The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-26 00:00:00

been reimbursed. I can't tell how many Conservative r The facts of the case were these !—An Irishman
voters there were io Old Basford ; there were a good named Owen Coughlin, who had been for the last eight
many mire than eight or nine. I ran about a good deal, years re,.ioing princ,pally in Bilston, and working as a
but I was never paid for it. I have been •ngazed in journeyman shoemaker, was in the habit of sending
elections for 33 or 34 Years. I think plaintiff ~btained a home 21. a month to his wife, who lived in Kilrush, in
license for his house, which is a very large one, in 1842, the county of Clare, by Post-office orders from B;lston.
just before the election. Scme of the parties drank ale All these went regularly except that which formed the
and porter, and some chose brandy. The smallest num- subject of this indictment. ..)n the 30th July, 1845,
ber I saw there was five or six. The election took place Coughlin went to the Prisoner and got a Post- (die order,
on the Thursday. On that day I breakfasted at my own as usual, for 21, took it home, wrote a letter to his wife,
house. I don't know whether the other people break- folded it, enclosed the Post-office order in it, made it up,
fasted at Nottingham. and went to the Post-office and gave it as usual, with ld.
Jane's Wesson, of Basford, framework-knitter—For for the postage, to the prisoner. The wife not receiv-
seven years I have been assistant waiter at Mr. Brown's. ing the letter or the order, Coughlin wrote three other
I remember the election in 1843. I was there on Sun- letters successively to. her, and, getting no answer, be-
day the 2d of April. I did not see Mr Sanders on that came surprised ; he then wrote to her mother, which
day ; but I did several times during the week. Last letter also did not reach, and at last enclosed a letter to
Sunday Mr. Sanders told me he had dined at 4r. John his wife in another directed to a man named Mangan.
Brown's on the Monday, and said, " I believe you did This reached her. Inquiry was set on foot, and on
too." I answered that I did not. I saw Mr. Sanders the 19th November she sent a memorial stating the
talking to Mr. Brown about election business, as I sup- circumstances to the Oestinaster-General, who, hay-
posed ;he called me and told me to fetch a jug of cold ing asked an explanation from the prisoner, re-
water. ceived for answer that no such order was ever

The JUDGE—And is that the reason you supposed they
were talking upon election business?—(Laughter.)
Witness—l fetched the water, and then he axed me
how I was?—(Laughtei.) I said, " Very well," and
then he axed me how tney were getting on up stairs? I
said there had been a bit of a demur about the el, ction.

obtained at his office. The prisoner about the same
time sent fGr Cuu.zhlin, told him that he was likely to
get into trouble on account of that Fost-office order, and
offered, if he would sign a paper stating that he had not
got the order at that office, t, give him back his two
sovereigns and ss. 6d. lor his expenses and trouble.

He axed me what ab,,ut? and I said that Mr. Brown had
not been paid tor the last, and the voters wi,hed him to
be made all right for this. He then told me he had given
Mr. Brown an I 0 U for 301, and said we might go and
enjoy ourselves. I should think 501. or 601. not too
much fur what was consumed. I took up a great deal—
ale, porter, cigars, tobacco, and the like. There was
meat and bread in every room, so that any one could get
a bit that liked. Mr. Sanders came to my house last
Sunday, and began to ask me about the election.
Mr. WHITEHURST—And what did you tell him?
Witness—Not so much as he wanted me, for I thought
he was pumping me.—(Laughter.) I told him two or
three names. He told me he had been at Mr. Hannay's
and George Rawson's, but they would do nothing for
him. At last he said he had axed 'em for a counsel.—
(Loud laughter.) They said they would see about that.
I told him the best plan would be to try and make it up.
Mr. Hannay is a magistrate. I have seen Mr. Rawson
once, but I don't think I should know him again.
Cross-examined—l suppose Messrs. !Janney and Raw-
son being to one party. Less was consumed at the first
election, because Mr. Brown had no I 0 U to go by, and
so he was more sparing.—(Laughter.)
lie- examined—l saw no one pay. I never saw no
money at all.—(Laughter.
Michael Brown, of Nottingham, attorney for the
plaintiff—ln the month of October last I applied to the
tefendant for payment; he came to my office. I
showed him the I 0 U I hold in my hand, and asked
for payment of the account. I knew that he had been
actively eneaged in the election, and I having been also
employed on the opposite side, we had a long conversa-
torn. I asked him how he had been so far wrong as
to enter into any engagement to pay at all? He then
told me he had been a great fool for his pains, and that
it would be a warning to him. He had been let into it
by the plaintiff's refusing to assist at the last election
until he had some security for the payment of his bill.
He went on to say that, at the election of 1842, the
plaintiff had had an account, and he believed that a Mr.
Carey had received the amount, but had never paid it
to the plaintiff. Ile added, that he had been sent once
by some parties at Nottingham, and he had thus got into
the dilemma; that the bill had not been sent in at the
proper time, and that the party would not now assist
him in paying it. I was anxious to have the matter
settled, and Mr. Rawson and Mr. Hannay being named
as the parties concerned, I asked him if he had seen
them? Ile said he had; and he requested me to see
Mr. Rawson. Accordingly I saw that gentleman on
the following day, and he told me that the whole
blame lay with Mr. Sanders, for not producing his bill
until the election matters were settled. as it he had done

