The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-22 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

TRH GERMAN WOOL TRADE —BERLIN, MARCH 12.—
Purchases of different qualities of wool continue to be
made, almost every day, by our inland manufacturers;
and prices are remarkably firm. A large parcel of
Austrian fleeces, between 500 and 600 cwt., sent hither
for sale, has been taken, soon after its arrival, by a
Ideipsic Yarn Spinning Company. The price is believed
to be about ls. I ld. Money is plentiful on change, espe-
cially for long periods.
FORE/ON WOOL TRADE, LEEDS, MARCH 19.--Busi-
'ess has been generally inactive during the past week,
and may be accounted for chiefly by the present de-
pressed state of the money market. Stocks of all de-
scriptions of wool of a desirable character are unusually
low in the German markets, and below an average with
us, which is likely to check any downward tendency in
prices.
ENGLISH WOOL NIAREET, LEEDS, MARCH 19.—We
lave not any alteration to notice in this branch of trade
during the present week. The manufacturers confine
their purchases to their immediate wants, and although
prices have a downward tendency, there is not any
material reduction during the last fortnight. The woollen
markets at the cloth halls, both this day week and on
*Tuesday were very dull. There continues to be a com-
plete absence of speculation for the spring trade. The
demand is confined to low-priced blues and wool-blacks
for the transatlantic markets, whilst fine qualities con-
tinue to be exceedingly dull. Prices are without any
alteration, and notwithstanding the continued dull state
of the market, from the circumstance of a great number
of manufacturers being engaged for same months past
in making goods for the eastern markets, and which are
delivered direct to the merchants, the stocks is the halls
continue in moderate compass. The country drapers
are moving more freely, but the London houses continue
to buy cautiously. On the whole, however, there has
been a little improvement in business in the warehouses
this week.

BRADFORD MARKET, THURSDAY.—The purchases of
combing wool were more extensive, and prices (except
for particular sorts) a little higher on account of the
supply being scant. The spinners purchase more freely.
There was more business don. in yarns, both for the ex-
port and home trade, and as the production is at present
below the consumption, higher prices were obtained.
Owing in part to the fineness of the weather, there was
a very great number of merchants in the market, and a
great number of pieces were purchased for the American
market, principally plain Orleans.
MANCHESTER, THURSDAY EVENING.—We have had
on the whole only a very dull market for cloth this week;
though on Tuesday and to-day rather more goods have
changed hands than of late; but as this has been effected
by the manufacturers giving way in price, it is doubtful
whether the increased demand can be deemed an im-
provement. Large orders are in town from the United
States, and a large business is sure to be done this sea-
son with that country. Our home merchants complain
heavily of the country trade. The silk trade is, if any-
thing, improving. Yarns arc readier sale, but the prices
are miserably heavy.

