The Sun.
London, England, 1840-05-23 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 23, 184►.

tist Church had increased since the emancipation, he
said it was a fact, and one which he wished to go
forth to the British public, that the Church of England
was the receptacle for all that was turned out of other
communions.—(Laughter.) He affirmed that at the
very last confirmation the Bishop received and con-
firmed four persons, whom he was obliged to turn out
of his congregation for bad conduct. He then made a
heart-stirring appeal to ministers, deacons, and the
Christian public, in favour of sending the Gospel to
Africa, and concluded by stating that he would from his
own congregation in Jamaica respond to the call with
1,0001. for tat purpose.—(Much applause.)
A collection was made, after which—
Mr. KNIBB again came forward and presented Mr.
Sturge with a very beautiful workbox, the manufacture
of a boy only fourteen years of age, the son of a late
slave. He then gave some horrible and disgusting de-
tails of slavery in America amongst Ministers and pro-
fessing Christians, but as the Rev. Gentleman is to
discuss the matter fully in the Convention, and our
space is exhausted, we must defer them till that time.

Mr. JAMES CANNING FULLER, a Quaker, who has
come over to represent the Abolitionists of New York
in the Anti-Slavery Convention, shortly addressed the
meeting, but the same remark applies to him.
A resolution of thanks was then passed with acclama-
tion to Mr. Knibb. Thanks were also voted to the
Chairman, and the meeting adjourned.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STREET.

THE MURDER OF LORD WILLIAM RUSSELL.
RE-EXAMINATION OF COURVOISIER.
(Continued from The Sun of yesterday.)
Inspector J. Tedman, D.—The position in which
the candlestick was placed was calculated to throw
a light directly on his Lordship's face. I found there the
two silk purses produced. One had half a sovereign in it,
the other was empty. I asked him if an ything else was
missing. He said, Really I cannot tell you ; but Ellis can.
I asked who Ellis was, and he said, The late valet, now
living at Lord Mansfield's. I then went to the table
between the middle and the third window, and found
there a pair of boot-hooks and a gold pin—(produced)—
' there was likewise a tooth-brush and a tumbler, which I
have not brought. The prisoner said " His Lordship
wore that pin yesterday." I next examined the table
on which was the looking-glass in the corner of the
room, and found the silver articles now produced,
they are all silver, and were lying there as for use. I
found also there a pair of gold eye-glasses. I found two
razors there, which I produce ; they were in the case as
they are now. I examined them ; there are no marks en
them. They have been examined by a hair-dresser, and be
could find no marks. I found another case, containing 4 razors,
hanging ou a nail by the side of the fire-place, close to the
dressing-table. There were six walking-sticks, four gold
mounted. I said it is a very curious thing to leave all this
valuable property behind. The prisoner said it was cer-
tainly very strange, I said, " Is there anything
missing from here ?" He said, " No ; I do not
think there is." I next examined a table at the foot of the
bed, near the middle of the room, and found on it this
dressing-case (produced). It was broken open. I re-
moved the top, and found five rings inside, four mourning
and one chased, and a gold seal, four glass bottles, and
a paper knife. I asked the prisoner if anything was
missing, he said, Yes, the five gold rings his Lord-
ship wore yesterday, they are missing, and some
brooches. I said is there anything else ? He said I can-
not tell, but Ellis can. The prisoner assiated me to exa-
