The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-08 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY MOitNII44; SiI;YEIVII3iIIt 8, 1846.

improved to the uttermost, I would suggest that the sum
previously expended upon it every year should be ap-
plied as a sinking fund to pay off the principal of the
charge held by Government; we might thus look to the
next generation coming into possession of their estates
not only highly improved, but also freed from the heavy
charges which now paralyse the energies and cramp the
best intentions of the present prbprietors. Recollect
the conclusion to which the shrewd and talented com-
missioner of the Times arrived:—That it was the want
of capital and enterprise, on the part of the landlords,
that tended to keep Ireland in her present backward
state; and he recommended every facility being given to
the transfer of property, that it might come into other
hands better able to affird an outlay. But how slow this
progress. How difficult the sale of a deeply-mortgaged
property is found to be. Adopt the principle of the plan
I now propose, and yon attain, by a different means, the
same beneficial results. Neither the State nor any other
public board, with all their exertions, can meet with
effect the present crisis. Their work is, of necessity,
almost unprofitable, and their expenditure is large; and
each succeeding year, if persevered in, it will fall with
redoubled weight upon the land, till its burdens become
intolerable. Instead of this, stimulate and encourage the
energies of the resident gentry of Ireland—tell them you
expect them to perform their duty, and to come to the
aid of the millions, now without food, or likely soon to
be so; and hold out the promise that you, the State,
will take away every excuse for backwardness, for that
you will supply the means; and I firmly believe that
every corner of our island will ere long present the
aspect of thousands employed on productive labour, and
that ea3h year will draw closer the bond of union be-
tween the upper and lower classes, and render the latter
less dependent upon the potato as their sole supply
of food."

The suggestions here thrown out by Mr. Rochfort
were to a certain extent adopted by Lord Mounteashell,
who, at a special meeting of the Fermoy board of poor-
law guardians, thus adverted to the condition of the Irish
landed proprietary:—
Landlords (said the Noble Earl) were usually consi-
dered to be a very wealthy class; but the truth was,
that the landlords of Ireland were a very poor body.
Now he wished he had the third report of the Commis-
sioners appointed a few years ago to report on the state
of the poorer classes in Ireland. That was in 1836, and
they estimated the rental of Ireland at 10,000,000/. per
annum. In 1832, however, Mr. Griffiths estimated it at
12,715,0001., and later investigation gave it at some-
thing over 13,000,0001. If no one else did so, he would
move in his place in Parliament for a return of all the
mortgages, judgment debts, and every, other incumbrance
that could be ascertained respecting the landed property
of Ireland, and if that-had been before them •now, by
deducting the amount of it from the gross rental, they
would see what the sum was which the landlords had at
their disposal. A man might have the name of having
10,0001. a year, but if he was obliged to give up 5,000/.
or 6,0001. out of it, what was
,the use of that to him?
He had entered into some calculations on that subject,
and had come to the conclusion that about two-thirds
of the rental of Ireland was disposed of in that man-
ner, and consequently did not come into the hands
of the landlords to spend as they might please. He
had, therefore, come to the conclusion that the whole
amount of income possessed by the landlords at
their own disposal was little more than 4,000,0001
per annum. That would perhaps appear very startling.
and certainly, when the incomes of the landed gentry of
other nations were considered, it would be found that
Irish landlords were perhaps the poorest of any other
part of Europe. Then they had establishments to keep
up. They had a number of followers and dependants
who lived on them and by them. Just look at the state
they would place a large portion of the population in by
taking away the means from the landlords. Ho was at
present speaking of the resident landlords—he was not
talking of the absentees, who drew money out of the
country and did no good in return. What the resident
landlords received with one hand they had to expend
with the other. They were not much given to hoarding,
and if they were so some fifty or sixty years ago, it
would be all the better for themselves and for the coun-
try at present. Let them have the greatest possible in-
clination, they had not the power. He had shown that
they should part with two-thirds of their incomes
These charges should be paid, and if' they were not;
they knew well what would be the consequence. They
should very soon get into the hands of the legal gentle-
men, and he need not say how they would deal with
them. There was no use in deceiving the public and
the Government, and it was right that the tenantry
should know the real state of things also. But under
such circumstances all the landlords of Ireland
should put their shoulders to the wheel, and endeavour
to extricate, in the best way they could, themselves
and their tenantry from the difficulties with which
they were surrounded. They could not do so
without great pecuniary assistance from the Government.
The point had been already mooted at the meeting. in
Cork by Mr. Roche, that Government ought to lend the
landed proprietors of Ireland money on the security of
their properties. If they did so, they had the power of
making it a first charge by Act of Parliament—(Hear,
hear)—and let them bind the landlords in every pos-
sible way to expend these sums:in giving employment to
the people on their estates. They could give those ad-
vances at the rate they got them themselves, viz , 3 or
3i per cent., from the public creditor. If that was done
he thought it would be the best and the most practical
way to promote the interests of Ireland. lie thought
it might be done with safety and with effect.. The
exigency of the times required every possible exertion.
The Government should come forward. The landlords,
however, with the means they had, should do all in their
power ; and by the united exertions of landlords and
Government they might be able, not only to benefit the
people of Ireland at the present time, but also for a loug
period of time to come.
Mr. D. GERAN (Rushmount) said that though he had
not the privilege of addressing them as a guardian, yet
as he had been requested to attend, and having heard
what Lord Mountcashell addressed to the meeting, he
would offer a few observation upon it. Lord Mount-
cashell bad stated that two-thirds of the property of
Ireland was absorbed by mortgages and other imam-
brances. Grant that—but still the one-third remained at
their disposal, and certainly in such awful times as these
they ought to come forward and bear their share of the ge-
neral losses. Ile knew it was dangerous ground to say,don't
pay rents. He would discountenance any such cry being
raised as much as any man in the country. lie hoped
there would be no such thing as combination abroad; but
suppose the landlords did their worst, and drove the
tenantry to the wall, what would they benefit by that ?
Was there to be no consideration for those who lost all
they had by the failure of the potato crop ? This visi-
tation was no fault of the farmers—they could not forsee
or prevent it. If the landlords were so deeply in debt,
it was perhaps owing to the extravagance of their ances-
tors. They had the fee of the land, and if debts accrued
they ou ;lit to be paid off. The Government could not
do all without assistance from the landlords, and their
bearing their due proportion of the losses that had come
on the country.—(Hear.) He did not mean to sp?ak
disresp‘ c:fuliy of the landlords, or any other class ;
but if those gentlemen kept carriages, and hunters,
and hounds, and indulged in every other luxury,
could they not abridge them on such occasions as
this?—(Hear.) On occasions when people could not
procure the means of existence, could they not confine
themselves to the necessities of life, and forgo its luxuries
for a season? _