THE REVOLTING MURDER AT
CHESTERFIELD.
TRIAL OF THE MURDERER.
DERBY, SATURDAY MORNING.—The trial of John
Platts, for the inhuman murder and mutilation of
George Collis, in the butcher shambles at Chesterfield,
last December twelve months, commenced yesterday
in the Crown Court, before Mr. Justice Patteson.
The prisoner is not more than twenty years of age,
and his youthful appearance, and the awful character
of the crime imputed to him, created a painful feeling.
The prosecution was conducted by Mr. Humfrey and
Mr. Mellor ; Mr. Macauley for the prisoner.
The circumstances connected with the murder, as
stated by thirty-two witnesses, can only be equalled by
those atrocious deeds for which the notorious Greenacre
and Good suffered.
It appeared that early in the morning of the last Fri
day in August, 1846, some men were employed in env-
eying a remote cesspool attached to the premises of a
Alr. Bunting, a flour dealer, living in Low Pavement, in
the town of Chesterfield, when their attention was drawn
to what seemed to be the remains of a carcase of a
sheep. A further search showed the mass to consist of
two legs and thigh bones, and a quantity of entrails. On
the soil being removed to a field for which it was in-
tended at Halsham, a mile from the town, part of a
coat, a pair of trowsers, a hat, two silk handkerchiefs,
and portions of a pair of braces and stockings were dis-
covered. One of the handkerchiefs was marked "G. C."
and when picked up was tied as if for the neck, and on
the leg bones were garters, apparently two odd ones,
one red and the other white. This le() to a more minute
search of the cesspool, and at the bottom was found a
human skull with a fracture over the right eye.
On the wearing apparel being exhibited publicly, the
handkerchief bearing the initials of "G. C. was iden-
tified by a young female named Ellen Beresford, as
having belonged to George Collis. This person
(Collis), it is proper to mention, was in partnership
with the prisoner Platts, in the butchering line, in
the preceding year (1845). and opened a shop in the
miserable place called the " Shambles," adjacent to the
market-place in Chesterfield. Since Sunday night, the
Irth of December, in that year (1845), Collis had not
been seen, and the belief gained ground that it was his
remains that were discovered, and suspicions at the
same time were entertained that the prisoner was the
party who had taken away his life. The fact of the
prisoner having sent a man named Knight to pledge a
watch belonging to Collis, a few days after the disap-
pearance of the latter, gave strength to this suspicion.
This led to the prisoner's apprehension. In addition to
Ellen Beresford (who had been enceinte by the de-
ceased) identifying the silk handkerchief; she spoke to
the watch produced being in deceased's possession on
the 7th of December, 1845, on the evening of which
day he told her he was obliged to leave her, having
promised to meet John Platts at half-past six o'clock.
He said Platte had promised several times to settle with
him, for he was greatly in his debt, and he was deter-
mined to get someshing on account. She never saw him
after. When Collis left her she distinctly saw he had
the watch in his pocket. He was dressed in a black
surtout coat. The witness identified the red worsted
garter found on the leg bones when taken out of the
cesspool. She said the deceased took it from her in
return for one of his.
The mother of the deceased said that the prisoner,
after the disappearance of the deceased, was asked if he
had seen anything of him? He replied Collis had told
him he intended to go to Manchester to get clear of the
female Beresford, who was in the family-way by him,
and he believed he had gone; in fact, he knew he had,
for another person told him he had seen him in Man-
chester.
John Holbrook, an eatinghouse-keeper near the
butchers' shambles, stated he remembered Collis coming
to his shop on the night of the 7th of December. He
recollected the night perfectly from circumstances that
transpired. Collis came into his shop about a quarter
to seven o'clock, sayinc, to witness he had to meet
Platts at the shop in the Shambles to get some money
from him, and he wanted witness to meet him afterwards
at a public-house in the neighbourhood. Collis said he
would meet him at twelve o'clock. Witness went to the
public-house and waited for Platts till past one_ in the
morning, but he never came. Witness never saw him
after. When Collis left the shop he saw him go in the
direction of the prisoner's shop in the Shambles. It
was a corner shop on the right hand side, passing
through the Shambles from the market-place. He knew
the cesspool where the body was discovered. It is
situated within one hundred yards of the prisoner's shop.
The cesspool is down a narrow passage among a quan-
tity of stables, and is made use of by most of the inha.
bitants round about. There is no thoroughfare down
the passage. It was possible for a man to fall into it,
and there remain six or eight months before discovered.
The cesspool is a very large one. It is made use of
by the butchers in the shambles as a receptacle for un-
wholesome meat.
Thomas Harvey's evidence was most important. He
said he was a shoemaker living at Chesterfield. On the
night of the 7th of December, 1845, at about twenty
minutes or a quarter to seven o'clock, he was standing
near Platt's shop, and heard two or three blows struck
in the shop. They appeared as if by a clever on a soft
substance. After the first blow he distinctly heard the
groans of a human being. It alarmed him, and he made
all haste to his friends at home, and told them he was
sure some murder was going on in Platt's shop, telling
them what he had heard. His wife and sister returned with
him to the shambles, and tried to get into the shop, but the
door was secured, and all was dark within. Before there
was a light in the shop. No one could see into it, for
the shutters were up, and a sheet was bung up inside to
prevent observation. His wife and sister knocked at the
door, and asked Platts what he was doing, and who he
had in the shop. The prisoner answered, "No one."
Ills sister then said, "Oh yes, you have." Prisoner
said, "No he had not, it was him that was
making the noise ; he had been taking some
rum, was sick, and intended to lie down. "
"Witness said he had better open the door and let them
in, and they would get him some water, but he refused.
The females then charged Platts with having a woman
inside with him, and pushed against the door to force it
even. Platts told them he had no one with him, but
would not open the door to satisfy:them. They then
left the shop. Shortly afterwards Platts came into the
house where witness and his wife and sister were. One
of his hands were covered with blood. He said he had
cat them, and asked for water to wash them, which was
Wren to him. He appeared confused, and seemed to
Lave been kneeling, as one of his knees were covered
with dirt. The women taxed hind with having been ill-
lug a female in the shop. He said he had been doing
nothing of the kind, oranybody else.
Mrs' Hanel and her •
evidencemary
Rinaneydeez sister corroborated Harvey's
particular.
ar.
1845. He offered to Betel met the prisoner in January,
her a watch. After the dis-
covery of the skull in the
pri-
soner if he had heard
of the rumours
she asked the psi-
rururs that Collis was
supposed to have been eaardered He said he had.
George
theynight deposed to having bought a pair of
boots of prisoner for se. (They were produced,' and
were identified as belonging to the deceased. His mo
ther believed they wcre the same he had on the night he
left home )
Mr. H. E. Walker, surgeon, of Chesterfield, stated
that the bones found in the cesspool were those of a roan
23 or 24 years of age. He was of opinion that the frac-
tures on the skull had been the cause of death. There
were three fractures, and they had evidently been in.
eicted by some heavy instrument, such as a butcher's
cleaver.
At the conclusion of the evidence Mr. MACAULEY ad-
dressed the jury on behalf of the prisoner, calling a num-
ber of witnesses to character.
Mr. Justice PATTESON having summed up,
The jury retired to consider their verdict. At thre,e,
o'clock they returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder"
against the prisoner.
Sentence of death was passed, but no day fixed for his
execution.