The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-18 00:00:00

ATTEMPTED MURDER.

Last night, shortly before ten o'clock, the vicinity of
Drury-lane again became the scene of alarm, occasioned by
another deliberate attempt at assassination, which will, in
all probability, terminate fatally to the unfortunate victim.
From the particulars collected, it appears that at the hour
above-mentioned loud screams were heard to proceed from
the kitchen of the house No. 3, Feathers-court, occupied by
a man named Hannan, and his wife, Margaret Hannan; and,
in an instant after, a woman was seen rushing from the house
into the court bleeding profusely from a frightful wound in
the neck. The poor creature staggered, and fell into the
arms of some neighbours, who, attracted by her screams, had
assembled around the house. She was sensible at the time,
and exclaimed, " Oh, my husband has stabbed me !" With-
out loss of time the unfortunate woman was carried to
the shop of Mr. Walker, the surgeon at the corner of Black-
moor-street, when, on examination by that gentleman, a
large wound was discovered in her neck on the right side,
in length upwards of three inches, and completely dividing
the external jugular vein on that side. The blood was
flowing copiously from the wound, and it was with some diffi-
culty Mr. Walker succeeded in tying the jugular vein, and in
sewing up the gash. Having effected this, however, the
woman was conveyed in a fainting condition to King's Col-
lege Hospital, where she was placed under the care of Mr.
Duncan, the house surgeon, by whom she is pronounced in a
very dangerous condition. The alarm created by the occur-
rence drew the attention of the police to the spot, and the
husband, Hannan, was instantly taken into custody in tha
passage of the house, and conveyed to Bow-street station.
On the arrival of the accused at the station-house the charge
was taken against him by Mr. Inspector Logan, and, in
answer to interrogatories, he said his name was John Hannan,
that he was a bricklayer by trade, but got his living by selling
playbills at the Princess's Theatre, and carrying boards.
He denied the charge against him, and said if anything had
happened to his wife she did it herself. At the time of the
screams he had just come home, and was on his way to the
kitchen ; but had not seen his wit's since three o'clock in the
afternoon ; that previous to that he pawned his coat, and
they spent part of the money in drink together; and that
his wife, who is a cripple, and walks with a crutch, had been
continually drunk for the last three weeks. He added that
searched,(ienera l
he was the father of the child known
as
a.irlll
id°if
Thumb. Inspector Logan inquired of the constable who
took the prisoner if he had been minutely
any weapon had been found, to which a reply
that he had been searched, as also the house,vas given and that no
weapon had been found, nor was there
clothes. The accused was then more &nit blood on his
the presence of the inspector, butminute y examined in
found on him. lie then asked to no marks of blood were
be admitted to bail, but
was refused, and he was locked up. It appears from the
statements of the lodgers • in the same house, that. the man
Hannan and his • wife had been quarrelling and drinking all
the day, as was frequently
their - • and that hehad
custom ,
on several occasions threatened to murder her. The man,
however, when brought into the station at Bow-streft,.aP-
peared perfectly sober. The last account at the hosiry dial
)ital.
as
to the state of the woman, was that she was hta
very
her
condition. Site persists in the statement
husband stabbed her with a white handled knife. but which
has not been found.

THE ATTEMPT TO MURDER.
t whoe throat was
last
of
Frances Sanders, with intent to murder her, was on Saturday
TUNBRIDGr-V ofC h eceus
tntl
ianng,
week remanded
g 'n brought up for further examination, the young
on the Tchh°narigaes
lwasotalaaamwhose life he had attempted, although in a very
weak state, being sufficiently recovered, to give evidence.
The evidence taken at the previous examination baying
been read,
Frances Sanders deposed, that she lived fellow-servant
with the prisoner at the Camden Hotel, Tunbridge- wells.
They had lived on good terms with each other till the afternoon
of Sunday, the 7th inst , when she left the hotel alone, and met
Obed Everest, W. Bull, and Fanny Underdown, opposite the
Beehive beer-shop. They all proceeded along Mount-Ephraim,
in the direction of Rusthall, when the prisoner overtook them.
He seemed in very good humour, and they all went to
Twort's tan yard, about two miles from Tunbridge-wells,
where the prisoner went in and brought out a quart of cider,
which they drank between them. He then fetched out two
quarts of cider more, one of which he drank himself. 'They
then returned in the same way they went, through Hurst-
wood, till they came to a stile near Dunnv-bottom, where
her mother lived. She left them at the stile to go to -her
mother's, promising to meet them at the stile again in half-
an-hour. On her return the prisoner sat on the stile asleep
the others were standing a short distance oft. Bull then
went and awoke the prisoner, and they proceeded
through . the .fields towards the Wells, leaving the pri-
mly it the stile but when they had got throe, la