Loyd MOUNTCASHELL.—And would no one suffer by
that? •

Mr. GERAN considered that the general community
w..)uld 132 served by it, and it was sometimes necessary to
make sume sacrifice for the public good.

GOVERNMENT PATRONAGE.

SEPT. s.—Although there is not as yet any official
notification of a vacancy in the department, it is stated
to-day that the office of Poor-law Commissioner, with a
salary of 2,5001. a year, has been conferred on Mr. Mor-
gan John O'Connell, M.P. The Nation, while fully ad-
"flitting Mr. O'Connelrs qualifications for the situation,
deeply regrets the fact of an O'Connell becoming a " sti-
ppndiury of England," as establishing a precedent which
the weak and venal will improve to their own interest.
The Nation farther remarks, and with perfect truth,
that
"When Mr. Meagher commented on the place-hunt-
ing of Mr. Edward Clements, he saw where this system
tended, and determined to nip it in the bud. He was
clamoured down by men who knew perfectly well that
Mr. Clements was at that monunt begging a place in
London (this is not surmise—we speak from knowledge
of the fact); and we are now to suffer the results of let-
ting the first offender escape. If the people choose to
engage in a sham battle about physical force, and turn
their eyes away from the questions of real importance to
our cause, wo to Ireland. This is one, and the most
pressing of them all."

" Expecting to bear from you at your earliest con-
venience, I remain, your very obedient servant,
" T. M. Ray, Esq." " JOHN KENYON.
" Dear and Rev. Sir,—ln reply to your letter of yes-
terday, I beg to say th-it the Association has always re-
served to itself the right to prescribe the paper,: eligible
for subscribers to the repeal fund to order; and that you
are perfectly correct in assuming that the Association
would stop the issue of any of these at any moment it
was thought necessary for the safety of the Association
to do so. The rules do not authorise us to remit money
in lieu of papers stopped; we can only arrange for the
transmission of another of the journals. We did not
and could not ever accept any subscriptions on terms in-
compatible with the principles upon which the Associa-
tion was from the first based; and with the utmost re-
spect lam bound to inform you, that any person who
refuses to assent to these principles, as they now stand,
cannot be a member of the Association.—l have the
honour to remain, Rev. Sir, your faithful and obedient
servant,
" T. M. RAY.