Cougt.ffri agreed, s,gried the paper, Look the money. and
wr home to stop the investigation. But it was too
late. Tne Post•office authoritica were bent on instituting
an inquiry, and accordingly a bill of indictment was
presenter at the last summer assia-s. As soon as it was
found, the prisoner, who remained in Stafford up to that
moment, fled, and was not found out until last week,
when, it being discovered that he was living in Hull
under the name of Holmes, he was talc• n into custody
by Colonel Hogg, the deputy• superintendent of the po-
lice of this county, to whom he stated that he had been
on the continent until his money was spent, and then he
came back to get his property together, and go off
again; and admitted that he had paid 21. and a few shtl
lings to the shoemaker, and added that he would appeal
to the Postmaster-General fur a fret. pardon.
Mr. KETTLE having addressed the jury on behalf of
the prisoner, and called witnesses, who gave him an ex-
cellent character,
Mr. WIIATELEY replied for the prosecution.
His LORDSHIP summed up, and—the jury, after a
short consultation, having found the prisoner Guilty—
sentenced him to ten years' transportation.
Mr. Godson assisted to day in try ing prisoners.
(Before Mr. GoDsoN.)
John Love was indicted for the manslaughter of Noah
Hodgetts, on the 24th March last, at the parish of
Sedgely, by gross negligence, in leaving in one of the air-
holes of a mine a lighted candle, in consequence of which
an explosion of sulphurous gases took place, that killed
the deceased.
Mr. Greaves and Mr. Jackson appeared for the prose-
cuticn ; and Mr. Sergeant Allen for the defence.
It appeared that the prisoner, who was a mere working
man, was engaged on the day in question for the first
time in the mine. In the evening, before six o'clock,
the agent of the mine examined it with a safety-lamp,
and found the existence of sulphur, but permitted the
men to work on till the next morning. The prisoner
worked on till morning, and then left his work at the
hour at which he expected to be relieved, leaving a candle
burning. Some time afterwards the agent, with other
men who were on day-work. came down into the mine,
and proceeded as usual to buffet the sulphur ; that is, to
beat out the sulphur, so that it might escape through the
air-holes from the body of the mine, and in doing so,
being unaware that a lighted candle had been left in one
of the air-holes, forced the sulphur into contact with the
flame of the candle, whereupon an explosion took place
that killed seven men. It was charged against the pri-
soner that he was guilty of an omission of duty, in neg-
lecting to put out the candle before he left his work, in
pursuance of the rules of the mine.
Mr. Sergeant Allen, on the close of the case, objected

