The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-12 00:00:00

SUPPOSED MURDERS.

OXFORD, AUGUST 10. —The neighbourhoods of Wood-
stock, Sturdy's Castle, and Jackley, have been thrown
into a considerable state of alarm in consequence of the
discovery of the skeletons of three human beings, in a
pit on the right hand side of the Banbury turnpike-road,
and within fifty yards of the Sturdy's Castle public-
house, and which there is every reason to fear are the
remains of some unfortunate fellow-creatures who have
been basely murdered and then buried there by a gang
of gipsies who used to infest that part of Oxford-
shire, three of whom are now in Oxford Castle,
two under a conviction of murder, and the
other of sheep-stealing. Our readers will at
once know to whom we allude, viz., to James
Biddle and Isaac Sheriff, who were condemned at the
recent assizes for the murder of Mr. Mobbs, but whose
sentence has since been commuted to that of transporta-
tion for life, and Skerry, who turned Queen's evidence,
but was afterwards transported for fifteen years for
sheepstealing. The discovery of the human skeletons
arose under the following. circumstances :—When Mr.
Walker, the governor of Banbury Gaol, and Morgan,
the constable of King Sutton, were bringing Biddle,
Skerry, and Sheriff to Oxford Castle, and on arriving
within a short distance of the public-house called
Sturdy's Castle, Biddle suddenly exclaimed (pointing to
the side of the road as well as his handcuffs would
let him), " There lays dead men's bones." Mr.
Walker asked him what he meant—how dead men's
bones came there ? Biddle appeared somewhat con-
fused, but replied, in a jesting manner, " Oh, they were
killed in the war," and said no more. The officers, on
their return from Oxford, repeated the conversation to
the landlady at Sturdy's Castle, who remembered that,
about eight years ago, a person disappeared from that
neighbourhood under very peculiar circumstances, and
had never been seen or heard of by his friends since—
the person's name was hick', the son of a small farmer
residing at Jackley (a village about a mile and a half
from Sturdy's Castle, and that he was the owner of some
cottages and land at that place. He was a
very eccentric character, and preferred a roam-
ing life to that of a settled one. He at
last took up a regular vagabond's life, wandering about
the country with a gipsy tribe, of which Biddle and ,
Skerry formed a portion. Every half-year they were to
be seen encamped in the neighbourhood of Sturdy's
Castle, and it was on these occasions only Hicks used to
pay his native village a visit, for the purpose of receiv-
ing his rents for the lands and cottages. Something
like eight years ago he paid his half-yearly visit as
usual, but since that time he has never been seen or
heard of, and his brother has taken to the property.
The circumstance under which he disappeared, and the
company he was known to keep, coupled with Biddle's
g
declaration on his way to Oxford Castle, led to the
opinion that he had been basely murdered for the sake
of the rents he had been receiving. No steps were
sto by Biddle, when, horrible to
taken to ascertain the truth of fiddle's declaration until
Fabroiduatythleasts,powt pointedhen
°llng persons wt re employed to di
relate, the skeletons of three human beings were dis-
covered ia a hollow pia", which was many years ago
used as a saw pit, on the side of the road, about a foot
and a half under ground- Many of the bones are quite
placed in a box, which is now
under perfect. A medical gentleman residing in the neigh-
bourhood has pronounced them to be those of a woman
and two men, and from the state they were in they must
have been there several years. They were carefully
collected
the issue of a coroner's
be
inquest, when, it is to hoped, that some further light
d erloetkogue and
der seal,
cf and w a
ti g
will be thrown on the affair.

FIRE IN TNE SOUTHWARK BRIDGE-ROAD.—Yester-
day forenoon, between ten and eleven o'clock, a fire broke
out upon the premises in the occupation of Mr. James Har-
court, a corn-dealer, carrying on business in Norfolk-street,
Southwark-bridge-road. It canmenced in a building termed
a stove,
thein pwrhocicehssa ofy
larged number of cane ribs were under-
goingin
g.
The firemen and the men em-
ployed
the roof
on the premises succeeded, after some trouble, in ex-
tinguishing the flames, but not before several gross of cane
ribs were consumed, about two-thirds of the racks in the
building destroyed, and pulled off. The outbreak
was caused by a sack having been left hanging over a coke
Yesterday morning, as two
---
stove. Mr. Harcourt was uninsured.
ACCIDENT ON THE RivElt.
brothers. named Gregory and George Parsons, and a man
e thrown into the
named Pate, were rowing d
all up the river in a small skiff.
Near Battersea they ran foul of
three a sawing
- bartzehrow, by which
their skiff was upset, an
water. By the exertions of the people in the vicinity, Pate
and George Parsons, who were found clinging to a thwart of
the boat on turning her up, were rescued; but Gregory Par-
sons was drowned. The WIT was not found.