" Rev. J. Kenyon, Chapel House,
Templederry, Nenagh."
" Chapel House, Tetnplederry, Nenagh, Aug 23.
" Dear Sir,—You state, in reply to my demand for a
remission of money proportioned to the sum we sent to
the repeal funds, to enable us to provide a paper, that
the rules do not authorise you to. remit money in lieu
of paper stopped.' This statement I must, with very
great respect, question. I have never seen such rules.
They are not amongst those specimens in the printed
abstract which accompanied your first announcement.
But, on the contrary, it seems to me that for the express
purpose of securing the safety of the Association, an ap •
propriatien of money, to be applied by the subscribe rs
in each locality, was resolved upon after the state prose-
cution. However, if you can, upon examination, 'dis-
cover such rules, and are pleased to point them out to
me, I shall urge you no further on that head.
" In that case, however, it will be my duty, in justice
'to a large number of the subscribers, to demandback
their subscriptions ; because, as I have already men-
tioned to you, they were given upon an express condi-
tion, which is now being violated. The number of such
subscribers I cannot state exactly at the present moment.
I believe it may be one-half of the entire. But, of
course, if I am obliged to rest upon this part of the case,
I shall discover it exactly by a reference to themselves.
" Moreover, if there be no such rules' as you have
stated, and that, nevertheless, you refine to remit that
proportion of our contribution to which the rules with
which I have been acquainted appear to entitle us, I
must again express my fear that I shall feel myself in
the necessity of demanding back the entire subscriptions.
" I cannot pretend to misunderstand the meaning of
your concluding paragraph, but I do not exactly see its
relevancy to the present question. I needed not special
information to know that any person who refuses to
assent to the principles upon which the Association was
from the first based,' cannot be a member of it.—l
remain, dear Sir, your very obedient servant,
"T. M. Ray, Es-q. "JOHN ICENYON."
"Loyal National Repeal Association,
" Corn Exchange Rooms, Dublin, August 26.
" Dear and Rev. Sir,—ln reply to your letter of the
23d instant, I beg to say that, pending the embarrass-
ments of the state trials, the system of remitting back
money, in lieu of newspapers, and as drawback from the
repeal rent, had to be resorted to. That system was
subsequently given up, and the former arrangement re-
sumed, from and after the 23d of September, 1844. That
arrangement has continued in force up to the present
time. It was published in all the newspapers, and the
public are fully aware of it; we cannot, therefore, return
money.
"If I had known, upon receiving your remittance,
that it was accompanied by any such conditions as you
mention, I could not have accepted the money, as those
conditions would be incompatible with our rules; on the
contrary, I conceived, 'from the following paragraph in
your letter with the remittance, that you left the fur-
nishing of any paper or not to our entire discretion:—
"'lf your rules will warrant the return of any por-
tion of this sum for the purpose of providing a news-
paper, we are sufficiently poor to be willing to receive it;
but if not, you are welcome to the whole of it, with our
blessing.'—l have the honour to remain, dear and Rev.
Sir, your faithful and obedient servant, _ _ _

'66 T. M. RAY.
"Rev. J. Kenyon, Chapel House, Templederry, Nenagh.
" Chapel House, Templederry, Auz._ 27.

" Thar Sir,—Witi every respect for you individually,
I must insist that you have Chown me no rules' which
should prevent you from remitting the money. It was
not merely to avoid embarrassment—it was precisely to
avoid responsibility that the change was made. Now,
responsibility is the thing which you still affect to
obviate. Why therefore recur to the very system which
entailed it?

"The paragraph of my letter which you quote does
pot warrant your inference that I left the furnishing of
a paper, or not, to your entire discretion,'—on the con-
trary, I stood upon your rules'—but was unaware at
the moment whether the contribution was large enough
to entitle us to the return of any portion of the subscrip-
tion according to those rules.
" Seeing, however, that it is idle any longer to expect
a compliance with my just demand, feeling that the con-
ditions under which the money was tendered are by you
disregarded, I hereby formally, and in the name of all the
subscribers, reclaim the entire. _

" Now that your rules, or at least your usages, are
better known to u 3, we will be enabled to regulate our
contributions so as to avoid in future any perplexity like
this.—l remain, dear Sir, your very obedient servant,
" T. M. sq.
E "JOHN KENYON.

"P. S.—l think ft as well to state that if you refuse to
rPtorn the money. it is my intention to hand over my
claim to a solicitor."

" Loyal National Repeal Association,
"Corn Exchange Rooms, Dublin, Aug. 29.

" Rev. Sir,—ln reference to the demand mentioned in
your favour of 27th instant, I beg respectfully "to say
that I am not empowered to give any answer further
than is contained in my last letter.—l have the honour
to remain, Rev. Sir, your faithful and obedient servant,
" T. M. RAY, Secretary.
" Rev. J. Kenyon, Templederry, Nenagh."
In reply to a letter from the Rev. Mr. Meehan to the
Secretary of the Repeal Association, in which the rev.
gentleman protested against the conduct of the com•
mittee in expelling the IV talon from the repeal reading-
rooms, as also against the proceedings which compelled
William Smith O'Brien to retire from the Association,
the subjoined letter has been forwarded by Mr. Ray
" Loyal National Repeal Association,
" Corn Exchange Rooms, Dublin, Sept. 2.

