The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-09 00:00:00

LONDON, rHURSDAY EVENING. OCTOBER; 9. 1856.

IBONMASTERS" QUARTERLY MEETING.

WOLVERHAMPTON, Wednesdiy- Evening.—The last of
the series of the meetings of the itanmasters of this dis-
trict for the current year Ockainenaea 'at Walsall on
Tuesday ; the second assembly was held here this -after,
noon, and was very numerously attended. As may be
expected, the busindss- was remarkably flat. Orders,
which had begun to come in more freely since the pre-
liminary meeting, have
.received a sudden check, con-
sequent on the advance in its rate of discount by the
Bank cf England, peculiarly affecting as that operation
does the trade of this district, which is carried on chiefly'
by means of four months' bills. Consumers are indis-
posed to buy pig iron with the money markeit in the
state it now is, preferring instead to work up such stocks
as they have on hand, lest the course of events-in the
next week or two should lead to any fiirther stringent
action by the Bank. This feeliei being general
the sales of pig iron were nominal, and a flatter
quarter-day has rarely been witnessed. The very
little business transacted was in better qualities 'of
pigs, for which there is what maybe considered a mode-
rate demand; for inferior and cinder
pigs there is no in;;
quiry whatever, and as the make isnod,much •in excess
of the consumption, it is quite certainihat, unless a reac-
tion takes place (which is anything bat probable) some of
the furnaces must be let out, however undesirable that
proceeding may be. The very best mine pigs have been
done at 41., which may be regarded as the top price.. E -
low this we - have a variety, of quotations, but a good
make of pig iron has been done at 3/...,105. The price of
coal is also against the pig niastero there being an ad-
vance of ls. per ton; but stone is lietilon'aud more [AMIE-
fnI; flats are about 17s. to 17a.teisk "; poor robbing
ids. to 16s. 6d. per ton. There is the usual supply of red
ore, and a small quantity from Northamptonshire, which
is row but very little favoured in the district.
The orders for malleable iron at the principal works
are about sufficient to keep them in full operation, but
there are no large contracts in, and at the second-rate esta-
blishments they are very scantily supplied, and in pre-
sent circumstances it is to be feared these are not likely
to increase. From America the orders continue to be
unusually small, and with the exception of some of the
ports of the Mediterranean, the continental 'trade is any-
thing but brisk. A t to-day's meeting there were repre-
sentatives present from some London, Liverpool, and
Bristol firms, but on this occasion they were merely
lookers-on ; they concurred, however, in representang
the shipping trade as unusually inactive. •In fact, the
principal demand for finished iron at this moment is for
depend
uacthleast. It
thet e home
future
smtaatrekeotis
t:hueptornadeit
fmerusset
mvuertyimme
is just possible that there may be more animation at the
meeting at Birmingham on Thursday (this day) ; but
when the assembly broke up to-day, the prevailing im-
pression appeared to be that the prospects of the trade
are anything but satisfactory, especially as commercial
disasters in the district are of too recent date to render
it probable that parties are in a position to cope with
any pressing monetary difficulty.
Last Saturday experiments were made on Mr. Besse-
mer's principle at some works held under Lord Ward,
near Dudley. They had been represented as favourable,
but it was stated to-day that malleable iron was not pro-
duced.

CORONER'S INQUEST.-LAMENTABLE

CASE.

