The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-04 00:00:00

MON DAY EVENING, AUGUST 4 1851

THE CRYSTAL PALACE.'
(From the Derbyshire Courier.)
The recent vote of the House of Commons will,
probably, lead to the adoption of as judicious an ar-
rangement with respect to this edifice as could, under
all circumstances, be desired. It is evidently better
to allow a little time before the ultimate destiny of
the Crystal Palace is decided on. Once removed,
like a gigantic oak, it cannot be replaced. Try,
we say, the effects of its remaining as it is.
If it should be found to produce serious incon-
venience to the courtly inhabitants of the district—if
it cannot be made to resist "the winter's flaw"—if it
is not appreciated or frequented by the numerous class
for whose recreation and advantage we would princi-
pally retain it—then pull it down. And what makes
us more inclined to suggest that the Crystal Palace
should, at least, have a fair trial, is, that never, we
think we may affirm within our recollection, have
prognostications of evil been so entirely falsified as
those which only a few months since were confidently
uttered by some of those very parties who now op-
pose the continuance of this magnificent edifice.
We might fill our paper with a list of the evils which
we were told must inevitably result from the Great
Exhibition. Plague, pestilence, and famine were to
attend its inauguration ; revolution was to " dog its
end ;" that portNntous enemy of the British agri-
culturists, " the- foreigner," after having ruined
our own people by Bending us too much food,
was about to break out in a new line of mis-
anthropic ferocity, and breed a famine in the
land by his voracious capacities of consumption. But
" the foreigner" was not only to deprive us of the
food which he had previously, with malice prepense to
ruin our agriculture, sent us, but he was also to im-
port (duty free) all kinds of unknown and unheard-of
diseases, of which Milton's self was ignorant when he
described the fall as entailing on man—
" Convulsions, epilepsies, fierce catarrhs,
Intestine stone and ulcer, colic pangs,
Demoniac phrenzy, moaping melancholy,
And moon-struck madness, pining atrophy,
Marasmus, and wide-spreading pestilence."
These, alas ! we have known and felt, but nameless
horrors and revolting maladies such only as " fo-
reigners " are subject to, were to invade, for the first
time, our shores. And then our principles ! The
food which our children should eat might be snatched
from their lips, our bodies might be racked with un-
heard-of maladies, but, retaining our integrity, we
might still be a happy people. But here were myriads of
dark, designing democrats, full of "treasons, strata-
gems, and wiles," coming from every remote asylum of
conspiracy to seduce the loyalty of the British public,
and corrupt the social and political principles of
Finsbury and the Tower Hamlets ! Now, gentlemen
alarmists, what has really happened P We have re-
cently made a pilgrimage to the Great Exhibition, to
judge for ourselves. Of course we husbanded our
scanty resources for the occasion, in fearful anticipa-
tion of the extraordinary outlay. But our fears have
subsided. Our beef-steak and accompaniments,
with bread at discretion, can—as we have great
pleasure in assuring those of our friends who have
not yet visited the World's Fair—be obtained for the
customary half-crown. The "foreigners," it is true,
wear beards to an awful extent, but though, in our
opinion, not so well-looking as ourselves, they ap-
pear in tolerably good condition. The health of
the metropolis has not deteriorated—the fees of the
physicans remain as they were. At this pre-
sent time of writing there is no apparent symp.
tom of a revolution. In fact, just now, there is less
talk about politics than usual. Well-conducted, plea-
sure-seeking, and pleasure-finding crowds, among
whom the " foreigners" are almost lost, frequent the
Great Exhibition day by day. Sir Robert Inglis
candidly admits that his fears have not been
realized, though Colonel Sibthorp, like a consistent,
high-principled statesman as he is, magnanimously
refuses to be convinced. In the meantime, it
is our conviction that the Exhibition has fully an-
swered the expectation of its most sanguine promoters.
It has promoted much good feeling between distant
nations. It has taught some lessons of kindliness
to all. It has afforded to artizans and manufac-
turers many means of improvement in their-several
occupations. We shall learn much from our foreign
friends; let us hope that they also may learn
something from us. And last, not least, the " harm-
less amusement of the nation," which Dr. Johnson
did not think a thing of small account, has been
perhaps more extensively promoted than has ever
before been known. We return, then, to the point
from which we started,land say,—The Exhibition has
had its trial and has succeeded, allow the Exhibition
House its trial also. Festina lente.

