The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-27 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE

NORTHERN ClRCUlT.—Llrsnroca, Aug. 25

CROWN SIDE.
(Before Mr. Justice COLTMAN.)
James Hanson was indicted for the wilful murder o'
William Cheetham, at Manchester.

The prosecution was conducted by Mr. Armstrong
and Mr. Wilkins. The prisoner was not defended by
counsel.

It appeared that the prisoner, deceased, and one
Clayton, were hands on beard a canal-boat, belonging to
a person of the name of Shepherd, plying on the canal
between Rochdale and Manchester. On Saturday, the
21st of March, they, with several other persons, were
at a public-house in Manchester, and in the course of
the evening they all became considerably intoxicated.
They were afterwards at a public-house called the
Brownsfield Arms, which was near that branch of the
canal whire the boat was lying, and at which house the
horses were usually stabled. Clayton fell asleep, and
remained so till about eight o'clock, when he left
the house and went to the Mill's-hill station-house
on the Leeds Railway, where he passed the night.
In the mean time the deceased had left the house
with the intention of going to his boat, and was
shortly afterwards followed by the prisoner. The
latter had at that time light trowsers and a dark jacket
on. In the course of the evening the prisoner was seen
coming from the yard that inclosed the wharf, where
the boat lay with a sack containing something heavy, and
having the appearance of a quantity of corn. A litt.e
before seven o'clock a watchman, who was in a factory
at the opposite side of the arm of the canal, where the
boat was lying, heard cries of murder. He went to a
window which was situated somewhat higher than the
level of the boat. He saw a man with light coloured
trowsers and dark jacket come out of the boat. He
got on the bank, and began to gather stones and slates,
saying in a very excited manner, D—n thee, I'd cut
thy b—y head off if I could find a stone. I'd make
thee remember for throttling me." A second man put
his head out of the cabin hatch. The other person
then exclaimed, " I'll murder thee ;" adding, " 1 don't
care a d—n for thee or the boat ; can have another
to-morrow." He continued all this time throwing stones.
The person with his head out of the cabin hatch kept cry-
ing " watch," and desiring the other to go away. He also
said something to the witness about fighting. His as-
sailant then got on board the boat, went to the place
where the other was, and either kicked him or struck
him with something, for he disappeared, and all was
silent. It was getting dark at the time, and the witness
could not say whether the prisoner was the man he
stw ; but the person was dressed in a dark jacket and
light trowsers. He seemed, so far as he could observe,
a less man than the prisoner, and his voice was shrill
and " laddish." The affair continued about twenty mi-
'lutes. During this time there was some person at the
lock gate, a little further up the canal, who called out
" George" (the name of the witness) and said something
about " come away." The witness gave as a reason
for not interfering that such quarrels were very frequent
among the boatmen, and that if he had meddled with
them the windows of the factory would probably have
been broken. The arm where the boat lays turns off
at right angles with the main canal, and a little beyond
is a lock, separated from the wharf by a wall running
along the side of the main canal down to the water's
edge, at the spot where the boat was lying. It
is there, however, so broken away that a person
can easily get round the end of it into the
yard enclosing the wharf, and the slates piled
inside would enable any one to get on the top of the
wall, and from thence by the balance-pole of the lock
to the track along the canal. From the testimony of
another witness of the name of James Gold, it appeared
that lie was passing through the lock about the time in
qutstiun, when a man who seemed in a great passion
got over the wall on the end of the balance pole of the
lock. He ran down the side of the canal towards the
end of the wall, beyond which Shepherd's boat was
lying, gathering stones as he went. He exclaimed
D—n thee, I'll kill thee, or cut thy b—y head off."
He got round the corner to the boat throwing stones.
There was another man in the boat, who kept saying,
" Go away, go away ; I'll have no more to do with thee."
The witness had by this time got his boat to the corner,
and turned it round into the arm of the: canal for
the purpose of conveying it to a wharf beyond that at
which Shepherd's boat was lying. As he passed it the
same scene still continued, one party throwing stones,
and the other with his head out of the cabin crying out,
Watch." The person who was throwing the stones
addressed the witness, saying, " Jim, what must I do
at him ?" The witness replied, " Let him alone, I
think thou'st done enough at him." The person then
went to the cabin hatch and made a motion with his
leg, as if kicking the other, who disappeared with
a noise, as if h had fallen on the floor. His ,as-
sailant then got into the cabin, and the witness heard
him flinging something out of the cabin like stones that
rattled on the slates in the yard. The witness stated
he did not know the party who thus addressed him by
his name. He was dressed in light trowsers and dark
jacket, and his voice was very shrill. About nine
o'clock the prisoner was again at the Brownsfield Arms,
in company with one Howarth, and a person named
Samuel Cheetham, the navigators of another boat on
the canal. He told the waiter that some one bad
beaten William shamefully, but no further conversation
took place on the subject. He did not, it would ap-
pear, mention the matter to Howarth or Cheetham.
The latter, who had been with the prisoner and the
deceased in the early part of the evening, had been
backwards and forwards to their boat several times be-
tween that time and the time when they met the pri-
soner in the public-house. On the last occasion they
found that their boat, which lay beyond the lock, had
been pushed across to the other side of the canal, and
the towing lines were stolen from it. They
mentioned this to the prisoner when he met
them at the Brownsfield Arms, and he said
be would lend them a line. They went down to their
boat, got her through the iock, and warped her up
alongside Shepherd's boat. The prisoner, who had
by this time got on board, asked Howarth if he
had any matches. Howarth replied he had not. He
then asked if he had any sulphur, and got some, with
which be in vain attempted to kindle a fire. They then
went together to the lock-house, and over the wall of
the yard obtained a light. They went together into
the cabin, where Howarth saw the deceased sitting on
the foot of his bed, with his head resting on his knees.
He raised himself up, and, without any previous remark
having been made, said, " It was done in the cabin."
The prisoner replied, " Nay, it was done in the street."
They contradicted one another twice or thrice in this
way, and the witness having assisted the prisoner to
light his fire, left the boat without any further explana-
tion. The next morning he went back to get the haul.
ing-line which had been promised him. He found
the prisoner asleep in one bed, and the deceased
lying on the other, with his feet on the floor. He
was snoring. The prisoner got up, for the purpose
of getting the line, which was under the bed on which
the deceased lay. He shook the deceased by the
arms, and kicked him on the soles of his shoes, but
did not succeed in awakening him, and finally pulled
him off the bed in a heap on the floor. The
witness got the line, and went away. A little
after six o'clock that morning the prisoner was again
at the Brownsfield Arms, but did not, it would ap-
pear, then mention anything of what had occurred. A
little before eight be was seen by a person of the name
of Hambleton, a beer-seller to whom he said, " This is
a shocking thing about W. Cheetham." Hambleton
asked " What Cheetham ?" " Why,"said the prisoner,
" William Cheetham, who goes in Shepherd's hoat."
He said that, when he went on board the night before,
the deceased told him two men and a woman had come
and used him sadly, and taken ss. from him. Ham-
bleton asked him how Cheetham was ? He replied he
was better, and that, before he left the boat, he had
asked the deceased to get up and wash himself, and that
he left him about to do so. He said the persons who
had beaten Cheetham had robbed the boat of the lines
and a sack of corn. About nine o'clock he was again
at the Brownsfield Arms, and mentioned to the waiter
that he wanted the captain, Clayton, and said that he
could not get William awakened. He added, " he has

