The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-14 00:00:00

A FAMILY POISONED.

On Monday last, at the Spread Eagle, Lime-street
Groves, in this borough, Mr. Thorney held an inquest
on the body of Lawrence Waitcs, aged 11 years, son of
Joseph Waites, of this port, master mariner.
The father of the &ceased deposed--The deceased
lived with me en beard my vessel, the Conduct,
lying in the river Hull, near Mr. Gibson's, Groves-
yard. He was very ill yesterday, as were all
my family, including my wife and 'myself. We
were all hearty at breakfast and dinner, but
we had not eaten half a dozen mouthfuls before we began
to be sick. My wife had on Saturday night brought
home a quarter of a stone of flour, three pounds of meat,
and half a pound of sausages. The flour was got at
Else's shop. We had some salt, but no pepper on
board. My wife and daughter Margaret made the pie.
It was what we call a sea pie. We had it cocked in a
tin which was used every day. We had no copper
aboard at all. We were all very sick—my wife, my
daughter Margaret, Robert, and Joseph, and the de-
ceased, and also the dog, to which some of the pie was
given. Lawrence had eaten more than any of us. We
dined at noon. Between two and three o'clock we called
to a man who was on board a sloop, and told him we
were all poisoned, and he and his wife and Mrs. Jack-
man came on board. They asked us if we would have
doctor, and I told them we would. A doctor never
came, however, but Mrs. Jackson bought sixpennyworth
of nitre. The man afterwards inquired if we were any ,
better, and I said we were very bad, and begged him to
come on board, but his wife said there was no room. I
never heard them again, excepting that I once heard
them stirring the fire, although I called several times.
The deceased got worse, and about ten o'clock I heard
him " Oh, daddy;" and about four I went down to
the cabin, and he was dead. I went up and called to the
sloopman, but could not make him hear; but a policeman
heard me and got me assistance, and Mr. Munro came and
attended to us. _ _ _

Margaret Waites, sister of the deceased, wai
examined at considerable length. In the course of
her evidence she said—l was with my mother yesterday-
morning when she made the pie. There was no one else
there but my mother, myself, and my brother Joseph.
The pie was made in the saucepan. It had been used to
boil some water in. and then we boiled some clothes in it,
and put in some washing powder; and after,the clothes had
been boiled in it the liquid was thrown out, I think by
my mother. I don't know that the pan was washed out
from the time it was used to the time the sea-pie
was made. I saw my mother make the pie. She
made it in a bucket. She put nothing in it but the
meat, dough, sausages, and salt.
Henry Munroe, surgeon, deposed—•l was called to the
deceased about 20 minutes to four o'clock this morning.
I went to the vessel of Joseph Waites, where he was.
I found the father Joseph, who said they were all
poisoned. The wife was bad, and the four children
were sick. The deceased was dead. The mother
complained of tightness of the chest and a violent
burning of the throat. She had been violently
sick and purged, and had great pains about the region
of the heart, with great thirst ; pulse small ; the
a vomited matter had a green stringy appearance. I ex-
mined the sea pie and found some small round lumps
of a whitish powder, about the size of a pea. I also
found some
or soma 11 spots in the paste • it may be flour
a other substance.Ffurfl th'e symptoms I s.iw
I have no doubt thatthe
irritant poison, but I h 'whole
family
had taken some
e not had time for an analysis
or post nzurtent examination.
The inquest was then adri. urrned until three o'clock on
Wednesday afternoon, at triric, Town
Th ursday. paper

_ENTRAL AtIMINAL COURT,.'
he sessions of the
Central Criminal Court commence to-day, at the Jus-
tices Hall, Old Bailey. The Judges on the rota to
preside
will Fe Lord Chief Justice Wilde, Mr. Justice
Patteson, an 1 Mr. Baron Rolfe.

NEV 7 SAFETY LUGGAGE VANS.—The Eastern Union
' has just received from Liverpool a supply of luggage
vans constructed on a principle that combines safety to
the train, with accommodation for the luggage. The
van is rather longer than a second class carriage, con-
siderably higher, and so firmly built and tied by iron
work as to be capable of resisting a very powerful shock.
The fore breast is made of iron, the sides are surrounded
by iron stags, the buffers are so strong and the screws
so powerful and elastic, that one would think they could
not be snapped in a collision. The interior of the van
is divided into compartments, so as to carry luggage
for different stations ; and the guard has a room in the
end next the train, where he can use a power-break, and
at the same time see a considerable distance before the
engine. We understand similar vans are to be placed
on the London and North-Western line.
TACTICS OF THE LARGE LINES.—The London and
North-Western Company have purchased the Shropshire
Union lines, and if our maps are correct, it would appear
that they cannot get access to their uew territory, with-
out passing over the Shrewsbury and Birmingham. un-
less they run up their own line to Stafford; and to go
from Birmingham to Shrewsbury, vid Stafford, would be
very like preferring two sides of a triangle to a straight
line, for it is nearly a straight line from Birmingham to
Shrewsbury, rid Wolverhampton. Then again, it ap-
pears that the Chester and 'Wolverhampton line of the
Shropshire Union must use the Shrewsbury and Birm
ingham for two or three miles out of Wolverhampton ;
while the Shresbury and Stafford line of the same com-
pany runs for no less than ten miles (from Shrewsbury
to Wellington) on the Shrewsbury and Birmingham !
Now to our minds, the possession by the London and
North-Western of a line, which not only lies between a
portion of their own great schemes, but which most
positively dijoints them, must be of consequence in
many points of view, and especially as regards the
efficient and economical working of the waole, for
if there be one thing in the railway system more
universally admitted than another, it is the importance
of having a long continuous line under one uniform
management. 'I. here is also another consideration. The
London and North Western Company have already so
great an interest in the Stour Valley line that no ene
can doubt they V.II ultimately be its sole owners. This
would give the Leviathan company a right in the greet
central station to be erected at Wolverhampton by the
Stour Valley- and Shrewsbury and Birmingham Com-
panies, and we should think would afford an additional
reason for getting possession of the Shrewsbury and
Birmingham line, as they would then be in a position to
make terms with all the other companies (opponents as
well as friends), wile must run into the Wolverhampton
station, and generally avoid all the complicetion which
would exist were the Shrowsbury and Birmingham to
remain an independent company, separating the gigantic
trunk of the London and North-Western from its co-
lossal limbs in the west and north-west. It is not for us
to predict which of the two great companies will offer
the most liberal terms for the ahrewshury and Birming-
ham line, but we think that either would be glad of it,

