The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-16 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 16, 1850-

ASSIZIO INTELLIGENCE.

NORFOLK CIRCIIIT.—BEDFORD, JULY 15.
(Before Mr. Justice Coleridge.)
HORRID CASE OF STARVATION.

Samuel Barrett, a shepherd, aged 65, Susannah Barrett,
his wife, aged 64, and Elizabeth Barratt, aged 28, their
daughter, were Indicted for the manslaughter of another
daughter, named Ellen, at the parish of Aslpey Guise.
From the evidence, it appeared that the two female pri-
soners have for some years past kept three of the (laugh;
tars in a stete of the most cruel bondage that can be con-
ceived. The three girls were made to sit 14 hours every
dey eat the lace pillows, and obliged to make fire feet
length of lace each per day ; they were never allowed to go
out of doors in the whole week, and only occasionally to a
school on the Sunday. These poor creatures were utter
strangers to any of the games and amusements of children;
and what is even worse, they were almost strangers to the
ordinary nourishment and wholesome food which children
require.. The general routine of their wretched lives was
to rise early in the morning and sit down at once to the
lace pillow ; at breakfast time they had served out to them
barley meal, stirred into a kind of hasty pudding, at din-
ner the same, or a single slice of bread and lard or dripping,
and the same kind of supper. This was a little varied by
the substitution of coarse dog-feed oatmeal, and once a
week of potatoes, with a small vestige of pork ; and only
twice during the last two years they were refreshed with
some hot water poured over the coffee-grounds which the
parents and elder sister had used. If the poor children
failed to make the required quantity of lace they were sent
to bed without their miserable supper. In addition to
other cruelties, the three girls were compelled to sit in a
front room without fire, whilst the others had a fire in the
room which they occupied. Twice only doting last
winter were they allowed to be near a fire ; and upon
several oceasions when Ellen, the deceased, went into
the back room to warm herself, her eldest sister, the
prisoner Elizabeth, drove her back again. Severe beatings
were often inflicted upon them. The mother would beat,
whilst Elizabeth held her Land over the child's mouth.
Both the surviving children swore positively that their
sister Ellen had been flogged with stinging nettles, and., at
the suggestion of Elizabeth, the mother had put- nettles
next to the child's body, and made her tit upon them. On
other occasions she had been compelled to eat rabbit's dung,
sheep dung, and cow dung. Her constitution at length
gave way, and she fainted at her lace pillow, and fell on
the floor, lent this led to no relaxation of the harsh treat-
ment she received, and still she was compelled to work out
her allotted length of lace. All at once, in April last, the
poor girl complained that her fingers were bent, and that
she could not fix the lace-pins; the length of lace was
therefore not made, for which she was sent to bed without
supper two nights, and made to stand naked next morn-
ing in her shift. On the night of the 29th March she said
she was very hungry, and begged her mother to give her
some supper. The mother's answer to this appeal was a
beating with her doubled-up stays. The poor child got
into bed, with her two wretched companions, and to com-
fort herself sang a hymn ; then, feeling herself weak, and
thinking of the daily tack, she uttered a little prayer, end-
ing with " Lord Jesus, let me do my work next week."
Next morning she was past all earthly troubles ; her poor
life had ended with that simple prayer, and no groan nor
sigh indicated to her sisters and companions in misery that
her task was completed. Dr. Williams, whe made a post
mortem examination of the body, was amazed at the small-
ness of the child, when he was informed that she was 18
years of age. The body was that of a little child of 11
years of age, and the stomach was so small that it was diffi-
cult to find it under the large and inflated intestine. Less
than an ounce of food was found in the stomach and in-
testines ; there were no appearances of natural disease, and
the head was disproportionately developed compared with
the puny body ; the brain showed great excitement. The
treatment she had suffered accounted for all these appear-
ances. It was proved that poverty did not drive the
parents to starve their children, for the house was well
furnished, and they and the elder sister lived tolerably well.
It was also proved that when the sister paid a man for con-
veying some goods to the house, he saw at least 20 pieces
of gold in a box there. It is supposed that the mother and
daughter obtained a profit out of the excessive work im-
posed on the three younger ones. In favour of the father
it was suggested that he was ignorant of much of this, as
he went out to work early, and returned late, and left his
wife to manage. As a proof that the food given to the
three children was bad and insufficient, a curious piece of
evidence was given. The two survivors were taken to the
Leighton Union house, and fed with the ordinary pauper
rations. On their admission, Charlotte who was seven-
teen years of age, weighed 46i lbs., and in twenty.eight
days she increased to 611bs. Julia who was fifteen years
of age, weighed 391b5., and increased to 541bs. Since that
time the latter has gained 2lbs. and the former remains of
the weight of albs. ; and those who saw the diminutive
creatures in court giving their evidence will not soon for-
get the humiliating spectacle. The children are by no
means ill-favoured but the sharpness of their intellect con-
trasts strangely and unnaturally with their extreme child-
like bodies.

