The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-09 00:00:00

TH E SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY MORNING, JUNE 9, 1870.

LAW AND POLICE.

TH Ell GREAT FIRE IN PERA.
CONSTANTINOPLE, June 7,

THE COUNTESS OF DERWENTWATER.—Mr. Bennett, tax
collector, Winlaton, at the Gateshead County Police
Station, has applied for a number of summonses against
certain persons for non-payment of poor rates, amongst
whom was the " Countess of Derwentwater." The re-
quired summonses were granted.
IMPORTANT SALMON FISHERY QUESTION.—In the Court
of Common Pleas the appeal of Lord Leconfield against
the decision of the Salmon Fishery Commissioners was
argued. Lord Leconfield had a fishing weir in the river
Derwent; and the question was whether such weir
in a non-navigable part of the river was legal
when it presented an obstruction to the pas-
sage of salmon up and down the river. I\lr.
Holker, Q.C., argued that the Salmon Fishery
Acts of 1861 and 1865 made all weirs that pre-
vented salmon from getting to their spawning-beds and
returning to the sea illegal, though on non-navigable
rivers. The Court of Queen's Bench had held that the
Salmon Fishery Acts referred only to navigable rivers.
The court took time to consider its judgment.
A SECOND COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.—A practical step
has been taken in the way of law reform. Under the
provisions of the Act passed in the varly part of the pre-
sent session, Mr. Baron Pigott has been drafted from the
Court of Excnequer to sit with Mr. Justice Mellor in the
Bail Court, thus constituting a second Court of Queen's
Bench, 'for the holding of sittings in Banco. In the chief
court the Lord Chief Justice, with Mr. Justice Lush and
Mr. Justice Hannen, have been occupied with the new
trial paper, and Mr. Justice Mellor and Mr. Baron
Pigott with the Crown paper.

The following are further details of the great fire :
The hospital and the residence of the German Charitable
Society were destroyed, and the invalids were rescued
by the gallantry of some of the Germans, two
of whom died from the injuries received. The
American Church of the Immaculate Conception was
seriously damaged, but the copy of the Transfiguration
worked in Gobelin tapestry, and presented by the Em-
press Eugenie, was saved. A committee has been formed
for the relief of the sufferers, and a large amount has been
subscribed. All the foreign ambassadors have distributed
relief to their countrymen. The Levant Herald announces
that, according to a communication of the police, 7,000
houses have been destroyed, and'the total loss is estimated
at 25,000,000.

THE BANKRUPTCY OF MAJOR HEATHCOTE.—The exa-
mination of this bankrupt, now of Brussels, major on half
pay, was proceeded with. The petitioning creditor is Mr.
J. P. Whitmore, money dealer, of 6, Norris-street, St.
James's.- The unsecured debts are stated at £3,029 15s. Bd.;
creditors partly secured, £3,156 14. ; estimated value
of the securities, £1,921 145.; the total assets being
returned at the sum of £52 10s. Mr. Lawrence, as re-
presenting the trustee, applied for an adjournment on
the ground that the cash account had only just been
delivered, and a great many items required strict exami-
nation. Mr. G. Lewis, on the part of the bankrupt, con-
curred in the proposed adjournment, and the examination
was postponed.

BETTING IN THE PUBLIC STREETS.—TWO young men
named William Tripp and Robert Leader were brought
before Mr. Vaughan, at Bow-street, charged with
betting and obstructing the public thoroughfare
in Tottenham-court-road. The defendants were ap-
prehended by a constable of the E division, who
had been deputed to watch the district. He kaw
the defendant and eight others. Tripp made entries in
a little book which was found in his pocket. The
defendant denied that any bet had been made, or any
obstruction caused. Mr. Vaughan said he had no doubt,
from the evidence, that the defendants were there for the
purpose alleged. He fined Tripp £5,. or one month, and
the other defendant £l, or ten days' imprisonment. Both
the fines were paid.
KILLING A STEPFATHER.—CharIes Thompson, a youth
of about 16 or 17, was indicted at the Central Criminal
Court for killing his stepfather, George Reece. on the
16th of May last. The prisoner lived with his mother and
the deceased at No. 42, Medway-street, Westminster. On
the day in question the deceased, who was a very pas-
sionate man, entered the house, and a quarrel ensued
respecting some money which the boy should have
paid for his clothes. He called the prisoner
bad names, and struck him, and he, in self-
defence, took up a salt-cellar and threwi it at
his step-father. The latter, happening to turn round,
was struck by the missile in the forehead ; and although
the wound was apparently only a slight one it ultimately
ended in death. The prisoner admitted the offence, but
stated that he had no intention to hurt his stepfather.
The jury returned a verdict of guilty, but strongly recom-
mended the prisoner to mercy. The counsel for the prose-
cution made a similar recommendation. Mr. Justice
Blackburn said he did not doubt that the prisoner
had no intention to inflict severe injury upon, or cause
the death of, the deceased; and he should therefore only
pass a light sentence of one month's imprisonment with
hard labour.