which
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LAW INTELLIGENCE.
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CONSISTORy COURT, August 11.
)t
in this case,
June last. and the 9th of
Learned Judge) brought by
Mrs. Mary Williams against Mr. Charles Williams,
i her
husband, charging him with the commission of various
acts of cruelty, and praying a separation on that ground.
The question in the cause was an issue of fact, not of
law, but depended upon the credit to be given to the
witnesses. The cohabitation between the parties had
been singularly short ; for the marriage took place on
the 28th of September, 1843, and the separation on the
17th of August, 1844. Both parties had been pre-
viously married, and Mrs. Williams possessed a consi-
derable fortune settled to her own use. The pleas in
the cause were, a libel, an allegation exceptive to the
evidence of one witness, and an allegation responsive
thereto. The most important witness to establish the
charges alleged in the libel was Miss Eliza Tideswell,
niece of Mrs. Williams—a circumstance which would
lead the Court to look at her evidence with great vigi-
lance. The first charge in order of time referred to a
transaction which took place on the 19th of April, 1844,
when, in consequence of a dispute which occurred
the day before, both parties used very strong lan-
guage—Mr. Williams calling his wife a fool, and
she retorting by upbraiding him with his unkind
behaviour, and calling him a hypocritical fellow.
The result, according to Miss Tideswell, was that Mr.
Williams threatened to throw a cup of tea in Mrs.
Williams' face, and the teapot after it. That statement,
assuming it to be true, showed that the parties were in
a state of great irritation, and that Mr. 'Williams had
used very improper threats, but alone it was not suffi-
cient to found a decree. On the 22d July differences
respecting some very trivial matters took place between
the parties, and on the 24th another conversation en-
sued, in which Mr. Williams insisted upon his wife re-
canting the expression " hypocritical fellow." That she
declined to do, and he then used words, if Miss Tides-
well was to be credited, which no one would attempt to
justify. According to the same witness, his conduct on
that occasion was very outrageous, and he threatened to
destroy everything in the house, but it did not appear
that any act of personal violence towards his wife was
committed. In consequence of that occurrence Mrs.
Williams became unwell, and was confined to her bed
and room. These circumstances might be material, a
showing the probability of future conduct more intem-
perate and violent, but did not call for particular
investigation. The Bth article charged a threat of
personal violence on the 10th of August, and a declara-
tion said to be made by Mr. Williams, that he hoped he
should be able to keep his hands off his wife. Miss
Tideswell deposed that Mr. Williams desired the
footboy to bring a bucket of water that minute to
throw over his mistress, and that was confirmed
by Sarah Jacobs. Whether Mr. Williams really in-
tended to commit the act of violence he threatened was
a question which no tribunal could satisfactorily decide,
but the inevitable consequence must have been to excite
great alarm in the breast of Mrs. Williams, and naturally
and justly to occasion apprehension of personal ill-usage.
lie (the Learned Judge) was of opinion that that charge
was proved. After that occurrence, Mrs. Williams re-
mained in her bed-room, or Miss Tideswell's, until the
17th of August, when the circumstance took place which
ended in her quitting the house. The evidence of Miss
Tideswell as to the commencement of the transactions of
the 17th of August was not very favourable to Mrs.
Williams. It was not very prudent to have a door locked
which was to be opened immediately on Mr. Williams
knocking, and still less so to renew the former quarrel,
by reminding Mr. Williams of his threat to throw the
bucket of water ; it savoured rather of resentment than
fear. Mrs. Williams quitted the sitting-room and went
to the bed-room, which was then locked, but on Mr.
Williams coming it was opened, and a scene of
abuse and swearing followed. Whether Mr. Williams
actually struck his wife, and whether he did so inten-
tionally, had been matter of much discussion. If
Miss Tideswell was to be believed, he grasped her
neck with his hands, and she heard a gurgling in her
throat. Both their faces were covered with blood. He
(the Learned Judge) had no hesitation in saying
that, even on the supposition that Mr. Williams in-
tended the violence for one of the servants, and that Mrs.
Williams only incidentally partook of it, there was no
thing appearin-, on the face of the evidence that could
justify it. Such deficiency of self-command rendered
future personal violence more than probable. Accord-
ing to the evidence of Sophia Neale, on interrogatory,
there was no violence, towards any one; all that hap-
pened was, that Mrs. Williams slipped off the ottoman,
and Mr. Williams tried, but could not succeed, in lifting
her up again. The Court could not understand why
that witness had not been examined in chief, and from
her very limited cross-examination the Court was sub-
stantially deprived of her testimony. Another witness
examined was Sarah Jacobs; but he considered her pre-
sent statement to be deliberate perjury, and her evidence
must be blotted out of the case altogether. It was not the
law, and never could be, that, because a party produced
a witness, they should therefore be bound by it, what-
ever it might be. Miss Tideswell deposed to her and
her aunt going to the window on the 17th of August,
and screaming " Murder, murder." Whilst they were
thus screaming, Mr. Williams pulled Mrs. Williams
violently away from the window, slammed it down, and,
turning round, said to her aunt, accompanied with oaths,
"I'll give ityou for screaming murder," and he then struck
and knocked her down, after which the man-servant
John came into the room. The man John had not been
examined on either side, and the Gaul had some right
to complain of it. Mr. Williams had given no responsive
plea, and examined no witnesses—a very singular course
in such a case. Was Miss Tideswell corroborated as to
the main fact, that of personal violence? If the evidence
of Thomas Cox, a servant in an adjoining house, and
who deposed to seeing the blow from a window, was to
be believed, the proof of personal violence, and of the
grossest kind, was undeniable. An exceptive allega-
gation, however, had been pleaded to his evidence, which
'pleaded that it was impossible he could have seen what
he had sworn he did see, from his own house, and the
part of the house he described himself to have been in.
Ia such cases it was necessary to show that the witness
was perjured. Mr. Cotton, a surveyor of no very great
experience, being only 24 years of age, had made a plan
of the premises, and sworn that the statement of Cox
was in part incorrect ; that it was impossible for him
to have seen Mrs. Williams on the floor or Mr. Williams
strike her. On comparing the two statements, however,
it appeared to him (the Learned Judge), that there was
only an apparent contradiction between them. He was

