The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-04 00:00:00

' HORRIBLE MURDER and SUICIDE,
• The neighbourhood of Widegate-street, Bishopsgate, was
thrown into a state of great consternation last evening by
the rumour that a man named Towny, residing at No. 13,
in the above street, had committed suicide, having first
murdered his wife. It appears that the deceased and his
wretched partner were ;le parents of three children, the
eldest of whom, a girl about o.'irteen years of age, went to
the lodgings occupied by parents; a second pair back in
the house in question, about four o'clock yesterday after-
noon. She knocked at the door, but receiving no answer, the
girl looked through the keyhole, and saw her father in a po-
sition which led her to believe he was in a fit,. Having
given the alarm, the door, which was locked, wss burst
open, and Towny was found quite dead, suspended from the
bedstead. A paper was found pinned to his coat, which con-
tained a statement of the motives that induced the unhappy
man to commit the rash act, viz., the dread of approaching
starvation. Towny carried on the business of a jobbing
tailor, or " slobberer," as it is technically called, and had.
been out of work for a considerable period. About three-
quarters of an hour after the discovery of his dead body, in.
pushing the bedstead nearer the wall, the body of his wife
was discovered on the floor under the bed. The poor woman
was also quite dead, and from the appearances presented, it
was evident that she had been inhumanly strangled.
Her hands were tied together, and were tightly and
convulsively clasped. It is said she was given to drink-
ing, and it is supposed that her husband, on going home
about two o'clock, found her lying on the bed intoxi-
cated, and he thereupon proceeded to tie her hands.
The act of strangling her was not accomplished without a.
scuffling noise, which excited the notice of the neighbours.
They called out, supposing them to be fighting, and the
noise ceased, the woman being unable to offer much resist-
ance, either from the effects of the liquor she had drunk, or,
as is conjectured, from the operation of some drug which had
been administered, with or without her own consent, by her
husband. The ill-fated woman was at the time of her death
in daily expectation of her nceouchement, and it is considered
remarkable that the manner of her untimely death did not
bring on the pains of premature parturition. It is rumoured
that Towny or his wife made application to the parochial:
authorities for temporary relief during the period of her Con-
finement, and that relief was refused them unless they went
into the workhouse, with which condition Towny could not
bring himself to comply. The truth of this, and other ru-
mours in connexion with this lamentable affair, will undergo
full investigation at the inquest, which is expected to be held.
this day (Thursday). According to some reports, the
wretched husband took the life of his wife with her own con-
sent, but this is scarcely consistent with another statement
which appears entitled to credit—that he has repeatedly been
heard to threaten her life, and that he has on previous occa-
sions proceeded to various acts of ill-usage. Three children
are made orphans by this lamentable occurrence, which,
from the circumstances of the woman's condition, the alleged
refusal to give her temporary relief, and the misery which
they were known to have endured during the period of the
husband being out of work, has created the greatest sym-
pathy in the neighbourhood.