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.—The Queen will
arrive in London from Osborne, on Thursday next, and will
hold a Council on that day at three o'clock, in Buckingham
Palace, when her Majesty's Speech on the Prorogation of
Parliament will be settled. The prorogation will take place
on Friday, and the Session will be closed, as we stated last
week, by the Queen in person. After the prorogation the
Court will return to Osborne, and remain there in the Isle
of Wight till after the 26th of August, the birthday of his
Royal Highness Prince Albert, which will be celebrated with
rural sports in the usual manner.
Sir George Grey recovers but very slowly from his
severe indisposition, the Right Hon. Baronet being still too
unwell to transact bwiness.
WEYMOUTH, Aua. 2.—Wind W.—Arrd. Abigail,
Quebec.

ILFORD PETTY SESSIONS—Aug 2.
(Before Mr. W. W. MAITLAND, Mr. W. DAVIS, Mr. J
_ _

DAVIS, and Mr. 0. MASSHITER.)
Mr. Edward Ellis, the proprietor of Grove-house,
Chigwell, Essex, and Frederick Wright, James Page, and
Richard Metcalfe, servants in his employ, were placed
at the bar, charged with illicit distillation; the former
with being the proprietor of the stills, and the other
three defendants with working the same.
From the evidence, it appeared that on Friday night,
Mr. D. Scott, supervisor of inland revenue, accompanied
by Mr. W. Bridges, an inspector of the Thames Police,
and who also holds an Excise commission, proceeded to
the country residence of Mr. E. Ellis, the Grove•house,
Chigwell, which is a most spacious mansion, with a lawn
and garden in front, having all the external appear-
ance of belonging to a family of the highest respecta-
bility. To avoid observation they made their way to
the back of the house; but upon going up towards
the kitchen door, they met Mrs. Ellis, the wife of
the principal defendant, to whom they communicated
that they were officers, and had come to search the pre-
mises. Having gained admission they found the lower
part of the houso fitted up as a distillery on a most ex-
tensive scale, and in a very costly manner. One still
was set up in the front kitchen, and another in the back,
both at full work, and running off spirits from the worms.
In the back kitchen they found Wright attending to the
still, and soon after Metcalfe came in from the yard.
While they were in the front kitchen they heard a noise
as of some person making his escape at the back, whom
they afterwards ascertained was James Page, a servant
in the employ of Mr. Ellis. Having left Wright and
Metcalfe in the custody of Mr. Bridges, Mr.lScott and a
policeman went in search of Page, whom they found at
home in bed. They examined his clothes, which by '
their smell and appearance clearly indicated that he had
been at work in the distillery. They accordingly ar-
rested him, and took him back to Mr. Ellis's, when
Metcalfe acknowledged that Page had been in
the still-house shortly before; Between one and two
o'clock on Saturday morning, Mr. Ellis came home with
a horse and cart which was loaded with coke, a
large barrel of yeast, and several parcels of empty blad-
ders that had recently contained spirits. He was asked
whether he was the proprietor of the house? He said
there would be no use in his denying it, and at once ac-
knowledged that he was proprietor of the premises, and
that his residence in town, where he carried on business,
was Bostock-street, London Docks. He said that Page
was his house servant, whom he sometimes employed in
working in his gardens, and at other times in the dis-
tillery. He said that the boy Metcalfe was his nephew,
who had been acting under his directions, and sorry ho
was for having been the cause of bringing the boy into
the ways of error. They found about 300 gallons of
fermented molasses wash ready for distillation, from
forty to fifty gallons of spirits, a great quantity of barrels,
and all the necessary apparatus for carrying on an ex-
tensive trade.
The magistrate convicted Edward Ellis, Frederick
Wright, and James Page, in the penalty of aol. each, or
three months' imprisonment, with hard labour, in Ilford
gaol. Metcalfe was ordered to be discharged.

will allay the apprehension likely to arise from the
report.