Yesterday evening an inquest was held at the Vine pub-
lic-house, in Broad-street, Ratcliff, on the body of the late
Mr. Jas. H. Hopkinson, chemist and druggist, aged 29.
The inquiry excited an unusual degree of interest among
the inhabitants of Ratcliff. The deceased had been in
business as a chemist and druggist for about six months
only, at No. 85, Broad-street, next door to the Vine.
Ho entered upon business with the best prospects,
and was possessed of considerable poperty. He soon com-
menced drinking to excess ; the evil habit increased upon
him, and for some time previous to his being- seized with
the serious illness which caused his death, he was almost
continually intoxicated. His wife, a young, well-educated
and attractive female, to whom he bad been married 12
months, was more frequently bathe shop dispensing drugs
and compounding medicines than her husband. About
three weeks since she swallowed a large quantity of tinc-
ture of opium, of the properties of which she was igno-
rant, and which she obtained in her husband's shop. She
took enough to kill 10 persons, and only for the purpose,
as she expressed, of frightening her husband. The most
strenuous exertions and skill of Mr. A. Carson, a surgeon,
of Cock-hill, Ratcliff, and Mr. Burch, the resident medi-
cal officer of the London Hospital, alone saved her. Mr.
Burch had no hopes of saving the unhappy woman when
she was first brought in, but after a fortnight's treat-
ment he pronounced her nut pf danger,- and sent her tn.
the Thames police-court, wherikshe expressed the utmost
repentance for the rash and wicked act shei had com-
mitted. Mr. Yardley took- oneanion—to teas.Jklr.-+
Hopkinson, who was then verging on delfremens,
in severe terms, for allowing his wife to dispense drugs
and poisons, while he was indulging in habits of intoxi-
cation, and said he was a most unfit man to carry on the
business of a chemist and druggist. Mrs. Hopkinson was
allowed to depart with her husband. On the same even-
ing Mr. and Mrs. Hopkinson proceeded to the West-end
to transact business with their attorney, and receive some
money of him. They then repaired to a respectable
coffee-house at Charing.cross to partake of tea, and while
he was putting a cup of tea to his lips and conversing
with his wife, he ruptured a blood-vessel and vomited
forth a quantity of blood. Mrs. Hopkinson immediately
sent for a surgeon to attend upon her husband. Same
temporary remedies were applied, and he was sent home
in a cab. On reaching Broad-stseet, Mr. Carson, the
deceased's neighbour and friend, was hastily summoned,
and discovered the unfortunate man supported in the
arms of his wife on a bed, partially undressed, and
bringing up an immense quantity of blood from the left
lung. Mr. Carson prepared a dose of medicine from the
bottles in the deceased's shop, and administered it to
him, and since then had been in constant attendance
upon him day and night, with short intervals of rest,
and had also called in two of the most eminent of the
faculty to assist him. A severe attack of delirium tremens
followed, and after that the deceased became perfectly
isensible and collected, so much so, that he sent for his

lawyer to make his will, bequeathing everything he pos.
&eased to his dear Uzzy, as he called his wife. Mr. Car-
son assisted the deceased in affixing his signature to his
will. On Monday the deceased was attacked with bleed-
ing at the nose, and that was the immediate cause of
death. He expired the same night. lir. Carson had no
doubt that Mr. Hopkinson had indulged in the vice of
intemperance to a fearful extent, and that was the pri-
mary cause of the rupture of a blood-vessel. The loss of
blood caused delirium tremens. Mr. Carson also stated
that Mrs. Hopkinson was a most excellent and affec-
tionate wife ; that sbe employed the best nurses, and
spared no expense during the illness of her husband. He
never saw more kindness and attention towards an in-
valid husband than was exhibited by Mrs. Hopkinson.
He also seemed greatly attached to her, and said he
would leave all to his dear wife.

Mr. Mathias, a bookseller, and other jurors said they
knew that Mrs. Hopkinson was a kind and affectionate
wife, and had been unremitting in her attentions to her
husband. They also expressed a high opinion of the
zeal and energy displayed by Mr. Carson when the wife
took a large dose of poison, and again when her husband
was brought home on the night of Monday, the 25th ult.
The Coroner remarked on the peculiar and lamentable
nature of the case. The fatal illness of the husband had
followed close on the appearance of Mrs. Hopkinson at
the Thames police-court, and it was greatly to be la-
mented that poisons could be so easily obtained. There
was no doubt the death of the unfortunate deceased was
causod by the loss of blood, and the jury would have no
hesitation in saying that he died from natural causes.
A verdict to that effect was immediately returned by
the jury.

lIORRIBLE ATROCITY-
CHILD CHILD DEVOURED
Br A .

