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

LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, J ULY 16, 1856.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORFOLK CIRCUIT.—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 Barrett, 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 throe of the daugh-
ters in a state of the most cruel bondage that can be con-
ceived. The three girls were made to sit 14 hours every
day at the lace pillows, and obliged to make five 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 during last
winter were they allowed to be near a fire ; and upon
several occasions 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 hand over the child's month.
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
nextlto the child's body, and made her sit 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, but 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. Th 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 task, 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, who made a post
mortenz 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 wits 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 year's of age, weighed 46a lbs., and in twenty-eight
days she increased to 641bs. Julia who was fifteen years
of age, weighed 391b5., and increased to 541bs. Since that
time the latter has gained 21bs. and the former remains of
the weight of 641bs. ; 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
moans 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 recoms
mended the laan 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.

OXFORD CIRCUIT.—WOROESTEU, Jul./. 15.
(Before Baron Alderson.)
David Davis, aged 50, was charged with the murder,
in another count the manslaughter, of Mary Pardoe, who
was killed on the 4th of August, 1852. He was landlord
of the Seven Stars, at Olds winford. There was a distur-
bance among railway labourers at his house. He was
struck, and became excited. He fetched a gun. loaded it,
saying "There goes to, blow their beads off," and Bred
from the window at the crowd outside several times. The
deceased, a poor woman, with six children, was killed, and
others wounded. Prisoner was to have been tried at the
Spring assizes of 1853, but he appeared then to be insane,
and was sent to a lunatic asylum till lately, when, upon a
medical report that he was cured, he was removed to the
gaol. He now pleaded guilty to the charge of manslaugh-
ter, and the capital charge was withdrawn.—Sentence de-
ferred.

him away with my left hand while I shot at her with my
right. After a pause, and shedding tears, she fell.
At this stage of the proceedings, Mr. Franklib, the chief
usher, remarked that the prisoner was in so weak a condi-
tion as to be scarcely.able to stand, and nrion his (the
officer's) representation, he was allowed to be sated.
A certificate was produced by the inspector, setting
forth that the young woman, " Emily Luker, was suffering
from a gun-shot wound which rendered her incapable" of
leaving the hospital (St. Mary's) at present."
Mr.. Broughton (to the prisoner)—Do you Nish to say
anything?
Prisoner--I am sorry for the act I have committed. My
mind and feelings were so excited that, they overcame 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, Clerken-
well. A crowd of persons had _assembled to witness his
departure.

WESTMINSTER.—WiIIiant Chambers, a cab driver,
was charged with refusing to take a fare.
Captain Charles Baynes said that he left Cremorne
Gardens at 1 a.m. on the 4th inst., and got into defendant's
cab, which was on the rank. Defendant refused to go to
Turnham Green.
Defendant at first professed forgetfulness of the trans-
action, but afterwards said that bis master's stables were
in the Caledonian-road, and that had he taken the gentle-
man he 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 upon 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 l'ad bifi'llirrhbrite- oat front
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--1
men were bound to go wherever they were ordered.

MARLEOROUH-STREET.—Mr. Dove, the relieving
officer 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 would 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-box.
From J. F. H.. 2s. 6d. ; Lady M., ;A. B. E., stamps,
Os. ; and T. 8., 31., 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
side of London-bridge, were summoned before Mr.
A'Beckett by direction of Superintendent Bronford, of the
M division, for exposing their goods for sale and obstruct-
ing the thoroughfare to the annoyance of die 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 occupants of
HibernisKlambers, and re v era 1 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 j
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. J'astice
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.-
WAR DEPARTMENT, JULY 15.
Lieutenant-General his Royal Highness George
William Frederick Charles, Duke of Cambridge,
K. G. , K. P. , G. C. 8., G. C. M. G., to be General in
the Army.

