The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-11 00:00:00

described as an attorney's clerk, had an interview
with het, during which he undertook tb procure
the requisite securities for her liberation if she
gave him a sovereign and something for his trouble.
Applicant's wife, anxious, of course, to obtain her re-
lease, immediately handed over the sum to Hall, who
immediately went away, promising to return speedily
with the persons who would become bail for her. After
waiting, however, in a state of suspense, the promised
bail was not put in, and the result was that his wife was
conveyed at five o'clock to the county gaol. The next
day he (applicant) attended at this Court with a desire
of making arrangements for the liberation of his wife,
when she made him acquainted with the above particu-
lars, and as he considered a very gross imposition had
been practised on his wife, lie thought he was only per-
forming a public duty by bringing the matter under the
notice of the Court.
Mr. Corrisanam expressed his surprise that such an
advantage should have been taken of a person in de-
fendant's situation at the time, and inquired by what
means the person complained against hztd the oppor-
tunity of having an interview with the applicant's wife
after she was locked up?
Spikin, the gaoler, said that attorneys and their clerks
were permitted to see their clients in their culls, and that
as Hall was supposed to be interested in Mrs. Kemptoia's
behalf, he was not prevented from seeing her.
Mr. COTTINGIIAM directed that, in future, access to
prisoners should not be permitted, unless by application
made to the Court, with a view to prevent the recurrence
of such a transaction in future. _

Some time afterwards Mr. Hall entered the Court to
defend a prisoner, but the moment he stood up for the
purpose, Mr. COTTINGIIAM said that a charge of a very
serious nature had been alleged against him, and that
while it was pending he could not be permitted to act
there professionally. The magistrate then described the
nature of the accusation brought against Mr. Hall.
Mr. Hall admitted that he had received a sovereign
from Mrs. Kempton for his professional services, and
that he was well acquainted both with her and her hus-
band, 'and did not imagine that any complaint would
have been male against him for taking a fee for his at-
tendance on her behalf. _

Mr. Kempton said that the sovereign was not given as
a fee, but for the purpose of bail being procured.
Mr. Hall still asserted that he took the sovereign in
the nature of a fee; but that, as such scruples were now
made about it, be was willing to return it to the person
from whom he had it. _

Mr. COTTINGHAN said, that it was a charge of ao
serious a nature, as affected the individual complained
against, that it must not be permitted to drop ; and that,
for the purpose of investigating it, he should request the
attendance of Mr. Kempton and his wife, and also the
person to whom the money had been given for a specific

purpose.
Yesterday was the day appointed for entering into the
merits of the case. Mr. Kempton and his wife were pre-
sent, according to appointment, but Mr. Hall did not

