The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-23 00:00:00

THE SUN, -LONDON,

CRIMINAL COURT.—(THIS DAY.)
OLD COUR 7 .
These sessions the last of the present mayoralty com-
menced to-day before the Lord Mayor, the Recorder,
Aldermen Wiflon, Musgrove, Wm. Hunter, Salmons,
the Sheriffs, Sco.
From the calendar it appears there are 230 prisoners
fur trial, namely, 34 from London, 144 from Middlesex,
8 from Essex, 2 from the Admiralty, 8 from Kent, and
34 from Surrey.
It appears from the calendar, that the Chartists,
Ritchie, Lacy, Pay, Cuffy, and Dowling, who were sen-
tenced to transportation for life at the last Central
Criminal Court are still in Newgate.
The grand jury having been empanelled and sworn.
The ReeortbEit proceeded to deliver his charge to
them. He stated that the calendar contained a list of
230 prisoners for trial, and there was no doubt
that that number would be augmented during the labours
of the grand jury. He trusted, however, that even with
such an addition the grand jury would be able to get
through the important duties they had to perform in the
course of a few days, for although there were many
very serious charges in the calendar, the depositions in
most of the cases were not voluminous, and the points
involved in them were more questions of fact than
niceties in points of law. There were two or three
cases in the calendar to which ho felt himself compelled
shortly to advert. He could not but lament that, in
addition to three charges of murder and two of man-
slaughter, there were no less than fifteen cases of
feloniously cutting and wounding with intent to do
grievous bodily harm, and there was also
a charge of attempting to shoot a police-
man while in the discharge of his duty.
It was melancholy to observe that acts of violence with
instruments calculated to do mischief were greatly on
the increase. A few years ago, the use of such weapons
as the knife in assaults was a circumstance of rare oc•
currence, but, unhappily, now session after session
proved its improper use was greatly on the increase.
There were, as he had stated, 230 prisoners for trial.
Among that number there were 140 charged with lar-
ceny, but under circumstances of considerable variety,
69 of these cases were ordinary larcenies, 13 were lar-
cenies committed in dwelling-houses, 10 larceny from
the person, 39 by servants, 5 cases of letter-stealing, 13
CilSeS where parties were charged as receivers of stolen
goods, and 5 cases of robbery. There was also a case
of arson on the calendar, upon which he felt bound to
make a few observations, as the evidence in that
case was of a rather peculiar nature. With
regard to the offence of arson, it' was aggravated
if any person was in the dwelling-house at the time It
was set on tire. He, however, collected from the de-
positions that in the case that would be submitted to
the grand jury for their consideration there were no
persons in the dwelling-house except the parties con-
cerned. In the case that would be brought before the
grand jury two parties were charged with the crime of
arson, and the object which it was alleged tbey bad pa view
was to defraud an insurance office. He would not advert
to the particulars of the case, because it might prejudice
the minds of the grand jury; at the same time, he felt
bound to make one or two observations upon the mode
in which the charge was likely to be presented to the
notice of the grand jury, in order to guide them in the
discharge of their duties. The charge of arson in the
case he was alluding to, according to the depositions,
was sustained more or less by the persons concerned in
the charge, and the grand jury would therefore receive and
consider with some carefulness the statements of such per-
sons; he believed however that there would be acts of con-
firmation sufficiently proved to induce the grand jury to
put the matter in a state for further inquiry. With re-
spect to the cases of murder, one was the case of child
murder by the mother. In that case the evidence of the
surgeon would be most important, as the grand jury
would learn from him whether or not it was satisfacto-
rily proved that the child was born alive. The other case
of murder was one in which two parties were charged with
the use of instruments employed to procure abortion and
the administration of drugs and poison, or other noxious
matters, to effect the same end. Now, with respect to
this case, he was bound to tell the grand jury that the
attempt to procure abortion by the use of instruments or
the administering for that purpose drugs and noxious
matter, was in itself a folony, and if the use of such
instruments or the administering of such drugs
terminated in death, the party using such
instrument or administering such drugs, was, in the
eye of the law, guilty of murder. The question for the
grand jury would be, did the party employ those, instru-
mentsand administer those drugs for the purpose of
procuring abortion, if they did, and death ensued, the
grand jury would be bound to find a true bill against
them for murder. There was another charge
turning from transportation before the expiration of the
sentence, that was formerly a capital offence, but the
law had been altered in that respect. The Learned
Recorder, after shortly adverting to some of the other
cases in the calendar, and remarking upon the importanl
functions the grand jury were called upon to perform,
remitted them to the discharge of their duties, and at the
same time expressed a hope that the day was far distant
when the grand juries of England, 'which many thought
were useless, and others unnecessary, would be dispensed
with.

