The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-13 00:00:00

GUILDHALL.-(THIS DAY.)

John Smith was placed at the bar, before Mr. Alder-
man Finnis, charged with attempting to steal a port-
manteau, the property of Mr. Wm. Lawson.
It appeared that the prosecutor had engaged a cab
from the Euston-square station yesterday evening, at
eleven o'clock, and the cabman placed his portmanteau on
the outside of the cab. While driving down London-
wall the prisoner deliberately mounted the cab and made
an unsuccessful attempt to steal it. A police-constable
was called and he was given into custody, after having
made an ineffectual attempt to escape.
Alderman FINNIS committed him as a rogue and va-
gabond for three months, with hard labour.
The cabman was called into newt, and after being
complimented by Mr. Alderman FlNtas for his having
materially assisted the ends of justice, was presented with
ss. for his loss of time.

CLERKEN WELL.-(THIS DAY)
Augustus Earlenbuch was placed at the bar, charged
under the following circumstances :
It appeared, from the evidence of a policeman, that he
saw the prisoner, between three and four this morning,
lurking ahout Percy-squarQ, ana, having watched hlin
for some time, he asked him what he wanted,when he re-
plied that "be would (1,:, something to get trunsvrt.d,
for he hail left his place on Tuesday, and had stolen a
hat." He took him to the station and made inquiries,
when he found that he had left a good situation without
any cause, and had stolen a hat, but the owner would
not prosecute.

The Magistrate discharged him with a caution.

SERIOUS FIRES.—(TIIIB DAY)
During this morning four serious fires have occurred
in various parts of the metropolis.. One fire happened
about three o'clock, at 31, Bidborough-street, Burton-
crescent. At the time of the outbreak a number of
foreigners were in their beds asleep, and it was with
great difficulty that they could be aroused, as it was two
Frenchmen were oblig,-d to make a precipitate retreat
almost in a state of nudity. The engines of the London
Brigade attended. The firemen eventually succeeded in
subduing the fire, but not until the premises were burnt
out and the whole of the furniture and wearing apparel
therein consumed. The total loss it is expected will ex-
ceed 1,000/. Mr. Barge, the proprietor, was partially in-
sured in the Sun Fire.effice.

The above fire had barely been extinguished when
another broke out on the premises belonging to Mr.
Terry, a clothier 'and outfitter, No. 17 and 18, Well-
street, Wellclose-square. It commenced in the ground
floor, and when oiscovered the shop and parlour were in
flames. The residents, having been aroused, effected a
safe retreat. The engines of the parish, Loudon
Brigade, and West of England office attended, but the
firemen were unable to get the flames subdued until
nearly the whole of the stock in trade, &c, wus de-
stroyed. Mr. Terry was insured in the Phcenix Fire-
office.

About an hour later another fire took place in the
premises of Mr. Hardy, a grocer, No. 24, Chften-street,
b'insbury. It commenced in the ihop, and was not ex-
tinguished until upwards of 1001. worth of property had
been de3troyed. Mr. Hardy was insured in the Sun
Office.

The fourth fire happened in Stamford-street, Lambeth,
but the damage done was not considerable.

TO THE KDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sza,—ln The Sun of yesterday my attention was
arrested by a paragraph headed, "New Principle of
Ascertaining Vitality."
That the test in question is not new, I could readily
convince you or your readers, by extracts from my
lectures delivered in the medical school of this town in
the years 1834 and 1835 ; but I prefer to this course
the more legitimate one of giving you the authorities
to whom I was indebted for any knowledge which I
possessed—viz., Messrs. Schmidt, Bernt, and Chaus-
sier. Were a newspaper the proper medium for it, I
should gladly go more into detail, where a subject cf
such acknowledged difficulty as infanticide is involved.
As it is, I must content myself with merely recom-
mending coroners and juries to be careful in attaching
undue importance to this or any other isolated test ;
as, unless supported by other facts, the grossest
error and injustice may be committed.—l am, Sir,
yours, &c.,

GEORGE FIFE, M.D.,
Formerly Lecturer on Medical Jurisprudence
in the N. C. School of Medicine.
Newcastle-on-Tyne, 7, Saville-row, Sept. 11, 1851.

