The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-01 00:00:00

STT Ny SEPTEMBER 1, 1846.

is, your Honour. (The witness then handed to the
magistrate the last joint of the fore finger of his left
hand, which had been bitten off, and was picked up by a
policeman.)
The prisoner, a morose•looking fellow, said, the pro •
secutor struck him first, and that he did not strike in re-
turn until he was caught hold of by him.
Driscoll said he did take his part as well as he could
after he was struck, and hit Donovan again.
Mr. BRODERIP, after observing that as no instrument
was used, this was not a felonious wounding within the
statute, but resolved itself in law into a violent assault
only, ordered the prisoner to find bail to answer the
charge at the sessions, himself in 601., and two sureties
of 30/. each. lie also directed the police to look after this
case, which was just one of those which might terminate
in lockjaw, and then the prisoner would have to answer
a more serious charge.
The prisoner, in default of bail, was committed.

THE LATE HORRIBLE AFFAIR

AT CHATHAM.

The county magistrates were on Friday engaged in
the investigation of the late horrible transaction at
Chalk-pit-hill, Chatham, and if any doubt existed as
to the nature of the offence in the first instance, it is
now but too clear, from the evidence of the surgeon,
that a child, living or dead, was thrown into the burn-
ing furnace on Monday morning last by some monster
in human shape ; and appearances, it is melancholy to
reflect, strengthen the supposition that a murder has
been committed, from the particles of dress which have
been discovered by him in the course of his experi-
ments. Mr. Edward Steddy, surgeon, stated that on
Monday he received from Mr. Moody, one of the
constables, a substance consisting of coke, coal, and
pieces of some description of fabric, amongst which
was a knitted substance of two qualities, fine
and coarse, which appeared to be part of a stock-
ing ; there were likewise fragments of net, twill, and
calico—the net, which was but a small portion, appeared
to be such as is used for making babies' cap.. He
likewise found another species of fabric which at first he
look for skin, but on a minute examination with a mi-
croscope he clearly distinguished it to be a fragment of
twill. From this mass he had taken some calcareous
substance, very much resembling bone, the organization
of which, however, was entirely destroyed in conse-
quence of the intense heat which prevailed at the time
of its being placed in the furnace, and which heat had
entirely converted it into a powder, of which he pro-
duced two small portions, all that he had been able to
separate. He should be led to suppose, he said, that it
was the remains of a child from the fact of the fragments
of clothes which had been found .in the oven. Bines
and Moody, two officers who have been actively engaged
ever since the occurrence in endeavouring to discover the
guilty party, said that all the medical men in the neigh-
bourhood had been put in possession of the facts, in the
hope that through them something might transpire to
lead to the detection of the offender. They further
stated that 'Mr. Richardson, on whose premises the oc-
currence took place, distinctly saw the woman take some-
thing from under her shawl and throw it into the fur-
nace, but being at a white heat at the time, she could
not approach very close to it. The magistrates then
gave directions to their officers to use their utmost en-
deavours to obtain, if possible, a clue to the horrible
transaction, and at their next sitting it is probable some-
thing further may transpire.

