The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-25 00:00:00

THE CHARTIST TRIALS.

,AL CRIiiiiNAL COURT.
OLD COURT.
TRIAL OF Vs'ILLIAM UOWTING..
(Continued troni,'our Afternoon Editi'm of Sl:llrday.)
Upon the Court resuming, at a quarter pat tw o'clock,
Mr. KENEALY called several witinsi2s, aar) g whom
was a person named
Inglis, who stated that he and the prisoner bed itgttetl
to correspond in short-hand, and the paper now pro-
duced was the copy of one that he gave the prisoner in
order. to their correspondence in short-hand. Witness
had had his letters opened by the Post-offiee,'and he
thought he would try if he could correspond in short-
hand.
Cross-examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL—Was a
lithographic printer. Was not a Chartist, but was an
Irish Confederate. Had been in several parts
of Ireland. Did not go to Ireland to
make sketches for the Illustrated News. He
had used the words in cipher, of pikes, rifles,
fire, poison, pistols, barricades, Smith O'Brien, &c., in
order that he might write to the prisoner about the state
of Ireland, and that those who broke open his letters
might not read them. Witness was now with a litho-
graphic printer in Holborn, and had been with him for
four years. Knew nothing of Mullins. Had seen him
once.

CENT

Re-examined—Had no disloyal design in giving the
document to the prisoner,
Mr. KENEALY then called several witnesses of' great
respectability, all of whom stated their belief that the
prisoner was not a Chartist, and pone of them had ever
heard anything disloyal fall from him.
This was the case for the prisoner.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL then rose to reply. If
there were any persons in Court, and he believed there
were many, who were unacquainted with the counsel for
the defendant, they might reasonably expect that he
should commence his present remarks by adverting to
the strong personal observations which that Learned
Gentlemen had made at the commencement of his long
address. But he begged to say, before he undertook
what he assured the jury was an unpleasant duty—the
duty of prosecuting those who were guilty of violating
the public peace—he was prepared for attacks upon him-
self from some of those who were concerned for the de-
fence. He knew, however, he might safely trust the
defence of his condrct to those gentlemen of the bar who
surrounded him on that occasion, and to that portion of
the public who had marked his public life and could
appreciate it. He hoped to be forgiven, then, for de-
clining to notice the personal remarks and coarse ex-
pressions which had been addressed to him on this
occasion. If it was true that ho at all resembled those
who preceded him in the office to whom reference had
been made—if it was true that be really did entertain
any feelings of a vindictive or angry kind upon this
occasion either against the prisoner or his counsel—he
must be forgiven for saying—and he thought that those
who had the slightest experience of defences in courts of
law would agree with him—that he must have had ample
satisfaction in listening to the long defence which the
Learned Gentleman had that day submitted to the jury.
As the prisoner's counsel had, in the outset of his speech,
chosen to make some observations concerning the
facts of the case with reference to himself, he
begged to say a few words on those points
before applying himself to the evidence. The
Learned Gentleman had charged him with manfesting
undue heat in proceeding with the trial of the prisoner
yesterday in place of postponing it with the others. Now,
he (the Attorney-General) had understood that, in so
proceeding with the trial, he was accommodating him-
self to the wishes of the Learned Gentleman. He was
sorry now that he had made that concession, since it had
been urged as a cause of complaint against him. The
Learned Gentleman had further said that he had been
guilty of indecency in speaking of the prisoner at the
bar as " a felon." Now, if he had used that expression
he certainly had not intended it. What he had intended
to say was, that under the law as it formerly stood it was
believed that many weak and foolish persons were led
to: entertain a vainglorious desire to disturb the peace
of the country for the purpose of being considered mar-
tyrs, and that this supposed motive in the breasts of
some was removed by the passing of the new statute,—
that, in short, it was far better to reduce the offence to
vulgar felony than to stimulate foolish persons to become
martyrs by the continuance of the off •nce as high treason.
If he had used the expression " felon" at all, he
was certain that tie context must have shown
any unprejudiced person that that was the
sense in which he had used it. He felt that
he was somewhat exceeding his duty in troubling
the jury even with these few remarks in reply to the
rather strong language which had been used towards
him—for, indeed, he should be quite unfit for the office
he held, not because he was the tyrant he had been de-
scribed—not because he was greedy of victory, and-was
anxious, as it were, to reckon the scalps he obtained as
a claim upon the Government for their support, for he
should never be the slave of any Government—but he
should be quite unfit for his office if he was not prepared
to meet the charges which were sure to be made upon
him on such an occasion—if he did not know that he
would be a mark for every one to shoot their shafts at
him. He ought not, perhaps, to pass in silence the ob-
servations which had been made by the counsel for the
defendant with reference to the conduct of Government.
He had said that the Government had had a settled
purpose and design by increasing the military and naval
armament of the nation to enslave the people of Eng-
land, and deprive them of their liberties. Ile had ac-
cused them also of having, with the same view, driven
the people into secret meetings, where treason was sure
to be hatched. Now he (the Attorney- General) had
thought that in the measures taken by Government for
the preservation of the public peace, they not only de-
served well of the public, but that they had actually
obtained the approbation, not only of the citiz ns of
London, but of the whole civilized world. The Learned
Gentleman had also accused the Government of base
and infamous conduct in accepting information from
spies. Now, when numbers cf persons combined
together for illegal objects they might rest assured there
would always be some one amongst them ready to betray
them; and it was a wise dispensation of Providence that
this should be the case, since it enabled the public au-
thorities to thwart their designs. Did the Learned Gen-
tleman mean to say that the Government ought to have
scouted the information which was thus tendered to
theta? Did he mean to say that the timely warning
which enabled them to take measures to defeat the secret
plots and to unite the well-disposed part of the people on
the side of order should have been neglected by them?
If so, all he (the Attorney-General) should say was,
that it was a sad pity to see a gentleman who had ap-
plied his mind to the acquisition of knowledge so mise-
rably abuse it. It was really monstrous that the Go-
vernment, who had done no more than their duty, and
who had acted with the almost universal consent of men
of all parties in the maintenance of the public peace;
should be accused there of straining their rights for thy
suppression of public liberty. The Learned Gentleman
had attempted an elaborate definition of the law regard-
ing the levying of war. It would have been better if,
instead of doing so, he had availed himself of the expe-
rience of the bar, and followed the ordinary course, viz.,
to have announced generally his own notion of the law, and
left thejury to be governed by a more detailed state-
ment of the law from the judges. The judges were bound
by their oaths to make a statement of the law to the
jury, apd the jury were equally bound by their oaths to
draw a proper conclusion from the facts of the case. lie
trusted both the judges and the jury would forgive him
for saying in their presence that if either overstepped
their duty they would not discharge the solemn obliga-
tion they had taken upon themselves. If the Learned
Gentleman had taken the course he had recommended
he would not. only have saved some valuable time, but
avoided displaying his ignorance of the law. The At-
torney-General here repeated his description of the mi-
tigation of the law which had been effected by the
Crown and Government Security Act, and to controvert
the assertion of the counsel for the prisoner that it had
taken away any privileges previously possessed by pri-
soners. The counsel for the defendant had altogether
mistaken the question which the jury had to determine.
There were two charges in the indictment, on either of
which being proved t) their satisfaction, the jury could
convict the prisoner. It was not necessary that they
should find him guilty of both. The first was, that the
prisoner had, with others, compassed, imagined,
invented, devised, and intended to levy war against the
Queen, in order to compel her, by force, to change
her measures, and four overt acts were alleged in
proof of this. The second charge was, that the prisoner
had combined with others in some way to deprive the
Queen of the style and honour of the imperial crown of
the United Kingdom. The Learned Gentleman had ad-
mitted that the prisoner was highly culpable, and ought
to be punished, although not for the crimes alleged
against him in this indictment ; and he seemed to throw
out the hint to the jury that if they acquitted him of
the present charges he might be afterwards tried and
punished for the minor offences. This was a mistake.
If time prisoner was acquitted of the charges of felony
the jury must not for a moment suppose that, although
his counsel had admitted he was highly criminal, he
would be punished for any other offence. The only
evidence he had to brine against the prisoner was the
evidence they had already beard ; and if they believed
that evidence it amounted to a proof of felony, and
nothing less ; and before the passing of the recent Act
it would have amounted to high treason, for which the
prisoner might have been hung. The counsel for the
defendant was altogether wrong in his definition of
levying war. Levying war was not what the term
"war" would imply. It did not necessarily mean mili-
tary array. It was not necessary that there should
be numbers. Three or four persons would do. To
constitute the crime, however, there must be a rising,
and, further, it must be directed to a public object. If
it was directed to a private object, such as breaking an
inclosure, it was an offence against individuals, and not
against the Sovereign ; but it it was directed to a public
object, that constituted the crime of levying war against
the Queen. The Learned Gentleman denied that it was
levying war to kill a policeman or to burn down St.
Giles's or Clerkenwell. Tbis was a mistake. The
Learned Gentleman was led astray by attaching an
erroneous meaning to the word ‘• all." The Learned
Gentleman seemed to think that, unless all the policeman
were killed, and all the towns burnt down, it would not
amount to levying war. According to this theory, al-
though ell the metropolitan police were killed, that
would not amount to levying war, because the rural
police would still remain ; and that, although Limerick,
or Cork, or Waterford were burnt down, it would not
amount to levying war so long as Dublin and other
towns were left. It was not pretended that the prisoner
had levied war. It was only said that he, with others,
trended to do so ; and there could be no reasonable
doubt in the mind of any one who had heard the evi-
dence that the prisoner and
to do it, and would have done it if they had not been
stopped The Learned Gentleman
had declared his
detestation
of the Charter, and his abhorrence of the
purposes which the Chartists had iu viewi but he had

