The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-22 00:00:00

- DREADFUL
(Abridge&frOm the Hull Rockingi--
-To inquests were held last night at
cbates Tavern, Wincohnlee, before John Thor-
ney, Esq., Coroner, and'a respectable Jury, on
the bodies of Robert Hickson, and Sarah Hick-
son, his wife. After having been sworn, the Jury
proceeded to view the bodies. They were found
lying side by side on a slight raised platform, in-a
small, neatly-furnished room in Owen's-square,
New George-street. The sight was a most
appalling one, the throat of the man being cut
from ear to ear, whilst the woman's skull was
literally smashed to pieces. The floor was deluged
with blood, but partly covered with saw dust.
Immediately over the corpses was a portrait of'
Hickson, painted in oil by himself, and said to
be
,a correct likeness. In another part of the
room was a painting of Christ, in the same style
as the portrait, and most likely done by the de-
ceased.
The Jury then returned to the tavern, where
an inquest on the body of Robert HiCkson com-
menced. •
Selina Hickson, a child seven years old, the
daughter of the deceased, having been told the
nature of an oath, which she appeared perfectly
to comprehend, was.sworn and said,—l am going
of eight years old, and lived with my father
and mother. They quarrelled yesterday about
marrying. I got my breakfast with them this
morning. My father went out soon after break-
fast. He was deaf and dumb. He came back
at twelve o'clock to-day to his dinner. He came
in dripping wet, and mother said she was so poorly
she could scarcely wash for him, when he
took a razor and cut his throat. He was angry
because there was not a dry waistcoat for him to
put on. Mother, talked to him with her fingers.,
Father seemed in a passion when they were
quarrelling,.hut I have seen. him worse before.
We were getting our dinners, and so_ was mother
when he came- in. He took up a . poker from
the fireside and struck mother four or five times.
She fell doWn on the hearth, and -I never heard,
her speak again. Father took a razor from; the
cupboard top and cut' his : then I ran out.
Mary Lee was sworn, but her evidence was
unimportant.
Francis Lee deposed—l am a mariner, and
live in Owen'S-court, near the deceased. lißetween
twelve and one o'clock to-day I was getting my
dinner, and I heard a screaming in the square.
I heard a woman say, " Oh dear, Mr. Hickson
has cut his throat." I went in and found him sat
on the floor against the drawers with his head
knocking about and his throat cut. His wife was
laid on the hearth bleeding. He was bleeding
frOm the throat. I saw a razor lying on the floor
partly covered with blood. I have known Ro-
bert Hickson four or five years. Never saw any
thing to induce me to believe he was not of
sound mind.
John Binning deposed—l live in Lucas-square,
No. 9, and am a dealer in coals. Robert Hick-
' son has been in my employ off and on more than
seven years. Was in my employ to-day as a
coal-porter. He was at work to-day till half-
past twelve. He left Charter-house crane at
half-past twelve or twenty-five minutes to one.
I observed that he did not look as usual, and
he made a sign to me that his depression was
caused by his wife having committed„ adultery.
He said he would shoot the man. I understood
his signs, and made him understand he must not
do so. This, was sometime before dinner. He
helped me to deliver fbur half chaldrons, and
was as keen of working as ever.
By aJuror—l first saw him depress7ed on Wed-
nesday last. He never mentioned anything re-
specting being jealous of his wife till that day.
Have heard a man, named Charles Richardson,
say that he had walked with Hickson's wife, and
would do so again. I. told him he might be
ashamed of himself. Richardson worked for me
as well as deceased. He is about 20 or 21 years
of age, and not married.
Charles. Richardson was sworn and said—l live
in Aldborough-street, and am a coal-porter in
the employ of Mr. Binning, Have known Ro-
bert Hickson eight or ten years. Have worked
with him about twelve months. He made
a great noise in the street either on Tues-
day or Wednesday, and seemed angry; but I
could not tell what he meant by his signs. He
accused me of having been connected with his'
wife, but very little. Has never repeated the ac-
cusation. He appeared quite lively this morning
when he came to our stable, smoked his pipe,
and offered me his tobacco box. I saw him at a
quarter to one this afternoon at the corner of
Charter-house-lane.
By a Juror—Was never at Hickson's house
but twice; last time was a fortnight ago. Never
met his wife at Mr. Binning's stables. Have
spoken to her in the street, but nothing more. I
never met her by appointment, and have only
walked the, length Of a street with her when we
met accidentally. Will swear that I never knew
whether she was man or woman.
Several Jurymen expressed themselves as .per-
fectly satisfied that this witness was morally
guilty of the deaths of the deceased.
John Binning was recalled, and questioned by
the Jury. He said—l taxed Richardson with
being too kind with Robert Hickson's wife, the
morning after she had been at the stall. He
said that was not the first time she had been
there.
Charles Richardson—l told Mr. Binning that
it was of no use her going to the stable, as her
husband was in bed.
The CORONER—You, Richardson, are guilty in
the minds of the Jury, and have had recourse to
perjury to cover your crime. I have no power
over you, and you may retire. If you have
caused the deaths of these two persons, I hope
you will repent, for the offence is of a most hor-
rible description. The matter rests within your
own conscience.
John Hickson examined-=-I am brother to the
deceased, Robert Hickson. About eight or nine
years ago, he was very fresh and knocked two
young men down in the street. We got him to
bed and thought he was all right? but he got up
and seized an old sword, with which lie got upon
a wall. We secured him, and he was quite sane
in the morning.
The Jury returned a verdict of temporary in-
sanity, caused, in their opinion, by the improper
conduct of one of his fellow-workmen, with re-
ference to deceased's wife.
Immediately afterwards, the inquest on Sarah
Hickson, the wife, was held, when the Jury re-
turned a verdict of " Excusable homicide."