make his appearance.
The MAGISTRATE told Mr. Kempton that he should
not lose sight of the matter.
THAMES.
STABBING.—Sarah Maclean, a dissipated-looking
acre,
woman, about 45 years of who has been in custody
a fortnight, was brought before Mr. Ballantine for final
examination, on a charge of cutting and wounding
George Dixon, a man about her own age, who was
brought from the hospital in a very weak condition.
The prosecutor is a lumper employed in the docks, and
has cohabited with the prisoner for the last seven years.
They lived in Lambeth-street, Whitechapel. On the
27th of March the prisoner went in search of Dixon,
who had been absent from her several days, and
found him at the East India Dock. Some words
passed, but they afterwards became friends, and began
drinking together. After visiting several public-houses
they proceeded in a half-drunken state to the dwelling
of the prisoner's son, in Queen Catherine-court, Ratelitf.
After remaining there some time, and partaking of more
liquor, Dixon offered to leave the prisoner and fetch
some more gin. She attempted to stop him, a struggle
ensued, and the man was wounded in the back of the
head with a knife. It was such a wound as nearly cost
him his life, but neither Dixon nor the woman's son
could or would state how it was inflicted. Dixon him-
self stated there was a struggle, that his head was cu
open, that he afterwards became insensible, and next
morning found himself in the London Hospital.
The prisoner's son, a dock labourer; said his mother
awl the prisoner were both drunk, but his mother
was the worst of the two. The prisoner hit hiss
mother, and she hit him in return, but he
saw no knife. After the parties left the house,
Dixon went into a chemist's shop, and his wound was
dressed. The blood continued to flow profusely after-
wards, and a mob collected about the parties. The at-
tention of How, a policeman, was called to the cir-
cumstance, on hearing several persons say, " There is
the woman who stabbed the man." He took the pri-
soner into custody. Dixon was led to the station-house
with the blood streaming down his face and clothes.
Townson, the sergeant on duty, seated him on a chair,
and asked him who had wounded him. He pointed to
the prisoner, and said she jobbed a table-knife at him.
The prisoner said, " Yes, you vagabond, and I'll do for
you yet. You have not been near me since Saturday
last." The man immediately became insensible, and
after being attended by a surgeon, was sent by Townson
to the London Hospital, where he remained until yes-
terday, when he was allowed to come out and give evi-
dence. The policeman, How, afterwards found a knife
in the room where the affray took place. It was spotted
with blood, and the point of it was turned back, evi-
dently by coming in contact with some hard substance.
William Maclean, the prisoner's son, identified the
knife. It was in the table-drawer before the struggle,
and the point was not turned back then.
Mr. James Stock, surgeon, in King David-lane, Shad-
well, saw the prosecutor on the 27th of March. He
was then bleeding profusely from a wound on the head.
It was an inch and a half above the right ear, at the
back of the head. The wound was a lacerated one, with
jagged edges, an inch in extent, and a branch of the
occipital artery was divided.
The prisoner, in defence, said she had not drank any
liquor for twelve months previous to the 27th of March,
and got drunk because Dixon was drinking.
Mr. BALLANTINE committed the prisoner for trial.
SAVAGE ASSAULT BY A HUSBAND ON HIS WIFE.—
On Thursday Neil Maclean, a ship-joiner, residing at
3, Sun Tavern Gap, Shadwell, was charged before Mr.
Ballantine with committing a series of cruel and
cowardly assaults on Ellen Maclean, his wife, to whom
he has only been married eleven months.
It appeared from the statement of the wife, who
carried in her arms an infant to which she had recently
given birth, that she was a widow in comfortable cir-
cumstances when she married the prisoner, who had ever
since ill-used her in a most barbarous manner. He
frequently knocked her down while she was in a state of
pregnancy. That morning about two o'clock he came
home partly inebriated, and after beating her tore her
cap from her bead, drove her from her bed and turned
her out of doors. Her husband threw the bed on the
fl mr, and threatened to kill her. Assaults of a similar
description had been often committed upon her.
The prisoner vehemently protested that he had never
ill-used his wife at all. He would be the last man to do it.
The wife said her neighbours had been witnesses of
the ill-usage, and two of them were sent for. They
stated that they had seen the prisoner strike his wife,
blacken he eyes, and make her nosebleed. The neigh-
bourhood was continually disturbed by her screams and
cries for mercy.
The prisoner was then fined 51.. and in default of pay-
rent was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment.
CONFLICTING TESTIMONY.—John Massey, a powerful
man, a boiler maker, in the employ of Messrs. Ditchburn
and Mare, at Blackwell, was charged with assaulting
Mary Anderson, his next door neighbour.
The parties lived in Mary-street, Poplar, and accord-
ing to her statement, she was standing at her own door
talking to her son, when the defendant came up and cast
some reflections on her husband. She retorted, and the
fellow atter using some very bad language, struck her a
very severe blow with his fist on the face, and knocked
her down. When she got up she ran towards her own
house. Massey followed her, and overtook her in the
passage, and then kicked her, and inflicted a very serious
injury upon her, from which she is still suffering. The
transaction occurred on Monday last, and the bruises on
the woman's face, and her blackened eyes, were indica-
tive of the violence of the blows she received.
Two witnesses confirmed the statement of the com-
plainant in every respect.
The prisoner, in defence, said there had been a
squabble. but he denied there ;had been any blows
struck at all, and he called three witnesses. Their evi-
dence was very unsatisfactory and contradictory, but
they agreed in one thing, that Massey did not strike
Mrs. Anderson.
The complainant said the defendant's witnesses were
not present during any part of the transaction.
Mr. BALLANTINE, who investigated the case with
much care, was of opinion the defendant's witnesses did
not see the affray at all, and spoke in terms of severe
reprehension of their conduct. After commenting on
the brutal conduct of the prisoner, he sentenced him to
pay a fine of 51., which he was unable to do, and was
committed to the House of Correction for six weeks.
GREENWICH.
THE MURDER OF THE POLICE-CONSTABLE AT DEPT-
FORD.-- Sullivan, Brozon, alias O'Keefe, Collins, and
M'Carthy, the four men who stand charged with the
wilful murder of James Hastie, police-constable
334 H, were brought from Horsemonger-lane Gaol for
re-examination before Mr. Trail!, the newly-appointed
magistrate at this Court consequent on the retirement
of MI
rr.. Grove.
NHaywood, of the Treasury Solicitor's office, ap-
peared for the prosecution; and Mr. Austen, of London,
on the part of the prisoners.
The whole of the evidence taken during the many
sttlininations was gone through anew in order that Mr.
Traill should be perfectly acquainted with the details,
which
engrossed the attention of a crowded Court
nearly four hours and a half.
Mr. TRAILL said, he thought the prisoners' attention
should have been drawn to Hastie's declaration, in order
that they
be much stronger than at present. The case did not
might deny, and if then silent the case would
present that point where deceased was conscious of dying
at the time it was made. The coroner's jury had re-
turned a verdict of wiful murder, and upon that verdict
the prisoners would be arraigned before another tribunal.
He (Mr. Traill) would remand the case until the 30th
instant, when other evidence might be forthcoming, and
and the prisoners would in the meantime have plenty of
time to get up the defence for the ensuing session at the
Central Criminal Court.
WANDSWORTH.
EXTRAORDINARY CASE.OF ASSAULT.—Capt. Frederick
White, of No. 3, Era-place, Battersea, surrendered to
his hail to answer a charge Of assaulting Mrs. Martha
Bowler, the landlady of ti.e Star and Garter public-
house, Batt2rsea.
The de.endant was apprehended on a warrant on the
previous day, and brought before Mr. Paynter just prior
to the closing of
the Court. As all the witnesses were