The Sun.
London, England, 1834-07-21 00:00:00

out some hope that by repentance you will escape that more
dreadful fate in a future world which the human mind can
hardly bear to contemplate. His Lordship then passed
upon him the awful sentence of the law.
William Burchell was indicted for unlawfully cutting and
wounding Jesse Heal, with intent to do him some grievous
bodily harm, at Wootton Basset.
Jesse Heal—l was in my yard, against the Black Horse.
The prisoner was there : he went away, and I went to the
Greyhound, and there I found the prisoner : it was about 12
o'clock in the day. Prisoner asked me if I would (lance.
I agreed to do so, and paid a penny to be given to the
fiddler. He then wanted to lay me ss. he would pick out
a better set to dance at the Black Horse. I would not bet
with him. My wife said, she thought they could pick out a
better set. She began to argue, and I said to her, " Mary,
if thou doesn't go out of doors, I'll hit you out." The pri-
soner then knocked me down. I got up, and he knocked
me down again. I gave the prisoner two or three blows,
and he went away. I stayed there about 15 minutes after,
and then my wife and I went down the street, when the
prisoner met me, and I said, " How came you to strike me,
I did not strike you :" before the words were out of my
mouth an edge tool came across my forehead, and another
blow came on my head, and another on my jaw, and another
cut me across the hip, it cut the skin. I said to same per-
sons near, " For God's sake take the knife from him, or he'll
kill me ;" he then stabbed me in both arms.

Cross-examined by Mr.. SmITH—I had my hand up to
strike my wife before the prisoner struck me.
The Jury found the prisoner Guilty.—Death recorded.
Richard Wells was indicted for maliciously setting fire to
three barns, and other property, of Richard Hayward, at
Chirton, on the 22d of April.
Mr. BINGHAM conducted the prosecution.
Richard Hayward.—l live at Chirton, some distance
from the homestead. 'Was overseer of the poor in April
last. I raid the paupers at the church on the 22d of
April. The prisoner received some relief that day for work
he had done. By mistake I paid him Is. short. I was
alarmed by a fire on the morning of the 23d of April ;
three barns, two stables, six horses, and two pigs were
burnt, and 30 sacks of wheat, five sacks of vetches, three
quarters of barley, and six cottages in the village, were
also burnt.

John Romaine.—l know the prisoner. I worked with
him in April last ; he went to receive his pay on the 22d
of April. After he came from church, Thomas Box asked
him how he got on. He said he had been at work a week,
and Mr. Hayward had paid him 75., and that when he
went to church his parish pay was deducted, and that he
might as well do nothing. He threw his spade on his
shoulder, and said he would be —if he'd do anything
more that day.
Richard Vaux—Wells was at my house on the night of
the fire ; he came about ten o'clock, and stayed about
three-quarters of an hour. He then went away ;he came
back again in about an hour. While he was away, we
heard the noise of a dog barking violently. When Wells
came back, he said his feet were cold. Directly after he
came in we heard a terrible noise, and we looked out and
saw the fire.

Vincent Edwards—l saw Richard W ells the morning
after the fire. Sainsbury said, " What a bad job ; where
will the poor souls get ?" Wells said, "At Halifax, or
where they can get ; they bringitim themselves, don't they ?
Yesterday was our pay-day, and they docked some of our
money, and to-day they are going to have a vestry to billet
us where they like, and who can stand that? It serves
them right ; and that you know, if you speak the right of
your mind." _ _

Lord DENMAN having summed up, the jury acquitted
the prisoner.

MEETING OF THE PROPRIETORS OF

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

A General Meeting of the Proprietors of this Establishment
was held on Saturday in the Saloon, when Mr. Robins was
called to the Chair.