The jury found the prisoners all Guilty, but recom.
mended the man to mercy.
The Judge accordingly passed upon him the lesser sen•
tence of 12 months' hard labour, and sentenced the women
each to 4 years' penal servitude.
This ended the assize business.

him away with my left hand (bile I shot at her with my
right. After a pause, and shedding tears, she fell.
At this stage of the proceedings, Mr. Franklin, the chief
usher, remarked that the prisoner was in so weak a condi-
tion as to be scarcely able. to stand, and upon Lis (the
officer's) representation, he was all Owed to be seated..
A certificate was produced by the inspector, setting
forth that the young woman,'" Emily Luker, was smffering
from a gun-shot wound which rcndere.t her incapable of
leaving the hospital (St. Mary's) at present."
Mr. Broughton (to the prisoner)—Do you wish. to say
anything ? , •
Prisoner—l at sorry for the act I have committed. My
mind and feelings were so excited that they overcome me,
and I didn't know what I was doing.
The prisoner was remanded till Tuesday next. He was
then locked up, and at five o'clock was conveyed away in
the Government van to the House of Detention, Olerken-
well. A crowd of persons had assembled to witness his
departure.

WESTMINSTER.-- TVilliqm, Cliaa7)ers, a cab driver,
was charged with refusing to take a fare.
Captain Charles Baynes Said that he left Crenatorne
Gardens at 1 a.m. on the4th inst., and got into defend-tries
cab, which was on the rank. Defendant refused to go to
Turnham Grean.

Defendant at first professed forgetfulness of the: trans-
action, but afterwards said that his master's stablkes were
in the Caledonian-road, and that had he taken the gentle-
man ho should not have got home till 3 or 4 in the
morning•

Mr. Paynter observed that persons went to places of
public amusement relying upon finding the means of get-
ting away, and if cabmen put their carriages upoir the
rank the public expected as a right that they were to do
the work required of them, by driving wherever they were
desired.
Defendant's master said he had hal the horse out from
nine in the morning, and when the gentleman called him
it was high time defendant drove towards home.
As defendant had been very civil Mr. Paynter only in-
flicted the penalty of ss. and costs, but observed that cab-
men were bound to go w4erever they were ordered.

MARLBOROTTEI-STitEXT.—Mr. Dove, the relieving
cfficer of St. James's, asked.' Mr. Beadon what he was to
do with Thomas Brown, a lad just discharged from prison
for theft, and otherwise a bad character, who had been
taken temporarily into the workhouse, on his application,
after his visit to this court on Friday?
Mr. Beadon wool I set the lad to work. That would be
the best way to ascertain whether he was really willing to
labour for his subsistence in preference to thieving.
Mr. Dove said he would put the lad to stone breaking,
or some work that the parish could command.
Twelve postage stamps have been received for the use of
Brown, whose real name is Farrell. They will be put into
the poor-lox.
-From J. F.H., 2s. 6d. ; Lady M., 11.; A. B. E., stamps,
Gs. ; and T. 8., 3/., have been received for the poor-box.

SOUTH WARK.—Several poor women, who have for
many years gained a livelihood by selling fish on the Surrey
ride of London-bridge, were summoned before Mr.
A'Beckett by direction of Superintendent Bronford, of the
Al division, for exposing their goods for sale and obstruct-
ing the thoroughfare to the annoyance of tile passengers.
The defendants said that they hid sat there since the
building of new London-bridge, when they had permission
from the Bridge commission, Alderman Lucas and Alder-
man Humphrey. They prevented nuisances being com-
mitted there, and in fact were a boon to the public. One
of the defendants handed a petition to Mr. A'Beckett,
signed by Alderman Humphrey, all the oacttpants of
Hiberniapchambers, and several other merchants, setting
forth that the stalls in question were not a nuisance,
neither were they any annoyance to them or the public.
Mr. A'Beckett asked the constables whether the stalls
were a nuisance, or caused any annoyance or obstruction ?
The constables replied that they were not.
Mr. A'Beckett then inquired why they were summoned 2
The officers replied that they were directed to take the
names and addresses of the defendants on the spot, and
report them at the station-house. The summonses were
afterwards taken out.

Mr. A'Beckett said, that as it was not proved that the
defendants had caused any obstruction or annoyance, the
summonses must be dismissed.

Several other poor people having stalls in gateways in
High-street were similarly charged, but as it was not
proved that they had caused any annoyance or obstruction,
Mr. A'Beckett dismissed the summonses.

LAMBETH.—Mr. Peckham, the attorney of Mr. Daniel.
William Wade, who was committed from this court last
week, on the charge of cutting and wounding with a sword
a man named Nowland, and also on a charge of assault on
Mrs. Strickland, by horsewhipping her, served Mr. Elliott
with an order to admit Mr. Wade to bail. Mr. Elliott
having refused to accept bail for Wade's appearance at the
Old Bailey, and he was in consequence committed, but
since then an application has been made to Mr. Justice
Crowder, in chambers, and yesterday, after hearing his
attorney at some length, his lordship made an order for
Wade's discharge, upon his putting in sureties, himself in
2001., and two others in 1001. each.

