The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-28 00:00:00

EVENING, AUGUST 28 1851.

(Before LAID CanEr au:4 of the Court of
Exchequer.)
THE QUEEN V. LORD RANELAGH.

It will be in the recollection of our readers that
the grand jury sitting at the Central Criminal Court
a few days since found a " true bill" against the
noble defendant for an assault alleged to have been
committed by his Lordship upon certain officers upon
the London and Greenwich Railway. In the ordinary
course of matters, therefore, the Noble Viscount
would have been called upon to surrender, and to take
his trial ar the Central Criminal Court.

Mr. METCALF this morning, on behalf of Lord
Ranelagh, applied to the judge at chambers for a writ
of certiorari to remove the indictment from the Cen-
tral Criminal Court into the Court of Queen's Bench.
The LORD CHIEF' BARON at once granted the ap-
plication.
The case will therefore come on for trial in the
Court of Queen's Bench at the Nisi Prius sittings
atter Michaelmas term

Halsall, on the 16th of October, 1832, killed and
murdered his wife, Elixabet!-
Mr . anion ; Mr, tia;,,:,Th
I Pollock and Mr. Sowier defended the prisoner.
The case has excited great interest from the fact of
the alleged murder having been committed in the
year 1832, and also because the prisoner has since that
period been married, and has a large family, and has
conducted himself in a most exemplary manner, both
as a father and also as a policeman, in which force he
was a constable for twelve years ; he is now a re-
spectable farmer at Preston Gabbald, in Shropshire,
where he is much respected. His first wife was, on
the 16th of October, 1832, found drowned in the Leeds
and Liverpool Canal. A coroner's inquest was held,
the prisoner was examined, and no charge was made
against the prisoner, who was separated from his
wife. She was engaged at the time as a servant at
the Bull in Walton, he being servant to his uncle
E I ward Threlfall, of Halsall.
The first witness called was Thomas Ball, farmer
at Halsall, who stated that a good many years ago,
as he was going to his work to get potatoes, with a
woman named Jane Bradshaw, who is now dead, he
saw a woman floating in the water of the canal, near
the Hill-bridge. Robert Shaw's beat lay there, and
the body was ten or fifteen yards astern of the boat.
He got a pole off the boat, pulled the body to the
side, and got her out. William Bradshaw and se-
veral others were present. He did not know the
woman. A handkerchief or a shawl was tied twice
or three times round her neck with two or three
knots. One of the eyes was rather strangled with
blood. Took her to a building, which he thought be-
longed to William Martin, and left her there till the
night, when she was removed to Halsall warehouse.
machine. house. Richard Shaw helped to carry her.
James Kirby, farmer, stated that he thinks on the
16th of October, 1832, he fetched the coroner, when
he heard a woman had been found drowned, he being
a constable at the time. The next day he fetched
the prisoner from one of Edward Threlfall's fields,
and asked him to come and see whether the woman
found was his wife, as they had got to talking that
she was his wife. He objected to go. Witness said
he would make him go, and then they went to the
machine-house, and as soon as he saw the body the
prisoner exclaimed that she was his wife. Prisoner
did not come in—witness invited him in. Prisoner
did not appear troubled ; did not see any difference in
him.