two fields they heard the prisoner calling out .to them.
and they stopped for him. When be came •up he
began to cry and to swear, and as he wah\ed akrig With
them, he said there was one in the. company would " do'
.
for" before that week was out. Witness asked Farm)? Un-
derdown if it. RA3 she the prisoner meant, when the.' prier.
.
said, "No, you b--, it is you. I mean to o-o for."
The prisoner continued to walk with them, and when
they had proeeetled a considerable distance from the
place where be came up to them the prisoner tried te,
catch hold of her, but Bull push.ed him back, and tolc.:
him to keep his hands off. There were five of them,
and she walked in the middle ; Bull was on ber right side,
and the prisoner on the right side of Bull. Prisoner kept
swearing, and after proceeding a little further he again said
to her, " I will do for you before the week is out;" and
shortly afterwards he said to Bull, " It is of no use your
thinking about her, for I will do for her before I sleep to-
night." Bull paid his addresses to her. In about a minute
or two after this the prisoner sprang suddenly forward and
cut her throat on the left side. She knew no more, for she
became insensible. PrancerUnderdown, William Bull, and
°lied Everest, corroborated the statement of this witness.
and added that when at the stile before alloded to they Saw
the prisoner sharpen a knife on a stone evhich served as one
of the steps to the stile. The knife was similar to the one
with which the deed was committed, but they coold not say
it was the same. The prisoner was then fully comoitted to
take his trial at the next Maidstone ate4zes on the ch,arge of
rutting the threat of Frances Sanders, with full intent to
take away her life.

THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE POST-OFFICE. In
-

consequence of the recent order of his Lordship the Postmaster-
Ceueral, with reference to the early delivery of general post lettere
in tine metropolis, a variety of alterations are in contemplation, or
hart' been already arranged, for the more effective administration
,if the subordinate departments. It is said that the majority of the
City walks will be so " cut," or shortened, that the delivery will ho
easily ace.omplisheci within the hour, and that the internal duty is to
be'so arranged that the whole of the inland letter carrier& will leave
vie °Mee in St. Marthi's-le-fraud by eight o'clock in the morning.
.t rumour is also rile that, in order to effect tit's change the heads of
andle ship whole
de have advised the abolition of the optional system of pay-
inent on letters posted in the Unit...d. Kingdom; the oeparation of
the
iiireign and ship letters from the inland; and the complete ciao-
silleation of t'mss
the men,
.b ad,ebelottv'tleterhgetice,pntaeirnoaldu
paornfedLp,eaLo,rngentiddiy:fatdedidsitsriftireontmet
class of senior men. Who of
tlni
letters
i
I lie foreign
Mr" :1411.deErin°ail:
the ,b°o for that purpose according to their seuioritV
i d.Ar opt) rVl'veiSr C'
disposed°or if
liy\l'' auction,ednee da'atY. G a r afternoon,
r e" ay' ti, o f the following adrowsotis u the counties of Essex, Kent, and -Suffolk.
The first was theest:iagitt‘oti
per annom,
Ifgetswentation to the valuable sinecure Bee-
fallborettatt
910'41.
l't"e3;l°s innielltsiffrom Colchester. The value of
the Vicarage of Mint Tey. it Was so`lcrg- the right of presentation to
right of presentation to the Rectory of
Km.r 0,8001. The next was the
The rent charge, In lieu of tithes, atneuTg,t:thine, near Csuiterbury.
parish contained 1,520 acres, end the populatidont° about
"01.
The
bought for 2,9501. The third property consisted"; 3°u(), e. rida . WA*
right of presentation to the united Rectory of ilemptoti- perpetual
grove, four nines trim Bury St. Edmund's, in the dioele-seculen-ltin'
The annual value was est mated at 605!. 13s. 44., which ~ 'f • ".. was subject
to deductions of about 126/. This letched 5,2001.

