The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-07 00:00:00

SCENE IN A SCOTaI ASSIZE COURT.

The people of Dundee seem, according to the report of
theii local paper, to have very odd notions respecting the
decorurti which should prevail in a court of justice. At
the Circuit Court held in that town on Tuesday, a man
pleaded guilty to a charge of a serious nature, for
which Lord Deas told him he was liable to
be sent to penal servitude. This followed !---" The fact
of your being a married man is, I think, very much against
you (laughter). The fact that you have an affectionate
wife is still more against you (renewed laughter). It is a
monstrous Ching to think that a man in your position
should commit tin Offence of this kind and have nothing to
say for yourself but that you were drunk. (Laughter.) A
man is not entitled to get drunk, and then go about and
assault women. That won't do at aIL (Continued
laughter)." At a later stage of the protidedingsi
Lord Dens said :—" It is not unlawful to smoke,
but it is not very pleasant for people to smoke
here. Whoever is doing that must go elsewhere.
See who it is at once." The officers, however, were not
able to discover the delinquent. In some respects the
report reads more like a work of the imagination. A
man was brought up for uttering counterfeit
coins, and this is what took place :—Lord
Deas : Peter Reilly, are you guilty or not guilty?—
Prisoner (who spoke in a very loud voice) r I am not guilty
at all (great laughter) Mr. Milroy (prisoner's counsel) :
He pleads guilty to having had four counterfeit coins in
his possession, and to the two previous convictions.
Prisoner (at the top of his voice) : 1 don't object to the
two previous convictions--not at all, at all ! Nothing
of the kind (continued laughter) 1 Mr. Milroy :
admits having the four pieces in his possession. Lord
Peas : He is not guilty of anything, according to his
way of it (laughter). I say, Reilly—lteilly, look here and
attend to me. Prisoner : Yes, sur (laughter) ! Lord Deas
I understand you are not giiilty of anything (laughter).
Are you, or arc you not ? Prisoner : 1 never did that at all
(laughter) Lord Deas : Attend to me; stand up and listen.
Are you guilty of having these four pieces of counterfeit
money ? Prisoner : I am guilty of having the four pieces,
sur. I found them that morning, but I never was ion-
victed—only once (laughter). —The next case was a charge
of steeling a large quantity of spirits, and a witness
was called to prove that the prisoners committed the
robbery. This witness, on being cross. examined by Mr.
Lorimer as to whether he had received any drink, replied
With much emphasis, " I got a drink ; and syne 1 got
a bottle." (Laughter.) On being further asked how
far a certain house was from the door of Carr's
shop, he replied, "Ye speered that before, and I tell't
ye 1 didna ken." (Laughter.) Mr. Lorimer : Oh, no ; I
didn't ask you. Witness : Weel, that ither man did
(laughter). Mr. Lorrimer : But I'm not the " Wier
man." Witness on leaving the dock was slightly ap-
plauded. Lord Dens : Stop that. If anybody wants to,
get out, he had better make a noise (laughter). In this!
case, too, Lord Deas's remarks on sentencing the prison era
were received with laughter.

LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET.-(THIS DAY.)

Sales probably 10,000 bales. Market steady.

A series of designs for illumination of Keble's
"Evening Hymn" hav, just been issued by the managers of
the Alb•:rt Press for the employment of women. They are
beautifully designed, and the subjects forming the border
to end each verse are appropriate to the words. The
designs are produced in the highest style of art, and
reflect great credit on the establishment by which they have
been issued.

THE LAST " 9.GAINIEMNON."—The unsparing Board
of Admiralty have ordered one of the most noble relics of
the Black Sea fleet to be sold. Admiral Lord Lyons's
celebrated flag ship the Agamemnon, that the Russian guns
of Sebastopol failed, when at pointblank range, to sink, is
to be " knocked down," and out of the Navy List on the
12th instant, by the more powerful hammer of a London
auctioneer. The Agamemnon was the first efficient screw
ship of the line built for the Royal Navy and was one of
the most powerful two-deckers of Sir James Dundas's
fleet.—Dover Telegraph.
PUBLIC OPINION IN BOHEMIA,—The latest ac-
counts from Bohemia testify to a happy change in public
opinion. The organs of all shades of the Opposition
declare that the compromise with Hungary is an esta-
blished work which no one ought to destroy. The
Politila, a platy organ of the ancient Czechs, contains a
vigorous defence of Count Beust, and declares that it is
not only his right, but his duty to take an active part in
the internal affairs of the monarchy. The moderate and
conciliatory tone which has been adopted by this journal
and many others contrasts favourably with their former
style, and gives an encouraging impression of the state of
public feeling among the Czechs.
PERILS OF RAILWAY TRAVELLING.—A gentleman
holding a good position in connection with a large fire-
office at Sheffield, whilst returning from the scene of a fire
to Sheffield, on Wednesday, fell asleep in a railway car-
riage. His next experience of consciousness was caused
by a stinging blow on the head. He jumped up, and saw
that four or five ugly customers had become his fellow
passengers, and one of them, by the blow given, doubtless
intended to render him unconscious, and then all to help
themselves to the large sum of money in his possession.
Fortunately the gentleman, being an adept in the
" fistic " art, settled with his assailant upon equal terms,
the whole gang alighting panic-stricken at the Shireoaks
Station.