ridiculed the idea that Cuffey; and others intend levying
war against tho Queen. Was this intention so very
ridiculous? Some honest persons, perhaps most of them
foolish, a few vainglorious, and some undoubtedly dis-
honest—were those persons so contemptibl?, were they
so incipable of burning houses, rising in arms, and
atAT.liing the police, creating a diversion, to the terror
of the well-disposed, in f:,.viur of insurgaitS elsewhere?
Why, those were the very persons who began such
things. Here it began with people of the lower orders.
tMany of the insurgents in Ireland were persons in an
abject condition. It was because these poor wretches,
hiving nothing to lose, or regardless of consequences,
thought they must gain by insurrection,—because they
were the aptest tools in the hands of designing persons,
—because they were most susceptible of excitement to
sedition, that men of this sort were the first to com-
mence aggression, the first to make an outbreak. The
question was, whether the prisoner conspired with others
to compel the Queen to change her measures or govern-
ment, or whether he intended to rise, with others, to
deprive her of her Royal name and Imperial crown?
There were two bodies, the Chartists and the
Irish Confederates. He (the Attorney-General) had
never said one word about the prisoner being a
Chartist. His charge against him and the Irish
Confederates was this, that despising the Chartists, as
they said, they cunningly used those unfortunate men
for their own purposes. Wanting by force to carry the
Charter, and to deprive the Queen of one of the brightest
gems in her crown, they used the Chartists for their
own purposes. The Learned Counsel said he despised
the Chartists. The prisoner had the same feeling.
The prisoner—No.
The 'ATTORNEY-GENERAL—What had the prisoner
'said? He was brought before a magistrate. Powell's
evidence was given in his presence. If Powell was tel-
ling what was untrue the prisoner could have said so.
His counsel said the prisoner spoke the language of his
heart. He had no attorney or counsel at his elbow
when he said—" I don't wish to stand here as an English
fuctionist," that is, he was no advocate for the Charter;
it was not worth fighting for. I won't fight for that,"
he said, but he was prepared to fight. "I don't wish to
stand as an English factionist, but as an Irish nationalist.
My object was not to disturb English society, but to free
my own country." How? By calling on those men
whom his counsel despised, by exciting the Chartists to
rise in rebellion, so that the troops might be kept in
England instead of being sent to suppress insurrection
in Ireland. The object of the prisoner was the nation-
ality of his country, the repeal of the union, a republic,
it might be presumed. The counsel for the prisoners
thought Powell unworthy of belief, because he did not
give earlier information that violent measures were con-
templated; but he was himself present at a meeting
where moral force was, on the motion of the prisoner,
postponed to the Day of Judgment; yet he, a barrister,
did not give information to the Government.
Mr. KENEALY had said nothing as to the transac-
tions of the Attorney-General at Horsham, nothing as
to his private practices, corrupt as they were alleged
to be.