of Opiniorithat Cex was not in the slightest degree dis-
credited ; but when Mr. Hardwick's evidence was taken
into consideration, there was really no longer room for
doubt. It appeared•to him (Dr. Lushington), therefore,
that the acts of violence charged against Mr. Williams
on the 17th of August were established by the evidence
of two witnesses, both entitled to credit. These acts of
violence were of so gross a description that they fell
under the definition of legal cruelty in the strictest sense
of the term, and they were not justified by any provo-
cation proved to have been given by Mrs. Williams.
Enough was proved to entitle Mrs. Williams t o
the decree of that Court, separating her from her
husband.

CONSISTORY COURT OF ROCHESTER,
August 11.
(Before Dr. LUSIIINGTON.)
IVEY V. IVEY.

This was a suit for a divorce, promoted by Mrs. Ivey
against her husband, on the ground of cruelty and adul-
tery. It appeared that there was a great disparity of
age between the parties, Mrs. Ivey being many years
older than her husband, and possessing a handsome for-
tune settled upon her for her own use.

Dr. ADA3I; (with whom was Dr. Bayford) submitted
that the adultery was fully proved. It was true that
up to a certain period their had been condonation on
the part of the wife, but the adultery, he argued, had
been revived by subsequent acts, and also by acts of
cruelty.
Dr. DEANE rested the defence on the alleged condo-
nation of the adultery, and the impossibility of bringing
the cruelty charged within the legal definition of that
term.

The Learned JUDGE intimated to Dr. Adams that he
considered the adultery proved, but he was of opinion
that the acts of cruelty were not sufficient to justify him
in pronouncing for a divorce on that ground.
Dr. ADAMS admitted that the acts of cruelty per se
were not sufficient to entitle his party to her prayer. He
would therefore abandon that part of the case.
The Learned JUDGE then signed the sentence of sepa-
ration on the ground of adultery only.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, August 11.
(Before Mr. Commissioner GOULBUIIN.)

FOX V. COLLINGWOOD.
This was a summons under the sth and 6th Vict.,
for the purpose of getting the defendant declared bank-
rupt unless he paid the sum claimed.
An objection was taken to the heading of the sum-
mons, which was simply Court of Bankruptcy.
The COURT was at first of opinion that that was suf-
ficient, as all the other courts were district courts ; but
ultimately held, that under the 24th rule, made by the
Lord Chancellor, it was necessary that it should be
stated that it was the Court of Bankruptcy, London.
His HoNorra also decided on a second objection, that
the initials, or the abbreviation of the name of the plain-
tiff in his signature, was not sufficient, although it fol-
lowed, " I the undersigned William Fox."
The summons was therefore discharged.
CONTEMPT OF COURT.-AISTROP V. SOLOMON.