THE COFFEE QUESTION.—Much has been said of
late as to the purity of this exhilarating beverage, and as
there are a variety of opinions, on this que-tion,
we beg to offer a word or two for the advantage of our
readers. The Parisians are acknowledged t',e best coffee-
makers in the world, and are sup; osed to use chicory in their
preparation. The respectable houses in Paris do no such
thing; the real merit of their excellence being in the choice
of the berry, in the scientific way of roasting and mixing, and
finally, in the more careful manipulation. When chicory is
used, a practice only resorted to by proprietors of cafes
where inferior coffees are consumed, it is used only in the
proportion of about one ounce to the pound of coffee, with the
view of giving colour and h dy. In England, in most cases,
it is otherwise, the general custom of mixing these two ar-
ticles, the proportion of chicory being much greater in order
to darken the colour of the decoction, and they think it is
not good otherwise, whereas, the pure coffee is of a light
pale colour, similar in appearance to old port wine. If the
public were fully acquainted with this fact, we should soon
find our coffee dealers pay more attention to the roasting and
mixing of the berry, and follow in the steps of our continen-
tal neighbours. Of this fact we have lately had a convin-
cing proof in tasting the coffee at the French Coffee and
Chocolate Company, New Oxford-street, which has an aroma
and fragrance not to be surpassed in this country.
SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY.—The directors have
resolved to recommend the proprietors to declare, at their
ensuing meeting, a dividend fur the half-year ending on the
31st of July of Bs. per share, which, with the dividend de-
clared for the preceding half-year, of 10s. per share, will
make a dividend for the whole year of 3 per cent. The sum
of 65,0001. has been expended by the company during the
last half-year in the purchase of new engines and new car-
riages, of which 38,0 01. has been placed to the debts of ca-
pital account, and 27,060/. to the debit of the fund laid aside
for renewals.

VICTORIA PARK.—^, Considerable improvement has
been effected in this park during the last few months, new
walks and shrubberies have been formed, and a public gym-
nasium constructed, and the ornamental water much im-
proved; and, by order of the Commander-in-Chief, ono of
the bands belonging to the household troops attends twice a
week, the same as in Kensington- gardens The Commis-
sioners of Woods and Forests are now taking the necessary
steps to construct a series of carriage approaches to the park,
which bids fair to become one of the most attractive spots in
the metropolis.
THE " GIGANTIC UNDERTAKING."—It is gravely
proposed to erect a granite bridge, above two miles long,
" with bazaars, shops, &c., and a covered colonnade," across
the Severn at Black Rock or New Passage, to connect Mon-
mouthshire and South Wales with the West of England and
Bristol! So precious and scarce does building ground ap-
pear to be in that overcrowded district, that the very piers
and abutments are to be made "habitable"—by the fishes
we would have thought, were it not. stated that it le in
" the upper parts" only that these habitants are to be pro-
vided—tor the gulls therefore it must be. But whence the
twice two miles of shopkeepers are to come, much less their
customers, we are not imormed. The " shops, bazaars, and
colonnade may be constructed principally of glass and orna-
mental metals, atter the manner of the Crystal Palace, so as
to afford conveniences for the display and sale of artistical,
manufacturing, and natural results of all kinds, thereby
constituting a sort of permanent Exhibition of the_ pro-
ducts of all nations—and for monuments and curiosities of
every description— and the bridge itself, like the Glass Palace,
would be the greatest monument itnd curio,ity of the
Iv I,li. especially when ttrgla:.b.:canie a. 3 cntc:st d
as the ". . . antic undertaking" Melt is, on the whole.,
--Builder.