Mr. Justice ERLE begged to press on the mind of the
counsel for the prisoner the extreme impropriety of tra-
velling out of the question before the Court. The few
words which had now dropped from his lips were in the
nature of an insult.

Mr. KENEALY observed that the Attorney-General
was not stopped when he said he blushed for his conduct
in presiding at the meeting in question.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought it was surely not
wrong to say, when one made a severe attack on a wit-
ness for not doing what the person making the attack
ought to have done himself, that the counsel ought not to
lay great stress upon that. With respect to the expression
" plotting" committee, it was in the depositions that the
witness used that expression in speaking of the commit-
tee otherwise called the " Ulterior Committee. It was
said, that evidence should be derived from purer sources
than from accomplices. People would be very insecure in
their properties and lives if they were to read the Govern-
ment a lesson that it was only from pure and unpolluted
sources that evidence must be drawn. But the evidence
of Powell was amply confirmed. When such prepara-
tions were made as the evidence disclosed, could it be
doubted that there was a design to have an outbreak on
the 16th? What were men duing with daggers and pikes
concealed about their persons, unless the object was a
general rising ? Then plans were made of the Seven-
dials and Clerkenwell ; what did the secretary of the
Felon Club want with those pl.ins ? The jury, in his
opinion, could not hesitate to believe the testimony of
Powell, confirmed as it was on so many points by the
other witnesses; and if they believed Powell, they must
convict the prisoner. But if the Learned Gentleman
really believed that Powell's evidence was false, why
had he not called evidence to contradict it ? Powell had
furnished the means of contradicting his evidence, if it
could be contradicted, for ihe had named persons who
might have been called to contradict him if it had been
deemed advisable to do so. But he had called several
witnesses, yet it could hardly be said they had helped
him Rauch. The explanation attempted by one of
them (English) of the symbols found upon the priso-
ner was an insult to the understandings of the jury.
The evidence of the witness Barry was at least open
to suspicion. He told them that in private he had
never heard him say anything that was seditious or trea-
sonable, but he did not seem so sure of his public
speeches. The fact of the musket, too, which this wit-
ness had raffled, was also very auspicious. In conclusion,
the Attorney. General begged to say that the counsel for
the prisoner, judging from the tone and character of
much that he had addressed to the jury, seemed to have
forgotten the tribunal he was addressing. He seemed
to imagine that he was addressing a class of persons in
another country who were unfortunately susceptible of
other impressions than those by which he was sure the
present jury were likely to be influenced. Ile (the At-
torney. General) know that not only this case, but the
principles involved in it, were secure in their hands. It
was their duty, on the one hand, to take care that the
public prosecutor did not entrench upon the liberty of
the subject by straining the high prerogatives of the
law which were entrusted to Government for the pre-
servation of the public peace; and, on the other hand,
it was their duty, as it was their interest, to take care
not only to preserve the rights of the prisoner, but their
own rights and the sights of their countrymen —to
preserve intact the noble institution of trial by jury,
under which they were then acting—by honestly, con-
scientiously, and unprejudicedly discharging their duty
in this case.

Mr. Justice ERLE was proceeding to sum up, when
Several of the jurymen stated that. they were physi-
cally and mentally incapable of going on with the case.
Mr. Justice ERLE thought it would be much better to
adjourn to Monday morning.
The Court, at half-past five o'clock, adjourned accord-
ingly to Monday; the jury retiring to tho London
Coffee-house, in charge of an officer.