AVESBURY, WILTS, Wednesday.—Considerable excite-
ment prevails in this place and the surrounding neigh-
bourhood at the present time, owing to the discovery of
a most horrible atrocity—no less than a mother throw-
ing her newly-born infant into a pig-stye to be devoured
by pigs, in order to conceal her shame.
From what has transpired, it appears that for some
time past a young girl, named Wise, from Compton Bas-
sett, has been living in the service of Mr. Pope, of this
place. Lately, from her appearance, it was suspected that
she was enceinte, and she was spoken to on the 'Abject.
She strenuously denied that such was the case, but her
statement was not believed, although she was not fur-
ther questioned at the time. On Sunday last she ap-
peared to be suffering from illness, and was again inter-
rcgated as to her condition, and advised to tell the truth,
in order that arrangements for her confinement might be
made ; but she still denied the accusation. Some hours
afterwards, however, she was found lying on the floor,
apparently in a fainting state, and she was then openly
accused of having given birth to a child, but she persisted
in her denial. Mr. Fitzgerald, the nearest surgeon, was
summunecl as soon as possible, and upon his arrival he
at once stated that she had given birth to a child, but
she once more denied the fact. Mr. Fitzgerald, how-
ever, being satisfied, directed that search should be
made fur the infant. As far as the house was concerned
the search was unsuccessful ; but at abcut 20 yards from
the house, in a pig-stye, a fine healthy male child was dis
covered being rapidly devoured by a tatting pig, large
pieces of flesh having been tiler off by the hungry animal,
and it was with some difficulty the mangled remains
could be recovered from the stye. The mother had previ-
Jusly been removed, and placed under proper attention,
she being in a most shocking state. She was not informed
,
of the discovery of the bcdy until yesterday, when
she appeared in a most dreadful state of mind. She ad-
witted that the child was hers, and stated that the father
was employed at the Swindon railway station. • The
particuanylarso
order
of
e rhavethet o horrible
gratify
visitedra tif y t
ithe e atrocityisrp spot
morbid curiosity. AE
rapidly spread, and
mtwhere the body wat
t
soon as Wise is sufficiently recovered to be removed the
aliole'affair will undergo investigatien.

THE GERMAN LEGION.

( Prom, 'the Dublin Evening M ail. )
Who shall deny that "it is a good thing to have a
friend at Court ?" The officers and soldiers of the British
German Legion, we are sure, will be the last to con-
trovert that sound axiom ; for the contrast of their
sunny prospects with the unfriended and outcast condi-
tion of the poor Italian Legionaries, discharged from the
same service, cannot fail to bring its value home to
their business and their bosoms. They have read in
the public journals how the discharged soldiers of the
Italian band have been laid hold upon,, wherever Aus-
trian malevolence could set its vindictive claws upon
them, and handed over to the` inder mercies of a court-
martial, for having presumedto serve the Queen of Eng-
land in tho late war, and they should bless their stars
thata like fate does not await themselves. For, assur-
edly, had, our Teutonic auxiliaries been sent adrift in the
same manner, they would have received similar treat-
Wen in Faderland. Whether they bent their steps to-
wards Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, Baden, or Hanover it-
self, cool quarters and a hard dungeon floor would have
been their welcome home in all those regions. But their
services have been so sumptuously appreciated, that the
most meritorious and the most favoured veterans of
our own native troops will have cause to lament, to their
dying hour, that they were not born in Germany. An
asylum has been secured for them at the public expense
far surpassing in liberality and provident care all that
was ever before done for any British coloniits. '
German auxiliaries—officers and men—if they elect to
becothe settlers at the Cape in preference to the articles
of capitulation under which they entered her Majesty's
service, are to enjoy their full pay, and allowance up to
the day of embarkation for their new homes. A free
passage will, of course, be given them, with a mess for
the officers and plentiful food for the men during tho
voyage. They will take with them their arms, accou-
trements, uniforms, and camp equipage, together with a
canvas suit to be wore on board ship. That camp equi-
page, be it remembered, was originally supplied to them
'free of charge, while the British regiments were obliged
to pay dearly for every article they were furnished withal ;
and the untoward occurrences at Nenagh makes it
unnecessary to point out how much more considerately
these foreigners have been used in the article of " uni-
form" than the unfortunate sans culotte poor relations
of Tipperary. Oh, surely it is a very fine thing to be
a cousin German !