Sir P. LAURIE—We are extremely obliged to you for
coming here to give us such information. I dare say
that you will see a proper notice of your complaint in
the newspapers, and I shall give directions that imme-
diate information be officially given to the Commis-
sioners of the Metropolitan Police Force, in whose ex-
tensive district the fire balloons must be sent up. The
case, in my opinion, comes immediately under the clause
of the Police Act, which enables a magistrate to inflict
a severe penalty for letting off fireworks or combustible
matter; and the places to be watched are of course the
gardens which advertise lists of perilous entertainments.
I am convinced that an application to Mr. Mayne, the
Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, will
immediately be attended to. I regret to be obliged to
say, that when notice is given of any dangerous or hor-
rible exhibition, the draught of people is always enor-
mous. Such is the case with regard to the poor creatures
who are in the habit of exposing their lives in the air,
the fatal accidents to whom are sure to increase the
spectators at the succeeding exhibitions.
Sir P. LAURIE fixed Thursday next for the hearing of
a case of much public importance connected with the pos-
session of a pianoforte which had been lent upon hire
and sent to a sale-room to be disposed of. Counsel are,
we understand, to be heard upon the case, which has
excited a great deal of curiosity, and it is expected that
numbers of the trade will be present upon the occasion.

MARY LEBOIVE.
Richard Richards, living at No. 3, Weir's-passage,
Somers-town, was placed at the bar before Mr. Long
for further examination, charged with having stolen
birds of paradise, ostrich, osprey, and other splendid and
valuable feathers, to the amount of upwards of 2001.
The prisoner was asked if he had any answer to make
to the charge, and he replied that he bought the feathers
found at his house.—He was fully committed for trial.
TV ORSHIP-STREET.
John Hackett, brother of the notorious George
Hackett, whose daring escape from the Model Prison
excited so much attention some months since, and a
well dressed young woman named Mary Ann King,
were charged upon suspicion of being concerned with
others not in custody in stealing three bales of silk, of
the value of 1131., the temporary property of a carrier
named Pope, and also upon another charge, the particu-
lars of which were as under:—
On or about the 9th of May last several bales, or
rather ballots, of unwrought silk were consigned from
one of the foreign silk houses to a manufacturing firm
in Spitalfields, and upon reaching Southampton were
forwarded to town by that railway. While in the course
of its transit Mr. Pope, an extensive carrier in Tower-
street, became the legal owner of the consignment, and
upon sending one of his carts to the warehouse to re-
ceive it, three of the bales, of the above value, were found
to have been stolen before they reached their destination.
leformation of the robbery was immediately given to
the police, and Sergeant Teekle, of the II division, and
Inspector Bridges, of the Thames-police, were instructed
to trace the thieves, but no clue could be obtained to the
silk till a month or five weeks ago, when information
was forwarded them that silk of that peculiar descrip-
tion had been offered for sale by the prisoner Hackett at
3s. or 3s. ad. pound. A scheme was then laid to entrap
the prisoner, but he succeeded in not only evading the
officers himself, but also in concealing the locality of
some stabling he was known to have until Saturday
morning se'nnight, when they traced him to his stables
at Pentonville, and pounced upon and secured him with
handcuffs. On telling him the nature of the charge he
stoutly denied all knowledge of the silk, but upon the
officers searching the stable they discovered a quantity
of canvass wrapper corresponding with that usually em-
ployed in covering silk bales, and matching other
wrappers handed to them at the docks for that purpose,
but torn into strips, apparently to prevent identification.
Upon searching further an illicit still was found, set in
brickwork, ready for working, and, their suspicions
being excited by the peculiar manner in which a large
cask was concealed by a number of bags and sacks, they
searched that also, and found inside a large tin can,
partially emptied of its contents, but still containing
seven gallons of turpentine. The spirit the :prisoner
claimed as his own, having, as he said, taken it in ex-
change for some spirits of wine he had sold to some
French polishers he dealt with, but he declined saying
of whom he had received the can itself, and this was
afterwards sworn to, from the initials stamped on it, by
the warehouseman of Messrs. Gabey and Wills, whole-
sale oilmen iu Shoreditch, as their property, but to
which of their customers supplied he could not tell.
