The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-19 00:00:00

TUESDA Y EVENING, DECEMBER l9, 1848.

Will was sent for, and arrived at the works
within about twenty minutes after the accident
occurred. We are happy to be able to state that he pro-
nounced the injuries of Clark and Low to be of a com-
paratively simple character, and that no serious result
was to be anticipated. Grant was by his orders, taken to
the Royal Infirmary shortly after twelve o'clock, and the
body of the deceased George Murray was carried to his
own house, at Sim's-square. Murray was about fifty or
sixty years of age, and leaves a wife and family of six
or eigbt children, most of whom, however, are grown up.
—A large quantity of strong new paling lately erected
at the Chemistry Works, Links, has been torn down,
and carried away a distance of 20 or 30 yards into a
field, by the force of the wind.—A currier's shop in
Loch-street, belonging to Mr. John Watt, leather
merchant and currier, has been blown down.—An
enclosure in West North-street, for building
purposes, has been blown to pieces.—Mortimer's wood-
yard, at Poynernook, has been blown down and
seriously damaged.—Two wood yards, in Frederick-
street, have been blown open.----One of the windows
of the Old Record-office in Castle-street, now
used as a Dispensary, has been blown in.—ln Bon-
accord-street, a quantity of paling, &c., has been
blown down.—ln the vicinity of the shore, a great num-
ber of win,o ws and skylights have been reduced to ever-
lasting smash. —The streets, at the hour at which we
write (two o'clock), are completely strewed with broken
cans, tiles, lime, &c., but we have heard of no other loss
of life than that at the Gas Works, and we are happy to
say that the gale has abated.

THE COLONIZATION SOCIETY.
A numerous and highly influential meeting of noble-
men and gentlemen of the county of Stafford was held
on Friday at the Shire Hall in that town, for the pur-
pose of forming a branch society for Staffordshire to
atil in emigration to New South Wales. As you have
already given in your report of the important meeting
lately held in this town, all the facts connected with this
movement, it will be unnecessary to recapitulate them
through a lengthened report of the proceedings
at Stafford. Suffice it to say the subject excites
very considerable interest, and has called forth the co-
operation of many nobleman and others of distinction,
who seemed impressed with a conviction of the import-
Lord LIABROWDY occupied the chair, and opened the
business by observing that although the trade of Staf-
ford (the shoe trade) was in a fair average condition,
and the people did not, to any great extent, desire emi-
gration, still there were many in other parts of the
county who were anxious to kayo, and, for their infor-
mation and advantage, he would call upon the Hon. F.
Scott to give the meeting some information upon the
subject._

The Hon. Mr. Sc.TT then addressed the meeting at
considerable length, and was followed by Mr. Logan, Mr.
Hodgson, and others, after which a resolution, expressive
of the opinion of the meeting in favour of a branch
society, was passsed, and
The Noble CHAIRMAN said ;he had had. a list placed
in his hands of the noblemen and gentlemen who were
to form the committee. The list included that of the
Right Rev. Prelate who had given the sanction of his
presence to the meeting, his own name, Viscount In-
gestre, the Hon. and Rev. Mr. Talbot, Mr. Adderley,
Rev. Mr. Coldwell, Mr. Essington, Mr. Ridgway, &c.
He hoped some person from the southern part of the
county would he added to it, as many persons from
the neighbourhood of Wolverhampton were anxious to
emigrate. The ladies' committee include the names of
the Duchess of Sutherland, the Countess of Harrowby,
and several other ladies of distinction in the neighbour-
hood; and if there were any ladies anxious to assist in
the laudable work of helping the enterprising of their
own sex to emigrate, he hoped they would have their
names added to the committee. _

Thanks having been given to the chairman, the meet.
ng separated.