In this case the defendant, who had been summoned
under the Small Debts Act, was committed for contempt
of Court. The summons was originally returnable, on
the Ist inst., but the defendant, on being served, said he
was " too busy to attend the Court." The Commis-
sioner suggested that a notice should be given, so that
he might not be ignorant of the consequence of not at-
tending ; but, on receiving it, the same answer was re-
ceived.
The Learned COMMISSIONER, therefore, ordered the
commitment to be enforced.

Some weeks ago, in consequence of Sir R. Peel's
corn-law measures, the Perth weavers received a consider-
able advance on the weaving of umbrella ginghams, and
various other fabrics. At 'the end of last week a further
advance was given for such descriptions as are likely to
find merchants in the Brazilian and Cuba markets, in prospect
of being opened to British enterprise by an abolition of the
differential duty on sugar. 'We know some of the most re-
spectable firms in Perth that would give employment to many
more hands than they can at present procure, and will, we
have little doubt, be disposed to advance the wages still
further, as soon as the Sugar Bill shall have passed what is
termed " the ordeal a the House of Lords."—Edinburgh
Weekly Register.
LILLIPUTIAN CATTLE.—Mr. William Chute, of Tra-
lee, has entered two black Kerry cows for the national cattle
show at Limerick. The smallest is only 23 inches in height,
though rising two yearoo old.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
OXFORD CIRCUIT.— Gloucester, Aug.ll.
No case of any interest whatever occurred in the Civil
Court to-day. The indictment of the Queen against
Robinson, clerk, is appointed to be taken to-morrow
morning.

CltdWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice MAULE.)
Eliza Cross, aged 24, was placed at the bar to take
her trial on an indictment and a coroner's inquisition
charging her with the murder of her newly-born illegi-
timate female child, on the 17th of May last.
Mr. Skinner appeared for the prosecution, the prisoner
was defended by Mr. Symons.
The prisoner, who was an ironer to a washerwoman
named Mrs. llowles, slept on the night in question with
her fellow-servant, Sarah Young, who had long sus-
pected her of being pregnant, but had received denials
to every question she had put to her on the subject. The
prisoner, on the morning of the day in question, got up
between four and five o'clock, and went down stairs, and
after staying there some time returned into her room
and threw herself on the bed, and after lying there
about twenty minutes, went down stairs again, and while
below called out, inquiring whether Sarah Young was
dressing to come down, to which the latter replied that
she would be doe in a few minutes. Sarah Young
when dressed went down, and observing some stains of
blood on the kitchen pavement, made inquiries of the
prisoner as to what had occurred, as also did her mis-
tress when the fact was communicated to her. On being
questioned subsequently, she admitted that she had mis-
carried and thrown the child into the privy, where, how-
ever, nothing was found on a search. Afterwards, in
the course of the same day, the body of a child was
found in the prisoner's room, wrapped in a gown near
her btd. It was proved that the child was full-grown,
The surgeon described the injuries as of a most
grievous nature, and stated on examination that this
must have resulted from extreme violence. On cross-
examination, however, he said that a person treading
accidentally on the head of a newly born child might
possibly have inflicted them.

- The prisoner, though unmarried, had previously had
two children, one of which was still alive, to which she
testified her mistress was very kind, and which she
supported.
The defence was, that the child having been born
suddenly, as the prisoner was going down stairs to the
kitchen, had received the injuries causing death by its
mother accidentally stepping on its head.
After an address to the jury by Mr. Symons, and an
able summing up by the Learned Judge,
The jury found the prisoner Guilty of concealment of
the birth only.
His LORDSHIP sentenced the prisoner to imprisonment
for three months.

NORTHERN ClRCUlT.—Appleby, Aug. 10.
The assizes for the county of Westmoreland commenced
here to-day; Mr. Justice Wightman presiding on the
civil side, and Mr. JusticeCresswell in the Crown Court.
Five causes are entered for trial. The calendar contains
the names of thirteen prisoners, the greater number of
whom are charged with petty thefts. The charge of rape
against four men engaged on the Lancaster and Car-
lisle Railway has caused a great deal of excitement in
the county, as well on account of the respectability of
the persons who suffered from the outrage, as of the
peculiarly brutal circumstances by which it was accom-
panied.

(Before Mr. Justice CRESSWELL.)
Thomas Burrows, ag(1118, George Lees, aged 18, John
smith, aged 21, and William Smith, aged 19, were in-
dicted for a rape on the person of Jane Dover, at Shap,
on the 19th of April last.

