The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-07 00:00:00

LAMBETH.

John Tapson and John Beard, a middle-aged man, who
was described as a clerk to Mr. Buchanan, of Basinghall-
street. solicitor to the Society for the Prosecution of Fraudu-
lent Debtors, were put to the bar before Mr. Elliott, for re-
examination on a charge of stealing a portmanteau contain-
ing a variety of property.
Mr. Justins, formerly clerk to Mr. Hobler, but now of the
office of Messrs. Maples and Co. solicitors to the Great Wes-
tern Railway
_Company, attended to prosecute, and Mr.
Collard, the superintendant of police en that line, also at-
tended to watch the proceedings. Before entering on the
case, Mr. Justins complained of the non-attendance of Mr.
Whistler, of the firm of Whistler and Edwards, pawnbrokers.
in the Strand, and for whose appearance his worship had
granted a summons on the last examination. A large por-
tion of the property stolen, he said, had been taken in at the
shop of Mr. Whistler for a mere trifle, and his conduct in not
complying with the summons was both disrespectful to the
bench and detrimental to the ends of justice.
Mr. Whistler's shopman replied, that the reason his master
did not attend was that he knew nothing of the transaction
with the prisoner Tapson, as it took place between him, the
shopman, and the foreman.
Mr. ELLIOTT ..!bserved, that it was certainly extraordinary
that Mr. Whistler did not attend in compliance with the
summons that had been served upon him, and said that be
(Mr. Elliott) would have been perfectly justified in sending
a warrant to compel his attendance.
The first witness called was the little boy Weatherdon,
who had been previously examined, and who stated that on
their way to the Great Western Railway the prisoner called
at a coach-yard, where the prisoner Beard joined them and
got. into the cab, and they were all then driven to the rail-
way station. Witness was sure it was the Great Western
Railwat , for since the last examination he had been taken
there by Mr. Collard, and had a perfect recollection of the
place. The prisoner Tapson was first about to take a carpet-
bag out of the carriage, but while doing so a gentleman
claimed it as his property. He then took up a portmanteau,
and after looking at the address, desired him, as he had be-
fore stated, to take hold of one end while he took the other,
and they carried it Letween them to the cab. The prisoner
Beard aid not assist in taking the portmanteau, but was
close by at the time, and got into the cab with them im-
mediately after. The cab stopped once on the way to hi.
father's house, when both the prisoners got out, and went
into a public-house, leaving him in the vehicle with the port-
manteau.
Miss Mary Weatherdon, sister to the last witness, deposed
that, some months ago, she was on a visit to some friends in
Cornwall, and there made the acquaintance of the prisoner
and his friends, who lived in the same neighbourhood as her
relations. About the middle of the week before last, Tapson
called at her father's, 16, Princes-road, Lambeth ; and, in
consequence of some attentions shown to her at his father's,
in Cornwall, he was requested to stop for a few days, and
was accommodated with a bed in the house. Heard the pri-
soner ask her mother's permission, on Tuesday morning last,
to allow her little brother to accompany him to the railway
:station, as he expected to meet some friends on that evening.
Her mother gave her consent, and the prisoner and her
brother left home about II o'clock in the forenoon. Between
9 and 10 they returned with the prisoner Beard, and the
cabman delivered a portmanteau to the servant. Taps on
carried the portmanteau up stairs, and Beard remained in the
kitchen till he returned down stairs. Beard ultimately went
away in the same cab that had brought him, Tapson, and
her brother, but before leaving had made an arrangement
to meet Tapson on the following day, to take him to hear
the trials at the Old Bailey. The ove facts, as well as
that of the prisoner Tapson asking for a knife to cut open
the portmanteau, saying at the time he could not open it
with his key, were corroborated by Mr. Weatherdon and his
servant.
Joseph Davy, a sergeant of police on the Great Western
Railway, No. 120, deposed that on Tuesday evening last, he
saw both the prisoners and the little boy on the platform at
the Paddington terminus, when they asked him several ques-
tions about the period at which the trains would arrive, and
particularly the cheap train, and said they were waiting for
a friend they expected.
John William Myers, a porter in the employment of the
Great Western Railway Company, at the Paddington ter-
minus, corroborated the testimony of the last witness.
Mr. Collard, the superintendent of police, deposed to
having apprehended the prisoner Beard at 77, Basinghall-
street, City, on Saturday morning. The prisoner, in reply
to his (Mr. Collard's) question, denied being, at the Great
Western Railway station for a whole week, until this
(Saturday) morning. He also denied all knowledge of the
prisoner Tapson, or having been to the Princes-road on the
Tuesday' night.
Dlr. :fasting here said this was all the evidence he should
at present offer, and upon it he would request a remand to a
future day. He had written to the clergyman in Wales to
whom the watch belonged. for its number and description,
and he hoped by the next examination to be able to trace it.
He should also advertise for the cabman who had been em-
ployed on the occasion, and had no doubt of his being in at-
tendance on a future day.
Mr. ELLIOTT remanded the prisoners, as requested, and
gave peremptory directions for the attendance of Mr. Whistler,
the pawnbroker, and his foreman, to be in attendance at the
next examination.

