The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-15 00:00:00

backers of the stable, Fancy Boy has been peppered
most unmercifully, and almost unceasingly, of late,
which looks very ominous. yet Mr. Meiklam declares the
horse is well, in good condition, and very likely to win ;
ant I for one believe him. This horse has been very un-
lucky this year as vet, in every race that he has run, with
the exception of the Dee Stakes, which he won cleverly—a
very good performance. lam inclined to think his star will
be in the ascendant at Doncaster, and that he will finish
either first, second, or third. _ _ _

13rocardO will run game, and finish in front.
Sir Tinton Sykes will get a sight of the winning-post and
the winner before he reaches it himself; that I am quite
convinced of.

Free Lance will beat more than beat him, especially as he
will have the assistance of Nat.

To sum up, the front rank will be composed of Fancy Boy,
Brocardo, Sir Tatton Sykes, and Free Lance—with Brocardo
or Free Lance for winner, Fancy Boy and Sir Tatton Sykes
third and fourth.
The Foal Stakes to Joinville.
On Thursday, the Great Yorkshire Handicap to Gwalior,
Milton. or Inheritress.

The North of England Produce Stakes to Draco.
The Municipal Stakes to Crozier.
The 200 Soy& Sweepstakes to lago ; Grimston second.
The Scarborough Stakes to Brocardo or Fancy Boy; the
former for choice.

On Friday. the Cup to Alarm or The Hero.
The Two-Year-old Stakes to Van Tromp, Slander second,
Devil-me•care third.

The Gascoigne Stakes to Fancy Boy.
The Park llill Stakes to Vanish or Wilderness.

By way of conclusion, I will, a la Bunbury, attach an
index:—

RACE. PROBABLE WINNER.
Champagne Stakes
Cleveland Handicap Godfrey 1 ; Lady Wildair 2.
Brocardo or Free Lance 1 ;
St. Leger .. Fancy Boy and Sir Tatton
Sykes 3 and 4.
Foal Stakes ... Joinville 1 ; Hoorrah 2.
Great Yorkshire Handicap.. Milton 1 ; Gwalior 2.
N. of Eng. Produce Stakes Draco 1 ; Kismet 2.
.4uniciral Stakes
200 Sovs. Stakes
Scarborough Stakes
Doncaster Cup
Two-Year-old Stakes
Gascoigne Stakes
Park Hill Stakes
I am, Sir, yours, &c.,
Sept. 14. THE SPIRIT OF THE TURF.

TIIE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY .iiIVENENG, SEPTEMBER 18, 184-6._

THE DAGENHAM MURDER.
DACIENiIAM, MONDAY Etnittrikiti.---LThia afternoon, at
two o'clock, Mr. C. C. Lewis, Coroner for the southern
ditision of Essex, and the jury empannelled to investi-
gate the citeunisianceS attending the 541.z:dons and
mysterious murder of the police-constable George Clark,
on the night of the 29th of June last, re-assembled for
the fifth time, pursuant to adjournment, at the Cross
Keys Inn, facing Dagenham Church, further to prosecute
their investigation.
The intense degree of interest manifested on former
occasions was but small in comparison to that which
appeared to prevail yesterday, no doubt arising from the
extraordinary position in which the police have been
placed, and the supposition, which has been gaining
ground since the last sitting of that jury, that-Sergeant
Parsons, who has ever since been under the surveillance
of the detective police, would be brought before the
coroner in custody charged with the murder. Long
before the hour appointed for holding the inquest the
jury-room was crowded by several county magistrates,
gentry, and most respectable inhabitants of Dagenham
and the surrounding villages. Mr. Superintendent
Pearce, of the F division, was again in attendance, with
Mr. Superintendent Macquard, of the K division, to
watch the proceedings on the part of the Police Com-
missioners, and Mr. B. W. Rawlings, solicitor, of Rum-
ford, attended for Sergeant Parsons.
On the CORONER taking his seat, he said he regretted
to observe that he had received a medical certificate,
announcing the inability of one of the panel to attend,
on account of illness, and that being the case, he felt it
necessary to adjourn the inquiry again. It was true
that there were still sufficient to form a competent jury,
but having begun with fourteen jurymen, he considered,
in a case so important as the present, he would not be
doing his duty to proceed with a smaller number.
Mr. Rawlings said, on the part of Sergeant Parsons,
he had to submit to the Coroner, if possible, the necessity
of proceeding at once with the inquiry. The position of
Sol geant Parsons was one of great hardship. Ever since
the last sitting of the inquest, now nearly five weeks,
Parsons had been subjected night and day to the close
surveillance of the police. Why, or by whose orders,
Sergeant Parsons had been placed in this position he was
at a loss to conjecture. The sergeant was prepared fully
to meet any charge against him in connexion with the
murder, and that being the case, without any charge
being preferred, it was extremely hard that he should be
continued as it were in custody for any longer period.
The CORONER said, the fact was that Sergeant Parsons
had only himself to blame for the unpleasant position in
which he was placed. He had brought all upon him-
self by his conduct, and therefore had no right to com-
plain. Supposing him to be innocent of any participation
in the murder, it was quite clear that there was another
charge which he would be called upon to answer.
Therefore, what took place there could not affect the
sergeant, so far as his being under surveillance was con-
cerned.