We have been requested to give insertion to the fol-
lowing letter:—
"Birmingham, Thursday night, Dec. 14, 1848.
"My dear Sir,—l much regret being obliged to re-
turn to London to night, instead of proceeding, as I
intended, with the deputation to Stafford, where, I
doubt not, your meeting will be very successful. I
cbserve by the Liverpool papers that the late consti-
tuents of your Noble Chairman, the Earl of Har-
rowby, are looking with much interest to the meeting
he presides over to-morrow in connexion with the
Colonization Society. I should have wished to have
stated a few words in reference to the innumerable
resources of Australia, as also upon one of the principal
commodities exported from those colonies, viz.—sperm
oil, which, at this time, is commanding in the London
market 851. per tun. The impetus that will consequently
be given to the whale fishery will be greatly accele-
rated when the far seeing and well-matured plans of
the Messrs. Enderby for colonising the Auckland
Islands, and thence prosecuting more advantageously
and efficiently than heretofore, our old and lucra-
tive, but now neglected, whaling trade in the Pa-
cific and Indian Oceans become known ; for their high
position, and also their unequalled experience in this
branch of British enterprise, is a sufficient guarantee for
the success of the company they have formed, warmly
supported as it is by the London merchants, as well as
by many other parties of great weight and standing in
the mercantile circles elsewhere. I would have endea-
voured to have shown that our friends, the iron and
metal workers, the manufacturer of chains and whaling
gear, of Staffordshire hoops, the miners and colliers,
will feel the benefit of this company, and those smiths,
engine masters, coopers, and others in Staffordshire
who contemplate going to Australia, will participate
in the advantages resulting from that fishery and in
colonial shipbuilding; for every ton of shipping launched
in the southern Pacific adds to the capital and enterprise
of the British Empire at large, affording profitable em-
ployment, contributing to the development of illimitable
w( altb, and creating an excellent nursery for seamen.
If opportunity present itself, probably you will kindly
take occasion to enlarge upon these points in any mode
your judgment may suggest.
"I am, my dear Sir, yours very faithfully,
MARIC. BOYD.
"The Hon. Francis Scott, M.p., Chairman
of the Colonization Society."

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF QUEEYS BENCH, Dec.lB.
(Sittings at Guildhall.)
BRETT V. THOMPSON.

This was an action to recover compensation in damages
for a breach of contract. It appearzd that the son of the
plaintiff having received an appointment as cadet in the
service of the East India Company, his father was anxious
to obtain suitable accommodation for his conveyance to
India. A cabin was engaged in the starboard side of the
ship Brahmin, of which the defendant is the pro-
prietor, for which the sum of 801. was agreed to be
paid. The cabin was fitted up at an expense of from
151. to 201. At Gravesend the cabin was taken from the
youth, and one worth 401. was afsigned to him, on
the ground that it had been previously engaged by an
officer of the 40th Hussars.

The defence was that no distinct agreement was made
with respect to the cabin in question ; that it was alto-
gether unusual to make such agreements; that the plain-
tiff's son found the key in the door, and took possession
of it without sufficient authority. It was shown that the
furniture had been resold to the person who supplied it,
and that the cabin had been let, in accordance with a
Government contract, to an officer of the regiment in
question.

The jury found for the plaintiff—Damagess 501.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER, Dec. 18.
M'SWINEY V. BIRKITT.
Mr. Martin (with whom was Mr. Willis) for the plain-
tiff:, and Mr. Sergeant Talfourd (with whom were Mr.
Chambers and Mr. Bovill) for the defendant.
The action was brought by the firm of M'Swiney
Brothers, of Cork, corn-merchants, to recover compen-
sation in damages for the alleged breach of a warranty
as to the quality of a cargo of Indian corn, shippel at
Salonica for Cork, in the month of February, in the year
1847, and the maize was warranted to be of a " fair
average quality;" but when it arrived in Cork, in the
month of June, it was in a very inferior condition, and
sold at considercble loss. It appeared that the voyage
from Salonica to Cork was prolonged beyond the average
duration of the voyage, which is only seven weeks, in
consequence of the prevalence of contrary winds and foul
weather, which, it was said, accounted for the inferior
condition of the cargo when it reached Cork. On the
other hand, it was alleged that the corn must have -been
of an inferior quality when shipped at Salonioa, to ac-
count for the state of fermentation in which it appeared
to be on its arrival at the port of destination.
A considerable amount of contradictory evidence,
written as well as oral, was submitted to the jury, a
commission having issued to take the evidence of wit-
nesses at Salonica, for the purpose of proving that the
corn was dry, and in a proper condition when shipped
at that port.
The jury, after a consultation of about twenty minutes,
returned a verdict for the plaintiffs—Damages 1,1311.
INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, Dec. 18.
(Before the CHIEF COMMISSIONER.)
IN RE CHARLES KING.
The insolvent, late a captain in the 89th Regiment,
applied for his discharge.
Mr. Cooke opposed, and Mr. Nicholls supported.
The chief grounds of opposition were, that the insol-
vent had availed himself of the benefit of that court
about two years since, and that he was not justified in
contracting debts included in his present schedule. His
debts under the first insolvency were 2971., and towards
the liquidation of that sum there had been 1001. paid into
court. The debts are now 3701., and there are no assets
available sufficieut for a dividend.
His HONOUR said he should declare the insolvent en-
titled to his discharge after the lapse of three months
from the time of the vesting order.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