BARNED'S BANKING COMPANY.-At the Rolls Chambers,
before the chief clerk, Mr. Church, several matters
connected with Barned's Bank were brought forward, and
in the course of one case it transpired that the Master of
the Rolls had authorised the employment of a detective
to look after a runaway-shareholder. The chief clerk
inquired of Mr. Lording whether anything had come of
the employment of the detective. Mr. Lording said that
at present there had not, but he was still engaged in the
matter. Mr. Lording applied for a " balance ' order to
enforce the call of £4O on a contributory to upwards of
£7,000 who had declined to pay, and the order was
granted. Certain shareholders and the representatives of
deceased shareholders had paid calls, and now, as credi-
tors, they asked to be paid the dividends declared,
amounting to ss. in the pound, to which they were
entitled, having paid all the call. The Chief. Clerk ap-
proved of a suggestion of Mr. Lording, that summonses
should be taken out, and the dividends paid thereon.

DUCKING A POLICEMAN.—At the Central Criminal
Court, five boys, from fourteen to eighteen years of age,
named George Proctor, William Proctor, John Cliff,
William Walsh, and Richard King, were charged before
the Common Serjeaut with feloniously assaulting
Jacob Smith, a police constable, and occasion-
ing him actual bodily harm. The indictment
was originally for attempting to murder, but
with respect to that charge the grand jury threw out the
bill. It appeared that while the constable was attempting
to take a little boy into custody for bathing in the Regent's
Canal, the prisoners interfered, and while Goorge Proctor
was struggling with him they both fell into the water. The
struggle continued for some time, an 3 eventually the boy ran
away, and the constable then got out. Mr. Collins sub-
mitted that the whole affair was a mere lark, and that the
policeman and Proctor fell into the water accidentally.
The jury convicted George Proctor of a common assault,
and he was sentenced to be imprisoned for three days.
The others were acquitted.
STRANGE INQUIRY IN IRELAND.—An inquiry has been
commenced at Drumshambo, in the county of Leitrim,
before Mr. Coffey, Q.C., in order to determine whether
a Mr. Francis M`Keon was eligible to sit on the bench of
magistrates. The investigation took place by order of the
Lord Chancellor of Ireland, it having been alleged bg Mr.
M`Keon's brother magistrates that he was unqualified by
education, social position, or means for serving on the com-
mission of the peace. On the part of Mr. M`Kemi wit-
nesses were called to prove that, although he was the weigh-
master of the town, he did not personally weigh butter or
any other commodity ; and that his name appeared in
the Government valuation books for the Poor-law Union
as being rateable at £129105. A point was raised as to
whether other Irish magistrates held the office of weigh-
master, and Mr. Coffey adjourned the inquiry until the
11th inst., to allow him an opportunity of informing
himself on the subject.
ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE.—Joseph Fountain,
36, butcher, was indicted at the Central Criminal Court
for feloniously wounding Henrietta Corn on the 14th
April last, with intent to murder her ; and also
with attempting to kill himself by cutting his
throat. He pleaded not guilty. The prisoner and
the prosecutrix had lived together for some time, and
about a week before the occurrence the latter left him.
On the 14th April they met at a public-house in Kings-
land-road, and the prisoner wanted. Corn to return and
live with him, which she refused to do. She walked
into Cavendish-street with him, and he again asked
asked her to go home with him. She said she would not,
and he then put one arm round her neck, and was seen,
by a man named Harvey and his wife to draw some-
thing from his pocket and pass it across her throat.
She then ran across the road, and it was found that her
throat was cut. The prisoner attempted to cut his own
throat, and when taken into custody had in his hand a
razor, with which he attempted to cut the constable's
hands. He said that he intendedto kill both the prosecutrix
and himself if he had not been prevented. A statenaent made
by the prisoner was read, to the effect that the woman, after
several times leaving him, and returning to live with him
had followed him to where he was serving in the Militia
with his regiment. and had threatened to " shew him up "
before all the regiment and every one who knew
him, and had agravated him by striking him and in other
ways, He said he had saved her live upon one occasion
when she had attempted to hang herself, and also when
she trled to poison herself and to cut her throat, and he
had no intention to kill her. He threw himself on the
mercy of the court. The jury returned a verdict of guilty
of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and
the judge passed a sentence of fifteen years' penal servi-
tude.