Mr. Rawlings said Sergeant Parsons was perfectly
ready to answer any charge brought against him, and
he (Mr. Rawlings) was prepared with witnesses to dis-
prove all the statements of the police-constables on the
last occasion.

The CORONER remarked, that if Sergeant Parsons was
prepared now to offer an explanation, he ought to have
been prepared to do so previously, and thus have saved
the time of the jury. Even if they were to proceed, cir-
cumstances had transpired (two or three witnesses, who
must be examined, being in the country) to render a
further adjournment indispensable.
Mr. Rawlings considered it unfair to assume that
Sergeant Parsons had any explanation to offer. He had
been almost in custody ever since the jury had last as-
sembled, and that circumstance had tender to create a
strong prejudice in the public mind against him. His
being continued still under the surveillance of the police
would only tend to increase that prejudice.
The CORONER said, if any prejudice had arisen against
Parsons, he could not complain, as it was his own act
and deed.

After some discussion with the jury, the inquiry was
again adjourned.
The sergeant (Parsons) was not in attendance, but he
is so closely watched that he is not allowed to go to sleep
but in company of one of the police. The most pro-
found secrecy is preserved by the police authorities as to
circumstances which have transpired since the last ad-
journment of the inquest, but i❑ addition to the blood-
stained handkerchief found in the field adjoining that
where the murder was perpetrated, other articles have
been discovered likely to throw a light on this cruel and
mysterious murder.

ACCELERATION OF THE MAIL

TO LIVERPOOL.

