The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-17 00:00:00

THE MURDERS AT MIRFIELD.

APPREHENSION OF ANOTHER OF THE SUPPOSED MUR-
DEREES. —HUDDERSFIELD, FRIDAY.—The murders of Mr.
Wraith, his wife, and servant girl, at the village of Mirfield,
which are almost unequalled in England's calendar of crime
for atrocity and cruelty, have produced the most thrilling
sensation throughout the county. The unfortunate creatures
sacrificed were (excepting the servant girl) between seventy
and eighty years of age. They were much respected, being
quiet inoffensive people. The house which they inhabited,
and where the horrid crime was perpetrated, stands in a
somewhat secluded spot, about one hundred and fifty yards
from the public road, and no other building near for
same two hundred yards. Mr. Wraith is known to have
possessed a considerable sum of money in the house,
which cannot now be found, leaving no doubt that plunder
was the object of the murderers, for it is pretty evident that
more than one was engaged in the bloody affair. The hor-
rible appearance of the sufferers can never be effaced from
the memory of those who saw them. The skull of each was
beaten to pieces, the jaws driven in, throats cut, the arms of
the two females fractured, and the fingers broken to pieces,
as if the arms and hands had in vain been raised to protect
the head from the fearful blows of the inhuman wretches.
The sight was most horrifying. In places where the bodies
lay were pools of blood, in which the teeth and brains of the
deceased were lying. Amongst the first to enter the house
after the discovery of the murder was Mr. Kennel, the land-
lord of the King's Head, at Mirfield, who states the drawers
and boxes in the house were open and had been ransacked,
and the blinds had been drawn down snd pinned together,
to prevent persons looking in. The mother of the poor
servant girl, Caroline Ellis, on hearing of their shocking fate
swooned, and died the following day. On Friday, Mr.
Superintendent Green apprehended an Irishman named
Patrick Reid ;who was:seen, in company with M'Cabe (already
in custody), near the house at the time the murder must
have been going on. Marks of blood were found on his
clothes, and the police are in possession of circumstances
which will in a great measure be the means of unravelling
the mystery that at present exists. Both the prisoners are
imprisoned at Dewsbury Lock-up, in charge of four police
constables.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.—The great claims which
Mr. Wallace has, upon the public will, this evening. meet
their ample reward, for there can be no question of his benefit
being an overflow—his own beautiful opera of Maritana, and the
aid of all the principal artistes in London, being called into
requisition on this very interesting occasion.
PORTSMOUTH, MAT 1 4.—KING's Booms, SOUTH-
SEA.—THR BACHELORS' BALL—This reunion, which had
been looked forward to with so much eagerness, came off in
great style this evening. The rooms, which are of large
dimensions, were on this occasion increased by the colon-
nades being enclosed and made to form a supper room, at
once elegant and commodious. By a little after ten nearly
all the elite of Portsmouth and its vicinity were assembled,
and dancing was kept up with great spirit till nearly four in
the morning, a fact that tells " trumpet-tongued" how much
the assembled parties appreciated the happy though fleeting
moments. Fiske, of Southampton, furnished the refresh-
ments, which consisted of the usual delicacies, and the band
of the 43d Regiment was in attendance during the whole of
the night, and gave the highest satisfaction, their melodious
and inspiring strains giving additional grace and agility to
the danseurs. We hope ere long to see in the same place a
similar assemblage of rank and beauty. A report has been
circulated that the Portsmouth Theatre was to be purchased
by Government, for the purpose of being pulled down, in
order to enlarge the Cambridge Barracks; and a weekly
paper asserts that the theatre was sold by auction on Wed-
nesday last, but no such circumstance took place. The
theatre is not likely, at least at present, either to be taken
dowp or sold.
We understand that the Commissioners of Customs
have at present under their consideration some rather exten-
sive alterations in that department of the public service, with
a view to giving greater facilities to trade. It is said that one
of the first changes will be the earlier attendance of such in-
door officers and clerks as at present attend from ten to four,
summer and winter; while the officers connected with the
outdoor appartments attend from eight to four in summer
and from nine to four in winter (viz., from Ist Nev. to Ist
March). An addition to these hours was contemplated, but
is said to be abandoned, as were such carried into effect, the
time that would necessarily be required in the middle of the
day for dinner would so much interfere with business, par-
ticularly on the silk or examination floors, where all the I
fancy and high-duty goods are cleared, it hasbeen considered
that the facilities for passing entries, reporting and clearing
ships, two hours earlier than at present will meet the views
of those of the public more particularly interested—viz., the
wharfingers, who represent the mercantile community upon
the present occasion. This will prevent an addition to the bur-
dens of the country by an allowance to any more officers than
are necessarily required (for extra attendance); besides, the
present high prices of all descriptions of human food mast
preclude the possibility of the labouring classes from pur
chasing sustenance requisite to enable them to bear up under
the extra fatigue lengthened hours would entail upon them.
Few persons unacquainted with the lock or wharf and quay
work can form the slightest conception of the dreadful
labour which the poor ill-clad, half-fed classes who are thus
employed have to endure—a visit to that great butter mart,
Brewer's Quay, Lower Thames-street, during the unlathng of
a butter-laden ship, will convince any one, however obdurate
his feelings may be, that in doing away with slavery in the
West Indies, we have left untouched the subject of white
slavery at home.—Heraki.
FATAL ACCIDENT oN TITS RlVER.—Yesterday
(Sunday) afternoon, at half-past two, the following fatal
and melancholy accident occurred at Battersea :—Two gen-
tlemen, one named Meeson (a member of the Thetis Club),
and a friend of his named Bownes, took the club wherry, and
started in it from Lambeth on their way to Putney. There
was a strong wind from the west, and the swell was very
heavy on "shooting" Battersea-bridge; the surf was very
high, and their boat, light and uncovered, dipped three
times in succession, filled, and upset. Mr. Meeson clung
to the stern, and Mr. Bownes also gained firm hold, but
feeling confidence in his powers as a swimmer, and anxious
to secure a safer position for his friend, he bid him " hold
fast," and struck out for the shore, which most unhappily
he never reached. Mr. Meeson maintained his hold for ten