Arrived in South Africa, these interesting emigrants
will not be turned out upon the shore, like English or
Irish free settlers, to forage for themselves, but rations
for one year, or, at their option, a commuted allowance
in money, will be served out, and from the day of their
setting foot on the dry land, pay at the following rates
per day will be granted them for three years :
Pay of colour serjeant
Serjeant
Corporal
Private

Moreover, that they may have a full and immediate
enjoyment of the provisions generously granted by the
bounty of the State, an outfit of 51. per man is to be lent
them, for the purchase of cooking utensils and tools.
This advance they may repay during the second and third
years of service. And although at first, for the want of
ready-made houses, they must be content to abide in
their tents, yet they will soon be in a condition to change
that Government canvas to winnowing sheets and rick
covers ; for a further allowanee of 201. to each non-com-
missioned officer, and of 181. to each private, will be dis-
bursed for the building of a cottage, which cottage, along
with the allotment of land on which it stands, shall be
held rent free for seven years—should the tenant prove
conformable all the while, and not fraternise with the
Kafirs. After that probation it shall be "his and his
heirs' for ever." Nothing more is required of them, in
order to become owners in fee simple of houses and lands,
than that for a certain period they shall follow a peace-
ful and industrious course of life, endeavouring to avoid
those violent and dishonest practices by which alone they
have distinguished themselves since they took up arms
in the service of the British Crown.
Nor is this all. The wives and children of married
soldier,,, whether now resident in the British dominions or
in Germany, shall be carried out and rationed, every frau
and every fraulein of them, at the cost and charges of the
British exchequer. Nay, to the unmarried soldier is
allowed the privilege of sending to Germany for "the girl
he left behind him," and if she is willing to go "the same
indulgence will be extended" in the way of a free passage
and rations, and of inheritance to her likewise, and
to her future children, as to existing wives and to their
families.

Commissioned officers, who may feel disposed to ac-
company the men, will be provided for after the manner
detailed above, but of course on a higher seals—half-pay
being insured to them for three years after landing in
the colony, and tree grants of land of the value of 3001.,
2001., and 1001., being offered to the field-officers, cap-
tains, and subalterns, according to their several ranks.
Ertirlfirg allowances will also be made to them in nearly
the same proportions; 201. being awarded to the sups-
/goy atioars.,lsol. to, the captain, and 1001- to the sub.
Their families likewise, with's female servant to each, if
required, will be conveyed to the settlement " free of
expense for passage or provisions,"
DJ not all things show, as we have said, what a mighty
fine thing it is to have a friend at Court.
The last review of the German Legion took place at
Wivenhoe on Wednesday week, when their commander,
Baron Von Stutterheim, pronounced an eloquent vale-
dictory address. The baron's name is an odd one for an
orator, nevertheless he "did not hesitate" to utter these
words :—" I consider it my duty to thank you for the
good behaviour you have exhibited from the first moment
of your arrival in this country down to the present time.
I thank you again from my heart for your good con-
duet, which has proved that yon are an honour to
your Fatherland 1"
This, it must be confessed, is a very bold style of ora-
tory, unequalled, perhaps, on English ground since the
immortal Kirk took leave of his "Lambs." The rat-
tling tongue of saucy and audacious eloquence would be
hard pressed to go beyond it.
The reader will not be surprised to learn that soldiers
of such admirable repute are in high request all over the
continent, and that King Bomba especially has already
bid so high as 50 dollars a piece to induce them to enter
his service. The fine spirit they displayed in attacking
the gallant 41st, after its return from the Crimea, has no
doubt inspired his Sulphuric Majesty with a lively con-
fidence in the zeal with which they would use their arras
against any other subject of Queen Victoria.
"At present (says a London-paper) it is by no means
certain that any considerable number of them will accept
the terms, however liberal these may be, offered by the
Government to enable them to settle in British Kaf-
fraria. It is rumoured that the agents of the King of
Naples, with a view to coming events, are already offer-
ing the men a bounty of 50 dollars a piece as an induce.
ment to enter his service. It is said, with perhaps more
certainty, that the Dutch are also holding out to them a
premium of 51. to emigrate to their colony of Batavia,
to recruit their military forces, now comparatively weak,
from deaths and other casualties. France, too, and the
Argentine Republic, it is suspected, have each an eye on
these soldiers of fortune, who are now, on the first flush
of peace, being disbanded by the English Government.
In addition to all this, some of the revolutionary class of
political refugees, both in this country and on the conti-
nent, counting on the men of the Legion being useful as
some time in carrying out their designs, are striving to
dissuade them from leaving Europe, alleging that the
British Government are only sending them out to the
Cape as food for Kafiri,."