We learn that a desire has been expressed by the
Post-office authorities that the London and North-
Western Company should run a mail train between
London and Liverpool (210 miles) in five hours, and we
believe there is little doubt that such an acceleration of
the mail will soon take place. On Friday afternoon the
London and Birmingham directors, who, we believe, had
to attend, at Manchester, a board meeting of the London
and North-Western Company—of which, it will be re-
collected, the London and Birmingham is now a compo-
nent portion—tested the capacity of the ordinary
passenger engines for such a rapid journey to the north.
The train (a special one) consisting of six first-class car-
riages, left Euston-square at five minutes before five
o'clock in the afternoon, and reached Birmingham at
thirty-three minutes past seven o'clock, having been
detained at Wolverton fourteen minute,a beyond
Luc time necessary for the change of engine,
which takes place at that station. At Birmingham
an excess of stoppage, amounting to nearly twelve
minutes, took place, and at Crewe, a similar stoppage of
five minutes occurred, notwithstanding which the train
ran the 197 miles, from station to station, one minute
within five hours. Of course upon a line with such im-
mense traffic as that conveyed over the North-Western
Railway, very precise arrangements have to be made for
running an express train. The completion of these
arrangements will secure the proposed express mail train
to Liverpool against any loss of time from slow or lug-
gage trains ahead, or the hindrances which must occa-
sionally impede a special train on such a line as the
London and North-Western. Deducting the excess of
time occupied at Wolverton, Birmingham, and Crewe,
viz., twenty-nine minutes, it will be seen that the 197
miles, inclusive of the time that would be lost if the
train were running daily, were accomplished in four
hours and a half, or at an average speed of nearly forty-
four miles per hour. Liverpool is, however, thirteen miles
further than Manchester, but at the average rate at which
the trip of Friday was made, the 29 minutes excess of
stoppage would be equal to 23 miles, so that it appears
the journey from London to Liverpool can, with six car-
riages; be made in something like ten or twelve minutes
within the five hours. It is necessary to state that the
journey over the London and Birmingham line was made
with the ordinary four-wheel passenger engines, with
five feet nine driving wheels. They are Mr. Bury's
make, and weigh, we believe, between 10 and 11 tons
only. Within the last fortnight two very powerful six-
wheel engines, with six-feet driving wheels, and made
by the same manufacturer, have been put on the London
and Birmingham line. They are stated to be equal to
12 carriages, at an average speed of 50 miles an hour
over the unfavourable gradients from Euston-square to
Tring. We shall shortly have it in our power to test the
stated speed and power of the new narrow-gauge engines

ANOTHER FIRE NEAR SHOREDITCH CHURCH.—
Yesterday morning, at an early hour, the inhabitants of
High-street, Shoreditch, were again alarmed by the
apdden outbreak of a fire upon the premises in the oc-
Mpation of Mr. F. Watts, an oil and Italian warehouse-
man, carrying on business at No. 118, in the above
thoroughfare, next door to the parish Church. When
first discovered the flames had obtained a fearful hold of
the stock in the basement floor of the building. At one
time it was feared that the inmates would have been
burnt to death, for about eight carboys of spirits of tur-
pentine and oil were blazing upwards with the greatest
impetuosity. The mains of the New River yielded a
good supply of water, from which the engines were
worked foraconsiderable time, when the firemen at length
got the fire extinguished, but not until a very serious
damage had been done to the stock in the basement
floor by fire, and the contents of the front shop were
severely injured by water, heat, and smoke. Mr. Watts
was insured in the Phoenix and Dissenters' Fire Offices.
The cause of the fire is unknown. About a fortnight
or three weeks since another fire occurred in the same
part of the premises, which also did considerable da-
mage.
A TALE or MlSERY.—Yesterday Mr.: W. Carter
held an inquest in Newington Workhouse, on the body
of Mary Ann George, a widow, who died in that insti-
tution, under the following circumstances: Mary
George, an intelligent girl, about twelve years of age,
said that the deceased was her mother. Her father,
who was a smith, died on the first of May last. Since
that time the family had been obliged to seek parochial
relief. Mr. Cox, the master of the workhouse, said
that deceased was admitted on the 30th of August. She
was then in a very debilitated state, and apparently in
great pain. Mr. John Gannon, assistant-surgeon to the
poorhouse, said that he wat sent for to see deceased on
the morning of Friday last, at half-past one. He at-
tended immediately, and found that her labour had com-
menced, but was progressing very slowly, and to all ap-
pearance was not likely to terminate for several hours.
He therefore went away, and left word if deceased was
worse he was to be sent for. About three o'clock the
same morning he was again sent for, and on his arrival
he found that deceased had been delivered of a still-
born child. It bad been dead two or three days before.
The mother.was likewise dead. He considered that she
died from exhaustion. Her constitution was not suffici-
ently strong to bear up against the shock of her labour.
The jury, having consulted, returned a verdict in accord-
ance with the medical testimony.
RAGGED SCHOOLS.—Last evening a meeting, for
the promotion of schools under the above title, was held
at the Chapel, Phillip-street, Kingsland-road. About
two hundred persons sat down to tea, after which the
chair was taken by the Rev. Clement Dukes, M.A., the
minister of the chapel, who delivered a very eloquent
and impressive address on the importance of the objects
for which the meeting was held, and called on Mr. G.
Mead to read the report, which stated that the school
was opened for the first time on the 3d of May; twenty-
seven boys attended, nine of whom could not either
read or write; since which time the schools have been in
regular operation, the average attendance has been
thirty-fire, and the behaviour of the children has, on the
whole, been of a very tolerable description. The de-
mands upon the school having now outgrown the means
at their command, this appeal was made for assistance.
The Rev. Mr. Spong, Rev. Edward Muscatt, and Messrs.
Ovarsh and Cobdin; City Missionaries, and Mr. Petch,
Principal of the Lamb and Flag-court Schools, Clerken-
well, and other 'gentlemen took part in the proceedings,
and resolutions were agreed to, pledging the meeting to
support the schools. A liberal collection was made,
thanks were voted to the chairman, and the meeting
Separated.