• It has been resolved by the Rochdale Chamber of
Commerce to petition Parliament in favour of the motion
Mr. Muntz intends to bring forward declaring that
Government manufactories are injurious to commerce and
a. burden on the taxpayer, and that it is unseemly for
Government to compete with commercial houses for con-
tracts with foreign powers.

Preparations are being made at Windsor Castle for
the grand State breakfast- which will be given by her
Majesty the Queen after the return of the Court from
Scotland. A number of marquees and tents will be
erected upon the lawn in front of the East Terrace, and
ccmmanding some lovely views of the Castle slopes, the
vale of the Thames, the park, and Frogmore grounds. It
is understood that nearly 1,000 guests will have the honour
of being invited..

The Co-operative Congress, which is being held at
Manchester, have resolved to establish a newspaper in the
co-operative interest with as little delay as possible, and
have appointed a committee to arrange the plans. A.
dinner took place at Chesterfield last evening in connec-
tion with the holding of Manchester unity meetings in
that town. Lord Frederick Cavendish, M.P., the Hon.
Captain Egerton, M.P., and the Hon. H. Strutt, M.P.,
were present.

BUILDING TRADE IN PARIS.-A. petition has
lately been presented to the C.,rps Legislatif by the build-
ing contractors of Paris, which sets forth a very dismal
state of things. Great distress prevails among the work-
men, who have been until recently in the employ of the
master builders. They are two hundred tlaousand in
number, and many are in a deplorable condition. The
worst of it is that the masters cannot got the large sums
of money that are dun to them from the city. This un-
fortunate state of affairs has been brought about by the
creation of 'works which were necessarily unproductive for
a time. The expenses could only be met by ormanising
loans, and if that was impossible the difficulty had to be
surmounted by disbanding the army of workmen which
had been collected. The suspension of the public, works
in Paris has given rise to much, discontent, and the Corps
I:46gislatif has made some provisionary arrangements to
meet pressing emergencies. The Chamber and the Govern-
ment will, it is expected, use every exertion in order that
the extraordinary budget for the town of Paris may be
voted and submitted to the Senate,

THE NEW YORK PRESS. ON THE FENIAN
• INVASION.