Upon this state of facts the prisoner Hackett was re-
manded on Saturday week, and upon his being trans-
ferred to the van, for removal to the House of Detention,
his wife and the other prisoner King pressed forward
and urgently demanded his name. The prisoner con-
fusedly answered them " Hackett," upon which one of
the women exclaimed, " it, you fool!" in a tone of
vexation, and the prisoner was carried away.
A Mr. William Watkins, an oil and colourman at
Camden-town, was now in attendance, and stated—The
can and turpentine produced by the police are my pro-
perty, and were safe at my door between six and seven
on Friday evening week, but stolen at ten. I had them
from Messrs. Gabey and Wills, with whom I deal, and
on the next (Saturday) evening the prisoner King en-
tered my shop and said, " You had a bit of lark hero
last night, didn't you?" I said, " Yes, I had, for some-
body bad stolen a largo can of turps." " Well," said
she, " I have come to pay for it. Four men, car-
penters and shoemakers, all with wives and families,
were out for a spree and got intoxicated, and, taking
your can away without knowing what was in
it, kicked it about till they smelt something de-
vilish strong." I said they could not very well have
done that, it was so strong and heavy, but it did not
matter, and, showing her my invoice, explained that I
had sold three gallons, and that she had, therefore, to
give me 11. 9s. 3d. She said they had only given her a
sovereign, and on her representation I consented to take
it, gave her a receipt, and promised, if she brought me
the can back to allow her ss. more. She, however, did
not bring me the can, and I never saw her again till
now.
Sergeant Teakle said he saw the female prisoner out-
side the court that morning, in company of Hackett's
wife and mother, and, after cautioning her, asked if she
had not been to the last witness's house, and paid some
money, and got a receipt? " Oh," said the prisoner,
" You have told me I am not bound to answer your
questions unless I like, and I shall not, therefore, tell
you;" upon which he took her into custody and placed
her at the bar with Hackett. The sergeant added, that
he had then several witnesses in court to establish pos-
session of the stolen silk against Hackett, but, as he was
still in want of the evidence of two more witnesses, one
of them a constable, and should much prefer, in further-
ance of the ends cf justice, that they should all be ex-
amined together, he trusted the magistrate would grant
a remand until the requisite testimony could be ob-
tained to complete the case.
Mr. Heritage, who was retained for the defence,
strongly protested against the remand upon such incom-
plete evidence, as being unjust towards his client, and
expressed an opinion that, even as regarded the second
charge, the testimony adduced was wholly insufficient to
justify the male prisoner's detention.
Mr. ELIMMILL, however, said that he not only felt it
his duty to grant the interval the officers asked for, but
that he considered the evidence upon the second case so
conclusive that he should send both the prisoners to New-
gate for trial upon it.

SOUTH WARK.
Mr. David Edwards and Mr. William Edwards (the
former a magistrate in South Wales) were brought ,
before Mr. Jardine, charged with smoking in one of the ,
carriages on the Croydon Railway, and Mr. David Ed-
wards was charged with assaulting Mr. John Rowe, a
gentleman holding a situation in the Government service.
The complainant, whose right eye was much swollen,
said that on Friday evening he came up from Dover in a
second-class carriage, and on their arrival at the Anerley
station the defendants got in and commenced smoking
cigars immediately. There were several ladies in the
carriage, and the smoking was a nuisance to them,
which induced witness to interfere. Mr. David Edwards
pushed his cigar into witness's face, when he knocked it
out of his mouth, and received in return several blows on
the eyes, which render©d him insensible for some time.
The prisoners continued their unruly conduct until the
train arrived at the London-bridge station, whon witness
informed one of the constables connected with the rail-
way, and gave them into custody. Witness was em-
ployed by Government, and ought to be at Dover that
morning on particular business, but he considered that
on public grounds he was bound to press the present
charge. Mr. David Edwards said he was a magis-
trate, and he defied any b— magistrate to interfere
with him.
Maria Dolman, a widow lady, said she was in the same
carriage with Mr. Rowe, and saw the defendants get in at
Anerley. As soon as they got in they lighted their
cigars, and commenced smoking. Witness, as well as
several other women, remonstrated with them, and hoped
they would desist, when their language was dreadful
towards Mr. Rowe. Mr. David Edwards, using very
disgusting language, pushed his cigar into Mr. Rowe's
face, and on that gentleman resisting
him several blows on the eye. him, he struck
Mr. JARDINE—Did you complain of the smoking first?