THE LATE LOSS OF LIFE AT YAR3fOUTH.— Thecoroner has at length registered the death of the unfortunate crea-
tures who perished by the falling of the bridge last May. But he
did not do so nutil the Registrar-General threatened him with an
action in the Court of Queen's Bench. This delay on the part of
the coroner is, we believe, attributable to a quarrel between him
and the bench of magistrates, for his fees upon the Inquest he held.

LECTURE BY A RETURNED CONVICT.—On Tuesday
night last a lecture on the horrors of transportation was delivered in
the theatre here by a returned convict. The lecturer, who is a man
about forty years of age, appeared in the dress of a Norfolk Island
onviet —half grey, halt yellow—and gave a painful recital of the
manifold miseries ix which the transported criminal is subjected. The
sufferings and hardships they exdure he described as being worse
than those of absolute slavery, and to get rid of such a miserable
existence murder and -suicide were frequently committed. The
limited attendance showed that the subject was one in which the
people of Ayr took but little intereet.—dyr Adverb, e'.

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.

(YESTERDAY.)

GROUP VIII.
This Committee met at three o'clock to-day, for the purpose of
settling their report on the Edinburgh and Peebles branch, which
being done, they adjourned till Wednesday, the 29th instant.

GROUP IX.
This Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock, Lord Worsley
In the chair. All the members of the Committee were present.
WEST OF SCOTLAND JUNCTION.

The evidence on behalf of this Bill was then resumed.
Mr. Joseph Hume, M.P., was recalled and examined, in continua-
ion of his evidence of Friday last—He had not seen the letter in
which it was represented the Admiralty did not intend interfering
with the promoters proving their case before the Committee. He
could hardly believe, from what he knew of the sentiments
of the Admiralty, that such a letter was a correct
representation of their feelings. He would wish to hear
the letter read, and the name of the writer. (The letter was then
read, which was to the effect that the Admiralty would not interfere
with the Bill proceeding before the Committee, and signed by Mr.
Law.) The witness said the signature was that of Lord Ellen-
borough's private secretary. He thought that yet the whole area
between Glasgow Bridge and Stockwell Bridge, fifteen acres in ex-
tent, would be thrown open into a large dock for the accommoda-
of shipping ; and the Glasgow Bridge be made of two arches, with
a centre arch capable of being opened for the passage of
vessels upwards and downwards. He thought that it would
be much better to carry a railway over the Clyde, above
Rutherglen. If the West of Scotland viaduct was passed, the im-
provements be proposed in the river would be at an end. He had
presented a petition, signed by 26,000 persons, against the Bill; also
a petition from the merchants' house.
Cross-examined—No man in his senses would incommode the
navigation of the river by crossing it with a bridge, when all the ad-
vantages of the junction could be obtained by a short detour. • The
tidal course of a river was a public highway, and ought to be kept
clear for their accommodation.
Mr. Sprat, a director of the Glasgow and Garnkirk Railway, de-
posed that the proposed abandonment of the mineral branch on the
north aide of the river, would be a great inconvenience to the rail-
way which he represented. The directors of that line had obtained
powers to form a union with the junction scheme, which, if the
harbour branch was given up, would be rendered nugatory.
Mr. Anderson was examined generally as to the proposed viaduct
over the river being-an " eye-sore" to the beauty of the river at that
place. It would obscure the view altogether of the present handsome
bridge. Besides he did not think it could be built without interfering
with its foundations.
Cross-examined—As a trustee of the Glasgow• bridge he would not
object to the proposed viaduct if it did not endanger the present
bridge. He believed that the majority of the trustees decided not to
oppose the Bill, providing the crossing of the river was effected be-
low, and not exactly over, the present bridge. He was in the
minority on that resolution.
To Mr. ARCHBOLD—He did think it would be of much advantage
to take large vessels above the bridges. It would, in his opinion, be
best set apart for small vessels.
Mr. Charles Atherton, civil engineer, said be had carried on the
works of Glasgow-bridge as resident engineer at the time it was
building. In boring for the foundations he found that a great por-
tion was quicksand, especially on the south side of the river. Mr.
Telford considered the building of the bridge a work of great difficulty.
The,expense of that bridge under water-mark was greater than above
it. The piers of the existing bridge were so light, in order to give
as much water-way as possible, that if the piers of the proposed
viaduct were to be but a continuation of them he could not see how
they could stand with such elevated arches.
The Committee at the close of this witness's examination ad-
iourned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock.