ALLEGED MURDER in SHAD WELL
Yesterday a coroner's jury was convened at the Half
Moon, Lower Shadwell, before Mr. Baker, jun., on view of
the body of Anne Sloman, who came by her death in a mys-
terious manner at the house of 6, Labour-in-Vain-street,
Shadwell. From the defence insinuated in the statement of
the man Gibbins, who stands charged with having caused
her death, he would evidently have it inferred that the de-
ceased (who, according to his statement before the magis-
trates, was very much gone in liquor at five o'clock on Mon-
day evening), must have gone home and have fallen down
stairs in the course of the night, thereby sustaining the
injuries from which she died. The appearances of the place,
however, coupled with the position in which the body was
discovered, render that supposition very improbable. Neither
is there in the vicinity in which she lay any wood, or
other hard substance, which would inflict a wound of the
shape of that which the deceased's head exhibits. Indeed,
nothing on the staircase indicates any sign of a fall, but there
are other marks which tend to show that there had been a
struggle in the parlour, and that the death-blow had been
inflicted there. On the wall is the perfect impression of a
female hand, which must have pressed there with great
energy, so closely is the outline delineated, and there are
also spots of blood on the parlour door. The spots on the
wall, spoken of by Mr. Ross in the examination before the
magistrate, would correspond with the supposition that in
dragging the body of the deceased from the parlour to lay it
in the position in which it had been found, her head touched
the wall. One of the most mysterious portions of the case
is, that so little blood was to be seen. The spots on the
wall, door, and staircase, together with what was found on
the sacking on which the wretched creature's head rested,
were as nothing in proportion to the wound. The only way
in which the phenomenon :can be accounted for is, that the
blood was shed in the parlour, and was subsequently washed
away by the spirit and water with which the apartment had
been afterwards flooded. Indeed, more blood by far has
oozed from the wound since the body was removed up stairs
than was visible on its first discovery. The appearance of
the house, which consists of four apartments, was wretched
in the extreme.
The jury, having viewed the body and the
.premises, ac-
companied by Mr. Ross, the surgeon, who pointed ont the
appearances which he had already observed, returned to the
inquest-room, when
The CORONER said that, having two previous engage-
ments, he would only call such evidence as would prove the
identity.
Anne Sloman, the mother of the deceased, a widow, re-
siding at 108; Eastfield-street, Limehouse, was then called.
She said the deceased, whose name was Anne (not Jane)
Sloman, was her daughter. She was an unmarried woman,
and lived for some time with Gibbins. They only went to
the house in Labour-in-Vain-street that day week. She was
28 years of age. Witness saw deceased alive for the last time
about half-past two on Monday, in the house where she re-
sided with Gibbins. There was another woman, who witness
understood lived there. Deceased went out with witness, and.
was quite well and in good spirits.
This was the only evidence taken yesterday, when the
further hearing was adjourned until ten o'clock this day, the
coroner requesting that Inspector Valentine would have the
man in custody on the charge in attendance.
The result of the post mortent examination made by Mr.
Ross tends to confirm the supposition that personal violence
had been used. The marks on the face alluded to on the trial,
and of which he then expressed a doubt as to whether they
were the results of violence, he now feels satisfied were pro-
duced by blows. There was A slight fracture of the skull
under the wound. One of the large veins had been ruptured,
causing extravasation of blood on the surface of -the brains
from which death ensued.

SUMMER CIRCUITS.
NORFOLK CIRCUIT.

Yesterday the Right Hon. Sir Edward Hull Alderson, Rut.,
one of the Barons of the Exchequer, and the Hon. Sir John
Williams, lint., one of the justices of the Queen's Bench, the
judges appointed to proceed on this circuit, finally appointed
the days for holding the assizes in and for the several coun-
ties comprised in the circuit—viz. for
Buckinghamshire, Friday, July 10, at Buckingham.
Bedfordshire
Huntingdonshire, Friday, „ 17, at Huntingdon.
Cambridgeshire
Cambridge.
Norfolk
with.
Norwich and City, Same day at the Guildhall.
Suffolk Tuesday, „ 28, at Ipswich.
The days for holding the Assizes in and for the several
counties on the Northern, Western, Midland, Oxford, Home,
and North and South Wales Circuits have not yet been
finally appointed.

