The Sun.
London, England, 1840-05-15 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1840.

table ; there was nothing on it. There was a great deal I
of blood on one side of his face and on the pillow. The !
shutters were then quite open. All the things he used to
keep on the dressing-table, such as his rings, his pencil-
case, and toothpick, were all gone. His Lordship was
accustomed to wear a small wedding-ring, a large thick
plain gold ring, a large ring with a large dark stone in
it, engraved with an animal ; another ring with a smaller
stone, and another which I cannot describe. I have
seen these articles many times, and should know them.
I have seen a silver medal, with a ribbon
to it in his Lordship's possession. The one produced is
the one, it used to be kept in a box by his Lordship's bed.
I have never examined it, but I believe it to be the same.
The rings produced are those his Lordship used to wear.
The witness also identified the pencil-case, toothpick, spec-
tacles, and other articles, which were produced by the
police, as the property of Lord William Russell. The
napkin was also isroduced and identified. It was marked
"W. R., No. 2." It was the one found in the passage,
which I had given out for his Lordship's use on the Mon-
day. His Lordship had some pieces of foreign gold in
his possession. The pieces produced resemble them. It
might be three months since I saw those coins in his Lord-
ship's possession. I know the purse produced. It was
Lord William Russell's. The Monday before his Lard-
ship's death I saw the rings all on his Lordship's table.
The pencil case and toothpick would be lying on the dress-
ing-table with the rings. This purse was not his usual
purse; his usual purse was a long silk one. I have had
conversations with the prisoner about money ; the last time
was Tuesday morning, sth May. Prisoner said he never
took any money out with him, and never left any at homa,
nor had any in the Bank. After that he said he had Si
and some odd shillings in the Bank. I asked him what
Bank, and he said St. Martin's-lane. I said that was the
best Bank he could put it in. He said that he had brought
some money to England with him, and all the money he
had then was 51., and he must ask his Lordship for more.
I asked him if he had spent all that money I saw him take
out the other day. He said he had, all but 3s. he had
paid a tailor's bill; that was all that passed then. At tea-
time Carr was talking about a rathe, and said be put pri-
soner down for one. He said he would be put down for two.
He said he was not so well off as when he came to England.
I have never seen any Bank-notes in his possession as his
own property. He had never shown me any, or boasted
of having any. The prisoner had been in the employ of
Lord William Russell five weeks on the Monday. James
Ellis was his Lordship's former valet.
Mr. Flower declined asking any questions at present.
In answer to Mr. HALL, witness stated that on Wednes-
day morning prisoner put on his coat as he was coining
down stairs. Witness went into prisoner's room the fol-
lowing day. There were no clothes lying about. Witness
did not hear any disturbance during the night. She never
woke all night.
Mary Hanel! was then sworn and examined by Mr
Hobler.—l was in the service of Lord William Russell
as cook. I had been in his service two years and nine
months. The housemaid was there before me. The pri-
soner had been in his Lordship's service five weeks.
James Ellis, the late valet, left the day prisoner came.
On the evening of Tuesday, the sth of May, his Lord-
ship dined at home. It was the prisoner's duty to wait at
dinner. There was a small quantity of plate used, which
I washed. I went out that evening a little before nine,
and returned a little before ten o'clock. I came in at the
street-door. Courvoisier let me in. The house-
maid was at home. I had some supper. Cour-
voisier fetched me beer. He went up the area
steps and returned. I believe he locked the gate, and
brought the key in. I do not recollect seeing the key in
his hand. He locked and chained the door when I came in.
I went up to bed. I believe the valet asked me to look at
his Lordship's fire as I went up. This was about half-past
ten. Nothing occurred during the night to disturb me.
His Lordship usually burnt a rushlight. The housemaid
was up first the next morning. I heard her knock at the
prisoner's door. I did not hear any answer. My door was
shut. The housemaid, in about five minutes, came back
and told me the house was in confusion. I desired her to
tell Courvoisier, arid she knocked at his door. I heard
them both go down stairs. I got up immediately and went
down stairs. I heard the housemaid scream, which fright-
ened me. I ran down, and she told me his Lordship was
killed. I went into the dining-room and saw the
housemaid and prisoner. He pointed out the
things lying about. He was sitting down with
pen and paper, as if going to write. He afterwards
was sitting in the back dining-room, and he said, •' Oh,
dear, they'll think it's me ; I shall never get a place again."
There were various articles lying scattered about the
dining-room and passage, as if they had been disturbed in
the night. After the police came in I went into his Lord-
ship's bed-room, and saw the corpse. I generally bolted
and locked the down-stairs doors, the front-kitchen door
and the back-kitchen door. I fastened the back-door
before I went out, and do not recollect opening it after-
wards. Ido not recollect whether I went to look at the
door the last thing. It was the man's business to fasten
the door that led frem the passage into the yard.

