The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-19 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE,

EXTENSIVE ROBBERY.—At the Central Criminal Court,
Philip James Dent, described as a tailor, was brought up
to receive judgment for a robbery of £778. The money
was stolen from a gentleman named Connel, while on a
voyage from Australia, in the ship Kent, on which the
prisoner, also, was a passenger. Dent was convicted of
being concerned in the robbery, and he was now sentenced
to twelve months' imprisonment.
OBTAINING GOODS BY FALSE PRETENCES.—At the
Central Criminal Court two men, named Jones and
Thompson, pleaded guilty, the former to charges of con-
spiracy to defraud, the latter to charges of obtaining
goods by false pretences. It was stated that the pri-
soners had pretended to carry on business under different
names in half a dozen places in succession, and had thus
obtained goods from firms in London and various parts
of the country. At Plymouth they styled themselves
" Clarke and C 0.," Thompson being apparently the master
and Jones his servant. Sentence was deferred.
THE BABY FARMING AT BRIXTON.—On Wednesday
evening Mr. William Payne, the City coroner proceeded
with an inquiry at the prison at Newgate respecting the
death of a male child about six months old. Mr. Edward
James Jonas, governor of Newgate, said that the deceased
was brought to the prison with Sarah Ellis on the 9th
of August. Mrs. Ellis was removed there from Horse-
monger-lane Gaol after being committed at Lambeth police
court for murdering several children at the baby-farming
house at Brixton. The deceased was put with Mrs. Ellis
in the prison. Its death took place on last Sunday even-
ing. Sarah Ellis, by order of the coroner, was brought
from her cell into the inquest room, and was sworn. She
appeared in good health, and was in charge of one of the
gaolers. She said she was the wife of John Ellis, a car-
penter. The deceased was her child, and was named
Walter Ellis. The Coroner : Where is your husband ?
Mrs. Ellis : He is not in London. The Coroner : Are
you married? Mrs. Ellis : Yes. The Coroner : Where
has he gone to ? Mrs. Ellis : I don't know ; I think he
has gone away to Canada. Mr. Gibson, the prison surgeon,
said that he saw the deceased on the 9th of August, the
day the child was brought there. It was in a shocking
state. Death resulted from tubercular disease, arising
from natural causes. The jury returned a verdict in ac-
cordance with the facts.

THE Moons.---In the North Riding grouse have
proved more plentiful than for several years. Most ex-
cellent sport has been afforded, and the prices of birds are
lower than for some seasons past. Dealers in Pickering
and Malton offer at 6s. per brace.
Mn. GLADSTONE.—Mr. Gladstone, it is said, will
accompany the Queen to Balmoral. He certainly re-
quires the rest and the change to the bracing air of the
Highlands. And he has earned his holidays by unflinch-
ing hard work, which told upon him heavily in
the last weeks of the session. I never saw him
look so haggard and care-worn his clothes hung
loosely on him, and he had a sickly jaundiced hue,
suggestive of complete prostration. But what will the
journals who were so angry with another important per-
sonage for going down to the Isle of Wight say to the
Prime Minister practically withdrawing himself from all
communication with his colleagues at such a juncture?
Mr. Gladstone's journey is thought to amount to a very
decided negative to the projects of mediation which have
been talked Of.— Correspondent of the Manchester Courier.
ENGLAND'S PREPARATIONS FOR EMERGENCY.—
A new breech-loading rifle—or rather the conversion of
the Enfield rifle into a breechloader on a new principle—
was tried at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, on Wed-
nesday evening. It is the invention of Mr.
Restell, of Birmingham, who has expended much
time, money, and patience in perfecting his idea
of the weapon best suited for arming the British
soldier. The chief merits of the Restell rifle are its
rapidity, cheapness, and simplicity. In the hands of
a good shot, who had never seen it before, it made 27
rounds and a score of 68 points, at 200 yards, in two
minutes. The breech arrangement consists of a steel
block, which is moved horizontally to the right by the
cocking of the rifle, and when the cartridge is inserted the
pull of the trigger closes the breech and fires. The inven-
tor states that the Enfield can be converted into a breech-
loader on his principle at the rate of ss. each. Captain
Gordon of the Military Store Department, at whose
suggestion some improvements have been made in the
rifle, made some excellent practice with it, and expressed
himself warmly in its favour. The entry of workmen at
Chatham Dockyard still continues, forty additional hands
having been taken on on Tuesday, including shipwrights,
smiths, and painters. A number of hired mechanics were
likewise entered on Wednesday. In all the departments
of the dockyard the utmost activity prevails, every pos-
sible exertion being used to complete and equip the iron •
clad ships building, as well as those which are being fitted
for sea.