The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-13 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Peele's Coffee-house, Friday morning.
Sin,—ln your report of the proceedings at Marl-
borough-street Police-court yesterday, you state that
two gentlemen, who gave their names Wilson and Letton,
were charged with riot and assault, at a very early
hour in the morning, and that they stated they were
sojourning at Peele's Coffee-house, Fleet-street. Now,
Sir, I feel it my duty, in justice to myself, and more
especially to those gentlemen who aro at present in-
mates of my establishment, to state that not only are
there no gentlemen of those names staying here, but that
they were all at home before ono o'clock in the morning.
Yours, obediently,
T. P. AUSTIN.

DARING AND MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF A PRI-
SONER FROM OFF A RAILWAY TRAIN WHILE IN CUSTODY.
—The following daring escape of a prisoner while hand-
cuffed to a policeman, and miraculously unattended with
serious injury to the former, occurred yesterday on the
London and North-Western Railway. It appears that
young man named Ship, the son of a beer-shop keeper at
Northampton, was suspected of having stolen seven bullocks
belonging to a farmer in the neighbourhood, and it having
been ascertained beyond doubt that he had done so and
sold them at Leighton Buzzard market, from whence he
had gone towards London, an officer was sent to apprehend
him, and at an early hour yesterday morning overtook
him near Boxmoor. On the arrival thereat of the
nine o'clock down train the officer in question attached
himself to the prisoner by handcuffs .fastened to one of'
each of their wrists, and took their seats by themselves
in a compartment of one of the carriages. In passing
near Cheddington, the: prisoner, a stalwart young man, who
had till then been most quiet and reserved, rose from his
seat, and pulling the 'policeman towards the doer, which
was unlocked, quickly opened it, and pushing him forward
they both fell on the ground, the prisoner uppermost. The
train, which was going at its full speed, having proceeded
some distance, the prisoner rose,, and finding that he had
sustained no injury, but that the latter had broken one of
his legs, he insisted upon the key being given up to him
that unlocked the handcuffs, and following this by gross ill-
usage, his captor, unable to rise and defend himself, was
obliged to comply, when the prisoner disengaged himself
and made off. The injured officer was shortly afterwards
found lying in an exhausted state by some men in the em-
ploy- of the railway company, by whom he was conveyed in
a train to the Elephant and Castle public-house, near Wol-
verton, where, on being attended by two medical gentlemen,
injured
limb deemed it necessary that amputation of the
limb should be performed. To this operation he would not
assent, and he now remains in a precarious state. The man
Ship, who escaped, is well known to the constabulary on the
North-Western line, and it is considered that he cannot long
elude justice.
ESCAPE OF FIVE CONVICTS.—About two o'clock
on Wednesday afternoon, five convicts belonging to the
Justitia convict-ship, at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, were
employed in the gig of the vessel in taking on board Captain
Voules, who was on a visit of inspection. The convicts
generally employed on that duty were selected from the well-
conducted class, and whose general good conduct would soon
ensure their liberation, and consequently greater confidence
is placed in them. In this case the confidence has been
found to be misplaced, as shcrtly after Captain Voules went
on board, and the convicts were lying on their oars in readi-
ness to take him on shore again, the idea of escape entered
their imagination, and one of them enveloped himself in the
cloak of the gallant officer, and taking charge of the rudder,
the other four rowed with great speed, and soon reached the
Essex side of the river, where they landed and lett the gig,
making the best of their way past Barking for Epping-
forest. In their progress they came near a constable of the
K division of Metropolitan Police, who immediately gave
chase, and, having obtained the aid of several of the inha-
bitants of the district, succeeded in apprehending three of
them. The other two have not been taken. The attention
of one of the Custom-house boats was drawn to the rapidity
of the rowing of the four convicts when making for the
Essex shore, but
i the self-confidence of the convict steers-
man, enveloped n Captain Voules's cloak, prevented them
from following the gig. They, however, made the circum-
stance known on board the convict ship, but pursuit from
that quarter, after the convicts had got on shore, and some
way into the country, would have had little chance of
success.

THE ARCHIMEDEAN MACHINE.--GREAT ExIIIBI
nom.—The archimedean agricultural machine is exhibited
by Mr. D. J. Murphy (of Cork), and it is intended by this
machine, with the aid of a pair of horses, to plough, harrow,
and roll the ground; thus, at one operation, do the business
of three separate works of labour as done at present. The
front part of the machine consists of a large barrelled roller,
into which are inserted cutters, arranged in a spiral manner :
" These cutters may be either heart-shaped knives, radiating
from the surface of the cylinder, with their flat sides towards
its ends, and with conical spikes between the different rows,
or of these knives in a direction of right angles to this, or a
continuous blade may be curved round the cylinder, like the
thread of a screw, the different forms being for varying soils
and purposes." This, by its weight, cuts up the ground ;it
is followed by a pair of harrows, which is to pulverise the
clods, and finally a serrated roller finishes the work so inge-
niously: begun. If it were only for the boldness of the attempt
of this inventor, we think the model worth inspection.—
Mark-lane Express.
MARRIAGE OF LORD JOHN MANNERS.—The mar-
riage of this eminent nobleman with Miss Marley, only
daughter of the late Colonel Marley, an old Waterloo officer,
and niece to the Earl of Charleville, took place on Tuesday
last at All Souls Church, Langham-place, in the presence of
v epnadritaihe s
a numerous and most brilliant circle of the aristocracy. The
ceremony was performed by the Rev. Mr. Norman, brother
in-law to the bridegroom. After the ceremony
etha the
repaired to the residence of Mrs. Marley,
theut Duke The
square, where a sumptuous breakfast was laid
happy couple subsequently left town for Haddon,
of Rutland's hunting seat, in Derbyshire. It is understood
that the Noble Lord by his marriage becomes es
a funded property of about 5,000/. per annum. TPhoessMaserdleyosf
are the possessors of extensive property in Ireland.
CALEDONIAN ASYLUM.—The anniversary festival
of this society takes place next Wednesday, and it is hoped
that as the funds are low, and the claim upon the society
large, that the Noble President and stewards will be well
supported. There are sixty-three boys, and fifty-four girls
in the Asylum.
THE GREAT CHESS Tou
RNAMENT.—Since our last
notice of this interestin
been made in the secondg trial of skill, some progress has
series of games, Of the four sepa-
rate matches then going on, three are now decided. Mr.
Williams won all four games of Mr. Mucklow • Herr Anders-
son, of Berlin, is victorious against ten of 'Pestb, having
won four games to two • Mr. Wvvill has also defeated Cap-
tain Kennedy by four games.to three ; the fourth and most
interesting contest, that in which Mr. Staunton, the con-
queror of the French champion, St. Atnaht, is pitted against
llerr Howitz, is still far from ,being decided. Each of these
distinguished players having won two games, they met again
on Tuesday, when, after a severe contest of seven hours du-
ration, the combatants were forced to leave the game unde-
cided. Yesterday morning they were to have resumed, but
Mr. Staunton. being probably fatigued by the previous days'
exertions, failed to appear, and the conclusion of the game
will probably come off to-day. As the conqueror has still a
game to win, without reckoning the chance of drawn games,
and as, when this is decided, there are still two more series
of games to be played, the tournament is still far front its
termination.
RUMOURED ILLNESS OF THE KING OF HANoVER.
A report reached town on Monday that his Majesty the
King of Hanover was considered to be in a precarious state of
health. Much anxiety is said to have been felt on the sub-
ject in high quarters. Yesterday it was reported that news
of his Illajesty's convalescence had reached town.— ziorning
Post.