The Sun.
London, England, 1851-01-11 00:00:00

BRANDING BY A SURGEON.

For several days considerable excitement has pre-
vailed in Blackburn, by a report that Mr. Rogerson, bur-
geon, bad branded a boy's forehead with a large letter
B, which had been written on by caustic. For some time
past Mr. Rogerson had been considerably annoyed by
boys continually ringing his bell, and running away. On
Sunday week, hearing a forcible pull at the bell, he im-
mediately ran out and caught a boy named William
Wo;,ds and shut him up in the surgery fur a short time;
he then got some caustic, and held the boy whilst he
rubbed on his forehead the letter 13. The youth stated
that, previous to the act being committed, Mr. Rogerson
asked what school he had been at; on being told et the
Independents', the defendant said, " Oh, you are ore of
that sort, are you ? then I'll make an example of you."
At the police•oflice, on Monday, before W. Eccles, Esq.,
Mr. Rogerson a as charged with the above offence, under
the Ist and 2d Vie., chap. 58, wherein it is enacted,
" That whosoever shall cast, throw upon, or otherwise
apply to any person, any corrosive fluid or other de-
structive matter, with int( nt to burn, maim, disfigure, or
disable, or to do some grievous bodily harm, shall be
guilty of felony." It was stated that from th© opinion of
several medical men, the mark would never be erased
from the lad's forehead during his life. Mr. Rogerson
contradicted this assertion, and stated that all appearance
would be entirely obliterated in about twelve months.
Dr. Martland was of the same opinion. The defendant
denied the boy's statement with respect to what school
ho belonged. Mr. Eccles said that whether the mark
would be then obliterated or not made no difference, he
should be under the painful necessity of ordering Mr.
Rogerson to enter into recognizances to appear at the
next Lancashire assizes. Mr. Rogerson, seeing the
serious position in which he was placed, applied for an
adjournment until Wednesday, in order to consult a
legal adviser, which was granted, the defendant entering
into his own recognizance to appear on that day. The
punishment for the above offence is transportation for
life, and not less than 15 years' imprisonment, with or
without hard labour for more than three years.—Man-
chester Examiner.

INQUEST ON MR. WARREN.
Yesterday evening an inquest was taken before Mr.
Bedford, the coroner, in the board-room of St. Martin's
workhouse, touching the death of Mr. William Thomas
Warren, aged .56 years, who died in the above workhouse
under the following very distressing circumstances:—
It appeared from the evidence that the deceased was
an auctioneer and estate agent, and was possessed of
considerable property. He also followed the business of
a market gardener, and lived upon his property, with his
family, at Islewortb. The deceased was very eccentric
in his manner, and would frequently roam from his
family, and no tidings could be obtained of him, until an
advertisement was inserted in the morning journals,
offering a reward for his discovery. This plan generally
led to his returning home to his friends. About three
months since the deceased again disappeared, and ad-
vertisements were again inserted, but on this occasion
without success. On the morning of Thursday week,
about two o'clock, Police-constable Pearce, 140 F division,
found the deceased sitting upon the step of door in St.
Martin's lane. He appeared very ill, and was groaning as
if in pain. He was unable to walk, and the constable
asked him where he lived. He replied, at a coffee-
house, in King-street, Covent-garden. He also told the
constable that his name was William Thomas. The
constable endeavoured to take him to the coffee-
house, but he seemed reluctant to go there, and he was
ultimately conveyed to the above workhouse. Directly
he was placed upon a bed, and before a surgeon could
attend, he expired. The deceased was most respectably
dressed, and upon searching his clothes no money was
found in them.

Mr. Bainbridge, the parish surgeon, said he had made
a post mortem examination of the body. On opening the
head he found under the arachnoid membrane an unusu-
ally large quantity of serous fluid. There was also a
similar laid in the ventricles of the brain. He attri-
buted death to apoplexy, which had been accelerated by
exposure to the cold and night air. Witness had no
doubt that state of the brain bad existed for years, and
was likely to affect his mind.
Mr. M. Warren, the son of the deceased, said he was
of opinion that his father had temporary fits of derange-
ment. The letter found upon deceased was respecting
the sale of some property upon the Duke of NortlitunT
berland's estate.
The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the
medical test►mony.

DEATH or WM. SMITH, ESQ.—This gentleman
died at his residence, the Mount Stead,
a partner in the
near Otley, on Sa-
turday week. Mr. Smith was for many years one of the
leading woollen merchants in Leeds, and
house of Messrs. Smith and Dickinson. He was in the com.
mission of the peace for the borough, and for two successive
years filled the office of chief magistrate, after the passing of
the Municipal Reform Act—his election a second year being
considered a well-deserved compliment for the faithful an#t
satisfactory manner in which he had discharged his public
duties during the first year 0,,,i
fhis mayoralty, and previously
as an alderman of the n.orou, i. The remains of the decease.'.
magistrate w ere interred yesterday week, at St. Peter's
(Wesleyan) chapel ; his funeral Icing attended by a large
number of persons anxious to pay to his memory the last
tribute of respect.—Leeds Mercury.
EPISCOPAL SENTENCE.—in the case of a clergy-
man in the upper part of this county, recently charged with
a very serious offence, both in regard to law and morality,
a sentence of three years'
rustication passed upon him by
the bishop of the diocese has
been
proceedings of a criminal submitted te, and further
nature have been in consequence
abandoned. —Essex Standard.

HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE.-AS we
know that considerable anxiety exists in the public mind
relative to the health of the Noble Duke, we have great
pleasure in informing our readers that, notwithstanding the
very alarming symptoms presented last week, and, contrary
to the expectations of his Grace's medical advisers, he has
again rallied a little.—Nottinghani Journal.
_

We observe that James Morrison, Esq., of Basil
don Park, lately M.P. for the Inverness Burghs, has added
another to his extensive possessions by the purchase of
Lord Ribbisdale's fine estate at Malham, in Yorkshire,
which comprises over 10,000 acres, The sum given, we un-
derstand, was about 92,0001.—Inverness Courier.