The Sun.
London, England, 1847-11-12 00:00:00

, NOVEMBEII 12, 1847.

A letter was forwarded to this court containing ss.
worth of postage stamps for Mrs. Denny, who was
defrauded of lOs. in her endeavour to obtain counsel's
assistance for her son, who was left undefended. The
writer of the letter requested an acknowledgment of
the receipt of the letter, &c., in the newspapers, in
the hope that some other party might send her ss.
more to make up the sum of which she 'had been de-
frauded.

THAMES.

Charles Nicholson, a tall man, described as a car-
penter, was brought before Mr. Ballantine on re-
mand, charged with feloniously and burglariously
breaking and entering the Ship public-house is High-
street, Mile-end New-town, on the night of the 21st of
August, or early the following morning, and stealing
a checque for 71. 55., cash to the amount of about 81,
and some property of trifling value, therefrom.
It appeared from the evidence, that on Friday last
the prisoner came to the banking-house of Martin,
Stone, and Co., in Lombard-street, with the cheque
which had been stolen from the house on the night of
the burglary. Payment of it was stepped the morn-
ing the robbery was discovered, and when Nicholson
presented it, he was asked how he came by it, and he
said he picked it uR in the street. Mr. Cole the
cashier at the banking-house, asked him if he had not
reflected upon what he was doing, and whether it
was not a fraud to appropriate a checque which did
not belong to him to his own purposes ? He made no
answer and was given into custody. When he was
brought before the magistrate on Saturday he
persisted that he found the checque. He was re-
manded in consequence of Mr. John Cruttenden (who
kept the Ship when the burglary was committed, and
who has since quitted London) not being in'attendance.
A letter directed to a place called Dormington,
Havvkhurst, Kent, which was stated to be his pre-
sent residence, was posted on Saturday, but no an-
swer had been received. It was stated that Mr.
Cruttenden was most likely shooting in another part
of the country, and after Mr. Ballantine had exa-
mined Mr. Whitlock, a metal dealer, who paid the
cheque .to Mr. Cruttenden, he again remanded the
prisoner, and directed Smith, 228 K who has charge
of the case, to take a summons and search out Mr.
Cruttenden, whose evidence was absolutely necessary
to establish the charge of felony.
SO (1 TH WARK.