mine every article. I next examined the cupboard close by
the fire-place, and found a silver-mounted tobacco-pipe and
an opera-glass. In the wardrobe between the door and
the cupboard I found a quantity of wearing apparel.
The locks were perfect. I found a rushlight
stand at the foot of the bed. It contained
a rushlight, about one-third burnt out. I asked the pri-
soner at what time his Lordship went to bed ; and he said,
at from half past twelve to one. I examined the back of
the bed-room door. There was a key in it inside. I
asked prisoner if his Lordship's door was locked last night.
He said no ; his Lordship never locked thedoor. The door
is covered with green baize, and shuts with a spring. It
opens and shuts so easily that a person awake even would
not hear it. I next went into the front draw ing-room, there
was nothing particular there; in the back drawing-room
there are two sofa tables, all the drawers of them were half
open. There was a writing desk at the corner of the room
fronting the window by the side of the fire place.
Mr. HaLL then suggested that as the evidence
as to the state of the bed-room was concluded, they should
now, to accommodate the medical gentleman, Is hose time
was valuable, proceed to examine them, and afterwards
resume the examination of Inspector Tedmar.
Mr. nobler and Mr. Flower were willing to accede to
the suggestion.
Mr. Henry Elsgood, Jun., of 14, Upper Brook-street
—I am a surgeon. I was called to the house of Lord
Wm. Russell et half-pest seven on the morning of the
6th May. I went up to his bed-room, and found some
policemen there. I examined his Lordship's bed. I
knew his Lordship by sight. I found his Lordship
in bed, lying partly on hia right side. I turned
the clothes down to examine him, and removed
the cloth from his face. I found him lying i❑ an easy,
quiet position. He appeared as though he had net moved
at all. His countenance was composed, He was dead.
I found a wound in t.is neck, extending to a considerable
depth and length. I should say it was such a wound
as would instantly destroy lite. It extended from
the top of the left shoulder to the right side of the
thyroid cartilage, which, though ossified, was entirely
divided, together with the cesophagus, the carotid artery,
and a portion of one of the cervical vertebrae. It was
about three inches in depth. The muscles of the neck
were entirely divided. His Lordship was a man of spare
habit. The greatest depth of the wound was at the
shoulder, and exposed the vertebrae, The wound was there
about five inches in depth ; the vessels had contracted to a
certain extent. I examined the bed, and there was no
instrument of any sort whatever near his Lordship nor
within reach of him. There were razors at the further
end of the room, but they were shut. His Lordship's
death was produced by that wound. It must have been
a very sharp instrument, and there must have been con-
siderable purchase. I should hardly think a razor was
an instrument of sufficient power. I should think the
wound had been inflicted by the right hand. I should
think the wound had been inflicted in the situation in
which I found him. There was blood upon the pillow close
by his neck. I saw a great deal of blood in the bed.
I should think his death was instanteoous. The wound
was an incised one. I think the blood was prevented fly-
ing about the bed, by the application of the pillow to the
wound immediately it was inflicted, which would direct
the stream of blood downwards. The wound appeared to
be one cut. It is impossible he could have done that him-
self. On the Friday I saw two cuts on the thumb of tke
right hand. The ball of the thumb s►as nearly severed, and
beneath it was a smaller cut.