Mr. Flower declined to cross-examine the witness.

In answer to Mr. HALL witness said she had lost a
thimble, which she saw in a dinner napkin on the
morning in question, with the other articles. The thim-
ble produced is the one. She did not ace what the pri-
soner had written, but thinks it was in French.
Sarah Mancell re-called, and examined by Mr. HALL-1
cannot tell what the two words were the prisoner wrote.
I do not know whether be finished the letter and sent it off,
or what became of it. He said he must write to Mr.
Russell. _ _

On the application of Mr. Hobler;the further considera-
tion of the case was postponed till this day week at 10
o'clock precisely.
Mr. Flower said his client was anxious for the fullest
investigation.

:asioned by the retirement of Captain Probyn, is to be
supplied."
Mr. BROWN moved the adoption of the Report, the
statements in which, he observed, must be highly satis-
factory to the Proprietors.
Mr. FlidoENs, Chairman of the Stock Exchange,
seconded the motion in a very able speech, in the course of
which he highly complimented the Directors upon the
foresight and prudence which had marked their calcula-
tions and arrangements, and the result of which was so
gratifying to all those connected with the establishment.
The motion was carried unanimously.
It was then moved and carried that Robert Bell, Ecq.,
Isaac Nicholson, Esq., and Thomas F. Wilson, Esq.,
three of the Directors who went out by rotation, be re-
elected.

James Gordon Duff, Esq., was then elected a Director
in the room of Capt. Probyn, Who had retireii.
Mr. DUFF returned thanks for the honour conferred upon
him.

Mr. HICIIENS said he did not think they ought to sepa-
rate without offering their cordial thanks to the Directors
for the very able and ediciew manner in which they had
managed the affairs of the Company.
The motion having been seconded, was carried with ac-
clamation.

The CHAIRMAN, in his own name, and that of his brother
Directors, returned thanks for the confidence reposed in
them. He could assure the meeting, that so far as lay in
their power they would endeavour to promote the interests
of the Company.
Mr. 13itowNE said they had another duty to perform be-
fore they departed. All the ab'lity and exertion of the
Directors would be unavailing in bringing the affairs of the
Company to their present prosperous and satisfactory posi-
tion if they had not zealous and efficient agents.--( Hear.)
He had bred pleasure in moving a vote of thanks to Mr.
Robertson, the principal manager, and the other officers
of the establishment. . _

The
mR
no tni
Eo
nn T Isln• ass cr
ea
trur irende
du
Mr. The compliment that
't"lat thanks, mk
so.o si
had just been paid them was one that must be very gratify-
ing at all times, but it was particularly so on the present
ccasion, coming as it did from so respectable and nu-
merous a meeting. lie could assure them that no efforts
would he wanting on his part, or that of his brother offi-
ers, to forwarl the interests of the Company, and to en-
savour to merit on future occasions a similar honour to
that which had then tseen conferred on them.

I he meeting then Jcparated apparently highly gratified
with the proceedings of the day.

RUS,IAN POST-OFFICE DEPART-
MENT.

In the course of the year 1838 the receipts of
the Post Depaament yielded a sum of 12,760.872
roubles ass. ; the expenses having amounted to
6,370,680 roubles, the Treasury derived a net pro-
fit of 6,390,191 roubles. In English money—re-
venue, 531,000/. expenditure, 265,5001.—and
profits, 265,570/.
The following improvements have contributed
towards the increase of the Post-office revenue :

The light post between the two capitals, which
was despatched but twice a week, goes now six
times, and takes but two days and a half, instead of
five, to go over the same distance.

The Odessa post, so important owing to the
Black Sea trade, and the intercourse between that
city and Constantinople, has been rendered more
direct, and converted from an ordinary into an extra
post. It departs twice instead of once a week, and
is seven days less on the road.
For the interest of trade, extra posts have been
established between Moscow and Nijny Novo-
gorod during the fair, as well as between Kieff and
Riga, Kieff and Itomir, and Odessa and Warsaw.

