The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-16 00:00:00

LAM AND POLICE.

ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE.—John Duke (52),
cigar maker, was indicted at the Central Criminal Court,
for the attempted murder of his wife, Eleanor Duke,
in Cripplegate. The parties had been married for
twenty-three years, and latterly they had been in great
trouble. Prisoner had been out of work for about seven
months, a favourite child had died in October last
five others were ill with the fever, and his wife
was also ill. While she was looking away, the prisoner
struck her twice with a stick, stabbed her in the throat,
and then cut his own throat. They were removed to the
hospital, where both recovered. The jury found the pri-
soner not guilty, on the ground of insanity, and he was
ordered to bwdetained during her Majesty's pleasure.

AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE. —Reuben Martin, a foot-
man, aged 18, was convicted, at the Central Criminal
Court, of committing an abominable offence with a man
unknown. Prisoner had been taken into custody by an
officer who saw him acting in a suspicious manner, and
when at the station he made and signed a full con-
fession, shewing that he had acted as charged on
several occasions. When arraigned, however, he pleaded
not guilty. Mr. Baron Martin postponed sentence until
Wednesday, when witnesses to character will be pro-
duced ; but his lordship observed that it was a case in
which he had no discretion, as the Legislature had enacted
that the sentence must be one of not less than ten years
penal servitude.
A NEUTRAL LADY IN DIFFICULTIES.—At the Bow-
street Police-court, an elderly lady with her attendant
applied to Mr Flowers for assistance to relieve her from
a difficulty, incident to the war. She stated that she
had arrived in England from France previous
to the breaking out of hostilities, and, after visiting
Brighton and elsewhere, desired urgently to return. She
had no one in England who knew her, and had applied to
the Foreign Office, who referred her to a magistrate, who
could not grant her a passport as she was unknown to him.
Applicant said that four years ago she came and went
without a passport, and thought it was the same
now.--Mr. Flowers : No, things are altered now.—lt
eventually came out that a gentleman in Lambeth might
have some slight knowledge of the lady, and the magis-
trate kindly ordered the officer to procure a form, so that
she might get it filled up. The ladies retired evidently
regarding the war as a nuisance.
AN APOTHECARY CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF AN
ACTRESS.—At the Central Criminal Court, before Mr.
Baron Martin, William Harding (59), described as an
apothecary, was indicted for the wilful murder of Isabella
Tewson ; and on a minor count for attempting to procure
abortion. The prisoner lived with his wife and family in
Windsor-terrace, City-road, and carried on business as a
surgeon, but his name did not appear in the " Medical
Register." The deceased was a married woman, twenty-
who acted under the name of
four years of age,
Miss George, at the Alhambra Music Hall, Shore-
ditch, and it was charged by the prosecution
that the prisoner gave her ergot rye and
used an instrument for the purpose of procuring abortion.
The effect was a mis-carriage, from which she died. For
the defence, it was shewn that deceased, in enacting the
Part of Mazeppa, was obliged to fall heavily three times
each evening ; that she fell down stairs a
fortnight before her death ; and that on the
Wednesday before her death she was severely
hart in descending through a trap, after which she did not
act again. It was urged that these mishaps were sufficient
to account for Mrs. Tewson's death, under the circum-
stances. At the close of the case for the prosecution, his
Lordship expressed his opinion that the evidence did not-'
establish any connexion between the prisoner and the
administration of any noxious drug to deceased or the
use of any instrument, and under his direction tie jury
acquitted the prisoner.
SINGULAR CHARGE OF BIGAMY AT SWANSEA.—A sin-
gular case of bigamy has been investigated at Swansea,
which excited great interest owing to all the parties con-
cerned being well known in the town. The defendant,
Mary Jane Newman, was charged ' with niarrying
her present httsband, her former husband, Antonio
Walker a man of colour,.being still alive. Walker was a
steward on board a steamer sailing between Swansea and
Vali)araiso, and on returning from one of his voyages
he found his wife had left her cottage and was
living as housekeeper with Mr. Mitchell a china and
glass dealer. She refused to see him and he went
back to Valparaiso. After a time Mr. Mitchell died,
leaving his property and business to his housekeeper,
who married a Mr. Newman in 1867: It was contended
on behalf of her first husband that she 'knew he was living,
and that he had never been away from Swansea for more
than four years. Charles Newman, the second husband,
said that his wife had told him 'Aralker was dead, and
there was no secrecy about their marriage. He admitted
having seen the prosecutor in Swansea last summer, but
he had no communication from him until the summons.
He heard from his wife's brother that Walker was
dead twelve months before he married his wife, , but
made no isiquiry on the subject. The case was dismissed,
the jury being of opinion that there was no evidence the
defendant was aware that her first husband was alive at
the time she married the second. The prosecutor was
very much perplexed at the result of the case ,which had
to be explained to him by a bystander.

The Poet Laureate is said to be at work on a new
poem.
TELEGRAPH TO SPUR3I.—The Post Office autho-
rities have sanctioned the extension of the telegraph to
Spurm Head.
Damage to the extent of £7OO resulted from a fire
which occurred on Saturday on a farm near Liverpool. A
lad resident at Stockport is the supposed incendiary, and
is in custody on suspicion.

Thirteen additional Postal Telegraph. Offices will
be opened in various parts of the kingdom on the 17th-
four of them being in the Isle of. Man, two . others near
Redhill, and the others ranging from. Dover to Sheffield,
and from Exmouth to Stockton-on-Tees.
SERIOUS 'Bus ACCIDENT.—A' DOZEN PERSONS
INJuW.—Shortly after eight, o'clock on Saturday
evening an alarming accident happened ta one of 'the
omnibnses of Messrs. E. Holden and Co., which ply
between Bolton and Farnworth.. Going down a hill the
vehicle upset, and the whole of the passengers on the top
were precipitated to the ground, with injuries more or less
severe. Three of them it was found necessary to remove
to the Bolton infirmary one named James Wrigley,
labourer, sustaining a severe laceration on the right knee,
and it is to be feared a fracture of the ribs ; another,
Thomas Hoyle, of Little Bolton, the conductor, a dislo-
cation of the left knee ; and the third, Peter Shor-
rocks, the driver, a fearful cut over the eye, and
a dislocation of the left shoulder. A man from
Farnworth had his leg broken ; Mr. Richard Holden, one
of the proprietors of the 'bus, sustained a laceration of the
knee ; and several of the inside passengers were likewise
badly cut about the head, face, and breast, through being
thrown against the glass sides of the 'bus. One side of
the conveyance was shattered, hilt the horses theinsAlves
escaped unhurt.