The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-11 00:00:00

S Ul Ny

MAY 11, 1847.

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF
MURDER.
Yesterday Gilbert Macdonald, a ship joiner, about forty
,ears of age, was brought before Mr. Yardley, at the Thames
Po lice-court, charged with the wilful murder of Agnes, his
wife, who died in the London Hospital yesterday morning.
The case was involved in some mystery, and the magis-
trate had a difficulty at getting at the facts, in consequence
of the ignorance of the policeman who had charge of the
case. It appeared that the prisoner, who has the appearance
of being a very dissipated man, lived with his wife, in Ray-
mond's. place, Green Bank, Wapping. The deceased was
also a person of dissipated habits, and lived very unhappily
with her husband. They repeatedly quarrelled, and she was
in the practice of taunting him and using very provoking
language, for which he frequently beat her. A woman,
named Sarah Gray, who lived in the room underneath the
parties, had•often interposed during their quarrels, and pro-
tected the deceased from the violence of her husband. This
witness described the prisoner as a most violent man when
he was inebriated, but on the contrary, when sober he was.
particularly harmless and quiet; and had more than once re-
quested her and others to keep him away froth his wife When
he was tipsy, for she was a very bad woman. He had re-
peatedly said that he would be hanged at Newgate for his
wife, and that she wasted his hard earnings. The quarrels
of the prisoner and his wife had lately been more frequent.
Three weeks ago the prisoner beat his wife severely, and
said she had spent all. his money. On Saturday, the
Ist instant, the prlSoner and his wife again quar-
relled, and she absented herself from home, and
did not return until Friday, assigning as the rea-
son, that she had spent all her husband's money, and was
afraid of him. The husband persuaded her to come home
on Friday night, but on.. Saturday morning, at one o'clock,
either through caprice on her part, or owing to some threats
on the part of the prisoner, she left her own room, and came
down stairs to the one occupied by her -landlady, in which
there was a mangle, and crept under it. She remained under
the mangle until her husband left home after breakfast on
Saturday morning. On the afternoon of .the same day,
about half-past two o'clock, the deceased was in her landlady's
room when her husband returned home. He was rather in-
ebriated. but knew what he was about, and after some
friendly conversation with, his landlady, he began to con-
verse with his wife, and in a jocular tone said he had bad
his spree out and should go to work again on Monday, and
bring up his lea-way. His wife commenced abusing him,
and although her landlady retreated her not to kick up a
row, she taunted her husband in a very foolish strain. The
prisoner said that his wife's slanderous and provoking tongue
caused all the troubles and the rows between them. Alter
a while the prisoner said he had money enough for a drop
of gin, and invited his wife to accompany him to a public-
house close by. They left the house together, and proceeded
to the Anchor and Hope in the adjoining alley. Neither
the landlady or Mrs. Gray saw the man and;his wife return
home, or heard any more of them until about five
o'clock in the evening, when Mrs. Gray, hearing some
one moan, opened her room door, and found the de-
ceased on the landing, at the top of the second flight of stairs,
and close to her own room, weltering in her blood, which
was flowing profusely from her mouth, nose, and ears. Mrs.
Gray raised the woman from the floor, and she faintly
articulated, " Don't let him come near me, I am dying."
Mrs. Gray asked what her husband had been doing.
and she said he bad kicked her and jumped on her
breast. The deceased was assisted into her landlady's
room. She appeared greatly disfigured. Her clothes
were torn and very bloody, and there was a severe wound
on the side of the head from which the blood was flowing
copiously. It would appear, however, from the evidence of
the landlady, that the excessive hemorrhage which took
place arose from another cause, and it is supposed that
some internal bloodvessel was ruptured by, a kick, or by
the prisoner trampling on his wife. Mrs. Gray no sooner
saw the deceased in her landlady's room,' than she ex-
claimed, " She is done for, if ever she was." A policeman
named Sheehan, an Irishman, No. 313 K, was called in, and
upon reporting the condition of the woman at the station-
house, she was removed on a police stretcher to the hos-
pital, where she lingered till yesterday morning, when
death put an end to her sufferings. Directly after the de-
ceased was found in the situation above described, Mrs.
Hookham, the landlady, and Mrs. Gray, went into the pri-
soner's room. They found him lying on the bed, and in-
formed him that his wife was very seriously injured. He
treated the matter with some indifference, and on his way to
the station-house said that his wife would not appear against
him, and that she had fallen down stairs. There could be
no doubt the deceased received the wound on her head and
the other injuries before she left the room, as no part of her
body was upon the stairs when she was discovered by Mrs.
Gray. The prisoner's son was in the room when the quarrel
took place between his parents. He is only eight years of
age, and with very little intelligence. He was called upon
the bench, and some questions were put to him by Mr.
Yardley, but he professed his ignorance of a future state;
and on being asked if he said his prayers, he replied that he
did sometimes, but only to please his father. His replies ge-
nerally to the questions put to him were such that the ma-
gistrate did not consider it safe to examine him as a witness;
and it appearing that he had no relatives, or any one to take
care of him, Mr. Yardley directed that he should be taken to
the workhouse, where he would receive some instructions to
qualify him to take an oath. _