Mr. Matthews. and Mr. James conducted the prose-
cution. The prisoners were defended by Mr. Ramshay.
The prisoners were striking specimens of the class to
which they belong, strong robust youths, but evidently
utterly ignorant, and who conducted themselves through-
out with ;apparently a total indifference to their position.
Mr. MATTHEWS opened the case, and called the fol-
lowing witnesses :
Jane Dover, a delicate-looking girl, about seventeen
years of ace, stated that she was the daughter of a
farmer at Scarside, near Shap. lie is now dead, but
the farm is still kept by her mother. Her brother Mat-
thew and her sister Elizabeth lived in the house. Her
sister Mary lived at Ilackinthorpe Hall, and on Sunday,
the 19th of April last, had come over on a visit to her
mother. The witness and her sister Elizabeth accompa-
nied her part of the way home, along a footpath leading
from a place called Bampton Grange, past Scarside, to-
wards the high road leading from Shap to Penrith.
On reaching the high road they parted, the witness and
her sister Elizabeth returning home by the footpath.
From 'Thrimby Grange, where they left Mary, there
was no house in the neighbourhood of the path except
their own home, which was about a mile distant. When
within about a quarter of a mile from home they met
four men, whom they identified as the prisoners. In
consequence of an elevation in the ground, the witness
and her sister did not see them until they were within
thirty yards, and on their coming up the young woman
went off the footpath to let them pass. Two of the men,
the two Smiths. seized hold of Elizabeth. Jane at-
tempted to run away, but was caught by Burrows and
Lees. She was thrown down upon the ground, and
Burrows attempted to perpetrate the offence with which
he now stood charged. lie called to Lees to hold her
feet, and succeeded, notwithstanding her screams and
struggles, in accomplishing his object. Lees then com-
mitted the same offence, being in a similar way assisted
by Burrows. During this time she was aware that her
sister was struggling with the other two men, but one of
them now left her and came to the witness. He also
perpetrated the crime. Both the young women were
detained in this struggle for upwards of an hour and a
half ; and before the witness finally succeeded in get-
ting away from her assailants, one of them, she could
not tell which, repeated the offence. Another
of them then took her up and carried her
towards a plantation, at some distance from the
path, where he again attempted to violate her
person. While he was struggling with her her sister,
who had finally got away from those by whom she had
been attacked, came up to her on her hands and knees,
on which the man left the witness Jane and went to her
sister. Jane then got to her feet, and ran home,
where she gave the alarm to her brother. He imme-
diately mounted a horse and rode off to the spot, where
he found Elizabeth lying insensible ; she also having
been repeatedly outraged in the same way as her sister.
Both were in a dreadful state when they reached home,
their clothes torn to pieces, their faces bleeding from
blows inflicted upon them by the hands of their assail-
ants, and their persons severely bruised in the long and
desperate struggle which they had maintained. Early
the next morning the police went in search of the pri-
soners, who had all been together drinking at a public-
house at Bampton on the evening in question, and had
been seen very shortly before the time when this out-
rage must have taken place proceeding from Bampton
along a path leading to the spot, and in its immediate
neighbourhood. It was found that at a very early hour
on the Monday morning they had left the " barrack," a
cluster of temporary huts in which they lived, and they
were traced step by step across the county of Westmore-
land, and finally into Durham, where they were taken
into custody near Hartlepool. On examining their
persons it was found that Burrows had but one of his
braces on. It was of rather a remarkable pattern, and
corresponded precisely with one which was found in the
field the morning after the outrage. The spot, it was
stated by the witnesses, was so !trodden in the struggle
that it was some weeks before it was again covered with
grass as before, and it was strewed with portions of the
dress of the young women, crushed fragments of their
bonnets, torn gloves, and broken combs.
According to the testimony of the medical men Jane
Dover had suffered extreme violence from the persons
by whom she had been assailed. The particulars of the
injuries sustained by her sister Elizabeth (whose case
was the subject of another indictment) did not transpire
on this trial ; but they were understood to be of a most
serious kind.

The prisoners were convicted.
His LORDSHIP, in passing sentence, said they had been
convicted of a most aggravated offence, under circum-
stances of such atrocity as reflected the greatest disgrace
on the country in which they were born. When men at
their early age were so brutified any observation would,
as to them, be thrown away. There was no possibility
of exciting in such minds either regret or shame, and he
(the Learned Judge) had never seen four men apparently
more lost, more shameless, more dead to every manly
feeling. As an example to others, however, it was ne-
cessary to refer to the fate which awaited them. They
were about to leave a free country fora state of perpetual
servitude, without intermission of their toil, without
wages, without auy reward but that daily bread which
would enable them to continue their daily labour, to
spend the remainder of their lives in suffering and de-
gradation. The Learned Judge concluded by sentenc-
ing the prisoners to transportation for life.