DARING HIGHWAY ROBBERY

NEAR KENDAL.
(Abridged from the Kendal Mercury.)
A daring highway robbery, accompanied with extreme
acts of violence, was committed on the evening of Satur-
day last, on the Kendal and Sedbergh road, aout three.'
miles from the former place.
Mr. John Benson, who has travelled that road, as a
carrier for upwards of 30 years, was passing along, on
horseback, about half. past six o'clock in tho evening, when
he -was suddenly attacked in a furious manner by some
ruffians, who sprang out of a plantation by the road side,
pulled from his horse, and savagely beaten on several parts
of his body. They then robbed him of all the money which
he had with him, and which consisted of 451. in bank
notes, eight sovereigns, three guineas, and some silver,
with which they decamped, leaving Mr. Benson lying
senseless in the road. In the struggle the horse made
off, and was not found until next day. Soon afterwards
a person proceeding home from Kendal market found the
sufferer in this deplorable condition, and he was con-
veyed to the Greyhound public-house, not very far
distant from the scene of the robbery, to which
place medical aid was promptly despatched. Infor-
mation of the robbery was speedily conveyed to Ken-
dal, and Mr. Wright, the Superintendent of Police, being
told that one of them wasjall and well-dressed, attended
with policeman Grimes, went with all speed to the rail-
way station, to watch the travellers as they booked.
'Presently, a tall and fine-looking gentleman arrived,
and on the sight of Mr. Wright seemed to hesitate
about booking. Ile was muffled up, and had every ap-
pearance 0r a commercial traveller. Mr. IVright imme-
diately suspected him of being one of the highwaymen
who had robbed Mr. Benson, and went up to him for the
purpose of speaking to him. As soon as Mr. Wright
touched him, he made a terrific spring, and at one bound
cleared the whole of the steps at the front of the Railway
Station, but stumbled a little from the very heavy shake he
received on alighting. As soon as the gentleman in
disguise sprang off,.lllr. Wright, determined to secure him,
also cleared all the steps at a bound, and seized him,
when a dreadful struggle ensued, during which both
were on the ground. Policernan Grimes came up, and,
with the help of others, he was, though with great diffi-
culty, taken to the station, and from thence was conveyed
to Kendal on Sunday. evening.
It has been ascertained that he is a person of the name
of Christopher lon, who for some years kept the Black
Bull public .house in Kirkland, Kendal, from which he
removed to Liverpool about twelve months ago, where
it is understood he has been keeping a low beer-shop.
lon had formerly liied as a servant with Mr. Ben-
' son, and knowing his habit of generally proceeding
from Kendal on Saturday evenings with a quantity of
money on his person, it is presumed he had gone to
' Kendal for the especial purpose of committing the rob-
bery. Mr. Benson was so far recovered as to be abte to
visit Kendal on Wednesday. In consequence of so many
alarming and desperate robberies in the neighbourhood,
the Secretary of State for the Home Department has
been requested that a Government reward might be
offered, and a pardon held out to any accomplice.