The Court then proceeded to swear in the Petty jury.

SURREY SESSIONS--(THIS DAY—.)
These sessions commenced this morning at the Sea•
sions-house, Newington-causeway, before Thomas Puckle,
Esq., and a full bench of magistrates. The Grand Jury
having been briefly charged by the Chairman,
Jane Johnson, 27, was indicted for stealing &shilling,
the property of Frederick Charles Jones.
Toe prosecutor keeps a chemist's shop in the Black-
friar's-road, and the prisoner came to him and asked for
a pennyworth of strapping, for which she tendered a
half-crown. The change was given to her, but after
drawing the prosecutor's attention to her arm, she took
up the change, and asserted that she bad been given a
shilling short. Prosecutor gave her another shilling,
and followed her into another shop, where she attempted
the same trick.

, The CHAIRMAN said the indictment could not be sits •
tamped, as it was not a felony. She must therefore be
acquitted, but the prosecutor could, if he thought proper,
indict her for fraud.

Acquitted accordingly.

MARLBRO'-STREET-(THIS DAY.)

Richard Übsdell was placed before Mr. BinghaM,
charged with creating a disturbance at Mr. Beesley's,
the Black llorse, Rathbone•place, and breaking three
drinking glasses, value 3s. He was also charged with
assaulting Mr. Henry Fowler, a cabinet-maker, residing
in Berners•street.

It appeared that on Saturday night the defendant,
accompanied by a female, entered the complainant's
house and called for some gin, which was served him.
Whilst he was drinking the liquor Mr. Fowler addressed
a few words to the female, which aroused the defendant's
feelings, and withcutthe least provocation he (defendant)
flew at Mr. Fowler, and struck him several blows in the
face. Mr. Beesley interfered, and tried to prevent de-
fendant from hitting Mr. Fowler. Defendant then laid
hold of the water jug which was standing on the bar,
and threw it amongst the glasses, three of which he
broke. He was proceeding to further violence, when
complainant sent for a constable, and gave him in charge.
The defendant admitted striking Mr. Fowler, but
alleged that he had received sufficient provocation to
warrant him in acting in the manner he had done.
Mr. BINGHAM fined him 20s. for the assault on Mr.
Fowler, and in addition ordered him to recompense Mr.
Beesley for the damage done.
Four boys, aged respectively twelve and thirteen
years, were charged with gambling in the public street
during Divine service on Sunday, morning.
C 130, was on duty in Chapel-street, and saw the four
boys playing " all fours." He went up to them and took
them all into custody.
The boys stoutly denied the charge, and were fined
one shilling each.
Tbo boy's parents paid the money, and promised to
flog them well.

A FEW WORDS ON RAILWAY
BUSINESS.
TO THE EDI7OR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—I perused with much pleasure the remarks
on the present depressed state of railway property in