Extra posts required by the Government have
been established from St. Petersburgh to Tiflis,
Orenburgh, Warsaw, and %Vilna. By these means
the Tiflis post has been accelerated by seven days,
the Orenburgh by six, the Warsaw by six, the
\Vilna by three, and all the intermediate places si-
tuated in those directions in the same proportion.
The light posts have also been accelerated by three,
five, and six days, between St. Petersburgh and
Tobolsk, Astrakan, Kaminiec Podolski, and many
other places.
To the frontier of Prussia, and the return by
Riga, instead of two posts there are now five a week.
The extra posts go that distance in a little more
than two days, and the ordinary posts in three, thus
keeping up a constant intercourse between the
commerce of St. Petersburgh and of Riga with
foreign parts.
The letters from Berlin and the other cities of
Germany arrive now in five instead of six days ;
those from Paris and London in eleven instead of
twelve. Previous to the conclusion of the conven-
tion with Prussia, letters from Berlin took nine
days, and those from Paris and London twenty-two,
to reach St. Petersburgh.
Since the arrangements entered into with the
Russian and Austrian Post-offices, the correspon-
dence between the South of Prussia and the North
of Europe is despatched by Warsaw and Russia,
and that between St. Petersburgh, Moscow, the
Governments beyond Moscow, and Italy, by War-
saw, Cracow, and Podgorge, by the means of extra
posts between the two capitals and Warsaw, that
from St. Petersburgh departing twice instead of
once a week. The Southern Governments have
obtained means of despatching their correspondence
with Austria and Italy, either by Radziwilow and
Novosselitsq, or by Warsaw, on paying in the latter
case the transit through the kingdom of Poland.
Before the late Convention, the letters between
Austria and St. Petersburgh passed by Radziwi-
low, and reached in 12 or 14 days in the fine sea-
son, and in 16 or 18 in bad weather. They now,
by Warsaw, take but nine days, when the diligence
which daily leaves Vienna for Warsaw, reaches the
latter city in time for the departure of the extra post.
The Post-office has ava►led itself for the des-
patching of letters of the steam navigation esta-
blished by Companies on the Baltic between St.
Petersburgh and Lubeck, and on the Black Sea
between Odessa and Constantinople.
The conveyance of parcels and goods has been
organised between Russia and Prussia.

The inconvenient regulation which permitted
letters to be received at the Pose-office but twice a
week has been abolished at St. Petersburgh and
Moscow. Daily posts fcr the summer have been
established at Tsarskoe Selo, Pauloosk, Peterhoff,
Oranienbaum, and Cronstadc ; and, lastly, a petite
poste has been established at St. Petersburgh.
The change introduced into the postage rates
has yielded a satisfactory result. Instead of seven
hundred different rates, as first fixed, after the num-
ber of towns served by the post, fifty-two have been
established, after the number of Governments; and
the conversion of those rates into silver roubles has
diminished them for a large number of places.
In 1839, with the Emperor's approbation, a
wholly new post operation was undertaken, by the
establishment of mail coaches, vehicles, and
britschkas for travellers. The object is to employ
the profit anticipated from it in introducing an im-
proved method of post conveyances. The building
of those vehicles, for which a contract has been en-
tered into, is in successful progress.

Those mail-coaches will be first established on
the line from St. Petersburgh to Moscow, and here-
after they will be established by degrees in the dis-
tricts where the state of the roads may render them
most expedient.
At Oustiloug, near Vladimir Volhynsky, a ser- '
vice for the despatching of money and goods to and
from Poland, has been established on the plan of
that existing at Brzcse-Litewski and Kowno. The
correspondence of the Governments of Podolia,
Taurida, Kherson, Penza, Orel, Catherinoslaff, the
territory of the Don Cossacks, the province of Bes-
sarabia, and the foreign Post-office of Yassi, is for-
warded to Oustiloug. This measure will have the
twofold advantage of embracing the transmission of
the letters destined for, the kingdom of Poland, and
of easing the business of the Brzese-Litcwski and
Kowno offices.
In order to revive the commercial activity of Ou-
ralsk, the correspondence destined for that place is
to be roceivcd by the extra post from Orenburgh to
St. Petersburgh, Moscow, Vladimir, Nijny Novo-
gorod, and Kasan.
With the Steam Navigation Office of Findland
an arrangement has been concluded, whereby
during the whole duration of last navigation the
single letters from St. Petersburgh to Rene! and
Pernau have been conveyed by the steam-packets
running between S. Petersburgh and Hclsing, for
and stopping at Revel.
The plan for the improvement of the post de- ,
partment throughout the empire is perseveringly
fol►owed up. In the course of the year 1839, one
hundred and forty-six post lines were put into ac-
tivity upon the roads of the capitals and chief
places of Government and districts, embracing
altogether a distance of 23,271 vversts.
A second class post-office has been organised at
Fort Bomborz, in Abkhasia. The letters for
Abkhasia and back, are despatched, between Tiflis
and Koutais, by the post existing upon that line ;
from Koutais to Bomborg, a new post service has
been established, which starts once a week, and
passes by the Cossack picquets.
(Extracted from the Report for 1839, presented
to the Emperor by the Director-in-Chief of the
Post Department.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMEN T.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, MAY 14.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'Clock.
On the motion of Mr. Alderman COPEL AND the
Tunstall Market Bill was read a third time and passed.
Lord SANDON presented petitions from the Mayor
and Corporation of Liverpool, against the Herculaneum
Docks Bill, and against the Liverpool Watch-rates Bill.
The River Wcar Watch Bill was read a third time and
passed.
Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition from the
Trustees under the will of the late Earl of Devon against
the Exeter Post Dues Bill.
On the motion of Mr. HODGES the Gravesend Im-
provements Bill was read a third time and passed.
Lord HOTHAM presented a petition from the parish
of West Mousley (surrey) in favour of Church Extension.
The Noble Lord presented also a petition from the Medi-
cal Practitioners of Great Ripon, in the county of York,
praying for Medical Reform.
On the motion of Mr. FRE S H FIE LD, Dr. Stock was
appointed to the Committee on the Divorce 13i11, in the
place of Mr. Sergeant Curry, lately appointed a Master in
Chancery in Ireland.