WESTERN CIRCUIT.—WeIIs, Aug. 10.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice ERLE.)
John Gamtfield and Thomas Gaudfield were indicted
for breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Ann
Champion, at Curry Rival, on the 18th of January, and
stealing therefrom upwards of 60/.

Mr. Edwards was counsel for the prosecution, and Mr.
Stone and Mr. Saunders defended ti e prisoners.
It appeared that on the 16th of January Mrs,
Champion had about 601. in her house ' • she had placed
it in her pocket-book, and then locked it up in a box,
day
(Sunday) she kept in her bed-room. On the following
(Sunday) she saw that the money was all safe. On the
Monday morning, about seven o'clock, she discovered
that the lock of the box bad been broken, and that her
money was gone. The prisoner John Gaudfield lived in
a cottage belonging to the prosecutrix, and almost ad-
joining her house, and shortly before this his brother,
Thomas Gaudfield, had come on a visit to him. Thomas
Gaudfield had a house at Glastonbury, and William
Russell occupied two rooms in that house. In the
month of January Thomas Gaudfield was absent from
his house for a fortnight, but returned one evening ac-
companied by his brother John. On the 22d of
January, about 11 o'clock at night, both the prisoners
came to Thomas Gaudfield's house and called up Russell,
who opened the door for them* they then appeared
to be very much agitated. They went into one of the
rooms, and shortly afterwards Russell heard them
quarrelling, and one of them said, " Don't curse and
swear so ; we have broken into Mrs. Champion's house,
and taken away every d- farthing, and we must hide
it till the noise is over." Russell, upon hearing this,
went down stairs and saw them counting money on the
table. They remained in the house about a quarter of
an hour, and then went out, the prisoner, Thomas, hav-
ing a small box under his arm. Russell told this to a
woman with whom he cohabited, named Mary Ann Rus-
sell, but he desired her nut to mention it to a soul, be-
cause he had heard one of the prisoners say that he
would murder any one who split upon them. Mary tern
Russell corroborated the statement of the former \\*less
as to what lie had told her. She had nattecl it to twenty
people. She had never been in gaol for thieving ; Wt.
she had bad a bad husband who bad sent her for some
cloth which had been §toleva fkucl she was taken up for

" finding" the cloth. She was tried, and Jentstod Ise
six months' imprisonment. her husband had been trans•
ported two years since. The prisoners had been seen
with large sums of money in their possession shortly
after the robbery.

The jury found the prisoners Guilty, and they were
sentenced to be transported for ten years.
Susanna Joan Morris, a respectably attired woman,
was indicted for stealing ten pairs of gloves and other
articles, the property of Mr. Dight Gay, at Exeter.
Mr. Phinn conducted the prosecution, and Mre Stone
defended the prisoner.
The prosecutor is a tradesman in Exeter. The pri-
soner lived at North Curry, where she kept a school, and
Mr. Gay's child was boarded and educated by her at
2/. 10s. a quarter. In July the prisoner went on a visit
to Mr. and Mrs. Gay at Exeter. At that time Mr. and
Mrs. Gay were on a visit to Miss Karslake, at the vil-
lage of Ede, near Exeter. The prisoner accordingly
went there, and after sta3ing a couple of days she went
to Mr. Gay's shop, where she remained three days, and
then the prisoner made a communication to Mr. Gay,
the import of which was that Mrs. Gay had been un-
faithful to her husband, and she named a gentleman to
him. Mr. Gay immediately went to Ede, where his
wife was staying, and there he found the gentleman who
had been named to him by the prisoner, and he instantly
commenced an attack upon him, which ended in a con-
flict, and Mr. Gay was rather severely punished, and
was not able to attend to his business for some days.
Mrs. Gay returned to her shop in a day or two after
this, and then saw the prisoner in her shop, in the act
of turning over different goods. She also observed that
the prisoner's luggage was packed up. An altercation
took place about what the prisoner had stated, and the
prisoner was told that the sooner she left the house the
better. Mr. Gay did not pay the prisoner what was
due to her, but said he would send her a post- office
order for the amount. The prisoner then left. On the
20th of July, in consequence of Mr. Gay missing some
gloves and other articles, he went to the house of the
prisoner, at North Curry, and he there found a carpet
bag, containing several articles belonging to him.
On the cross-examination of Mrs. Gay, it appeared that
she had sent and received several letters from the gentle-
man who had been named, and that she had also received
presents from him.

- For the prisoner, it was urged that she had merely
taken these things as a security for the money that was
due to her, and witnesses were called who spoke of her
in the highest terms.

