The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-16 00:00:00

LONDON, gATILTRIDAY EyEN 'NO, JANUARY

gether guiltless, and was ready to make immediate resti-
tution, if it should be required.
Mr. Humphrey, on the part of Mr. Marget son, said
that that gentleman considered himself defrauded of
100/., and determined not to submit to the loss without
causing an investigation to be made. how he was de
prived of his money it was not necessary to state. Cer-
tainly he considered it to be a duty towards the public to
bring the matter before the Lord Mayor, and he had
refused to come to any private arrangement without the
sanction of his Lordship, and it was for his Lordship to
decide whether the case ought or ought not to be pro-
ceeded with. Mr. Margetson entertained no vindictive
feeling towards the defendants, but it would be madness
to say that the gentleman would not be rejoiced to get
back his money—CA laugh)----and he stood in the Court
to abide his Lordship's opinion as to whether the case
ought or ought not to be abandoned, and to act accord-
ingly at that moment.
The LORD MAYOR said it was quite impossible for him
to have anything personally to do with the business. It
apr eared to him, from the statements made of the
transaction, that a fraud had been committed against the
complain:int, and he was determined to make every
effort in his power, as a magistrate, to do justice in such
a case. However, there undoubtedly was, in his belief,
difficulties which a jury could not easily overcome, one
of the principal of which was the difficulty as to the in-
sertion of the advertisement, stating that the company
had determined to return 11. 12s. Gd. per share. He
felt, under such circumstances, that the course he. was
bound to take was to discharge the defendants, He at
the same time protested against the inference that such
a course was to be used as a means of compromise in an
act of fraud. The justice room should not be a place to
which people would resort to obtain rectitution for
money. At the same time he should be always -early
and willing to render any assistance to his fellow-citi-
zens against the machinations of unprincipled men.
The defendants then left the justice-room, and Mr.
Margetson having had his 100/. returned to him, retired
also.

SUICIDE OF AN ACTOR AT MAN-

CHESTER.

An inquest was held yesterday at the Royal Infir-
mary, Wore. Mi. J. Roberts, solicitor, the deputy co-
roner of the borough, on view of the body of Peter
Fitzsimon, comedian, aged forty years, a married man,
but not residing with his wife. Egerton Berry, of No.
22, Kennedy-street, stated that the deceased lodged at
their house, and had done so for some time. On Tues-
day evening, the sth instant, witness heard a knocking
in deceased's room, and on going there with a candla
saw deceased sitting on the floor, with his back to the
wall, and his throat cut and bleeding. Witness ran
down stairs and told his sister, and then ran for a neigh-
bour, named George Lucas, to come to his assistance,
and Lucas ran for Mr. Blackmore, surgeon, who accom-
panied him to the deceased's room. Deceased was found
alive, with an open razor lying by his side, and, at the
suggestion of Mr. Blackmore, was at once taken to the
infirmary. Mary Anne Berry stated that deceased
lodged with her, and that about three months ago he
had a fit of drinking. Since then he had been very
steady, up to about three weeks ago, when he went to
the theatre very tipsy, and returned home afterwards
and took to his bed, and remained there a fortnight.
During that time he only got up at night, and then only
to get quite tipsy, but on coming to himself, he wrote a
note to Mr. Sloan, his employer, which I took and de-
livered for him. Mr. Sloan sent word he would have
nothing more to do with him, which seemed to trouble
him much. After thnt he went on drinking, and on
Tuesday committed the rash act described. Richard
Berry, a son of the last witness, gave similar evidence,
stating in addition that deceased used to get up and walk
about the room all night. as if he could not sleep. 1)e-
-ceased several times conversed with him about suicides,
and on the Sunday before his death asked if there had
been any suicides committed in town. Witness told him
two or three, when he inquired if he would have nerve
to cut his own throat, and witness replied no; he asked
which he thought the easiest death, shooting or cutting
the throat. Deceased had often told him he wished he
was dead. Mr. Bowring, house surgeon at the Infirmary,
stated that deceased was admitted, as before stated, and
that he died on Sunday last, from the wound in his
throat. Although he was sensible, he gave no reason
for the rash act, yet admitted that he had done it him-
self. Amongst other matters, he told witness that he was
starving at the time, but he did not allege that as a reason
for cutting his throat. Verdict, Temporary insanity.—
Manchester Gone ier.