"Rev. Sir,—ln reply to your letter this day received,
I beg most respectfully to acquaint you, that as you de-
cline to acquiesce in the principles upon which the Re-
peal Association is based, you do not continue a member
of that body.—l have the honour to remain, Rev. Sir,
most respectfully, your obedient servant,
" T. M. RAY, Secretary."

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.

A young man of respectable extf rirr and good address,
who stated his name to be Henry Smith (as he was given
to underst!ind), was brought before tiro Lord Mayor,
charged with having annoyed Mr. Sparks, of the London
As'urance Office, by asking for relief'.
Mr. Sparks said, the defendant had called at his office,
asked for assistance, and refused to leave the place, con-
tending that as be had been frequently relieved before,
he had a decided claim upon the person who had served
him.

Aldertnan GIBBS—Have you relieved him? Mr.
Sparks—Certainly; several times.
The defendant—He has, frequently; and I, therefore,
considered him to be my friend. I took it for grantee+.
The circumstances in which I am placed are rather un-
u4ual. I su; pose that lam an illegitimate child; and I
believe that Mr. Sparks, and Mr. Wilson, a respectable
solicitor in Chancery-lane, know who my parents are.
The gentlemen I have named have from time to time
supplied me with money, and paid' for my education, and
it is admitted that their contributions have nut been
made by themselves, or from wotives of charity. lam
now in a state of actual starvation. I have been brought
up as a surveyor and engineer; but I have ni-t had any-
thing to do prof:.ssionally for the last four months, ar.d I
naturally + ailed upon Mr. Wilson and Mr. Sparks, who
know who I am, for I know not myself, to aid me in this
emergency. Mr. Sparks says he has alreadyf, given
me money, and that he cannot give me any more. I
know that he has supplied me with money, and I want to
know whose money it is that he has been giving me.
Surely that is not an unreasonable demand from an indi-
vidual situated as I am.

Alderman GIBBS (to the defendant) —Have you ap-
plied t,-; Mr. Wils.pn upon the subject ? The defendant
—I have, and Mr. Wilson when I urged him to tell me
who I aro, said that he must see Mr. Sparks about it,
and thus I am kept in the dark by those two gentlemen
who must know all about me. Is it my father or mother
ho has paid for my support and education, or am I
indebted to any one's charity ?
Alderman Grim:is—Have you received money from Mr.
Wilson? The defendant—Certainly, I have.
-Alderman GIBES—WeII, Mr. Sparks, you hear what
he says.
Mr. Sparks—l do not know who his parents are at
all. I know nothing about them. Mr. Wilson asked
me, as I was more conveniently situated than he, whether
I would pay Mr. Smith's school bills. I agreed to do so,
merely as a favour to Mr. Wilson, to whom I have re-
ferred the defendant for information on the subject of
his parentage.

The defendant—What could Mr. Wilson mean by
saying, he must see you before he could give me the in-
formation I required, if you knew nothing of the matter?
I apply in my extreme necessity, and these gentlemen
refer tne from one to the other, and deny me either
assistance or satisfaction of any kind. IVi as brought up
upon their authority at the school of Mr. Pike, of
Edmonton, and Mr. Sparks and Mr. Wilson paid for my
passage to, and fitted me out for Australia. Did all
this arise from a mere charitable feeling upon their parts
towards me, and if sunh be the else, why withdraw all
feeling now, when, without miscond .ct upon my part, I
am reduced to a state of absolute want?

Alderman GIBBS (to ihe defendant)—Where did you
live during the holidays ? The defendant— I remained
at the school always. Upon ono occasion I dined with
Mr. Sparks. Hundreds of pounds have been expended
upon me, and I wish to know whose money that was,
but Mr. Wilson and Mr. Sparks answer use by referring
me each to the other.

Alderman Gins (to the defendant)—You have heard
what Mr. Sparks has said. He has sworn.that he does
not know who your parents are, and that he is merely
the agent of Mr. Wilson, in defraying the expenses
your educltion has incurred.
The defendant—But why, my Lord, should Mr. Wil-
son say he must see Mr. Sparks, before he can tell me
who I am ?

Mr. Sparks—l have given the defendant money out of
my own pocket, to relieve him.
Alderman GIBBS—Had you any particular reason for
doing so ? Mr. Sparks—He has not the most distant
claim upon me ; but I saw that he was a youth who was
desirous to make his way in the world, and I assisted
him for that reason.