NEW COURT.
(Before the COMMON SERGEANT.)
Montague Douglas Scott, aged 24, described as an at-
torney, pleaded Guilty to an indictment, charging him
with having stolen a quantity of plate and a valuable
bracelet, the property of Henry Holmes Dobson, John
William Thomas, Christopher Rowland, and others.
It appeared from the statement. of Mr. BALLANTINE,
who was retained for Mr. Thomas, that the prisoner,
who is of good family, and has been but recently married,
had hired the plate, and subsequently pawned it, but that
since the commission of the offence ho had come over
from Boulogne, and done all in his power to return the
goods. His clients, however, feeling that a felony had
been committed, refused to listen to any compromise,
and had instructed him to make a statement of the facts
tolerate After suchgom eremarks
upon public grounds, and to show that they would nut
proceedings.rom Mr. CLARKSON, who de-
fended the prisoner,
hmimitigtoatnioinneo
months't hisoffeimacper,i
qhuesiathterbeerhoraeviosuenr
The COMMON SERGEANT said the prisoner's subse-
Jevnacsedaimprison.
ment.
Isaac Harding Harris, aged 34, described as an agent, was indicted fur obtaining money by false pretences!
The prisoner pleaded Guilty.
Mr. L'AYNE, who appeared for the prosecution, stated
that the prisoner was a Dissenting clergyman from
Wales, and had gone about representing that he was
engaged to raise subscriptions to carry out the philan-
thropic views of some persons who had lately erected a
church and large school-room at Salem, in Carnarvon-
shire, but could not compl,te their objects for want of
funds. In support of his assertion he carried a book of
the list of subscribers' names, most of whom were per-
sons of high standing, and the amount of their subscrip-
tions. On inquiry it turned out that there was no such
place as Salem, or any church or school, and that the
signatures for the most part were forgeries.
The COMMON SERGEANT said the case was a very bad
one, and but fur his having pleaded guilty and the in-
formation they had received, that he had acted as agent
for more guilty parties, he should have transported him;
but, as it was, he should order him to be imprisoned'tand
kept to hard labour for twelve months.
William Jones, aged 42, a labourer, was indicted for
feloniously cutting and wounding Hobert Sutton, with
intent, &c.
It appeared that the prosecutor, who is a labouring
man, had had some words with the nrisoner, who works
on the road, when he took up one of the scrapers used
for cleaning the roads and struck him a most violent
blow, and did him very great injury.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty, and he handed in
a written certificate from his employers, Messrs. M'Adam,
of his conduct for a period of eighteen years.
The Cosmos; SERGEANT, in passing sentence, said,
but for that he should have transported him for ten
years, having marked down that sentence in his book.
He had made up his.mind to traniport all who,were con-
victed before him of cutting and wounding. Such of-
fences, and the use of the most deadly weapons, had be-
come alarmingly prevalent in this country, and were on
the increase, and he would do all in his power, by making
an example of persons so convicted to put a stop to it.
It was only in consequence of the extraordinary good
character the prisoner had received, and then with some
reluctance, that he should pass the sentence he did—
which was 12 months' imprisonment and hard labour.
James Crabb, aged 38, a sailor, was convicted of cut-
ting and wounding James Bools.
The parties in question had had a quarrel and fight,
which was over, when the prisoner rose from his seat,
and having taken a clasp knife from his pocket, made a
stab at the other's breast, but only wounded him in the
hand.
The COMMON SERGEANT, having again alluded to t.a
frequent recurrence of this class of offence, added, that
he thought the other judges had acted erroneously in not
visiting them with more severe punishment than they
had, and so by example endeavour to chi ck them. For
three years this crime had been upon the increase, and
unless some very extraordinary circumstance of good
character, as in the last case, operated in mitigation, he
should transport in all cases of cutting and wounding.
He then ordered the prisoner to be transported for seven
years.
James Piddick, aged 22, _William ~wards, aged 22,

both pOrters, and Thomas Norman, aged 20, a carman,
were indicted for a burglary; and Joshua Williams, a
hairdresser, aged 36, was indicted fur aiding then in the
commission of the offence.

Mr. Ballantine and Mr. Parnell prosecuted.
The facts proved in evidence were these—Edwards
bad been in the employ of the London and North-
Western Inilway Company, and in conjunction with
Piciiiek and Norman had planned the breaking into and
entering of the counting-house of the Camden-town
station, which they effected upon the 4th of August, and
stole two 51. notes and other moneys. Not being able to
change the notes, they took them to Williams, who
keeps a barber's shop in Drury-lane, and he gave them
71. 103. for them.

They were found Guilty, and
Edwards was sentenced to ten years' transportation,
Norman and Ptddick to seven years, and Williams to
two years' imprisonment and hard labour.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
WORSHIP- S TR EE 7.
George Nichols was brought up before Mr. Hammill,
charged with the following brutal attack upo❑ a poor
charwoman named Elizabeth Burton, living in Went-
worth-street, Whitechapel.
The complainant, whose temple was covered with ad-
hesive platter, and who exhibited other marks of severe
ill-usage, stated that while going to her work at an early
hour that morning, she was stepped in the Whiteehapel-
road by the prisoner, who made her a grossly insulting
offer, and upon her indignantly repelling him, tried to
drag her down a dark passage. A violent struggle en-
sued between them, and the prisoner, on finding that his
efforts were ineffectual, thrust her back, and dashed her
head repeatedly against the wall. He then struck her a
terrible blow on the eye, which brought her to the
ground, and followed this up with several furious kicks
upon the head and body; she screamed for assistance, and
on hearing a policeman approaching, the prisoner dealt
her a final kick, and darted down an adjoining gateway .
Ile was shortly after, however, secured, and the witness
having been conveyed to the London Hospital, had
her injuries dressed by one of the surgeons, but she had
suffered so seriously from the brutal usage she had re-
ceived that she could still scarcely stand.
Armstrong, of the H division, stated that hearing the
screams of the complainant ho hastened to the spot, and
found the woman lying Upon the pavement, with her
face covered with blood, which was issuing in a stream
from a serious cut close to the right temple. She was so
stunned at the time that he could not ascertain from her
who her assailant was, but upon partially recovering she
told him the man hal run down the next court, and as
witness knew it was not a thoroughfare he waited for his
emerging from it, and the next moment the prisoner re-
traced his steps, was instantly recognized by the woman,
and captured.
When called upon for his defence, the prisoner denied
that he had taken any part in the attack upon the com-
plainant, who was entirely mistaken in her identification
of him, and declared that he had never even seen her
until he was given into custody at her instance.
The woman, however, swore positively to him, and
pressed a summary adjudication, as it would be a serious
loss to her to attend elsewhere.
Mr. HAM3IILL said it:was with reluctance he acceded to
her request, as he felt that his powers were wholly inade-
quate to deal with such a scandalous outrage; he should
therefore mark his sense of the prisoner's conduct by in-
flicting upon him the highest amount of penalty he could
impose, namely, SL, and in default of payment he must
stand committed to the House of Correction for two
months.
The prisoner could not pay the penalty, and was there-
fore carried off in the van.