EXTRAORDINARY AND EXTEN-
SIVE ROBBERY IN HARDWICK-PLACE,
DUBLIN.
On Sunday, a robbery of a very extraordinary nature
took place at No. 10, Hardwick-place, Temple-street, in
the house of Mrs. Irvine. It appears from what could be
collected in the present stage of the proceedings, that at
about half past eleven o'clock on Sunday, Mrs Irvine and
her family went out to church, leaving a servant man
named Patrick Donnelly in the house ; some time after
two o'clock the family returned and knocked at the door
several times, but received no answer. At last a man
was called, who got into the area and so to the kitchen,
where he found Donnelly with his legs tied to the table,
and his hands by a cord to another portion of the table
also. There was a rope rood his chest which was at-
tached round the table, and in this position he was found,
lie was at once liberated, and on being questioned he
said shortly after twelve o'clock a very respectable look-
ing man knocked at the door, and, on his opening it, the
man walked into the hall, and was at once followed by
two other persons. The "respectable" man, he said,
pulled out a pistol, levelled it at his breast, and swore if
he uttered a word he would blow his brains out. He
(Donnell)) then west on to say, that three persons then
took him to the kitchen, where they tied him in the po-
sition he was found, and menaced him with death if
he called out. They then went up stairs, he said, and
rifled all the house, and that was the only account he
could give of the transaction. The police were called in,
and the story seeming improbable, Donnelly was taken
into custody on suspicion of being concerned in the rob
bcry. On examining tke house it was found that desks,
drawers, presses, &c., had been forced open by a hammer,
which belonged to the house, and which was found on
the premises, and the marks fitted exactly. It was dis-
covered that bank notes to the following amount were
stolen ;—one 501. note, two 201. notes, two 10/. notes,
four 5/. notes, and five 1/. notes, and the following arti-
cles of plate and other valuables :—twelve silver forks,
six table spoons, twelve dessert spoons, a large gravy
ladle, eight egg spoons, six salt spoons, a
ladle,
large silver spoons, two dozen plated
forks, six tea spoons, a locket set in gold, a gold coronet,
dhl etrowel, a
a Mosaic ring, and a quantity of old coins. The plate
was all crested, and the whole was valued at 165/. 10s.
soup
eight
Besides the prisoner, his sister, Mary Boylan, and her
husband, John Boylan, a gardener, living iu Eccles-lane,
were apprehended, and a woman, who passed as Don-
nelly's wife. It appeared that this woman went in a
covered car in the course of Monday, to several places,
where herself and her respected husband owed money,
and paid all that was due, and Mary Boylan offered a
10/. note in payment of some things which she purchased
at a shop in Dorset-street. The shopkeeper at once had
her arrested, and handed her over with the note to the
police. The whole of the parties were on Monday brought
before Dr. Kelly, at Henry-street police office, where
the above facts transpired, and his worship remanded
them until Thursday, at one o'clock. The police are in
search of the stolen property. It is remarkable that the
house of Mrs. Irvine is situate quite convenient to
George's Church, and the policeman on duty did not ob-
serve any person enter the house during the time. The
beadle of the church was also outside, and he did not see
any person knock at the door. Ala iy who lives oppo-
site, and was looking through the window almost all the
time, said she did not see any person enter the house
except a woman, whom it is supp.seel is Donnelly's wife.
The matter stands so at present, hut it is supposed that
by Thursday some light may be thrown on it.—Dublin

