The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-28 00:00:00

THE ALLEGED MURDER OP A MOTHER
AND ERR ChILD 131' SURREY.

XINGSTON, Saturn :Lei, JAN. 26.
- It having been appointed that ihb tOrti ptirdngtea Feed
and Jackson, were to be again brought up for exaniifil,
tion before the bench of magistrates sitting in the Grand
Jury Room this day, on the charge of wilfully murder-
ing Mary Ann Peacock, and her daughter Blies, by
drowning them in the River Thames, caused an immense 1
concourse of persons to assemble round the court-house,
and it required the services of a strong body of police,
under Inspectors Rapsey and Murtell, to keep a sum.
cient space clear for the magistrates and others having
business to transact in the court to pass along.
Mr. Beavitt, from Mr. Neale's office, York-row, Ken-
nington-road, attended to defend the prisoner Ford ;
Mr. Littlewood again attended to defend the prisoner
Jackson.
The magistrates present were Messrs. 11. Westcar,
chairman, Beckford, and Sims. The only additional
evidence produced to-day was from karia Blab, who in
cross-examination said that she thought Hammerton was
' and she had told him
not working at the barges on the night Mrs. Peacock
asked witness to go on board with her and have some
supper. She believed that Ford and deceased became
I
thatfre
plied r
wn friendly adi
witness
erasii
ettgth sl e
Glazer,y money.
oei. before Christmas
ei
The nwdhtoo
he
rwas examined the previous and had frequently sup-
day before the coroner, on being cross-examined to-day,
said it would have been much easier for Ford to get home
on shore by passing over the plank than by taking a boat
when he went to call Jackson. He did not hear any one
re
in Jackson's barge during the night, neither did he hear
any one fall overboard. No one could harovae.
pseeeancodeekc deceased
at the time in the cabin.
andsed
Inspector Rapsey gave in the whichstatemento
eti apprehended, D
whichpri-
soners
F
hador
dmade
deniedon thet
h dayat
he
e they
knewwerme p
that neither she nor any other female had been on board
the barge with him, either going or returning from Lon-
don, and that he went on board Burns's tug two hours
after ten o'clock. In cross-examination he said it was
impossible for any one to have seen the deceased and
her child in the cabin at the early hour that Hammerton
had stated he bid.
The Bench, after consulting the chairman, inquired of
the prisoners whether they had anything to say,
and,
being answered in the negative, Jackson Was discharged,
but Ford was fully committed to take his trial at the
ensuing assizes. The bench, in answer to an applica-
tion from Mr. Beavitt, refused to take bail, alleging that
the offence was of too serious a nature to accept bail.
The witnesses were then bound over to appear and
give evidence against Ford at his trial, when the pro-
ceedings terminated shortly before five in the even-
ing.

THE STEAM-SHIP ROYAL CUARTEB.—PLY3IOIITH,
26.—The Australian Steam Navigation Company's new
ship, Royal Charter, Captain Boyce, which left Liver-
pool on the 18th inst., with mails and passengers for
Melbourne, put back to Plymouth Sound this morning.
She has proved too stiff at sea,, from having too much
ballast, part of which will probably be discharged here,
Rer covering boards require caulking.