Alderman GIBBS—WeII, Mr. Smith, I must call upon
you to enter into your own recognisances, in the sum of
501., not to molest Mr. Sparks for t.% elve months. My
advice to you is to apply respectfully to Mr. Wilson, who
seems to me to be likely to be in possession of the in-
formation which y. u require.
The defendant entered ir.to his recognisances, bowed
to the Alderman, and retired.
SMUGGLING AND SUSPECTED ROBBERY.—Mr. Pot-
bury, of the office of the Solicitor of the Customs, ap-
peared to sustain an information against a _man named
John Andrews, who was summoned for having been
found in possession of a quantity of foreign silver plate,
upon which the duty had not been paid.
The pla e had been all seized, and the penalties sought
amounted to 2901. 14s. The defendant, upon being
called three times, did not appear, and- the case was en-
tered into by Aldermen Gibbs and Musgrove.
Jordan, an officer of the Customs, proved that on the
3d SeptemLev he served the wife of the defendant, at the
defendant's house in Spital- street,_Spitalfields.
George Maddox stated, that on the 27th July, as he
was on duty, his attention was called to a skiff under the
stern of the Columbine steam•vessel, lying off the Cus-
tom-house, and he saw a bag handed out of the stern
window of that vessel to Andrews, who was in the skiff,
and who placed the bag in what was called the state-
room of the latter, and began to row towards shore.
Witness stepped into the skiff, and asked the defendant
what he had in the bag? to which qaeation no answer
was given. Witness then asked him whether he had
anything in the bag liable to seizure?- and the defendant
said, " Open it and you'll see." Witness accordingly
opened the bag, and found that it contained 276 ounces
of foreign silver plate gilt.
The Aldermen examined the plate, which it was evi-
dent, fro :u the external figures and devices, had once
belonged to a Roman Catholic Chapel. The border of
one of the wine cups, of which there were three, was
marked with figures of angels. Another of the cups
seemed to be almost formed of medals, on some of which
were apostolical figures and emblems ; and the third
cup also bore evidence of pious application. There were
five silver silt basins, three dos ui of silver gilt spoons
of curious fabrication, four silver gilt stands, twenty-two
silver- handled knives, three silver cork screws.

Maddox said that he inquired of the crew of the Co-
lumbine whether they knew the defendant, and was an-
swered in the negative. He then seized the property,
and deposited it in the Custom-house, and he took the
defendant's address, according to the regulations in such
matters.

Alderman GIBBS asked from what place the Colum-
bine had come? Maddox replied, from Rotterdam.
Alderman MUSGROVE said the probability was, that
the plate belonged to some place of worship, and that it
had been stolen as well as smuggled, and that if the par-
ticulars of the charge'appeared in the press a legitimate
owner for it might appear.
Mr. Potbury said that such was certainly his im-
pression.
The goods were then taken to the Custom-house.
GUILDHALL.

BORROWING FROM THE DEAD.—A man of wretched
appearance was placed at the bar before Mr. Alderman
Thomas Wood, charged with having acted as a drover
in Smithfield-market without a license, and personating
a man who has been some tinp., dead, and of whose badge
the prisoner had unlawfuly obtained possession, his
own having been withdrawn for misconduct.
The prisoner pleaded the great distress to which he
had been brought through want of employment since his
badge was taken away.
The MAGISTRATE could not admit of such an excuse,
and sentenced him to pay a fine of 10s., or be imprisoned
ten days.

BOW-STREET.
Edward Edmunds was charged with being drunk and
using obscene language, and with assaulting Maria
Goodman, the daughter of James Goodman, the pro-
prietor of oyster rooms in the Strand.
The complainant said, that at about half-past eleven
o'clock on Saturday night she went into the shop where
her mother and sister were behind the counter. The
prisoner was standing at the door and was using a great
deal of bad language. She told him he hail better go
away, but he still continued to use bad language, and
she went to put him out, whereon he gave her a blow
in the face. She then called a policeman and gave him
in charge.
The complainant's sister corroborated this statement.
The prisoner denied that he struck the complainant
purposely, but admitt, d that he was drunk, and used the
language attributed to him.
Mr. HENRY said that the highest penalty he could
inflict was 51., but he could commit the prisoner for
trial, if the complainant was willing to press the charge
at the sessions. _ _

