The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-14 00:00:00

DRAGONETTI.

The following graphic description of the character and
personal peculiarities of the unrivalled contra-bassist is ex-
tracted from a memoir of his life, written by one of his old
and intimate friends, which has appeared in the Scotsman
"In person Dragonetti was of middle height ; in-kneed ;
of a pale and grave countenance. We never saw him laugh,
and his marble features seldom relaxed into a smile. When
he became interested in the music he was playing, his eye
became animated, and shed a strange brassy gleam, remind-
ing one of Dante's Charon around whose eye glared wheel-
ing flames.' He generally spoke in a low tone, and with
hesitation, for his vocabulary was a strange mixture of three
or four languages and several dialects, so that it was not
easy to understand him. Indeed, his hearers might suppose
they heard Rabelais' Ouydire' with seven tongues and lan-
guages, or (as in Hudibras) Cerberus himself pronounce a
leash of languages at once.' His voice was guttural, and he
used to fill up the pauses in his speech by a deep Ha l '
and a significant nodding of his head. When in good hu-
mour, he used to tell droll stories, which, to those who
could follow him, became doubly diverting from the imper-
turbable gravity with which he narrated them. They were
sometimes of the La Fontaine order. His manner was un-
polished, but sincere; and he never disguised his likings or
dislikings. He had great kindness of heart, and was a true
and steady friend. He had no vicious habits; and even in
the most convivial parties we never saw him intoxicated.
Though in the main attentive to economy, he was by no
means parsimonious. When he gave a dinner party, as he
occasionally did to brother artists, and noble and gentle
amateurs, he did so in a princely style. He was liberal in
his aid to many of his distressed countrymen ; but privately
and unostentatiously. The rooms he generally occupied pre-
sented a perfect chaos of music, musical instruments, books,
prints, pictures, snuff-boxes, &c. On calling upon him one
day some years ago, we saw a number of large dressed dolls
seated upon a sofa in his room; one of them a negro doll.
He said to us, 'these are my children; they are just come
from school, and you see they are very quiet•' He used to-
call his favcurite double-bass his wife.' Of his merits as
an artist it is impossible to spoak too highly, as every one who
heard him and is capable of judging will freely confess. He
was one of the older school of thoroughly-trained Italian ar•
tists—a school of which few vestiges now remain."

THE LATE OUTRAGE IN WEST-

MINSTER.

EXTRAORDINARY DECLARATION OF THE

INJURED FEMALE.

Since the apprehension of William Luff alias William
Munfleld, on the charge of brutally assaulting and
thri4wing a female out of window, the magistrate,- Mr.
Burrell, has, from time to time, inquired after her con-
dition, with a view of ascertaining whether she was
in a fit state to give any account of the transaction, and
on its being reported to him that she was competent to
give a coherent account, although labouring under erysi-
pelas, Mr. Burrell determined to secure her examina-
tion, and on Monday, accompanied by Mr. W. Taylor,
the chief clerk at the Westminster Police-court, pro-
ceeded to the Westminster Hospital, whither the pri-
soner was conveyed in handcuff, in order that her evi-
dence might be taken in his presence.
The reader will remember the evidence of the parties
previously examined, 25 to the quarrel, cries of murder,
the wound inflicted on the woman by a poker, and,
finally, her being hurled out of the window, evidently
by Luff.
The Magistrate and clerk having taken their seats by
the witness's bed, with the prisoner in front, the pro-
ceedings commenced.
Jane Pullen, examined by Mr. W. Taylor.—l am
now an in-patient of this hospital. I lived with the man
who now stands before me, whom 1 know by the name
of William Luff. I have cohabited with him for about
a twelvemonth. About eight o'clock in the evening of
this day week I came home and found the prisoner in
the room. He began to quarrel with me for not being
at home, and said, " This is fine going on for a man to
,come home from work and no fire." One of the lodgers
called me out, and the prisoner persuaded me not to go.
I said if he w,:uld not 14t me go out of the door I would
get out of the window. He said, "You had better sit
down," and went to the cupboard and got something to
eat. While he was at the cupboard 1 jumped out of the
window, which I had attempted before, but he pulled
me back.

Mr. Taylor—Do you recollect any more ? Wit-
ness—Yes ; I recollect a young man picking me up in
the yard.

Mr. Burrell—Did he not push you frum the window ?
he did not.

Mr. Taylor—had you been drinking ? Witness—l
had had a little drop to drink.
Mr. Burrell—Was the man sober ? Witness—Yes,
quite.
....
_. . . .

Mr. Taylor—Did the prisoner offer you any violence ?
Witneis—No, he did not.

Mr. Taylor—Did he not strike you with a poker ?
Witness—No, sir ; I had the poker in my own hand.
Mr. Burrell—Did you strike him with the poker ?
Witness—l was going to, but he took it from me.
Mr. Taylor—Did you scream murder ? Witness
Yes, sir, I did.

n e Mr. It::
B Taylor—Whye c a ~
s ehe
wOudldidn
Mr. Taylor—Was there any blood about you ?
yotouletsmcreeagmo
scut.
? Wit-
Witness (hesitatingly).—Yes, a little.
Mr. Taylor—How came blood about you ? Witness
—I fell down, and struck my nose, which caused it to
bleed. There was no other blood on me before I jumped
out of the window.

Mr. Burrell—Did he not strike you ? Witness—He
only gave me a shove on the shift of the head.
Mr. Burrell—Did he not say he would throw you out
of the window ? Witness—No, sir ; he did not.
Mr. Burrell—Are you quite sure of that ? Witness
—I am.

This being the conclusion of her evidence, the
prisoner was asked whether he wished to put any ques-
tions to her. He replied "No ;" what she had stated
was the whole truth.
As the magistrate and clerk were about leaving her
bed-aide, she requested permission to speak to the
prisoner, mud app,-ared very anxious to do so.
Mr. Burrell intimated that when she was better she
would have an opportunity of speaking to him.
The female still carries marks of brutal violence ; but
her condition is much improved, and unless some un-
favourable change should take place, her ultimate re-
covery is not despaired of. She smiled at the close of
the proceedings.

iOn Tuesday
ahtethe Perseverance
and
MYSTERIOUS DEATH OhreldAanYino,qUuoTensift
boy.
The
of George
deawt;:.
utphetaob°tiviee neighbourhood,
periodf deceasedt ,
forenoon Mr. T. Wakley, M.P.,
Tavern, William-street, Hampstead-Toad;
Brown, aged eighteen years, a labouring
mews,
hin
hloaddglanigwaft3t„S
eoi.ljlol;.e,lVelxliciaemllesn-mt
It was stated that, on Friday last, he took a dose of Epsom salts
retiring to rest at ten o'clock, his usual hour, when he seemed u'
usually cheerful. At five next morning (Saturday) he was discovered
-
lying on the bed quite dead—his face exceedingly discoloured. A sur-
geon was soon called in, and the body being quite warm, attempts
were made to restore animation, but proved useless, as life was
totally extinct. The mother of the deceased youth, stepping towards
the Coroner, said she could not be satisfied unless a post mortem
examination was made. The Coroner—Why bad you not said so
before, my good woman ? There appears to be no suspicion against
any one, an.l the body is in such a state now, that it is hardly fair to
expect a medical man to perform such a task. The Coroner then
gave an order for a pea mortem examination, discharged the jury,
and desired that a fresh One shoal by erapanuttled—tinn adJourning
the inquiry eine die.