' Mr. Nussey, 4, Cleveland-row—l am a surgeon. I was
the medical attendant of the late Lord W. Russell. I was
sent for to his house on the morning of the 6th May. He was
73 years age ; he wes of spare habit. I went to his house
on the morning in question a little before nine, and went
to his bed-room immediately. I found him in bed dead.
I examined him with last witness, and found the appear-
ances he had described. Seeing what had happened, I
desired thoss present to replace everything on the bed as
they found it. 1 could feel the cervical vertebrae ;it was
the fifth or sixth, and 011 C of the processes coming from it
had been actually cut off. It was physically impossible
he could have inflicted the wound himself. I remarked
that the left hand had a tight grasp of the sheet; it was
perfectly free from blood. I removed the sheet. The
ball of the right thumb was nearly cut off, and
hanging by a piece of skin. The elbow was
bent, and the hand on the chest. If the hand had been
raised it would have fallen so in the act of death. I ap-
prehend the wound of the thumb arose from an almost in-
voluntary effort on his part to put up his hand, when the
same instrument that inflicted the wound in the throat
would cut the thumb, and the hand would fall in the act
of death. I have never attended him for any wound. I
coincide with the explanation of the last witness as to the
flow of blood. There was none on the top of the bed or the
counterpane.

Inspector Tedman recalled—He continued his evidence
as to the state of the back drawing-room. I found a
Devonport writing-desk broken open, and papers scattered
about.' There was a bunch of keys on the hearth-rag ;
There was a chair near, on which was a chisel. I took it
up. The prisoner was there. I said, Does this chisel belong
to you? He said, It does. I said, Did his Lordship use it
yesterday ? lie said, Ido not know. I then went down
into the front parlour, and found three drawers in the side.
board pulled out. On the carpet a silver dish and stand,
and a plated candlestick. I asked the prisoner if there
was anything moved, and he said, " Yes, some spoons and
forks," that was after looking them over. Me said he did
not know how many. I looked into the back-parlour,
where there was nothing particular. I then went
into the passage, and found the napkin pro-
duced tied up, and inside it the silver dish-cover, sugar
dredger, teaspoon, thimble, and the top of a pepper-castor,
and a Cayenne spoon, a gold pencil case, and tooth-pick
and a gold mounted case, and a pair of spectacles out of a
case—the last three articles were in the folds of the napkin
outside. I found a cloak folded up and an opera glass upon
it, in the case as it now produced. Prisoner said it was
his Lordship's cloak, and that the other articles were his
property. I said no thief would ever leave this property
behind. He said, It is something very odd. I asked him
about fastening the street- door that night. He said, I
fastened it myself. He showed me bow, by putting the
chain up, locking it, and bolting it. I asked him how ,he
found it that morning. 1-1,3 said, as you see it now;
he meant unbolted, unchained, and the lock back, so that
All the
d
any one could let themselves in with a key. I then pro-
ceeded to the front kitchen. I examined the drawers ;
they were all drawn out, and everything in them disordered.
Traheweprsrihsoanveerloacnk.
housemaiddstheNoneof
them
seemed present.
forced.A
cupboard doors were open, and the locks sprung. The
bolts were shot as if open. The locks of the drawers did
not appear disturbed. There is a door from the kitchen to
the front area. There is no appearance of damage to it.
It has good fastenings. I then went into the butler's pantry.
There is a large press there ; I found it open. It seemed to
have been forced as if by seine circular blunt instrument,
and there was also the mark of a chisel. There were locks
in the drawers and the door. Great force seemed to have
been used. The bolts had been shot. There is a window
over the sink ; it looks into the back area ; it was unfast-
ened and is close to the fire-place. I asked him if he had
fastened the window last night ? He said, Ido not think
I did, but am not certain. I asked him if there was any-
thing missing then ? He said he did not think there was.
I then vvent to the back area door and examined it
in prisoner's presence. There were various marks
en the door and door-posts. 1 pointed them
out to him, and he pointed out others to me which I had
not ob,erved. Mr. Baker came in, and prisoner left me,
I examined the other parts of the premises, but could see
110 marks on the walls anywhere. There is a slating on
the top of the wall, and that was not touched. No one

could have come over without disturbing that slating. I
afterwards went up to the sleeping-rooms of the servants.
The prisoner took me and Inspector Beresford into his
room. He pointed out and opened his boxes. There
was a box, a portmanteau, a carpet bag, and a
chest of drawers. In his box where he kept
his clothes, I found this purse containing a 51.
note and six sovereigns. I showed it him and
asked him where he got the note. He said, " I changed it
for his Lordship a few days ago. I gave him change for
it." He said the whole of it was his own money, and that
he had had it some time. I saw Beresford take a chisel
out of the portmanteau. There were two shirts examined
then, but we could find no marks of blood upon them. There
were eight other shirts in the room, and one the prisoner
had on. There was no blood on any of them. I asked
prisoner if he had anything on him. He unbut-
toned his clothes and turned out all his
pockets very readily. He had a few shillings
in his trowsers pocket. I did not perceive any locket. I
remained in the house. On the Wednesday and Thurs-
day night the prisoner slept alome. We had searched
the bed on the Wednesday; the bed clothes were down,
and it seemed hollow in the middle ; but it is difficult to
say if any person lay in it, as a person lying in it would
make but little impression. He had access to those rooms
in the day time. He was watched so as to prevent his
communicating with the other servants, but nothing
further. He had opportunities of going into the room un-
accompanied by any person. He had a clean shirt on on
the Wednesday. I should not think it possible for any-
thing to be concealed in the bedroom. The search was a
general one. The prisoner was removed on the Sunday
night to the station-house. There was an application on
the day of the last examination, the 13th, for the prisoner
to be supplied with fresh linen. I got it out of his room,
accompanied by the Sergeant, D 13. I looked out from
the portmanteau in which I had seen those shirts the linen
that he desired. On that occasion I unfolded the shirt, as
I had done in the first instance. I took it up and shook it,
and those gloves (produced) dropped out of it.—(The
gloves are of white cotton, and are spotted with blood. )
They were not there when I searched it. No linen had
been placed there to my knowledge after I searched it,
unless the prisoner placed it there himself. There
has been other linen brought for the prisoner
since he was taken away, which I have taken charge
of. It bas remained untouched until to-day under
lock and key, so that it could never have been in his
possession. It is a clean shirt. The gloves were marked
with blood, as they are now—the left-hand glove. I have
examiqed the prisoner's hand, and find no mark of any cut
or scar.