OUTH.
BURGLARY AT PLYM
It is not often that We are called upon to record de-
predations of this kind, as taking place at Plymouth,
but we suppose that sometimes we must expect a visi-
tation, as well as our neighbours. During the night,
between Tuesday and Wednesday, the house of Admiral
Phillips, on Mount Pleasant-terrace, Millbay-read, was
forcibly entered through the kitchen window, and the
thieves gathered together the plate that was in daily use,
but owing to, it is supposed, some disturbance, they only
sorted the silver from the plated articles, and then sud-
denly decamped, walking out by the front door. The
only articles stolen were a plain silver watch, a small
gold chain with seals, and with a silver guard attached to
the watch, and a gold Lisbon chain. These articles were
of small pecuniary value, but Admiral Phillips feels the
loss severe, as they were a kind of keepsake recently
given to him by his late deceased son. The kitchen
window was broken and the frame had been bored with
a gimblet, but neither of these circumstances were satis-
factory to the police. There is considerable mystery
about the whole affair ; but at the present time it might
prove cruel to state further, and we therefore withhold
any further allusion to the suspicions at present. The
policeman who was on that beat says that he tried the
house both at one and at half-past two that morning, and
found all safe. Lieutenant Holman and his corps have
since been'very industrious in endeavouring to discover
the thieves.—Plymouth Journal.

,------
POTATOES
_LEFT IN THE GROUND.—A gentleman
in Badenoch writes us—" The weather has been very
mild here for some days, which induced me to take up
part of the potatoes that I had left in the ground, as at
the
lifting-time I only took up two drills, leaving the third
unopened. I find I am no gainer by leaving any in the
field, as I am convinced, from
appearance of the
crop then, with what it is now, that I have lost at least
one-third by the frost since the first week in October.
I believe the disease had done its worst before that
time. What I lifted then have kept well, only I picked
them twice before rutting them Courier.
into the pit."—lnverness

IMPORTANT MOVEMENT IN THE LACE TRADE.—
A very respectable and well attended public meeting of
the fancy lace-machine owners, was held on Tuesday, at
the News House, St. James's-street. We are informed
that they unanimously resolved to commence a spirited
subscription for the purpose of protecting themselves
against any felonious attempts which
may be resorted to
for robbing them of their own rightful inventions. For
this object their present fund will be augmented to the
sum of ten thousand pounds.—Nottingham Review.
TEND; SAUNDERSPOOT, AND SOUTH WALES
RAILWAY AND PIER.—The first ordinary meeting of
this company under their Act was held yesterday, at their
offices, in Bridge-street, Blackfrian, when the report of
the provisional committee was unanimously adopted.
Sir R. R. Phillips was elected chairman of the directors,
and Mr. Barlow, jun., secretary of the company. As
soon as the season opens the works will be commenced,
and the dividend to be paid on the capital subscribed is
to be five per cent.

THE LAW OF COPYRIGHT.

The trial just brought to an issue by the representa-
tives of thy' late Dugald Stewart and Messrs. A. and B.
Black, in Edinburgh, as involving important legal
points, and disclosing some curious literary facts, we
think worthy of some special notice. The relative po-
sition of author and bookseller has been one too fre-
quently beset with unpleasant suspicion and dissatisfac-
tion, arising mostly from the utter ignorance of authors
of the details of publishing, and of booksellers of the
pangs of authorship. We are glad, therefore, when a
searchtng trial like the present discloses nothing but the
liberality and honour of the books( ller, showing that a
truly liberal sum had been awarded, acknowledging the
power of the author, and the estimation of the pubic for
the really excellent.
The last Copyright Law settled that the articles con-
tributed to a periodical belong to the proprietor of such
,periodical, but cannot be published separately without
the consent of the author. In the present instance it
was endeavoured to be maintain( d by the representa-
tive of " Dugald Stewart," that the Essay (although
1,6001. was paid for it,) was intended only for the " Sup-
plement of the Encyclopedia Britannica," and not for
the re-edition of that work, incorporating all the sup-
plementary and much additional matter. The evidence
of Mr. Robert Cadell, and other authoritative witnesses,
however, put the matter in so strong a light that the
idea was considered preposterous, and an immediate
verdict was given for the defendants.
Daring the trial, the magnitude of the expenses of
this truly national work, the "Encyclopaedia Britannica,"
seventh edition, in 21 volumes, quarto, was shown, and
it was proved to have been no less a sum than 125,6671.
9s. 3d.—a sum which, when considered as the venture of
two private individuals, is truly creditable to our native
enterprise and energy.
This amount of course includes every item of expendi•
ture, among which the following are the most important:
Contributions and Editing £22,590 2 11
Printing
Stereotyping
Paper
Bookbinding 12,739 12 2
Engraving and Plate Printing 11,777 18 1