The jury found the prisoner Not Guilty, and stated
that there was not the slightest imputation on her
character.

Edward Williams and Abraham Michael were in-
dicted for a burglary in the dwelling-house of the Rev.
Robert Haynes, at Coomb hay, and stealing a large
quantity of money.
Mr. Stone was counsel for the prosecution, and Mr.
Saunders and Mr. Cole for the prisoners.
On the morning of the 9th of May it was found that
the prosecutor's house had been broken into and the
money in question stolen. The prisoners were drinking
together the whole of the previous day. Some con-
stables had information given them, and they took both
the prisoners into custody at Williams's house ; and,
upon searching them, many 51. notes were foun upon
them, together with a gold watch, chain, and seals,
which the prosecutor identified as belonging to him.
Williams immediately started, but was followed and
detained, and in his pocket the constable found a jemmy.
The house of Williams was searched, and a centrebit
was found, which fitted an aperture in the prosecutor's
study shutter.
_ _

Michael pleaded Guilty, and the jury returned a ver-
dict of Guilty against the other prisoner, and they were
both sentenced to be transported for life.

THE MURDER AT DAGENHAM.
EXAMINATION OF SUSPECTED PERSONS.
I 1.1-0 RD, TUESDAY EVENING.—This afternoon Dennis
Flynn, John Hennessy, and Ellen Rankin, the former of
whom were described as agricultural labourers, were brought
up from the Arbour-square station-house of the K division of
police, and were examined at some length before the magis-
trates for the Beacontree division of Essex, on a charge of
having been concerned in the murder of George Clarke, a
police-constable of the above division, on the 30th of June
last. Octavius Masheter, Esq., presided. The following
evidence against the prisoners was gone into :
Michael Welch, on being sworn, said, I arrived in England
from Ireland on the sth of February last, and have no
regular place of living. The last place I worked in was for
Mr. Giddins, of Cudham, in Kent. On Tuesday afternoon
last I was at work harvesting, when the prisoner, Dennis
Flynn, came into the field and got some work to do, cutting
the wheat. On the next day !Ellen Rankin and two per-
sbns named John and Felix Sweeny, came and sat by a
fire made for the purpose of cooking food, in the field.
IVhilst sitting there, Ellen Rankin said that they (Flynn
and herself) had no necessity for coming out there :
that her husband was earning good wages in London,
but having the misfortune of assaulting a policeman in Lon-
don, they were forced to quit the place and go down into the
country for twelve months. John Sweeny asked how the
assault, occurred, and she answered it was all on account of
an Irishman who came into a room where they had been
drinking and was going to sing ; that the Englishman ob-
jected to it, and a row was caused. She then said that a
sergeant came on horseback, and he was struck with a stone.
and she saw it ; that Dennis Flynn and John HenneSay
assaulted another policeman, and he was found dead in a
field in the morning. John Sweeny remarked that it was
foolish of her net to keep that a secret. That is all I know
about it.
The Magistrate asked the prisoners if they desired to put
any question to the witness, to which Flynn exclaimed, " It
is all an untruth what he has been stating. lam as innocent
about this murder as a man in Smithfield."
Hennessy—l wish to ask him if ho ever saw me in Kent?
Welch—Yes, I saw you drunk in the beer-shop, having a
row, and at the barn on the morning Ellen Rankin made the,
statement about the murdered policeman.
Hennessy—Don't go too fast, my lad, or I shall have you.
Why, I was at home at Stratford at the time.
Welch declared positively that he saw Hennessy at the
Smith's Arms, at Cudham. in Flynn's company.
Hennessy—He is stating that which is untrue, your
worship; I never was at Cudham in my life, and never saw
this lad in Kent.
The female prisoner also denied the statement of the wit-
ness both as to what he swore she had stated in the field,
and also to Hennessy being the man who came to the barn
on that day. She persisted in stating that it was a man
called Jemmy Daisey, and not Hennessy, who came there.
Flynn admitted that he was acquainted with Hennessy,
but denied that such a statement as Welch detailed had ever
been made.
The Magistrate said it was a very important matter to the
prisoners themselves, and also to the public, that the charge
should be; fully investigated, and he reminded the witness
Welch of the obligation of an oath.
Welch declared most solemnly that he had spoken the truth.
Felix Sweeny examined—l reside in Ball-court, Tooley-
street. I was at work on 'Wednesday last for Mr. Giddens,
at Cudham ; and in the afternoon I was sitting round a fire
with Rankin and Flynn, who worked on the same farm,
when Ellen Rankin said she had no occasion to be harvesting
only for beating a policeman, or having a row with a police-