SELFT,
THE ~ TIMES" ON
STYLED BARONESS VON BECIC.
(FROM A COBRE,SPONDENT.) the
This journal, in pe,rsevering in its hostility in l,',
cause of liberty on the continent, is not less a
vering in its support of a bad cause than it is bard!o
(even under the most desperate circinstano.e)on.
finding out plausible grounds for propping I_s.
Lee tool P...,
The exposure of this infamous woman,
vile accomplice of the despots of the continent,
cri
been boldly seized upon by the Times SS 91,0
reason why Englishman should withhold frotn.,l". to
victims that sympathy which they have Int.°4
shown, and which (as long as they wish to 0410_"to
the character of a free nation) they will never ow a
exhibit. Those who have been often visitor
fOl
English courts of law will be familiar with the I
lowing trick of advocacy :-
11°.
but, by way of a substitute for substantial a._....
A Learned Gentleman has brief in a had ccse/
ments, he copiously resorts to the hackneyed °rot
dients of browbeating vvitoesses, wheedlingd sr'
acte.
110
bullying the jury, and expressing well
tonishment that his " Learned Friend 013°01
have ventured to make the statements be r
done," &c. In this histrionic display he goes on "or
perously perhaps for hours, when suddenly °,,,idefawa
expected answer from a witness, or some other 04coff
incident in the trial, abruptly breaks down the
sophistry, and lays bare in an instant the rottenne!o
a bad case. At a moment such as this the youngr;ito
inexperienced shrink and falter. ..Not so tne 00
practised gentleman of the long robe! for, far . _ air
blushing at the exposure, or shrinkieg from then
grace of his client, it is precisely at such a turn
_Teo,
case as has just been described that the /op
sophist of the bar assumes the boldest tone, affection
greatest satisfaction, and exhibits the most anbcoteifs
disposition to launch forth personalities and lotto
against the victims of those who have the ois,,a lot.
to be opposed to his client, who may be assuin.
a hypocrite, a swindler, or a knave. that valr:
Thus the Tinzes, at the very instant , t',0600
indignation is justly excited by the sudden °nolo:0:
of a new example of the vindictive and tos°,ll[olllr,
character of the Austrian Government, instesa °_ 000,
taming a decorous silence, which would havebeedlii or
suitable for the spirit of an English journaldtresteefi
sumes the offensive, and with well-feigned 017,400
converts this conviction of an infamous BPY u-r 5) 01 '
also equally the conviction of her eMpleYe oder'
a crime on the part of their victims --of 010 Oil
tunate men against whom their detestable, ditsbnol
directed. At the very moment when x,hillr•chusr"'
lssrn for the first time that their country ("-becoo!
to be a safe asylum for the unfortunate) 105.00 W,
the field of foreign spies and informers, 11116,"ose Om
ing the destruction of the exiles of a goo(' ""opo'o "
people of this country are audaciously called 00
withhold their commiseration from those Wirror be ` ,
made the objects of new persecutions, an'
10i
come the victims of new crimes I • the
When Lords Stanley and Lyndhuratt Inciose. Ae'
session of Parliament, found fault with the AglaTi,
tnent for a supposed toleration of' conspiract if Ord
foreign thrones, they acted according to "goit,,,
leanings in political matters ; but this "auest"
the self-styled Baroness Von Beck opens 6 Guest
which when addressed to our Ministers la iiesf.
with it the sympathy of Englishmen of all Panrf her...l'
classes. The so-termed Baroness, spealiivg 'ao PP;
her own person, was a common impostor, '6lcl IP
obtaiued money by false pretences, and w°llooteri'l
been punished in accordance with our laws'a• 1:01"'",
the responsibility for her acts confined to tßll,bis il'
able woman, and did it perish with her? rolls!
question in which it must be all but suPB';dar,
give an answer. If she was employed and rhea Agja,"
Austrian Government ; if her works if(pobili the_ady
mask) were part of that employment, an
,1 on.