GROUP XIV.
SOUTH-EASTERN.

The Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock. Present—Mr.
Protheroe (chairman), Lord Emlyn, General Lygon, Mr. J. O'Con-
nell, and Mr. Grogan.
Mr. Sergeant WaANGUAM resumed the examination of Mr. George
Bidder —The witness stated that there is a road running between the
South-Eastern Railway and the Arsenal at Woolwich. That road by
the Arsenal is 10 feet above the level of the rails of the proposed
South-Eastern Railway. The branch line to the Arsenal would
therefore be 10 feet under that road. There is also a road running
between the Dockyard wall and the South-Eastern line. That road
has various levels, it is in one place from 10 to 12 feet above the level
of the railway. The worst gradient on the South-Eastern, between
London and Woolwich, is lin 121. The ruling gradient is 1 in 150.
The gradient of lin 121 is a mile and a half long. The worst gra-
dient on Mr. Vignoles's line, between the same points, is 1 in 118.
That is not the ruling gradient. The South-Eastern line to Wool-
wich is U chains longer than the North Kent line. Last year the
South-Eastern line was to cross the Croydon Railway upon
a level, but it was to be altered. Mr. Vignoles proposed
to go under the line. The South-Eastern Company propose to form
their line under the Croydon line this year. Mr. Vignoles' line passes
from cutting to embankment between Crayford and Erith. A station
there would necessarily be on the natural surface of the ground. A
station at that point wesld be most inconvenient and remote from
the heavy traffic. Cannot say whether the South-Eastern line, as
proposed this year between Dartford and Stone, is the same course
of line as the one proposed last year by Mr. Vignoles. Has not seen
Mr. Vignoles' plan since last session. Had agreed with the Rochester
bridgewardens to make such a bridge as the one proposed by Mr.
Vignoles, or, rather the one proposed by the Admiralty. Has not
seen any letter from the Admiralty to the bridgewardens, requiring a
bridge to be made according to the plan by Mr. Vignoles. The bridge
proposed by the South-Eastern this year differs from the one pro-
posed by them last year, but only in consequence of the wish of the
bridgewardens that the bridge should be made of stone and more or-
namental. Cannot say if the South-Eastern crosses the river in the
same line as the North Kent, as proposed by Mr. Vignoles. Cannot
say what number of level crossings occur ma the South-Eastern Com-
pany. About 52 occur in the length of 53 miles. When the train
stops at Canterbury, on the South-Eastern line, it would have to
start up a gradient of 1 in 79.
By Mr. DAWSON (who appeared in support of a petition by Mr.
Evelyn against the proposed line)—On leaving the Greenwich line
the South-Eastern Railway will cross Mr. Evelyn's land en an em-
bankment. Knows a road called Coney Hall-lane; that lane need not be
lowered. The line will pass over it an elevation of 20 feet. It is
succeeded by rime garden ground, over which the line passes on an
embankment. There is also a lane called " Loving Edward's-lane,"
which will be lowered three feet, and crossed at an elevation of fif-
teen feet. _ . . _ . .