The Fenian movement now agitating the telegraph
wires throughout the State and country has become
somewhat important as a matter of news, about which
everybody is talking. If the movement is not very im-
portant per se, it becomes so from the fact that the govern-
ment has taken the trouble to recognise it—has probably
obtained some information which gives a graver aspect to
the enterprise than the public are disposed to attach to it,
and that the President has issued a proclamation against
it, assuming, of course, that there is something going on
which implies a violation of the neutrality laws. In
adopting this course General Grant has followed the
example of his predecessor, Andrew Johnson, in 1866,
who, not only by proclamation, but by the action of the
United States troops, utterly wiped out the absurd under-
taking of that time, capturing the provision trains, seizing
the ammunition, and arresting the military leaders on
the frontier. That settled the invasion business
for that time. The news from the frontier now
skews a gathering of men at various to wns and
a general movement towards the frontier, of small bodies
passing through the different cities north and east of
Albany, as well as some migration from the West as far as
Detroit and certain parts of Wisconsin, but the later and
more significant news is that a force of Fenians, three
thousand btrong, had assembled at Pigeon Hill, on
Canadian soil. There appears to be no truth in this
statement, and probably not much more truth in all the
other reports. The facts are that a few Fenians, about
500 strong, under command of O'Neill, while advancing
from Franklin, Vt., towards the Canadian frontier, were
fired upon by some Canadian militia. The fire was re-
returned, and one or twa men were shot on both sides.
After the skirmish, United States Marshal Foster
arrested the Fenian commander, O'Neill, on the spot, and
thrusting him into a carriages drove him off to Bur-
lington a prisoner, leaving—as the telegrams say—
his little army so demoralised that many of them
eagerly turned their faces towards home and
sought means of transportation from St. Albans. It is not
certain—despite the fizzle of late—that the disturbance is
entirely over, but no doubt the arrival of a few regular
troops under General Meade will disperse the grande
armee of General O'Neill. Impotent, foolish, and illegal
as this movement is, and easily put down as it can be by
the United States authorities, adventures of this kind
should be a warning to England. They are the natural
growth of an immense Irish population, almost every
man of whom hates England and would bring her to ruin
or any portion of her dominions, from Nova Scotia to
New Zealand, if opportunity offered. There can be no
doubt that this is the spirit of what is called Fenianism.
It is the spirit which enables a body of men, no
matter what their qualifications or status may
be, to get a sufficient number of their country-
men to subscribe money and furnish recruits
for any expedition upon British soil, such as the last
raid on Canada in 1866, and the present one. Would it
not be wise for the British Government to consider that
there is but an imaginary line between this country and
Canada, and that Canada will always be a source of irri-
tation as well as a weak spot, for the restless anti-
English element in this community ! The best thing
British statesmen could do, under these circumstances,
would be to annex Canada to the United States, to pay
off the Alabama claims, and then we would hear no
more of lawless Fenian raids. The sympathy of the
American people would be withdrawn from all move-
ments and organisations having such aims as invasion,
whether for conquest or plunder. If England does not
act squarely in the matter of the Alabama claims, and
thus cultivate some better feeling than now exists,
Americans may come in time to sympathise more
closely than they do with hostile movements of this
kind ; or, indeed, the Irish element, which becomes
stronger every day, may force us ultimately, against our
will, into a war—the last thing at present to be
expected, and certainly an event most of all to be de-
plored. The Fenian fiasco twice repeated does not prove
that because attacks upon the colonial dependencies of
Great Britain over the border have failed there will not
remain a disposition here among a large class of our people
to encourage, tacitly at least, such movements, until the
just claims of our Government asto the unsettled Alabama
business are attended to. —New York Herald.

At the hour of going to press, very full dispatches had
reached us from the present field of operations of the
Fenian leaders. They shew, beyond doubt, that the
affair is extensive, and that preparations must have been
going on for several months. It is a matter of surprise
that so much secrecy could have been maintained among
such a miscellaneous and comparatively undisciplined
material, but the fact may be placed to the credit of those
in control, and accepted as an evidence of the earnest-
ness of all engaged in it. But it is equally evident
that the " invasion " is, so far, a great muddle from be-
ginning to end, The course of Government has not done
more to kill the movement than the tactics of the Fenian
Generals. General O'Neill was arrested by United
States Marshal Foster, and, in default of bail, was taken
to Burlington. If, as it is said, he vowed to succeed in
his enterprise or die, it is probable that he is much dis-
appointed with the actual result. The " engagement "
between the Canadians and the Fenians partakes rather
of the nature of a mock battle than a conflict between
heroes. Nevertheless, more lives have been lost than the
cause seemed to deserve. The invasion, if it is to end in
nothing worse than this—and we have pointed out its
serious possibilities in another column—must be regarded
as a " bull " on a great scale. Irish inde-
pendence can never be achieved by raids upon
Canada. It is necessary to remind the Fenians
that they can scarcely claim protection, or even
mercy, in case they come to grief, on the score
of their being American citizens. They have clearly
forfeited all title to this protection by violating the law,
and scouting the admonitions of the Federal authorities.
The large expenditure which the Fenians have incurred,
and the still larger expense to which they will put the
Canadian authorities, are far from being justified by any
achievements which they can reasonably hope to accom-
plish. When we consider the embarrassing position in
which these recurring demonstrations put our own autho-
rities, and the possible injuries which may be inflicted
upon the innocent Canadian people,.we certainly fail to
appreciate the wisdom or the justification of the move-
ments now being made. At the same time it is impossible
for us to refrain from contrasting the prompt and ener-
getic measures taken by bur Government to suppress the
raid with the tardy policy of Lord Russell when the
Alabama was being set loose at our commerce. Had the
English Government done as much for us as we have done
for its colony, the Alabama would never have escaped,
and vast damage to our commerce would have been
averted.—New York Times.

