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

STATE OF TRADE.
TETE GEWNT ti Wo 7 "r, ITI7 M4Pclll2,
Purciis•,e!s 4
wade. a1fr...,5t evPry hy our IP I und Irv:9nfaetnrer,;
and prices are rt-a1:.1.6-y ritiu. A large pare,i of i
Austrian fleeces, between 500 and 600 •cwt., sent hither
for sale, has been taktt, soon after its arrival, by a
Leipsic Yarn Spinning Company. The price is believed
to be about Is. I Id. Money is plentiful on change, espe-
cially for long periods.
FOREIGN WOOL TRADE, LEEDS, MARCII 19.—Busi-
ne;s has been generally inactive during the past week,
and may be accounted fr:r chiefly by the present de-
pressed state of the money market. Stocks of all de-
scriptions or wool of a desirable character are unusually
low in the German markets, and below an average with
ns, which is likely to check any downward tendency in
prices.

ENGLISH WOOL MARKET, LEEDS, MARCH 19.—We
have not any alteration to notice in this branch of trade
during the present week. The mano.eturcrs confine
their purchases to their immediate wants, and although
prices have a downward tendency, there is not any
material reduction during :he last fortnight. The woollen
markets at the cloth halls, both this day week and on
Tuesday were very dull. There continuei to be a com-
plete absence or speculation for the spring trade. The
demand is confined to low-priced blues and wool-blacks
for the transatlantic markets, whilst tine qualiti;,s con-
'nine to be exceedingly dull. Prices are without any
alteration, and notwitit,tanding the continued dull state
of the market, from the circumstance of a great number
of manufacturers being engaged for some months past
in making goods for the eastern markets, and which are
delivered direct to the merchants, the stocks in 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 done 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 wns
a very great number of merchants in the market, and a
great number of pieces were purchased fin* the American
'market, principally plain Orleans.
114NcaEsTER, THURSDAY EVENING.—We have had
on the whole only a very dull market fur cloth this week;
though on Tuesday and to-dad rather more goods have
changed hands then of late; but as this has been (ffected
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 dune this sea.
son with that country. Our home merchants complain
heavily of the country trade. The silk trade is, if any-
thing, improving. Yarns are 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. Ilumfrey and
Mr. Mellor ; Mr. Macauley ftir 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 G reenacre
and Good suffered.
It appeared that early in the morning of the last Fri-
day in August, 1846, some men were employed iu emp-
tying a remote cesspool attached to the premises of a
Mr. Bunting, a flour dealer, living in Low Pavement, in
the town of Chesterfield, when their attention was drawn
to what seemed to be the remlins of a carcase of a
sheep. A further search showed the mass to consist of
two legs and thigh bones, and a qunntity of entrails. On
the soil being removed to a field for which it was in-
tended at Halsharn, 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-
eobered. 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 led to a mose 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 publie.dy,, the
hitiidkerchief bearing the' of -so' G. C." was Welt-
tified by a young female named Ellen Beresfuid, es
having belonged to George Collis. This person
(Collis), it is proper to mention, was in partnership
with the prisoner Platte, in the butchering line, it,
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
7th of December, in that year (1845), Collis had not
'littenneen`,-iind 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
witch belonging to Collis, a few days after the disap-
pearance ..f the latter, gave strength to this suspicion.
This led to the prisoner's apprehension. In addition to
Ellen Beresford (who had been enc?in‘e 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 Platts had promised several times to settle with
him, for he was greatly in his debt, and he was deter-
mined to get something 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 be remembered Collis coming
to his shop on the night of the 7th of December. lle
recollected the night perfectly from circumstances that
transpired. Collis came into his shop about a quarter
to seven o'clock, saying 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 band 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
minut's 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 be distinctly hoard 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 sisterreturned 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 hung 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. Toe prisoner answered, "No one."
His sister then said, "Oh yes, you have." Prisoner
said, "No he had not, it was him that was
making the noise ; he had been t4kine• 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
open. 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 Plaits came into the
house where witness and his wife and sister were. One
of his hands were covered with blood. He said he had
cut them, and asked for water to wash them, which was
given to him. He appeared confused, and seemed to
have been kneeling, as one of his knees were covered
with dirt. The women taxed him with having been ill-
using a female in the shop. He said he had been doing
nothing of the kind, or anybi,dy else.
Mrs. Harvey and her sister corroborated Harvey's
evidence in every particular.
Mary Randall said she met the prisoner in January,
1845. He offered to sell her a watch. After the dis-
covery of the skull in the cesspool, she asked the pri-
soner if he bad heard of the tumours that Collis was
supposed to have been murdered ? Ile said he had.
George Knight deposed to having bought a pair of
boots of the prisoner for ss. (They were produced, and
were identified as belonging to the deceased. His mo-
ther believed they were the same he bad 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 man
23 or 24 years of age. lie was of opinion that the frac-
tures on the skull had been the cause of death. There
were three fractures, and they had evidently bee:, in-
flicted by some heavy instrument, such as a butcher's
cleaver.

At the conclusion of the evidence Mr. Max Amity ad-
dressed the jury oli behalf of the prisoner, milting a num•
ber of witnesses to chgracter.

Mr. Justice PATTEEION having; summed up,
The jury retired to consider their verdict.. At three
o'clock they returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder"

against the prisoner.
Sentence of aeath was passed, but no day fixel for his
execution.