Yesterday Mr. Fitch, solicitor, accompanied by se-
veral of the board of guardians of the parish of St.
George-the-Martyr, Southwark, waited on Mr. Cot-
tingham relative to the compulsory removal of the oc-
cupants of a number ofdilapidated dwellings in Three
Tuns-court, White-street, in which contagion and
disease have been prevalent for some time.
Mr. Fitch addressed the Magistrate at some length,
and in the course of his observations said that the
object of his application, and that of the gentlemen
by whom he was accompanied, was for the purpose of
soliciting the Magistrate's assistance in compelling
the removal of the inmates of several hohses in the
above locality, which were in a most ruinous condi-
tion. Those dwellings were occupied by a great
number of poor people, no less than 77 persons (male
and female) living in 15 rooms, which presented a
mass of filth and dirt of every description, which
must engender contagion and disease. Mr. Fitch
then produced a certificate from two medical officers
describing the condition of the houses, and the appre-
hension that disease must be fostered therein if mea-
sures were not speedily adopted to prevent it; and he
repeated, that the object of the present application
was to solicit the Magistrate's interference in compel
ling the removal of the whole of the occupants of
these tenements.
Mr. COTTISGUAM said that he did not think he
possessed such a power, and inquired whether the
inmates of the houses had been warned to quit, or
had notice to that effect.
Mr. Fitch replied, that the landlord of the houses
in question was so circumstanced that he had no
power over the inmates. They paid no rent, and
peremptorily refused to quit, although the houses
were in such a ruinous and filthy condition.
One of the guardians said that the flooring and
woodwork of many of the houses were destroyed, and
that before he visited them he had never beheld such
a scene of filth and wretchedness ; that the rooms,
miserable and destitute of furniture of any kind, were
crowded with human beings ; that there were no
privies, and human excrement, as well as other filth,
lay scattered over the rooms; and amongst the people
occupying fifteen rooms there were only two flock
beds, all the rest lying on the floors of those rooms
which had floors, for many of the apartments had no
flooring at all, the inmates having torn them up for
firewood, and contrived to live in them although in such
a state. The stench proceeding from these habitations
was of the most dreadful nature, and he was convinced
that if the nuisance was permitted much longer to
remain, a fever or some other malignant disease would
break out and cast death around. He added that
fever did prevail there to a great extent in the sum-
mer, and that several of the patients were admitted
into St. George's 'Workhouse, but that on recovery
they went hack to their old quarters, and that when
he visited the houses only a day or two ago he ob-
served several men and women there with their heads
closely shaven, indicating that they had not long re-
'• covered from the sickness produced by the filth and
stench arising from such habitations. Under such
circumstances, and for the purpose, if possible, of the
removal of so serious a nuisance, they (the board of
guardians) considered it a duty incumbent upon them
to apply to his Worship, in order that he might avail
himself of the power he possessed under the clause in
the Act of Parliament, to cause the removal of the
whole of the occupiers of those tenements in a neigh-
bourhood in which this most obnoxious and pernicious
accumulation of matter was deposited. He thought
the certificate under the hands of the surgeons, as to
the condition of the houses, would justify the magi-
strate in such a step.
Mr. COTTING RAM, having perused the clause pointed
out to him, said, that although he was anxious to as-
sist the gentlemen in the abatement of . such a
nuisance, which was calculated to be of such serious
consequence, particularly now when the cholera was
expected to visit this country, yet he did not conceive
that the Act referred to authorized him to turn a
number of poor persons out of dwellings which they
had inhabited probably for a lengthened period ; that
they could be proceeded against under the Small
Tenements Act, the proper notice to quit at a certain
time being given, for he did not wish it to go forth
that the poor creatures were all to be turned out at a
moment's notice, as some unfortunate people had been
in another part of the kingdom. He thought the
landlord ought to exercise the power he possessed, if
he still had any interest in, the premises, and get them
out by legal process.
Mr. Fitch said that the inmates of these houses had
no legal right to be there at all, as they paid no rent,
and the rooms were all destitute of furniture except
the two miserable beds already mentioned; that the
landlord, although deprived of acting in the matter,
was still most anxious for the expulsion of the people,
and had given his sanction to the present application;
and if the magistrate permitted a policeman to ac-
company the parish officers to the locality where the
nuisance existed, he had no doubt the inmates would
retire from the houses, but otherwise, if an attempt,
were made to expel them, they would cause a dis-
turbance, for they had already manifested feelings of
resistance.

Mr. COTTINGHAM said that he would suggest that
written notices should be stuck up in the immediate
vicinity of the houses, warning the inmates to quit
theta on a certain day, and setting forth that if they
did not comply with it, the orders would be enforced.
Mr. Fitch said that he believed not one of the in-
mates could read writing, and that they would re-
main in ignorance of the nature of such notice.
Mr. COTTINGHAM—Then the notice ought to be
read to them, apprising them that if they did not
give up possession, the law would be enforced against
them; but under the painful nature of such a case, '
in turning out a number of poor people from habi-
tations which they had long occupied, although
there was great apprehension of sickness, and mor-
tality if they remained, he wished that such a
course should be adapted as would bear the least sem-
blance of acting with a degree of harshness towards a
number of poor persons who had not the means of
obtaining other shelter than those wretched habitations
afforded. He added, that he thought it would be ad-
visable, after the notice was once communicated to the
people, to direct some of them to attend at that court
on Saturday, and he would then point out to them the
serious necessity for their immediate removal from the
houses, and that if they did not comply they must then
be expelled by force.
Mr. Fitch said that some of the inmates were suf-
fering from sickness at present, owing to the un-
wholesomeness of the houses, And that the parochial
authorities were prepared to admit them into the
workhouse, and, in fact, to do every thing in their
power to alleviate their condition, and to adopt such
other steps as would tend to check contagion, which
was likely to take place if the people were permitted
to remain there any longer. He then thanked the
mlgiatrate, and retired with the gentlemen by whom
he was accompanied.