Witness—l, as well as several other women, complained,
and, Mr. Rowe sitting near us, we appealed to him to
have the nuisance abated. So soon as Mr. Rowe spoke
to them one of the gentlemen struck him.
John William Boyd, a constable in the employ of the
South-Eastern Railway, said that on the arrival of the
train at London-bridge station Mr. Rowe informed him
that the defendants had assaulted him in the railway car-
riage, and had smoked their cigars, to the annoyance of
the other passengers. Perceiving that Mr. Rowe's face
was bleeding he took defendants into custody. Witness
produced the certified by-laws of the company, which
imposed a penalty upon any person who smoked in a
railway carriage.
Mr. JARDINE said that such conduct must be re-
pressed, and he was sorry that gentlemen in their posi-
tion of life should commit themselves in such a disgrace-
ful manner. He should fine each of them 10s. for
smoking in the railway carriage, and fine Mr. David
Edwards 40s. for the assault.
The defendants immediately paid the fine.
WANDSWORTH.
Mr. John Seward, of 8, Hereford-place, Commercial-
road, East, linendraper, was brought before Mr. Payn-
ter, charged by Mr. Charles F. Field, an inspector of
the detective force, with feloniously
receiving a quantity
of mousselin-de-laine and French merinoes, the pro-
perty of the South-Western Railway Company-
Mr. W. Wadham Young, the assistant-superintendent
of traffic on the South-Western line, Mr. Bent, the com-
pany's detective cheer, Inspector Browman, of the
G division, and Sergeant Shaw, of the detective force,
were present, and produced an enormous packagelin-
of
wrench merinoes of various colours, as also mousse
de-laines, and a peculiar rich and rare black merino, the
whole of which had been manufactured by a Paris house
for the firm of Candy and Co., Vir a ding-street, the latter

article being solely made for them, at a cost price of
10s. 6d. per yard.
Mr. Parry was specially retained for the accused.
M. Crombie, from Messrs. Bircham and Co.'s, Par-
liament-street, solicitors to the South-Western Railway
Company, attended to prosecute, and promised his case
by stating that on Monday last a man named Charles
Whither, carrying on business as a greengrocer in
Church-yard, Aldgatc, was charged before Mr. Beadon
with stealing 4001. worth of merino and mousseline-de-
laine, tho property of the railway company, but assigned
to Messrs. Candy and Co., an eminent firm in Watliug-
street, per the South-Western Railway, from Southamp-
ton, in the month of February last. The box was
stolen in its transit up the line, and was marked "C. C.
and C 0.," meaning Charles Candy and Company. It
having come to the knowledge of the directors of the
railway company that Mr. Seward, the prisoner, who,
with his brother, is carrying on an extensive business
at 6,7, and 8, Commercial-road East, had purchased a
large proportion of the stolen property, viz., to the ex-
tent of 600 or 700 yards, application was made on that
evening week. They produced a number of pieces of
merinoes and mousselin-de•laines, French manufacture,
and said that was all they had. The company were
then in hopes that Mr. Seward would have

appeared as a witness for the prosecution ;
but, unfortunately for the prisoner, it turned
out otherwise. Information had beea obtained
that amongst the goods stolen were two pieces of
black merino, which were made specially for Messrs.
Candy, at a trade cost of 10s. 6d. per yard, and were sold
to the prisoner at the price of 9d. per yard. Accord-
ingly, on Wednesday last Mr. Wadham Young, of the
railway company, Mr. Wilson, a gentleman connected
with Messrs. Candy's firm, and Mr. Inspector Field,
went to the prisoner's premises and challenged him with
having more goods than he accounted for. Ile (the pri-
soner) denied most positively having any more goods of
the description alluded to, and Inspector Field then said,
however oisagreeable the proceeding might be, he must
search the p,emises. That course was adopted, and the
officer would state in his evidence what additional pro-
perty he found; and in conclusion he would only state
that the directors of the South- Western Railway Com-
pany had considered it their duty, on behalf of the pub-
lic and themselves, to place the prisoner in the dock.