so it would have been paid. I saw Mr. Sanders again
the same day, and told him the result of my interview.
tic then fixed the following Tuesday as the time when
he would make some arrangement about the matter, in
the hope that the party would assist him. I saw Mr.
Sanders on the following Wednesday, and he told me
he had not been able to obtain anything from the party.
1 At last it was arranged that I should procure a writ
against him, in the hope th it it would induce the party
to come forward and help him. I afterwards saw Mr.
Hannay-, who gave a similar answer to Mr. Rawson.
The I 0 U was then put in and read.
Mr. MILLER made a long and ingenious defence.
After replying to Mr. Whitehurst's observations with
regard to Mr. Sanders, he argued that the I 0 U which
ha.i been put in only as evidence, and on which th.•
plaintiffdid not seek to recover, had in fact nothing to
do with the present debt, but with one owing in con-
nexion with the election f 1842. The plea of the Tip-
pling Act was suggested by the plaintiff's bill of parti•
culars. Its items were-285 glasses of brandy and
water, 71. 2s. 6d.; 156 glasses ram, 41. 35.; 302 glasses
of gin, 71. 111.; 80 gallons of ale, 61 13s. 6d.; tonacco,
11. 2s. 2,1.; r. fresh went:, 3/. 8:1. And there was another
account,-260 gallons of ale, 201.; cigars and tobacco, 21
55.; refreshments, 7/. 155.; total, 301.; thus taking ou, the
items for spirits, and doutiling the others to make up the
difference. The plaintiff had endeavoured unjustly to
extort money from the defendant, and, there-
fore, he was perfectly justified in plea ling the
statute. The Learned Counsel, in proof of his asst.r-
tom, read the following intimidating letter which had
been written by the plaintiff to the defendant :
" Vernon Areas, Ba.,ford, April 9, 1846.
" Sir,—The I 0 U you gave to me in April, 1843 I
beg to inform you is withdrawn from Mr. Patchett (a

that there was no evidence of the existence of any such
rules, or of the prisoner being aware of them.
His LORDSHIP, coinciding in the view, directed an
Acquittal.
CIVIL SlDE.—(Before Mr. Justice COLERIDGE and a
Specitl Jury.)
WHITMORE AND OTHERS V. PEAK.
Mr. Sergeant Taltourd, Mr. Pigott, and Air. Huddle-
stone appeared for the plaintiffs; Mr. Sergeant Allen
and Mr. Gray for the defendant.
This was an action of tiover by the assigr:ees of a
bankrupt, to recover 651., the value of a pianoforte which
had belonged to the bankrupt, and had got into the pos•
session of the defendant by fraudulent preference, as
the plaintiffs alleged, and by way of fair and bona fide
purchase, as the defendant contended. The case had
been tried at the Spring Assizes, 1846, when a verdict
passed for the defendant, which was aiterwards set aside,
on the ground of being against the weight of evidence.
The case occupied the greater part of the day. Con-
tradictory evidence was offered on both sides.
At the close of the case for the defendant Mr. Ser-
ge9nt Tat ourd replied.
His LORDSHIP ,urnmed up, and
The jury, after being closetted for some hours, re-
turned a verdict for 32/. 10s., exactly half the plaintiffs'
claim.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
BO W-STREET.
The Rev. Ridley Bay, a clergyman of the Established
Church, residing at No. 7, Manchester-street, Man-
chi ster-,quare, who gave the fictitious name of Juhn
Smith, was placed at the bar, charged by constable
PhelpN, 108 A, within decently assaulting several women
in Parliament-street and Whitehall.
The constable stated, that about eight o'clock in the
evening he saw the prisoner going up Parliament•street
towards Charing-cross, when he drove himselt in a rude
manner against five women who were passing.
The prisoner said he never littered a word to any per-
son, and, as none of the women had come f. sward to
prefer any complaint, he considered that the officer was
over-zealous in his duty, interfering with him for what
had happened in the most accidental manner.
Inanswer Inspector Stephens said that
the prisoner t)
appearedtheCoupret, rfeetly
sober when brought to
the station.
The constable said the prisoner certainly smelt of
(
liquor, but had not taken enough to prevent him from
acting in a proper mariner.
The prisoner admitted that he might have touched
some persons unintentionally, as he was walking very
utst. The witness then proceeded to state that the
prisoner might have easily passed without obstructing
any person, and in addition to the women alluded to, he
distinctly saw him place his hand on the back part of a
lady's person in a most indecent manner. Another was
obliged to push him from her, after trying to avoid him
for some }arils, and two others had their persons
assaulted in a very indecent manner. When the prisoner
was near Charing-cross, witness saw him stretch out his
arms to embrace two women who were passing, and took
him into custody. He had been occasionally within
three yards of the prisoner, and wore his uniform, to
answer the call of any person who might require his
assistance.
Mr. HENRY said that a series of offences against
i • decency had been I
public daily proved, although no one
had Colin.- fun% a? d to support the statement of the offioer,
who, as he understood from the inspector, was a very
steady, well-conducted man, and it was not to be won-
dered at that women feltgreatreluctanceto give evidence
on such occasions.