The magistrate inquired of Sheehan, the police-constable,
if he had made search for any instrument by means of
which it was probable the wound might have been inflicted,
and he replied in the negative. He was also asked if he had
examined the stairs and the room for the purpose of ascer-
taining if there were any stains of blood discernible, and he
said he had not, and excused himself by saying there was no
light. He was then asked if he had examined the prisoner's
dress or his boots, and he said he had not thought of
doing so, and knew very little of the affair, although
specially directed by his inspector to make the necessary
inquiries.
Mrs. Hookham, who exhibited more tact and discernment
than the police-constable, locked the door of the prisoner's
room, after he was taken into custody, to prevent any one
entering the apartment. Some time afterwards she pro-
cured a light and examined the stairs, and the landing, on
which she discovered a great deal of blood. It was quite
fresh. She also stated there was a '•clod of blood" on the
floor by the side of the bed. She thought the wound on the
deceased's head had been inflicted by a kick, and that the
prisoner wore very heavy boots.
Mr. Yardley directed Roche, the gaoler, to remove the
prisoner's boots from his feet, which was immediately done.
There were stains of blood on both sides of the right boot,
just above the sole.

j The iprisoner appeared to be somewhat staggered at this
discovery, and he said there was no blood on his shoes, that
his shoes never touched his wife at all; bat

Mr. Yardley said there could be no doubt of the fact, and
Mr. Ross, a surgeon, who was present as a witness, said
the stains on the boots were certainly those of blood.
Mr. Yardley expressed his astonishment at the neglect
and ignorance of the police-constable Sheehan, who had neg-
lected to de those things which he ought to have done, in a
case of very great importance and involved in some mystery.
He asked the policeman if he had traced any blood upon the
stairs or in the room, and the excuse he got was that it was
dark, and that he had no light. The old woman, Hookham,
appeared to have acted from the dictates of common sense, a
quality which the policeman did not possess, and she had
done just what the constable ought to have done. Various
other things ought to have suggested itself to the policeman,
who had done nothing, and made no inquiries about the affair.
Mrs. Hookham was then further questioned by the ma-
gistrate, and she stated that she believed the prisoner had
kicked h►s wife, and her reasons for thinking so were, that
he was always very handy with his feet—very, indeed. All
the deceased's clothes were torn but her chemise, and she
complained a good deal of some pains about the abdomen.
Mr. Yardley asked how long it was before the deceased
was sent to the hospital after she was found bleeding on the
top of the stairs? Sheehan replied an hour or more.
Inspector Bilson asked the police-constable if he did not
issue orders for the woman to be removed to the London
Hospital immediately he heard of the affair. Sheehan—Yes,
sir, you did.
Inspector Bilson said that directly he understood the case
was a very serious one he ordered four men to convey the
woman to the hospital on a stretcher, which was done with-
out delay.
Mr. Yardley—Perhaps the constable means it was an hour
after she received the wounds before she reached the hos-
pital.
The prisoner asked Mrs. Hookham if his wife did not re-
turn home bleeding very much? Mrs. Hookham—No, no;
no such thing.
Mr. Yardley—Did any one see her return home with her
husband ? Mrs. Ilookham—No one, sir.
Sheehan was then called upon to relate a conversation
which took place at the station-house, but he did it so im-
perfectly that Mr. Yardley called upon
Inspector Bilson, who was sworn, and he stated that,
after taking the charge and reading it over to the prinoner,
lie salt', struck her, but she fell down stairs." Witness
then questioned the lad, who said " He did jump upon her,
I saw my father jump upon my mother and kick her." The
prisoner again said, " I did not ; I struck her and she fell
down stairs."