HORSE-GUARDS, JULY 15.
His Royal Highness the General Commanding-in-
Chief has been pleased to appoint Major-General
Sir Charles Yorke, K.C.8., to 113 his Military
Secretary.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, JULY 11.
This clay had audience of her Majesty; his Royal
Highness the Prince Oscar of Sweden, to take leave.
His Royal Highness was attended by the Baron Hochs-
child, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
from his Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway at the
Court of her Majesty:
To which audience his Royal Highness was introduced
by the Earl of Clarendon, K.G., her Majesty's Principal
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and conducted by
Major-General the Hon. Sir Edward Cast, K.C.H., her
Majesty's Master of the Ceremonies.
FOREIGN-OFFICE, JULY 4.
The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint Mix-
ander Fraser, Esq., now British Consular Agent at Ba-
tavia, to be her Majesty's Consul at Batavia.
The Queen has also been graciously pleased to appoint
Thomas Bonhote, Esq., now British Consular Agent at
Sourabaya, to be her Majesty's Consul at Sourabaya.
The Queen has also been graciously pleased to appoint
Donald Maclaine, Esq., now British Consul at Samarang,
to be her Majesty's Consul at Sarnarsug.
DOWNING-STREET, JULY 15.
The Queen has been pleased to arpoint John Trounsell
Gilbert, Esq., to be Solicitor-General for the colony of
British Guiana, and Henry Tudor Davies, Esq., to be
Chief Magistrate for the colony of Hong Kong.
BOARD OF TRADE, WHITEHALL, JULY 14.
The Right Hon. the Lords of the Committee of Privy
Council for Trade and Plantations have received, through
the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy of a de-
spatch from her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris, enclosing
copy of a French Imperial decree, authorising the estab-
lishment of a depot for native sugar at Havre.
Also copy of a notification to the effect that machinery
intended for the manufacture of drainage pipes will be ad-
mitted into France at the duty of 15 francs per 100 kilos.;
machinery for the purpose of crushing or preparing the
material for the tiles, or all other accessory machines im-
ported singly, not being complete iu ltself for the manufac-
ture of drainage pipes, will continuo to pay the import
duty applicable to machines other than steam engines, not
specified.

WAR DEPARTMENT, PALL-MALL, JULY 15.
Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards—Lieutenant and
Captain and I3revet-Lieutenant-Colonel Cuthbert George
Ellison to be Captain and L:enterant-Colonel, without
purchase, vice the Hon. A. F. Foley, promoted.
ADMIRALTY, JULY 9.
BREVET.

Corps of Royal Marines—Capt. Nicholas Moore having
been allowed to retire on full pay, under the provisions of
her Majesty's Order in Council, 13th Sept., 1.854, to be
Major, the rank being honorary only.
ADMIRALTY, JULY 10.

Corps of Royal Marines--First Lieutenant Wm, James
Kinsman to be Captain, vice Moore, retired ; Second Lieu-
tenant Chas. Durham Hocart Robilliard to be First Lieu-
tenant, vice Kinsman, promoted.
COMMISSIONS SIGNED BY LORDS-LIEUTENANT.
Forfarshire Yeomanry Cavalry—Thomas George Bowes-
Lyon, Earl of Strathmore, to be L:eutenant-Colonel ; the
Hon. Claade Bowes-Lyon, late Lieutenant 2d Life
Guards, to ha Captain ; David Graham-Drummond
Ogilvy. Earl of Airlie, to be Captain ; Sir Tho-
mas Munro, Bart., late Captain 10th Hussars, to
be Captain. William Henry Kennedy Erskine, late Cap-
tain 17th Lancers, to be Lieutenant.
2d Regiment of Royal Bucks Yeomanry Cavalry—Wil-
liam Maberly, Gent., to be Cornet.

NAVAL PRIZE MONEY.
Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy,
Admiralty, Somerset-house, July. 14.
Notice is hereby given to all persons interested therein,
that preparations are now !making for the intended distri-
bution of proceeds arising from the Russian vessel
Victoria, captured on the 20th September, 1855, by her Ma.
jesty's ship Nile and her tender the Redwing gun-boat; the
Magpie gunboat, tender to her Majesty's ship Orion ; and
the Ruby gun-boat, tender to her lifaj esty's ship Majestic.
Agents or other persons having anyjust and legal de-
mand, unliquidated, against the said proceeds, are re-
quired to transmit the particulars of any such demand to
the Registrar of the High Court of Admiralty, in order
that the same may be examined, taxed, and 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
belonging to any captor, are requested, with as little delay
as possible, to transmit the same, accompanied by the insual
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.

Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy,
Admiralty, Somerset-house, July 14.
Notice is hereby given to all persons interested therein,
that preparations are now making for the intended distri-
bution of proceeds arising from thlLß,ussiati vessel Ot-
tawa, captured on the 20th Sept., 185!5; by her Majesty's
ship Nile and her tender the Redwing gun-boat ; the Mag.
pie gun-boat, tender to her Majesty's ship Orion; and the
.Ltuby gun-boat, tender to her Majesty's ship Majestic.
Agents or other persons having Any just and legal de.

mand,nnliquidated, against the said proceeds, are required
to transmit the particulars of any such demand to the Re-
gistrar of the High Court of Admiralty, in order that the
same may be examined, taxed, and 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 same, accompanied by the usual
documents, to the Prize Branch of the Department of the
Accountant-General of the Navy, Admiralty, Somer-
set-house."
Dt 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 ; Motteram and Knight, Bir-
mingham.
Eliza Horner, cabinet maker, Manchester, July 25 and
August 20, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court.
Fraser, official assignee, Manobester ; .Lamb, Manchester.
John P. Davies, chemist, Merthy Tydfil, July 28, and
Aug. 2d, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court. Acra-
man, official assignee, Bristol; Brettan and Bons, Bristol.
John Blakeley 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.
• .SatnuelSketchley, scrivener,• Horneastle;• Lincolnshire,
July and Aug. 20, at twelve, at the Leeds District
Court. Hope, official assignee, Leeds ; Tweed, Lincoln.

SCOTCH< SEQUESTRATION.
Willock and Livingston, ironmongers, smiths, &c., Ar-
gyll-street, Glasgow, and plumbers and builders, Govan,
near Glasgow.
PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED.
R. and A. Tooth, Mincing-lane, merchants—J., 1., 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. Cotisbee, Cobham, Surrey, ironmongers,
blacksmiths, and' farriers—J. Piney, jun., R. Walton, and
S. Bushell, London, Cape 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. Bingboin—E. and J. Senior, J. Fenton, and J. Bailey,
Heckmondwike, scribblers, carders. and spinners of wool,
as far as regards J. Senior—J. Willcock and R. King,
Manchester, coal merchants—F. Clarke and J. C. Jerome,
Bentley, Staffordshire, iron and coal masters—J. Lock-
wood and W. Keighley, Huddersfield, merchants—F. H.
Chambers, T. Parkin, and S. Bennison. Brampton, near
Chesterfield, brewers ; as far as regards F. H. Chambers—
J. 11. Wilson and T. Denby, Gainsborough, grocers, tallow
chandlers and cheese factors--W. Jackson and W. Whita-
ker, Sowerby, worsted spinners—W. R. Williams and T.
Clapham, Strand, goldsmiths and jewellers—R. Noble
and S. Merryweather, Whitby, surgeon dentists—W.
Ayton and J. W. Batley, Bow-common and Edith-street,
Hackney-road, lampblack manufacturers and tar distillers
--J. J. Nicholls and G. Barracloach, the Shades, near
London-bridge, and King William-street, City, wine mer-
chants and dealers in wines and spirits—R. D. Newton
and J. V. Watkins, Warwick-square, rvewgate-street, ad-
vertising agents—B. Christy and J. Salo, Ashwell, Hert-
fordshire, brewers and matlsters—W. H. and J. Blies,
Oxford, painters.
DECLARATION OF DIVIDENDS.
E. Dawes, Wolverhampton, lic.insed victualler and tim-
ber dealer—first div. of 2s. lid. in the pound, any Friday,
at the office of Mr. Whitmore, Birmingham.
J. Edge, Kidderminster, carpet manufacturer—first div.
of 4d. in the pound, any Thursday, at the office of Mr.
Christie, Birmingham.