Ci;iist.rvative solicitor), and unless the Lull amount, 301_
is paid o me v‘itbin 14 days from the date thereof, I
shall put it into the hands of Mr. Browne, the solicitor
for the opposite party to us, with strict instructions to
proceed against you inarnedlatelyfoi the recovery without
further notice.—l remain, Sir, yours respectfully,
"J. BROWN."

_
The Learned Counsel then called
Hem us Crisp, agent, of Nottingham. who deposed that
on Sunday, April 2, 1843, he went over with Mr. Sanders
to the plaintiff's house at Basford, when the former
asked the latter if he would assist them at the election.
Brown said " lie would be d—d if he would until he had
been settled with for the other." Mr. Sanders said he
would talk to him about it, and they left the room. In
about five minutes they returned, and Mr. Sanders said,
" Then it's all right, Brown, no ; you will help us, will
you?" Brown replied, " I will." Witness was inte-
rested in the election. There were no public-houses at
the election it: 1843; he did not know one.
Frederick Lees, of Nottingham, attorney—l was en-
gaged un the part of Mr. Walter, jun., in 1843. At the
latter end of May, or the beginning of Julie, the plaintiff
called on me, in company with Mr. Sanders, in order
that I might see various parties, with a view to the
liquidation of his account. I told him I would do so,
and requested him to let me know what he wanted.
He then made a statement to me, which I saw was
put down in writing. It was to the effect that Brown,
of Old Basford, said his bill and money paid out of
pocket amounted to 101. 10.; ditto, 1843, 61.; two detec-
tors for the last election, 11. He also said that he had
paid to eight voters 151. Atter that I said, "Does that
comprise ad you want, or have you any other claims tor
Old Basford?" Ile said there were two other accounts.
one from a man named Fawkes, of New Basford, and
another from a man named Reagate, the former being
for 31. and the latter for 71. Casting it up, I found the
plaintiff's bill to amount to 421. I then said, "Is that
all?" and he replied, " Well, I ought to have something
fur my trouble and loss of time." I asked him if 51.
would satisfy him, and he said " Yes." The only item,
I considered as belonging to the last election were the
61. and I/. for the two detectors. There were no public-
huuses at the election in 1843. It was part of the
arrangement that no refreshments should be allowed.
Luke (Godhead, framework-knitter, of Basford—l was
canvassed at the last election by Mr. Brown, the plaintiff:
Ile told me that there was nothing at all allowed; he
did it all on his own account. I did not go to his house.
I breakfasted at Nottingham. I was on Brown's side at
the election before.
Mr. WHITEHURST, in reply, contended that Mr.
Miller's cas had nothing to do with the one they were
trying.
The Learned JUDGE, after commenting upon the evi-
dence, left it to the jury to decide whether the I 0 U
was given as a security for expenses to be incurred, or as
an acnowledgment of the former debt. The case cer-
tainly had a suspicious look.
The jury 'returned a verdict for the plaintiff—Da-
usages, 391. 3s. 6d., being the whole amount, minus the
charge for spirits.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Lord DENMAN.)
James Lydiat, aged 17, pleaded Not Guilty to setting
fire to a stack of oats, at Shelton, the property of itobert
Hall, on the 10th of July. It appeared that on the day
in question a man went to the house of Elizabeth Gil
bert, of Flawborougb, about a mile from Shelton, and
asked for a few matches with which to light his pipe,and
gave her a brush (which he said he had found in the
road) in exchange for the matches. The prisoner was
seen in Flawborough about that time.
John Phillipson, farming bailiff to the prosecutor, de-
posed to seeing the prisoner in the village on the night
in question. The fire must have begun at the south-east
i e
d thek of village,
boots
corner of the stack. The stack, which was worth about
1301., was all burnt.
Other
woman witnesses
ga
andOve deposedevidenceto i being
what
as to
he had on.
William Peacock, of Thoroton, met the prisoner about
10 o'clock, apparently coming from Sipthorpe. Witness
said he was going to see the fire, and prisoner asked
" Where?" and passed on in a direction from the fire,
He afterwards saw the prisoner standing against the fire in
custody of Louis Bridger, a policeman, who had met him
near the Four, Lane Ends, and, asking him where he was
going, he replied to Grantham. The prisoner had then
directed his attention to the fire, which the prisoner
said he...had before not seep, and that he had not been in
Shelton. Having heard that a tramp was suspected
he took him into custody, and on searching him he found
four matches in his pocket. Footmarks on the ground
near the stack corresponded with impressions from the
prisoner's boots. The bootmarks were in a line with the
stack.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty.
Sentence-15 years' transportation.
The assizes cuecluded at half past three o'clock.