Mr. Goodman did not wish to " have any litigation."
Mr. HENRY then said he would deal with the case
summarily. He would fine the prisoner 51., or in default
of pa) merit sentence him to one month's imprisonment.
The prisoner said he would pay the fine in the course
of the day.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
George Carats and John Clark were placed at the
bar, charged with driving furiously in Oxford-street and
running down a woman.
J. C. Nicotai, furrier, 82, Oxford-street, said he was
walking near his shop in Oxford-street, on Sunday, about
half-past eight, when his attention was called to two
carts running along Oxford-street, on the way to St.
Giles's, at a very rapid pace. One of the carts at that
moment passed the other, turned short round before it
and came close on to the kerb-stone, so as to knock
down a woman who had just crossed the street, and had
nearly reached the pavement. The horse then trampled
on the woman, and by that time the second cart had
come up, and both horses were trampling on her at once.
The driver in the first cart endeavoured to drive off, Ibut
he seized the reins and had the drivers, the defendants
at the bar, both taken into custody. He said the
driving was so furious that several cabmen came for-
ward and gave their numbers in case it should be ne-
cessary for them to appear as witnesses.
Frederick Wm. Branded, professor of music, 22, Great
Portland-street, corroborated the evidence of the last
witness. Both prisoners were whipping their horses
violently.
Constable, 106 C, who took them into custody, said
the woman who was injured was Sarah Hayter, a ser-
vant at 28, Great Queen-street, where she was confined
to her bed.
A certificate from the surgeon was produced, to the
effect that the woman was suffering from frEcture of the
rieht arm, and a wound in the head, and w as incapable
of being moved.
The defeudants were remanded for a week.
John Mullen" was put to the bar, charged with steal-
ing a silver watch.
Patrick Shea, a porter, living at 7, Pulteney-court,

when about to be sworn, said be wished first to make a
statement.

Mr. MALTBY—Have yeti a charge to prefer ?—Yea,
your Worship ; but I would not prefer it if I got back
my property.

•Mr. JS4ALTBY agair.—Do you ',Nish to make a chatge?

The complainant then said he was in a private house
in Maiden Head-passage this morning, about two o'clock,
with a few friends, as he supposed them to be, and had
bad his watch taken off him. He charged the defendant
with the theft.

Helen Shea (no relation to the complainant) lived in
the house where the theft was committed. She saw the
man at the bar hand over a silver watch to a younc,
chap, who went and put it into the water-butt. She
saw him put it there. The police were- brought, and
after the defendant had been taken into custody she saw
the young man go again into the yard and take the
watch from the butt.
Constable 178 C said he took the man at the bar into
cust, dy. There were four or five women in the room
at the time besides the two men, and all of them were
drunk except the prisoner, but especially the com-
plainant, whom he was obliged to lock up for the night.
No trace of the watch could be found, and he did not
hear the woman's evidence till that morning, otherwise
he might have taken the other young man into custody.
Th,. prisoner denied having had anything to do with
the watch ; besides, he had given the defendant 21. not
to prefer the charge, and his promise to try and gLt the
propeity.
The c• mp!ainant said he had taken the 21 until the
property wps restores. His watch was worth 304.
Mr. MALTBY told the complainant he had made him-
self liable to an indictment for taking the money, and
remanded the case till Wednesday.

SUPPOSED MURDER AT CHES-
TERFIELD.
(From the Derbyshire Courier.)

A most awful c;reumstance has been this week brought
to light, which has excited in Chesterfield and its neigh-
bourhood feelings of the greatest horror and alarm. The
appalling dimcovery of a mangled human body amongst
some night-soil in a vault in the heart of the town, has
caused this universal excitement. From the exposed and
dangerous place in which the body was found, it was at
first surmised that some unfortunate wretch h!id wan-
dered by mistake into the horrid place, and failing in,
had been shortly stiff wated ; but when the severed head
was discovered, and a large fracture showed itself across
the skull, a more terrible suspicion entered the mind,
and that murder had been committed became the univer-
sal apprehension. Subsequent discoveries leave little
room for doubting that a foul and horrid murder was
committed on the 7th of December left, and that the
mangled remains were those of the victim. But we will
proceed to give a narrative account of this dreadful
affair.

