The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-20 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

GROUP No. 3.— MANCHESTER, BUXTON, MATLOCK,
AND MIDLANDS JUNCTION (Deviation and Branches).—
Opposition of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln-
shire Company further considered.
GROUP No. 7. ROYSTON AND HITCHIN (Eaten"
SIM?. to Cambridge and Branches).—Case closed, but de-
cision postponed.
GROUP No. B.—LONDON AND CREDITON (TAW Vale
Railway and Dock, and Bodmin and Wadebridge Com-
panies' Arrangements.) Opposition of Bristol and
Exeter Company further considered.
EXETER AND COWLEY JUNCTION. —Evidence for
promoters.
GROUP No. 11.---MONICLAND AND KIRKIN:tsLeLO;
11,
IR
BALLOCHNEY, AND SLAANNAN (Amalgamation or
Sale, or Lease, and Amendment or Repeal of
Case closed, and decision postponed till to-morrow.

ELECTION OMITTEES.
DUB ON _
_ _

The scrutiny into the validity of Mr. Reynolds's majo-
rity was resumed yesterday, and although the counsel
for the petitioners took objections to several votes, they
did not succeed in any one instance.
mr.APHY intimated that the petitioners would
abandon the remaining objections to voters who had not
paid the borough rate. He could not, however, state
what course the petitioners would now pursue, and he
must pray for adjournment to give him time to consult
with them on the subject.
Adjourned accordingly.

SLIGO.
The poll- books having been put in, and the return of
Mr. Towneley proved,
Mr. CLARKE, on the part of the petitioners, took a
preliminary objection to the return, on the ground that
the notice of the election, published by the Mayor of
Sligo, was defective, inasmuch as it was not signed by
the returning-officer.
Mr. IV. Kelly was called to prove the defect, and on
his cross-examination he stated that be prepared the pe-
tition against the sitting Member, and after it was pre-
sented he received 1,5001. from Mr. Coppock, the agent
of the sitting Member, to consent to its withdrawal. He
received the money for the purpose of ascertaining how
far Mr. Coppock would go, and never oontemplated re-
taining it. During the entire negotiation he communicated
with Mr. Somers and Mr. Walker, his attorney. He did
not make the first overture, but Mr. Coppock called upon
him, and said it was most absurd thinking of going on
with the petition, for the sitting Member was a very
rich man, while Mr. Somers was a very poor one. Sub-
sequently at his own house Mr. Coppock told him if he
would consent to settle the matter Mr. Soiners would
get him a good Government situation, but he preferred
the 1,500 t., which he afterwards received in bank-notes
at Fendall's Hotel, and in return he handed Mr. Cop-
pock a letter, consenting to the withdrawal of the peti-
tion. Mr. Coppock then retired, but returned in a few
minutes, and demanded the money back again, stating
that he had discovered that the petition could not be
withdrawn. He of course refunded the money, as he
never contemplated retaining possession of it.
Mr. Robert M'Bridge, the Mayor of Sligo, proved
that his assessor put his own initials to the original
notice, whereupon
The Committee, without calling for a reply, over-
ruled the objection.

The case of bribery and treating was then proceeded
with.

THE BOWYER GALLERY.

The dealing out of the shares of Mrs. Parkes' last
grand subscription for the purchase of the Bowyer
Collection of Works of Art, amounting to the value of
80,000 L, took place yesterday morning at Exeter Hall in
the presence of a very numerous company. The agents
appointed for the occasion were accomodated with tables
in the body of the hall, and the whole of the proceedings
were conducted with every possible fairness and im-
partiality, ur.der the superintendence of Mrs. Parkes.
The highest portion is valued at 3,100 guineas, and
consists of the celebrated Bowyer Bible ; and the value
of the lowest portion is one guinea and a half. It will
be some days before the names of the lucky individuals
who have been fortunante enough to obtain the highest
prizes will be known.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

OLD COURT.

EMBEZZLENENT.—Joseph Pickering, a middle aged
man, very respectably connected, was convicted of em-
bezzling various sums of money belonging to his em-
ployers, Messrs. Pilcher and Co., of Tooley-street, and
was sentenced to twelve months' bard labour.
THE CHARTIST PRISONERS.