SOUTHWARK.
John Griggs, a well-known pugilist, was placed at the
bar before Mr. Seeker, charged with being concerned
with a woman not in custody, in assaulting Mr. Prosser,
a tradesman residing in the Borough, and robbing him
of a valuable silver snuff box.
The prosecutor said, that on the preceding night, a
little after twelve o'clock, he was walking along the Bo-
rough-road towards his home, after spending the even-
ing at the Surrey Theatre, and when near the wall
of the Queen's Prison he was accosted by a woman, who
asked him to give her a shilling. On his refusal to com-
ply with her impudent demand, she suddenly slapped
him on the face, and before he could recover himself he
lost his snuff-box, and on looking round saw the woman
running away. He was about to pursue her when the
prisoner came up and asked him what he wanted with
the woman. He replied, that she had robbed him of his
snuff-box, and he wanted to get it back again. The pri-
soner said, " Never mind your snuff-box, it is of no
value," and let the woman go. He (witness) replied
that he was determined to follow her and give her into
custody, when the prisoner struck him a severe blow on
the mouth and nearly stunned him, but he caught hold
of his collar, and a policeman coming up at the time, he
was secured and taken to the station-house. The woman
made her escape, and all search for her had been in
vain.

In answer to the charge the prisoner said, he had no
knowledge of the woman, but as he was passing along
the Borough-road he saw the complainant ill:using some
one, upon which he:ran to the spot, and on his Interfe-
rence the complainant abused him, which compelled him
to strike him.
Police-constable, 183 M, said, that he saw the prisoner
strike complainant, and on his coming up the latter told
him he had been robbed of his snuff-box by h woman.
From the description given of the latter he was positive
that he had seen her in the prisoner's company about
half an hour previously.
Mr. SEIIIKER asked whether anything was known of the
prisoner?
Sergeant Channer, 24 bit:, replied that he was a well-
known pugilist, and a constant companion of thieves,
both male and female. He followed the latter parties
about the streets, and assisted them in committing
robberies.
Mr. SECKER asked whether he had ever been convicted
for similar offences?
The sergeant replied, that be was sentenced to two
months' imprisonment about a year ago for a violent
assault on a woman who refused to give him money
when he wanted it.
Mr. SECRER said, that it was a most desperate as-
sault, and committed under most aggravated circum-
stances; he should, therefore, commit him for trial for
the highway robbery, as well as the assault.
LAMBETH.
DISTRESSING CASE.—A case of a peculiarly distress-
ing description was last week brought under the notice
of the Hon. G. C. Norton. On Thursday, after the night
charges had been disposed of, Mr. Edward Franklin
Kerr, a middle-aged man of gentlemanly appearance,
was brought from Lambeth workhouse, and placed at the
bar on a charge of having made a desperate attempt to
commit suicide by jumping out of a wherry into the
Thames.
Samuel Granby, a waterman, said that on Wednesday
afternoon the gentleman in the dock engaged him at the
Horseferry-stairs, Westminster, to take him to Lambeth-
stairs, and when about tyro-thirds over, and while he
(witness) was speaking to a man on board a barge, he
missed him from his boat. In a moment or two after-
wards he observed him to rise to the surface of the water,
and by a great effort succeeded in saving and taking him
to Lambeth-stairs.
The prisoner, who seemed overwhelmed with shame
at the position in which ho was placed, declared he felt
truly sorry for his conduct, and should not again har-
bour the idea of repeating it.
Dickson, the constable, here handed to Mr. Norton
three documents found on the prisoner, all of which were
in his own handwriting, and all proving the most delibe-
rate intention to destroy himself.
The first of these documents was headed, " A Synopsis
of the chequered Life of Mr. Edward Franklin Kerr, set-
ting forth a few of the most remarkable events that have
happened to me from my birth, intended to serve as an
antidote fur the severe reflections which will be passed
on the impious and rash act I am about to commit, and
for which I hope and trust my blessed Redeemer will
make atonement," and went on, as it purported, to give a
brief history of the prisoner from boyhood up to the mo-
ment ofhis attempting the rash act.
The second document was a letter to the Coroner of
the district in • which the body of Mr. Edward F. Kerr
may be found, written from No. 49, Hide-place, Vincent-
square, Westminster.
From this and the former document, it appeared that
the prisoner had been compelled to quit Boulogne in
consequence of the events of the last French revolution,
lie had held a public situation in that town for 25 years,
and heing unable to obtain employment in England,
after many effects for that purpose, had determined on
committing suicide.
Mr. D''nny, the prisoner's I inilord, was present, gave
him a high character, said he had used every means
possible to obtain employment, and expressed it as his
perfect conviction that it was distress alone that drove
him to attempt the rash act.
Mr. NORTON on that occasion allowed the prisoner to
go home with his landlord, and desired him to appear
before him again on Saturday.
To
the poor
number of
'day Mr. Kerr attended, when there was present a
gentlemen who knew him in prosperity, and
who poke
e of his character in the highest terms.
Mr. NORTON thought that under all the circumstaces
tusn's case was one deserving of sympathy, and
if made public, as he thought it would be, he also hoped
hse Norton) rt,t
for
r)
but
that something would be done for him, particularly by
his present
thoseN in the literary world. The poor-box, he (Mr.
wheaswsoourrlay
orderto say waassovveerrye
sovereign
aw
to in
bfeu funds
The unfortunate use.
gentleman attempted to express his
gratitude to the magistrate for his kindness, but his
handed to
were so intense that he could not utter a syllable
Having been relieved by a copious shower of tears, he
implored Mr. Norton to recommend his deliverer to the
consideration of the Humane Society.
THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT WALWORTII.—After
the niglet charees had been disposed of, Richard Or pin,
Writ. ',infield, Spencer Linfield, and Mary Ann Dryden,
who have been in custody for some days, were placed
at the bar before the Hon. G. C. Norton, on the more
serious charge of having caused the death of Elie s
Wilson.
Mr. Superintendent Robinson, addressing the magis-
trate, said that, from circumstances that came to his
knowledge, he did not think it expedient at present to
offer further evidence, but would request that the pri-
soners might be remanded to a future day. The unfor-
tunate young woman was now dead, and the coroner
had been written to to hold an inquest. He also said
the premises belonging to both the female prisoners
were thoroughly searched, but nothing of a suspicious
character had been discovered. He had, however,
caused an extract to be taken from the books at the
station of the number of bodies of infants found in the
neighbourhood, and the result of the coroners' inquests
upon each ; and that extract be begged to place
before his worship. The list was as follows :—" Sept.
4, 1847, found in a ditch in Thurlow-place, Wal-
worth-common, the body of a female child, about u fort-
nighk old ; verdict, found dead, Oct, 27, found in Al-

