The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-01 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EJENING, MARCH 1, 1847.

PETITIONnSousINOFPcRoIgoANTE BILLS.
(Room 22, before Mr. Examiner Smarr.)
UNOPPOSED LIST.
Wexford and Valencia.—Complied with.
Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr.—Further adjourned.
Edinburgh and Perth.—Complied with.
(Room 23, before Mr. Examiner MAY.)
OPPOSID LIST.
NORTH BRITISH.
This case was partly heard, and the further hearing ad-
journed until Thursday next.

SPRING ASSIZES.
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, FRIDAY NIGHT.
BRUTAL MURDER AT A CHRISTENING.—This morn-
ing James Welch was arraigned before Mr. Baron Rolfe,
in the Crown Court, of the Northumberland Spring
Assize, for the wilful murder of Thomas Proud, a
groom in the service of a gentleman living in the county.
Mr. Grainger and Mr. Potter prosecuted, Mr. Mat-
thews defended.

By the evidence of several witnesses it appears that
the prisoner was a quarryman, employed at the Four
Stones, somewhere near the Newcastle and Carlisle
Railway. On Sunday, the 7th inst., the deceased, who
lived at the village of Allerwash, invited several of his
neighbours to the christening of one of his children.
After their return from church they had tea at his house,
and he then invited them to a public-house to drink the
child's health. They did so, and there encountered the
prisoner. On leaving, Welch followed them,
and
solicited several females who were walking with
friends (men) to leave them and join him. They
declined, and he at length caught hold of Mary Ann
Towers, who was walking with the deceased, and
endeavoured to separate them. Towers begged of
him to desist, and, being further insulted, Proud inter-
fered, and desired Welch not to molest her. High words
here ensued, and a scuffle followed, in the course of
which Proud fell upon his antagonist, and, it is said,
kicked him. The deceased then made all haste home
with the female, but had not got far ere the prisoner
was seen running after them with no coat on. On
coming up with them, he struck the deceased twice over
the head with a stick, and eventually plunged a deep-
bladed knife into the unfortunate man's neck, lie
instantly dropped on the ground, and in a few minutes
expired. The prisoner made his escape, but was
shortly captured. The knife was found near the body,
and it was sworn to having been seen in the prisoner's
possession.

Mr. Matthews made a powerful appeal in behalf of the
accused. _

The jury found the prisoner Guilty.
Mr. Baron Rolfe concurred in the verdict, and in a
very feeling and impressive manner sentenced the pri-
soner to death.

The law will be carried into effect at Morpeth goal.

LONDON-DERRY AND ENNIS-
KILLEN RAILWAY.
The half.yearly general meeting of the directors and
shareholders in this company was held on Saturday, at the
company's offices, 5, Church-passage, Guildhall; J. G.
Frith, Esq., chairman of the company, presided.
The advertisement calling the meeting having been read,
and the minutes of last meeting confirmed,
The CHAIRMAN said that it would be unnecessary for him
to add one word to the report which the shareholders would
hear read, as that document had been very carefully consi-
dered and was most full in its details. He should therefore
at once call upon the secretary to lay it before the meeting.
The SECRETARY, Mr. Hemming, then read the report, of
which the following is a summary :
" Your directors have the satisfaction to report that the
portion of the line from Derry to Strabane is finished.
" Sufficient locomotives and carriages are provided to com-
mence a passenger traffic forthwith. Goods and cattle wag-
gons will be added by degrees, as the means of the company
permit, with a view also of as speedily as possible developing
the resources of the carrying department, from which the
most satisfactory results are anticipated. The great incon-
venience under which the city of Derry has so long laboured
from its Post-office arrangements will be forthwith much
diminished, the Postmaster-General having consented to this
company carrying the mails; for which the necessary pre-
liminaries are now under consideration.
" Your directors, availing themselves of the discretionary
powers given to them at the last half-yearly meeting, have
used such means for collecting arrears of calls as the indivi-
dual cases of the defaulting shareholders appeared to demand;
and the result has been, to a certain extent, satisfactory.
Since November, of the arrears then due, an amount exceed-
ing 12;700/. has been paid up; and of the amount still due,
it is considered that a large portion will yet be collected.
" Although circumstances have for the present prevented
the extension of the works beyond Strabane, your directors
would urge most strongly upon the shareholders the great
advantage which must result from their being proceeded
with in the direction of Omagh, at the earliest possible
period, as the further development of the internal traffic of
the country, with the port of Derry, would greatly increase
the receipts compared with the necessary expenses of working
the line.
" Your directors, being fully convinced that the construe-
tioo of Irish railwaya would form one of the most important
auxiliaries to the Government in relieving the daily increas-
ing distress, felt it their duty to express this opinion, and to
urge its serious consideration on the Executive; and they
have to report that they have had repeated conferences with
the Government authorities here and in Ireland on this
subject.
" On these various occasions they submitted the result of
their inquiries and experience, which had confirmed them in
the opinion, that the Irish railways at once offered the most
immediate, the most extensive, and the most profitable
employment to that class of persons who require it ; and at
the same time afford the most ample security to the Govern-
ment for any loans which they might advance for this purpose,
From the great attention paid on ail these occasions by the
different members of the Government to the details laid be-
fore them, your directors had hoped this would have been one
of the measures prominently put forward by Government for
the real distress in Ireland; and although it has not yet been
adopted, your directors remain fully impressed with the
opinion that it well be found the only efficient mode of relief;
as it is in the experience of your directors that a very large
portion of the works on this and other Irish lines of railway
are executed alinost exclusively by that class of Irish
labourers, thousands of whom are at the present moment in a
state of the greatest destitution from the want of remunera-
tive employment."
The following report was also read from the engineer:—
" Gentlemen-1s it is only recently that I have been ap-
pointed engineer to this line, I have but few observations to
make respecting the works connected therewith, so far as
they have conic under my superintendence.
" Nearly the whole of the work between Derry and Stra-
bane (which is the only portion contracted for) was com-
pleted before my appointment, with the exception of the
platform of the two bridges across the Foyle, and the laying
of the permanent way across the bog at Pothall. Since that
time these works have been finished, and the whole line is
now completed, and ready to be opened for public traffic so
soon as inspected and reported upon by the officer of the
Railway Commissioners; for which object all the necessary
documents required by the Board have been forwarded.
"The engines and carriages are now on the line, and
anldaiadhbedu at a
are f few
now weeks.
"Ticket .Twic
ns
of erection,
progress
I have made an experimental trip on one of the engines Jam
glad to say that that portion of the line across Porthall
Bog, referred to, seems to stand well, although the perma-
nentboth at Derry and Strabane, which will be completed in the
course of a few days.
These buildings have been put up merely in a temporary
manner, as there is every reason to expect that the stations
at either terminus may be hereafter erected on more suitable
akye t has
officesbeen
and convenient sites.—l have the honour to be, gentlemen,
your most obedient servant,