THE QUEEN'S BIRTH-DAY.—The following order, re-
lative to the observance of the day appointed for the cele-
bration of her Majesty's birth-day, has been issued by com-
mand of the Lord Chancellor :—" Whereas by the tenth of
the general orders of this court, of the Bth of May, 1845, it is
provided that the Lord Chancellor may from time to time, by-
special order, direct the offices to be closed on days other
than those mentioned in the fifth of the same orders. And
whereas Tuesday, the 9th of June instant, has been appointed
for the celebration of the anniversary of her Majesty's birth-
day; and such event has heretofore been observed as a general
holiday in the several offices of this court. His Lordship
doth, therefore, order that the several offices of this court be
closed en Tuesday, the 9th of June instant.—S. COl.r.ast
Registrar."
The Duke of Cambridge will preside at the centenary
dinner of the Lock Hospital and Asylum, at the London.
Tavern, on Friday, the 17th instant.
ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC GRAND F
BALL.—The exchange of v.;tuocohniesrE.Llv_i_l_
rooms.—We be
ere continued
to an-
nounceday at the lianovr: u ANnctirauDedßEtsero-
b 11 another, of the most extensive
in preparation for this
has been formed, under the di dim
and splendid character, re
that, in additiong_ to the quadrilles which were already-
in
whether
erthTeurCktelystocrausrpe:t—s
TURKEY CARPETS.—The following minute has been
of one of the lady patronesses of this ball.
by been t heen te rt in Commissionersed
isshavingued
Dar freebtel
of duty, or liable to the duty of ten per cent. ad valorem, a*
" Woollen Articles or Manufactures of Wool. &c., wholly
or in part made up, not otherwise charged with duty," under
the Resolutions of the House of Commons, transmitted int
the order of the Lords of the Treasury, dated the 18th of
March last, and their Lordships having expressed their con-.
currence in the opinion of the Board, that Turkey carpets
are liable to such duty :—Ordered, that Turkey carpets anti
also cotton fringe, and all other articles of woollen or
cotton manufacture, wholly or in part made up, not other-.
wise charged with duty, be charged with the duty of 10 per
cent. ad valorem, and the officers at the port of London, and
at the outports of the kingdom, are to govern themselves in
the matter in future accordingly.
THE STATE AND PROSPECTS OF THE POTATO CROP.--.
The season being now sufficiently far advanced to enable
farmers to judge of the state of the potato crop, we have
been enabled to obtain such information as goes to show that
although in some districts a partial failure has taken place,
the generel aspect of the plant is of a promising character.
In Warwickshire, where the disease was severely felt last
year, there have been no blanks worth notice. In Derby
shire there are no complaints, and in the potato districts of
Yorkshire, on which the London market chiefly depends for
a supply of the esculent, the crop never wore a more healthy'
appearance. From the accounts in the Scotch papers, it
would seem that no trace of the disease has manifested itself,
although it was feared that the seed was in some cases con..
siderably damaged, and put into the ground without muds
hope that it would spring freely.
FIRE AT FREEMASONS' HALL.—Last night, between
the hours of ten and eleven o'clock, the greatest excitement
was created in the immediate vicinity of Lincoln's Inn-fields,
in consequence of a report being circulated that the Free.'
masons'-hall was on fire. Very speedily the several engine
of the London Fire Establishment, together with those of the
parish, and two escapes belonging to the Royal Society for
the Protection of Life from Fire, reached the spot ; it Wilt
then ascertained that the gallery at the end of the grants
hall had, from some cause that could not be satisfactorily
explained, become on fire. From inquiries made on the
spot, it appeared that whilst the Freemasons were holding
one of their general quarterly courts, the members of the
craft experienced a strong smell of burning wood. At first
no particular notice was taken of that circumstance ; but
shortly afterwards the Earl of Zetland, the Grand Mastetf
noticed smoke issuing from the top of the splendid statueo'
his late Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex. An instal
alarm was then raised ; the business of the Freemasons wi
abruptly terminated; and very speedily the numerous do
mestics of the place were engaged in procuring bucketscst
water, which they discharged upon the gallery; this had the
desired effect of preventing the flames from extending, but
upon the arrival of the firemen, they commenced tearing up
the flooring of the gallery, where they found the joisting and
rafters smouldering away. With the assistance of more
water, the whole of the fire was extinguished. It is, however,
to be feared, that the statue of the late illustrious Grapy
Master has suffered to some extent by the disaster.
THE PORTUGUESE MlNlSTRY.—Accounts have beti
received in Paris from Lisbon, through Spain, dated the
ult. They state that the Duke de Palmella had partly me,
ceeded in forming a Cabinet. M. de Pelmella, President 3 '
the Council, takes ad interim the portfolios and finances Tit
Duke de Terceira is Minister of War, and the irltu'quik 1.
$1414.41A Millititer of Foreign Affairs.