On Friday last, some men were employed in emptying
the contents of a large hole on pit upon the premises
jointly occupied by Mr. Bunting, corn-dealer, and Mr.
Towndrow, grocer, at the bottom of the Market-place,
and which was u-el as a place for the reception of night
soil. During their labour they perceived a substance
which they conjectured to be the decayed carcase of a
sheep, and it was carted to a field of Mr. Bunting's, in
the parish of Hasland, along with the manure, and no
further notice was taken of it at the time. Subse-
quently, however, one of the men who had assisted
mentioned to a fellow labourer, named Green, that he
had doubts respecting the putrid mass, in consequence
of which, Green examined it on Tuesday last, and found
it to be the trunk and bowels of a man. Mr. Bunting,
accompanied by Dr. Walker, afterwards examined it, and
were of a similar opinion. This led to further search,
and the bone s of the legs and arms were also found sepa-
rate from the body ; the garters were round the legs, as
worn by the man when-living, and this circumstance, as
will be seen by the evidence given at the inquest, led to
the body being identified. A good black coat, black
silk neckerchief, and a silk pocket handkerchief, marked
"G. C.," were also discovered among the heaps of
manure which had been carted to the field, as well as a
pair of trousers with braces affixed to them.
These discoveries led to renewed search in the pit on
the premises of Mr. Bunting, at the bottom of' the
market-place, when a human head was soon found,
having on it very little flesh, but the whole of the teeth,
and a portion of one eye, and showing a fracture about
four inches long, extending from the top of the forehead
nearly to the crown of the head. A silk hat was also
found with a large incision in it. The whole of the re-
mains were consigned to the care of the authorities of
the township of Basland, and the body was soon identi-
fied to be that of George Collis, the son of Mrs. Mawkes,
of Brampton, by a former husband, and of whom no-
thing had been heard since last December. He was
about twenty four years of age, about five feet six inches
in height, and good looking, and had been in the domes-
tic service of the late Mrs. Lucas, of Hasland house, but
since the death of his mistress had for a time been carry-
ing on business as a butcher, in conjunction with a per-
son named John Platts. There were several circumstances
which made the sudden disappearance of Collis little re-
garded. He had for some time been acquainted, with a
female named Beresford, residing in Beete ell street,
Chesterfield, who had become pregnant by him, and it
was thought this might have led him to leave the town,
more particularly as he had arranged with a young
man to accompany him to Manchester on the Monday
after he was last seen; he had also told his mother pre-
viously that he should not write. But it appears that
he entertained some fears as to the safety of his person,
by stating on an evening some time previously to the
female alluded to, that he was afraid of being murdered
as he went home that night, on which her brother ac-
companied him home.
A coroner's bequest sat on the remains en Thursday
last, at Mr. Mather's, the Shoulder of Mutton Inn,
Hasland, before Mr. J. Hutchinson, gentleman, coroner,
when the evidence of Ellen Beresford proved the identity
of the body; she also produced the fellow to one of the
garters, which deceased had given her. On the follow-
ing day, John Netts, a butcher, of Chesterfield, was
taken into custody on suspicion of being the murderer.
The mother of Platte, who is a widow residing at
Durrant-green, has also been apprehended, as well as
Henry Knight, his brother-in-law, the possession of
Collis's watch having been traced to them.
This watch Collis bought of Mr. Thompson, watch-
maker, Chesterfield, who noted the number, &c., and it
is a very suspicious circumstance that the prisoner Platts
had pledged with Mr. Wilcocksor, pawnbroker, Chester-
field, a watch agreeing in number and in every other
particular with the watch sold to Collis; this watch was
redeemed by prisoner's mother as late as Thursday last,
and she states that it has been since sent to Sheffield. A
yellow canvass bag for money, having a division in the
centre, and which is supposed to have been in Collis's
possession when be left the female Beresford, has also
disappeared, though seen by Cottorill, the constable, in
the prisoner's box as late as Thursday.
When Collis and Platts carried on business as butchers,
they rented a shop in the shambles, not far from a dwel-
ling-house, from an inmate of which we have received
the following sickening detail. Our informant states
that he was going past the butcher's shop in question
about seven o'clock on the night when the unfortunate
man was last seen, and that when he got near the cross
gutters in the shambles, he heard three or four tremen-
dous blows struck in the butcher's shop occupied by the
prisoner, and which were immediately followed by loud
groaning, which gradually became fainter, and then a
snorting, as if some one was suffocating. He is certain
that the sound of the blows did not come from any solid
substance. He returned for his wife, who also heard the
groans. They requested the parties inside the shop. to
open the door, which Platts, from within, refused, saying
that he bad bad a glass of brandy at Mr. Frank's, which
had made him sick. There was no light in the shop, and
informant thought he had a female with him, with whom
he was intimate. This suspicion he named to Platts;
hut when the church service was over, Platts took the
female to their door, to convince them they were mis-
taken, saying she had been to church. At the same
time, he requested permission to wash his band, which
was bloody, and which he attributed to having cut his
finger. He appeared to have been down on one knee.
It is impossible to be acquainted with the foregoing
particulars, without feeling the most horrible suspicions.
That Collis was murdered there can be doubt—the
frightful rent in the skull too surely proves it ; and that
his body was afterwards dismembered, and conveyed
piecemeal to the disgusting hole from whence it was
dragged forth, does not seem to admit of a question.
The following are the proceedings at th©
CORONER'S INQUEST. '

Valentine Wall, labourer, of -.Chesterfield, deposed
that he was employed by Mr. Bunting, flour-dealer,
Low-pavement, Chesterfield, to empty the privies at-
tached to his premises. While at work, about five or
six o'clock on Friday morning week, about a yard below
the surface, he found something which ho thought was
the carcase of a sheep. On his partner lifting it out,
about three parts of it fell in again. Witness then found
a hat, a large bone, several other bones, and two stakes.
It was a very dark place ; had a candle burning.

