The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-15 00:00:00

" Desecration of the Dead.

" Vestry St. Ethelburga.
"My Lord, beg leave to contradict a state-
ment relative to 014 bural-ground of the parish of
St. Ethelburga N%hich appeared in the police reports
of Thursday last. So far from the spot having been
often the recipient of human remains, I in Confi-
dently affirm that during the four years of my incum-
bency no corpse has been buried, and I am informed
by the sexton that the soil has not been disturbed for
40 years or more. The skulls mentioned by your
correspondent did not meet my eye, although I stood
by when the entire mound of excavated earth was
returned to its former position, and with the exception
of a few trifling fragments, there were scarce any
human bones mingled therewith. The fragments of
coffins and offensive effluvium had no existence what-
ever except in the imagination of your Lordship's
correspondent.
" I beg leave to add, that while I strongly advocate
the discontinuance of intermural interments I also
deprecate groundless charges of shameful desecration.
" I have the honour to be your Lordship's obedient,
humble servant,
" J. M. ROD WELL, Rector of St. Ethelburga."
Mr. CAasox expressed surprise at the written con-
tradiction of the Rev. Gentleman, to a statement
every word of which was accurately true. It would
indeed be extraordinary if, residing as he did in the
immediate vicinity of the church, and having wit-
nessed the exhibition he had described, and requested
his Lordship would give the sanction of his authority
to the complete publicity of the letter, he had made
so erroneous a representation as had been ascribed to
him. It so happened that his brother-in-law wit-
nessed the disgusting scene which he had described, and
would readily come forward to confirm that description.
For his own part, he was desirous, if his Lordship had
no objection, to make affidavit of the truth of every
word in the letter.
Here Mr. Carson repeated his statement in the lan-
guage of the letter, and expressed a hope that the
neighbourhood would be shortly visited by the able
Commissioners appointed to make regulations for the
sanitary improvements of the people.
WORSHIP-STREET.

Yesterday John Press, a drayman in the service of
Messrs. Truman and Hanbury, the brewers, was
placed at the bar before Mr. Arnold, charged with
having stolen a kilderkin of ale, the property of his
employers, and Mr. Richard Pratt, a licensed victu-
aller in Cheshire-street, Bethnal-green, was charged
with having feloniously received the same, well
knowing it had been stolen, and also with having in
his possession two other casks, of which he was unable
to give a satisfactory account.
Mr. Marr, storehouse-clerk to the prosecutors,
stated that the firm he represented viewed the offence
in a very serious light, as they had reason to believe
that they had been robbed in this manner to some
extent, and had instructed him to follow up the case,
the facts of which were 711,t, the prisoner Press, who
had been a long time in their service, was sent out
on Saturday afternoon to deliver a quantity of ale
and beer at the houses of different customers, but
amongst whom was not the prisoner Pratt, who,
though he dealt with their house, had not ordered
anything considerable for some time. Press was ac-
companied by another drayman, named Shepherd,
and the latter, suspecting from the way in which the
ale had been delivered at Pratt's premises that it had
been stolen, disclosed the transaction to witness, who
referred to the books and found no such order had
been given, and it then turned out that the prisoner
Press had stolen it from a part of the warehouses in
which there were many thousand barrels deposited,
said done it in so open a manner that no suspicion
arose. On discovering these facts the partners in the
firm were apprised of them, and they gave immediate
directions for the apprehension of both prisoners.
The drayman, Shepherd, who had unconsciously
assisted at the delivery of the stolen ale at Pratt's
house, deposed, that upon so doing that person was
present, and that upon the other prisoner going up to
him and saying, "I have brought you a kilderkin,"
Pratt made no inquiries about it, but simply re-
plied, " Very well," and gave him directions where
to place it.
Sergeant Price, of the II division, stated, that upon
accompanying Mr. Man and another gentleman to
Pratt's house they found the kilderkin in question
placed in a passage leading to the cellars, and that
upon descending into the latter two other casks were
also pointed out by Mr. Marr, one of which was
empty and the other upon tap. Pratt was asked how
long he had been in possession of these last casks ?
and replied that he was not quite certain, though he
believed about three months, but upon some of the
ale being poured into a glass and tasted by the two
gentlemen, both decisively told him that thgf
tnat tie coma not have had it more than
a week, and demanded permission to take the casks
away ; upon which Pratt said that he could not tell
how they came there, and he would allow them to do
so. The butts were therefore removed, and the pri-
soners, on reaching the brewhouse, given in charge.
In answer to the case, the drayman, Press, said,
" I have been a very long time in Messrs. Hanbury's
service, and never had a word against me before," and
the prisoner Pratt exclaimed in a hurried mariner,
"Mind, the kilderkin was left there by mistake;
that's what I contend for."
Mr. Marr requested, on behalf of Messrs. Han-
bury, that the prisoners might be remanded, as the
firm had only been apprised of the circumstances that
morning, and had not had time to produce further
evidence, but at the next examination he should be
fully prepared to conclusively establish the charge
against both prisoners.
Each of the accused asked to be admitted to bail,
saying that they could obtain it to any amount, and
the Magistrate after some consideration acceded to the
request, by ordering Press to enter into his own re-
cognisance in 100/., and find two sureties in 501. each,
and Pratt to enter into his recognisance in 3001, and
find two sureties in 150/. each, and both to give 24
hours' notice to inquire into their solvency.
LAMBETH.