bang-crescent, Albany-road, the body of a now-born
male child ; verdict, wilful murder againA some person
or persons unknown. March 6; 1849, found in a privy,
4, East-lane, the body of a new-born male child ; verdict,
wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.
May 11, found in the Surrey Canal, the body of a new-
born male child; verdict, found drowned.. Aug. 29,
found in an area, 17, Lacey-terrace, Penton-place, the
4ody of a male infant; verdict, found dead. March 17,
found in the garden, 20, Apollo-buildings, the body of
zOiew-born male child ; verdict, wilful murder against
some person or persons unknown."
Mr. NORTON, on reading over the list remarked that
all these things were highly suspicious, and the pri-
soners were remanded, as requested.
Mr. Games, who appeared on behalf of Mrs. Lin-
field and William Linfield, applied to have the latter
admitted to bail, but,

Mr. NORTON refused the application, observing that
the case had, since the last examination, assumed a
more serious character, and he could not, therefore, ac-
cept bail.
_ _

During the examination of the prisoner, two copies of
a newspaper, dated October 2d and 10th, 1826, were
handed to the magistrate, in which there were reports
under the head " Union-hall Police Court," of a charge
made against Mrs. Mary Burrows, a respectable widow
lady, of starving her infant son (the present prisoner, W.
Linfield). It appeared that Mrs. Burrows, being a widow
at the time, became pregnant, and in order to conceal her
shame from her family and friends, had been privately
confined at the house of Mrs. Linfield. Soon after her
delivery of a son, the mother took it into her head that
her own infant had bee❑ changed for another, which she
alleged to be the offspring of Mrs. Linfield, and, in con-
sequence, so neglected the infant that it was found in a
frightful state of emaciation, from which it .was very
doubtful whether it could recover. He did recover,
however, and Mrs. Linfield having taken charge of him,
has brought him up as her own son since.

THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT WAL
WORTH.-INQUEST ON ELIZA WILSON.

On Saturday evening Mr. Carter, the coroner for the
eastern division of Surrey, held an inquest at the King's
Head, Norwood, on the body of the above-named unfor-
tunate woman.

The jury having been sworn,
The CORONER said that in the first instance he should
have to request the jury to accompany him to view the
body of the deceased. It was true his attention, and pro-
bably that of some, if not all, of the jury, had been drawn
to the reports in the public papers of the preceding day,
in reference to the case of the deceased, but he hoped the
jury would understand that it was their bounden duty to
dismiss from their minds all they had heard and read
touching the painful subject, and to attend and act
solely upon the evidence which would be adduced
before them. From what had already taken place
elsewhere, he feared that they were about to enter
upon a prolix but still most important inquiry.
Ho (the Coroner) had already directed a post mortem
examination by Mr. Chapman, the medical gentleman
who had attended the deceased up to the period of her
death, and he had received a communication from Mr.
Chapman, stating that he had already commenced that
examination (which, indeed, was in progress at that
moment), but that he was desirous to have the aid of the
judgment of another medical man. On the receipt of
that communication he (the Coroner) had desired him to
stop the examination until the opinion of the jury should
be taken on the subject. It was, therefore, his (the
Coroner's) intention to propose that to-day the jury
should do no more than view the body of the deceased,
and hear evidence of the identification, in order that he
might be enabled to issue the orders for its interment.
After that he should support the propriety of adjourning
this inquiry for a few days, in order that the post mortem
examination might be satisfactorily completed, and the
whole of the evidence collected. This course would not
only lead to a saving of time to the jury, but of expense
to the county.

The jury immediately acquiesced in the suggestion of
the coroner, and with him at once proceeded to view
the body of the deceased. Attended by the summoning
officers, the coroner and jury proceeded to the residence
of the father of the deceased, situated in Woodcote-
place, and after a brief delay were admitted into the
chamber where the corpse lay. There they found in at-
tendance Mr. Chapman, the surgeon (whose conduct in
the mysterious, but painful affair, is above all praise),
and Mr. Ray, the surgeon, of Dulwich. The visit of the
jury interrupted the examination of those two profes-
sional gentlemen. The face of deceased, whose features
in life must have been prepossessing, exhibited all the
manifestations of intense protracted suffering, and the
characteristics of a painful death. The forehead ap-
peared contracted, the muscles of the face seemed rigid,
and the hands were clenched. A short time sufficed to
satisfy the jury, and they returned, leaving the medical
gentlemen to resume their inquiry. On their return to
the inquest, the coroner said, it would be sufficient for
the present to call a witness to identify the body, and prove
the death of the deceased.

John Benson Wilson, the father of the deceased, was
then called. He is a venerable man, near eighty years
of age, and his distress of mind created a considerable
sympathy amongst all present. He stated that he was
not in business, but lived upon his property, consisting
of the house he lived in, and other premises in Nor-
wood. The deceased, whose body the jury had just
seen, was his daughter. Her name was Eliza Wilson.
She was thirty-one years of age, and was unmarried.
He saw her last alive about eleven o'clock on Thursday,
and saw her dead about six o'clock on Friday.
The CORONER said it would be useless to carry the
inquiry further, as all would depend on the medical
evidence, which was now ready to be adduced. On that
point, however, he had to ask the jury whether they
were of opinion that it would be desirable to have a
second medical witness? He put the question to them,
because under the law he had no authority to direct an
examination by more than one medical man, but the law
enabled him, on a requisition from the jury, to call in
further medical aid.