Joseph Tilliams, who looked somewhat paler and
more downcast than he did before his incarceration,
having been placed at the bar,
Mr. BALLANTINE said— With respect to the case of
Joseph Williams, a prisoner now in Newgate, I have to
apply to the Court to reduce the bail from two sureties
of 1001. each to 501. each, which latter sum the prisoner,
who is one of the humbler classes, will be able to ob-
tain.

The RECORDER—What is his offence?
Mr. BALLANTINE—He is charged with having uttered
seditious words, and with hating disturbed the public
peace.
The RECORDER—Why was not this application made
before the magistrate who committed the prisoner ?
Mr. BALLANTINE—Because since his committal
ho has nut been able to procure bail in the required
amount; he is therefore compelled now he is in
Newgate to make this application to the Court. A
similar application has been made to your Lordship with
respect to the other defendants.
The RECORDER—Have you given notice?
Mr. BODKIN said a similar application had been made

to the Court with respect to a person named Vernon who
was charged with the same offence as the prisoner at
the bar. He did not wish to impugn the decision of the
magistrate with respect to the amount of the bail he
felt it his duty under the circumstances to require, but
having looked at the affidavit of the prisoner, he con-
fessed it raised a reasonable probability that the
prisoner was not able to find the bail already
specified. On the part of the Crown, therefore, he was
not instructed to oppose the application, provided
a reasonable time were allowed for inquiring into the va-
lidity of the sureties.
The RECORDER—I wish to be understood, in yielding
to the application, that I do so the more readily since it
has received the consent of the prosecution ; but
in doing so I have no wish to impugn the
decision of the magistrate in the course which he
felt it his duty to take. It is only necessary that the
amount of bail should be sufficient to render it certain
custody,
that the person for whom it is given will be produced at
the trial; but, on the other hand, it ought not to be so
eic as to operate as no bail at all, being of
it:
y.
amount which will virtually keep the persons charged
But if the persons sought to become bail I
became apprehensive of the consequences, and declined
becoming bail, they had no one save themselves to blame.
The magistrate, in a matter of this description, consi-
dering its serious nature to the public feeling at the time,
was quite justified in requiring the bail he did. I shall
therefore accede to the application.
with respect to the case of Alexander
ShTarhpee,ReEncthßeDaEpitPlicatioa of Mr. ROBINSON acceded to
the same amount of bail.
John Fussell having been placed at the bar,
Mr. ROBINSON made a similar application on behalf of
this defendant, and in support of it read au affidavit,
stating that the defendant was a working jeweller, whose
average wages did not exceed 503. a week, and that
from his station in life he was unable to find two par-
ties competent to become bail for him in 1501. each, and
that if it was reduced to 50/. each he could procure bail
to that amount. His case did not differ from the others.
Mr. BODKIN said the case differed from the others.
His wages were high, and therefore there were not the
same grounds for supposing that the defendant could not
obtain the required bail ; the affidavit did not besides
state that the defendant was unemployed. He was
bound to say, after reading the depositions, that his
offence differed from the others, and therefore he could
not on the part of the Crown consent to the application.
The RECORDER said if a person could find responsible
bail, that was a reason for its reduction. Those who
now found that they could not obtain the required bail
should have considered what they were doing before
they placed themselves in the position they now stood;
but there was another mode of meeting this—taking
the same amount of bail, but in smaller sums; secured
by a greater number of persons.—(The Recorder here
devoted some time to a perusal of the depositions.)
Mr. ROBINSON said he was not aware that the de-
fendant was in a condition to obtain greater bail than
two persons in 751. each. The only thing in which his
case differed from the others was this—that he did not
swear he had been out of employment for some time.
The RECORDER suggested that four sureties in 501.
each might be acceptable.

Mr. ROBINSON siiid, two in 75/. or three in 501. would
be nearer the defendant's means.
The RECORDER said, he should require bail in 2001.
altogether ; that was four in 501. each. Ido not, he
said, wish to prejudice the future inquiry
which will take place into this case, but
I may say this—(looking sternly at the prisoner,
an intelligent, gentlemanly-looking young man, who
stood perfectly unmoved in the dock, and whose de-
meanour was most respectful to the Court)—that if the
offence charged against the prisoner is proved it looks to
me like something else—a far higher crime. Ido not
know for what he is indicted, but this is my improseiop
from the depositions.