Mary Hall stated that she had seen the prisoner,
and that she saw him twice at the Black Bull, in Wale
ton, when he was separated from his wife, Elizabeth
Threlfall, who was living as servant to Thomas
Woolfall. It is eighteen or nineteen years ago.
Witness then kept house for Thomas Woolfall, who
was her father. The deceased asked leave one day
to go with the prisoner to see the children, and they
started to go to Heisell. She came back the same
night between nine and ten o'clock. About a fort-
night after the deceased went out to some one and
came back between ten and eleven o'clock, and one
washing-night afterwards she went out between six
and seven. One Mrs. Hudson, who is dead, brought
her a message from deceased. On the next Wednes-
day her brother Thomas told witness that deceased
was drowned.
John Baker, a farmer at Nisherton, stated that he
knew the deceased when servant at the Black Bull
at Walton, many years ago ; that one night he saw
a man and woman, after dark, in a little field about
120 yards from the Sefton Arms, and that he went to
them and knew the deceased.
Robert Rimmer stated that he was a labourer, and
that he had known the prisoner 23 years. He had
not seen him for 18 years, when he rode with him
from Liverpool to Edward Threlfell's. On the road
they called at the Bldck Bull and asked for some
refreshment, which was brought, and the prisoner
asked the servant if Elizabeth was in. Shortly after
Elizabeth (the deceased)came into the room and asked
the prisoner what he wanted with her. Prisoner said
that he wanted her to go and live with him again, and
that he would be as good to her as ever he had been
bad. She agreed to come and live with him if he
would take a cottage, and they might live by them-
selves. He said he had done so, and had taken one
at Churchtown in Helsel', and asked if she would
come on Sunday night. She said she could not come
on Sunday, as she had washing to do on the Monday,
but that she would get up early and get it dune and
come on Monday night. Tney made it, up to meet
at Lydiate-hill, but she was to keep on the left hank
of the canal, and it they did not meet at Lydiate-hill
she was to keep on, and he would meet her. On the
Tuesday after witness heard of her being drowned.
Mr. Birdwell, surgeon at the hospital, was then
examined, to show that Richard Shaw was unable to
attend from illness to give evidence at the trial. He
stated that, about eighteen or nineteen years ago, as
near as he could recollect, he was sleeping in a boat
called the Collier, in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal,
at 'labial', of which boat his brother was captain ;
and that between twelve and one, as near as he could
recollect, he heard a great bustle on the bank, and a
woman scrike. Heard them go down the canal side,
and the woman screamed for help—" Oh dear, do
help me !" and then there was a plunge into the
canal. He got up and looked through the ecuttlee
hole, and saw the prisoner, Thomas Threlfall ducking
a woman in the canal. The woman scratched at the
stern of the boat, moaning. Shortly after one of
Kenworthy's flies came up, He spoke to the prisoner
by name, and said, " Now, you must either run or be
ta ed," and he ran away. One of Kenworthy's men
ran after him a short distance, and then came back.
The man's name was Beckett. He did not do any
thing sooner than morning. He durst not stir, and
was afraid. He had not mentioned these things be-
fore, and had told now because he could not rest and
could not follow his work. Saw the prisoner three
or four years ago in Liverpool, when the prisoner was
a policeman. He was about half drunk, and asked
prisoner if he would take him up, and prisoner told
him to go about his business. The boat lay above the
middle of Halsall-hill, where there is a deep cutting.
Could not see how prisoner was dressed. Did not
know the woman. She spoke to the man.
John Beckett, potato dealer, said that he knew
Richard Shaw, who had to go on the canal. That
he did not remember hearing of a woman being
drowned in the canal at Halsall-hill ; and that, to the
best of his knowledge, Richard Shaw never men-
tioned such a transaction when lying at Halsall-hill.
Witness was captain of one of Kenwortby's flies on
the Leeds and Liverpool canal.
James Wignali—l am a police officer. I appre-
hended the prisoner on the 24th of April, and told
him it was on a charge of murdering his wife. He
said " I never heard of such a thing."
At the close of the case for the prosecution, Mr.
POLLOCK asked his Lordship if he should address the
jury, and several witnesses—among whom were two
clergymen, the head of the police, and the chief su-
perintendent at Liverpool—all gave the prisoner the
best character possible.
The jury then Acquitted the prisoner, without
hearing his counsel.
NISI PRIUS COURT. (Before Mr. Justice
WILLIAMS )
SAUNDERS V. THE CITY uF DUBLIN STEAM PACKET
COMPANY.
In this case, the jury not being able to agree, a
juror was withdrawn, it being intimated that some
compensation would be made by the defendants for
the loss which the plaintiff had sustained.
GRAY V. THE LONDON AND NORTH. WESTERN RAILWAY
COMPANY.
This was an action brought to recover damages
from the defendants for an infringement of a patent
which the plaintiffs had obtained in 1838 for an im-
othe
case
This
im-
proved construction in the cylinders of steam-engines.
Mr. Atherton, Q C., Mr. Crompton, and Mr. Web •
ster appeared for the plaintiff; and Mr. Knowles,
Q C., Mr. Sergent Wilkins, and Mr. Cowling for the
defendant.
After hearing the opening of the Learned Counsel
plaintiff it was agreed that the cause should
fbrereferred.
closed the civil business of the assizes,
and his Lordship proceeded to try prisoners.
It is expected that the Summer Assizes for the
Northern Circuit will conclude to-morrow.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
GUILDHALL.
William Sells, a carma❑ in the employ of Mr. Sher-
man, of the Bull and Mouth Inn, and carrier to the
Great Northern Railway, was placed at the bar before
Alderman Sir George Carroll, charged with abstract-
ing 10 parcels from a packet addressed to Mr. Crouch,
the railway carrier of Tudor-street, Blackfriars, and
fraudulently substituting a log of wood in lieu thereof.
Mr. Parry, instructed by Mr. Barber, appeared for
the prosecution ; and Mr. Worsley, with the solicitor
of the Great Northern Railway Company, attended
on their behalf, and to defend the prisoner.

