The Sun.
London, England, 1870-01-19 00:00:00

THE FINSBURY MURDER.

The lody of the doubly unfortunate Cecelia Aldridge
who was murdered at an hotel in Finstury by a Swiss
named Spinas, has Leen identified by her sister, a machinist
at a City work-room. The father and mother live in Liver-
pool. They made their child leave home when she fell into
"misfortune."

The man Spinas, who is charged with the Finsbury
murder, has made the following statement :—" I was lying
asleep on the bed in my room when some person approached
my bedside. I did not then know that it was a woman
that was in the room. I had been drinking, and
when I was suddenly awoke up out of my sleep
I thought that some person had got into the
house with the intention of robbing it. The first
thing I saw when I awoke was an object in the dark, and
thinking I was dealing with a robber, I caught hold of the
candlestick and struck at the object. I then let go the
candlestick, and took hold of a champagne bottle, and
struck at the object again. After I had been striking at
the object some time it fell upon the floor, and I then
found that I had been striking a woman. I think that she
got into the house by some means, and that her intention
was to rob it."

THE DIGNITY OF THE QUEEN'S BENOIT.
At the rising of the Court of Queen's Bench en Tues-
day, Mr. Mellish, Q.C., applied that the next case on the
special paper, " Notara v. Henderson," might be postponed
until this day week, on the ground that his learned friend,
Mr. Milward, Q.C., who was with him in the case, would
be engaged at the Privy Council at the time when, in its
regular course, this case would come on for hearing,
The Lord Chief Justice said the court had shut its ears
to such applications.
Mr. Mellish: I thought the Privy Council and the House
of Lords had a privilege.
Mr. Justice Mellor: What privilege?
Mr. Mellish: We are always obliged to be there.
Mr. Justice Lush : Because they won't put off these
cases.

Mr. Mellish : They are considered to take precedence on
account of their dignity.
The Lord Chief Justice: The Judicial Committee of the
Privy Council is not an appellant tribunal for this Court.
The House of Lords is quite another thing; it is a Court
of Appeal from us. As to the Privy Council, I
do not admit for a moment that it has a
a superior dignity to this court. In any appeal from this
court to the House of Lords or the Exchequer Chamber,
well; but I do not understand why our business is to be
postponed for the business of the Judicial Committee of
the Privy Council.
The application was accordingly refussd.

REVIEWING TAXATION ON ELECTION

PETITIONS.

In the Court of Common Pleas on Tuesday, the rules ob-
tained against the taxing-masters(who were supposed to have
unduly reduced the charges made Ly the successful
against the unsuccessful parties to the petitions at
Tamworth, Penryn and Falmouth, and Southampton)
were argued by counsel. The first taken was
that of Tamworth, where Sir Robert Peel had been
petitioned against, but it was found that the charges
against him were unfounded, and consequently, the peti-
tioners were called upon to pay the costs. On those costs
being reviewed by the taxing master, several items were
disallowed. The principal were those in reference to tho
fees of counsel, refreshers, and consultations. Mr.
Henry James, Q.C., M.P., on behalf of the unsuccessful
petitioner, supported the revieming of the cots of the
taxing master. iue leading counsel's feo was reduced
from 200 guineas to 100 guineas; the junior's from 150
guineas to 75 guineas; leading counsel's refreshers
were reduced to 25 guineas, and junior counsel's
to 15 guineas: and, with regard to consultations,the master
had disallowed all but one consultation. Mr. James
submitted that he was placed in an invidious position in
attempting to argue that his friend Mr. Giffard was not
worth all that was paid him ; but ho thought if Sir Robert
Peel chose to have gentlemen of great eminence at the
bar, he must pay for them cut of his
own pocket. On the other side, Mr. Giffard
contended that election petitions were very exceptional
trials, and must be exceptionally dealt with, having regard
to the voluminous and difficult nature of the
inquiry.— Their lordships decided upon hearing the other
petitions before giving judgment,as they involved precisely
the same points.
The next case was that of the election petition for
Penryn and Falmouth, in which Fowler and others
were the respondents. The trial of the petition
occupied two days, and Mr. Giffard, Q.C.'s fee .was 300
guineas, with 50 guineas per day; and Mr. Serjeant Sleigh's
150 guineas, and 40 guineas per day. The taxing
master had reduced Mr. Giffard's fee in the first place to
100 guineas, but taking into consideration the distance
from London, he had added 25 guineas, thus making it
125 guineas for fee, and 25 guineas instead of 50 guineas por
day. In Serjeant Sleigh's case the 150 guineas fee was re-
duced to 95 guineas, and the 20 guineas per day in place of
40 guineas. Other reductions were made for refreshers
and consultations.