a pair of eyes such as thou never seed." A maid ser-
vant who was present asked if they had got any one
for him. He replied, '° No ; that be was only bleeding
at the nose a bit, and be thought he would do." He
then went out, and shortly after met the captain,
Clayton, in the street. He addressed him, and told
him that Bill was dead. Clayton replied, "No ! he's
not, surely." He answered, with a smile, "No ; he's
not dead, but he's got such a face as thou never
seed." The captain and he then proceeded to the boat.
On the way the prisoner told him that on going on
board the night before, the deceased told him that
four men and a woman had followed him to the boat,
and robbed him of his money, and that' they had
taken the lines and a sack of corn. On Clayton going
into the cabin, he found the deceased resting on his
knees by the bedside, with his face and hands on the
bed. He raised him up, and found he was dead, though
still warm. He then came back to the Brownsfield
Arms, and sent for a policeman. The body was re-
moved to the hospital, the prisoner assisting to remove
it from the cabin. The skull was found to be severely
fractured, and there were marks of several wounds and
bruises on the face.

A piece of slate was found in the cabin. as well as a
wooden mallet, stained with blood. A piece of brick
was also found on the wharf side, with a quantity of
blood still fresh upon it.
Evidence of some length was given to show that to
different individuals he had given contradictory ac.
counts of the statement which he said the deceased bad
made as to the persons by whom he had been attacked.
He said the deceased had made this statement before
he (the prisoner) had gone to supper his horse at the
Brownsfield Arms, at nine o'clock, and that he himself
got back to the boat very drunk, and unable to give
any account of the way in which he got there. To
one of the officers he said that the deceased was better
in the morning, and that be found him dead on coming
back from the Brownsfield Arms. He added that
Haworth could clear him of the charge, having seen
the deceased in the morning, and found him quite in a
joking humour.
This was almost the only point on which the prisoner
asked a question, and he cross-exc.mined the witness to
show that he had spoken of the even:Pg before, when,
according to Haworth's evidence, he did. not see and
speak with the deceased.
His LORDSHIP having summed up, the Jury retired
for a considerable time, and returned a verdict of
Guilty of Manslaughter.
James M'Keveriown was indicted for the murder of

