The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-27 00:00:00

IN RR DURRANT.

This bankrupt was described as of New Oxford-street,
boot and shoe maker, and today passed his examination
on accounts, prepared by Messrs. Paul and Turner.

The balance-sheet, extending from Nov. 1852, to Aug.
1856, shows Dr. to Cr., 1,2281. 6s. ; to ditto holding
security, 3821. ; profits, 2,7861. Cr. by property, 501. ;
ditto in the hands of creditors, 1651. ; trade expenses,
2,841/. ; domestic, 8031. ; losses, 5631.

BANKRUPTCY OF MADAME SEACOLE, OF THE CRIMEA.

To day a petition in bankruptcy was opened against
this well-known lady and her partner, Mr. Thos. Day,
and on which they were adjudicated bankrupt, and sur-
rendered in the usual manner. They are described,
" Tavistock-street, provision-merchants, &c." Protec-
tion was granted.

ACCIDENT TO MADAME SEACOLE.—Madame Seacole
appeared with her face bound up, having met with rather
a serious injury, in consequer.ce of an omnibus in which
she was riding yesterday tilting over, and she and several
other persons were thrown on the side ; her face was
cut and her arm injured, and others also suffered. It
was somewhat singular that when she was got out she
was instantly recognised by an officer and some of the
Crimean heroes, who at once offered their services, and
abused the driver for what they considered his careless-

nev.

CRIMINAL COURT.—(This Day.)

The October sessions of the Central Criminal Court
commenced this morning at the Old Bailey, before the
Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, the Recorder, Alderman
Finnis (Lord Mayor elect), Alderman Sir J. Musgrove,
Alderman Sir F. G. Moon, Alderman Kennedy, Alder-
man Hale; Sheriff.; Mechi and Keates, and Under-
sheriffs Crossley and Anderton.
The Recorder in charging the grand jury, said he re-
gretted to find that the printed calendar was in point of
numbers unusually heavy, and that he could not hold
out to them'tbat their labours were likely to be light.
The number of prisoners in the calendar amounted to 161,
which in all probability would be increased by the num-
ber committed on the first two days of the session to
180 or 200. He was unable to suggest any particular
cause for this increase of numbers, and he was inclined
to attribute it to accidental causes rather than an indi-
cation of an average increase of crime. The calendar
though heavy in number was not so in the character of
the offences. There was one charge of murder and one of
manslaughter. There were comparatively few cases on
the calendar involving charges of either destruction of
life or severe injury to the person, but there was a con-
siderable number of charges of burglary. These charges
were generally more numerous at this season of the year
than in summer, from the long nights affording facilities
fur their perpetration ; and they also increased in spite of
the severity with which the perpetrators were treated in
that court when charges were distinctly proved against
them. He regretted much to find that larceny by ser
vants, whose duty it was to protect the property of their
employers, did not decrease. The charge of murder in
the calendar was one of a peculiar character, and was a
charge of murder against a husband, arising from the
death of his wife from taking medicine to procure abor-
tion. The learned judge then detaqed the circumstances
of the case, which, it will be recollected, occurred
a few days since at Hackney, and said that he
feared there would be a difficulty in proving the charge
of murder, and tbat'a legal difficulty existed in convict-
ing the prisoner of being an accessory before the fact.
He advised them to well attend to the evidence, and, if
it did not warrant them returning a bill for murder, to
return a bill charging the husband as an accessory before
the fact, in order that the statutes on this point, which
it was feared were defective, might undergo revision.
After referring to other cases in the calendar, the learned
Judge said that the case of Robson was one that had
created much attention, from the nature of the charge
and the prisoner's connection with the Crystal Palace
Company. The prisoner was charged with two offences
—one for stealing a number of certificates of shares, the
property of his employers, and the other with having
forged the name of a person to a transfer of shares. If
the prisoner forged the name it was an indictable of-
fence ; and if he dealt with the certificates entrusted to
him by his employers, either by selling them, obtaining
money on them, or giving them to a friend to obtain a
loan of money on them, it was in either case a dealing
with the property of his employers, and amounted to
larceny.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—(This Day).

SOUTHWARK.

THE ATTEMPTED MURDER IN BERMONDSEY.—RiChard
Burchell, Abraham Burchell, and Patrick Ryan, were
placed at the bar before Mr. Seeker, charged with at-
tempting to murder Patrick Griffin, who is nuw lying
in a precarious state in Gay's Hospital.
Mr. Salomon appeared for the prisoners.

John Griffin, a young man, about twenty-two, said
he was a labourer, and resided in Brown's-place, Grange-
road. His brother, Patrick Griffin, came from the other
side of the water to see him on Saturday night. That
was about 9 o'clock. And they went to a beer-shop
close by. They remained there a short time, when he
told his brother that Richard Burchell had severely
beaten him about five weeks ago. His brother said if he
had been by his side at the time he should have served
him out, and if he saw Richard Burchell he would not
be pleased with him. They went out of the beer shop
about half-past 9, and proceeded to Richard Burchell's
house. Witness pushed the door open and called him,
saying, " his brother was there and would see him
righted." Richard then came out, took up a brick, and
threw it at his head, striking him on the side of the left
eye, which caused him to fall down. Abraham Burchell
then came up and kicked witness while on the ground.
Toe wife of Richard, who was inside the house, called
out, " Stick them I stick them !" Witness was then
pulled by the legs, and on getting up he saw his brother
and the man who is now in the hospital lying near the
palings. He thought he was dead, and he fell on
him and kissed him. Witness was at that time
covered with blood from the wound on the side
of his head, and he was then taken away to
a doctor's, where his wounds were dressed. His bro-
ther was left behind. He did not see any blood or
marks of violence on his brother, neither did he see
any violence offered to him.

In cross-examination by Mr. Salomon, witness said
that before they went to the beer shop they called
on Mr. Magnahan, where witness lodged, and told
him they were going to Burchell's to settle a dispute.
Magnahan told them not to go. When he was at-
tacked at Burchell's a great crowd had collected, so
that he could not see what they did to his brother.

George Ansel', a lad employed at a greengrocer's
in Forth-street, Bermondsey, said he saw the two
Griffins in the beer shop at half-past 8 on Saturday
evening. They appeared to be under the influence of
beer. About half-past 9 witness was in the garden
adjoining Richard Burchell's, when he saw the latter
kick Patrick Griffin, the injured man, with the heel
of his boot several times. Ryan also kicked him, and
witness saw Abraham Burchell beating last witness.
Witness thought they had killed Patrick Griffin, but he
did not see any knife or sharp instrument used. Richard
Burchell went into his house, while Patrick Griffin was
on the ground, and fetched a pair of bellows which he
struck him over the nose with. He did not see either
of the Griffins strike any one. _

Sergeant Coleman, 23 M, produced a certificate from
the surgeon of Guy's Hospital, setting forth that Patrick
Griffin, the injured man, was in a very dangerous state,
Superintendent Bramford hero asked for a remand,
when his worship asked whether the man was likely to
live.

The superintendent replied that he was not.
Mr. Seeker, after reading over the deposition taken
in the hospital, remanded the prisoner until to-morrow
week,