your leader of Friday last, and without "in 9 assenting
either to the cause of such depression as therein
stated, or the remedy pointed out, you will, perhaps,
allow me a small space in your paper to show the
impractibility of causing a different mode of
conducting the share trade whilst the present
stamp duty and cumbrous mode of registra-
tion of shares exists. For example, my
agents purchase for my account 'fifty shares in
a given line, amounting t 02901., the stamp duty upon
which is 31. or nearly l per cent. These shares have
to be transferred from several parties. We will, how-
ever, suppose three—twenty shares each frori two,
and ten shares from the third. Those individuals may
each live -at distant places ; say one in Edinburgh,
one in Bristol, another in Hull, but it is desirable to
have the whole fifty shares upon one transfer in order
to avoid further charge for stamp duty. Under
such circumstances fourteen days for delivery of
shares is not unreasonable. It also not unfrequently
happens that considerable delay occurs at the railway
offices in the transfer of shares : thus shares received
and paid for in the middle of an account may not
have been returned to the purchaser in time for deli-
very on the first of the succeeding account. Although
what I have stated is well known to the trade, the
casual operator in the market is often much annoyed
at the delay which takes place in the delivery of
shares. The brokers have often forwarded the deli-
very by accepting the transfer without the certifi-
cates, guaranteeing that the certificates are lying at
the office, but this has latterly come much into
disuse. True it is that speculators take advan-
tage of the fourteen days for the delivery of shares,
but they also occasionally have to pay heavily
for the indulgence, as the buying-in brokers' prices '
would show, were they given in the London list.
The present excessive stamp-duties levied upon rail-
way property tends much to the depreciation of its
value, as, notwithstanding the good feeling most ge-
-1 nerally existing amongst brokers and dealers in town
land country to avoid unnecessary duty, still it deters
many moneyed men from dealinglin shares. Could not
some plan be adopted by which railway property
' might be as easily passed from seller to buyer as any
commercial property whatever ? Might not the
Railway Commissioners digest some plan ? If one were
adopted, there would be no necessity for the present
system of the Stock Excliange, but until facility is
given for the more rapid delivery of this property, I
do not see howagiiidv
en
the afonry
t Bearsahl
et e
rae
cwt i
ioel npl t cocanonnot bfi
ne
us effected—timeteoetko
from.take
country, and
at hd
vantage of it. _

To—brokers in the country, the system is one of
perpetual anxiety and annoyance, as they are corn.
pelled to remit the amount of their purchases by the
settling day, and, perhaps, not get possession of their
stock for upwards of fourteen days after, as it not
unfrequently happens that the buying-in broker
cannot meet with the particular stock for immediate
delivery.
Perhaps in no instance has the Legislature done
more to injure railway property than to annoy by
every legislative interference and heavy impost prac-
ticable. Committees and Commissioners have been
appointed without end, useless expenditure in obtain-
ing Acts enforced and encouraged, but I do not know
of one single Act of Parliament that has been passed
to settle the law upon railway matters, although the
decisions of the judges have been as various as the
judges themselves.
. .

May next session not pass over without something
beneficial being done.—Yours respectfully,

B. E.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Six,—Will you allow an old subscriber to your
journal the permission to express his warm approval
of your article in last evening's paper on the present
unnatural depression in the value of railway property.
Depend upon it, you have hit the nail on the right
head. Bearing is the plague-spot which now spreads
misery and ruin through many and many a hitherto
happy family. Bearing is having its day. Bulling
was in the ascendant three years ago, and every one
remembers with what mad excitement shares were
bought and sold a thousand times, and by the thou-
sand too, without one ever being delivered. Now the
scale is turned, but the system is reversed. Before
shares were sold forward at a long price, now at a
low one. Then the point was by rumour, inuendo,
bold assertion, or ought else that would answer to
bring into the market more buyers. Now the same
game is pursued, but it is with the view of bringing
in more sellers.

I have seen something of railway men, railway
meetings, and railway tactics on the Stock Exchange,
and I am besides a bond fide holder to a considerable
amount in all the first class dividend-paying lines of
the kingdom, at my own control, and held with ease
though not without anxiety under their present de-
pression. Now, as such, I feel justified in offering a
little advice to my brother shareholders, and it is this:
" Hold on ; do not be frightened otd of your. property ;
a better time is corning." It may' not, probably will
not, be just yet, but it is due, it, is our own, and no
man can rob us of it. Meanwhile, this panic may be
productive of some good (there are few evils without
their advantages), and that, greater vigilance on the
part of directors as regards every expense, the work-
ing of trains, cost of materials, salaries, &c., &c., and
perhaps the presentation of clear, simple, intelligible
accounts of the exact position of different companies,
so that shareholders may draw from actual figures,
officially given, their own conclusions, and see, from
plain figures, what their property is worth, and
likely to be worth.