OLD COURT.

William
Mowatt, a person having the appearance of a
, horse-dealer, was indicted for having unlawfully con-
spired with two other persons, named Ward and Bapp,
to defraud James Beadel of 65/. by false pretences.
, Mr. Clarkson prosecuted, and Mr. Ballantine was for
the defence.
The particulars of this case have been recently gives
in the police reports, and the charge arose out of a pro-
; ceeding which is generally described as " horse-chaunt-
ing." It appeared that the prosecutor, who is an auc-
tioneer and land-agent, residing at Broomfield Lodge,
near Chelmsford, and who also has a place of business in
Gresham street, being in want of a pair of particularly
quiet horses for his own use, saw an advertisement in
the Times of the 6th November, representing that two
horses were for sale at a stable in Turk's Head-mews,
Harley-street, which appeared to be just the sort of ani-
mals that he was desirous to obtain. He accordingly
went to the stable, where he saw the prisoner, who
showed him the animals, and stated that they were the
property of a lady named King, who resided at East-
bourne, and that she had bred ono of them and
purchased the other about two years before, and
that he (Mowatt) was her coachman, and had driven the
horses constantly together for the last two years in a
clarence carriage, and that they were particularly quiet
good animals. The prosecutor pressed him with regard
to the point of quietness, and Mowatt then with great
earnestne. s repeated the story, and said that the larger
horse of the two had been driven by his late master in
single harness, and was an excellent horse. The prose-
cutor inquired the price, and was then referred to another
man named Ward, who represented himself to be the
job-master, and said that Mrs. King expected to get a
hundred guineas for the horses, but he thought she
might take eighty guineas, as she was at great expense
for their keep, and also the expenses of the coachman,
and would be glad to get rid of them. The prosecutor
refused to give that sum, and Ward then said that a rela-
tire of his, who was an omnibus master, had offered him
70/. for the horses, but that Mrs. King was so fond of
the animals that she would not allow them to go into any
other than private hands. At length the prosecutor,
upon the faith of the representations made to him, and
believing that he was buying a pair of horses the genuine
property of a lady of respectability, consented to give
65/. for the animals, and they were sent the same evening
to the Eastern Counties Railway station at Shoreditch,
and the prosecutor paid Ward the sum agreed upon, and
received from him a receipt in which the animals
were described as sound and quiet in single and
double harness, and it was also stated upon the document
that if the horses were mot approved of within one week
they were to be returned, and the money should be re-
funded. The prosecutor then proceeded with his pur-
chase to his residence at Chelmsford, and the next morn-
ing a trial was made of the capabilities of' the horses,
when it was soon discovered that they were a couple of
vicious useless brutes. It was with considerable diffi •
culty that they were got out of the stable-yard, and after
they had proceeded a short distance they began to rear
and kick, and also attempted to bite each other, and it
was very evident that, so far from their having been con-
stantly driven together, they were not at all used to har-
ness, and, instead of having been constantly driven together
for two years, in all probability had never seen each
each other until they were introduced to the stables in
Turk's Head-mews, through the instrumentality of the
defendant. The story about the lady, of course, turned
out to be an entire fabrication—in fact, what in the lan-
guage of this fraternity is calved " a good client;" and
the prosecutor upon going to the stable where he first
saw the defendant a few days afterwards, found it shut
up, and none of the parties could be met with there. In-
formation, however, was given
.to the police, and the
prisoner a as taken into custody upon the present charge.
Mr. BALLANTINE, having taken some technical objec-
tions to the hid:cupola, which were overruled, made a
very ingenious address to the jury on behalf of the de-
fendant, who, he urged, had only done that which was
the every-day custom, when a horse was to be disposed
of—namely, told a great many lies with regard to the
good qualities of the animal. He said that people who
went to buy a horse always were prepared for such pro-
ceedings, and after listening to all that was said by the
seller, they only believed as much of it as they pleased.
lie would not attempt to justify the conduct of the de-
fendant, but in horse transactions every one knew that
people were not very particular, and he contended that
the matter ought to have been made the subject of an
inquiry before a civil tribunal, instead of being brought
forward as a criminal charge.