By Mr. Flower—You found those gloves eight days
after the man was searched? Witness—Yes, Sir.
By Mr. HALL—There is no lock on the bed-room. The
portmanteau was unlocked. No one but the police and the
female servants had access to the room.

Inspector Davis, C division of police—l went to Lord
W. Russell's on the morning in question. I saw the
prisoner and last witness there ; we went up stairs directly.
I saw the room in which Lord William was lying, in the
state Mr. Tedman has described it. I afterwards exa-
mined the marks on the back door leading to the area. I
should say that if the door were shut many of them could
not have been made, as the marks on the door-posts did
not correspond with marks on the door. Some were con-
siderably lower than the corresponding marks.
Mr. Flower—This is mere matter of opinion after all.
By Mr. HALL—I should say the marks, were made
by some dirty blunt instrument. At the lower
bolt, which would not catch at all, there were marks
of great violence where there was least violence
necessary. There was a slight black mark in the bruises
of the wood. This did not appear to have been done by re-
gular means. Had it been done with a jemmy outside,
there must have been marks on the outside of the door-
post. The socket of the upper-bait was an the floor, with
two nails in it; it had been forced off; it was lying on the
ground inside. If the bolt had forced it off, the socket
would have presented the same appearance, but there must
have been marks of much greater violence on the
outside of the door. My opinion is, that it was
forced off by an instrument after the door was open.
There is a mark in the door post as if this bad been the
case, and in the mortar beyond there is a mark as if some
blunt instrument had gone through the socket and made it.
This mark could not have been made by the bolt, for I
have shot it and it will not reach the mortar. I should
say it was recently done, because part of the loose mortar
was hanging from it. There is a place called Ham-yard,
at the back of Lord William's house. I went there and
got on the roof of the house; at the top I saw no marks
on the roof. I came down on Mr. Cutler's leads, and
saw marks which I understood to have been made by
other constables. I returned to Lord William's
room, and the prisoner described various articles
as missing, amongst others a gold watch and three seals.
The watch had the words " Lord William Russell" en-
graved inside, and one of the seals had his Lordship's
arit,s on it. After saying the coat of arms was a goat, he
said I can give you the impression, and he gave me the
ono produced. He said the watch was by a French maker,
but he did not know the name. I assisted in searching
the rooms of the female servants, and found nothing there.
I searched the prisoner's portmanteau ; about the centre I
found a carpenter's chisel ; this was on the Wednesday.
I produce the chisel. The prisoner saw it when it was
found, but made no remark. I produce the rushlight found
in the shade in his Lordship's room. I asked the prisoner
about it, and remarked to him that it must have been
blown out, as the tallow had run down. I procured a
rushlight from the same parcel and lit it, and it took an
hour and a half to burn down to the same length. The
prisoner told me he had lit it up at half after 12.
By Mr. Flower—Tedman was present when I made the
observations about the wall and bolt. Prisoner was in his
pantry at the time, and came out to see what we were
doing, but no observation was made to him.
Arr. Hobler said that the next witness to be called was
Inspector Pearce, whose evidence would take a long while;
he had besides nine other witnesses to examine ; therefore
he would propose, if it met with the approval of the Court,
that the further consideration of the case should be
postponed until to-morrow morning.
Mr. HALL--. Very well—let it be so then. Prisoner you
are remanded until to-morrow morning—ten o'clock.
The prisoner was then removed. He looked much
paler and thinner than on the last examination, and was,
during the latter part of the day, accommodated with a
chair. The Court was crowded during the whole day.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS,