The CHAIRMAN lamented the absence of the Earl of Glen-
gall, who, he said, was very willingly absent, as he had recently
become a Benedick, and had gone to enjoy the honeymoon on
the Continent ; and probably, when he next attended their
Meeting, there would be in existence a young representative
of his family, who might hereafter occupy the chair which his
father had so ably filled. His Lordship, however, had not
been unmindful of their interests, which he had materially for-
warded. With respect to the business on which they had
assembled, he would reserve his observations on that topic
until after the reading of the Report.
The TREASURER then read the Report, which stated that a
lease of the theatre had been granted for a term of six years,
determinable at the end of three years, at the option of the
lessee, and that the annual rent of 8,0001. had been regularly
paid up. The union of the two establishments had answered
fully the expectations of the projectors of that arrangement.
The charge of monopoly had been refuted by the energy and
impartiality of the present management, and the extensive out-
lay on the various novelties which had been produced, afforded
the best proof that the entertainment of the public had not
been disregarded, while a just liberality to the profession had
been exercised. The ground landlord and other claims,
amounting to 5,9391. 18s. ld., had been discharged, as had also
the renters' due of ls. 3d. per night, amounting to 3,5621. 10s.
The bondholders' debt of 6,7771. was to be reduced by the
immediate payment of 25 per cent. There was a balance of
1,9981. 2s. 5d., which, when applied with the assets, would
reduce the debt of the theatre to 4,1551. 9s. 6d.
Mr. GREGORY, the auditor, said that the account was sub-
stantially correct. As he was the auditor to remain in for the
ensuing year, he wished for an efficient colleague.
Major NAYLOR inquired if the renters were entitled to re-
ceive the full amount for 200 nights, whether the performances
extended for that length of time or not.
The CHAIRMAN answered in the negative.
Mr. CABBALL then moved that the report be received. He
disapproved of the junction of the two theatres, and contended
that, on public principle, it was most injurious to the security
and permanency of the patent houses. However successful on
the present occasion, the chances were, that such fortune would
be of a transitory nature.—The motion was carried.
On the motion of the Chairman, Major Naylor was appointed
joint auditor with Mr. Gregory.
The following gentlemen were then re-appointed the gene-
ral committee for the year ensuing :—Sir W. W. Wynn, W.
Lindley, Esq., Sir E. Codrington, John Ramsbottom, Esq.,
Sir John Sloane, and the Marquis of Hertford. The sub-
committee was also re-appointed, with the addition of Captain
Spencer, in the room of Richard Wilson, Esq., deceased.
The CHAIRMAN congratulated the meeting on the success
which had attended their efforts in getting rid of Lord Clan-
ricarde's dramatic bill. " There are many," he continued,
" who imagine that we, the monopolists, as we are called, wish
to ruin and prevent any other theatres from existing. I re-
member, when very young, that we had only, beside these
large theatres, the Lyceum, Sadler's Wells, and Astley's. It
was then said that there were no fewer than fourteen theatres
in Paris, and now we have seventeen theatres in London."
That bill actually went to the extent to enact, that by giving
three months' notice to a Magistrate, a theatre might be•built
in any part of London, and this in the face of seventeen
theatres actually existing. And mind, the Magistrate had no
discretion, but must, whether he would or not, grant the per-
mission required. There were now seven theatres more than
could be supported. If this bill had passed, what would be
the state of London seven years hence ? There would be a
theatre in every street. Had this law existed would the ge-
nius of a Mrs. Siddons, or a John Kemble, have blazed in the
dramatic hemisphere ? With respect to the junction of the
theatres, so long as they had been distinct, both had been
going to leeward. Captain Polhill had lost a frightful sum
by engaging in the competition. After dwelling on the pro-
priety of abolishing the " star" system, he proceeded to say
that Mr. Bunn's conduct was entitled to the highest praise,
for though in some degree a sufferer, he had behaved in the
most handsome manner. In conclusion, he rejoiced that the
fundholders would be paid after the rate of 25 per cent., and
that Drury-lane would remain only 4,1001. in debt.
Captain SPENCER said a few words in condemnation of Lord
Clanricarde's bill, and, after a vote of thanks to the Chair-
man, the meeting adjourned.

SUDDEN DEATH.—On Friday week, Sarah Tay-
lor, the wife of John Taylor, was weaving in Mr. James Ken-
worthy's mills, Ashton-under-Line, and was laughing with
her husband, whose loom was next to her's, when he perceived
her turn pale, and he caught her in his arms as she was falling
to the ground; she was immediately carried into a neighbour-
ing cottage, and a surgeon was sent for, but before he arrived
she had expired. On examining the place where she had stood
at her loom, a quantity of coagulated blood was found, and it
was ascertained that she had ruptured a bloodvessel in the in-
step of the right foot, and had actually bled to death without
being aware of the rupture. The unfortunate woman was en-
ceinte, and about three weeks from the time of her confine-
ment.• Mr. Nutter held an inquest over the body on Monday,
the 7th instant ; and the jury returned a verdict—" Died from
rupturing a bloodvessel in the foot. "—Stockport Advertiser.
FEMALES WANTED IN TIIE WEST.—A gentleman
who writes from Galena, says :—" The number of males in
proportion to females on the frontiers, is at least two to one ;
and girls of fifteen ( I might say twelve) or widows of fifty, are
alike snapped up with avidity by the disconsolate bachelors.
In the mines a few years since, their eyes were so seldom
cheered with the sight of the better part of the creation, that
I was told by a borderer ' he travelled twenty miles, only to
get a look at a petticoat, when it was rumoured that there was
actually one in the neighbourhood.' " In all the new States
virtuous females are wanted by the male population, thousands
of whom live in a state of " single blessedness" from sheer
necessity. The old maxim that, " every Jack has his Gill" is
not considered sound among them. Is there no way to fur-
nish these men with wives from the superabundant stock in the
north How would it do for Congress to grant 100 acres of
land to every unmarried female who should emigrate to the
west, both maidens and widows ? Would not the country be
eventually benefitted by a measure of this kind ? We think
it would. In some parts of New England there are farmers
who have eight or ten daughters, and apparently nothing to
feed them with but acorns. These folks would thrive in the
western country, if they could only once get there. If we
mistake not, the excess of females, from 10 to 20 years of age,
over the males of the same age, in Massachusets alone, is
several thousands.—Boston Commercial Gazette.