The Southampton petition was next taken. The costs
of preliminary expenses reviewed in this case amounted
to £987; and the agent of the two members
against whom the petition was taken cut attempted
to explain this large expenditure by stating that the
petitioners were acting improperly by offering induce-
ments to voters to give evidence against the respondents;
and he alleges it was necessary to have two clerks down
at Southampton to watch the petitioner's proceedings,
as soon as the petition was presented. These costs had
been reduced to 120 guineas; and he contended
that this was reasonable and proper. Mr. Giffard
said he held the brief, which consisted of 326
pages, and there were 88 witnesses, and 160 voters were
charged with all the bribery and corruption in the Act.
The arguments occupied the whole day: and at their con-
clusion, the court reserved its judgment

BIRMINGHAM AND MIDLAND INSTITUTE.—Pro-
fessor Lyon Playfair, M.P., has accepted the office of pre-
sident of the.institute for the current year. In the course
of his letter to Mr. Gausby, the senior vice-president, he
says ," I accept the office with pride and satisfaction.
The Midland Institute wap one of the earliest institutions
in the country to recognise the importance which science
and art are assuming in their rel4ipns to industry. I had
the satisfaction of joining with others in giving one gentle
push to its cradle; and now that it has grown to manhood,
it is gratifying to find that the friends of its youth have
not been forgotten. Express my thanks to your Council
or their gratifying nomination of me."

THE RUSSIAN SOCIALISTS.—The St. Petersburg
correspondent of the Posen Gazette tells a curious story,
which, ho says, is now current in the Russian Court, apropos
of the newly-discovered Socialist conspiracy. Last autumn,
during the stay of the Imperial family at Livadia, au
aide-de-camp of the Emperor's suit one day found in
his coat-pocket an anonymous pamphlet, in which a
striking parallel is drawn between the present state of
Russia and that of France before the Revolution. The
Government of Nicholas is compared with that of
Louis XIV., and the rule of Alexander 111. with that of
Louis XV., the fate of Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette
being foretold for the presetit Czarewitch and the Princess
Dagmar, who is accused of frivolity, arrogance, and love
of dress. The anonymous writer concludes as fol-
lows:—" The Russian revolution will be far more bloody
and terrible than that of Franca in 170 ; for
the despotism of the Czars is harder than that of
the French kings, and Russian society far exceeds
that of France iu immorality, brutality, and ignorance."
This pamphlet was given by the aide-de-camp to a lady of
the Court, who showed it to the Emperor and Empress. The
latter, on reading it, was thrown into a paroxysm of fear ; she
went immediately to the Princess Dagmar, and after approach-
ing her with her love of finery and want of devotion, implored
her to alter her mode of life, as otherwise she was sure the
words of the pamphlet would come true, and both the
princess and her husband would perish on the scaffold. On
hearing these reproaches the Princess Dagmar burst into
tears, and complained to the Czarewitch. The consequence
was that both of them left Livadia a few hours after. Since
this family scene, adds the correspondent, the Empress
has often had long fits of depression, and passes most of
her time iri 441 EIC4Oti of OW Well-knOWia tVvote, Countess
1,100,

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HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, Jan. 18.

Her Majesty, accompanied by her Royal High-
ness Princess Louise, walked and drove in the
grounds this morning.
Their Royal Highnesses Princess Christian and
Princess Beatrice alto went out.

LATEST INTELL LC-EN

(REUT'ER'S TELEGRAMS.)

11-IE PROSECUTION OF ROCHEFORT]
PARIS, Jan. 19.

The Mar&illaise of to-day confirms the state-
ment that the trial of M. Rochefort will take place
on Saturday next.

ITALY.

BRINDISI, Jan. 19.

The Adriatic and Oriental Mail Steampacket
Company's steamer Priucipe Tomaso, 81 hours
from Alexandria, has arrived here. The mails will
be delivered in London on Saturday morning.

AMERICA.

(Per French Atlantic Cable.)
NEW YORK, Jan. 18.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
CLOSING PRICES.
Gold closed at 121 f ; the highest quotation dur-
ing the day was 1211; the lowest, 121 f.
Sterling Exchange on London lO9.
5-20 U. S. Bonds, 1882 ll5l.
i 4 "
1885 ll4
t 4 " 1867 ll4k.
10-40 "

Illinois 139.

Erie

Cotton—Mid. upland 253c.
Petroleum—Standard White 3lic.
Flour, extra state, ss.oc. to $5.60c. 'Corn, old
mixed, sl.2c.
According to Messrs. Moffatt Davidis and Co.'s •
report, the receipts of cotton at all ports for the
last four days have been 55,000 bales. Shipments
to England 12,000 bales, to France 2,000, and to
the Continent 4,C00 bales. Middling upland 11,
•
cost and freight, per steamer.
SOUTHAMPTON, Jan. 19.
The North German steamer America, from New
York on the Bth inst., arrived here this morning.
She brings 90 passengers, 87 sacks of mails, and
$57,900 in specie for London.