For thi; contribution of the Dissertation in dispute,
Dugald Stewart received from the firm of Constable and
Co. 1,6001, and for the accompanying Dissertations by
Sir James Mackintosh and Sir John Leslie. the present
proprietors of the Encyclopredis paid 1,0301. The cost
of Professor Playfair's Dissertation is not precisely
stated, but if psid for at the same rate as Sir John
Leslie's, it could not fall short of 5001. For editing the
volume, the sum of 330/. was paid, bringing up the total
expenditure for the literary labour of this volume alone
to 3,4501.

Of this outlay only 106,5261. had as yet been returned
to the proprietors; but we trust that the sale of the
stock, which, a; it embraces the works of so many cele-
brated men must continue for many years, will ultimately
reward the spirit and energy of its projectors.—Douglas
Jerrold's Weekly Newspaper.

WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL.
(From the Lancet.)
OPERATIONS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF

ETHER.

JAN. 11.-A number of surgeons assembled this day
in the operating theatre of the above hospital to witness
certain operations, performed by Mr. Hale Thomson, on
patients rendered previously insensible to pain by the in-
halation of ether. The vapour was administered by Mr.
Robinson, dentist, of Gower-street, to whom society is
much indebted for the invention of an apparatus by
which the ether may be employed with security and cer-
tainty. The first patient was a woman of middle age
suffering under condylomatous growths from the labia.
After an inhalation of about four minutes, the patient
was pronounced in a state fit for the operation. The
morbid growths were then dexterously removed by Mr.
Thomson, without any expression of pain on the part of
the patient, and without any signs of suffering apparent.
on her countenance. The only indication of the nervous
system being awake to the operation was the spasmodic
action of the lower limbs, which took place at the mo-
ment of excision; but it was quite obvious that this was
an excito-motory phenomenon, and hal no connexion
with sensation.

On the completion of the operation, some wine .and-
water was given to the patient, who seemed awakening
from a dream, and appeared for some minutes uncertain
of her off n identity, and of the reality of the new world
which was opening gradually to her senses. Her man-
ner was that of a delirious person communing with her-
self, and exhibited a strong manifestation °C M-. Wigan's
theory of the duality of the mind. Aster sundry eja-
culations of wonder and surprise, she turned her head
on her pillow, and recognised one of the physicians as a
" real man," and discovered, to her infinite delight, that
she was still a denizen of earth, although her next ex-
clamation, that she thought herself in a " beautiful
heaven," exhibited little gratitude for her temporary
transition to a celestial abode. Upon being told that she
was to submit to an operation, she said she knew it, and
was ready ; and when informed that the operation was
over, seemed unable to believe it. A little hysterical
crying, the combined result of apprehension, wonder,
and delight, followed, and she was taken back to her
bed. Before we left the hospital we learnt that she was
fast asleep.
The second patient, a young man, was operated on for
phymosis. He was ready in about four minutes from
the commencement of inhalation, and the operation pro-
duced no evidence of the presence of sensation. Indeed,
in his case, there was an absence of the excito-motory
movements exhibited by the female patient. Some little
time elapsed before the ligatures were completed, and the
last was passed after he had to all appearance recovered
from the stupor caused by the operation. He evinced
the return of sensation by an ejaculation of pain, but
relapsed immediately into a forgetfulness of the opera-
tion, being more intent upon the "delightful dream"
which ho had just experienced than upon the dull realities
around him. On being asked if he had su&red pain, he
said that he had felt nothing ; and upon being further
interrogated as to his sensation., replied that he would
answer the question to-morrow. Like the female
patient, there was a little hysterical sobbing after the
operation, apparently occasioned by the recollection of
previous illness and suffering ; so that, in point of fact, a
surgical operation has now come to be a source of regret,
as an enjoyment too quickly passed away.
The.impression made by these operations on the minds
of the gentlemen present, among whom we noticed, Mr.
White, Mr. Guthrie, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Erasmus Wil-
son, and Mr. Fisher, appeared to be one of perfect satis-
faction, and Mr. Robinson was deservedly congratulated'
on the success of his mechanical contrivance for the
administration of the vapour.