man, but I cannot say which. She then said something
about a policeman being found in the field with his head off,
but I did not pay much attention to her, nor do I recollect
saying anything to her in reply. Ido not recollect asking
Flynn or Nankin, when they came first to work, where they
came from. When Ellen Rankin spoke of the policeman
being in the field with his head off, John Sweeny, my cousin,
said it was very foolish to talk of such a think before people.
She had better keep it a secret. The boy Welch was present
at the conversation. Before the conversation took place, I
had not heard of a policeman having been murdered. The
prisoner Hennessy was not there, and I don't think I ever
saw him before.
Police-constable Edwin Horsefall sworn—l am constable
53 of the R division, and stationed at Woolwich. From in-
formation 1 received about half-past eight o'clock on
Saturday evening I went to a lodging-house in High-street,
Woolwich. I requested the person who keeps the house to
call Dennis Flynn, who lived below. She did so, and the
prisoner Flynn came up, closely followed by the female
prisoner. She endeavoured to pass me and get into the
street. I stopped her and asked if Flynn was her husband,
and she replied no. I asked her then what her name
was, and she said Ellen Rankin. I then asked her if she
knew Flynn, and she denied that she did. I asked her if
she did net go by the name of Ellen Cotter, which she at
first denied, but afterwards admitted that she did. I ques-
tioned them separately, but the women refused to answer
any questions. I ascertained from Flynn that he had been
working at Footscray, and other places ; and also that a short
time ago he had been employed on the EasterneCsotunttiee
Railway, and lived at Stratford. On georir.tothr
injured and Flynn inquired, " Who be had robbed
" Was his watch
chiiisaragrreiavgaial
zithsterheimth,ealtnswpetcictohr
htoeldaphpieznaretdhemnuacthuraeffoecf
tit
Yesterday afternoon I conveyed the prisoner Flynn from,
Woolwich Police-court to Arbour-square station, when he
said, alluding to the murdered policeman,
and money gone?" He said that voluntarily, and added,
" Was he very much knocked about ?"
Flynn—No, I asked you was he much disfigured?
Horsefall—lt might have been. It was either the word
disfigured or knocked about.
Police-constable Edward Palmer, 231 R, deposed—l ap•
prehonded the female prisoner. On her way to the station
she asked me what I was going to take her for, and added
she was not going to get into trouble for Flynn. She would
tell all about it. After they were placed in the cell at the
station, I heard the prisoner Flynn say to the woman Rankin,
" Keep your mouth shut, and they can't hurt us." On.
searching a bag I took from the prisoner Rankin, I discovered.
the two white gloves (odd ones) new produced. They are
such gloves as are worn by the police.
The female prisoner said the gloves were given to her by a
' female residing at St. Mary's Cray, Kent.
Mr. Superintendent Macquard remarked that the prisoner
Hennessy was apprehended by a constable, who had also held.
an assault warrant which had been out against him for ai
Horsefall, stated that Flynn admitted to
conTshideecraohnlsetapbele r,iod
him that the prisoner Hennessy was down in the country
with them.
The Magistrate here inquired if there was any further evi•
deuce? when Mr. Superintendent Macquard stated that, at
the present moment there was not, but he had dispatched
officers in search of certain information, and expected their
arrival at Ilford shortly. If the magistrate would therefore
adjourn the proceedings for a short time, or remand the
prisoners to a future day, further evidence would be forth-
coming.
The prisoners hero desired to make a statement, but they
were checked by the Magistrate, who told them that as their
position was a very serious one they had better say nothing
lest they criminated themselves. Under the circumstances
he felt it his duty to remand them to a future day.
Hennessy, on hearing this, burst into tears and exclaimed
(pointing to the witness Welch), " That boy is taking my
life away."
Flynn also shed tears, and said—Your worship, I am a
poor hard-working chap that never hurt the hair of a man's-
-
The prisoners were then remanded for a week, and tt 'iotoeyd
Welch was ordered to be detained, suspicion being e
that if allowed to go at large he would not be again forth-
coming.

POST OFFICE NOTlCE.—Yesterday a notice was posted
at the General Post-office that her 11.1a,jesty's ship Inflexible,
for the Cape of Good Hope and New Zealand, sailed on tha
9th instant from Devonport with the morning mails of that
date. Her Dl2,esty's ship Contest is daily expected to sail
for the Island of Ascension. Letters will be taken at the
uswd packet rates—ls. the half-ounce, &c., and newspaper*
free,
Mr, Cobden, whose arrival
'ekterday's impression, is stated
tiCU tQ yiait :iLajeaY niulPPe.
tin9hPaavreis re w
cee iv mentioned on
ined viti it!

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