WANDSWORTH.
Mary Haggerstone and Emma Edmunds, two young
women, exceedingly well dressed, were charged with
refractory conduct in the Wandsworth Union, and
wilfully destroying six panes of glass.
Mr. 11. Knapp, the master of the union, stated that
the prisoners returned from Kingston gaol on Tues-
day last, having been sent to that gaol from this court
for misconduct in the house. In the evening they
attended prayers in the chapel ,and were dressed in a
most unbecoming manner, and conducted themselves
with great levity. That morning at breakfast they
were very disorderly, and afterwards, when set to
work to scrub the floor of the day-room they became
very insolent, and Edmunds threw the hearth-stone
at one of the women. That morning he took the
prisoners before the board of guardians, and they
ordered them to be deprived of their meat dinner, to

have 8 oz. of bread instead, and be confined in sepa-
rate apartntents. Upon this decision being made known
to the prisoners, they made use of the most disgusting
language, and positively refused to work. Witness sent
for the poliee, and in their presence they broke six
panes of glass. The prisoners had been many times
charged at that court with offences committed in the
union, and were incorrigible.
The prisoners made no defence.

Mr. 13EADON said, for their conduct in the work-
house he should sentence them to the full term of 42
days' imprisonment, and they would each pay 2s. da-
mages, or be committed for a further term of impri-
sonment for 30 days.

Prisoners—We'll stop the 72 days.

THE ALLEGED MATRICIDE AT
HACKNEY.
_

Yesterday, at two o'clock, Air; Baker, coroner for
East Middlesex, and a jury of respectable inhabitants
of the parish of Hackney, re-assembled at the Dolphin
Tavern, Mare-street, pursuant to adjournment from
Monday last, for the purpose of further pursuing the
inquiry commenced on the 3d instant, touching the
death of Mrs. Frances Sheridan, aged seventy, the
widow of an officer in the army, some particulars
referring to which have already appeared in this
journal.
The evidence at the last sitting of the jury, it will
he recollected, so far implicated a son of the de-
ceased, who was present during the inquiry, that ;the
coroner felt it his duty to order the police to take him
into custody. On the same day he was. charged
before the sitting magistrate at Worship-street with
having caused the death of his mother; and, after
hearing certain evidence, Mr. Hammill remanded the
prisoner to await the result of the coroner's inquiry.
Yesterdty, the jury having answered to their
names,
The CORONER said he had received a letter from
the son of the deceased, dated from the House of De-
tention, Clerkenwell, which, with their permission, he
would read.
The letter ran as follows :
" House of Detention, Clerkenwell, Nov. 11.
" Sir,—l beg to remind you that the witness
Armstrong contradicted herself on oath. When
before you she said my sister, the accuser, was drunk,
and before the magistrate that she was sober, and
added, that she thought my sister's mind is affected.
The latter ought to have been examined before I was
remanded.
" Mr. W. Baker, Coroner, Dolphin,
Hackney. (Immediate.)"
The CORONER after remarking that in the present
state of the inquiry he thought the communication
was of no importance, inquired of the summoning
officer what witnesses he had in attendance ?
The summoning officer said, the sister of the de-
ceased was the most essential witness present, and he
had no doubt she could throw some light on the case.
A woman who had slept with deceased on the night
she died, and a granddaughter of the deceased who
could depose to the fact of her first attack of sickness,
were also in attendance.
Martha Billing, the woman alluded to as having
slept with deceased, was first called. She merely
described having been called in to clean the apart-
ments occupied by deceased jointly with her son and
daughters, on the day before she expired. The de-
ceased was insensible and apparently asleep during
the whole of that day, and witness, who had been re-
quested to pass the night with her, found her dead by
her side about half-past three o'clock in the morning.
The above were the only material facts deposed to
by the witness, but her evidence afforded a painful
illustration of the manner in which the deceased and
her family lived together. Of the daughters one was
single and one married. The latter bad been sepa-
rated from her husband some years, and resided, with
her daughter, a child about ten years of age, under
the same roof with her mother, sister, and brother.
This woman, it appeared, was a confirmed drunkard,
and on the night deceased died, such was her disgust-
ing state of intoxication, that her brother refused her
admittance into his house, and she passed the night in
the streets. The unmarried sister also appeared to
be on the worst possible terms with her brother, and
it was upon her accusation that he was given into
custody on the charge of having murdered his mother.
Frances Johnson, the infant granddaughter of the
deceased, was next examined at great length. Al-
though only ten years of age the child gave her evi-
dence with a remarkable degree of intelligence; but
beyond the fact of deposing to the deceased's having
been first taken ill on Sunday fortnight, after drink-
ing a glass of gin administered by witness, her evi-
dence contained nothing of a criminatory character
against any individual.