. -
31ARYLEBONE LITERARY AND ►SCIEieTIFIC INSTITIT-
TION. —A dinner of the friends and members of this institution took
Mace yesterday at the Albion Tavent, Aldersgate-street. The Right
Lieu. Lord Broughtun presided on the occasion, and was supported
by Sir Benjamin Hall, Ran., Sir C. Napier, hr. Copeland, ke. The
prospects of this institution, which was founded in Li i 2, have hitherto
been somewhat of a sombre hoc, but at the present time there is a
balance in favour of the treasurer of 421., a circumstance Lord
Brougham stated In the course of his speech to be " unprecedented .s

hi the annals of institutions." the object the committee have now
iu view is to create a fund for the purchase of premises, and to thii
purpose Lord Broagham subscribed 1001., Sir C. Scott and Co., 201.,
Sir FL Ilall. 501., Sir C. Napier. 51,, besides many other gentlemen,
whose combined efforts have produced a sum amounting to nearly
5001.

STEAM NAYIGATION.—The Bill just introduced into
the House of Commons, by the Government, " for the regulation of
steam navigation, and for requiring sea-going vessels to carry boats,"
cousists of 31 clauses. Its principal proposals are to enact that sea-
going steamers shall be divided by water-tight partitions; and that
sea-going vessels shall be provided with boats, if they be 200 tons or
upwards. A penalty of not exceeding 100?. is to be incurred, by the
owner and not exceeding* SCI. by the master, if these provisiOns are
not attended to. Customs' afters, too, are not to clear out vessels

cot complying. Steamers are to keep to their starboard side in
'sleeting or passing any other vessel ; and steamers within ten miles
of the coast are to exhibit lights at night, under a penalty of 20/.
a night ; and owners of s'euwers not 80 exhibiting them are not to
be entitled to compensation for damage received in consequence..
Customs' °dicers are not to dear out vessels except upon the.produc-
tion of certificate of registry. Accidents and losses of steamers are
to be reported to the Board of Trade; and in cases of accident that
board may appoint Inspectors to report.
ALARMING ILLNESS OF LORD Wriff.rwsr RUSSELL.-.
We regret to learn that the Duke of Bedford and Lord John Russell
have received accounts from Genoa, announcing the painful intelli-
gence of the serious illness of General Lord William Russell. Bat
faint hopes are entertained of his recovery, and the tenor of the let-
ters from his Lordship's medical attendants have prepared the mem-
bers of his family for the worst. On Monday last further advises. •
were received, and the reports were then more favourable. It was
the cause of the postponement of the Dowager Duchess of Bedford's
intended series of fetes at Campden Hall. Lord Wm. Russell, it will
be recollected, was many years the British Minister to the Court of
Prussia.

NORTIIERN RATLROAD.--The number of persons in-
vited to the inauguration of the
_Northern Railroad who left Paris
amounted to about 1,500. They were to be joined by the authorities
of Lille, the Belgians coming Prom Brussels, and it was anticipated
that 3,000 persons would set down to dinner at Lille. Some papers
give a statement of the limner's') preparations for this banquet. They
instance the orders for glass and china made at Lille, which were as
follew :--25,000 plates, 600 decanters, 6,000 wlne and other glasses,
300 salt-cellars, 303 fruit•dishes, 200 round and oval baskets, 512
round dishes, 140 oval ones, 450 other pieces of gilt china. If the
information he exact, 900 dishes were to be served in the first'
course, and a corresponding number in the others. At dessert it is
stated that there were ISO Iced cheeses, and the same number of
dishes of oranges, strawberries, 'cherries, and pine-apples; and all
sorts of sweets were in the same proportions. No less ehan 2,400
pOunds of lee were said to have been used.

The Liverpool papers and private coirespondents re-
siding in Lancashire join in complaining of the state of Post-office
communication with the west of Scotland. Letters posted in Glas-
gow in the afternoon of 3londay are not delivered In Liverpool or
Manchester till Wednesday morning, that is to say, at the same time
that they are delivered in London. The canoe is, it seems, that
letters fir Lancashire, at whatever hour they are posted iu Glasgow.
remain in the Post-office till eleven at night, when the Loudon mail
is dispatched. This mail conveys them along with the London letters.
and arrives at Parkside and Warrington too late in the evening of
the following day, for the letters to he delivered in Manchester and
Liverpool until the second morning atter they leave Glasgow. The
Glasgow steam-boat companies, hoping to remove the evil, united
some months ago in an offer to convey the mail-bags, so as to occa-
sion no loss to the rost-otlice, and bad their plan been adopted, the
letters would have been received nearly twenty-tours sooner than at.
present. The offer remained not only tmaceepted, but unanswered.