The jury, without hesitation, consented to a second
medical man being called in.
One of the jury inquired whether it would be neces-
sary to have the prisoner brought before then' on their
next meeting?
The CORONER replied in the negative. The
inquiry of the jury involved two questions, first, the
cause of death; and, secondly, the means by which that
event had been originated. It was not necessary to
have the prisoner in custody before the jury to enable
them to form a judgment on these two questions.
Addressing the Inspector (Emmerson), the CORONER
said that all the witnesses who had been examined else-
where, as well as Mr. Elyard, the magistrate, who had
taken the deposition of the deceased in articulo mortis,
must be in attendance at the next sitting of the Court.
The warrant for interment was then perfected, and
the jury having been bound in recognizances to appear
again, the Court was adjourned to a future day.

INQUEST ON LORD GEORGE
BENTINCK, M.P.
The inquest on the body of Lord George Bentinck
was held at eleven o'clock on Saturday, at Welbeck,
before Mr. Falkeer, the coroner, and a jury summoned
from the adjoining parishes.
The jury having been sworn,
The CORONER briefly detailed to them the melancholy
circumstance which had called them together, and they
then proceeded to view the body, which lay in the bed-
room usually occupied by his Lordship. The body pre-
sented no external marks of injury, excepting a slight
abrasion over the left eye and on the nose. On the chest
and hands there was some extravasation of blood, arising
from the position in which he had lain. The Coroner
directed a post mortem examination to be made, and
while that was being proceeded with by Mr. Ward and
Mr. Miles, his assistant, the evidence of the following
witnesses was taken:—
William Perks—l have been in the service of the
Duke of Portland about seven years as footman. I al-
ways waited at breakfast, and usually saw Lord George
Bentinck when he was at Welbeck. On Monday, the
11th, he arrived here from London. Every morning
during that week he breakfasted at Welbeck, and on
four days went to Doncaster races, returning each
night. I never saw him in better health and
spirits than he has been since he came from town. On
Thursday morning he breakfsated with his father, the
Duke of Portland, Sir William Seymour, and Lady
Harriet Bentinck. He ate a very hearty breakfast—
more hearty, indeed, than usual, and was in exceedingly
good spirits. Re was occupied in the morning in his
dressing-room writing letters. He remained at home
till about ten minutes past four in the afternoon, when he
set out to walk to Moresby, the seat of Earl Manvers,
where he proposed to stay for two days.
Richard Lenthall—l am the helper in the stables at
Welbeck. On Thursday last, about fire minutes past
four, I started with a gig from Welbeck to Thoresby,
with Mr. Gardner, valet to Lard George Bentinck. Oa
the road Mr. Gardner drew my attention to his Lord-
ship, and on turning round I saw him walking past the
Reindeer Park corner, by the footpath, towards Tho-
resby. I never saw him afterwards alive. I went for-
ward to Thoresby. I left his Lordship's valet at Tho-
resby, and returned with the carriage to Welbeck. I
was called out of bed at night, and asked if I had seen
Lord George on my way home, as ho had not reached
Thoresby. I got up, and along with Mr. Gardner
went to search for his Lordship.
and George Wilson,
We took lanthorns with us, and followed on the foot.
road I had seen him taking. We found the body of his
Lordship lying close to the gate which separates Ken.
nel-water Meadow. He was quite dead, and laying on
his face. His hat was a yard or two before him, having
evidently been thrown off in falling. I left three men
with the body, and immediately started for Mr. Hase, of
Worksop, surgeon. A few minutes before we found
the body Mr. Hase had passed on horseback, and asked
what we were searching for. We declined telling him,
as we had no idea that any harm had come to his Lord-
ship, and did not wish to set any rumour afloat.
George Wilson confirmed this evidence, asltling that
his Lordship's hands wore-under his body, and in one he
grasped his walking-stick. The stick was partly under-
neath him. I felt at his leg, and it was stiff and cold.
A break was sent for from Welbeck, and in that he was
conveyed to the Abbey. There was a little blood upon
his face.
The CORONER remarked that, from the appearance of
the bruises over his Lordship's eye, and the blood upon
the ground, it was natural to infer that he had been
seized very suddenly, and fallen with violence on the
ground.
The witness continued—The blood appeared to have
flowed from his Lordship's nose. Besides that on hid
face there was some on the grass. The body was not
moved till Mr. Hase came.
Richard Evans—l am a labourer, and reside at Noe.
ton. About half•past four, or about a crierter to five
o'clock on Thursday afternoon, I saw Lord George
Bentinck standing still, against the gate, and about two
yards from the place where he was found dead. I was
about two hundred yards from his Lordship, and was
going 04 the old Worksop-road, which CIVSM that

which the gate is situate. I thought it was the Marquis
of Tichtield. No person was near him. I thought he
was reading something, but could not sce at the di:Lance
I was from him.

By a juror—Did his Lordship see you
XVitness—l. cannot say ; Le irdeLt do, for there was
nothiez to o!-p,trin;t his view. He did not wake any sign
to u.. John Tile:. end tuy lei. hard Evaris, were
with me when I saw his Lordship. My son stood on the
road a minute or two to lock at him. I remarked to my
son that I thought it was the Marquis of Tichfield.
Richard Evans, jun., and John Mee confirmed this
testimony.

The CORONER said it was singular that the body
should have laid on the footpath so many hours, and no
person have passed that way.
Mr. Smith, the constable of Welbeck, said few per-
sons passed along the footpath. The Duke of Portland
frequently walked by that Nth in the afternoon. It
happened that he did not go out on Thursday, or he
would probably have bean the first to find the body of
Lord George Bentinek.