The prisoner, in defence, said his wife fell down stairs as
she was returning to her own room in his company, and that
after he went to bed she was continually passing up and down
stairs. She abused him very much, and was very tipsy, and
she was always abusing him.
Mr. Yardley said this case was not so clear as it might
have been if the police-constable had only displayed com-
mon intelligence, and that all the witnesses who could throw
any light on the transaction must be produced at the next
examination. He should remand the prisoner on the charge
of wilfal murder until Monday next.

Lusa CUNNING.--A few days since man and
woman of the lower class of Irish were placed at the bar
before the magistrate at Worship-street Police-court, charged
with the following attempted extortion upon the parish offi-
cers of Whitechapel. The man was dressed in an excellent
strong coat very little the worse for wear, good waistcoat,
knee-breeches, and blue-ribbed stockings, and had a nearly
new pair of shoes upon his feet ; the woman also had good
clothing, shawl, bonnet, and strong shoes, and was altogether
well-dressed, though of a homely description. The parish
officers stated that on the evening before the two prisoners
applied at their workhouse for relief, and declared that they
were penniless, almost starving, and had not had food
for many hours. The porter asked them to wait outside
until the arrival of the relieving-officer, who was momenta-
rily expected, and promised that their case should be then
immediately attended to. Both prisoners declared that they
would not wait, demanded to be admitted instantly, and
made such a clamour and displayed such violence that the
porter at length shut them out. The prisoners then ham-
mered at the gates, and harangued the passers-by so loudly
upon their starving condition and the hardship o their being
refused relief, that a large mob collected round the work-
house, who displayed their indignation at the officers' con-
duct in most unmeasured terms, calling out " Shame," and
taking the prisoners' part vociferously. The prisoners con-
tinued this conduct for a length of time, and, being encou-
raged by the mob, made such a disturbance that the police
were obliged at length to be called, and they were given
into custody, when, upon searching them at the station-
house, the woman was found to have money about her to the
amount of several shillings, and the man silver to the value
of nearly a pound. The magistrate severely lectured them
upon their audacious effrontery, and discharged them, as no
relief had been given them, but warned them decisively that
if they were brought there again for similar attempts at ex-
tortion, he would make a summary example of both.
VIENNA.—An official letter from the President of
the Aulic Council of War orders that the army shall wear
mourning for the late Archduke Charles six weeks longer.

PRICE SD.

BURIAL of DUROC and BERTRAND
BESIDE THE TOMB OF NAPOLEON.
The following narrative has appeared so beautiful to
us in its simplicity, and so historical in-its character,
that we have translated it from the columns of our coil-
temporary the constitutionnel:—
The anniversary mass, which has been celebrated in
the Invalides every year since the remains of the Em-
peror were placed under the dome of that sacred edifice.
attracted a greater number of spectators than usual on
Wednesday, the sth ult. It was generally known, some
time before, that the bodies of the Grand Marshals of thi
Palace, Duroc and Bertrand, were on that occasion to
be interred in the vaults which , had been reserved for
their reception on either side of the entrance to the
imperial tomb. Our readers will remember that we have
already announced the arrival of the remains of General
Bertrand in Paris, and the modest —the almost toe
modest—manner in which they were conducted, to the
Invalides—not a single picquet of troop being notni•
yated as their escort. Even to7day they continued in
the same way without any suitable attendance ; not one
soldier had been summoned to take arms for the purpose
of rendering a last homage to the ashes of two illustrious
captains. A solitary picquet of " Invalides," armed
with half-pikes, and bearing funereal torches, alone as-
sisted in the ceremony of the sepulture. All those
however belonging to the establishment, who were not
incapacitated by illness, eagerly pressed around the two
-catafalques. Upon the left reposed the body of Duroc ;
upon the right iliat of Bertrand. Around the latter
were grouped the children of Napoleon's companion in
exile, around the former stood the parents of the. Duc
of Friuli.
" Beyond these were gathered together a crowd of
officers of all ranks and men of all classes. Among
these we remarked Generals Gourgaud, Fabvier, and
Pailloux,,the Marquis of Cramayal, Count Rambuteaux,
the Duo de Padoue, the Due de Vincenze, MM. de
Tracy and de Beaumont (Somme), M. de Segur, Colonel
.Chapenik and several, of the bilkers of the fourth legion
of' the National Guard.
"In the upper galleries were a multitude of ladies, and
among these the Princess Matilda, niece of the Emperor,
besides the ladies appertaining to the families of the two
Marshals of the Palace.
"After the celebration of Mass, which was accompa-
nied with military music, the coffins were carried down
ihto the graves which had been prepared, and over which
were engraved the names of Duroc and Bertrand.
Duroc, who had been conveyed thither the first, was
placed in the grave on the left of the entrance of the
imperial sepulchre, and Bertrand in the grave situated
on the right. When the body of the Emperor shall be
in the tomb (sera dans la tombe), Duroc will thus find
himself on his right hand and Bertrand on his left. The
two coffins were carried to their last resting places sur-
rounded by the subordinate officers.
" General Fabvier pronounced these few sentences at
the moment when the remains of Duroc were entombed:
" Gentlemen,—lt is not under this roof, which
shelters so many of the valiant defenders of France,
that it befits me to speak to you of the services, of the
wounds, of the brilliant actions of Duroc ; since they
have been ever accompanied by intrepidity, devotion,
disinterestedness, modesty. I shall only say to you one
word : it is sufficient for his glory. Napoleon, disarmed
by those whom he wished to defend, departed with the
intention of retiring into private life : he only asked
permission to finish his career under the name of Colonel
Duroc. Such is the magnificent, the imperishable
monument, which the tender heart of Napoleon has
raised at once to the memory of Duroc and to his own
also I.

