The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-16 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.
A POLICEMAN STABBED BY HIS WlFE.—Elizabeth
Wood, wife of Benjamin Wood, City police-constable
526, was brought before Mr. Alderman Gibbs, charged
with stabbing her husband.
City police-constable Davis stated that on Wednesday
afternoon, about two o'clock, he heard that Wood had
been dangerously stabbed, and had consequently been
taken to St. Thomas's Hospital, and he accordingly went
to Wood's house, in Talbot-court, Gracechnrch street,
and saw the prisoner, who said, " If you come up stairs
I will tell you all about it ;" and she then said that she
and her husband had had a quarrel while at dinner, and
that her husband having threatened to knock her down,
she threw a knife at him, which she had in her hand at
the time. Her husband stooped down to pick up the
knife, and she then saw a stream of blood flowing from
the neck. She called out " Murder !" and her husband
went to Mr. Smith, the surgeon.
The knife was produced, a small pointed table knife.
James Roots, police-constable 577, stated that while
on duty in Gracechurch-street, about two o'clock on
Wednesday afternoon, he saw a cab at Mr. Smith's door,
and a mob of people round. On going to ascertain the
cause, he saw Wood, who was in uniform, get in, and
observed blood flowing from a large wound in the left
side of his throat. He got into the cab, and accom-
panied Wood to St. Thomas's Hospital, who held all the
way a large lump of lint to the wound. He told the
cabman to drive fast, as Mr. Smith told him to make all
the haste he could, as the wound was likely to prove
dangerous.
Alderman GlBBS—Prisoner, would you like to say
anything ? Prisoner (weeping bitterly)—No, I would
rather not.
Alderman Ginns—l have here two certificates, which
compel me to remand you for a week.—Remanded.
GUILDHALL.
CURIOUS CHARGE OF BIGAMY.—MF. William WA
described as a surgeon-dentist, was placed in front of
the bar, having been out on his own bail since the last
examination, charged with committing bigamy under the
following extraordinary circumstances
It appeared, on the last examination, that in the year
1828 the prisoner married a female named Emma Ma-
tilda Murphy, with whom he had lived about two years.
Mr. Witt got into difficulties, and was thrown into the
Fleet Prison, and became acquainted with a person
named Earle, who was likewise in difficulties. Mrs.
Witt was likewise in the Fleet ; but, as it was asserted,
in consequence of her and her husband not agreeing, she
left him, and went off to Quebec with Earle, since which
the prisoner had heard nothing of her until the present
time. He again married, on the 19th of June, 1841, a
female named Eliza Ann Hill, with whom he
had about 5001., but she was also obliged to leave
him about fire months after, in consequence of
similar ill-treatment to that which the first wife
received. Mr. Earle had lately returned from New
York, and having made some inquiries, at Mrs. Witt's
request, as to whether her mother was alive, and it
being ascertained that the prisoner had married again,
and the knowledge having been received by the second
wife's family that Mrs. Witt was still residing at New
York, the present proceedings were taken by them.
However, the case was adjourned until today, for the
production of Mr. Earle, who was ill at the last exa-
mination.
Mr. Huddlestone with Mr. Hobler appeared on behalf
of the prosecutor, and Mr. Ballantine with Mr. Wontner
for the prisoner.
The evidence taken at the examination was then read
over by Mr. Teague, the chief clerk.
William Earle, of New York, deposed to being pro-
prietor of two theatres in that city. He knew Mrs.
Witt when in the Fleet, and afterwards, he supposed
about a year, resided in some lodgings with her. On
the Bth of June, 1832, they departed for America. She
was alive on the 19th of June, 1841, the time defendant
was married to his second wife. He was well known
bath in America and here, and if proper inquiries had
been made, Mr. Witt would have ascertained whether
his wife was alive or not. When he left New York on
the 22d of July she was then alive. In 1831 or 1832 ho
was in trouble.
Cross-examined—Had not come over to this country
professionally, for the purpose of engaging actors or
actresses. He was at Liverpool, but it was at the re-
quest of the Mayor of New York, for the purpose of
consulting the Mayor of Liverpool, and other influential
parties, for the purpose of establishing a mutual plan of
protection, by establishing American policemen at
Liverpool, and English officers at New York, to carry
out the principles of the international treaty. He was
once tried at Newgate, in 1832, for stealing a 501. bill,
and sentenced to be transported, but was immediately
pardoned on its being discovered that he was the victim
of a conspiracy. He took Mrs. Witt from want and
wretchedness. He also was instrumental in getting Mr.
Witt released from the Fleet prison. He did not tell
the Mayor of Liverpool, nor-any one else, that he was
come over on a visit to the Queen. He only brought
over a petition for the purpose of constructing an asylum
for poor people. While in London, Mr. Witt never
made any attempt to induce his wife to go back to him,
but, on the contrary, encouraged her.
By Alderman WOOD—Was he aware that you were
living with her? Witness—He was. I did not instigate
any one to take these proceedings; on the contrary, I am
an unwilling witness, and was subpaumed here.