STEAM-BOAT COLLISION IN
CANADA. _ _

We regret to state that one of those melancholy
steam-boat accidents, from which our waters have been
hitherto most happily exempt, occurred about 1 o'clock
this morning, off Three Rivers. We have as yet been
able to obtain but a very imperfect statement of this
disastrous affair, but from various sources have gleaned
the following details connected with it:—The Rowland
Hill had reached Three Rivers on her way to Quebec,
and after discharging a portion of her freight and taking
on board several passengers, had just left the wharf, and
was proceeding into the middle of the stream, when the
Quebec, on her upward trip, came into collision wits
her with such force that the whole of the larboard wing
of the Rowland Hill was carried away. The wheel on
that side, and the shaft, were borne on to the deck of the
Quebec, and lay there at a distance of about ten feet
from her bow. The Quebec suffered little or no injury.
A gentleman who was a passenger in the Rowland Hill
stated to us that it appeared to him as if the Quebec would
have passed completely over the unfortunate vessel. The
shock naturally drove the freight of the unlucky craft
to one side, and thus canted her over, and she began to
fill. Some barrels of flour, we understand, were pitched
through the skylight into the cabin. The alarm and
confusion consequent upon the accident may be better
imagined than described. Many of the passengers (and
we hear there were between 50 and GO iu the cabin)
were in their berths. The gentlemen in the upper
(deck) berths on the side highest out of the water were
unable to force open their doors, and had had to escape
by the small windows of the berths. Many of them
emerged in their night clothes. The cries of the ladies
and children are said to have been heart-
rending. Fearing death from drowning, they
rushed pell-mell from the cabin, with hair untreased,
and half clad ; those excepted who had but
a few minutes tr.:fore embarked at Three Rivers.
To add to the general alarm the cry of fire was
now given on board the Rowland Hill. The coals and
fuel wood near the furnaces had ignited, but were
speedily extinguished by the prompt assistance of the
parties at hand. There has undoubtedly been loss of
life, but to what extent is not yet known. Some accounts
represent that two of the crew alone perished ; others
that several passengers were victims, some crushed to
death, and others drowned. This fret connected with
the sad tale cannot be made out for a few days to come.
The Quebec checked her speed immediately after the ac-
cident occurred, and drew alongside the Rowland Hill
(which floated down) to take on board her passengers.
The latter finally stranded off the Black River, where
she now lies. The Lord Sydenham, Captain C. L. Arm-
strong, arrived at Three Rivers, about five minutes after
the collision took place. When nearing the wharf, the per-
sons on shore called to the captain not to come- to, as there
were persons in the water. He immediately laid his vessel
alongside the upper wharf, lowered his boat, and went
in search of the persons supposed to be immersed. Not
finding any near the wharf, he rowed down towards the
Black River, until he fell in with the wreck, when he
rendered every assistance in his power, and that of his
men, in saving the passengers. lie finally brought
down the Sydenham, and ran in between the Quebec
and Rowland Hill, and received on board the travellers
coming to Quebec. Captain Armstrong, with the
laudable desire of aiding his unfortunate rival, remained
by her altogether about three hours. It is difficult, in
the absence of fuller information, to account for this
melancholy affair. It seems to us, however, and the
same opinion is very generally entertained, that groat
mismanagement or want of attention is attributable to
one or both of the chief officers of the boats in question.
We trust an ample inquiry into the circumstances will
be made, and hope that some proper steps will at once
be taken to call to account and punish the guilty party
or parties, if any there should prove to be. It is high
time that this system of racing should be put an end to;
and that steam-boat captains and owners should be made
to feel the serious responsibility attaching to them.—
Quebec Mercury, July 30.