Sir GEORGE STRICKLAND presented fifteen pe-
titions from Bradford, Huddersfield, and other places in
the West Riding of York, against Church Extension.
Sir R. INGLIS presented eighteen petitions from
places in Essex, Surrey, Kent, Worcestershire, Somerset-
shire, Yorkshire, and Durham, against any further grant
to the College of Maynooth.
Mr. WARBURTON presented thirty-seven petitions
against the Copyright Bill, and a petition from Hudders-
field against the Beer Bill.
Mr. BAINES presented petitions from places in
Wilts, Sussex, Northampton, and Yorkshire, against
Church Extension; also twelve petitions from different
manufacturing establishments in the West Riding of York-
shire, praying for a repeal of the Corn-laws, and three
petitions for the repeal of the post-horse duty and the duty
on carriages.

Colonel THOMAS presented a petition from Kinsale
in favour of the amendment of the Registration Bill.
Mr. GIL LON presented petitions from Perth and For-
far for the repeal of the Corn-laws; a petition from the first
United Secession C6ngregation of Auehtermuchty, in Fife,
against Church-rates, and in favour of the release of John
Thorogood ; petitions from William Davidson, of Spring-
field, Glasgow, and Rahert Henderson, weaver, of Paisley,
praying for Household Suffrage, Vote by Ballot, and the
abolition of the Corn-laws; petitions from the Post-mas-
ters of Leith, praying for a repeal of the post-horse duty,
and from Lanark, Falkirk, Newton Stewart, and other
places to the same effect; also petitions from the Mail
Coach Contractors of the Great North Road, complaining
of the Post-office having been competitors with them in
the conveyance of parcels by the reduction of the postage,
in consequence of which the weight they had to carry was
greatly increased and their remuneration diminished.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE presented a petition from
Drogheda, against the Irish Registration Act.
Mr. CLAY presented 14 petitions from districts in the
neighbourhood of London, against the Corn-laws.
Captain GORDON presented 12 petitions from parishes
in the county of Aberdeen, in favour of the principle of
non-intrusion of Ministers.

Lord TEIGNMOUTH presented a petition from the
medical practitioners in Marylebone, praying for medical
reform, and one against any further grarit to the College
of Maynooth.
Lord WORSLEY presented a petition from the Dis-
senters of Southampton, and one from Lincoln, praying
for the abolition of Church-rates.

Mr. HUTT presented a petition from the Corporation
of Gateshead against that clause in the Constabulary Bill
consolidating the police of boroughs and counties. Also
one from the Fine Arts Society of Newcastle, praying
that the House would foster such institutions.

Mr. RICHARDS presented several petitions from
Merionethshire against any further grant to the College
of Maynooth.
Mr. BUCK presented petitions from North Devon
against any grant to the College of Maynooth, and also
against the Constabulary Bill.
Mr. Alderman THOMPSON presented a petition from
Sunderland in favour of Church Extension, and one from
the Presbytery of Newcastle against the grant to May-
nooth.

Mr. PLUMPTRE presented a petition from the Post-
masters of Kent, praying for a reduction of duty on their
trade; one for the maintenance of the present Poor-laws;
in favour of Church Extension, for the Better Observance
of the Sabbath, and against any grant to iVlaynooth.
Mr. STANSFIELD presented a petition from Hud-
dersfield and the neighbourhood, praying for the abolition
of the Corn-laws.

Mr. W. TURNER presented seventeen petitions from
Lancashire, praying for the total repeal of the Corn-laws;
also petitions against any further grants for Church Ex-
tension.