" CHARLES LANYON.

" Belfast, Feb. 23, 1847."
The financial statement showed that the receipts amounted
to 114,7461. 15s. 5d., while the expenditure was
110,7761. 18s. 7d., leaving a balance at the bankers of
3,9691. 16s. 10d.
After a few remarks on one or two paragraphs in the re-
ports from different shareholders, the report was adopted.
Mr. LEATI[AM, a local director, and Sir R. FERGUSON,
M.P., advocated the progression of the works as speedily as
possible, because in proportion as the railway advanced
beyond Strabane, the farthest point to which the railway was
yet constructed, the traffic would be increased, and when the
whole length was completed, they believed the line would
turn out as profitable as any one in Ireland.
The (*AIRMAN moved a. resolution, confirming the for-
feiture of shares on which the first call had not been paid,
the whole number being 533, which having been carried,
The CirAilowr afterwards moved a vote of thanks to Sir
Robert Ferguson, Deputy-Lieutenant of the county of Kerry,
for his valuable services to their line both in and out of Par-

Dement.
Sir R. FERGVSON returned thanks, and assured the pro-
prietors that the line, as being beneficial to the county with
which he was connected, and the city which he represented,
would always have his support and best wishes.
Thanks were then given to the Chairman, and the meet-
ing separated.

LONDON AND MANCHESTER
DIRECT INDEPENDENT RAILWAY COM-
PANY (REMINGTON'S LINE).
In conformity with a requisition, signed by nine share-
holders of the above company, the provisional committee con-
vened a meeting of the shareholders on Saturday, pursuant
to the provisions of the Railway Companies Dissolution Act,
to take into consideration whether the company should be dis -
solved, and in what manner its affairs should be wound up.
Mr. BROolca took the chair, and called upon the solicitor
to read the notice calling the meeting, which being done,
The CHAIRMAN said the next business would be the ap-
pointment of the scrutineers.
A PROPRIETOR then said that he stool there as the pro-
prietor of 120 shares, which he purchased at 11. premium, and
he was surprised that none of the parties who could give ex-
planations were there to make them. He wanted to know
what had become of the funds?
The CHAIRMAN said that he himself was in a similar predi-
cament. He could give them some information, but he did not
promise to satisfy them. The only information he could
give them was this, that they would have nothing more to
pay.—(Laughter.) He had no report to give them.
A PROPRIETOR.—WiII the directors make no report?
The CHAIRMAN—We have no report to give.
A PROPRIETOR said, if the chairman had a secret to tell,
he ought to throw himself in the hands of the meeting, who
would protect him from the consequence of disclosing it.
The CRAIRMAN would give no further information.
A PROPRIETOR again asked if a report, or offer, was to be
made by the directors, or not?
The CHAIRMAN said, that he had 800 shares allotted to
him, and he never sold a share at a premium. He sold them
at 16s. 6d. a share,
A PROPRIETOR wanted to know if an offer had not been
made by certain directors of 7s. 6d. per share?
Mr. BASS, a director, replied that that offer had been made
by some of the directors on account of certain shares.
The CHAIRMAN, in reply to the frequent calls made upon
him by several shareholders to account for the money, said
that he had no report to give. The law-suits in which the
company were engaged made this course necessary.
Mr. liass said that no one would be more delighted than
he would. to see the accounts in the hands of the share-
holders. When a deputation of the shareholders was ap-
pointed at a former meeting, to confer with the directors as to
the affairs of the company, he was in faiourioc\fve,titl:hheerpergoaprod-
sition ; but some difficulty arose in carrying out this object,
owing to the absence from England.of a director, and to actions
pending at the time in the courts of law. This course, how-
ever, did not obtain his full assent, but the majority of the
dtoirceocntotrrsibthuteionnrsu, ruled wthhoautghslti,efuolrdoteaksea
salve
place. With
direc-
tors would make some contribution, but after conferring with
some of them he saw they could not obtain a sum sufficient
to meet the expectations of the shareholders. Under these
circumstances, he, from representations made to him by thel
chairman of the company, made an offer of 7s. 61 a abate tN