-The nect witness being the unmarried daughter of
the deceased, who has charged her brother with the
murder,
The CORONER suggested that it would be much
better to adjourn the inquiry before calling her, inas-
much as the party charged would have an opportunity
of confronting his accuser before the magistrate,
which he could not do were they to examine her on
the present occasion. It might be that the sister had
charged the brother with having caused her mother's
death with a view to exculpate herself, and taking all
circumstances into consideration, he would prefer that
the weight of the proceeding should rest with the
magistrate rather than himself. He did not by any
means shrink from the performance of his duty, but
he thought the course he suggested would be the
fairest for all parties.
Several of the jury expressed a decided opinion in
favour of calling the witness referred to; and
The inspector in attendance having remarked that
the magistrate had purposely fixed the remand for a
day beyond that on which the adjourned inquest was
to be held,

The CORONER said—Exactly so ; he was fully
aware the magistrate had attempted to put the labour-
ing oar on his shoulder, but he would much rather
that he had not done so. If the magistrate refused to
examine the sister, of course he would do so, but he
thought it would be much better that her evidence
should be taken in the presence of the party she
accused.

A juror said, while he thought it most desirable
and proper that the sister should be called, he had no
objection to give way if the coroner had any other
engagement which would prevent him completing the
case that evening. In making this remark, he could
not refrain from observing that on a recent occasion
where he had been summoned to attend as a juror
to inquire into the death of a child who had died
from the effects of a broken arm, Mr. Baker, jun., who
presided as deputy-coroner, had opened the proceed-
ings with the following remark :—" Now, gentlemen,
be as quick as you can, for I want to be off." He
thought such an observation extremely improper, and
he protested against it at the time. If, however, the
coroner had other cases to attend he had no objection
to consent to an adjournment.
The CORONER said, he had two other cases to go
into, but if the jury insisted on calling the sister he
would put them off and proceed with the inquiry.
After some further discussion the inquiry was ad-
jourad until Wednesday next, Tuesday being the
day fixed for the re-examination at the police-office.
The jury appeared very much dissatisfied at the
course suggested by the coroner, although they ulti-
mately acceded to it.

ATTACK ON DR. BOWRING, M.P.,
AND HIS BROTHER.
BRIDGEND, Nov. 9.—The capture of the two high-
waymen who attacked and plundered Dr. Bowring,
M.P., and his brother, Mr. Charles Bowring, of 1,000
in notes, gold, and silver, has already been briefly
announced. They are both Irishmen, named Richard
Mahoney and John Lloyd, and were formerly em-
ployed at the Llinfi Iron Works, of which Mr. C.
Bowring is the resident director. Immediately on
the daring attack being made known in the neigh-
bourhood, all grades turned out to scour the moun-
tains for the ruffians. Of the large amount stolen,
we are happy to state that nearly all has been re-
covered. 6631. 15s. 10d. was found on the prisoners,
and notes to the extent of 1701. were subsequently
discovered in the Cwm Nantywyn-wood. Mr. C.
Bowring was in the habit of drawing money from
the bank every Thursday for the workmen's wages,
and it appears that the prisoners made the most deli-
berate preparations for the robbery, as they had pur-
chased the pistols on the previous Monday at the shop
of a Mr. Moses, in Swansea. They were brought
before Viscount Adare and a full bench of magis-
trates for examination, when the prosecutors deposed
as follows :
Mr. C. Bowring said—l reside at Bowrington
Maesteg, in this county (Glamorganshire), and am
an ironmaster. On Thursday I went to Bridgend,
nine miles from Bowrington, to get money from the
bank to pay the workmen. I travelled in a gig with
one horse. It is well known, I believe, that I am in
the habit of going to the bank every Thursday for
money. I procured 1,0001. from the bank on Thurs-
day, viz., 570 sovereigns, 200 half-sovereigns, 60/. in
silver, and 2701. in notes. I placed the money in a
hag, and then put the bag in the boot of my gig. I
left Bridgend about half-past twelve at noon, accom-
panied by my brother, Dr. Bowring, M.P. When
we were about half-way to Bowrington, upon going
up a slight hill, I saw two men approaching us on
the road. When they came close to us they sepa-
rated, one on each side of the gig; and when we
had got within about a yard or two from them, they
each presented a holster pistol at us. The prisoners
are the two men ; I am certain of it. Lloyd said,
" Your money or your life." Mahoney repeated the
words. Lloyd then held the pistol to my breast; it
was cocked, and his finger was on the trigger.
He afterwards said, " Mr. Bowring, I want your
money, not your life." I replied, " I can't—
desist—l'll give you the money ;" and I stooped
down to reach the bag. As I stooped, Lloyd said to
Mahoney, " Shoot the Both pistols were
presented the whole time. I opened the boot, and
Lloyd pulled the bag out. I ought to mention that