.T inspector infOrmed the Court that, in addition to
roingbeen name, the prisoner had given a wrong address,
ascertained that he resided at No. 7, and
it
the ha w
having
not No. 1, Manchester-street.
Constable Dubbin, 146 A, proved having made in•
quiries at No. 7, Nl.,nchester-street, mid learned that the
prisoner had resided there six weeks; but nothing was
known
Scott, who ~xeept that he was a clergyman.
\lr. , who resides in Northumberland, anti occa •
sionally at No. 1, Manchester street, said he k .ew the
prisoner to have helo a curacy at Erscion, near Shield,and also one at Marsden, in '
d to vacate in consequence of the death of the
Kent, the last of which he
. lie was at present unemployed, and no
iwnscsu
mo bblei
ngt.
person was more capab!e of conducting a parish, as all
who knew him could testify.
..

Mr. HENRY said that he could not believe that the evi-
dence was incorrect w ithout imputing perjury to the
officer, and he was obliged to truer. the matter in a
summary way, in the absence of any person appearing
to complain against the prisoner. He therefore elite
upon him to find bail, himself in loot, and two sureties
in 501. each, to be of good behaviour fur three calendar
months.
The required sureties not being in attendance, he was
sent to i'othill-fields prison.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
Ann Barrett, a woman of bad character, was charged
on Saturday by Margaret Staples with having forcibly
torn a gold ring from her finger, and with also having
struck her a dreadful blow on the eye in order to enable
her to effect the robbery.
The complainant said she went into the Star and
Garter public-house, Poland-street, on Friday, at the
solicitation of the prisoner and another Irishwoman, to
hare something to drink. When she got into the house
the prisoner caught hold of her hand and tried to take
off her ring. She resisted, and a person who was in the
place told the prisoner to let her alone. The prisoner
attempted to pass off the action as a joke, and in a few
minutes afterwards she pushed her into the parlour and
shut the dour. When iu the room she received a violent
blow, which knocked her down, and she then felt that the
prisoner was tearing off her ring, Before she could give
a sufficient alarm the prisoner got off the ring and ran
out of the house. The prisoner was soon afterwards
taken into custody by a police-constable, with the ring
iu her possession.
A Witness proved that he saw the prisoner attempt to
take the ring from the complainant's finger, and that,
seeing the complainant was the worse for liquor at the
time, he interfered on her behalf. Shortly after this he
saw the cote lainant fall down like a log, and imme-
diately afterwards the prisoner ran out of the house.
afterwards
landlord proved that he detained the prisoner's
companion, and
gave information to a constable so as
eventually to lead to the apprehension of the prisoner.
Police constable C 76 said ha went in pursuit of' the
school-room
and found her concealed on the stairs of the
ehool-roorn in Mead's-court. The ring was found in
her possession.
The complainant showed her finger, which exhibited
marks of
violence as it' a ring had been forcibly torn
from it.

OXFORD ClRCUlT.—Stafford, July 24.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice EnLz.)
Edward Ingle, a respectable-looking man, of about 50
years of age, who was formerly postmaster of Bilston
in this county, was Indicted for embezzling, on the 30th
of July, 1843, a valuable security for 2/. Os. 3d., the pro-
perty of the Postmaster-General.
nut
Mr. Godson, Mr. %Vhatelev, Mr. Alexander, and Mr.
Bros appeared tor the prosecution, and Mr. Kettle for
the
d etence. Mr. Sergeant Allen was retained with him,
in consequence of being
Court: was no; %bin to timnd.
in tha isi Prius

The prisoner, in defence, said the ring was her
property.
She was committed.

FRENCH FLOUR. —The following arrivals of flour
hare taken place in one day from France, viz.:—The
Lord Glenelg, from Havre, 2,102 barrels ; the Lauri*
from Havre, 1,301 barrels ; and the Lively, from Bor-
deaux, 2.000 barrels of the article, the produce of France.
The !atom, arrivals have also included some suppliEs
pun frcA2 Kamm gni other pax is of Erauce.