PUBLIC OFFICES (WHITEHALL

WORSHIP-STREET.
An elderly man, named Richard Tweedy, described as
a foreman in the London Docks, and residing at No. 4,
Grove-street, Hackney, was placed at the bar before
Mr. Broughton, charged with cutting and wounding his
wife, Catherine Tweedy, with intent to murder her.
John Tweedy, the prisoner's youngest son, was exa-
mined, and stated that his eldest brother had spent the
afternoon of Sunday last at Epping Forest, and on re-
turning home, as the family were about to take supper,
his father prohibited him from sitting at the table, as he
had gone out without permission; his mother at the
same moment came into the room, and, in ignorance of
what had transpired, told the boy to sit down to supper,
upon which the prisoner started up in great excitement,
and exclaiming that " she should die," made a violent
thrust at her throat with a knife he had in his hand,
inflicting a frightful gash, from which the blood gushed
out upon the floor, and she was about to fall when her
eldest son ran forward and caught her in his arms.
Sergeant Hawkes handed to the Magistrate a medical
certificate, stating that the flesh and superficial muscles
of the woman's throat had been divided to the extent of
three inches, descending into the jugular vein, and caus-
ing an extensive hemorrhage, but that the result of the
injury could not at present be ascertained.
In answer to the charge, the prisoner stated that he
was greatly irritated at the time, but had no intention
of inflicting the wound, and was merely menacing his
wife with the knife, when he accidentally stumbled
against the table, and the injury was thereby involun-
tarily occasioned.
Mr. BROUGHTON said the exclamation the prisoner
had used on rising from the table displayed an animus
wholly at variance with his defence, and he should
commit him to prison on the capital charge, but order
him to be brought up again in a week, when the result of
his wife's injuries would probably
S be decided.
THAME.
Michael Donovan, an Irish labourer, was brought
before Mr. BroderiP, charged with assaulting his coun-
tryman, Cornelius Driscoll, and biting off the first joins
of one of his fingers.
The complainant, whose arm was in a sling, and wi
appeared in great pain, stated that on Sunday night he BING.LEY.—CONSERVATISIK AT A DISCOLINT.—The
went into a public-house in Penny-fields, Poplar, with Conservatives are at a discount in this parish, not one ob-
his wife, to obtain some refreshment ; and while they jection baying been served upon the Liberal party. The
over a pint of beer the prisoner, who was bills for the last election, upwards of five years since. are
in
had
house with his brother-in-law, invited him not paid, which amount to several hundred pounds, and
with him. He declined, and said the pint of until such bills are discharged no Conservative candidate
will be supported. The Liberals have served 21 objections.
wtboee
beer
drher talking
hene
k same
was enough for him, on which the pri-
him, and made use of The Bradford Gazette of Thursday calls upon the Conserva-
veaysoner commenced abusing
tives to be up u?eaantstoiarromdationifinghtththe ofntdhehceonasutirT-s
bad language. A quarrel ensued, and the pri-
soner and his relative both struck him, and knocked 'nother "well-fought field. If Ife glories
of tthatl laurels
of
him down, his coat and waistcoat were torn, and would advocate common honesty, and wish his party to im-
he was held down by the prisoner, who kicked him mediately discharge all the debts contracted at the last elec-
and rendered him quite helpless. During the struggle tion,he would be well employed. A. man of small stature
toifona and
finger in his mouth, but high mind, who has been employed for a number of years
out to the prisoner, in filling objections and serving them on the Liberals, was
and before he could extricate it he bit the end of it
ta,
et prisonerm beganyfi nt
to bite
gtheoi (thet.butHwehi
et
callednsecsr su'
sn)ched it with his teeth, asked last week by a good and long-tried friend to refurm,
how many objections would be made on the Liberals? He
exclaimed " None ; they won't pay their bills. We have
right off. worked several . years and cannot get paid. Blues stink in
Mr. BRODERIP—Do you mean to say he has actually —
the town." So much for Conservatives in this polling dis-
bitten a portion of your finger off ? Driscoll—Here it
tricti—Leeds Mercury.

A Return " of the Expense incurred already in the recent ad.
ditional Building and Alterations in the several Public
Offices in Whitehall and the immediate neighbourhood;
distinguishing the Number of Rooms, and for what pur-
poses added, as well as the Expenditure on Account of
each separate Department; also, a Copy of the Original
Estimate of the Architect."
PRIVY COUNCIL OFFICE:.
Cost of the alterations at the Privy Council Office,
17,6121. Fifteen additional rooms have been obtained for an
increase of accommodation for clerks, office-keeper, and
housekeeper. Architect's original estimate (including com-
mission, &c.), 10,4731.
BOARD OF TRADE.
Cost of the alterations at the Office of the Board of Trade,
8,9681. Twenty-four additional rooms have been obtained
for an increase of accommodation for clerks, office-keeper,
and housekeeper. Architect's original estimate (including
commission, &c. ), 5,3851.
ARCHITECT'S ORIGINAL ESTIMATE.
The architect reports, that his estimates were not, and could
not be, in detail; that they were general calculations only,
and, to a
_great extent, conjectural : That, owing to the
uncertainty as to the amount of work that might be
required, the alterations could not be, and were not, con-
tracted for at a gross sum, but have been undertaken at
prices according to the amount of work executed : That the
excess of cost beyond the amount of the original estimates,
relates only to works of absolute necessity, and not of dura-
tion, involving, in the present case, the reconstruction of an
entire story of the Privy Council Office, a greater sacrifice of
the old stone-work than was expected, and other heavy con-
tingencies not provided for : That, in fact, the extra works
are such only as could not be foreseen in altering an old
building : That with respect to the completion of the front
towards Whitehall, forming part of the Home Office, it is
not likely that there will be any excess upon the estimated
cost of it, inasmuch as the building will be entirely new, and
has been tendered for at a gross sum below the amount of the
original estimate.
(Signed)
Commissioners of her Majesty's
MORPETH, Woods, Forests, Land Revenues,
At A. MILNE, Works, and Buillings.
Office of Woods, &c., Aug. 19, 1846.