THE FATAL AcCIDKNT ON THE
NOTTINGHAM AND LINCOLN DAILWAY.
Tlie adjourned inquest upon the body of Berry
Glover, who was killed by the unfortunate accident
which occurred at Gonalstonc., on the Nottingham and
Lincoln line of railway, was resumed in the committee-
room of the General Hospital on Monday morning. Tho
following letter was read :
"Fleetwood, Sept. 11, 1846.
"Sir,—ln passing through Derby on Tuesday last, I
was made acquainted with the fatal accident that oc-
curred on the Nottingham and Lincoln Railway the day
before, which is the subject of your letter to me, received
this morning.
" I immediately inquired into the particulars, and
saw the engineman of the train and an inspector of the
line who was travelling by it when the accident occurred;
and Mr. Bell, the secretary of the Midland Railway,
showed me the fragments of one of the springs of the
engine, broken into small pieces, from about 8 to 18
inches in length. Mr. Kirtley, the superintendent of the
locomotive department, informed me that it was an old
engine that had been long employed on the line ; and
that it had nothing in its construction to cause
oscillation or tendency to quit the rails. I was
also informed that the train was travelling slowly, and
that the part of the line where the accident occurred
was in good order. I therefore came to an opinion
that the accident must have been caused by the break-
ing of the spring, producing a shock, or jar, that threw
the engine off the rails; and, under this impression, I
thought it would be useless for me to go to the spot to
examine the bent rails and broken chairs, which, of course
are always replaced immediately: and I do not see what
useful purpose could be gained by my sending to exa-
mine the state of the railway near the spot.
" Locomotive engines cannot !ast for ever, and the
springs of old engines may break. The f.,ct of the
sluing breaking is sufficient to account for the accident;
but the fact of an engine running off the rails, and even
oversetting, would not break good springs. I have seen
many engines overset by more violent accidents than
that now under consideration, and never knew the
springs broken to pieces by any of them.
" I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient
servant, " C. W. PASLEY, Major-General.
" John Francklin, Esq., &c. &c.
" P.S. I have not heard from Mr. Brown, the coroner.
Be so good as to let him know that I think it would be
of no use for me either to go or send a person to exa-
mine the spot, which would lead to nothing. lam of
opinion that the breaking of an old spring of an old
engine caused the eminent. You may tell him so.
" C. w. r...
A variety of evidence as to the state of the line at that
locality, &c., was entered into. After hearing the whole
the jury consulted twenty minutes, and then returned as
their verdict, that " The deceased was accidentally killed
by an engine being thrown off the line, caused by the
breaking of a spring atached to the fore-wheel, such
spring being apparently in a defective state."