when I stopped Lloyd said, " Give me the two bags."
I used to carry the money in two bags, but on ti e
present occasion I only had it in one. After Lloyd
got the bag he went on for a couple of yards, and then
turned round and shot the horse in the gig in the
head. It dropped dead. The prisoners then made
off through a field on the west side towards Margam,
carrying the bag together. I immediately went to a
farmhouse near at hand, made known the robbery,
borrowed a horse, galloped to Bridgend, and gave
information. There was a cottage about 50 yards
from the place where we were robbed, and within
sight. The farmhouse was about 400 yards off. I
heard that Mahoney was captured about four o'clock.
A number of our workmen and neighbours went
across the mountains during the evening in pursuit
of the prisoners. About eleven o'clock at night I
went with another party over the mountains to Mar-
gam. When we reached Margam, I met a police-
officer with Lloyd in custody. We had lanterns and
other lights with us, and I immediately recognized
Lloyd. I afterwards saw Mahoney in custody at
Bridgend, and I identified him.
Dr. J. I3owring, M.P., was then examined-1
reside in Queen-square, Westminster, London, and
am a brother of the last witness. I accompanied him
in a gig on Thursday from Bridgend, when we were
stopped by the prisoners. (The Doctor then corrobo-
rated his brother's statement in every particular, and
satisfactorily identified the men at the bar as being
those who plundered them) The Hon. Member
added, I was astounded at the composure and self-
possession of the men. I watched their faces and the
levels of the pistols, and there was not the slightest
appearance of tremor about them. Lloyd shot the
horse with much deliberation. Before they got the
bag out I pulled out my purse with the intention of
giving it them, but they took no notice of it. I take
this opportunity of expressing my sincere thanks to
the inhabitants of this part of the county for the as-
sistance they rendered in pursuing and apprehending
the prisoners. All classes, high and low, evinced the
greatest zeal and alacrity to effect that object.
John Janes, a publican at Maesteg, was next
sworn. He said, on hearing of the robbery on Thurs-
day, I went between two and three o'clock, with
several others, over the mountains towards Margam-
I was in advance on horseback, the rest were on foot.
Near Margam I saw two men walking rather fast
from the wood, I followed them, and they walked
towards Taibich. I passed them and then turned
back to meet them. I said, " Hold ; you are the rob-
bers of Dr. Bowring; give up ;" and called for as-
sistance. The prisoners are the men. Lloyd said,
" Hush, or I'll blow your brains out." He placed
his hand in his pocket, and brought something out,
don't know what. Lloyd jumped over the hedge and
ran towards the moors. He had a bundle under
his left arm. Mahoney ran back and got ever a wall.
I followed him over a field, when others came up,
and we then surrounded and secured him. Money
in gold and silver to the amount of 1381. 1 is. were
found upon him.

John Jones, constable, stationed at Taibach, was
examined—On Thursday night I was watching for
Lloyd on the turnpike road, near a gate leading UP
from Margam moors. About a quarter to eleven
saw a man moving from the gateway. I spoke to
him, and he said he was working on the railway.
I suspected he was the man I wanted. He said be
was " on the spree," and I asked him to go to a
public-house. He walked with me a little way, when
he pulled something out of his pocket, and was
feeling it, and said he would not go any further. I
was afraid of him, but I coaxed him on. We walked
together till we reached the Somerset public-house at
Taibach, when he ran away. I came up with him in
the middle of Taibach village, and he turned round,
and said, " Stand back, or I'll shoot you through.'
I immediately struck him with my staff, and be
leant against a wall, when I took hold of him. When
,n
against the wall I heard something like money fa
on the other side. Wright, a policeman, came 11P
and took hold of the prisoner, and I got over the
wall, and under the spot on which Lloyd leant with
his hands found a handkerchief with 5151., in sove-
reigns and half-sovereigns, in it. The prisoner
Lloyd is the same man. Ten sovereigns and some
silver were found on his person.
The evidence being complete, the magistrates fully
committed both the prisoners for trial at the ensuing
assizes.