" ' Dear and venerable veterans, when you go to re-
join the chief, tell him that his glory increases and
brightens every day! Tell him that even this ceremony
is a homage which we render to his loving heart in thus
bringing near his inanimate remains his two faithful
friends I'
" Marshal Oudinot, notwithstanding his eighty years
and his twenty-eight wounds, descended from his apart-
ments, supported by several attendants, to sprinkle ;holy
water upon the coffins of his old companions in arms.
" A large crowd were collected together round the
outer walls of the Invalides, and all persons in uniform
or in mourning were admitted into the interior."
As an appropriate corollary to the foregoing, we can-
not but give what it has at once called to our recollec-
tion, the memorable epitaph written by Napoleon upon
the spot where Duroc fell in 1813:—" Here the General
Duroc, Duke of Friuli, Grand Marshal of the Palace of
the Emperor Napoleon, gloriously fell, struck by a
cannon ball, and died in the arms of the Emperor, his
friend."
The beautiful account of Napoleon's emotion on the
death of his beloved adherent, as given in Archibald
Alison's " History of Europe," is perhaps the noblest
memento to his loving heart: we transcribe it for the
perus:zl of our readers :
" Napoleon pitched his tent in the neighbourhood of
the cottage where Duroc lay, and seemed for the time
altogether overwhelmed by his emotions. The squares
of the Old Guard, respecting his feelings, arranged
themselves at a distance, and even his most confidential
attendants did not, for some time, venture to approach
his person. Alone he sat, wrapped in his grey great
coat, with his forehead resting on his hands, and his
elbows on his knees, a prey to the most agonising re-
flections. In vain Caulaincourt and Murat at length
requested his attention to the most pressing orders.
'ro-morrow—everything,' was the only reply of the
Emperor, as he again remixed his attitude of medita-
tion. A mournful silence reigned around ; the groups
of officers at a little distance hardly articulated above
their breath ; gloom and depression appeared in every
countenance, while the subdued hum of the soldiers pre-
paring their repast, and the sullen murmur of the artil-
lery waggons as they rolled in the distance, alone told
that a mighty host was assembled in the neighbourhood.
Slowly the moon rose over this melancholy scene ; the
heavens became illuminated by the flames of the adjoin-
ing villages, which had fallen a prey to the license of
the soldiers ; while the noble bands of the Imperial
Guard played alternately triumphal and elegiac strains,
in the vain hope of distracting the grief of their chief."
Those great pageants and sorrows are alike ended ;
and the Emperor with his two faithful friends lie side by
side under the dome of the Invalides.