CRIMINAL PUNISHMENT FOR
DEBT. _

An inquest, adjourned from Saturday, was yesterday
resumed before Mr. Wakley, M.P., coroner, Mr. J. G.
Mills, deputy-coroner, and a respectable jury, at the
House of Correction, Colbath-fields, on the body of
Richard Homer, aged 23, late a prisoner in that gaol.
It appeared from, the evidence that the deceased, a
cab-driver, had been summoned by Mr. Solomon Isaacs,
of Great Ormond-yard, under the 6th and 7th Victoria,
c. 86, for a sum of 145., due for one day's hire of a cab
and horses, and in default of payment had been, on Au-
gust the 29th, committed to prison for 15 days.
Mr. WAKLEY, on looking over the Hackney Carriages
Act, found that, in order that a conviction should occur,
a written agreement must exist, and upon inquiry could
not find that any of the prison authorities were ac-
quainted with the fact of any such document having
been signed by the deceased.
Mr. llutson, a solicitor, who attended for the friends
of the deceased, said, that the warrant of committal
should bear upon its face the statement if such an agree-
ment did exist. He would, however, go to Mr. Combe,
the committing magistrate, and ascertain the fact. Upon
his return, Mr. Hutson said, that Mr. Combe had re-
fused to give any information, saying, " I suppose you
want to find grounds for an action." He also refused
to grant a copy of the depositions.
Mr. WARLEY said he could scarcely believe that such
a case as the present could have occurred after an Act of
Parliament, passed in 1844, abolishing imprisonment for
debts under 201. He must say that a cabman stood in
a much worse position than anybody else. The debt for
which the deceased was charged in execution by a police
magistrate, under a penal statute, was a sum of 145., and
for that he was sent to prison as a misdemeanant.
Evidence was given by several prisoners (examined in
the absence of all prison officials) of the deceased hav-
ing complained of stiff neck for four or five days before
his death ; and on his removal to the infirmary, all con-
curred in the kindness exhibited to him by the medical
and other officers. Deceased on the morning of the 11th
jumped out of bed, exclaiming that he was choking, and
in less than two minutes after was a corpse.
Dr. Smiles and Dr. Boyd had opened the body, and
both expressed themselves unable to state with
certainty the cause of death, but were of opinion
that it arose from a sudden spasm of the respiratory
organs of the back of the neck, the deceased having
a peculiar malconformation of the top of the spine,
which might have predisposed him to such an event.
The CORONER said, it was clear that the deceased's
death was occasioned ny no neglect, or
from the prison authorities. He could only say, that he
was sure when the Legislature abolished imprisonment
for debt under 201., it could not have contemplated the
continuance of such cases as this.
The jury returned a verdict of " Died of suffocation,
brought on by natural causes ;" and subsequently ap-
pended the following remarks :
" In passing this verdict the jury cannot avoid ex-
pressing their regret that the law should afford to any
magistrate reasons for considering that he can send
drivers of cabriolets to prison and hard labour for debts
under 201., when the almost universal public opinion is,
that imprisonment for debt under that amount is abo-
lished. At the same time, the jury express also their
regret that Mr. Combe, one of the magistrates sitting at
the Police-court, Clerkenwell, should not know better
what is the courtesy due to a gentleman from another,
and from one judge of the law to another, than to send
such a reply as he has this day made to an application
from the coroner's court, by Mr. J. Hutson, solicitor,
considering that the answer of Mr. Combe to have been
in every respect improper, rude, and undignified."