FORTIFICATIONS AT GRAVESEND.---Tho new fiirtifi.
cations on the site of, the burial-ground of the chantry, • erected by
Aymer dc Valence, are rapidly proceeding. The men, whilst exca-
vating, a few weeks since, for the foundations of the magazine in the
centre of the fort, discovered many of the skeletons of its former oc-
cupants. The original chapel, though cased over with modern brick-
work, is still standing. It is now converted into the military hos-
pital. In the_receut alterations liaceasary to such conversion, parti-
tions, &e:, were removed, -which then dci eloped Its original shape
it was 39 feet long and 17 feet 7 inches in breadth, within the walls,
and was covered with a COVe tool, probably originally lined with
boards. The height of the edifice from the floor to the highest point
of the cove was about 16 feet. For the additional defences now con-
structing at Gravesend there will be required 13 32-pounders of 36
cwt. on carriages with dwarf traversing platforms. Ou the opposite
shore of the Thames the fortifications are likewise being greatly in-
creased and strengthened, and there will be required for the addi-
tional defences at Tilbury Fort 50 32-pounders of 50 cwt, 'each, on
carriages with dwarf traversing platforms, and 19 32-poUnders of
33 cwt., on iron carriages, making a total of 69 additional guns for
Tilbury Fort.

CAPTURE OF A RAILWAY SWELL MOB PICKPOCKET.