Mr. PAYNTEIL observed, that before any evidence was
gone into, he wished merely to remark that the case of
the great railway robberies had come originally before
Mr. I3eadon, his colleague, and, as it would again be
brought before him at a very early period, he only
wished sufficient evidence to be gone into to remand the
prisoner.
Mr. Charles Frederick Field was then sworn, and
stated that he was an inspector of the detective police.
In consequence of information he received, he went, ac-
companied by Mr. Wadham Young and Mr. Wilson, on
Wednesday last, to Mr. Seward's house, and asked for
Mr. John Seward, and introduced that person to Mr.
Wilson, telling him that he was a gentleman connected
with Messrs. Candy's house, and that he (the witness)
had reason to believe that he had got some more pro-
perty connected wiih the robbery on the South-West-
ern Railway, and that that property was purchased be-
fore his transaction with Whitcher, the remanded pri-
soner. The prisoner replied—" We have no more ; you
have had every yard." Witness said there were two
pieces of black mousselin, and the prisoner replied he
had not got them, and his brother came in and said in
prisoner's presence, " No, Mr. Field, you have had
every yard ; we have no more of it." Witness then
said, " Let Mr. Wilson see what you have got," and
the prisoner then went into another shop and brought
out eight pieces and a dress, on which he said
money had been paid. The material produced
was principally mousselin-de-laino in digerent co-
lours. Atter they had looked at these he said,
" Let us look at your black uterine." Some pieces were
produced from tender the counter, and Mr. Wilson put
his hand on one and identified it as a portion of the
stolen goods, and said to the prisoner, " What did you
give for this?" and the prisoner replied, " Why, I
bought it in a lot." Mr. Wilson then said, " Where
are the others?" and the prisoner replied, " Why, we
have sold them at 4s. 11d. the yard," and Mr. Wilson
replied, " Why, they cost us 10s. a yard, wholesale
price," meaning the black uterine. Witness then said
these good had been stolen, and he should take charge of
them.
By Mr. Parry—Saw Seward for the first time that
evening week, and communicated to him that goods had
been stolen from the South-Western Railway, and he
was supposed to have received them. He hesitated for
some time, and then said, " Let us go into the back
room"—meaning the shop parlour. He said be had
given 51. for the goods, and witness asked for the invoice;
he gave it him, but he had left it at home. In the invoice
it said
Mr. Parry here checked the witness, and said he must
oppose his stating what was not evidence, us the invoice
was not produced. The witness was believed to be one
of the cleverest officers in existence, and therefore he
must watch him.
The witness continued—He had had three interviews
with the prisoner, and the last was on Friday afternoon,
in his shop. He took away one lot of goods on last
Saturday night, and another lot on Wednesday.
By Mr. Crombie—l asked prisoner of whom he had
purchased the goods, and he said of a man named
Plampin, who he bed efterwards heard was tried and
convicted for the golddust robbery. The name in the
invoice was Roney.
By Mr. Parry—He did not, after being asked if it was
Whitcher, say be had discovered it was Plampin. He
said, Plampin passed as Roney when he sold the pro-
pet•ty. The prisoner said he paid Bd. and 9d. a yard,
taking the whole lot.
Mr. Parry now addressed the magistrate on behalf of
his client, oeserving he felt the case must be remanded,
and the simple application he should make was, that the
prisoner might be admitted to bail. He had been car-
rying on business twelve or fourteen years. These facts
had been brought to his knowledge a week that day.
The inspector had had several interviews with his cheat,
and, if he had felt himself a guilty man, had he not had
many opportunities to flee? He (Mr. Parry) had made
Mr. Crumbie acquainted with the prisoner's circum-
stances, and that gentleman knew he was enabled to give
bail to any amount. The prisoner had made no mis-
statement. Mr. Crombie, too, wanted to prove that the
prisoner bought the goods of Whitcher, and he said that
it was Plampin. On the subject of bail the railway
company always left it to the magistrate to put it at
such amount as would insure the attendance of the ac-
cused; that was, supposing the magistrate considered
himself justified in taking bail.
Mr. PAYNTER said, in his remarks, that whilst a case
was pending for trial he would never take bail for the
accused party, especially in such a ease as the present.
He had known the impolicy of such a step. Had the
depositio❑s been completed, he might have admitted the
prisoner to bail.