lations of private confidence and the pentl°'611001::1
of which she was guilty (not only towards 100,..te''
rians and other foreigners, but also toward 6: dee,r
respectable English families,) were all P, ",•
services as a :Tv under the direction of a fbre7, fel
vernment, all Englishmen, especially those Whlaff
directly defrauded by this woman, have a rig oessi,c
upon their Government suitably to exhibit °aft
so shameless a violation of the compact of Pea,:d em
at present exists between this countryP V
~..,
kingdom of Europe ? e bac,
Are the spies and informers through envoi,
paternal Government of Austria exercises I".,:ita
Vienna, Pestb, and Milan, to be imported " A
punity into London and Birmingham?
all its sibs
is not possible for the Times, with a-- ,ipart:
and experience, to exclude from the pub Tic ;fool's
natural inferences that this transaction sc" flaieif,,l
for to all men of unsophisticated underate-00.1
will thence be evident that the cause of °,°c„rsCP;
liberty is essentially our own—that those vii°"oo Flo
on the friendship of foreign despots retoble 4'
" clouds and the winds," and it will he. Pt' as •0
all men of common sense that such soot
Polish Association are necessary, and sh7felievici
general support, not merely as a mato °hi" 6
rae
snedn
cper protecting ctthi ne
cleansingheartbsfroomur
thsoeilp
unfortunate foreigners, but as a In3°-10011
despotisms. 1101
~ ;o.j
CHILDREN FOUND DEAD.—Yesterday °Lad, self'
was held by Mr. W. Carter, the coroner, at ant
ese"
thebody of i$
tiolt,
Tavern, Church-street, Lambeth
born male child, found under very' onuspic. us client he
Police-constable John Waistcoat, 97s L, statedw tbat
tot 070
the body on Wednesday night in Norfolk-row, ,13,2:0f,,k1
Lambeth, lying on the ground sewn up in a Pe-,1 tbs,'oo
pillowcase. There were no marks on the cloth, 1113;60'0
was so far advanced in decomposition that the w-ciet,„,.
was unable to give any evidence of a positive char3s ore
jury, in consequence, returned an open verdict °,lO/,,origf
dead."- The body of a female child was found b 7 8 tr snot
stable of the P division in the Brixton-road, near 'ablist'ac,
gspoiuers 07°000
Tdeaavdern. It was tied up in a piece of cloth, an soOA-ti
for some time, which was evident from ir3B "
_ the
state of decomposition. The body was taken to f
house, where it awaits an inquest. 00400
THE CABINET OUT OF LONDON."'L°Litele°:, 6S;slls
was so quiet, and the reason is-all the Mionl- the ",,,
Lord Palmerston, are out of London. The fact 'Adel '4O
like an eight-day clock, can be wound. up for a et' -norsLe;
and goes just as well by itself, as though its,,-sor a' #
were e etched. Nevertheless, this is all very we,„. n-istrs„, a
but imagine what might be the result if the ,„1-0 bsf,:te
happy with their holida resolved never to calc°""-cal'o/
all. What would be ' our loss? Le' us try t° braevg
' bat t°'
With Lord John Russell, we should lose--t , ,goroie
Reform Bill. With Sir Charles Wood--the Vg...: Cie
With Lord Grey-the Cape of Good Hope. Witil -11. he' 0
Grey-nothing.-Punch. ;Tif 00.01
EXTENSIVE ROBBERlES.—Yesterday h71,°,• Ones:
was received by the ;police that some earing ',::'" ressfe",
effected an entry into the Mount Hotel, Lower :3301;0
street, carrying off the cash-box, containing °lra- D'i
_ bag
~ f
three 5/. Bank of England notes, a canvas 5 golu ,
" Ransom," • • containing 80/. in gold and silver, ~,,s for Os
some Great Northern Railway shares, and checlnipiegio
Also from 293, Oxford-street, a cash-box r°9`"-- irr t.l,
lbi°llo6
10s. in gold, and 41. in silver. Also from the A
Kennington-lane, a valuable timepiece and othl;,,fe;ea
Al"so from the Edinburgh Castle Tavern, 'll-,ille,r,A
Woolwich, a valuable watch 301. in gold, 93• 'll illac'' sO"
aquantity of wearing apparel; and from the otcl°
Tavern, Dorset-place. Trafalgar-square, lual)le
square, a Va
fOrr
appendages and some jewellery. te Jai I;
THE " R
-LOOMERS" IN LoNDON.---ire4"-,r(f ram p
noon a further attempt was made in Piccadillll°„is tbje,4o-6f