Mr. Parry, after briefly stating the facts, said that
the Great Northern Railway claimed a right to open
packages containing a number of parcels forwarded
by their line to or for Mr. Crouch, or any other car-
rier. in consequence of this claim, their right to do
so was tested in the courts at Westminster, and the
present Lord Chancellor, who was then Lord Chief
Justice of the Common Pleas, d-•tided that their claim
was void. Under these circumstances, the Learned
Counsel stated his intention of asking the Alderman,
after evidence had been duly tendered, to commit the
prisoner on the charge of larceny or felony,, in taking
out certain parcels from a package for the purpose of
defrauding Mr. Crouch.
George Briggs said—l am the Sheffield agent to
Mr. Crouch. I collect small parcels in that town,
form them into one or more large packages, and con-
sign them by d:fferent railways to Mr. Crouch, in
London. On Saturday evening last I din-cred three
packages to Mr. Crouch, one containing twelve parcels,
weighing :34Ibs. ; one containing three parcels 261bs ;
and the other enclosing two parcels, 211hs.
Cross-examined—I put the seventeen parcels into
three packages, and sent them by the Great Northern

Railway.

I paid the carriage of 2s. 2d. for the
&I. for the Whs., and 4d . for th-,
.2 _ .;I,lge- Some of ttte plrce
and Enid ror. The carriage of the seventeen parcels,
if Mr. Crouch had delivered them, would amount to i
13s. 9d. I only paid 53. ld. for the three packages to
go by rail.

Re-examined—By packing several parcels into one,
we are enabled to carry much cheaper than the rail-
way companies.
Thomas Cowell, in the employ of Mr. Crouch, said
—I received on Sunday morning three packages from
the prisoner. The 261bs. package contained only
two parcels, and the 341bs. package bad only three
instead of twelve; but a log of wood, together with a
quantity of waste paper and other rubbish, was sub-
stituted for the nine parcels that were abstracted.
Prisoner saw me open th;s package, because I refused
to give him a receipt on his way-bill until I had seen
that the parcels were all correct. On Monday morn-
ing he called with a parcel, and on looking to his way-
bill I saw the names of five parcels that had been
taken out of the large package, and told Mr. Crouch,
jun., who gave prisoner into custody.
William Alfred Crouch, jun , said—As soon as the
last witness informed me of the circumstance I gave
the prisoner into custody, and went to Mr. Constable,
the general superintendent of the Great Northern
Railway, and complained to him. He said he could
not account for it, and promised to inquire and write
to me in an hour. I told him that it I did not hear
from him in chat time, I should place the matter in
the hands of the police. He said that would be by
far the better plan, and it was a pity I had not done
so on a previous occasion. When I told the prisoner
I would give him into custody, he said it was not
his fault.

Mr. Briggs said, the four parcels that were found
in prisoner's cart, and now produced, are the same I
consigned to Mr. Crouch.

The officer said that prisoner on being taken into
custody stated it was the company's doings, and
that Mr. Trussel, one of the clerks, gave him the
packages.
Sir GEORGE CARROLL said there was no evidence
before him to substantiate a charge of larceny or fe-
lony. Prisoner was the servant of the company in a
great measure, and had rendered a very fair account
as to how the parcels came into his possession. It
would he his duty to discharge the prisoner, although,
at the same time, he was of opinion that a fraud bad
been committed in the substitution of rubbish for
genuine parcels.

Mr. Parry, then applied for a summons against the
directors of the Great Northern Railway, or the
secretary, as the party at whose instigation these
packages were opened, for conspiring to defraud Mr.
Crouc.

Mr. Worsely said he was willing on the part of the
directors to answer any specific charge that Mr. Parry
might make against them, if it was brought forward
in a legal form.
Sir G. CARROLL said he could not entertain the
application unless Mr. Parry had evidence to justify
him in granting a summons upon a body of members
such as the directors of a company.
Prisoner was then discharged.
John Howe Gordon appeared on an adjourned
summons to answer the charge of withholding the
sum of 507/. 2s. 6id., claimed by David Samson and
Stephen Boyce, the trustees for and on behalf of the
London United District of the Society of the Ancient
Order of Foresters.

Mr. Cockle and Mr. Edwards were for the plain.
tiffs, and Mr. Spicer and Mr. Yates for the de
fendint.

After a very lengthened examination,
Sir G. CARROLL said be was decidedly of opinion
that the plaintiffs were entitled to the amount claimed,
for which he would make the order.
_ _

Mr. Cackle said the Act required, in the event of
en order being made, that it should be for double the
amount claimed.

Sir Gmmole CARROLL said he should award double
the amount; but from what he had seen of the gen-
tlemen who appeared for the society, he was sure they
would not take that advantage to enforce the payment
tif more than was justly due.
Tne order was then made for defendant to pay over
to the plaintiffs, on or before Friday next, 1,0141.
ss. ld., or in default a warrant to be issued.