an.l we are by no means singular in our opinion.— Dior
cestcrshire Chronicle.

DONCASTER LINES.—The railway plans deposited with
the clerk of the parish, preparatory to the introduction
of Bills into Patliament, is the ensuing session, are five
in number. Aim though no entirely new line is con-
t,:mplated io this neighbourhood, yet certain proposed
stations, extensions, alterations, and improvements of
existing lines are to be submitted to the Legislature,
which appear to us well calculated to improve their
g,>oeral uscfulnes, and materially to benefit this locality
in particular. One capital kature in these plans is the
proposal to place the station near the euntre of the
town, which will prove a matter of great convenience
to our townspeople. The plans aro entitled—Great
Nerthein (Deviations between Grantham and York) ;
Greet Northern (Deviations between Peterborough,
Boston, and Doncaster) ; South Yorkshire, D.mcaster,
and Goole Railway (Purchase of Sheffield, Rother-
ham, Barnsley, Wakefield, Huddersfield, and Goole
Railway, and of Dun Navigation, and Dearno and Dove
Canal) ; Midiand (Sheffield, Barnsley, Dunc.:ster, and
Goole Line, &c ); Sheffield, Rotherham, and Doncas-
ter Junction (Masbrough to Doncaster.)—DonmstPr
Gazette.

The arguments having concluded to day,
His LORDSHIP gave judgment. In all such cases as
the present it was the duty of a court of justice to cm-
alder, not only the rights of individuals whose interests
might be invaded, but also the unimpaired exercise of the
powers which the Legislature invested in public COM-
panics. The question now to be considered was one of
individual injury. The 31st clause of the special Act
had been dwelt upon as being a limitation
of the powers of companies, but he was of opinion that
that clause did not at all change the intention or meaning
of the Legislature in the general Act. He thought that
as regarded the construction of the law the case against the
present motion had failed. The argument with respect
to the interpretation of the agreement of the parties had
also failed, as well as the argument derived from the
ignorance of the plaintiff of the law. When companies
had extensive powers for their benefit, they should not
be at liberty to make contracts to restrict those powers.
This ho thought was desirable, though he did not wish
by any means to extend the powers of railway companies.
Another matter in the present question to be considered
by a court of equity was, the disingenuousness of the
plaintiff, who, though it appeared that he had induced
the defendants to make the alteration, with a view to
compel them to purchase a greater amount of his lend
than they required, had altogether concealed that part
of his conduct from the Court. On these grounds, he
would dissolve the injunction, with c ,sts.
Mr. CoorEn, who appeared for the plaintiff, stated
that in consequence of th© decision of the Court, he
would not proceed with a motion which he had been in-
structed to make, that the injunction should be ex-
tended.

ViCE-CHANCERY COURT; Dec. 11.
(Before the Vic; .1,3 ANC ELLOR of ENGLAND.)
_INSOLE V. I'EATHERSTONEHAUGII.

The further argutnc.ntii in this part-heard case occupied
his Honour the Vice Chance!kr of England the whole
morning.

(Before Sir J. K. BRUCE.)
EX PARTE FRIENDLY HUMANITY S,CIETY.

MS HONOUR delivered judgment in this case to-day.
lie was disposed, after weighing all the circumstances,
not to give costs on either side with respect to the first
petition. With reference to the second petition, it was
hasty, and he would give, the respondents
.their costs.
LEE V. STONE.

This was the patition of the defendant, praying for
the execution of the trusts of a will. It appeared that
the testator, wl-o died in January, 1841, left three
daughters, the peitioner (Mrs. Stone) and two others,
and devised to them his estate, which consisted of per-
sonal effects, in the following manner:—That in the
event of the death of aiy of the parties without issue,
her portion should go to the survivor or survivors of the
others; awl the plaintiffs had raised a question as to the
construction of these words.

His HoszotrarecOnainended that the case should be car-
ried to a court of law, which could best adjudicate upon
the question at issue, which was strictly kgal.

COURT OF QUEEN'S BEACH, Dec. 11.
NORMANSON V. CRUET.
This %Val as issue to try whether the plaintiff was or
was not entitled to certain goods which were assigned
to him by a bankrupt named Walker, who is his cousin.
The case was commenced in the Bail Court ye,:terdly,
and r. sumed at the si:ting of the Court this morning.
It occupied the greater part of the day.
The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff.
THE QUEEN V. HAYNES.

This case, which has excited considerable interest,
and which is an indictment against the defendant for
the unlawful removal of his father's books was set down
in the list for to-day, and the court from an early hour
was crowded to excess, many elegantly dressed ladies cc.
copying seats in the galleries, but as the under-
mentioned case was stated to. ba a short one, it was
postponed until next term, or the sittings after it, to the
evident disappointment of a crowded auditory.
THE QUEEN U. WATSON.-INDECENTLY ASSAULTING A