BRISTOL, SUGAR MARKET, Nov. 19...._
Sugars remain very firm, and the better qualities rather
dearer. We have still the same observation to make re-
lative to our market ; " hardly any thing doing for
want, of a supply." We have no Mauritius, no Bengals,
and the show of West India, during the week, not worth
notice.—Bristol Mercury.

Fri/DER and SUICIDE
-7--..1 of S HAAII3URCLI-Land ' FLAX BUS-41AI L.
- -y.) HANOVER, Nov. 14.—Private letters from Brunswick,
-aturda "'A Sett).- which may be depended on; have just brought us word
that the Chamber there has resolved to let the Customs
•.'`
T-Tanover continue for another year.
---,her of ships, of all nations, that
1841,- was—from the
.. 4.1. 1,829. Of
• • Rl3;

union wr L..
ELSINORE.—The nu..
passed the Sound, in October, -
North Sea, 1,303 ; the Baltic, 526 ;
these 493 were English—viz., from the North Sea,
the Baltic, 180.
WARsAW, 'Nov. 7.—The Vice-Chancellor of the Em.
pire has informed the Prime Governor of the Kingdom
that his Majesty has recognised Colonel Du Plat, who
lately arrived at Warsaw, as a British Consul for the
kingdom of Poland.—Prussian States Gazette, Nov. 14.
BRUSSELS,' Nov. 18.—A letter from Luxembourg.
published in the Cologne Gazette, 12th November, states
that a commercial treaty between Holland and Belgium
has been concluded, and will shortly be laid before the
Belgian Chambers.
The Journal of Dutch Limburg says that the King of
Holland has appointed two engineers to prepare as soon
as possible a plan for an iron railway from Maestricht to
Aix-la-Chapelle.
BRUSSELS, Nov. 19.—Generals Vandersmissen and
Vandermeeren, and Captain de Crehern are placed in
in small rooms, but all communication with the other
prisoners is prohibited. The remainder aro still in
the cells of the military quarter.
BELGIAN M UNDS...I3BUSSIILE, Nov. 19.
Actual Debt, 2% per Cent.
Rothschild's Loan, 5 per Cant lOl
Loan of Thirty Millions, 4 per Cent 92
Sper Cent.
71E,,
..
101 U
(1340)
Loan of City, 1732, 4 per Cent. .. 9-134
Society of Cowin-ince, 4 per Cent lOl%
Bank of Belgium,. 5 per Cent.... .........
NationalSomety.
Exchange on,Londow (short)
—Brussels Papers, .Nov 19.
NiAjeomDwoUrdtiltsd't(yonf-.lds:FepeU4r:CDpeenS.:—..
Cent.,Amar N!Yv. 1591.
Actual Debt, 2 h per Cent.
99%
9614
Do. do. 3% per Cent.
Commercial Company, 4% per Cent 15%4'
97q je

Dutch Papers, Nov. 20.
AUSTRIAN FUNDS.—VigNsa, Nov. 11
Five per Cents.
hletalliques
F"r Per COAL ••..."•"... eeeeee •••••••••• 000000000000 98%
Three p,:r Cents
Bank Shares 1561
...Allgemeine Zeilung. Nov. 16.
HA SIBU RG BORSENHALLE, Nov. 16.
Bills. Money
Austrian 5 per Cents.
Bank shares 1590.

Anglo-Russian Loan lOB% 109
Russian 5 per Cent. Ist series, Certificate
Inscription, Ist Se,ies loid
Rusilan 5 per Cent. Hope and Co. 3d and 4th
Series ... IA% 98
Ditto in Certificates
New 4 per Cent. (1840).....
Dutch actual Debt, 2% per Cent lO
Ditto 5 per Cent -
Polish Bonds
New ticket
Anglo-Danish Loan, 3 per Cent ~., 76 75%
Nmwegian Loan, 1834, 4 per Cent...". ..... ... Iti% 102 k
Spanish, New 5 per Cents.... .......... ..... .... 15%
EXCHANGES ON LONDON.
HAMBURG, Nov. IG.-13 7.—Two months, 13 53;.
CHRISTIANIA, Nov, B.—Three months, 4 52.
PRUSSIAN FUNDS.—Beaurt, Nov. 13.
Bills Money.
St. Schuld. Sch., 46 per cent. lOl% .05%
Prussian English Loan, 1830,4 per cent 102
Exchange on London, three months 6 16%
—Prussian State Gazette, Nov. 14.