Mr. J. Shirley Mills deposed—l am assistant to Mr.
Ward, of Wellow, surgeon. I was sent for on Thurs-
day night, and was at Welbeck when the body of
Lord Gorge .13(qitinek was brought there. It was
then about two o'clock. Lif,, had been extinct some
hours. I was present when his Lordship's clothes
were removed. There were no external marks of
vio!ence, except a considerable contusion about the
left eye. It was such a contusion as would be produced
by a fall. The bridge of the nose was also injured a
little, and the left side of the tongue appeared to be in-
jured by the teeth. There was also some extravasated
blood under the skin of the chest, and the right side.
His pockets were opened in my presence, and in them
was 121. 10s. in gold, and 1/ Bs. 4d. in silver, and in
his pocket-book there was a cheque for 100/. and two 5/.
notes, besides other papers. I was told that there was
also a promissory note for 5,0001., but that I did not
see. His betting-book, his gold pencil, and gold watch
and chain were also found in his pockets. He had two
valuable rings on his fingers. I have, this morning, as-
sisted Mr. Ward in making a post-mortem examination
of the head and body. From that examination, lam
of opinion that he died from a violent spasm of the
heart. We found the organs of the body generally
healthy, with the exception of the right lung, of which
there were adhesions to the side.

Mr. W. S. Ward, of Wellow, surgeon—l have known
Lord George Bentinck many years, and when in the
country was his regular tnedic.J attendant, but I had not
seen him since he came from town last. I have this day
opened the body, and am of opinion that he died from
spasm of the heart. There was very little food in the
stomach, but there was no morbid appearance beyond
congestion, which prevailed over the whole system.
There was emphysema of the lungs and old adhesion
from former diseases. The heart was large and muscu-
lar, and covered with fat. It contained no blood, and
bore the appearance of irregular contraction.
A juryman inquired as to the state of the brain of the
deceased?

Mr. Ward—lt was perfectly healthy, with the excep-.
tion of a little venous tong( stion in about the same ratio
as the other organs.
The CORONER read over the depositions of the wit-
nesses.

A juror asked if Mr. Ward supposed that the blood
which was found on his Lordship's face and on the grass
had been produced by the rupture of a blood-vessel in
the head?

Mr. Ward said he believed it had not. His opinion
was, that blood had flowed from the nose, in consequence
of the deceased having fallen upon his face.
The jury immediately returned a verdict " that his
Lordship had died by the ♦isitation of God, to wit, of a
spasm of the heart."

THE LATE LORD GEORGE BENTINCK. - The mortal
remains of this much-lamented Nobleman will, it is un-
derstood, be almost immediately removed to town, pre-
paratory to interment in the family vault at Marylebone
Old Church, which is surrounded by the Portland estate.
The vault already contains the remains of the Duchess
of Portland, mother of the deceased, who, it may be
recollected, was found dead in bed early in 1844, of Lord
and Lady William Bentinck, and other members
of this distinguished house. The Marquis of
Tichfleld left London by the mail train on Satur-
day evening for Welbeck Abbey. Lord George, it ap-
pears, has died possessed of a considerable amount of
ready money, and other personal property, which, of
course, falls into the possession of the Duke of Port-
land. He owned an estate in Norfolk known as Orange
Farm, called so in respect to the memory of William the
Third (Prince of Orange), who raised the celebrated
Dutch General Bentinck to the peerage of Portland, for
services rendered at the battle of the Boyne, where
Schomburg, then the second in command, was shot. He
also possessed some property in Scotland. So great was
the benevolence of the deceased, that on several occasions
he has been known to re-establish tradesmen and others
overtaken by misfortune, on finding that their intentions
had been good, merely exacting a promise that if ever an
opportunity presented itself he should be repaid. During
the two years' famine be subscribed upwards
:of 1,0001.
for the relief of the distressed Irish.

TREATMENT OF THE POOR IN

ST. PANCRAS PARISH.

Mr. Wakley, M.P., resumed on Thursday the in-
quiry into the death of George Davis, who died from
exposure, want, and ill-treatment.
The father of deceased, who is in effluent circum-
stances, attended, and gave evidence to the effect that
deceased was his son, and was at his house about seven
weeks ago, when the deceased said he had been
turned out of the workhouse. The deceased was a
man of very vicious habits, and from his general con-
duct it was impossible to keep him.
There being no further evidence,
The CORONER proceeded to address the jury. He
observed that the evidence which had been adduced
was of a very extraordinary character ; so much so,
that had it not been taken on oath persons might be
led to believe that it was a tale of extravagant fiction,
and the authors be charged with having indulged in
a romance of a most extravagant character. If the
son was destitute, the law required that the father
should supply the means of his subsistence. That was
the law of England, and it was a most salutary law,
because it enjoined upon the parents that prudential
conduct in bringing up their children which would
make them good, useful, and industrious members of
society. The parish had acted properly in compelling
the father to pay for the support of his son, but in
making the agreement they had done he thought they
had gone beyond the law. The object of a workhouse
was that it should be made a receptacle for the really
destitute, and not for a person in this young man's
position. After recapitulating the evidence, the.
Coroner said the course pursued towards the de-
ceased in placing a straitwaistcoat upon him was one
which would not have been adopted towards a brute.
It was a painful tale, and, although there was not
sufficient legal proof, his own decided conviction was
that this young man had died through being ex-
pelled from the wcrkhouse. He was led to this
belief from the fact that no symptom of illness was
manifest until after that event took place. In
conclusion the Coroner denounced the conduct of the
authorities as ungenerous and cruel in the extreme,
and said it was calculated to make the poor of this
country believe that those who were in different cir-
cumstances were their oppressors, and to create a
revengeful feeling, which was likely to destroy all
existing institutions.

The jury retired, and after half-an-hour's consulta-
tion, returned into court with the following special
rerdict :—" We find that the death of the deceased
George Davis was produced by a natural cause,
namely, a disease of the brain, but the origin of the
disease is not known. We think the disease aggra-
vated by his removal from the house before his perfect
recovery. The jury take this opportunity of ex-
pressing their extreme disgust at the practice of
receiving into the house at a certain rate per week
individuals who are not paupers, thereby defeating
the purpose for which the ratepayers are so heavily
taxed, and so making that which was intendal by
law for indigent poor a boarding-house for the com-
paratively well otf. The jury cannot separate with-
out, in some degree, cen luring the conduct of his
father."