From the London Gazette of Last Night.

mand, unliquidatel, against, thl said proczeds, are required
to transmit the particulars of any such il,,wand to the Re-
gistrar of the High Court of Admirali.y, in order that the
same may be examined, to ;o],::pd allowed by that Officer,
and paid under the sanction of the judge of the said court.
Agents and all other persons holding powers of attorney,
prize orders, assignments, or other instruments, by virtue
of which they may-be legally entitled to'claim the share be-
longing to any captor, are requested, with as little delay as
possible, to transmit the came, acer:.opanied by the usual
documents, to the Prize Branch of the Department of the
"Accountant-General of the Navy, Admiralty, Somer-
set-house."

Duo notice will be given, by future advertisements in
the London Gazette, of the date proposed for the com-
mencement of distribution ; and, at the same time, the
amount of an individual's share in the respective classes
Will be announced.

BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED.
Richard Nelson, tailor and woollen draper, Leeds.
BANKRUPTS.
John McMillan, publican, Wolverhampton, to surrender,
July 25 and Aug. 15, at eleven, at the Birmingham Dis-
trict Court. Whitmore, official assignee, Birmingham ;
Bartlett, Wolverhampton ; Motterain and Knight, Bir-
mingham.

Eliza Horner, cabinet maker, Manchester, July 25 and
August 20, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court.
Fraser, official assignee, Manchester ; Lamb, Manchester.
John P. Davies, chemist, Merthy Tydfil, July 28, and
Aug. 2d, at elevon, at the Bristol District Court. Acra-
man, offilial assignee, Bristol; Brettan and Sons, Bristol.
John Blakoley and James Blakeley, builders, Flockton,
Yorkshire, July 25 and Aug. 22, at eleven, at the Leeds
District Court. Young, official assignee, Leeds ; Chad-
wick, Dewsbury ; or Bond and Barwick, Leeds.
Samuel Sketchley, scrivener, Horncastle, Lincolnshire,
July ZO, and Aug. 20, at twelve, at the Leeds District
Court. Hope, official assignee, Leeds ; Tweed, Lincoln.

SCOTCH SEQUESTRATION.
Willock and Livingston, ironmongers, smiths, So., Ar-
gyll.street, Glasgow, and plumbers and builders, Govan,
near Glasgow.
PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED.

R. and A. Tooth, Mincing-lane, merchants—J., I.,and
R. C. Tucker, Bridport, twine manufacturers, as ar as
regards J. Tucker—J. Carr and J. Heptinstall, Barnsley,
linen, canvas, and hair seating warp manufacturers—R.
Sheryer and A. Cotisbea, Cobham, Surrey, ironmongers,
blacksmiths, and farriers—J. Viney, jun., R. Walton, and
S. Bushell, London, Cane Town, and Sydney—W. and E.
Ellor, and B. Bebro, Manchester, fent dealers, as far as
regards B. Bebro—E. and J. Box, Dursley, clock and
watchmakers, silversmiths and jewellers—H. Chown, J.
Window, and J. W. Meears. Croydon, manure manufac-
turers, as far as regards J. Window —R. Scholefield, W.
Scholefield, jun., and J. Osborne —J., W., and T. Bing-
ham, Liverpool, commission merchants, as far as regards
T. Binglsaam—E. and J. Senior, J. Fenton, and J. Bailey,
Heckmondwike, scribblers, carders, and spinners of wool,
as far as regards J. Senior--J. Willcoe,k and R. Bing,
Manchester, coal merchants—F. Ciarke and J. C;Jerome,
Bentley, Staffordshire, iron and coal ma:Asti—J. Lock-
wood, and W. Keighlay, Huddr,rsfial,l, morcbants—F. H.
Chambers, T. Parkin, and S. Bennis n, Btampton, near
Chesterfield, brewers ; a, far as regards F. H. Chambers-
3. H. Wilson and T. Denby, Gainsborougla .geocers, tallow
chandlers and chease factors—W. Jackson and W. Whita-
ker, Sowerby, wors;ael witrzers—W, R. Williaina and T.
Clapham, Strand, goldsmiths and je,aell:ri—R. Noble
and S. Merryweather, lVbit,h , sar;oon doatists—W.
Ayton and J. W. B Utley, Bonaconira)nand Talith-street,
Hackney-road, lampblack manuf.teturars eaal tar distillers
-aJ. J. Nicholls and G. Bareacloaeli,
.the eihades, near
London-bridge, and King William-street, City, wine mer-
chants and dealers in wines an,' spirits —R, D. Newton
and J. V. Watkins, Warwick-square, r'ewgate-street, ad-
vertising agents—B. Christy and J. Sale, A-Awell, Hert-
fordshire, brewers and matlsters—W.. IL and J. Bliss,
Oxford, painters.
DECLARATION OF DIVIDENDS.
E. Dawes, Wolverhampton, licensed victualler and tim-
ber dealer—first div. of 2s. lid. in the pound, any Friday,
at, the office of Mr. Whitmore, Birmingham.
J. Edge, Itidderminster, carpet manufacturer—first div.
of 4d. in the pound, any Thursday, at the office of Mr.
Christie, Birmingham.