Eliza Ann Hill, the second wife, deposed to being ill-
treated by the prisoner, who said he only married her
f,Jr her money. Ile also told her under what circum-
stances his wife had left him, and she declined marrying
him until he had made the proper inquiries as to her
being dead, which he pretended to do, and produced
the affidavits of two persons, who asserted that she died
about six years since. About a fortnight or three weeks
since she heard from the first wife's mother that she
was still living, and her family instituted the present
proceedings.
Mr. Ballantine, in defence, animadverted in strong
terms on the conduct of Mr. Earle, and left it. to the
Alderman to say whether the evidence adduced was of
such a credible nature as to induce him to send the pri-
soner for trial. ,
Alderman WooD. after =suiting with Mr. Teague,
the chief clerk, said that ,in a case like the present,
fraught with cruelty on the one side, and very objec-
tionable conduct on the other, he was unwilling to place
implicit reliance on Mr. Earle's evidence. And then
the question was, whether Witt had used sufficient
diligence in trying to learn whether his wife was alive.
Ile had heard the purport of an affidavit which had been
made by Mr. Eccles, the son-in-law of Mr. Earle, to the
effect that she was dead, and under those circumstances
he should adjourn the case until Saturday, for the pro-
duction of that gentleman.
Mr. Witt was then allowed out on his own recog-
nisances, to appear on Saturday.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
THE CASE OF MRS. LOMAX.—A benevolent indivi-
dual who had seen the case of Mrs. Lomax in the daily
papers yesterday sent a letter to Mr. Hardwick, dated
from Cheltenham, and signed, "A Friend to the Dis-
tressed," enclosing a 51. note for the use of Mrs. Lomax.
The money was handed to Mrs. Lomax, who expreased
herself in grateful terms for this timely assistance.
Mrs. Lomax said she had seen some very undeserved
insinuations thrown out against her in a letter bearing
the signature of her father-in-law, General Lomax, but,
as she believed, really written by another person. The
letter insinuated that she was not Captain Lomax's wife.
To place the matter beyond all doubt, she begged the
magistrate to inspect her marriage certificate.
Mr. 'HARDWICK looked at the papers produced and
fonnd them to be documents authenticating the marriage
of the applicant with Henry Lomax, one of the sons of
General Lomax.
Mrs. Lomax said she had no disposition to conceal any
one circumstance of her life. She readily admitted that
she had lived with Captain Lomax for some time before
she was married to him. The marriage took place with
the knowledge and approval of the General some time
ago, and she had not only received presents herself from
General Lomax, but the General had promised to assist
in defraying the expenses of the education of her little
girl. She had experienced nothing but kindness from
General Lomax, and General Lomax had uniformly
expressed himself well disposed towards her, as his
letters to her would show. She had done nothing to
forfeit General Lomax's good opinion, except the hard
necessity which had driven her to make application for
assistance to the parish in which she lived, and the
publicity which this application obtained thrioufngsahractet;
papers.
Mr. HARDWICK thought the applicant could not fairly
distress
eistbrleasms
teadkefonrthheavoinnlgy
sutnedperwisthtrionnhgerprpeosswuerer
that of applying for parish relief.
Mrs. Lomax said she had written some letters to
General Lomax, previously acquainting him with her
distressed state, but these letters had never reached the
General, they having, she feared, been intercepted. It
was her belief that the General would have done some-
thing for her, and would have allowed her a portion of
the stipend he gave to his son, had it not been for the
interference of her brother-in-law. As the General had
refused to give her any assistance, and as she had no
prospect of receiving any portion of the money allowed
to her husband, she feared her only resource was the
workhouse.
Mr. HARDWICK said it was certainly a sad alternative
for a person who had been accustomed to move in the
better classes of society ; however, ho would see, when
the necessity absolutely arrived, whether it was not pos-
sible to persuade the parish authorities to make some
rather more suitable arrangement in her case.
Mrs. Lomax thanked the magistrate for the essential
notice which he had bestowed on her case, and then left
the Court.

WORSHIP-STREET.
John Richards, a young man, about 19 years of age,
was placed at the bar for final examination, charged
with stealing a purse and a quantity of silver from the
shop of Mr. Lord, a perfumer,in Church street, Hackney.
It appeared from the evidence of the prosecutor's wife
that while seated in her parlour on the afternoon of Mon-
day; the sth inst., her attention was drawn to a suspi-
cious noise in the shop, and on looking up she saw the
prisoner running out into the street. Ho was instantly
pursued by her shopman, who had almost overtaken
him when he was suddenly stopped by a lad who told
him that his mistress desired his immediate return, as
she had lost nothing ; but on reaching the shop he found
that the contents of the till and a purse of the value of 10s.
!lei been stolen. Having accidentally heard that two lad.
named Flynn anti Ricketts had been apprehended for
committing a similar robbery at Daliton, he came
to this Court on Monday last to see if he could identify
them, and immediately recognised Ricketts as the person
ale had delivered to him the fabricated message which
facilitated the escape of the prisoner. He had no sooner
made the discovery, than the prisoner himself entered
the Court, furnished with a'written testimonal, setting
forth the unimpeachable honesty and respectability of
the prisoners then under examination, and witness in-
stantly seized him, and gave him into custody. The two
.thieves for whom ho displayed such a lively interest had
since been tried and convicted at the Old Bailey, and