—NORWICH, IVEDNISDAY.—OHO of the gang of the swell mob
pick-
pockets, who have recently committed such extensive depredations
on railway passengers, was captured yesterday at the Norfolk Rail-
way terminus of this city, and examined before Mr. J. Bells, the
Mayor, and other magistrates, charged with picking the pocket of
Mr. Ilumphery Gilbert, the butler of Lord Acheson, M.P., of Wols-
inghara Hall, Suffolk, and stealing 701. In notes. He was dressed as
a gentleman, and his right hand was adorned with a ring, valued at
101. He gave the name of Jolui Williams, on being placed at the
bar, and stated himself to be a native of Glasgow. From the evi-
dence ud.luced it appears that the .prosecutor and the prisoner had
arrived that morning by the early train, the Lsrmer being in attend-
ance on several ladies belonging to his Lordship's family. When the
train reached the terminus the butler proceeded to assist the ladies
in alighting from the carriage, and while so employed he felt some
person jostling against him, apparently at the pockets of his coat
behind. On quickly turning round he saw the prisoner with his
pocket book. He immediately seized the hand, when the prisoner
instantly dropped the hook and a coat, which he had over his arm,
on it, and the prosecutor: in attempting to pick it up, lost his grasp
of the thief, who at once darted off, leaving his coat behind. The
prosecutor immediately raised a cry of " Stop thief," and scarcely
bad the delinquent got beyond the doors of the station before he was
captured by one of the railway police.
DREADFUL AND FATAL ACCIDENT.—WORCESTER,
TuEsDAY NIGHT.--A shocking occurrence bas this afternoon hap-
pened within a few miles of this city, whereby one individual has
been in a moment hurried into eternity, and a second lies invenS-er9
dangerous condition. From the Information which I have been
enabled to of the post, it ine occurrence of the the,
and the departure
ap-
pears that two persons, names not yet ascertained,
nen.driving a
Spetebley road, about three miles
glean In the short interval which has elapse between
spirited horse in a gig along the
from this city, and near to the Spetchky station of
Birmingham fright
Railway, when the horse took and started off..
proceeded far along the road before tile affrighted animal
the Bristol and
He had not procee
with such violence to the ground that
passengers was thrown
overthrew the gig, which Is terribly shattered, and one of the unfor-
tunate,
lie was killed on the spot. Ills companion also has received some
,
very severe -1. • •les and was bleeding profusely when the messenger
nor
was
dispatched for surgical assistance. Immediately on the occur-
rence tile accident the maimed person and his ill-fatten companion
were
o
reraken to a house adjoining, and a servant of Mr. R. Berkelez
was dispatched post haste to this city for surgical help.
combatantamotintt i.f the
a
stakes w
FATAL PUGILISTIC ENCOUNTER. —A prize fight came
off at Southampton on Friday evening, and terminated in the death
one of the combatants on the following evening. The fight origi-
waoass., thean challenging
it alisieiaigidingthepasruirys;iv
s
Hated In a low beer-shop, the resort of the worst class of " navvies,"
and the w
tlied
aseceasatgt
unwillingly forced into an acceptance of the challenge by
personages, some of whom have figured as principals In theeertain
ring,
and by whom the, money was subscribed for this fatal l5llZe
ter. The light took place a mile or two from encoun-
the town, site side of the River Rebell ; and afteron the
°P".
a combo which wards of an hour and a half, the deceased t, lasted up-
senseless. He was removed to tell heavily, and became
his lodgings •ni the town, where he
died on.naturday. Deceased,
bd whose
name
is
Tearer',
was
awtbilY
bruised about the face andY., and was in a dreadful state. A
jury was empanelled before the borough coroner, Mr. Cosewell. on
Monday, when the medical gentleman who had attended him was
examined, and the inquiry Wednesday, the
medical mall was adjourned until
ordered hi the mean time to make a post ort
examination of thee body.
BADGER HUNT AT STREATHAM.—For some time
nag great destruction has been made in the
to poultrylhe delinquent.
although at
r
Streatham, without any clue having been obtained a a
dog or other animal,
although it was surmised the thief masen.. b
_JI y
found near the hen.
from the blood and plucked
feather?' found generally
a stack of wood the
roosts. Some feathers haying
be"
the bottom out bounded what
removed, and on getting near ,
pile was
at first appeared to be a
fox,and which took refuge in a field of rye*
Pursuit was then made in forthe
the standing crop
an
terminated In the capture of
a full grown badger, which was Ribs.-
quently ascertained to have made its escape from a beer-shop in the
neighbourhood.
SPA rarss FOOD.—On Wednesday the ware rooms of
the tariff brokers in Monument-yard contained an interesting -
bition of no less than one hundred and two sorts of Spanish meats
and fruits brought over by the Peninsular Company's vessel the
Madrid, from Cortinna. The meats comprised nearly every
variety of
poultry preserved in its simple state, and in the made dishes of the
country, with several kinds of vegetables, prepared in the most ap-
proved Spanish fashion. The specimens are sent over but as
sample of the productive capabilities of Snail'', to test their applica-
bility to English tastes and fancies, and in case of a demand, Spanish
enterprise and capital are prepared to furnish them in any quantity.,
TESTIMONIAL TO MR. EOWLAND HILL.—A public din-
ner was given on Wednesday at Lovegrove's West India Dock Tavern,
Blackwell, to celebrate the presentation of a national testimonial to
Mr. Rowland Hill, for his services in suggesting and carrying into
execution the system of uniform penny postage. In the absence of
Sir G. Larpent, who was prevented from being present by domestic
affliction, Mr. Warburton, M.P., occupied the chair, and did the
honours of the evening. After the usual loyal toasts, letters of
apology were read from Lord Ashburton, Lord Radnor, and several
other noblemen and gentlemen of influence favourable to the cause
of • Post-office reform. The secretary also read the financial
statement of the result of the subscriptions set on foot throughout
the country for presenting to Mr. Rowland 11111 a testimony of
national gratitude. From that statement, it appeared that,
the subscriptions amounted in gross to upwards of 15,0001. ;
and that, deducting 2,0001. for the expenses incurred, there re-
mained for the benefit of Mr. Hill the amount of 13,000/.
The Chairman then gave the health of Mr. Rowland Hill;
which was very warmly responded to by the highly respectable.
party of gentlemen present on the occasion. In acknowledging the
toast, Mr. Hill expressed, in very suitable terms, his sense of the
country's munificence towards him for his service s. He entered into
a minute history of his proposition, the manner of its reception, and
the results which its partial adoption had realised. He contendett
from those results that had his scheme been fully adopted his calcu-
lations would have been borne out, and while abstaining from east •
ing any aspersions on the present Government for depriving him of
the opportunity which the originality of his suggestions merited, he
.expressed continued confidence in the future development of his
plans. Mr. Dillon, Mr. Aldis, Mr. Leaf, and several other speakers
followed; and, after an evening very pleasantly spent in the enjoy..
. went of Mr. Lovegrove's relined cookery and choice wines, the,
party retooled by speciol train to town. The whole arrangemenvi
were excellent, and the studious attention to the palates of the guest,a,
was not a little heightened by the beautiful position of the taverns
and the fine view which it commands of the poot and the surmulut
:Mg country.