THE ROYAL METROPOLITAN SOCIETY OF 'TOR-
TICULTURISTSO—DAHLIA SHOW.—The 13th annual
dahlia show and floral fete of the Royal Metropolitan
Society of Horticulturists took place yesterday in the
grounds of the Grecian Saloon, in the City-road. The
grounds were very elegantly and tastefully adorned on
the occasion with wreaths of evergreens and floral gar-
lands. The dahlia show was admitted by the judges
present to be a very fine one, and certainly as regarded
variety, both in form and colour, it was very beautiful.
Messrs. C. Turner, of Chalvey, near Windsor ; Keynes,
of Salisbury ; N. Gaines, of Surrey-lam,, Battersea ;
and Turville of Chelmsford, were the principal profes-
sional exhibitors. There was also a strong and very
creditable muster of the productions of amateurs. In
the first-class dahlias, which was open to nurserymen,
24 blooms being required from each, there was a very
fine show. The collection of verbenas was small, but
contained some pretty varieties. Some beautiful dahlias,
of which we particularly noticed the Scarlet Gem, Louis
Philippe, Golden Fleece, Europa Cassandra, Model of
Perfection, Robusta, Alexander the Great, &c., obtained
" first-class certificates." After the show the members
of the society and their friends dined together in the
large saloon of the tavern, when the various prises were
distributed. A ball concluded the amusements of the day.
TRINITY COLLEGE, PERTH.—The laying of the
foundation-stone of the church or chapel of this im-
portant institution took place on Tuesday. Many re-
spectable parties from Perth and its vicinity, and still
more from a distance, repaired to the scene of the inter-
esting ceremony. The day was gloomy in the fore-
noon, and some slight rain fell. About two o'clock,
however, the day cleared up beautifully at Perth—and
it is to be hoped that the heavens shone auspiciously on
the occasion.—Perth Paper.
NATURAL Air.Autrat.—To those who wish to rise
early during the summer months the following plan is
worth their attention :—Go into your garden in the dusk
of the evening, and pick a flower in which a dumble-
dore has taken up its night's lodging, place it near your
chamber window previous to going to bed. Soon after
sunrise the insect will commence a very loud tune on its
trumpet, at the same time beating its wings against the
glass in endeavouring to escape. This will soon awake
you, when you get out of bed open the window, let your
living alarum fly, and proceed to apparel yourself.
FOREIGN GRAPES —The grapes imported from
Rotterdam in such large quantities within these few days,
are the large and rich description known by the name
of the Hambro' grape, and are grown in the neighbour-
hood of Hamburgb, but imported into this country by
way of Rotterdam, for dispatch of delivery to their des-
tination, and during the period of their being in season,
are a formidable rival to the hothouse grapes, which
they very nearly equal in flavour, the absence of intense
sweetness being the principal difference, having the ad-
vantage, at the same time, of being considerably cheaper
than those grown in this country. The importation of
these grapes has taken place at a much earlier period
this season than was the case last year, which is ac-
counted for by the exceedingly fine and hot weather of
the past summer, which has also been remarkably favour-
able to the ripening of grapes of home growth, reared in
the open air, all of which this season are of unusual
sweetness. .

~••......._____.
PARAGRAPH FOR THE ANTIQUARY.—A silver groat
of David the Second, King of Scotland, was found near
Bedcar a few days since. It is in fine preservation.
Obverse—bust in profile, crowned, with sceptre on the
right—" David Rex Scotorum." Reverse—cross, with
radiating stars of five points in the quarterings, " Edin-
burgh," with some mintner's name, having been minted
there. Edward the Third first struck groats in 1354.
Scotland immediately followed the same plan, the first
being of David the Second. David was defeated and
taken prisoner by Edward at the battle of Hexham,
1346 ; his ransom, amounting to 100,000 marks (13s. 4d.
to the mark), drained Scotland of its coin ; and there is
every probabilitTthat this old coin formed part of the
ransom paid for the redemption of David, whose coins,
owing to this circumstance, are extremely rare in Scot-
land. A similar event occurred with reference to
Richard the First, who, on his return from the Holy
Land, was treacherously made prisoner by the Arch-
duke of Austria, and 100,000 marks paid as his ransom ;
hence the extreme rarity of coins in England belonging
to Richard.—Dumfries Standard.
GAMBLING-HOUSES AND THE POLlCE.—Yesterday
1 a number of the West-end gamblers vacated their pre-
mises, in consequence of the recently adopted system
pursued by the police authorities—placing a constable
cotinully 04 09 witch Ot the;PrixlPal atm%