The RECORDER having summed up, and explained to
the jury the law in reference to the alleged offence, they
deliberated fur a short time, and then returnee a verdict
•f Guilty. _

The defendant was then called up for judgment, and
his LORDSHIP observed that frauds of this description
were very prevalent, and they must be repressed by the
law. The conduct of the defendant, and the other per-
sons who evidently acted in concert with him, was
nothing less than conspiring to rob. They inserted an
advertisement in a newspaper of a character calculated
to attract attention, and when any one came to their stable
in consequence, to see the animals referred to, they
were ready with a plausible tale calculated to throw a
person off his guard and induce him to part with his
money for an almost worthless article. At present he
should not go to the full extent of the law, by passing a
sentence of transportation, but if the punishment he was
about to inflict was not found to have the effect of check-
ing the offence, parties concerned in these proceedings
might rely that the law would be carried out to its full
severity until that result was obtained.
The defendant was then sentenced to be imprisoned
and kept to hard labour for one year.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION HOUSE.

John Smith, a counter:ea blind man, was brought be-
fore the Lord Mayor, charged with having •btained
the sum of 21. from the Hon, William Denman, the
son of Lord Chief Justice Denman, upon false repre-
sentations.

It will be recollected, that towards the conclusion of
the late mayoralty, a man natned Nelson called upon
Mr. Thompson, of Salters Hall, accompanied by a man
who appeared to be blind, for the purpose of applying
for a subscription, and that Mr. Thompson caused Nel-
son to be taken into custody, an event which restored
the blind man to his perfect sight, and caused his preci-
pitate flight through lanes and alleys, to the utter con-
fusion of his unsuccessful pursuers. Upon that occasion
Nelson was committed to prison for three months as a
notorious impostor, and llorsford, an officer of the Men-
dicity Society, upon whose evidence that impostor was
committed, stated that h 3 knew the fugitive, and should
no doubt be able to produce him before the chief ma-
gistrate.
Horsford, who attended to redeem his pledge, stated
that, in consequence of information which he had re-
ceived, he went in search of the prisoner, with whose
talent for affecting loss of sight he was so well ac-
quainted, and, having found that the man was in Maid-
stone gaol, waited until the opportunity arrived, and
apprehended him upon the charge of having obtained
money from the lion. Mr. .1),E1 nan, 11r. Thompsop, and ,
Mr. Egerton.
The Hon. George Denman, of Mitre-court-buildings,
barrister, said, about June or July last, the prisoner came
to my chambers with r. letter, which I burnt after I read