Robert Ashley, labourer, of Chesterfield, vas em-
ployed by Mr. Bunting in the above duty, with Valen-
tine Wall : he found two leg bones and two thigh bones
joined respectively at the knees ; he tried to separate
them with a spade, but could not. Found something
which afterwards proved to be a coat ; on lifting it
something fell out. Valentine Wall then threw out
something like an arm bone, and observed to witness
that a sheep must hare been thrown in. He then ob-
served that they must be human bones. Witness stated
that there was nothing to protect a perscn from falling
in. On taking hold of the bones, the flesh fell off into
his hand.
Thomas Green, was employed by Mr. Bunting to take
the manure to a field last Friday : he observed some
bones and old coat in the cart ; it was impossib!e to re-
cognise what sort ; had to mix the bones with some
clay ; observed a handkerchief tied as if it had been
round a person's neck ; found a pair of trousers torn in
the seams, also a coat, some bones, apparently leg-
bones, with garters round them ; one garter was red,
the other nearly white ; found portions of braces and
of stockings. Told Mr. Bunting his suspicions that the
bones were human bones ; was present when Mr. Wyatt,
butcher, examined them ; was not satisfied that they
were human hopes until Dr. Walker examined them.
The constable of Hasland then took charge of the bones.
Afterwards found a silk handkerchief ; thought it was
black with a red stripe.
Mr. Bunting. flour-dealer, Low Pavement, Chester-
field, deposed that it was an open, but a private yard
from his house to those conveniences. The yard door
was kept locked. For emptying them there is a covered
passage (about four feet wide and five or six yards long)
under some buildings. Nothing to protect it except a
rail at the front. Ashes were deposited in the passage.
Has frequently seen people in the passage. On Friday
last ordered the ashes to be got out and taken to the
land. On going to see how the men were getting on,
was told by Valentine Wall that they had got out the
body of a sheep. It had been carted away. From
what witness had heard from Green, he (witness) went
to the field with Mr. Wyatt, butcher, where witness

found a coat and trousers; braces were fastened to the I
brace buttons of the trousers. Witness also saw some
fragments of garments and a quantity of bones. Both
witness and Mr. Wyatt directly concluded that the bones
were not the bones of an animal. On two bones, which
appeared to be leg bones, were fastened garters. Wit-
ness then went home. Afterwards accompanied Dr.
Walker to the field- He (witness) examined the
pockets of the coat and trousers in the pre-
sence of Mr. Wyatt. They were empty. Saw
a neck handkerchief rolled so as to fit a per-
son's neck. From what Dr. Walker said, or-
dered a further search to be made in the place where the
bones were found;, when the skull, some other bones, and
a hat were found. Was present during this search.
The hat was it ut in the side. There appeared to be a
severe fracture on the front of the skull. Would not be
positive whether the cut in the hat was in the front or
in the side. It was an old silk hat. Saw a naked foot
in the field. Should a person walk into the passage
straght forward and fall in, he could not fall against the
opposite wall, as it was seven feet nine inches across; he
might fall against the wall if be were thrown sideways.
Thomas Wilcockson, tailor, Chesterfield, deposed to
having on Wednesday seen some clothes in the posses.
sion of the constable of Hasland, a single breasted black
frock coat, lined in the skirts with figured Orleans;
black cloth trousers, black silk neckerchief, another
handkerchief, which witness supposed to be a pocket
hardkerchief, it was silk, striped with red; there was
edging to the coat; the trousers with braces buttoned
behind. The coat would fit a man of eleven stone.
Trousers would fit a man about five feet six inches. On
the silk pock,t, handkerchief were the letters " G. C."
worked with silk about the middle of the edge of the
handkerchief. The pockets of the coat were in the
plaits.
Thomas Cowley, labourer, of Chesterfield, cleaned the
convenience the time previous to this. It was about
fourteen months ago. It was perfectly emptied.
Ellen Beresford examined—She knew George Collis ;
he was a young man ; he was a gentleman's servant ;
believed that she was on very intimate terms with him.
Saw him last on the 7th of December in witness's house,
when he had on a black cloth surtout coat, black cloth
trousers, and a canary coloured waistcoat ; he had a
black silk handkerchief with a red stripe, his initials
"G. C." were on the side ; had hemmed a black hand-
kerchief for him ; knew his garters, one was red, the
other was white ; knew the pocket handkerchief
perfectly welt ; recognised the clothes directly ; has
the fe'low to the white garter ; he was five feet 6i inches
in height ; he was then wearing a silk hat which he had
purchased at Sheffield ; he had on hoots laced at the
sides ; he left witness at 25 minutes to seven in the
evening of Sunday ; they were good friends when they
parted ; he promised to Fee witness again on Monday
evening at six or half-past six o'clock ; never saw him
afterwards.

The witness also detailed other circumstances, which
we suppresi at the request of the coroner, lest justice
shou4l be defeated by their putlicity.
The inquist was then adjourned until Thursday next
at ten o'clock, a m.