RELAPSING FEVER IN LONDON.—It 18 satisfac-
tory to learn that relapsing fever has so greatly diminished
that it will be no longer necessary to keep open the
Hampstead Fever Hospital. The various Boards of
Guardians have received notice that no more patients will
be admitted after the 13th instant, and the hospital will
be closed as soon as the remaining patients shall have left.
It may be hoped that these suburb wards may yet be
utilised for some other class and we would venture to
suggest that they might well be employed for the purpose
of relieving the Clerkenwell Workhouse, in which there
still remain a large number of sick persons for whom the
accommodation is totally insufficient; indeed, we feel
confident that if the opportunity were afforded them the
Guardians would be thankful for such an escape from the
difficulties in which they are now placed.—The Lancet.
THE ASSASSINATION OF AN ITALIAN CONSUL
AT BUENOS AYBES.—The German Journal of Rio de la.
Plata publishes the following details of the murder of the
Italian Consul at Buenos Ayres :—" The victim is M. Chap-
peron, who formerly held the same post at Assumption,and
who has been openly charged with having appropriated funds
which had been confided to hiih by families of Paraguay.
He was stabbed with a poignard while passing along one of
the most frequented streets of Buenos Ayres in the even-
ing, and to the weapon was attached a paper on which
was written :—" The punishment of those who dis •
honour Italy.—Before expiring M. Chapperon said that
he had been murdered to prevent revelations feared
from him. He is also stated to have designated a Bra-
zilian of rank as the author of the crime."

POSITION OF M. EMILE OLLIVIEIt.—At the time of
Count Daru's resignation it was M. 011ivier's intention
to give.up the post of Minister of Justice after the Ple-
biscite, and assume the direction of the Department of
Foreign Affairs. The discovery of the recent
plot has, however, changed his intentions with
respect to this MP tter, and M. 011ivfer has
arrived at the conclusion that he will best consult the
public safety by remaining to watch over the internal
security of the State. It is believed that two
candidates have been submitted for the Emperor's
approval, the Due de Grammont,
ueAmb!tssador at
Vienna, and Viscount de la G Jonnibre, Ple-
nipotentiary Minister at Brussels. EiAthserthe wouldciamibe.
favourably received by Foreign Powers.bers will meet on the tNI-elfthbeitfilleisd unportantestpheactiatuhye
vacancy in the Cabinet should up, more
as the affairs of Rome will give rise to interpellations. In
all probability the Journal o.qciel will contain two days
after the Plebiscite the definitive nomination of the new
Foreign Minister.
LADY DOCTORS.—" Mater " writes to the Lancet
on the subject of lady doctors, and, giving several strong
reasons against the creation of female M.D.'s, she says :
"No woman, in any dangerous crisis calling for calm
nerve and prompt action, would trust herself in the hands
of a woman. Physically, women are not fitted to be
doctors, for this very coolness and strength of nerve
are wanting, or, from the constitutional varia-
tions bf the female system, at the best are
uncertain and not to be relied upon. Morally, women
are not fitted to be doctors, because they cannot
(even the best of them) hold their tongues. Who can
forbid to the fair doctoress, that one dearest friend, to
whom, "in confidence," the interesting case of Mrs. M.
or Mrs. N. could be duly " talked over," and in process of
time communicated to every lady within a radius of
several miles ? Let women, adds the writer, be nurses,
tenders of the sick, free from the very faintest taint of
prudery or affectation in anything and everything
that comes in their way when helping and notainmg the
sufferings of the around them ,•but let there be a line
beyond which they shrink from treading.
he Times Philadelphia correspondent telegraphs:
" he Tariff Bill is still before the House of Represen-
tatives. As the duty on steel wires the Protectionists
proposed 5 and 6 cents per lb. but the House restored
the present duty, 2i and 3 cents per lb., and in addition
20 per cent. Steel railway frogs, &c., now pay 45 per
cent. The proposed duty was at cents per lb. The
gouse fixed 2i cents. Steel car wheel§ now pay 45 per
dent., *id the proposed duty was 3 cents per lb., but the
1191 PP Ued 3 ikeats.
-

FRANCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAM.)
The following appeared in our Third Edition of yester-
day

PARIS, May 6.

Yesterday a numerously attended private meeting
was held in the eighth arrondissement. A delegate
having been sent to M. Thiers, that gentleman re-
plied that having already pronounced against the
Plebiscite, he had now resolved to maintain an atti-
tude of complete reserve. Although he did not agree
with the Government, be believed it to be still suffi-
ciently liberal to deserve support.

The meeting unanimously censured this declaration,
and resolved that in future they would withdraw
their support from M. Thiers.
A proclamation of the coMmittee of the Left and
the Democratic press has been published, which pro-
tests against the exaggerated proportions given to
the conspiracy against the Emperor's life, and the
manner in which it had been used by the Govern-
ment. The proclamation appeals to electors to vote
negatively.

CHINA.

HONG KONG, April 19.

The news of a serious defeat of the In penal army
at Shansi (Northern China) is confirmed. Lew, the
commander, and 20,000 troops were, it is stated,
killed.