There is something so noble in the heroism of the honest
Irishmen who have offered their fortunes and their per-
sons for this last wretched expedition against Canada,
that we cannot speak of their enterprise without respect;
but the folly of the whole affair has been so stupendous,
and the failure so inconceivably absurd, that we can hardly
speak of it either without equal indignation and amuse-
ment. For months the Brotherhood has been massing its
resources, collecting arms, organising resiments and bri-
gades, planning battles and sieges, and devising commis-
sariats. Every available dollar has been raised and spent.
Every available man, if the Fenian organs are to be
trusted, has been ordered to the front. According
to one of the cheap papers of this city, no fewer
than 25,000, disguised in plain clothes, marched
from Brooklyn alone in a single day. Im-
mense arsenals of muskets and cannon have
been hidden somewhere in the Green mountains. On the
other side of the line, Canada has been shaking with
terror. The volunteers have rushed to arms. Theregular
troops have been posted along the St. Lawrence. Quebec
is in flames, and Sir John IVl'Donald is sick a-bed with
fright. Under these awful circumstances the war began.
The field of affray was in Franklin County, Vermont,
close to the Canada line and some fifteen miles north of
St. Albans. Thither the Fenian army repaired in driblets
to place themselves under the command of General O'NeilL
Their first proceeding was to unpack carpet bags and get
out the green uniforms. Their second was to hear a
speech. " Fenians," said the General, " the eyes
of Ireland are upon you. Forward, march ! "
Now it was perhaps not strictly in accordance
with military etiquette—or shall we say disci-
pline P—but when General O'Neill said " Forward,
march," the Fenian to whom had been committed the
command of the skirmish line deemed this a proper occa-
sion for another speech, in the course of which he
copiously observed that he would forward march. Then
the army turned around, saw Canada, and went for it.
The Canadian army at this point being only fifty strong,
while the Fenians were about 250, the conquest of the
Dominion might seem a foregone conclusion had it not
been for the sudden interference of the United States of
America. The United States of America was personated
on this occasion by George P. Foster and Thomas Failey,
who came upon the field of battle in a rockaway, or some
such peaceable vehicle, and took a commanding position
upon a hill-side under fire. In the thickest of the fight,
while the Fenian commander (also under fire)
was surveying the scene through a glass, the United
States of America crept from the rockaway and tapped
him on the shoulder. " Sir," said Marshal George P.
Foster, " I arrest you for breaking the law." " Sir," said
the • General, " I have an army here, and I won't be
arrested." Whereupon the commander was ignominiously
bundled into the carriage and driven off to a jail—and the
army went home ! A plain narration of this story—a
war stopped by a marshal and one deputy, a whole army
defeated and utterly routed by two men, is so utterly
ludicrous that no comment can improve it. But in fact
we have no desire to dwell upon the farcical features of
this new discovery in strategy. We have no disposi-
tion to speculate upon what would have hap-
pened if Wellington had been arrested by a
sheriff's officer in the middle of the battle
of Waterloo, or Grant lodged in jail by a Virginia con-
stable while the Army of the Potomac was fighting in the
Wilderness. The serious side of Gen. O'Neill's ridiculous
blunder is too painful to be laughed at. The folly of this
charlatan has cost thousands of working people the last
dollar of their savings, and perhaps some poor fellows
their lives. It has covered a good cause with disgrace.
It has postponed the liberation of Ireland. It has
degraded Irishmen in the estimation of many of their
fellow-citizens, who will perhaps overlook the difference
between the patriotism of the people and the imbecile
vanity of the leaders. These are the sad results of the
last Fenian invasion. We can only hope that the rank
and file may get home quickly and sound, and save their
carpet-bags.—New York Tribune.

RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—The express train going
east on the Fort Wayne and Chicago road ran off the
track, ou„tbe of the 21st May, near Lucas, Ohio.
One man,- name unknown, wliO was stealing a ride between
the tender and baggage car, was killed. The engineer
and fireman were badly bruised. The passengers were
not hurt, and were brought forward with a few hours
delay.