DEATH OF GENERAL WILLIAM DYOTT, COLONEL
OF THE 63D FOOT.—This General, one of the oldest in the
British army, died on the 7th inst., at his seat Fairford, near
Lichfield. after a lengthened illness, at the expiration of
more than sixty-seven years' service. After a probationary
course he entered the army as Ensign on March the 14th,
1781, and his further commissions were thus dated :—Lieu-
tenant, May 9th, 1782; Captain, April 25th, 1793; Major,
May 19th, 1794; Lieutenant-Colonel. September 18th,
1794; Colonel, January Ist, 1800; Major-General, April
25th, 1808 ; Lieutenant -General, June 4th, 1813 ; General,
July 22d, and Colonel of the 63d Foot, April 7th, 1825. The
deceased officer served in America in the early war ; in 1796
he proceeded to the West Indies, and in 1801 took part in
the memorable campaign in Egypt. In 1809 he was en-
gaged in the disastrous affair at Walcheren. His subsequent
military duties were principally confined to peace service.
General Dyott had the honour of enjoying the friendship of
his late Majesty George 111., to whom he was for many
years aide-de-camp, as well as that of his illustrious son, the
Duke of York. The latter, while holding the rank of Com-
mander-in-Chief, in 1825,
The
the Colonelcy of the
63d Foot to the deceased. The vacancy was occasioned by
the death of the Earl of Balcarras. the family to which
the deceased belonged is a most respectable one, and some of
its members on late occasions have been candidates for the
representation of Lichfield.
DEATH or SIR JOHN MAT, K.C.8., K.c.a.—
This distinguished artillery officer died on Saturday last, at
his residence in Hyde Park-street, aged sixty-seven. He
was son of John May, Esq., for many years Storekeeper of
the Ordnance at Oucrusey, ana was lineally descended from
John May, the historian and poet of the time of Cromwell
and Charles 11. In 1795 the deceased entered the Royal
Artillery, and after passing through the various gradations
of rank with much success, was promoted to the rank of
Major-General in 1838. Sir John's services were of a dis-
tinguished character. He took part in the engagements at
Badajos, Salamanca, Vittoria, St. Sebastian, Nivelle, Nive,
and Toulouse. For these services he received a cross and
three clasps. He also served during the Waterloo campaign,
and was at the battle of Quatre Bras and the memorable
one which terminated the war. For his services at Waterloo
he received the Order of St. Anne of Russia Second Class,
and was nominated a Knight of the Tower and Sword of
Portugal in 1815, for his conduct in the Peninsula.
ROBBERY AT THE BRIGHTON RAILWAY TER-
iminis.—A daring robbery was committed yesterday morning
at the Brighton Railway Terminus. As usual, on Monday
mornings the first train was heavy; and an extraordinary
degree of bustle occurred at the terminus from the circum-
stance that the brethren of the order of the Foresters were on
the point of starting for their summer excursion to Hastings.
Soon after the departure of the first train, the superinten-
dent of the station missed nearly 800/. from the "safe,"
train,
immediately dispatched an engine to overtake the first _ t
and if possible to discover the thief. It is supposed hat
some London thief took advantage of the bustle to pounce
upon the booty.
PosT-OFFICE.—We understand that a memorial,
got up privately, and circulated among the "godly," re-
questing the postmaster-general to oblige our postmaster
local by shutting up the office here altogether on Sunday, has
led to the appointment of a gentleman now resident at the
Royal Hotel, to inquire into the circumstances. We need
hardly say that such a gross attempt at outrage on the feel-
ings and wishes of the mercantile and industrial part of the
community will meet with the opposition it deserves.—Aber-
deen Herald.
DISTRESSED NEEDLEWOMEN'S SOCIETT.—This o
ciety have lately lost one of its members by the demise of the
y
late Mr. Andrew Macklew, who has bequeathed a handsome
legacy of 500/. to the funds of the charity. The annual ball
will take place this evening at the Hanover-square Rooms,
and we hope it will be well attended, and that the result
may prove beneficial to so meritorious an institution.
We have extreme satisfaction in being enabled to
announce that tardy justice has at last been rendered to one
of the greatest of our naval heroes. The Government have,
we are informed, upon a further investigation. of Lord Dun-
donald's case, recommended that he be reinstated in the Order
of the Bath, which he so gallantly won, and of which he was
so unjustly deprived. We need scarcely add, that her Ma-
jesty has been graciously pleased to signify her ready
acquiescence in the recommendation of her Ministers.-- Times;
ANTWERP, MAY B.—Lady French and family, and
Captain Story, were among the distinguished passengers that
Navigation
arrived here yesterday, by the General Steam
Company's steam ship Venezuela, that left London the day
previous.