The Sun.
London, England, 1869-12-31 00:00:00

LAW AND POLICE.

4.17140"..1TY OF A CAPTALN.—A case bearing upon
the relative authority of the captain and chief engineer of
a steam-ship has been heard in the Thames Police-court.
The steamer Teesdale was coaling in Dartmouth Harbour,
when the captain complained to the chief engineer that
the process gave the vessel an uneven keel, and directed
the coals to be shifted so as to trim her. The engineer
refused to do so, and a dispute arose, which ended
by his striking the captain. The magistrate said that
under the Merchant Shipping Act, the prisoner had ren-
dered himself liable to twelve weeks' imprisonment. Engi-
neers assumed the same power as the captain, but there
could not be a greater mistake. They were as much
bound to obey the captain as the seamen, else there would
be endless confusion. After some discussion the prosecu-
tion was withdrawn on the enginer apologising and paying
costs.

TRIATS FOR MIIRDRI2.—James 3PLeish, a bandsman in
the 72nd Highland Regiment, has been tried at Glasgow
on a charge of murdering Patrick Lynch, a labourer, on
the night of December 4th. M`Leish and another man,
who had been drinking, met Lynch in the street, and
'canted to fight him. Lynch would not fight, and walked
on, when 3PLeish went after him and stabbed him. Lord
Ardmillan, in summing up, said that the use of a
knife on the body of an unarmed man was
murder in law. The prisoner was found guilty of
culpable homicide, and sentenced to 20 years' penal servi-
tude. At the same court a man named Hunter, charged
with killing a gamekeeper, was sentenced to five years'
penal servitude, and Goirand Joseph was found guilty of
culpable homicide by stabbing a seaman at Greenock, but
hia sentence was postponed. -

THE OUTRAGE AT EWELL.

'the adjourned inquest as to the death of the man Thomas
Huggett, was held hefore Mr. Coroner Carter, at Ewell,
on Thursday.

Dr. Barnes, the first witness called, said that since the
opening of the inquest he had made an examination of the
body. Ile found that the left ventricle, and a cavity of the
heart, had been penetrated. The sack of the heart con-

tainod clotted blood, and in the pleura there was also a
large quantity of the same. The wound was a mortal one
and of itself sufficient to cause death. He thought that
the wound was inflicted after the explosion, and it was
in such a position that the deceased might have inflicted it
himself.

Mrs. Sarah Haggett, Jacob-street, Landport, said that
the deceased was her son. She last saw him alive on the
6th of September last. He complained of a pain in his

head, and said that the work and this person—i.e., Mrs.
Richardson—was more than he could bear. His sister
talked to Huggett, and he said that he had discovered
that Mrs. Richardson was married, and that she had gone
away. After that he seemed to have the pain in his
head.

Elizabeth Ann Starling, widow, knew the deceased,
who lodged with her up to the 21st inst. For the last
tl.rce months had noticed that he was strange in his man-
ner, and was desr.ending. He would not eat his meals for
hours after they were ready. When asked as to the cause

he said that it was all about a person named Richardson.
This woman had lived with him for some time. Witness
did not believe he was in his right mind.
John Lodder, gatekeeper to the Rotherhithe Sack Com-
pany, knew the deceased man and saw him daily. He
was a very quiet man, and was regular at his employ-
ment. For the last few months he did not seem
so cheerful as formerly and he told witness
about a female whom he called " Mrs. Sugar,"
and whom he said had received all his money for years,
past. The deceased said he should do no good now.
Witness told him to think no more of it, and lead a diffe-
rent life. Sometimes be said he would, and at others he
was in a sullen mood. On the 21st inst.,when the deceased
went away, witness noticed a great change in him. He
was dancing in a room by himself and making grimacrcs.
He had a hock in his hand, and kept dashing it
attinst some sacks, saying, " I should like tc
serve her the same." Whenever the woman was mt.:-
Coned the deceased always became very excited; but wit-
noes never feared that he would perpetrate any wrong.
The deceased had been drinking rum very much of late;
but prior to that for twelve months be drank nothing• The
deceased said on the Tuesday he would never die before
he took "her" life. .

The jury, after twenty minutes' deliberation, returned's,
verdict that the deccascd committed suicide whilst in a

state of insanity,

THE CALAMITY AT THE BRISTOL
THEATRE.