I will venture a prophecy (and shall be glad if
any of your readers will show cause against it) that,
on the 30th of June next,
Great Western Shares, now quoted 721., will be 901.
London and North-Western, ditto... 1021. „ 1351.
Midland, ditto
York and North-Midland, ditto ' 451. „ 70/.
York and Newcastle, ditto
and other lines (solid ones) in proportion.
But I must not run on. I may resume my pen ;
but, be this as it may, I beg you will wield yours to
put down Bearing, to raise a man's property to some-
thing like its legitimate value, and stem the present
mad current, set in through the medium of interested
(notoriously interested) parties against property,
from which it is clear, to the most satisfactory de-
monstration, the entire country is derivins a gain,
and no mistake.—Believe me, Sir, yours faithfully,
Sheffield, Oct. 28. HOPE.

EXISTING REMEDY AGAINST THE "BEAR-
ING" OF RAILWAY STOCKS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
observe, in your newspaper of Friday, the
20th inst., you propose as the true remedy against the
Bearing of railway stocks, that the shareholders
should demand from the Legislature an Act of Par-
liament, prohibiting all speculative sales of stocks
under heavy penalties, and declaring all contracts to
be illegal where the venders were not at the time pos-
sessed of the stock which they engaged to sell. Now
the fact is, but it does not seem to be so generally
known as it is desirable that it should, that there is
already such an Act of Parliament, viz., 7th Geo. 11.
c. 8, rendered perpetual by the 10th Geo. 11. c. 8.
This Act, entitled " An Act to Prevent the Infamous
Practice of Stock-jobbing," contains in the ith and
Bth sections the vew provisions which you suggest as
likely to be attended with such beneficial effects ; and
it may be rendering an important service to the public
if you were to make an excerpt of these sections for
general information.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Oct. 21, 1848. A LAWYER.
[We fear that our correspondent is in error, and
that it will be found that the provisions of the Stock-
jobbing Act do not apply to railway stock. Indeed,
we are greatly mistaken if there has not been a
decision to that effect—there being no stock "gju.gdent
gencris" in existence at the time of the passing of that
salutary law.—ED. Sun.]

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Stockton, Oct. 21, 1848.
SlR,—Knowing you wish to correct all attempts at
imposition, may I ask the favour of your inserting
the following :
On Thursday night last I left Newcastle, per mail
train, for Durham, in a second-class carriage, in which
was a poor woman, who unfortunately dropped her
ticket. On our arrival at Durham, the great men
there demanded 2s. of her. As she said she had only
23-d. I paid the 2s. for her, on condition that if the
ticket was found they would return the money. On
my going to the station on Friday, Porter No. 38
said the ticket was found in the bottom of the car-
riage. I then applied for the return of my 25., but
was told I must go to Newcastle for it, which would
have incurred me the expense of Bs. Hoping you
will insert this,
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
EDWARD MAUGHAN, Commercial Traveller.
23, Old Fish-street, Doctors' Commons, London.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—Would you, through the medium of your
paper, answer a question which has puzzled the
brains of half Yorkshire, and on which (I do not
exaggerate) hundreds of thousands of pounds are
wagered. It is whether January (say) 10th, 1800,
is in the 18th or 19th century.
I will not give my opinion at present. But I know
this to be a fact, that one of the first county judges
in England, and an M.P. for a town in the south of
Yorkshire, have a bet of 5,0001. on the aforementioned.
I remain, Sir, yours obediently,
Rotherham, Oct. 20th, 1848.
G-•
[The year 1800 was the last year of the 18th cen-
tury ; for, as the first century began with the year 1,
it could not be completed until the close of the year