George Washington, a man of colour. The prosecution
was conducted by Mr. Armstrong and Mr. Murphy.
The prisoner was defended by Mr. Wilkins.
It appeared that the prisoner, who is an Irishman,
had the evening before this occurrence been beaten by
some men of colour, and had several times in the course
of the morning expressed his intention of striking the
first black man he met. He was seen standing near
his own door, in the company of two other men, and
having a large stone, which he was throwing from
one hand into the other. The deceased, who was an
old man of sixty years of age, cook to a merchantman,
was proceeding along the footpath, and he had no sooner
passed the prisoner than the latter struck him a blow
on the back of the head with a stone, and when he was
down, kicked him on the same part of his person. The
deceased lay insensible, and was removed to his own
lodgings, and thence to the infirmary. The blood came
from his ears, nose, and mouth. He lingered for a
fortnight, and died. On a post-mortem examination it
was found that there was an extensive extravasation of
blood, and that the texture of the brain had been de-
stroyed by the violence of the blow.
The Jury found the prisoner guilty of an aggravated
manslaughter.
His Lordship passed upon both the prisoners,
M'Keverigan and Hanson, sentence of fifteen years
transportation.

REMEDY for BURNS and SCALDS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—In an account of an inquest held on the body
of Sarah Burke, which appeared in The Sun of the
17th instant, it is stated that " the Coroner," Mr.
Wakley, " said it was a strange fact, but it is neverthe-
less true, that there is no effectual and general remedy
as yet safely established for the cure of burns. This
desideratum is still wanted," &c. I am, Sir, prepared
to show there is such a remedy. Feeling surprised that
it has not made its way among the hospitals and medi-
cal men in general, I beg permission to avail myself of
your philanthropic columns, and large circulation, to
make it more public, that much suffering, and many
lives may be saved by its adoption. I know not what
modes of treatment are now resorted to in the hospi-
tals, but I am aware there has been considerable divi-
sion of opinion as to the best remedies, if the means
employed are worthy of the term. Some contend for
the antiphlogistic, or cooling plan ; others for adding
more fuel to the fire, such as oil:of turpentine, camphor.
ated spirits, &c., which they denominate stimulating.
Practice proves that both these plans are anything but
remedies. The great mistake in the present attempts at
cure is, that the theory of burns and scalds has seldom if
ever been duly considered ; the following is my view
of the matter. The immediate effect of the applica-
tion of the superabundant heat to the surface of the
body is an expansion of the tissue composing the true
skin, the muscular fibre not being a rapid conductor of
heat, the injury is extremely superficial, but in this skin
are inserted the delicate ramifications of the arteries,
veins, nerves, and absorbents ; these are immediately
called into increased action (proportionable to the
amount of heat received) ; these minute arteries and
veins are enlarged, the blood is pushed through them
with additional velocity, at the same time it becomes
highly oxygenised by its more rapid contact with atmos-
pheric air, the inflammation extends to the deeper and
larger vessels,
the nerves in the immediate neighbour-
hood become excessively irritable, and cause the most
acute pain, by their sympathetic mode of action. The
irritation is conveyed throughout the system, and death
steps in with relief; whilst the hospitals are trying their
cooling or stimulating plans after hundreds of failures.
But death here is the consequence of secondary causes,
which, though brought into aperation by too much heat,
are continued and increased by other influences. Thus
the stimulating power of oxygen on the blood is actu-
ally keeping up a state of action (which may be termed
slow combustion), in defiance of the hospital remedial
measures. Having satisfied ourselves thus far, the
certain means of cure is obvious,
viz., the total
prevention of the contact of the injured part
and atmospheric air ; this has occasionally been
attempted with fine cotton wadding, but I object to
that article, because it does not fully answer the inten
Lion, for it absorbs and retains air among its fibres, as a
sponge does water ; and its contact with the skin is not
sufficiently perfect, by reason of its elasticity. The
remedy I propose, and have tried with extraordinary
success, is fine wheaten flour, strewed over the injured
skin, to the extent, at least, of an inch in thickness
which can be best done with a flour dredger ; the ,
sur-
face of the flour must then, to effectually exclude the
air, be brought into the condition of soft paste by a
layer of water, the dry flour only remaining in contact
with the skin. Perfect stillness of the patient should
be secured ; the dressing in severe cases should not be
removed before the expiration of twenty-four hours. I
have in my own person experienced the invaluable bene-
fit of this application. Sonic years since being engaged
in a a chemical experiment, a glass vessel placed in a
water bath exploded at the moment I happened to
have my face over the apparatus ; the contents of the
glassinstantly expanding into gas and vapour, blew the
greater part of the boiling water over me. Flour was
obtained and applied in the same manner as stated
above, in three minutes after the explosion. The most
intense pain I can conceive it possible to experience
gradually passed away in about twenty or thirty
minutes. Had any other means known been used
instead of this, I have no doubt I must have
suffered for several days continued excruciating pain,
if I then had been fortunate enough, in the course of
two or three weeks, to have obtained what my medical
attendant would have termed a cure, it would have
been at the cost of a few hideous cicatrices, and total
blindness ; as it was, the only parts injured, or which
remained painful after the flour was removed, were those
which could not be securely covered, as the lips and
eyelids. Since this period I have had the pleasure of
preventing much suffering ; and I have taken advantage
of the means which occurred to me, of making this in-
estimable remedy as popular as possible.
E. G. WELLS, Chemist.

