony, I as to perambulate the streets of Manchester in the eveuing,
and liable to transportation. bilst in a state of intoxication. The result may be readily aiti-
ficipated, for sornewhe:-..e between Market-street and Desnsgaees.
. .he was completely robbed of his treasure, but so insensible do
M. Doniz4tti has had the honour of oelng pre- is seem to have been that he has no idea of the particular spotis
rented to the Queen, who, after haring cemplimented him on at which the robbery was effected. Fifty pounds rewardt
his last composition, Les Martyrs, deiVled to receive from him offered No complaint was made at the police-office in the most gracious manner the dgclicatlon of that fine opera. time after. some

The-Consol market has improved, and Consols may be
quoted at 9l for the Account ; for Money, 91a.
Exchequer Bills 21 19 21 premium ; India Bonds 2 4
prem. ; Mink Stock 174.
In the Foreign Market Spanish Active rather better,
28 ; D, ferred, 131 ; Portuguese, ; Three per
Cents., nothing done; Colombian, nothng done; Maxi-
can, 2.di- ; Dutch Two•and-a-Half per Cents., 5411 ;
Five per Cents , 1001.
The British Queen was spoken by the Ilighbury on the
3d inst., at noon, in lat. 49 30 N., long. 13 W., out forty-
three hours.