FROM THE DAILY PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
(From the Globe.)
There is a double character in the Church, which has
lately been vet), visible in the various modes of agitation
which have been carried on in its name. There is the
proprietary and the properly ecclesiastical character—the
private End the public element in the present constitution
of the Church. Till late times, these are almost avow-
edly hostile to each other; the vis inerticc of the clerical
body decidedly discouraged its extension. Those who
were in the enjoyment of what Gibbon called "the fat
slumbers of the Church," had no wish to have those slum-
bers disturbed by bringing new labourers into the vine-
yard. We may affirm, without fear of contradiction, that
the Church, as a body, opposed extension. The Church
did not want anything done for it, hut to "let well alone,"
its maintenance in possession of its rich endowments, and
the mere ignoring and non-recognition, on the State's
part, of other commuaions--or the positive exclusion of
that which had formerly been deemed the most dangerous
—fully satisfied the representatives of clerical interests.
Far from compassing sea and land to make proselytes, the
Church, as a body, declined the aid of those of its friends
who would have extended its means to do so.
( Fiom the Standard.)
The motion to get rid of Lord Stanley's rim was made
by a Repealer, Sir William Somerville. Mr. O'Connell,
Mr. H. Grattan, and all the other Repeaters, were the
most active supporters of the Ministerial Opposition. Can
there be a doubt that these gentlemen feel themselves in-
debted for their seats, not to the honest votes of honest
constituents, but to perjury and fraud ; and that having
effected a Repeal of the Union, they would be careful to
place perjury and fraud in the position of power ?---[Truly
an amusing and conclusive sample of Tory logic !3
(From the Courier.)
We understand the Ministers do not find the Stanley majo-
rity so contemptible as their underlings affect to consider it,
and that a Cabinet Council is sitting, while we now write,
discussing the question of retirement from the scene of
continuous disgrace, or immediate dissolution. As to the
former, it would be hailed with satisfaction by all Europe,
Asia, and America; but with respect to a dissolution of
Parliament, the Ministers have not the moral courage to
encounter a measure which must inevitably terminate in
their utter defeat. After another general election, the
whole power of the Court, backed by all the potent and
highly respectable influence of the Bed-chamber folks,
would not be able to support them a week longer in office.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN YORK

inquirers were assembled near different parts of the fabric,
the public being carefully excluded from the interior.
The manner in which the disastrous conflagration origi-
nated remains enveloped in mystery, various ru-
mours being prevalent, but that which is most
current as well as most probable is, that it has
accidentally originated during the proceedings of
the workmen engaged in the belfry in the repairs
of the clock. But this at present is mere conjecture.
Doubtless a searching and minute investigation will be
made by the Cathedral dignitaries, or the Lord Mayor and
Magistrates of this city, and every individual connected
with the building will no doubt be examined before them ;
whose evidence, we trust, will clear up the mystery in
which the origin of the catastrophe is now enveloped, and
establish the fact, that the regret which all must feel at a
large proportion of this venerable fabric—so long the pride
of England and the glory of Yorkshire—becoming a heap
of ruins, cannot be added to the indignation that it has
been destroyed by a malicious enemy, or a wild and wan-
dering fanatic.

Various estimates have been formed, some of them per-
haps by persons well qualified to judge, of the amount
which will be required to restore the Cathedral to some-
hing approximating to its original grandeur. These esti-
mates, however, are premature ; but we have no doubt
that whatever may have been the origin of the fire, there
will not bo wanting a spirit of high-minded and honourable
generosay amongst the nobility and gentry of this county,
and throughout the kingdom, to restore the edifice to its
wonted beauty and magnificence, whatever may be the
expense, and whatever the consequent sacrifice, which
they may again be called upon to make.
That portion of the Minster, whose destruction we now
sincerely deplore, was begun in the year 1291, by John le
Romaine, then Archbishop, son of John le Romaine,
treasurer of the church, who built the north part of the
transept in the year 1260. The Archbishop himself laid
the first stone with much ceremony, attended by the
Canons, in their richest copes. It was afterwards finished,
with its noble towers, by Archbishop William de Melton,
about the year 1330. Thus, after having withstood the
changes and mutations of time, and after having had its
aisles paced by splendid and ecclesiastical processions of
the ancient faith, occupied by the less ostentatious display
of the Protestant Church, filled with Cromwellian soldiers,
threatened by gloomy iconoclasts, and rich in the recollec-
tions of more recent and peaceful times, through a period of
510 years, in one night has its glory been brought to
nought.

It be remarked, that the very tower, in which Jona-
than Martin made his first attempt to destroy the Minster,
on the night of the 2d of February 1829, but which he
could not accomplish, is the one in which the present dire-
ful calamity commenced.