MAR YLEBONE.
Jeremiah Sullivan, a bricklayer's labourer, was
placed at the bar on the charge of having stabbed
Julia Sullivan, his wife, with intent to murder her.
The prosecutrix, in giving her evidence, deposed
as follows :—When this occurrence took place I lived
in Ferdinand-place, Hampstead-road, and have been
in the hospital ever since the 26th of June last. The
prisoner is my husband, and we have lived separate
from each other for some time. Between nine and
ten on the night of the 26th he came to where 1
lodged, and on entering the room he said to me, ',IN,
dropped in upon you at last, old lady," and at the
same moment be seized hold of me by the left hand.
About a fortnight before that he told me bad some-
thing in his pocket in store for me.
Mr. BROUGHTON—When he seized your hand as
you have stated, what next happened ? Prosecutrix
—I asked him to let me go, when I saw him put his
hand up the sleeve of his coat as if he had something
concealed there. I asked him what it was, and he
replied, "Do you think I have anything there to put
myself into the power of the law, and send my soul to
the devil ?" Mrs. O'Brien, a friend of mine, having
knocked at the door, came in and sat down, when my
husband remarked that he would stand a drop of beer
amongst us. He locked the door, still keeping hold
of my hands and on all three of us leaving together,
we went to a public-house some distance off, where
we had a pot of porter, for which my husband paid;
he then asked me to call for a pot, but I told him I
had no beer money. At another public-house, the
Black Horse, Kentish-town, we had one more pot of
beer. We left there at about twelve o'clock, and
came down the Kentish-town-road, and as I was
turning to go to my lodging, I said to Mrs. O'Brien,
" This is the nearest way for me to go home," and to
my husband I said, " Good night, God bless you, and
I shall meet you to-morrow night at any place you
may like to appoint." He went on a little, and I
followed Mrs. O'Brien, when presently afterwards he
called after me, "Julia, I want to speak to you." I
turned back, and when I came to him I saw bim
draw his hand from behind him, and heard him say
" Now I've done it for you." He then went
away, and I was not aware that I had been stabbed
until I felt blood streaming down my legs. I put my
hand underneath my cloches, and intruding my finger
into the wound it came against some part of my
bowels. I sat down on the kerb, still keeping my
hand to the wound, and cried out to Mr 3. O'Brien to
come to my assistance, saying, " Oh, I'm stabbed, I'm
stabbed." She came to me, and sat by me, and in the
course of a few minutes my husband returned, when
Mrs. O'Brien said to him, " Mr. Sullivan, you have
killed your wile;'' and the observation he made was,
" No, she's not dead yet, what does she want sitting
down there ?" He took hold of one of my arms, and
Mrs. O'Brien the othwr, to lilt me up, when my
hands, which I kept close upon my stomach where
the wound was, of course came away, and my bowels
then worked out. I was taken soon afterwards to
the hospital.
In reply to Mr. BROUGHTON,
The prosecutrix said, both before and after hs
came out of the last public-house, he asked me if I
would go home with him ; but I told him he had no-
where to take me to. He then said, " Shall I stop
with you ?" and on my telling him he should nut, he
remarked, " If I don't, then, it will be either death or
glory to .night." He has often threatened to be my
" butcher."

Mr. Joseph Lister, house-surgeon at the Univer-
sity College Hospital, stated the nature of the in-
juries, by which the woman's life had been placed in
great jeopardy.
Tne prisoner was committed for trial.

THAMES.
Philip Clendon, 38, master of the ship Cambodia,
was charged with having caused the death of the late
steward, Robert Hetherington, by striking him on
his head and body during the homeward voyage from
Calcutta.

John Youngstated that be knew Robert Hethering-
ton, who died at sea on board of the ship Cambodia,
on the 13th of April of the present year. On the
11th of the same month, about night time, witness
saw the prisoner strike the deceased with a thick
walking.stick over the head and about the body. De-
ceased fell, and was rendered insensible from the effect
of the blows, one of which descended on his bare head
as he was leaving the cabin. On the next day he
tried to cook the food, but he did it so badly that
witness said, " You don't thrust that goose rightly,"
to which deceased, who was a north countryman, re-
plied, " I can do nae mair—l canna help it —I shall
neer do muckle mair," and he wept. He afterwards
became speechless, and died on the 13th. Witness
saw several marks of violence on his body, but did
not perceive any on his head. Dr. Furlong, who was
on board, attended him from the time of the injury to
the period of his death, which was in all about thirty-
six hours

After some further evidence had been given, the
hearing was adjourned until Wednesday next, Cap-
tain Clendon entering into recognizances to the
amount of 2001. to appear on that day.