The evidence given on Thursdayat the coroner's inquest.
Bristol, by members of the crowd as to the calamity which.
o'.scured at the theatre shcwed plainly how it all hap-
Isencd. Williams, of Weston-super-Mato, said ho
wcat to the theatre on Mon•lay night with his sister-in-
Jones, •lie'en Jencs, and two women from
Kingsdown. The push be2,-an about twenty minutes after
Vteir arrival. A little boy fell first, a female from
Bing: own next, Eliza Jones next, and then

-aoss fell upon Eliza Jones. He was on the ground for
abut a minute and a half, when the doors opening
the crowd in front went in, and it became a little easier.
A. great many of those from behind walked over them
while they were on the ground. 'Witness was pulled out
by the hands and shoulders, after having boon down for a
minute and a half. There was a great cry of " Fire"
from several parts; witness cried "Fire" himself because
he saw a great deal of smoke by the pit door. The cry
effect upon the crowd. There were several boys
0" :1> top of the ledge over the passage, putting out cords,
ind he saw one boy partly hauled up, but did not think
to was quite hauled up. When he was picked up the
.—owd seemed to be more at a standstill. Eliza Jones

Its pulled out after him, and he gave her brandy and
other restoratives. Should think there were about fifteen
down in a heap then.—Sydney Hall, brickmaker, St.
George's, was trampled under foot when the doors were
opened. Before falling he supported his mother as long
as he could, and they were then parted. She was carried
into the crowd, and he to the edge of it. He had been in
the theatre an hour and a half before ho knew that his
mother was dead. His father and little brother managed
to get into the theatre. Witness was picked up, and he
helped several others up. After looking all round the
theatre for his mother, he went to the windows of the re-
freshment-room, and saw her laidout.
The police evidence shewed that the police had tried
several ways of keeping back the crowd. They had held.
up their hands, waved their handkerchiefs, cried "Fire!"
and done several things, but all to no effect.
The medical evidence gave details of the causes of death
in each case. Mr. E. C. Board, house-surgeon of the
Royal Infirmary, stated that Helen Jones appeared
to have died from syncope, or fainting. No
limbs were broken, nor was there any appear-
ance of violence to cause death. He thought Mary
Helen Sherwood died from being trampled upon. He be-
lieved Thomas Merchant was trampled to death. Eliza
Lucas died from fainting; Patrick Donovan from being
trampled on; Alfred Xew probably died from his chest
being compressed in the crowd ; Thomas Pearson, compres-
sion of the chest; Samuel Hill, from fainting; John
Davies, trampled to death ; Henry Charles Vining seemed
to have been
.crushed; George Potter, fainting; Sarah
Ann Bilby died of fainting; Mrs. Hall died of
fainting; Catherine Brewer, trampled on. Taking them
generally ho believed the deaths were caused chiefly by
fainting, and being unable to recover themselves. Mr. E.
Ludlow, assistant house-surgeon of the Royal Infirmary,
said he thought Joseph Smith died of suffocation ; Charles
Pring died from having his abdomen trampled upon;
William Samuel Allen died of suffocation.

Some of those who went down in the crowd seem to
have been raised up by ropes let down from above. A few
persons in the crowd, when they heard what had happened,
tried to keep back, but the others pressed on.
The jury, after about half an hour's deliberation, re-
iurned a verdict of "Accidental Death." They entirely
exonerated Mr. Chute, the manager of the theatre, from
all blame in the matter, but appended a recommendation
with the view of rendering the i.it and gallery entrances
safe in the future.

DEATTL OF MR. R. 11. HuNT.—Mr. R. 11. Hunt;
g
proprietor and editor of Heat's Uhiversal Yacht List,
/Lot ea Yachtin
jragazine, and other sterling works of
reference and interest, expired at his residence, d, Church-
street, Edgware-road, on tae night of the "tjth inst3nt,
after an illness of only three Jays. He was born at Yar-
mouth in Ina, where be first acquired a taste for yachting
pursuits, which
.ripened into a passion, and led him to
devoto Liz zeal, energies, and resources to the advance-
ment of his Much-cherished pastime. His " Yacht List,"
a work of incalculable value to the yachting communliy
has now been twenty-one years annually before the public,
and his monthly magazine seventeen years. These works
were originates! more from a love of the sport than a
desire for pecuniary gain, aTid their present popularity
speaks volurnel in favour of no perseverance and atility
of their resre-..-tel. author. It was almost his last wish
that the yachting works to wl:ich, he had devoted so many
years Of Ilia life should be ecl, inned after his death,which
request, hi, son, Mr. Alfred H. Hunt, with the assistance
.
of his literary friends, will earnestly endeavour to carry
out.

Toe Royal Naval Training Establishment for Boys
in Jersey was finally closed to-day. 'iho boys have been
distributed to the Excellent, Boscavren, and Impregnable.