the inhabi, ants of London with the appearahae 1, o Post
female costume lately introduced in America. .I;feeil •00
ol .
ladies, • with two companions who might bay" sf: Om iii-
mothers, alighted from a cab, in the peculiar toe i7nisi
described of late, and proceeding towards the e,att'co- 00101
Green-park, distributed in their way handbilis,,,Toif u2OP"
a spirited appeal to the women of England to t''oct P-. 0
yoke of their unfeeling and brutal OppreSSOls,ai of;;00
an attire better suited to the dignity of the 61— Sow b'
goe . ca.
In a short time the pressure of the crowd bee' oil P 4jW
that the missionaries found it convenient boo call .
which they entered amid much laughter, 111-- de,
cheering. ..„,0 is three
11
M FT
R. __TIME IN SCOTLAND,—Mr. 1:10-1.,d abet r
sent on a visit to his constituents. We understeeedcallee
purposes visiting the various burghs, for the plirP°hsi, 9.1014
on his political friends. He has- not' been ln,niitit I„''," 101
since the last general election in 1847, and na "-will')
veteran isof opinion that anothergeneral election . 0
long deferred.-Montrose Review. . ,co ,
Ileete:S.
AUTOGRAPH LETTERS.—In Mr. Davie s'e iii, pAog
of autographs, sold on Tuesday and Wednesday'i;tere'ort
Puttick and Simpson, of Piccadilly, were a ,;thing ,a-ta
lots, although the bulk of the collection offereaLs- ble,,A
remarkable. We quote a few of the most a°`rn, tbe'',o- lo
their prices. Lot 45, a printed volume, containia&ciger, le
graphs of Melancthon, G. Major, and Caspar Chrieue- irenfretl
for 41. 12s. Lot 88, also a prntd book, M vi-pral 7,00,7
serted autographs of Oliver Cromwell and se'v;- f S. 05,
Regicides, sold for 51. ss. Lot 101, the sigher- ° Id 4 ti,
VI., sold for 61. 2s. 6d., although in bad con
letter eiVIT to
some letters of Frederick the Great, each Ifiet`„'",p 13_,,a4esv;
tie King, sold for 31. Lot 152, a letter cf Pe,""Zoorroor,
first who successfully appliedpower to t's'
steam 173, tto
navigation in Europe, sold for 1/. 115.601. L° 223, s 3 ale a lee
Lot 2.l:tyvelfvrr
letter of Edmund Kean, sold for 11. 11s.
J. J. Rousseau, sold for 1/. 10s, Lots 229 to 24,4 s tbil:, etc°
ters of P. B. Shelley, very unimportant as reg' of li-esflell
tents, sold for 71. ls. Lot 246, a short letter,..o emend
Sterne, sold for 1/. 7s. Lot 254, a letter of letterJed
and one of his father, sold for 1/. ls. Lot 329,,a 5 'OOO
by the celebrated Wallenstein,' sold for 31. 1a.,.° ,rolg's tl#
autograph MSS. on astronomical subjects, by J-iliogijoo off
for 2/ 19s. There were also many letters tilr". theitjelk
sale addressed to Elizabeth, Queen of Boherata pre'e
generally uninteresting; but, being in excelleat 4
they sold well. atiiPor,
Miss Rafter, or Madlle. Angelina, wrb°,l,9aggret:te4
laurels DOW at Konigsberg, after having cresteihe;ololP
sation at Berlin, Fraukfort,, &c., is a puPil 0f
relay
singing-master, Crevelli. info ing beep
SUSPECTED MURDER.--YesterdaY tibeio.,
was received that the leg and foot of a hula° Is het 0'
been found by a dog at Silkmore, near Stafford •_d toe bops
examined by medical men, who have prone as
tile,sl
cut off after death, but not by a medical man, aft It Ira 0
was sawn through and the remainder broken 0 sees
b ~ice,
to them that the leg was healthy, and cut frota_4o o.scie
a person of from twelve to fifteen, about threeu vci. the seviio
tied ro,,ondi vief, pad
the sex being uncertain ; a rope was
carts of the u_olitte'''
Search was made, but the other
found. A murder is supposed to•have been col. t
C/C'
cidePcsra'
the body cut up to conceal the crime.
la 1g DC
FATAL ACCIDENT.---A Mehl"- °.„ opescsaosiP;
cursed at Badagry on the 27th of June. -"*......,,,,it1i ~ lia`:
mender Heath, of the Niger screw steam elnen Sir:,
,tr:
ant Surgeon Dun" and a boat's crew front iftrait..P're,ea;
been on shore to assist the people who were;; seltrrf sal
lute affray netween Badagry and Lvos, a 3 voyAor
to their ship when the boat capsized in a el.r
Beath ve'
Mr. Deus was drowned. Commander
when taken out of the.water., ,