it. It stated that the bearer was a deserving young
man, who had almost wholly lost his sight from an ac-
cident by fire, that his mother was lying dead in
Derby, and that he was anxious to go thither by rail-
way to see her interred, but had not the money to pay for
his conveyance. The letter was signed Wilmot, but the
Christian name Ido not remember. The writer said he took
an interest in the case, because the bearer was a Der-
byshire man, and he (the writer) was from Baxton. I
had a conversation with the prisoner, who said he had
been to t,my brother, Captain Denman, who lodged in
Chapel- street, Grosvenor-place, and that the captain had
just gone out. I said I had no money to give him. He
then asked me to refer him to any others of the family
who might be in town, and spoke of them as being
known to him by name. He was then leaving my chum
hers, but I called him back and gave him 2/.
Horsford produced a number of forged subscription
lists and recommendatory letters (with the names of
several of the nobility appended as subscribers of money
from 11. to 101.), which had been found upon the priso-
ner, who, he said, had been convicted in June, 1845, for
having endeavoured to impose upon the Countess of
Pembroke and Colonel Howard. The prisoner admitted
to the witness that he had been convicted on those occa-
sions, and been committed for three months, and he
hoped the Lord Mayor would be satisfied with giving
him that amount of punishment.
The prisoner assured the Lord Mayor that he kad
been prevailed upon, in consequence of his infirmities
and wants, to become the instrument of designing per-
sons, who had planned the whole deception and enjoyed
the profits, while he retnained the victim. He solemnly
declared that it was his firm intention to abandon the
course of lire into which he had been led, and the com-
panions by whom he had been misled, and he trusted
that the Lord Mayor would consider what he had already
suffered, and: likewise that he repented, and would
completely alter his mode of life.
The LORR MAYOR said the life the prisoner had been
leading was beset with dangers and punishments; and
what he had already undergone would, it was to bo
hoped, operate as a warning to him. Under all the cir-
cumstances, and in the hope that there was some sin-
cerity in the prisoner's protestations of reform, the sen-
tence upon him was, that he be committed to Bridewell
for two months. His Lordship, in the course of admo-
nition to the prisoner, availed himself of the opportu-
nity of stating that the public were deeply indebted to
the Mendicity Society's officers for their extraordinary
exertions in detecting impostors.
Mary Harris, alias Manners, was brought up on the
following charge:—
George Kensey, City policeman 656, was on duty on
Friday morning in Threadneedle-street, at a quarter
before five o'clock, when the prisoner passed him, and
after having crossed to the other side of the street, re-
turned, and said to him, "You are a policeman; I have
murdered my child; I throwed it over London-bridge
this morning at two o'clock." In answer to questions
which the policeman put to her, the prisoner said she
had flung her child over the centre part of the bridge,
and that she did the act on account of great distress.
Upon being taken to the station-house she repeated her
self-accusation, and said that she was a single woman;
that the father of the child was a valet, and that the
child was a girl about six years old; that her ow❑ age
was 28 years, and that she had no fixed residence,
but that the last workhouse in which she had been

was St. Pancras, at which she called on Tuesday morn-
ing. She also said that the child's name was Maria,
and that her sister had treated her ill on account of the
child; and she endeavoured to conceal a piece of paper.
which the policeman found to be an order from the
master of the Paddington workhouse for the delivery of
a child, who was at the house in Norwood, to which
children are sent by some parishes to be reared and in-
structed.

The master of the Paddington workhouse stated that
he knew the prisoner as Maria Manners, and he also
knew there had been a child at the workhouse, whose
name was Mary Ann Manners. Ile was on Wednesday
called to the board of guardians, and he received direc-
tions in consequence of which he wrote the note pro-
duced.
The prisoner was remanded.
_ _

The LORD MAYOR requested that the newspapers
would acknowledge his receipt of 1/. from Alpha, of 21.
from Lady Bourchier, and of 11 from T. J. M., for the
service of Maria Tinley, the unfortunate young woman
who was married and plundered by Bramall, alias Beau-
mont, the polygamist.
A gentleman, named Lea, who resides in Abcburch_
lane, waited upon the Lord Mayor to inform his Lord-
ship that, on Sunday morning, in coming from Colches-
ter, in the train on the Eastern Counties Railway, just
after he had passed the station at Witham, he and se-
veral other passengers had a very narrow escape, in
consequence of the negligence of the servants, who left
two barrels of gunpowder in such a position of the line
that the engine dashed against them, and they ex-
ploded. Several of the windows in the carriages were
smashed by the explosion, which, if it had taken place
under the carriages, instead of under the engine, would
have destroyed many lives, in all human probability.
Mr. Lea said he had experienced great incivility from
one of the clerks, upon complaining of such culpable
negligence.

Ili; LORD MAYOR thanked the gentleman for the com-
munication, and said he had been given to understand
that the magistrates at Witham were that day engaged
in investigating the accident.