Cheltenham, Aug. 20.

THE LATE EARL OF DURHAM, AND PRO-
POSED MONUMENT IN HONOUR OF lIIM.—It is a source of
gratification to us to observe the sincere, ardent, and en-
thusiastic manner in which the proposition has been re-
ceived of paying some signal mark of respect to the me-
mory of John George Lamhton, Earl of Durham.
Whether it is to assume the form of a monument or a
statue—whatever shape it is to take—it is extremely
satisfactory to see the very decided and general expression
of opinion in favour of such manifestation of esteem and
regard, because it is felt universally that the respect, the
homage, thus shown to his memory, is not from personal
feeling alone, however amiable he may have been
in private life, but principally from the politi-
cal principles which be avowed, and from the
simple, open, manly, decided, and intelligible way
in which he declared them. That a subscrip-
tion will be obtained sufficient in amount to raise a
monument to the Noble Lord, worthy of the occasion, we
have not the slightest doubt ; and we trust it will be such
a memorial as is likely, not merely to do honour to the
principles which have become connected and identified
with his name, but such a memento as may prove a spur
to other statesmen—to show that, to whatever defeats and
mortifications they may be subjected, if they sincerely de-
sire to see the rights and liberties of their countrymen
secured and extended, their exertions will not be allowed
to pass unnoticed and unrewarded by the people. The
marked and distinctly-avowed leading improvements re-
quited in our political system, were, in the estimation of
the Noble Earl, Ist, Triennial Parliaments; 2d, House-
hold Suffrage ; 3d, The Ballot ; and we feel perfect confi-
dence that these principles must and will, sooner or later,
be acted upon by the Government and the Legislature,
however conflicting interests may heretofore have obstructed
and opposed them.— Tync Mercury.

EVEN !NG ED %Tit:l(W.

•
A WOMAN WITH FOUR LIU

BANDS.

A female, apparently about 35 years of age, 1
n
means remarkable for her personal charms, was bro ug.,
up at the Borough Court, on Monday last, under Or'
following extraordinary circumstances :
Inspector Bibby stated, that on Thursday eveni
the prisoner went to the Hulme barracks, and left Il':
child, which was only about four months old, on one
the beds ; for which he had apprehended her on Satto-•
day night last. The inspector produced the child, which,
was in a shocking state of emaciation, and excited LIM
commiseration of the whole Court.
Mr. Scott, the relieving officer for Charlton-",''
Medlock, said she claimed Richard German, a prig
in the Artillery, as her husband ; that she was veil'
poor, and he believed left the child for him to keep ;-
but, as German had discovered that she had three other
husbands living, he refused to have anything to do either
with the child or her. Bibby produced two marriage-
certificates found on the prisoner, and said he believed
all the marriages had been celebrated at Gretna Green.
The first took place in 1836, and two of the others
since 1838.
German, the fourth husband, was then sworn. He
stated that he was married to the prisoner in Deeern-
ber, 1839, and the child was born in April, 1840, nn
which account he refused to live with her any longer;
Bibby said the third husband was in Court, an
wanted to take her to live with him.
A man, having the appearance of a wol-kman, tb
came forward, and said his name was Richardsonrb3 ,0t
he was the third husband ; and that he was willing
take the prisoner, and provide for Ler as his wife. f
Mr. Maude asked, if there was any probabditY
proving the first marriage, and Bibby said he did °—
think there was.
In her defence the prisoner said she left the ehild,ipt
the barracks, and did not intend to desert it ; and tta
she did not marry the second time till she heard t t
her first husband was dead.,'
She was then ordered to stand down for a o°l4
time ; and, on being put up again, Mr. Scott said she
wouldrefused
s rather
suffer
he
w toas
then
se
nwi
discharged
h r
an heyrtn a t
thirdg.
tcr husband,.a, s
u itaanbdl e said
in solin;
tion from Mr. Maude ; and Mr: Scott said he *hrniiri:
pass her to Carlisle, where her father lived, and "%-
care that the child was provided for,—Oland/ate'
Guardian.