minutes, and was eventually picked up by Hawkins, the
captain of the Citizen, passing at the time, who conveyed
him to the White Hart, Chelsea, 'where prompt assistance
was afforded him. Some idea of the roughness of the reach
may be gathered from the fact that in a race between three
four-oared boats, two while contesting filled and sunk; no
loss of life, however, ensued.
DEPARTURE OF THE FOREIGN MAILS.— The fol-
lowing notice was issued on Saturday at the General Post-
office, St. Martin's-le-Grand ;—" The mails for Corrunna,
Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Madeira, via Lisbon, Cadiz, and Gib-
raltar, will be made up on Monday morning, the lith inst.
(this morning), to be forwarded by the Madrid steamer (via
Southampton). Next packet due, the Iberia steamer. The
mails for Madeira, the British and foreign colonies in the
West Indies (except Mexico, Honduras, and llavannah),
Venezuela, Bermuda, San Juan de Nicaragua, Granada,
Chili, and Peru, will be made up on the morning of the 17th
instant (this morning), to be forwarded by the Thames
steamer from Southampton. Next packet due, on the 22d.
Bermuda, British North America, and the United States, on
the evening of the 18th instant (to-morrow), to be conveyed
by the Hibernia steamer via Liverpool, Halifax, and Boston.
Next packet due, the Caledonia steamer, on the 30th inst.
Gibraltar, Malta, Greece, the lonian Islands, Egypt, Aden,
Ceylon, India, Hong-Kong, and China, on the morning
Thursday, the 29th inst., to be forwarded by the Ripon
steamer, via Southampton. By the fortnightly overland
closed mail to the Mediterranean, Egypt, India, &c., on the
evening of the 24th instant, via Marseilles.
THE DESPERATE ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE IN THE
CITY. —On Saturday some information was circulated by
the police as to the foreigner who, on Thursday, cut his
throat in Princes-street, in the City, and has since been lying
in St. Bartholomew's Hospital in a dangerous state. It had
been ascertained that his name is Halentine Legg, a native of
Germany. and that he had been only a few days in London.
His place of abode was not certainly known, but was believed
to be in the neighbourhood of Holborn. He is described as
about 45 years of age, five feet eight inches in height, with
light brown hair, and wore a long blue jacket.
A high price is demanded for provisions of all
kinds in Stamford at the present time. The 41b. household
loaf is 100., fine, Hid. ; mutton, 71d. and Bd. per lb beef,
7d. and riid.; bacon, 9d. and 10d. per lb.; 'Ma- toes; Sd,
per pecks—Lincobashire Chronicle.