By Mr. CALVERT (who appeared in support of a petition presented
by Mr. John Sydney Smith and Mr. Angerstein against the proposed
line)—Mr. Smith's land is by Lewisham, near Mordaunt College.
The land is passed by a cutting of twenty-five feet in depth.
The wall of the residence is also affected, or is within
the limit of deviation. There is a tunnel at about one
hundred and fifty yards from either property, which is a very
pretty ornamental villa and grounds. Mr. Augerstein's property
is a little fhrther on. It is called Woodlands. Woodland House is
about a quarter of a mile from the railway. The lixe is a tunnel on
entering Mr. Angerstein's property, and continues 600 yards. It then
opens into a cutting 60 feet deep, on emerging from which it proceeds
90 yards on the surface, and again descends into a cutting 180 yards
long and 40 feet deep. Does not know how Mr. Angerstein's house
and property is supplied with water. The ground rises from Mr.
Angerstein's house.
By Mr. Btu° (wbo appeared in suppert of a petition by the Maid-
stone and Rochester Navigation Company, against the proposed line)
—The river, near Maidstone-bridge, is to be crossed by a viaduct of
780 yards. There will be five arches over the river, and three or
four piers will be in the water. The viaduct is about 77 yards from
the bridge. That distance does not include the limit of deviation.
The piers will be formed of brick or stone, and will be six
feet in thickness. The coffer dam required would not be
more than two feet from the work. Would not attempt

to form-
all the piers at once, so as to obstruct the river. It is abso-
lutely necessary that the river should be crossed by the railway. If
the Committee were to refuse to allow the South-Eastern line to
cross the river, their Mid Kent scheme would still demand the
same powers.
By Mr. MENEWETIIEI (on the part of the promoters) —The line
and viaduct will not affect the navigation of the river. The line doe.,
not actually cut through the ornamental property of Mr. Angerstein.
The field traversed by the line is separated from the ornamental pro-
perty by a public road. Mr. Sidney Smith holds his property
under Earl St. Germans. Ample compensation would be given
to them, and ample accommodation would also be given to Mr.
Evelyn. With regard to the branch line to the Arsenal, it could be
worked by locomotive power, if such should be the wish of the au-
thorities. 'I here is no road at Woolwich which would be at all in-
jured by the line. Last year the Seuth-Eastern proposed to cross the
Croydon Railroad on a level. The atmospheric pipe has since been
laid down to the South-Eastern. Consequently it passes under the
line this year. If Mr. Vigneles' line were in the centre of the vil-
lage of Crayford the approach to it would necessarily be extremely
Inconvenient. Mr. Vlgnoles approaches Rochester-bridge on a
curve of 10 chains radius. Any great degree of velocity would be
unsafe on such a curve. The approach of the South-Eastern line is
under more favourable circumstances. The lines near Chatham run
very close to each other as there is only one course for a railway to
pursue in that neighbourhood.
Re-examined by Mr. AUSTIN—The area of the London-bridge sta-
tion is four acres, exclusive of the Greenwich station. That includes
the approaches. The South-Western station is five acres, but there
is an acre and a rood that may be made available in case of enlarge-

ment. His estimate for the metropolitan property to be occupied
by the North Kent line is correct. It is impossible to estimate the cost
of acquiring what may appear trumpery property. At the junction
of Mr. Vignoles' line with the Croydon, there is a gradient of 1 in
74, and also a gradient of 1 In 100 near Woolwich. There are also
gradients of I In 100, and also of 70 and 80 on Mr. Vignoles' al-
ternative lines, and witness believes that one of the alternative lines
is to be adopted. Witness considers that good gradients or spots
where there is heavy traffic are very desirable. Would lay out
100,0001. to sure a good gradient on any spot where heavy traffic is
concentrated. The cost of working on the southern loop of the
South-Eastern would not be 4 per cent. on the cost of the North
Kent expenditure on the Boughton-hill cutting. Ile (Mr.
Bidder) had so adopted his gradients to the localities
as to derive a considerable advantage to the mo-
mentum of the trains on arrival and departure. The South
Eastern would, therefore, have a decided advantage over the North
Kent. Is decidedly of opinion that the South Eastern could be
worked in a manner in every way superior to the North Kent. In
the first year of the opening of the Gravesend and Rochester Rail-
way, the number of passengers carried was 395,000. The weekly
returns of this year show an increase of 70 per cent. on that number.
The Committee then adjourned until twelve o'clock to-morrow.