Yesterday Mr. Charles, alias Cromwell Hicks, a
middle-aged man of gentlemanly appearance and ad-
dress, was placed at the bar fbr further examination
before Mr. Elliott, on a charge of passing three
cheques, for various amounts, which were found to
be fictitious.
Mr. Thomas Pratt, army agent, of 34, King-street,
Westminster, deposed, that he did not hold any funds
belonging to the prisoner, nor had he authorised the
prisoner to draw the cheque produced.
Mr. Simpson, a baker in the 'Wandsworth-road,
deposed that on the Bth inst. he advanced 31. 103. to
the prisoner on a cheque for 71. 10s. drawn by the
prisoner on his father, Colonel Hicks., and made pay-
able at the office of Mr. Pratt, the Bast witness, and
on sending it there it was marked " No effects., '
Mr. Selswood, a grocer, 6, Belgrave-place, Wands-
worth-road, stated, that on the 28th of last month
the prisoner called at his shop and requested him to
cash a cheque for 21. 25., drawn by him on Colonel
Carruthers, of the 2d Foot, and which he said was all
he had received from the colonel out of 151. which he
owed him. He (witness) gave hie* the money for
the cheque, and passed the latter in a day or two
after to Mr. Underwood, a grocer, in James-street,
Covent-garden.
James Eccles, shopman to Mr. Underwood, deposed
that he presented the cheque for 21.. 2s. he then pro-
duced at the office of Messrs. Cox and Greenwood,
and was told that no advices had been received to pay
it, and as that was the second time of presentation it
was strongly suspected to be a forgery.
Mr. Thomas Flower, a stockbroker, residing in the
Wandsworth-road, stated that on thus 3d instant he
saw the prisoner, of whom he had some knowledge
from his having held a situation in the City. He on
that occasion produced a cheque which he had drawn
on Major Daniells, of the Coldstream Guards, for
151. 155., and asked if he knew any person who
would advance him 61. 10s. on it,, as he wanted
that amount very badly to pay his bookseller. Wit-
ness told him he had no objection to lend him the
money as it was so advantageous to him, and gave him
the 61. 10s. Some days after the cheque was presented
at Messrs. Cox and Greenwood's, where it was pay-
able, but it was not paid.
The prisoner, when asked what he had to say to
these various charges, replied that, notwithstanding
all that had been stated, every one of the three
cheques produced would be regularly paid. That
drawn upon his father Colonel Hicks would have
been paid before now but for the serious in-
disposition of the colonel. His intimate friend and
chum,lColonel Carruthers, of: the 24.1 Foot, he was
certain would honour the trifling. cheque on him,
and as for his college friend,%Major Daniells, there
could not be a shadow of doubt about his paying the
15 guineas. He (the prisoner) had been in his father's
regiment, and had always been upon terms of the
utmost friendship with Major-General Daniells, and
his son Major Daniells.
Mr. ELLIOTT—Then from your statement am I to
suppose that Major Daniells would give you a good
character. Prisoner—Most certainly.
Mr. ELLIOTT—Then I shall read you an extract
from a letter received from Major Daniells in refer-
,iice to your cheque, in which he speaks of your cha-
racter as follows:

" I know but two persons of the name of Hicks ;
one, Cromwell Hicks, who, after having lived upon
me for twelve months, was placed by nay influence in
a situation in the City, from which he bolted, leaving
debt of 5001, unsettled, and from that period has