GOVERNMENT AND THE DRAIN-
AGE ACT IN SCOTLAND.
At a county meeting held here last week, some im-
portant information was communicated by our Sheriff-
depute, W. Fraser Tytler, Esq , with respect to the
Drainage Act, and the views of Government. The
former resolutions of the county had been transmitted to
Sir George Grey, and on the proposed extension of the
Drainage Act the greatest readiness and liberality had
been evinced by the Home Secretary. So early as Oc-
tober last, Mr. Tytler had been in correspondence on
this subject, and the following is a passage from a letter
of Sir George Grey:—
" I should recommend that any parties who wish to
have the question decided, should state in their applica
tion to the Inclosure Commissioners the exact nature of
the work which they propose to effect, and in respect of
which the advance is sought; and there, probably, would
be little difficulty in determining whether the application
is one which can be complied with under the provisions
of the Act."
On this suggestion, Mr. Tytler said, he at once for-
warded an appication to the Commissioners, embracing
such an extension of the Act as he had advocated in his
correspondence—namely, for the improvement by drain-
age and trenching 400 acres, of which about 150 were
arable and 250 waste land, of a highly improveable na-
ture. He took care to follow, as implicitly as possible,
the course prescribed by the Act. His application was
immediately acknowledged by Mr. Blamire, one of the
Commissioners, who stated, that " as all the particulars
required by the 14th section of the Act had been set
forth in the application, they would have no difficulty in
issuing the requisite notices prescribed by section 18."
No more satisfactory proof of the favourable disposition
of Government with regard to this important measure
could be given ; and Mr. Tytler added, that to the ear-
nest zeal, ability, and intelligence with which Mr.
Blamire discharged his duties as a commissioner under
the Act, the landed interest of Scotland was under the
greatest obligation. The scheme of an amended Act
being now committed to hire, gentlemen had only to
look to the spirit of Mr. Blamire's letter of the 24th
October (inserted in all the newspapers), and to his re-
marks on the report of the Highland Society, both of
which have been printed by order of Government, to be
satisfied that the interests of this part of the kingdom
could not have been placed in better hands.
This opinion of Mr. Fraser Tytler's is, we believe,
general throughout the north, and we trust Mr. Blamire
will be able to extend the Drainage Act into a general
Land Improvement Act (including draining, trenching,
fencing, and other requisites of rural cultivation) which
will be a great benefit to the landed interest, b?sides
being of inestimable advantages to the labouring classes.
That this will be accomplished is now generally believed,
and, accordingly, applications pour in to the Inclosure
Commissioners from Scottish proprietors. Inverness
Courier.

FATHER EUSTACE, BY MRS. TROLLOPE.—In the
supposition that the Jesuits have establishments in Ene-
land to carry on intrigues in private families, and that
they have, subtle agents who can assume every variety of
character, Mrs. Trollope has found the materials neces-
sary for her pr, sent work. She has been able to acquire
a more correct idea of Jesuitism, both in its system of
Int.rals and its manners, than is to be found in the pages
of Eugene Sue. Her narrative is in good keeping. ; con-
cede that the Jesuits are busily at work in society, and
the whole, story will have almost a matter-of-tact air, so
admirable is the tact with which Mrs. Trollope gives a
colour of reality to all she describes. Her skill is
unrivalled, in blending together mental emotions and
physical enjoyments. No other writer could so well
connect the dark designs of the General of the Jesuits at
Rome with drawing-room coquetry ; monkish intrigues
with the gaieties of a waltzing party. Mrs. Trollope
shows that she can sound the depths of society, as well
as skim over its surface, and can select its gems for illus-
tration as cleverly as she can cast a scornful glance upon
its weeds.—Britannia.
The magnificent chateau of Argenteuil, near Wa-
terloo, the property of Count Ferdinand Meeut-, Gover-
nor of the Society of National Industry in Belgium, was
entirely destroyed by fire on the night of the 10th, by
the carelessness of some workmen who were at work in
it. The building was insured, but not the furniture And
fixtures, which Were TAhied st 200,000 f,